Five Countries That Rodney and Teyla Visited (And The Journal Entries That Teyla Wrote)
A/N: Written for the 2010 sticksandsnark thing-a-thon for darkrosetiger on Livejournal. She requested Earth, AU and family.
Day One
In order to properly document this trip I have decided to keep a personal journal of events over the next eight days. Although I am required to file official reports of the meetings that Rodney and I attend with officials in each country, John suggested that I keep a more personal record of events so that Torren can read about them when he is older. I also believe that it will be important for future generations of Athosians as they learn how the relationship between my people and the different peoples of Earth developed as it provides a more personal view of trip, rather than the politically focused reports that will form part of the official record of events. It is my hope that one day this journal will form part of a written history of the Athosians. Although I feel that this journal would be more meaningful if I were able to handwrite it, for the moment security measures means that it must be recorded on an encrypted computer.
When the Atlantis expedition arrived in the Pegasus galaxy, there were five countries that were aware of the existence of the Stargate-the United States, France, Russia, England and China. Due to the increasing use of technology on Earth that has been discovered through the use of the Stargate it has been decided that other countries should be informed of it's existence. The IOA has determined that the non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council should be the first countries to be informed. The United Nations operates much like the councils that are found in certain areas of the Pegasus galaxy, except the members represent countries, rather than the populations of entire planets. The Security Council is an organisation comprised of 15 members of the United Nations and is responsible for making decisions regarding military action and peacekeeping. When Elizabeth first told me of the political situation on Earth I found it strange that such fighting could exist on a planet and why there was such uneven distribution of resources. I later came to realise that because the people of Earth did not have any contact with other planets or races, they had never been required to unite against a common enemy. Instead of focusing on their similarities, they focused on their differences. Dr Jackson has explained to me that it is only in much more recent times that the people of Earth have started working together to resolve problems that they all face. He hopes that by learning of the Stargate and other populated planets, as well as the threats that exist; the governments of Earth will start to cooperate more.
There are ten countries that are currently leaning about the Stargate and the existence of life on other planets-Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey and Uganda. Representatives of each country were given a broad overview of the technology, people and threats at the United Nations headquarters in New York and then reported this information back to their governments. Each country is then to host a number of visitors that will give them further information. My role, along with John, Rodney and Ronon, is to give them further information about the Pegasus galaxy. Rodney and I are to visit Mexico, Brazil, Austria, Turkey and Japan, whilst John and Ronon are to visit the remaining five countries. Ronon and I are to give a native's perspective of Pegasus, whilst John and Rodney are there provide an outsider's perspective. Rodney will also be able to provide scientific information and John will likely be required to give military details. Teal'c and Vala, amongst others, have already spoken to these governments about their experiences living on other planets within the Milky Way, however we will be the first to give a detailed account about life in the Pegasus galaxy.
We are currently on a flight from Colorado Springs to Mexico City, where we are to meet with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Abelardo Espinosa. Even though I have travelled by puddle jumper and flown a Wraith cruiser I am enjoying the novelty of flying on a jumbo jet. Rodney insists however, that after this trip is over and I have spent more than 48 hours on a plane, I will be well and truly over it. However for the moment I am enjoying the in flight entertainment and the little bags of peanuts that the flight attendants bring around. When Mr Woolsey was explaining how we would be travelling from country to country and referred to the flight attendants, John and Rodney turned to each other and both said 'air hostesses' with rather large grins on their faces. Judging from the glare Mr Woolsey gave them I can only gather than this was in some way inappropriate. I should ask Jennifer about this when I get home.
The captain has indicated that we are about to land, so I will need to end this entry. Once we land we will be taken immediately to the Offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet with Secretary Espinosa.
It is almost midnight and we have only just arrived at out hotel room for the night. Secretary Espinosa was an extremely talkative man and he was very interested in learning about all aspects of Athosian culture. He said that his government would be willing to establish diplomatic ties with the Athosian people and provide assistance in developing a governing system now that we no longer fear the Wraith as much as we once did. I explained that the Athosian people already had a system of government that had worked well for many generations. I am afraid that I may not have phrased my response as well as I could have as immediately Secretary Espinosa became concerned that I had been offended by what he had said. He explained that he was merely offering assistance to the current governing body as Athosian society was now became more settled and new issues were going to arise for our government. He told me that after his country had gained independence they struggled for many years to establish a stable government and he was only offering assistance so that we may avoid similar problems.
Although it was an extremely long meeting, and despite the small misunderstanding, I am happy with the day's events. It was encouraging to meet someone who was so enthusiastic about learning of the Athosian culture. I am somewhat surprised that he did not have more questions about other people within the Pegasus galaxy or the threats that exist, but I am confident that he would have been given sufficient information about these issues in New York to determine whether he wanted further information.