Disclaimer: This is a Stargate story, and as I do not own the copyright, I do not take credit for the original storyline, I however have concocted the Cass'arrian race, and all members of that race are mine… In addition, I do not know who came up with the Stargate series, so, whoever you are: good job. Also, any similarities to the V series are entirely accidental.

Imperium Rising.

By James Carmody.

Pennames: Cotto, Vantiri, Krulos.

Background: Colonel Samantha Carter has finished her honeymoon as Mrs. Pete Shainahan. She has been back to work for fifteen days, General O'Neill hasn't had any real diplomatic or administrative obstacles since the 'plant incident' (for further details, consult the television series, it should be immediately obvious by the end of that particular episode.) all in all, the people are able to go about their business, and the reality of being an interstellar power is something that the Stargate personnel are adjusting to well.

Now to the Story.

Shortly after the Replicators began their campaign in the Milky Way Galaxy, under the leadership of the human-form Replicator duplicate of Dr. Samantha Carter, with the Jaffa decimated by the Replicators, and effectively replaced in combat roles by the Cull, in addition to the Tok'ra collapsing, along with the rebel Jaffa, to the Trust raids.

But all of this was taking place light-years away from Cheyenne Mountain and the Stargate facility, and at around noon Drs Carter-Shainahan and Daniel Jackson were walking through the hall discussing theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, and comparative extra-terrestrial biology and archeology.

Meanwhile: NASA had picked up a large vessel heading into the solar-system. When word reached General O'Neill's office, the vessel had already entered synchronous orbit directly over the mountain. Not only that, it had already transmitted a message to the capitol, a message they couldn't understand… due to it's apparently garbled communications.

General Hammond was called into the Presidents Office, and after the usual formalities the situation became immediately apparent. The Starship was surrounded by a large number of small fighter craft, also the message had been sent only to the United States. Now naturally this would cause some tension with several official allies of the U.S. (China and Britain, for instance.) 'but maybe they want that tension.' thought General Hammond. "We have been filming the vessel for several minutes, Mr. President, and it appears to be made of a series of boxes connected by some kind of framework, it is also Quite large, sirs, we estimate the total size of the vessel to be over three-and-a-half kilometers long, close to, if not exceeding two kilometers wide and between one and two a kilometers tall…' 'And the mass?' asked the Secretary of State. The answer came with the force of a laser-bolt: "Immeasurable, Sir, it's mass is Way out of proportion for it's size, It appears to be much too dense for a vessel of that size." 'Then how is it able to stay in orbit?' asked the Vice President, 'they seem to be generating an enormous amount of lift; some kind of anti-gravity system.' one of the scientists said. General Hammond then spoke up, "Mr. President, Cabinet Members, and distinguished scientists, if I may, It would be most preferable for us to identify 'these people' and open negotiations with them… So with your permission, Mr. President,' at this point the inclined his head, out of respect, 'I intend to board their vessel and attempt to ensure that negotiations can proceed… Sir!' 'Then return to your base, General' was the President's response. 'it won't be far, as we have a little surprise for you, go down that hall, turn left at the end of it, and you will find a transport-ring system, we've been installing them in all high-security bases, I believe your morale will be boosted to see tax-dollars being used properly.

As soon as General Hammond arrived at the base, he saw a transport arriving from the vessel at Cheyenne Mountain, what was an even bigger surprise was that security was searching the base for an intruder, Dr. Samantha C. Shainahan was the first to find the intruder though, as he was in her lab.

In Washington D.C. Defcon 2 was initiated, obviously resulting from the arrival of this alien spacecraft, but in Cheyenne Mountain, as Col. Dr. Samantha C. Shainahan walked into her lab to deposit her books she saw that, oddly, the lights were on except in one corner on the far side of the rectangular table, extending lengthwise in the lab… as she set the books that she had taken out of the base library down on the table, she noticed that the lights were dim in one section of the lab, but extending out into the edge of her peripheral vision, was a tan shirt-sleeve and extending from that was a very blue hand.

"Security!, this is Colonel Samantha Carter-Shainahan, the intruder is in the lab. Get a medical team and come into the lab, he may be ill." then she added- "he seems quite blue!" she said as she pushed the Comm.'s on switch.

Within five seconds the intruder had applied pressure on the table, with his left hand and stood without a problem which one would expect someone that blue to have, (lack of oxygen) he then walked forward no more than eight inches, thereby entering the light, causing the Colonel to gasp in shock, and cover her mouth as if terrified. And yelp "Oh, My! Good-Heavens! Your not human." What caused that was the eyes, they were Earth-tone, all the way through, both of them. (now the good colonel had encountered many different races, including one crystalline one, but never one like this, she had thought, this guy was dying of suffocation, which clearly wasn't the case.)

The security was there in another fifteen seconds, when asked about it later; they said that the security system was down, so they had to search the base room-by-room, as it was the nearest security team was one floor away when she called. The security system was down at least in part because of the alien transmission.

As for the alien, he was of stocky build, he had a semi-dress-uniform on, (shirt, pants, belt, shoes or boots.) his face seemed to have what some men would call 'a five-o'clock shadow' , and in General Jack O'Neill's opinion, His basic appearance isn't unbecoming of someone you'd expect would command such a vessel.

The oddest thing in General George Hammond's opinion was the captive's reaction to interrogation; he actually burst-out laughing, but it wasn't a guilt-laugh, it was more much more, like the kind of laugh that a pilot might give when he caught an enemy in his sights, or a good humor laugh.

As General Hammond witnessed the interrogation, he noticed something unusual, for when Samantha tried to get the traditional information that military code authorizes a prisoner to give, he said "Ka'Har'Ka'Kor and my rank is loosely translated as "Sector Command Viceroy"." 'What are your people here for?' asked Dr. Daniel Jackson, Ka'Har'Ka'Kor responded "We wish to make an alliance, even now my people are preparing a position in the solar system… Now is the questioning over?' "I think we can trust you for now." said a voice over the loudspeakers, which Ka'Har'Ka'Kor identified as General Hammond's.

A few hours later, in a conference of officers, General Hammond said "I don't think we can keep this a secret, what with that vessel in orbit… we're going to have to go public." 'is Ka'Har'Ka'Kor to be trusted then?' asked Teal'c. "I don't see as we have much choice, now my job is to get us some diplomatic leverage, to do that we have to get into their computers." responded Gen. Hammond. Then he hit the comm. "All right, bring him in." and two security guards walked in on either side of the alien.

"Let me explain the situation to you, you convince me to accept your offer, you get my government to support your offer of an alliance." 'You have that much leeway with your government?' asked Ka'Har'Ka'Kor. 'You'd be surprised what the word of a successful officer will do in the 'Good Ole' US of A.' Sector Command Viceroy' O'Neill responded. The Alien fiddled with his lower lip in his thumb and forefinger of his left hand, chuckled a bit, then said "I guess so! Now let me 'Slash to the Race' as your people call it. My people are called the Cass'arrians and our 'faction' or as you would probably call it; nation, is the Cass'arrian Military Protectorate. Our home system you would know of as "Certus". We aren't too unlike the early US in many ways; capitalistic, militaristic, territorially protective, etc." "Just two things, Ka'Har'Ka'Kor, we weren't militaristic, and I believe you want 'Cut to the Chase', 'Slash to the Race' is just nonsense." 'Don't give me that, Dr. Jackson, in the early days of your country every able-bodied male between the ages of sixteen and sixty was in the militia… I presume I got the identity of the person right.' "ALRIGHT!" roared General Hammond, 'I believe your people will be a worthy ally, of course Congress has to approve the proposed treaty, but the President will have my report within the hour… Now, if you would be kind enough to give my technical staff a tour of your vessel, That might expedite things.' 'Of course, General, have them follow me.' "Sir.' Colonel Carter-Shainahan said "I'd very much like to go on that tour, if that's OK with you." 'Of course, Col. Get ready.' said General Hammond.

'This way, now.' Ka'Har'Ka'Kor said, as they headed toward the mouth of the mountain, and as they stepped out into the light of day, the sight that they encountered was enough to draw gasps of surprise from just about all of the Command Staff; the craft that they saw was a was a red and beige colored vessel, No, not beige, more of a golden-tan. thought Sam. "Welcome to the HQ shuttlecraft, as you would call it. I believe you'll be most pleased to board it, plus may this be the first 'cross-cultural exchange' I believe that I have that saying right.' upon reaching the back of the craft he hit a panel, and the back opened into a resting area. 'Now, I will have to be in the cockpit, for security reasons I cannot allow any of you in there, but you should be able to be safe in here… good luck!' and two Cass'arrians who Jack could only assume to be guards by the way they shouldered their 'rifles?' moved around behind Ka'Har'Ka'Kor as he headed for the cockpit, all the blue aliens known to be on the Earth were now leaving with them.

Several hours passed without incident, however, Teal'c noticed a number of vessels that looked to his eyes strangely like the TIE Bombers of the Galactic Empire in Star Wars moving about close to the atmosphere, and a number of strange objects that looked like diamonds in orbit and scattered throughout the view. As he and Jack gazed out the Starboard window, Daniel and Sam started to fiddle around with the computer terminal near the Port window. 'Aren't those?' 'They look distinctly like the TIE bombers in The Empire Strikes Back, Teal'c.' 'I think that's the point.' Dr. Jackson spoke up. 'Umm… guys, I think you ought to see this.' Sam chimed in. "While you guys were watching, Daniel and I were studying the deployment of those objects… It's either a blockade or an SDI system, these guys are doing what we failed to do."

General Hammond was sitting in the rather spacious back room of the shuttle, watching with the pleasure of an officer who's troops are doing their job, and doing it all too well. At about that time, the speaker system Intercom Jack thought, came on: "Honored Guests, what you see is the first cultural exchange of a very long relationship between the dominant cultures of Earth and Certus." said Ka'Har'Ka'Kor's voice. 'Certus?' asked Hammond, and Sam said; 'It's a star system somewhere in our telescopes visual range, Sir, we just never guessed it had any life on it, it doesn't have a stargate sir!' 'OK, I believe we will have to greatly modify our identifying protocol for which planets are likely to have life.'

"Alright, prepare the hanger, we're ready to dock." Ka'Har'Ka'Kor said over the inter-ship communication system. 'That's an affirmative, sir, we welcome you aboard.' 'OK people, spread out, ask questions, not too many, and don't get under our hosts' skin.' General Hammond said.

As soon as the doors opened, (both the cockpit and crew compartment doors) a weird horn sounded, at which the alien commander angled his head up and took a far away look in his eyes and headed off after some alien speech over the loudspeakers. Upon exiting the shuttle, the unit spread out.

Inside of half an hour, they got back together and, to Jack's surprise, Daniel spoke up: "Sir, it appears that our guest was telling us the truth, more precisely he is a Consul, as in Ancient Rome. That said, I still must advise that we should find out as much as we can about these people." 'I agree… if I'm to put together a report to the President, I need as much up-to-date info as I can get.' 'Sir, I don't like this, something about 'Consul' doesn't sound right to me!' O'Neill said 'Keep that warning sense up, Jack, it may yet do us some good.' was Hammond's response.

'We're in the Bridge Hanger Bay Sirs!' Sam said, 'It shouldn't be too long to reach the bridge therefore.' she said. Just as they entered the bridge the guards strangely stepped aside, 'That's the 'First Chairman Mao!" the Chicom's (Chinese Communist) newest X303 Battleship!' Sam said, astonished.

"The Mao is hailing us." said one of the aliens, "On Screen." Ka'Har'Ka'Kor responded. After a few words the communication was severed. 'The Communist Political Officer said that the Ca'ssarians should send them a copy of all technological gifts that they are giving to the United States,' Daniel said in a whisper, 'of course, it's not going to happen.' he finished.

'The Communist Filth are targeting our battery-satellites, Sector-Command Viceroy!' one of the Ca'ssarians said. 'Explain to them that we won't tolerate that, then signal the space station to ready the launch of Dragon Wing.' 'With Pleasure, Viceroy!' said the same alien.

Immediately following that conversation, Ka'Har'Ka'Kor hit a button that SG1 determined was the Intercom, from what happened next: their host said "Hanger bay, and Sparrow bomber crews; ready the Sparrow bombers for launch.' 'target?' was the response. "The Commie ring platform and hanger bay." "Comm. officer: Ship to station!" "Set, Consul- speak when ready." "Garrison Station, this is Sector Command Viceroy Ka'Har'Ka'Kor; I want you to activate the SDI grid, Especially over the filthy COMMUNIST Chinese homeland and sea areas bordering them." "As commanded, Sir!". That 'Garrison Station looksalot like the civilian starbase in that Tau'ri (Earth) episode of Babylon 5 "Midnight on the Firing Line" that I've seen on television! Thought Teal'c. Sam, about then whispered to Daniel "Doesn't that look like two Pyramid's fused base-to-base?" "More like a crude diamond with sensor arrays at all corners." General O'Neill nodded his head as he thought; You know, I typically have a dim view of cultural fact-finding, but that pretty well fit's the mission parameters, after all, we were told to learn as much as possible of these people, our people and government are pretty well scared with all that's going on, and the kookfest is having a field day, especially with those three vessels that look for all the world like 'old series Battlestar Galactica Cylon Basestars'. They look a lot like two flying saucers, one on top of the other.

"Consul, if I may, shouldn't we be headed to a safer room, they're bound to launch X-302's and attack us?" General Hammond asked. "I wouldn't worry about that if I were you, in fact, I assure you that they won't get anywhere near this vessel… their fighters won't, I mean."

Sure enough, the commies began powering rail guns and preparing missiles for launch… "The Mao's Political Officer on line for you Consul!" "Put him through!" "I am ordered, by my government to tell you to deactivate your weapon systems and submit for inspection!" the Communist Party official was saying. "Your government has NO Authority over this vessel, or this space!" The Chinese Government will NOT sit idly by and tolerate this-" "The Chinese government will Sit Down, Shut Up, and Do As It Is Told By Us!" Ka'Har'Ka'Kor practically hollered.

"Sir, they're launching." the sensor operator said, as about three squadrons of X-302's came out of the hanger bay of the commie battleship in open formation. "Just as predicted, and Dragon Wing should be launching, right, about, NOW!". As he said this, a full wing of 4m:3m crescent shaped craft, jet black, came barreling in behind the X-302s, when they reached a distance of about 200 yds, (well before the X-302s were halfway to missile range) bolts of blue-green energy shot out from the black fighters- completely obliterating the rear 2/5ths of the commie space fighters.

Communications traffic blared to full as the socialists realized that they were trapped, and just at that moment the point-defense guns of the Cass'sarrain starship opened up. As the Chicom fighters realized what had happened to their comrades, the message: 'What do we do?' was sent repeatedly to the fighter command sector of the 'first chairman'. The commie forces were dissolving into sheer chaos.

During the chaos, another chunk of the Chicom fighters were destroyed, this time between half and a third. By about this time the commie fighters had gotten their act together and resumed their attack.

Within five minuets the commie fighters were annihilated, not many launched their missiles before they were destroyed, but those missiles that were launched were caught in tractor beams and pulled into the molecular furnace.

With the socialist fighters gone, an inter-ship artillery duel began between the alien vessel and the commie vessel. However the sparrow-bombers (which looked a lot like small thrushes with their wings folded behind their backs) began a twisting dive to lay down a torpedo firing pattern, the commies returned fire with their rail-guns, but the alien fighters simply out-maneuvered them and destroyed the: shields, sensor array, and completely obliterated the ring platform (that last one with a full torpedo salvo) now the commie Asgard beams were useless and they couldn't get a target lock for their missiles.

"Orbit a point 500 yards off our starboard." Ka'Har'Ka'Kor said. 'Aye sir, you want an about face?' the helmsman said. 'Exactly' responded the alien Consul. 'Coming to bring port to bear!' said one of the aliens. 'Once we directly face them port side, full mag-pulse salvo.' yelled Ka'Har'Ka'Kor. Within seconds, the artillery duel was over, the commie starship completely disabled.

"Transmit worldwide, I want every human on the planet to comprehend the consequences of socialism now!" "With joy, Sir!" said an alien technician. As this was happening, the Cass'arrian vessel passed by the commie vessel. 'Turn right, get so that our aft-port point is pointing at their aft-midsection, then bring us so that we are lined up: nose-to-tail with the commie ship, and turn the molecular furnace on full… oh, and do kindly convey this order to the Comet Interceptors to engage and destroy any escape pods the commies launch, I fully intend to make clear the price of that cancer known as socialism!'

A weird roar erupted from under the deck plates, and, with a long sickening crunch that everyone of the humans understood the reason for, the commie battleship was consumed.

"Now we can talk, my guests." said Ka'Har'Ka'Kor.