The City That Wasn't

Chapter One

Contact

It was night in the SGC, twenty-some levels below ground. Crewmen manned stations in a sleepy-hushed way, despite the fully lit overhead lighting. Internal biological clocks resisted artificial attempts at disguising the time.

General Hammond was sitting tiredly at his desk, typing last minute reports, before hoping to escape home for a few hours of normalcy and rest. He sometimes wondered if this was worth it, but the thoughts only lingered briefly before common sense asserted it was. All the pain, frustration, and angst...he'd do it over again. They had made a difference; saved lives, freed people, and were building a future for Earth.

He paused in his work, letting his eyes drift to a picture of his grandchildren, smiling at the memory of the day the picture was taken. It had been a rare family picnic, the sun kissing the Earth with a summer's love, and the soft promise of all good things to come. It had also been shortly after the deadly waltz with the event horizon of a black hole. It was a shame that it often took a close call to appreciate life, but that was how it went. He had hugged them a little tighter that day.

"Unscheduled off-world activation!"

Hammond's head jerked up; alarmed. All teams were in and accounted for and they weren't expecting any visits from their allies. He pushed back from his desk and headed into the command center of the SGC, the control center where the gate was dialed, and iris commands issued.

"Sergeant, any ID?" He asked the airman on duty.

The airman was new to the SGC and had gone through weeks of training under the main technician, Walter. Roberts was his name, and he was still as nervous as a skittish cat.

"No Sir." His eyes were watching the gate anxiously as the puddle of blue shimmered behind the iris, reflecting against the rear metal wall in the embarkation room.

He frowned, pondering the cause. It could be any one of their many enemies. In their years exploring the galaxy they had made more than a few. They had been contacted once, but that had ended...badly. Still... "Check for any signals." He ordered.

"Sir?" Roberts turned away from the gate long enough to look uncertainly at Hammond.

Hammond gestured at the controls, "Signals, Airman, radio...in case some one is trying to contact us." He explained, more patient than he felt.

Roberts nodded, not exactly understanding, but began to punch what he remembered as being relevant controls. Within moments the computer display was scrolling a signal, a low-band frequency, unused by any one known to the SGC.

"Get Major Carter up here." He ordered, "And Dr. Jackson."
"They call themselves the Uk'Tak'an. It's a planet we tried dialing previously, but were unable to establish a lock." Daniel handed out MALP pictures and telemetry to the rest of the members of SG-1 seated around the briefing table, and General Hammond. "Surprisingly, they speak English, or a variant close enough for language to not be a barrier."

"How did they get our address?" Jack was looking at the pictures of a beautiful wooded area around the gate, a rising city in the background, and a man who looked so ordinary he could've passed for his next-door neighbor.

Daniel slid into the seat beside Sam, "A common friend."

"Did he not say who this common friend was?" Teal'c asked, skepticism thick in his body language.

Daniel fidgeted uncomfortably, "Not exactly."

Jack's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean-not exactly?"

"He didn't want to say."

"Why?"

Daniel hardened his stare, "I don't know Jack, why don't you ask him?"

"Colonel...Dr. Jackson." Hammond warned, "It's something to keep in mind. What else can you tell us?"

"Apparently they are seeking allies against the Goa'uld. They invited us to open discussions on trade and treaty negotiations."

"We don't know anything about them, doesn't this strike you as a little odd?" Jack pressed. This whole thing felt off.

Daniel regarded Jack, "As odd as us walking through a gate and being flung across the galaxy to other planets, recruiting allies against an enemy that lives as a parasite inside other human beings."

Good point. "This isn't about us." Jack said instead.

"Sir, I think Daniel's right. We can't blame them for doing exactly what we are. I think we should give them a chance." Sam shared the Colonel's wariness, but she also agreed with Daniel's belief in giving the benefit of the doubt.

"I trusted you on nothing more than your word O'Neill." Teal'c added, not entirely certain he trusted these Uk'Tak'an anymore than his friend, but accepting that there was no reason to not give them an opportunity to prove themselves worthy of an alliance.

"I don't want another Euronda." Jack finally admitted, not wanting to dredge up a particularly painful episode.

Hammond smiled kindly, "No one does Son...you'll go into this one with your eyes open and your ears wide. See what they've got and get a handle on their world."

Jack sighed, he was outvoted, and they were probably right, but he was still smarting from too many missions gone wrong. "Eyes open, Sir." He said.

Hammond stood, "Good luck people." He prayed the mission would be a success- an uneventful success.
Jack stumbled out of the wormhole, uncommonly losing his balance as he was surrendered from the gate onto the new world. He got his feet under him and wondered what was the reason for the rough deposit. He looked behind to see Carter and Daniel suffer a similar fate then Teal'c managed to exit without a break in his stride.

"Rough ride." He commented.

"What was that...did we go through another sun?" Daniel asked, looking at the sky with a tinge of apprehension.

Carter shook her head, "Think the gate needs to be calibrated. I noticed it was getting a little off last time."

"Calibrated?" Jack repeated, incredulous, "You're joking, right?"

"It's minor, nothing more than a rough ride. Do you remember our first trip or two?" Sam pulled at a loose buckle, unconcerned.

"It's minor." Jack mimicked to Daniel.

Teal'c straightened his staff weapon, "Were we not supposed to be met by this...Ka'ta?"

Daniel frowned, looking at the clearing beside the gate, "Yes, we were."

"Maybe he's running late." Jack was taking careful appraisal of the situation, watching for any sign of their friend Cat.

"We could head towards the city?" Carter offered a suggestion, not really wanting to stand around waiting for their escort.

Jack was going to take a vote on it, but they were alerted by an approaching presence by the rustling of undergrowth being disturbed by feet. Jack gestured for his team to be ready, and he stood, arrow-head straight and primed.

A figure he recognized from the MALP picture stepped into the open area, arms wide in greeting, "Hello...people of...the Tauri." He said, haltingly, and uncertain.

Jack looked him over while his military background ran a constant mental commentary. This man was an administrator, soft, and unaware. He didn't seem overly concerned about the weapons SG-1 was toting, nor bothered to take note of their position and tense stances. He did have a friendly face, an open face. Still, he seemed nervous, although that could be chalked up to meeting people from another planet.

"Back at you." Jack greeted, only slightly relaxing his grip on his P-90.

The man seemed momentarily tossed, "Back...?"

Daniel stepped forward, "He meant hello." He purposely shoved into Jack with a shoulder- a personal message; behave.

"I'm Ka'ta. We are pleased to make contact." He offered a hand.

Jack intercepted the hand, taking Ka'Ta's before Daniel could do so, his own personal message back; I'm in charge. "Pleased to meet you Cat."

Daniel sighed. "This is Colonel Jack O'Neill." He leaned around Jack to gesture towards Carter, "Major Sam Carter...and Teal'c." The Jaffa towered behind Sam.

Ka'ta regarded the Jaffa with unease, "He is..."

"...A Jaffa." Jack finished for him, "He's a good guy."

"He rebelled against the false gods and fights to free his people." Daniel explained further, throwing expansive hand gestures meant to get his point across.

Jack could tell Ka'ta wasn't exactly comforted but he nodded, "I see."

They stood awkwardly, waiting for Ka'ta to explain where to go from here. The man flushed when he realized he had lost his train of thought, "I'm sorry...would you please come with me? I'll take you to my city where we may begin discussions."

Daniel shot a look at Jack, seeing if the mission was a go. Jack inclined his head slightly in the affirmative. He smiled, "That would be fine Ka'ta. We look forward to meeting your people."

"Good...good." Ka'ta then grinned exuberantly, as he realized the initial hard part of meeting the strangers was completed, "This way please." He indicated for them to follow him into the woods where he had emerged from previously.

"We're off to see the wizard..." Jack mumbled, quietly, so only his team could hear.

"There's no yellow brick road." Daniel whispered back.

"Use your imagination."