Stargate: Revelations.
Chapter I: Revelations.
Note: This takes place after the Season 7 Lost City episodes and diverges a great deal after that.
General O'Neill sighed as the elevator doors opened, revealing Walter with another pile of documents for him to sign.
"For me, Walter?"
"Yes sir."
O'Neill sighed and looked at the documents, ranging from the minor to the potentially world or career ending.
"Synopsize it for me."
"Yes sir, Well, there's the plans for the increased security around the base." Walter said, "The Pentagon is pretty worried about what is going to happen after the announcement."
"Well they should be." O'Neill said. He still wasn't certain if it was a good idea, but the facts were that when a gigantic alien battleship dropped into low earth orbit, not to mentioning vaporizing a carrier battle group, the cat was well and truly out of the bag. Half the major cities on earth were still under lockdown and the other half were suffering traffic jams around churches, synagogues and most importantly, bars.
"And last and not least, you have a scheduled meeting with the Defense Coordination Committee in one hour."
"No emergencies that will keep me from attending?"
"No sir. Ah, The President left a message."
"He did?"
"Yes sir. He stated: "Carter can handle it. You get the star, you get the headache.'"
"Darn." O'Neill said, for lack of any other statement that didn't erode military discipline.
"Jack!" O'Neill turned at Daniel Jackson's voice, a hopeful expression on his face.
"Daniel! I suppose there's an emergency that only I can handle?"
"No, nothing like that." Jackson said. "We've gotten some more information from the Free Jaffa about developments among the System Lords." He gestured at Teal'c.
"And how are our favorite snakes?"
"The death of Anubis has plunged the System Lords into Chaos, O'Neill. Baal continues to be the most powerful, but he is handicapped by the alliance the other Goa'uld system lords have formed against him. The former Jaffa didn't bother to keep the contempt out of his voice. "But the other system lords cannot defeat Baal, because they know that if they should become weakened, their 'allies' will turn on them."
"And what about earth?"
"As far as Master Brae'tac has been able to determine, none of the Goa'uld know that the Ancient defense system drained the power of the ZPM."
"That won't last." Daniel said. "We've become to much of a threat- sooner or later someone is going to send some ships to test us again."
"Indeed. And that might very well reveal that the Asgard are no longer capable of enforcing the Protected Planets Treaty."
"You know, you both have a great way of ruining my morning." O'Neill muttered. "Is there any good news?"
"Well it looks like Anubis is still dead." Daniel pointed out.
"Thank you Daniel, I'll be certain to remember that."
Unfortunately, no world crisis intervened to save O'Neill from his meeting with Defense Coordination Committee. Technically the DCC was just that- a coordination committee with no actual power, but O'Neill knew that its recommendations would be listened to.
"Oh well, could be worse." He said to himself. "I could be dealing with Kinsey." He'd also had enough pull to keep the reps from bringing a horde of flunkies, second in commands and hat holders, so there were only eight generals to deal with. Even the Secretary of Defense was here by his lonesome.
"Gentlemen." O'Neill said, nodding at them, "I hope your trip down was pleasant."
"Very pleasant, General." The Indian representative General Vasu Gulati was shorter than O'Neill, but had a firm handshake. "This is much better than that unfortunate business in Pakistan." Gulati continued. "Perhaps the full revelation of what threats earth faces may prevent such unfortunate events in the future."
"Don't hold your breath."
"Oh, I will note that I'm hopeful, not stupid."
O'Neill fought to keep a smile off his face. Gulati's humor was the same as it had always been.
"Of course, things might have been better had your nation seen fit to notify it's allies." Admiral Roka Aoki said. The Japanese Admiral fixed a disapproving look on O'Neill. "After all, our nation is one of the most industrialized nations on the planet- had Anubis not been destroyed, our cities would have burned." There was a rumble of approval from the other officers, and while Gulati didn't join them, he also didn't smile.
Yep. They're pissed. O'Neill thought. The Stargate program had been a deep dark secret and even the nations that had known about it had kept it restricted to a small number of people.
"Gentlemen." The Secretary of Defense said, "That has been decided at a higher level. Our main question now is how best to organize a defense of earth and its interests."
"Earth's interests?" The Chinese representative asked. "Or the United States' interests?"
"Are they different?" The Secretary of Defense responded. "We are all at risk from the Goa'uld."
"Yes, but they are not the only powers out there." General Chin frowned. "I am not just a soldier- I obtained a history degree, and I fear America underestimates the challenges."
"We've done pretty good." O'Neill interjected.
"As did China-in fact, once or twice we surprised the western colonial empires. It didn't help us in the end, nor did it help India." Chin shook his head. "We have not permanently defeated the Goa'uld, and when one wins, he will return to deal with us. The Goa'uld cannot let a symbol of their defeat exist."
"So what are you suggesting Chin?" The British representative said.
"At the very least, we need to form a unified command."
"That may be premature." The Secretary said. "But equally, there are some developments that may help...ah improve our situation. General, is Colonel Carter ready?"
"Yes sir." O'Neill said and clicked the intercom. "Carter, Let's see what you have." Carter could have been in from the beginning but well, why subject someone you like to that?
"We haven't just been working on the Prometheus and its successors." The Secretary said. "Colonel Carter and the people at Area 51 have a very nice new development for us."
"Thank you sir." Carter said. Picking up a remote, she called up the screen, showing a ship floating in the desert. "This is what we've christened the Liberator. After the defeat of Anubis, we had a number of wrecked Al'kesh bombers. We didn't duplicate the design completely, but with the aid of the Asgard and our own recovered technology, we developed a ship larger than an Al'Kesh, but smaller than the Prometheus."
"Very nice, but what makes it more useful than our current ships?"
"It's smaller." Carter said, "and once we get the bugs worked out, we can mass produce it. We've been discussing tactics against the Goa'uld and one thing that's clear is that we need a larger fleet- and even with the ability to openly produce new ships, we simply can't make enough of our larger ships. The Liberator is intended to fill the gap."
"And, while it's true that none of your nations can start construction until the decisions on how to adapt the technology are finalized, we intend to share our production runs with every nation on the committee."
After the meeting broke up, O'Neill found himself with Carter and Gulati while the Secretary left with the rest of the generals.
"You'd think they'd want to stick around." O'Neill said sarcastically.
"They want to be back at their embassies when the announcement is made." Gulati said, "In case they have to flee torch bearing mobs."
"What about you?"
"I like torch bearing mobs. So should you!"
"I take it you know each other?" Carter asked.
"You might say that." O'Neill answered. "We worked on a joint operation which is still classified."
"Must have been some operation."
"It wasn't as dangerous as some, but it was far more embarrassing than most, though I must say the General's taste in dre-"
"Classified." O'Neill reminded the Indian officer.
Gulati fell silent but kept the grin. Then he became serious. "Your revelation will be helpful for the short term, Colonel."
"But in the long-term they're gonna want more."
"We're going to want more, Jack." Gulati dropped all pretense of humor. "Seriously, what else did you expect. Not only did you help get the entire planet involved in a war to the death, but you are by far the most powerful nation- you have starships, teleporters, allies with tremendous technological strength- I know what the Chinese are thinking and it's not just military- are they going to find their economy destroyed by technology that is given only to American companies?"
"Beyond my pay grade, Gul."
"Not now it isn't. Jack you're not just a general, you're a general in charge of the most important operation on earth now. I've been your friend, and my nation is a friend to your nation, but please, remind your government that we are now, all of us, at risk for your actions. We'll help, but we must be allies, not flunkies." With that, he nodded to O'Neill, gave a bow to Carter and left for the elevators.
"Plain spoken."
"That's Gulati." Jack said. "But he is our friend- got his education here, half his family lives in the US."
"He has a point sir." Carter said, "We can't fight the Goa'uld unless our own house is in order."
"I know, Carter." Jack said as they walked to his office where Teal'c and Daniel waited. "But do you think they have our best interests at heart?"
"Do we have theirs?"
"Hmph."
"Almost time, guys." Daniel said, as Jack and Carter sat down. Moments later, the TV which had been displaying a "please stand by." Came up with the Presidential seal, which faded to reveal president Henry Hayes.
"My fellow Americans. I know that most of you have heard speeches before, but I am not exaggerating when I state that this is the most important speech you will ever hear..."