Unveiling
Future Season
CNN News Broadcast Transcript:
CHUNG: Colorado Springs has been the hub of political discussion and unrest since President Henry Hayes stood in his State of the Union address and unveiled the existence of a top-secret military base, located underneath Cheyenne Mountain, where twenty-five four-man teams travel through a device called the Stargate to other planets within this galaxy. Today, we have Major General Jack O'Neill with us from the Pentagon. Welcome, General.
O'NEILL: Thank you, Connie.
CHUNG: You led the first team in recorded US military history through the Stargate to the planet, Abydos, in 1995, correct?
O'NEILL: That's correct.
CHUNG: What was it like to step onto the other side of this ring-shaped device and realize that you were actually on another planet?
O'NEILL: Well, I didn't really think about the reality of it all at the time. I was too busy trying to thaw out from the trip.
CHUNG: On that trip, you encountered the alien impersonating the Egyptian god, Ra. How did it feel to be in the presence of such rich history?
O'NEILL: I wasn't too concerned about the history that Ra had been a part of. He had enslaved the people on Abydos and was trying to kill me and my team. That was all I was worried about.
CHUNG: The archaeologist who accompanied you, Dr. Daniel Jackson, stayed on the planet when you returned, am I right?
O'NEILL: Yes. He had found a native woman that he wanted to settle down with. He had saved my life and the life of my men. Who was I to argue his right to have a family?
CHUNG: Is it true that you were initially sent on a suicide mission?
O'NEILL: Yes, it was a suicide mission. But at the time, I was a different person than I am now.
CHUNG: Your son had just accidentally killed himself by shooting himself with your gun.
O'NEILL: Yes.
CHUNG: It was another year before the Program became operational, correct?
O'NEILL: Yes.
CHUNG: And your second mission was to lead a team through the Stargate consisting of then Captain, Samantha Carter, the lead scientist on the project, the late Major Charles Kawalsky from the original mission, and Major Lou Ferreti also of the original mission, among others. You went back to Abydos to retrieve Dr. Jackson after a group of six aliens traveled through our Stargate, killing four Air Force officers and taking one hostage, correct?
O'NEILL: Yes, that's correct.
CHUNG: After more than ten years of carrying this burden in secret, the Stargate Program has gone public. How does that make you feel?
O'NEILL: Well, Connie, it's a little strange to walk down the street and get recognized for the work that I have been trying to hide for ten years. That's a phenomena that I'm not sure I'll ever get used to.
CHUNG: I understand that as we speak, members of Stargate Command and the Pentagon are undergoing communications with members of the United Nations. How are those going?
O'NEILL: Well, as you can imagine, there has been some strain on US diplomatic relations, due to the top secret nature of this military operation. However, about three or four years ago, former Vice President Kinsey met with representatives from France, Britain, China and Russia. That meeting set up the groundwork for the operations we've been going through over the last month or two.
CHUNG: Our reports indicate that Dr. Jackson and the Pentagon liaison, Major Paul Davis, have once again stepped in to help smooth over the ripples caused by the Stargate Program. I understand that one of the options on the table is to strip Stargate Command of its status as a military operation.
O'NEILL: That is on the table, although given our experience over the years, the representatives from Stargate Command will require at the very least, military backup for the operation.
CHUNG: Is it possible that the UN will require Dr. Elizabeth Weir, a noted UN Peace Treaty Broker, to return from her post as the Atlantis Base Commander to resume her short-lived position as civilian director of the Stargate Program?
O'NEILL: I doubt it. There are members of the United Nations that specifically recommended Dr. Weir for the position that she currently holds after they saw how well she handled her previous position as overseer of the Antarctica Excavation negotiations.
CHUNG: Is it possible that with the new diplomatic tide, you yourself will be required to return to command the Program?
O'NEILL: (Laughs) I don't think so. Hank Landry is one of the finest Air Force officers that it has been my privilege to serve with.
CHUNG: Speaking of Air Force personnel that you've served with, how close are you to the current members of SG-1, Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and the alien, Teal'c?
O'NEILL: Well, first of all, Connie, Samantha Carter was just promoted the other day to the rank of Colonel because of her outstanding performance in the line of duty.
CHUNG: Well then, congratulations to Colonel Carter for her achievement.
O'NEILL: But back to your question, Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson, and Teal'c are from my days on SG-1. They'll always be like family to me. However, while Colonel Mitchell is newer, he's still a valuable member of the team.
CHUNG: As we understand, General, you're a divorcee, correct?
O'NEILL: I can't see the relevance of that to this interview.
CHUNG: We've been able to confirm reports that there are points in the negotiations with the UN that correlate directly to the fraternization regulations enforced by Stargate Command. How many instances have there been wherein Air Force officers have been within a hair of committing courtmartialable fraternization with other officers of the opposite sex?
O'NEILL: I'm not prepared to discuss that.
CHUNG: Then, you do confirm that there have been circumstances where regulations have been bent because of unforeseen situations?
O'NEILL: If you're asking whether or not there have been situations where alien influence has clouded the judgment of officers, I do confirm that there have been a rather limited number of those cases.
CHUNG: Are you referring to the incident within the first year of the program when SG-1 brought a contagious virus through the Stargate to the facility where it spread, causing the affected to behave like primitives?
O'NEILL: Among others, yes.
CHUNG: If the UN approves any changes to the distinction of the Stargate Program, do you believe you and the other members of the US military currently involved in the program will continue to be involved?
O'NEILL: I can't speak for them, but I plan on staying involved.
CHUNG: Thank you, General.
O'NEILL: Thank you.
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A/N: This is the basis for the story that will come later. Imagine Jack's surprise and all of the insinuation that is happening in this interview with the mention of the Virus of the Touched. Enjoy!