Author Foreword:
This Fanfiction had just jump into my head when reading a news article about the Shuttle Discovery launch and how if damaged the Shuttle Atlantis would be launched in weeks time to for a rescue mission. However I started thinking what if this happens in the world of Stargate SG-1 and how the Prometheus would be able to be on hand to help. For the NASA Shuttles had helped the SGC in the past, so I thought how about the Prometheus returns the favor. So this idea started to take shape in my head and hence I started to write it down.
Also this will take place a little bit after the ending of Threads and so the "Prommie" would be out of the Repair Dock…again! Also I have long forgotten the commander of the Prometheus since it has repeatedly changed hands, from that first guy, to another, and then Hammond so I made up a guy so please no yelling at me okay… Please! Okay enough talking…grrrr… Onto the show!
William R. Woods
"Deathzealot"
March 22, 2005
Stargate SG-1: Friends in High Places!
By William R. Woods
Earth's Orbit
NASA Orbiter Discovery
June 21, 2005
Cruising through the dark depths of space around the blue jewel of Earth, a white object known as the Shuttle Discovery started its decent towards Earth on a thankfully successful mission. However it was all about go horribly wrong, as a piece of long forgotten debris from one of the numerous dead satellites in orbit around the Planet was drifting very close to the shuttle. In the cockpit of the orbiter Colonel Frank Logan, USAF sighed as the Earth started to fill the faceplate of his suit. He thanked god that they where almost there, however his co-pilot excited that they managed to complete their mission easily leaned back in his seat.
"You now sir, we did it. We pulled it off!" Major Ian Julian said excitedly with a smile on his lips behind his suits faceplate. Logan rolled his eyes and looked over at his co-pilot.
"Don't Jinx it Major," he ordered and turned back to his controls just in time to nearly get smashed into them as the Shuttle rocked sharply. Curseing he turned to glare at as his second to see looking back at him with a white face.
"You had to say it, didn't you Major," Logan said sarcastically and turned to see that the rest of seven man crew where all right. His flight engineer was already struggling to get out of his restraints to check the damage. Minutes later he stumbled back into the cockpit with a worried look on his face.
"Colonel something hit us… hard! I really don't think we will be able to get back to Earth," the man reported fearfully before disappearing again seeing if he could do anything. Cursing Logan flicked on his Vox and radio built into his suit.
"Houston, Discovery…we may have a problem," Logan reported calmly but with fear leaking into his voice. As he talked he started to pull the shuttle away from the blue orb of Earth to get back to a higher orbit, however secretly hoping that he would be able to see his kids once more.
White House
Washington D.C, United Sates
The Next Day
NASA Director Earl White looked sadly at the white box sitting atop of the desk of the President of the United Sates of American President Hayes. This had happened days after getting this position and he was clear not really happy about it, but at the same time he wanted to save the shuttle. Hayes also looked at the box listening to the voices coming from it with a depressed look on his face.
"Houston, Discovery we managed to get the shuttle back into a higher orbit, before both thrusters and engines failed, we may have a few days before reentering the atmosphere," a sad voice reported.
"Roger that Discovery, we are trying to get Atlantis ready but it may not be soon enough," reported a more calm voice but with a slight bit of fear in his voice. Behind his desk President Hayes closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose wondering how he was going to get these boys and girls home. What had been feared had come, if NASA managed to rescue the shuttle or worse if they did indeed burn up in Earths Atmosphere, it was the end of the Space Program.
I really want those guys home but how in the world can I get them home… wait a minute… Oh my god! Prometheus! That would be prefect I can get the SGC a larger budget and save these boy and girls at the same time, Hayes thought as a smile started to appear on his face. White who had started to turn his old gaze from the box to his president frowned confused at the other man's smile.
"That's it! God I got it!" Hayes said excitedly as he picked up a phone on his desk and pressed a single button on the cover of the phone. White confused leaned forward and saw the button labeled with HW Sec. Even more confused he leaned back and listened as Hayes started addressing the person on the other side of the phone.
"George, get down to my office now, and make it quick!" Hayes ordered with a calm commanding voice, however he nearly jumping out of his chair.
"Mister President what is going on?" White finally asked wondering what this was all about. The president just mentioned that it would answered in due time. Twenty minutes later an older balding man in an Airforce uniform stepped into the Oval office with a confused look on his face.
"You called Mister President?" the man asked with a slight Texan accent in his voice. Smiling Hayes motioned for him to take a seat, which the man did in an instant.
"Yes George tell me what is the Prometheus's status right now?" Hayes asked with an excited smile on his face. The Airforce officer blinked confused as the President's question registered which he quickly glanced at White making the man slightly nervous.
"Of course Mister President, she is going through some trails sir. Is there a reason why you want to know sir?" he asked with a frown, looking over at White. Hayes just chuckled noticing his friends look at the other man in the room.
"Well George the Orbiter Discovery ran into some problems on reentry, it appears that it was hit by some stray debris from a dead satellite. The Atlantis may not be able to launch in time to rescue the crew and the ISS is to far to help, so I was wondering if the Prometheus could save the shuttle," Hayes reported and was amused as a grin slowly started to appear on his new head of Homeworld Security face. White was still left in the dark on what was going on as the two men talked.
"You got it Mister President, I will give them a call," General George Hammond said with a smile getting up to leave before looking at White one more time before leaving the room. Once the man was gone Hayes turned his attention back to White.
"Well Earl I was planning on telling you this in a few days however I guess it can not wait so I will tell you know," Hayes said and prepared himself for a long story. White eagerly listened to the rapid briefing that the President was giving him, at first he didn't believe it however the intense look on his leader's face told him it was real.
LeGrange Point 2
USAF Prometheus
June 22, 2005
Colonel David O'Connor smiled as he looked around the bridge of his new command for the hundredth time since leaving its planetside dock. While it was true he had been in the Stargate Program for the past few years, he had only been a NASA liaison to the program, then on the SGC's Ship Design Board. However now that more Prometheus Battlecruisers where in production and the near by launch of the first of the new Prometheus-B Battlecruisers the Daedelus he had been giving command of the Prometheus while the last commander of the ship before General Hammond moved to command the Daedelus. It was pretty good for a former astronaut who used to fly around small shuttles around for a living. Now he was in command of his planet's very first space warship. Sighing he saw the amused looks of his already experienced bridge crew and smiled at them. His Communication Officer looked up at him from her station.
"Sir General Hammond wishes to speak with you," the woman reported with a frown. David frowned as well and slipped on a headset over his head.
"This Colonel O'Connor go ahead General," he said in the headset's mic sitting in front of his face.
"Colonel at 13:47 hours yesterday the Orbiter Discovery was hit and badly damaged while on reentry and the Atlantis may not be able to launch in time to save the crew," the General started. David's face went white since he was a former astronaut himself he knew what those people where going through. He also knew the man leading that mission, who was a very good friend of his from back in the academy. Gritting his teeth he waited for the General to finish. All around him the crew who where listening in flinched knowing that if something happened to the Discovery it would be an end to the Space Program.
"So I want the Prometheus to rescue the Discovery, it is time for the SGC to repay our debt to NASA," Hammond finished with a grin in his voice. A grin appeared on David's face as well, knowing what the General was referring to.
"Roger General, where moving out and don't worry we'll get them," David said with a smile.
"All right Colonel see you in a few hours Colonel," General Hammond said before signing off. David nodded and slipped on his headset and looked over at the Radar Officer.
"Lieutenant, find me the location of Discovery and we you do transfer the location to helm and Helm once you get the location put us on a course for them," he ordered the two officers in question, who hearing what their ordered where eagerly followed those orders.
"Sir I got them!" the Radar Officer reported seconds later looking up at his commander. David raised an eyebrow wondering how he found them so fast.
"Sorry sir I had detected them earlier, however we where told to stay clear from the ISS and the orbiters sir," the man reported nervously. David nodded, for the ISS crew knew that the Prommie was out here, majority of the Orbiter Crews did not.
"That is alright Lieutenant, Helm get us there as soon as possible," he ordered the man sitting in front of him.
"Way ahead of you sir," the pilot/nav officer reported with a smile bringing the large ship on a heading towards their people stuck in a drifting shuttle. The engines of the ship engaged bringing the ship to a speed no Space Shuttle could manage. Once they where on their way, David made preparations for the rescue with his other officers mainly his head engineer who was thinking of a way to bring the Discovery aboard without anymore damages to the already damaged Orbiter.
Discovery
32 Hours after accident
Colonel Logan sighed as he listened to his crew arguing on what to do to save them. His flight engineer suggested something while someone else shot his idea down. Finally Frank had enough of their arguing.
"That is enough people, go get some sleep. We may need it," he ordered them raising his voice over theirs to get their attention. The others just nodded and started to head for the sleep area of the shuttle, sighing Frank was about to join them when his radio suddenly squawked.
"Discovery, Houston we have some good news for you folks," came the controller's voice. Frowning he stopped his drifting and grabbed a hold of a bar near him to steady his body.
"Houston, Discovery what may that be we are all but exhausted up here," he reported into his headset, wondering what this good news was hoping against hope that they managed to get Atlantis up and ready.
"This may keep you guys awake. We have a rescue on the way," reported the controller. Frank closed his eyes thanking god that their prayers came true.
"So when is the Atlantis suppose to be arriving?" he asked smiling please that he would be able to see his kids after all.
"Its not Discovery, Atlantis is still on the pad. However another rescue is on its way, codenamed: Prometheus," Houston answered making Frank's smile disappear from his face. He was about to ask what it was, when his radio buzzed once more.
"Where transferring you now to Prometheus," Houston said before fading out. Frowning Frank tried to get them back when the radio buzzed once more.
"Discovery, Prometheus we are now in route towards your position, ETA: 90 Minutes," came a whole new voice much clearer then the Controller's voice. Frank blinked in surprise slapping his transmit key in surprise.
"Roger that Prometheus, reading you five by five and I guess we'll see you in an hour and half then," he said to surprise to say anything else. He heard an affirmative before his radio went quiet.
"Yeah I have some good news," he called heading towards the rest of his crew in the sleeping quarters for the shuttle.
Prometheus
An Hour Later
David smiled as the Discovery came into view, however his smile disappeared when he got a good luck at the shuttle damages.
"Discovery, Prometheus we have you sight and are proceeding with rescue maneuvers. Also you guys might want to be strapped down," David heard the Communications officer talking into her headset. David looked down at the helm officer who was already shutting down the engines of the ship and started use the station keeping thrusters to push the ship towards the damaged shuttle very slowly.
"You sure you can do this Captain?" he asked the man wondering if the officer was up to it. The other man just turned and glared at him.
"Yes sir, I'll try," he reported turning back to his instruments. David nodded and turned to Chief Engineer who was standing next to the COMM officer with a communication headset on talking to his crew, before turning to look at his commander.
"Sir safety net is in place and my men are standing by for the retrieval," he reported with a frown clearly not liking the retrieval they developed, which called for a safety net rigged across the F-302 Landing bay, to catch the shuttle. David nodded for he was not pleased with it either but it was the best they could come up with in a short time.
"Alright proceed with retrieval," he ordered and quickly took his place in his command chair and watched as the Discovery got closer and closer towards them.
Discovery
"Discovery, Prometheus we have you sight and are proceeding with rescue maneuvers. Also you guys might want to be strapped down," Frank heard over the radio which left the crew confused for they thought there was a docking involved, so they where suited up and ready for transfer.
"Affirmative, Prometheus," Frank said and turned to issue the order to head for the cockpit to get strapped in and he made sure they where all strapped in before he did. As the seconds crawled on, his crew and himself desperately tried to find their rescuer. Finally Frank looked straight ahead and let his jaw drop as a ship cruised slowly towards them.
"Holy mother of god," he said in awe as the ship slowly grew as the ship approached. The rest of his crew looked on in shock at the ship and watched in awe as they where heading for what looked like a hanger. It was then they where totally inside the ship, and finally the crew including Frank managed to recover from their shock and saw a white net across the hanger, holding onto the his seat, the shuttle impacted the net with little further damage to the shuttle after skidding a few inches. Taking a big sigh of relief Frank watched as the hanger slowly disappeared as they where lowered by an elevator into the ship. Smiling his crew started laughing pleased that they where alive. It was then light spilled into the cockpit as they where lowered into a large hold or something. Frank and his crew look in shock at the row of fighters lining one end of the hold, before finally jolting to a stop. Then they saw people advancing towards the shuttle clapping and cheering. It was then it registered that there was gravity and the crew had their latest shock.
Prometheus
A few heart beating minutes passed before the Chief Engineer smiled as the reported came in.
"Sir we have them," he reported to David, which made the rest of bridge irrupted in cheering. David smiled and turned to the communications officers.
"Tell Houston we got them and we are heading home now," he ordered with a smile as the officer eagerly slipped her headset back on.
"Houston, Prometheus we have them, I repeat the Discovery and her crew have been rescued," she shouted over the cheering of the bridge.
"Affirmative Prometheus, good work and thanks," came the reply seconds later and cheering and clapping could be heard in the background as well. David smiled and ordered the crew to be brought up after a physical from the ship's doctor for it might be a shock to their system thanks to the sudden change in gravity.
Washington, DC
"I see General and please send your men my thanks," President Hayes said with a smile pleased that went well before setting phone back on its cradle and chuckled slightly. It might be the end of the SGC's secrecy, but what a way to end it. The thought made Hayes smile knowing that the press if they find out would eat this up and while angry at this being kept from them would realize the importance of this. For NASA did not realize at first but it had a friend in high places (quite literally) ready to help in any way it could.
Fin
Afterword:
Yeah what do you guys think, and in case you where wondering the names are all fiction, including the ones I created for the NASA director and Shuttle pilot and co-pilot. Another note is the latest episode of SG-1 the specs are shown for the Daedelus. Since they looked similar to the Prometheus I concluded that it was an upgraded Prometheus. This is also has been a one-shot story.
I may write something after this on the revealing the Stargate Program to the public, however that depends on the reviews I get, so please review.