- - Fade To Black - Series 2 - Episode 3 - -
- - Vengeance - -
After recent events leading to the destruction of the U.S.S Lincoln and the deaths of her entire crew, which is still an unexplained mystery, the I.O.A has limited off-world travel both through the Stargate and on-board Earth's fleet of ships to essential and emergency missions only, this has left many SG Teams stranded on base with nothing to do and a large number of both military and civilian personnel have left Stargate Command.
Despite the I.O.A classifying the investigation as top secret and all involved having signed non-disclosure agreements, news of the tragedy had leaked to the media and public support for the Stargate program has dropped leaving many wondering if the Stargate would be better off under civilian control in light of recent events.
Meanwhile, a terrorist group known as 'The Guardians' have taken recent events as an opportunity to spread their propaganda and recruit more members in to their ranks, they've already increased their activity and in the last 48 hours alone they've attacked three civilian buildings and a military warehouse where 14 people lost their lives.
World leaders gathered to address the situation and the public's concerns and after two days of heated discussions, all agreeing that the Stargate should be used by trained professionals with a military presence, but most believe the time has come to let the public decide, it has been agreed by majority that the fate of the Stargate program should be placed in the hands of the public and they've already begun preparations for a global vote.
However, that decision may be taken out of their hands.
Meanwhile, Alisana still hasn't returned home, after visiting Gaia to get help using and harnessing her abilities from the Nox she was summoned to a mysterious meeting, a meeting of the races. No one had heard from Alisana or the Nox for a couple of days until today when Raina came through the Stargate.
Raina didn't have much information but she had come to collect a representative for the meeting, it seems Earth, or more accurately the Tau'ri have finally been recognised as a race of the Ancient alliance of races and as such they have been summoned to the meeting, with his vast knowledge of the races, ancient languages and customs, Daniel Jackson was the obvious choice to be their representative.
Daniel was at first reluctant to go because Vala, who is still infected with an unknown form of organic radiation, was in the process of being transported on to the U.S.S Alliance ready to be taken to one of Ba'als old worlds which is now a free Jaffa occupied world where they hope a recently discovered advanced Goa'uld sarcophagus may be the key to curing her.
Having been reassured that Vala will be safe and well on her journey, Daniel made the decision to go with Raina and attend the meeting, he left just a few hours ago.
Stargate Command
Jack and Teal'c are standing in the corridor by the main door to the interrogation room, a couple of hours ago there was a perimeter breach on the North side of the base and a man was detained and brought down to the cells, he's in his mid 30's wearing a black tracksuit and hasn't said a word in all the time he's been here.
"I wish they'd change these bulbs." says Jack, moaning at the flickering lights above his head.
"Would you like me to interrogate him?" says Teal'c, more than up for the job.
"Maybe later." says Jack, he gets distracted seeing an S.O bringing a food tray towards him, "I'll take that." he says.
Teal'c gives Jack one of his disapproving eyebrow looks, he thinks it would be wiser to interrogate the prisoner first before feeding him.
"What?!" says Jack, seeing his disapproving look, "Landry said we have to feed him. Besides, I'm going to play nice and see what I can find out." he adds, he steps to the door and places his hand on the handle then turns back to Teal'c, "..if I can't get him to talk then he's all yours." then he enters the room.
The room is dimly lit and contains nothing but a single chair situated in the middle of the room, the prisoner is sitting on it, now dressed in military overalls after being given a thorough search he sits with his hands behind his back bound to the chair with his head lowers, he doesn't move even when Jack enters the room.
"How are you doing?" says Jack.
"Are you hungry, I brought you dinner." he says, lifting the lid covering the plate to smell it, "It smells really good." he adds.
He gets no response.
Jack holds and swings the tray down by the prisoners knees so he gets see and smell it, "Sure you don't want it? Steak and potatoes.", he gets no response so covers the plate and then slams the tray on the floor in the corner of the room, "Alright, if you're not going to eat then I guess we should just get down to it. Who are you?" he asks.
silence -
"How did you get past the perimeter? We checked the fence and there's no sign of any tampering. So how did you get on this base?"
Silence -
"Why did you come here?"
Silence -
Jack stands in front of him and bends forward with his hands on his knees, "You need to start cooperating and answering questions if you want to get out of here. My buddy Teal'c is outside and he loves interrogating people, it's his speciality. What's it going to be?"
Silence -
The gate alarms begin to sound and Jack decides to leave the interrogation at this point to go and see what's happening, "I'll be back...and you better start talking." he says as he slams the door shut as he leaves.
Sumidel – Ancient meeting place of the Alliance of Races
Location: Unknown
The planet is dark and barren, ruins of what was probably a bustling city millions of years ago are scattered all around, the surface is sandy and red like the surface of Mars, the air is cold and a light wind blows sand through the air, there is no plant life or clouds, the sky is filled with colourful whirls like the Aurora Borealis covering the atmosphere, flashes of random light emit deep sounding tones and at the outer edge of the ruins sits a Stargate.
The Stargate activates and out steps Daniel, it immediately deactivates the moment he walks through.
He looks around as the tones sound around him and sand blows in to his face and eyes, he can't see much because of the sand blowing everywhere but he can just make out that Lya is standing in front of him, "Hello" he says.
"Welcome, Daniel." says Lya.
"Thanks." says Daniel, he looks around again, "So..where exactly am I? Raina was a little vague on the details." he asks.
"Sumidel" replies Lya.
Daniel stares back at her in deep thought as he attempts to translate it, "Heaven. This is Heaven?" he says.
Lya grins, "Not quite." she says.
"Um, it could also translate at Palace of peace. Either way, this place looks in pretty bad shape." says Daniel, "Why are we here?" he asks, spitting out the sand from his mouth.
"We're here because we've been summoned. When the races are summoned we're required by our own law to attend, the Tauri are a member of our alliance and that is why you are here." says Lya.
"But there's nothing here." says Daniel, "Where is it we're going?" he asks.
Lya looks and points in to the distance between the ruins, a dust cloud obscures whatever she's pointing at, "There." she says and then starts to walk in that direction, leaving Daniel standing looking puzzled.
"So, I guess we're walking then." says Daniel, he looks around once again and feels a little nervous and scared, "Daniel, what have you got yourself in to now." he says to himself, then rushes to catch up to Lya, "Wait for me." he shouts.
Almost an hour later they reach the edge of the ruins and stand a few meters from the swirling dust cloud with the amount of sand and wind speed increasing around them, "Um I'd like to go home now." says Daniel, shouting to be heard over the howling wind, Lya looks at him but says nothing and then holds his hand and walks in to the dust cloud pulling him along with her.
They stop and Daniel opens his tightly shut eyes, the wind has stopped and the sand is no longer hitting his face. As he looks around he can see the dust cloud behind them, in fact it is now all around them and they're in the eye of it, in front of them he sees a large flat circular stone at least four meters in diameter covered in a spiralling pattern of symbols from its outer edge to its centre, standing at its centre is a rusted metal pedestal, cylinder shaped and plain looking, surrounding the large circle are five smaller circular stones each with a unique symbol on its surface.
Alisana is standing on one of the stones, and to Daniels disbelief Oma Desala is standing on another and Thor of the Asgard on another.
"Daniel, hi" says Alisana, standing on one of the small stones.
Daniel grins and nods at her, "Hi." he says, "Oma? Thor? ...Wha-what's going on?" he asks as he watches Lya step on to the other stone.
"This is where the races meet. Sumidel is a peaceful place where the races once came to discuss matters of importance, share knowledge and settle disputes and disagreements." says Lya, she looks to the sky, "Sumidel was chosen because it is unique and beautiful. This was one of three worlds that the races of the galaxy once co-inhabited, it is a place of peace and refuge. Here we are all equal." she adds.
Daniel still looks confused and looks at Alisana for some reason.
"Don't look at me, I've never been here before." says Alisana.
Lya points to the stone circle beside her, "Please, stand here." she says.
The stone is cracked but like all the others it has a symbol on it, a symbol representing the race it belongs too, but it is not Tauri, however, Daniel does recognise the symbol, "Beru?" says Daniel.
"Yes." says Oma, "They are no longer with us. The Tauri will not replace them but they would be honoured to have you stand in their place." she adds.
"As the fifth race." says Thor, pointing and urging Daniel to step on to the stone.
Daniel slowly steps on to it, "The honour is mine." he says.
"Sumidel recognises and welcomes the Tau'ri. Now that the five of us are here perhaps you would tell us why we were summoned." says Lya.
"It was not the Asgard." says Thor.
"..and it wasn't us." says Oma.
"It was not the Nox" says Lya.
They begin to look at each other trying to figure out who summoned the races, "I just got here." says Daniel, "Seriously, why does everyone keep looking at me, I didn't do it." says Alisana.
"If the Sumidel can only be summoned by a member of the alliance of races and you're saying none of you initiated it, then who did?" asks Daniel.
As they all stand trying to work it out a sudden and loud bang is heard in the sky above, like the sound of a sonic boom, they look up and see an object falling rapidly, the object lands with a thud on the ground throwing up a cloud of dirt from the impact, it is shiny and black, after it lands it begins to unfold in to a humanoid shape, then they see it, it is a suit of armour, with the exception of Thor they all immediately recognise who it is, the Commander himself, leader of the Verdain.
Lya and Oma look at him with anger and hatred in their eyes, Alisana's breathing increases and she begins to shake with fear, this is the man who kidnapped her millions of years ago, took her from everyone and everything she loved, the man who murdered all the children of the alliance and her friends, the man who tried to kill her.
"Greetings." says Commander as he looks at them in turn, paying particular attention to Alisana with his menacing glare.
Alisana turns to run in fear.
"Alisana, do not step off the circle." shouts Lya, holding out her arm to hold Alisana's, "He will not hurt you, you have my word and my life on that." she adds.
"How dare you come here." says Oma.
"I do not believe you are a member of this alliance." says Thor.
"I am not. But the race I was chosen to represent is." says Commander.
"Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand." says Lya.
"My masters would be very disappointed." says Commander.
"Who are your masters?" asks Oma.
The small stone circles on which they're all standing begin to move around and become closer together, at the same time a sixth circle rises from the ground beneath the Commanders feet, "They have awoken and they will arrive soon to retake their place as the superior race." he says.
"Who are your masters?" asks Oma, again.
"The Olympians." says Commander.
Oma quickly looks at Lya and they share a look of disbelief, at the same time Daniel and Alisana look in to each others eyes, Daniel knows she's scared and how dangerous the Commander is and he also knows he has to get her out of there as quickly as possible.
"No." says Oma.
"That cannot be." says Lya.
The red crystal on the front of the Commanders chest glows and a force-field forms around all of the stones, trapping them all in a force-field tube, "Ze'us sends his regards." says Commander.
"What is the meaning of this?!" shouts Lya.
"This is Sumidel, if you're indeed here on behalf of the Olympians then you should know you're in violation of our treaty by forcing us to remain here." shouts Oma.
"I bring with me a message." says Commander.
"I have no wish to hear it from the likes of you." says Lya, hitting the force-field with her palm in anger.
Oma shares Lya's anger but tries to remain calm, "What message?" she asks.
"Deliver." says Commander.
Los Angeles, LAX
Sgt. Riley, commanding officer of an Elite L.A.P.D anti-terrorism unit, had recently raided a building down town where intelligence lead them to believe that the leaders of a group called "The Guardians" were using it as their base of operations.
The raid was perfectly planned and executed but not a single member of the group were found in the building, however, what they did find was very scary indeed, a room on one of the floors of the building had its walls covered in maps, photos and documents, the sides of the room were filled with crates of explosives, firearms, equipment and uniforms but the most alarming thing was on the far wall they found blue prints to the SGC and photographs of SGC personnel, mainly SG-1, all with red crosses through them and in the centre of all of them was an image of Sam, circled with a red cross through it like she was a main target.
Sgt. Riley has since been granted permission to take an assault team to Cheyenne Mountain where he hopes to intercept 'The Guardians' before they can pull off their attack, he's currently on the airfield at LAX supervising his men as they load a plane with supplies.
- "Sir" shouts an officer, as he comes running up to Sgt. Riley on the noisy runway.
Riley asked him to get in touch with the SGC and inform them of what's happening, "Did you make contact?" he asks.
"Negative, Sir. We can't get in touch with anyone, even land lines aren't working, it's as if the whole of Colorado Springs just went dark."
"Keep trying, we'll be loaded and ready to go in 40." says Riley.
Another man runs over to join them, he's holding a photograph, "Sgt. Riley, Sir..." he says, catching his breath, "..we just received this from a surveillance drone." he says, handing the photograph to Riley.
The aerial photograph shows a large concentration of heat signatures heading toward Cheyenne Mountain, Sgt. Riley knows his stuff and recognises them as human heat signatures, "We're too late." he says, with great disappointment.
Riley know he doesn't stand a chance of getting their in time to stop 'The Guardians' from doing anything but he isn't going to let it stop him, he's determined to put an end to them, "Everyone drop your gear and get on board now. I want this plane in the air in the next sixty seconds, move it!" he shouts.