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ANCIENT REPOSITORY

Ancient Repository

An inscription on P3R-272 reads "Noo Ani Anqueetus" ("We are the Ancients"), and "Hic Qua Videeum" ("The Place of Our Legacy"). A device which materialized on the wall of the sealed chamber is the archive of all the knowledge of the Ancients, and when O'Neill peered into the viewer, it grasped his head and downloaded an alien language and database directly into his brain. As a result, his brain began operating at over 90% capacity, as opposed to the typical 5 to 10%. He began speaking an alien language, wrote a formula in base 8 math for calculating planetary distance, drew a schematic with instructions for repairing the DHD, and entered new programming into the main computer to identify new stargates not known on the Abydos cartouche. However, human physiology has not advanced to the point where the brain could handle that technology, and he was driven to build an energy generator that enabled the stargate to dial Othala where he could seek help from the Asgard to remove the Ancient knowledge. Even the Asgard themselves have not mastered the vast stores of Ancient knowledge. In fact, Thor acknowledged that Asgard scientists had long ago extracted parts of the Ancient library of knowledge, and although they had learned much from it, they have been studying it for as long as anyone can remember and have barely scratched the surface.

The SGC was unable to gain any additional information from the repository on P3R-272 because the power source had apparently been depleted when O'Neill activated it, and six months of research by an engineering team had found nothing. However, five years later, SG-1 discovered another Ancient repository on P3X-439. Believing that the greatest library of knowledge in the known universe would hold the key to finding the Lost City of the Ancients and saving Earth from the Goa'uld, SG-1 hoped to extract the device and bring it back to Earth for study. However, when Anubis launched an attack on the planet, SG-1 was faced with the choice of destroying the device or letting it fall into the hands of Anubis. O'Neill made the decision to interface with the device a second time, then to destroy it with C4 as they made their escape from the planet. As the massive amount of data that had downloaded into O'Neill's mind slowly began taking over his consciousness, he began to exhibit knowledge and powers that were beyond even his own understanding. Once again, he began to speak the language of the Ancients, and he determined that the gate symbols could be spoken aloud like an alphabet. He modified a cargo ship to increase its speed, activated the Ancient chair device on Praclarush Taonas, and drew upon the healing power of the Ancients to heal Bra'tac's knife wound simply with the power of his touch. He modified the transport rings to bore through the Antarctic ice, and summoned the power of the Ancients to activate the Ancient defense weapon and annihilate Anubis and his fleet. However, the technology gradually overwhelmed his nervous system, and facing death, he was placed in stasis until Thor was able to remove the Ancient knowledge and restore him.

As the galaxy faced the threat of the Ori, SG-1 sought the Sangreal and Merlin's weapon, a device capable of destroying ascended beings. Their search led them to Merlin's cave where they found Merlin preserved in stasis and a device similar to the Ancient repository that extended from the wall of the cave when activated. This device did not grasp the head to download knowledge, but by peering into it and placing his hands over controls on the wall, Merlin was able to interface with the technology to build his weapon. Through the device, Merlin could design and configure the components of the weapon from base molecules which appeared virtually as holographic images floating above him before assembling themselves and materializing into solid form. However, Merlin knew that his body had deteriorated too much during stasis to complete the task, and he uploaded some of his memories and knowledge into the repository so that when Daniel interfaced with the device, he acquired that part of Merlin's consciousness and was able to continue the virtual construction of the weapon. After Daniel was captured by Adria, he continued his work, using the repository device aboard Adria's Ori ship to complete the components before their final assembly.

Cross Reference: Abydos Cartouche, Ancients, Ancient Defense Weapon, Ancient Gene, Ancient Language, Ancient Stasis Chamber, Energy Generator, Daniel Jackson, Merlin, Merlin's Cave, Merlin's Weapon, Jack O'Neill, Othala, P3R-272, P3X-439, P9Q-281, Praclarush Taonas, Sangreal

Episode Reference: The Fifth Race, Lost City, The Quest, The Shroud