Shadow-Gate: Legends and Demons.
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Mjolnir stared dispassionately at the screen of his duty station, where the deep probing scans were correlating data from their research on the Ancients Outpost on the sub-Arctic continent of Earth.
Even though he followed the Orders of The Supreme Commander, that didn't mean he had to like it. This was yet just another Outpost of The Ancinets, The Asgard had scanned hundreds of them, had even visited the remnants and repowered them for study. This one was no different than all the others in only that the Humans of the World, the famed SG-1 had activated it by themselves, and astonishingly used the Outposts Drones weapons system to defend their world from the attack by Anubis.
Still though, Mjolnir hated that he, along with 15 other Asgard, were stationed aboard an antiquated Science vessel that predated the Replicator War, and were only permitted to follow their orders of 'Observe and Record everything, but do not interfere'.
So for three months after the battle of Anubis, that was what they have done, hidden by the cloak of their ship, their presence unknown to the peoples of Earth or Stargate Command, they scanned and recorded and extrapolated the vast quantities of raw scan data from the planet and surrounding area in space in the star-system.
Mjolnir once again contemplated his superiors concern with this plan of The Supreme Commander's, the worry being 'What if the sensors of the Ancient Outpost were to detect them?' At that time The High Council found it doubtful that the Humans of Earth would be able to even USE the sensors of the Outpost, much less have those said sensors track the 'wake' of a cloaked ship. And so for a quarter of this worlds solar-cycle, that estimation seemed to of been proven to the crew of the old science ship.
Mjolnir made a quiet 'hmm' as he made a notation about unusual topographic discrepancies in the western dessert portion of the South American continent, the area known as Nazca, then turned the scan results to the greater area surrounding the Ancient Outpost. At times of boredom like this it was a personal amusement of his to watch the humans scurry about in their primitive aerocraft and pick away at the ice that so completely shrouded the ruins.
On a moment of perhaps 'whimsy', he pulled the scanners away from the immediate area of the Outpost, and began to scan the greater surroundings, scanning deep. Those scans were relatively unimpressive; on the surface of the ice there were no large animal or plant species for almost '300 Dagems' (467 square kilometers), but there were several preserved remains buried in the many layers of ice. He changed tactic and focus of his scan to include an ice strata scan, the data collected would be pure minutia he knew, but he and his crewmates were given an order to record "Everything", so he'd be certain to include the scans of "Everything" in his report. This was a scan for shear spite to his Superiors anyway.
His attention was drawn back to the screen by a soft chirp from the computer signaling an abnormality for his attention, Mjolnir cocked his head a little to the side and let his large black eyes take in the oddity. Around the Ancient Outpost there was a perfect ring in the ice strata, this was to be expected as the shields of the Outpost once prevented new ice build-up in the Outpost, this however was not true outside the shield, so over the centuries of its abandonment the ice accumulated around the shield of the outpost, thus forming the ring. In fact the ice should have been a complete Dome over the outpost, but for some unknown reason the shields had collapsed and the Outpost was truly lost in the ice. A puzzling event.
What wasn't expected in this scan however were the three strafing lines gouged into the ice strata, beginning hundreds of meters away from the edge of the shield ring going on only to be interrupted by the shield ring, then showing again on the opposite side if the shield ring strata. These marks were clearly and unequivocally made by low to medium altitude craft or crafts clearly on an attack vector. This was an unsettling development that might explain how, or why, the Outposts shield had collapsed.
After a moments thought, Mjolnir raised the power of the scans and focused them deep into the ice at that particular level in the strata, the powerful Asgard sensors tearing through thousands of years of ice accumulation with ease, and spread the scans out over a massive distance from the Outpost. With these scans underway there were no more obvious clues or answers, there was however another question. That being that there was an area where the scan became "fuzzy" Asgard sensors, even old ones such as on this ship, were not known to give "Fuzzy" readings, it was reading as if there was an advanced sensor scattering field in effect.
So now annoyed, Mjolnir concentrated a tight focal scan beam into that one area knowing that such a high intensity localized scan beam might actually become visible to the naked human eye due to the intensity, but he wasn't concerned about that as there were no humans anywhere near the area of his focus.
After a brief moment the computer chirped and data as well as a visual began to appear on his screen. The problem area was containing a very large Biologic life form, it was many orders of magnitude larger than any animal had ever evolved to be on Earth, a beast at an astounding 3.5 kilometers at its widest point, what was truly astounding though was that there was an active, although strange, Life Reading emanating from the creature, as though whatever this creature was it had perhaps been frozen into a type of stasis, then Mjolnir looked at the visual extrapolation and he began to feel "fear".
He immediately knew what it was, every member of his race knew what it was even though the Asgard had not encountered such a terrible leviathan since their very first feeble forays into space, however the reputation and history of this discovery was enough to cause fear, even terror, into any race that was old enough to understand the implications.
Mjolnir stared, the small clues now answered, what lay beneath the ice of the Earths southern pole was massive, had many "arm" like structures, was organic in nature, and it was as black as space. It was the most feared vessel of one of the most Ancient Races to walk the Stars, a remnant of one of The Ancients most terrible and unrelenting was a Shadow.
The ships computer made the same realization as sirens began to ring throughout the vessel and an automated alert was sent to the High Council. Several others had gathered around Mjolnor and his station to view the dark beast with their own eyes, all knowing that now things had suddenly changed.
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Next day, Cheyenne Mountain Complex, StarGate Operations Control Center.
Alarms were blaring, General Jack wished that there were 'good' kinds of Alarms and flashing red lights as he descended the spiral staircase and barked out "Cyler, Report!"
The named Airman turned in his swivel chair to face the Brigadier General and reported, "Sir! We have reports in from Norad and LIM-SAT Operations of an estimated 140 hyperspace windows opening in system and around Earth, the light flashes are currently visible to the Pan-Asiatic night sky, and sir..." Cyler was cut off as the Stargate began to spin in the telltale signs of an Offworld Activation.
Like a well oiled machine, the Professionals of StarGate Command sprung into Action closing the Iris, manning the gun turrets that faced the Stargate 'just in case', and a thousand other things that needed to be done in such instances of an unscheduled traveler.
All too soon for O'Neill there was that 'whoosh' sound and the Embarkation room had that cool blue glow of an active Stargate blocked by an Iris.
Walter then called out from his post, "Sir! We're receiving an IDC code... Sir, it's the Asgard!" O'Neill didn't even have to give the word to open the Iris and send the confirmation code. But his mind was whirling at a million light-years per second wondering about the hundred plus hyperspace windows, and the ships causing them, popping up all over around Earth, now the Asgard coming to town. Jack's darkly humorous side was hoping Thor would step through that 'Gate and shout "SURPRISE!" But...
Jack looked down through the Blast Window at the Gate Ramp, as the first little gray guy came through. Was it Thor? Jack couldn't tell, they all looked pretty much the same. Then there was another little gray fellow, than another, and another. Then the fourth little guy came through holding was Jack suspected might be the Asgard version of a Rifle. He likened it to looking like a smaller Asgard-sized, smoothed out silvery-gray M-1 with a glowing white crystal at the muzzle. It was the first time Jack... or heck... Anybody, had seen an Asgard carrying a "gun".
Then three more Asgard stepped through, two of whom were holding a "gun" like the first, but the third was very different as far as Jacks knowledge of Asgards went. He was BIG for an Asgard maybe almost as tall as Carter, and he was wearing a Green Sash and was holding what looked like a leather bound book.
The scene of 7 Asgards at the 'Gate was almost surreal as the one at the lead looked up at Jack through the Blast Window and said, "O'Neill, there is a Darkness on Earth that must be destroyed at all costs, Assemble your Leaders, the fate of your world and the Galaxy must be sought now!"
Jack could only pinch the bridge of his nose as though in pain and mumble, "Ah, fuck..."
He knew it was going to be one of "those" days...
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Antarctica, IOA reaserch base of the Ancient Outpost, that same time.
In the cold, really friggin' frost your nuts off type cold, of the base the scientists were working their hardest under the make-shift conditions to learn the secrets of the Outpost, more specifically the weapons systems. But still any data they could glean was important to the security of Earth.
Dr. Rodney McKay had just sat down on a ice cold steel bench to look over some readings on his tablet computer when he looked up and said, "...does anyone else hear that? Kind'a like a high pitch whining sound?"
Another scientist was about to make a smart-mouth remark about McKay, when there was , in fact, an audible whine sound followed by a flash of light revealing in their midst a glowing crystal sphere floating in the middle of the chamber, no one had anytime to react before it sent out a pulse of light, sound and energy that immediately rendered everyone unconscious. Mere moments later there was another whine sound followed by another flash of light, this time the Asgard transport beam revealed 4 little Asgards, they were wearing silvery/gray bodysuits to shield their frail bodies from the bitter cold, 2 were carrying what were obviously weapons, the other two carrying other types of scientific equipment and tools.
With trained military professionalism they wordlessly secured the area, then the two Asgard scientists approached the Alteran control chair platform, they kneeled off to its side, then one Asgard brought out a pen-like device, and activated it as some form of laser-cutter as he used it to cut a hole into the floor of the platfom near the ZPM access port. With the access hole cut the other Asgard reached in and pulled out a cluster of glowing cables then began attaching clips that were connected by more glowing cables to a box of obvious Asgard construction.
After several minutes wait, the one Asgard announced, "The sensor log download is complete, we have verification."
Then by an unspoken signal, the were transported away, the only evidence of their presence were the unconscious bodies of the Earth science teams and the vandalism done to the Ancient control platform.
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Stargate Conference Room, minutes later.
The members of SG-1 and Brigadier General Jack O'Neill stared at the 7 little Asgards as they waited for a Conference Call from the White House and Joint Chiefs. Frankly Jack was getting a little Ancy as in a staring contest the Asgards had him beat. Hands down. Actually those huge unblinking eyes of theirs were jusy creepy too...
"So fella's, what's up?" Jack smiled good naturedly, hoping beyond reason that this wasn't yet another universe shaking event.
The Asgard with the crystal necklace looked up at Jack and said, "O'Neill, I am Vajner of the Asgard High Council, accompanying me are my Aides Alrek and Aun, our Guards Véþormr, Yngvar, Hrafn, and lastly the High Council Lore-keeper, Lady Ran."
During the introductions each Asgard tipped their head in recognition, but the last the taller Asgard confused Jack.
"I'm sorry... but 'Lady'? I thought you were all like genderless clones?" Jackson blurted in a way that could make a skilled diplomat smack him, but the Asgard themselves being a blunt race didn't perceive the slight.
The taller Asgard with the green sash and book spoke, "While it is true that our race is composed of clones we do still carry a few of our gender and social traits, such as a female I am marginally larger than the males and carry the non-functional reproductive organs of my gender. It is also rare for females to serve in any military capacity as we are now few in number of the total population, this explains your ignorance and is no fault of your own limited experiences with Asgard society."
Jackson and Carter both found that absolutely fascinating.
Vajner spoke again, "As to the reasons of our impromptu journey to your world, after the battle with Anubis we left a cloaked Science vessel in your Star System to observe for any after-affects or reprisal attacks by the Goa'uld. However yesterday the vessel detected something of a horror, a vessel buried in the ice of the sub-arctic continent of this world, a vessel from a race that were the enemies of the Alterans, they knew them only as the Umbra or in your english as the Shadows."
By now the members of SG-1 and General Jack were getting decidedly uncomfortable.
Jackson said, "Pardon me for asking Vajner, but why is this one ship so... well... I'm not certain how to put this, so I guess I'll say alarming to you? I mean I could understand if it was a ship from a race that were enemies of the Ancients, but it's just one, long buried crashed ship, right?"
For several uncomfortably awkward moments the Asgard were again silent, then the female Ran, the Lore-Keeper spoke.
"No, anything and everything that is from the Shadows is always a threat. Their technology is living death. According to the records of the Alterans the Shadows walked the galaxies for Two Billion years, they waged merciless wars against other elder races, such as the Walkers and Vorlons, at some point the Alterans became involved into these wars as well, the wars raged for Eight Million years with only 15 to 20 thousand year respites. These wars devastated this galaxy leaving it a far quieter and lonelier place as many sentient or developing races were driven to extinction. Their worlds burnt to cinders. At some point in the conflicts the Homewolrds of the Vorlons, Walkers and Shadows were destroyed, by means which we do not know as all we Asgard do know of this is second hand knowledge from the Alterans. Later the Shadow remnant fleets left this galaxy, and were persued by Hunter/Killer fleets of the Alterans and Furlings."
The female Asgard paused, as if to restrain herself, then set her book down on the conference table, but kept it closed.
She continued, "The Shadows, in their pursuit made it to the Ida Galaxy. At this time we Asgard had just finished the last great Clan War, and had been in space of our home system for more than 300 years colonizing various suitable moons and we had built orbital habitats. We had not yet found a way to leave our home system, and had not seriously contemplated other forms of alien life at that time. Then they came. The Shadows found our home system, and as a deversion... A DEVERSION! attacked our early colonies and space habitats as a means to slow down their pursuers in the Alteran fleets. We were completely unprepared. Our first contact with an Alien race cost us over Three and a half Million Asgard lives as the Shadows in one day, ravaged our home system and left. However the tactic worked, the Shadows left and one week later the Fleet of Alteran and Furling ships appeared, but instead of destroying us as the Asgard at the time thought they would the people of those ships stayed and gave us aid, rescuing and healing as many Asgard as they could at the cost of hopelessly losing the Shadows..."
At this she again paused, but opened the thick old book to a premarked page, revealing a ink drawling of several black spider like shapes that were connected by several purple lines to oblong cylindrical shapes over a gently curving orbital an artists rendering of the attack.
"...Through that disaster we were brought into the greater inter-galactic community. But we have not forgotten, over these last 35 million years that the Asgard have traveled the stars we remember that race, eventhough we had not seen or heard of them again, some believed them either extinct or gone forever, lost in the cosmos. But now on your world we find proof that the Shadows have been active in this Galaxy as little as Eight Thousand years ago. For reasons known only to them two of their ships attacked the Alteran Outpost station on the sub-arctic continent, which collapsed the shields and overloaded the Zero-Power power modul. The one ship managed to escape to Ganymede before an Automated Defense satelite killed it, the other larger ship however crashed on earth and has lived."
Again the room was silent as Ran the female Asgard finished her tale. Many disquieting thoughts were running through the minds of SG-1. They knew of course that they had a bad picture of events of so long ago, only recently putting together bits and pieces of a universe-sized puzzle. But what the Asgard had just said was a terrifying history lesson, as by the sound of it these unknown aliens were the oldest meanest bastards in the whole damned universe, and if the Asgard were to be believed, these Sahdows made the Goa'uld and Replicators seem like rank amatuers in comparison levels of destruction.
O'Neill cleared his throat as he was really uncomfortable taking all this in, and said, "So... the big question I have right now is, what are you going to do?"
Vajneer blinked a few times, then said, "It is the will of the Asgard High Council to first collect all possible data from the Shadow Vessel, most importantly as to where they have been and what its mission was, and then to remove it from Earth by any means necessary."
"By 'any means necessary' you mean, what exactly?" Daniel Jackson asked as he felt dread in the bottom of his stomach.
"We will first work with your Governments in deference to our treaties, however if your governments do not agree we will be forced to act unilaterally."
"What would you do?" Carter asked, not liking this at all.
"The ships in orbit compose the Second Asgard War Fleet, they would begin immediate orbital bombardment of the sub-arctic continent in an attempt to destroy the Shadow vessel. The consequences of not destroying it while it is dormant are too grave to consider."
It the silence the again fell over the room as SG-1 absorbed what they'd been told, the Red Phone began to ring.
'The President is going to hate this...' was the only thing Jack could think of as he picked up the phone, "Mr. President, Sir, we have a situation here you're not going to like..."
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Yes, I'm still writing fanfiction.
My muse is merely tripping right now.
Yes, I will be getting back to my Ranma1/2 fanfics.
So, comments? Suggestions? Death threats? Leave 'em in a review.
PEACE OUT!