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Title: Speed Equals Distance Travelled Divided By The Time Of Travel.
Medium: Ficlet (410 words)
Challenge: 001 Speed at samcarter_gen
Author: rolleson
Rating: G
Spoilers: Space Race
Warnings: None



Distance travelled divided by the time of travel.

The Stargate was the fastest way Sam had ever travelled. Nothing compared to it. Not her bike, not the 302’s, The Seberus, hyper speed. Only the Stargate gave her that soul-deep rush of intensity that made her head buzz, her heart pound and stomach twist over and over and into knots. Only the Stargate gave her that anxious feeling that made her feel like she was in love.

She was well aware that it was all probably the effects of being transferred into pure energy.

It was addictive, the apprehension before stepping through, the way her mind couldn’t process those seconds as energy at all, the relief and wonder at coming out the other side in one piece. She knew how it worked, knew the ins and outs and physics of it all, but still felt that wonder.

The closest thing she had ever felt to having faith in a higher power.

Not that she told anyone any of this. She suspected her team mates would understand, that maybe they felt the same, O’Neill certainly had that look on his face that told her he enjoyed every step, every moment, through the gate.

She certainly wouldn’t be telling any doctors that either. Any implication that gate travel was addictive would mean the programme being shut down while they tested that theory. And Sam was addicted and didn’t think she could go without the rush.

She dreamt about it. Those few moments as energy were part of her, embedded deep into her. Some nights she was energy again, zooming through the universe at incomprehensible speeds, spinning in blackness because her mind couldn’t take in her surroundings. Because there were no surroundings. She dreamt about the way her body had screamed at her, stop, stop, stop, because it couldn’t take the disjointed feelings anymore.

No one talked about it. It wasn’t part of the locker room banter for either sexes she suspected. No one sat in the commissary and talked about what it felt like to go through the Stargate. No one explained to visitors, they spoke hushed reassurances that it was safe, without mentioning that it was going to be an experience like nothing else they’d ever do or feel or see or hear or scream.

Except maybe death.

It worried her that death was going to be the only thing that satisfied her soul once she stopped going through the gate.