Chapter 2
Reviewed: Bigby the Big Bad Wolf
I don't own Ben Ten or the Stargate franchise.
I hope you guys enjoy it.
SGC - Interrogation Room 101
Captain Samantha Carter stared at Diamondhead with a hint of shame as she passed him a small glass filled with water, "I'm really sorry about this, but protocol demands that we interrogate you before allowing you any form of freedom." She stared into his green eyes, trying to convey that it was going to be alright.
"It's no problem... so what do you want to know?" Diamondhead asked as he drank the water, his green eyes never wavering from the captain's.
Sam smiled at him, before looking at the paper in her hands, "The first thing we need to know is where you are from."
Diamondhead closed his eyes as a small frown spread across his face, "That's a bit complicated. What do you know about the multiverse?"
Sam's eyes widened, her hands releasing the paper she held, as she observed the diamond being in front of her with a new sense of eagerness, "Are you saying that you come from another universe?"
Diamondhead shook his hand in a so-so gesture, indicating that he was not certain about it, "I can't say that I'm certain about it, but at the very least, I know that I am in another dimension."
Sam nodded eagerly, a small grin on her face as she took notes of everything she learned from the apparent dimension hopper, "Ok... Are there others like you? Or are you the only one who came?"
The frown on Diamondhead's face increased, worrying Sam slightly, "No, I am the only one."
Sam made a note of that, a frown on her face as well, "Now for the important question, why did you come?"
Diamondhead snorted, "My coming here... it was not planned. I was forced, pushed you could say, through a rift in the space-time continuum, permanently stranding me here."
"What happened?" Sam asked, choosing to forgo asking the questions on the paper in favor of learning more about the truly alien being in front of her, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No!" Diamondhead shouted, the shards on his back extending a few inches in response to his emotions. He actually turned red when he saw Sam jump in surprise, "I mean, it's best if I get it off my chest."
"I understand," Sam said, her hands resting on the mug of coffee, "I understand if it's too painful to retell so I'll not force you."
Diamondhead smiled at her, but Sam could tell that it was forced; she'd had that same one on her face many times, "Thanks."
"To understand my story, we need to go back 15 years," Diamondhead started, his hand hovering over the symbol on his chest. With a sigh, he slammed the symbol, and a green light surrounded his form, not unlike when he changed from Swampfire to Diamondhead.
The guards in the room raised their weapons and pointed them at the being in the room, ready to kill him if he showed the slightest sign of hostility. As the glow started to fade, the occupants of the room could make out a new figure, a human, "I was ten years old when my entire life changed, for better and worse."
Sam blinked in surprise as she got a good look at the man in front of her, "You're human?" The figure in front of her was handsome, to say the least, with messy brown hair and emerald green eyes.
"I am." He nodded before a stray thought hit him, "My name, my real name, is Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, but you can call me Ben."
"Ben..." Sam tested the name on her lips, a thoughtful frown on her face "What exactly happened? I assume it has something to do with your ability to change forms?"
"That's right," Ben nodded, his arms crossed behind his head as he recalled memories long past, "I'd been on a camping trip with my grandpa and cousin when it happened."
Ben closed his eyes as the memories flashed before his very eyes, "It had been a cold night and I was upset. Upset that I had to spend my summer with my cousin, Gwen. It was supposed to be just me and Grandpa Max."
"You and your Grandpa were close, I take it?" Sam asked; her eyes sympathetic as Ben told his tale. She couldn't even begin to image what it would be like to never see her family again.
He smiled at her, a small chuckle escaping his lips, "You could say that. I remember a time when I had to write an essay about one of my heroes... I could have chosen anyone, but I chose my Grandpa Max. He wasn't anything special, at least that was what I thought at the time, but I still looked up to him. I remember thinking that when I grew up, I would be just like him."
Sam smiled, that sounded just like how she was when she was younger, "I understand."
Ben sighed, "I think I've derailed the story, though." After gathering himself, he continued where he had left off, "As you know, I was upset. My plans had been ruined, and in my young mind, rather horribly. I knew that I needed to let some steam off, so I took a walk in the forest."
"And your grandpa just let you do that?" Sam asked, confused as to why anyone would allow a ten-year-old child to wander around in the wild alone.
"Not really, but I didn't care at the time. I just wanted to get away from Gwen," Ben admitted before a small chuckle escaped his lips, "As I was walking through the forest, I saw a shooting star streak across the sky. You can probably imagine the wonder I felt," Ben stated, a hint of fondness in his voice.
"I can," Sam admitted, before gesturing for Ben to continue his story, "So what happened?"
Ben scowled, "That wonder I felt? It quickly turned into fear as the comet made a sudden 90-degree turn and aimed itself right at me." Ben ignored Sam's wide eyes, "I ran as fast as my legs could take me, but I was never a fast kid. The ensuing collision blasted me a few feet forward, only stopping when I crashed into a tree."
"There is no possible way that was a regular comet," Sam said as she tried to get the image of a ten-year-old dying by comet out of her mind.
"It wasn't," Ben agreed with a simple nod of the head, "It turned out to be a containment pod that was locked onto my grandfather's DNA signature."
"And your DNA was a close enough match, which is why it followed you!" Sam deduced, "This is amazing! The type of technology required to make something like that has to be vast. Hell, even the Goa'uld don't have tech like that."
"I wouldn't know anything about that, so I'll just take your word for it," Ben said as he watched her start to explain to the confused soldiers, in the room, what DNA seeking tech could mean, "Besides, tech like that is child's play compared to what was contained in it."
"Really?" Sam asked as she looked away from one of the soldiers, "I mean what could be so valuable, that you would need tech like that to carry it?"
Ben smiled as he rolled up the sleeve of his jacket, revealing a watch on his wrist, "The device in the capsule was the prototype to what I am now wearing." He reached his hand out so that she could examine it.
The captain nodded her head absently as she took a good look at the device, "And this is what you use to transform into those other forms?"
Ben nodded, "That's right. It contains the genetic template of over a million alien species from my universe, though, I've only unlocked roughly around ninety." He pulled back his hand once Sam was done looking at the watch.
"Why would someone make a device like this?" Sam asked, not really expecting an answer, "I mean the potential behind it is frightening. A person could literally be anything... It's just astounding."
"I want it noted that this is not a weapon, but a device designed for peace. Walk a mile in someone's shoes and all that." Ben said, hoping that they didn't get any ideas, "Its main purpose, besides what I use if for, is to ensure the survival of all sentient species in the event of an extinction level event."
"A Noah's Ark," Sam summarized as she stared at the man in front of her, "I've got to go and report to the General, but I hope we can work together at some point. I would love to see just how your watch works."
Ben said nothing as he gave a small nod, indicating his understanding. As Sam left through the door, she quickly stuck her head back into the room, "If you need anything, feel free to ask the guards. Just make sure it's nothing too outlandish."
Ben nodded in understanding, "Ok. Thanks for letting -"
SGC - Briefing Room
- me know," General George S. Hammond paused the recording on the TV. He looked at the flagship team of the Stargate Program, SG-1, a serious look on his face, "What can you tell me about the device he's wearing?" Despite being worded as a question, everyone in the room knew that it was a command.
Sam coughed, her blue eyes gazing at the files in front of her, "Honestly? Not much. The device is thousands of years ahead of us. Hell, even the Goa'uld don't have tech like that." Sam paused, a strange look on her face as she gazed at the General, "I know what you're thinking, and I don't think it would be a good idea to try and remove it."
"Why?" Hammond asked, genuinely curious this time.
"The device, I believe, is genetically fused to him. Whoever sent it, as you know, made sure that it would only go to Max Tennyson or someone from his direct genetic line." Sam explained, "If they went through all that trouble, what's to say that the device itself is not the same?"
"Meaning that even if we were able to remove it...we wouldn't be able to use it," Hammond deduced, a sigh escaping his lips. He looked at SG-1, a frown on his face, "What can you tell me about his personality? Does he seem likely to help us against the Goa'uld?"
"Yes," Jack answered for his team, a serious look on his face, "When we told him about the snakeheads, his whole body started shaking in anger, anger that I know very well could not be faked."
"Yeah," Daniel nodded his head in agreement, "Hell, the entire planet felt like it was about to erupt as vines started emerging from the ground."
"I am most pleased that the Goa'uld did not find him first," Tea'lc confessed, an even grimmer normal look upon his face.
Sam shivered at the thought, "That would be a nightmare." She gazed at her boss, a concerned look on her face, "I think something happened, though, before his arrival."
"He did seem a bit melancholy," Daniel confessed in agreement. He paused, "Do you think something might have happened to his grandfather?"
"I think so," Sam muttered, "He seemed to have a great fondness for him, and the way he spoke of him suggests that he is no longer in the living world, though that just might be because he won't be able to see his family anymore."
"So... can he be trusted?" General Hammond asked, after contemplating everything he saw and was told.
SG-1 shared a look, an unspoken question being asked, before Jack sighed, "I think so."
Hammond smiled, the tension leaving the room like a river, "Then I guess it's time I met our guest?"
SGC - Interrogation Room 101
Hammond stared at the young man in front of him, his black eyes unwavering from the subject of his gaze. Ben had suffered, that was obvious. He did a good job of covering it up, but for someone like Hammond, it was as bright as the Sun on a clear day.
"Who did you lose?" Hammond asked after a few minutes of silence had passed, "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but I find that it helps."
"Huh?" Ben blinked, taken aback by the sudden question before a small chuckle escaped his lips, "I thought I'd hidden it rather well, but I suppose I can't hide it anymore."
Hammond smiled as well, but it was slightly strained, "I served in the Vietnam War, I know what it's like to lose people you care about. Hell, I've had that same look on my face many times. You weren't fooling anybody but yourself."
"I know..." Ben muttered lowly, his voice losing most of its strength, his emerald eyes staring into Hammond's stern ones, "I never got the chance to mourn, you know? It just happened too fast." His teeth gnashed together, "All I saw was an explosion and then the rift I was pushed through snapping shut."
Hammond found that his mouth had gone dry, but he still asked the question that had formed in his mind, "The explosion...who was caught in it?"
"Everyone," Ben replied, small teardrops trickling out of his eyes, "Everyone I ever cared about burned to death: my parents, cousin, best friend, unborn godson. Vilgax killed them all when he blew my home up!"
The General gazed sadly at Ben, understanding filling his eyes, "I am truly sorry for your loss and you have my sincerest apologies."
"Thanks," Ben responded as he wiped the tears from his eyes, "But I'm certain that you didn't come here just to say that." He gave Hammond a pointed look.
"...That is correct," The General replied after a second of hesitation, "I'll be blunt; we want you to help us in the fight against the Goa'uld."
"Really?" Ben asked; a frown on his face. Seeing Hammond nod, Ben winced "Can I have some time to think about it?"
Hammond nodded, "You can, but I suggest making a decision soon. Once my superiors get word of you, they'll be calling for your transfer to another facility."
"If I join, will it be this facility that I work at?" Ben asked, his mind working through all the choices he had. He nodded when George nodded his own head in confirmation, "Ok... I'll think about it, but if I choose not to join you, I will leave and never come back. Humans are nowhere near ready for the level of tech that the Omnitrix possess."
"I understand, and I agree. From what I have been told and have seen, your statement is accurate." Hammond agreed, dreading what type of damage some unsavory elements could do if they somehow managed to get a hold of the Omnitrix.
Ben smiled, happy that the General understood where he was coming from, "Thank you. I... I think you will have your answer within twenty-four hours." He hesitated slightly, not wanting to rush his answer.
"I understand. In the meantime, we can supply you with a room that you can stay in if you want." Hammond offered as he got up from his seat, his bones popping slightly.
Ben nodded; he really needed to get some sleep, "Thanks." As he got up, he noticed that Hammond had already reached the door, "Should I wait here?"
"No, I'll have one of my men take you to the guest quarters," George stated as he walked out, Ben trailing behind him.
SGC - Guest Quarters
"This is your room. If you need anything, feel free to ask... can't promise that you'll get it, though," The airman, assigned to escort Ben, announced as he opened the door to a small room.
"Understood," Ben nodded as he closed the door, uncaring as to whether the soldier was done speaking to him. He clenched his hands tightly as he looked around the small room. The first thing his eyes landed on was a bed big enough to contain one person and a small drawer to the side.
Going to the bed, he allowed himself to fall on it, his head hitting the soft white pillow. He found himself squirming on the bed as he tried to make himself comfortable, his mind replaying everything that had happened within the last few hours.
"I lost..." Ben muttered to himself as he buried his face into the pillow, tears streaming out of his eyes, "I'm sorry, Dad and Mom." He slammed his fist into the bed, "I could have saved you and Grandpa Max, but I was too slow!"
"Pathetic! Why are you moping around like some sort of emo kid?" A faint voice within his mind asked harshly. It was like knives dragging against a chalkboard, "While I may hate your very existence, I know that they raised you better than this."
"Shut up," Ben muttered, his voice like ice, as he raised his head from the pillows so that his lungs could get some air, "I know how they raised me! I know that they would want me to be strong... But I'm not strong! You hear me? I'm weak." Ben admitted, his voice cracking like thunder.
"I know." The voice admitted, "Your true strength came from the bonds that you held with your friends and family. When you came here, those bonds were snapped. So yes, you are weak. But, it doesn't have to stay that way. You have a new chance at life... for your own sake, don't waste it." The voice advised him, compassion being evident in its voice.
Ben stayed silent as he processed what the strange voice had said. Deep down, he knew that it was telling the truth, he just couldn't bring himself to accept it, "Who are you to judge me?"
"Someone who cares about you, whether you like it or not," The voice calmly replied. "And I'm not judging you, just stating the obvious."
Ben snorted as he got off the bed, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to ignore the voice, "Why? Why help someone who is responsible for the death of his own family?"
Pain surged through his head as if someone had stabbed it with hundreds of daggers, "Fool... I do not care about that. I care only that you are strong. Once you have strength, then everything else will follow. Only you can heal your heart, but that can't happen if you keep blaming yourself. You have an offer for a job, why not take it?" With its portion said, most of the pain subsided.
Ben growled as he rubbed his head, "Fine. You've made your point. I may not like it, but I'll give it a shot." Going to the door, he opened it and gestured for one of the guards to approach him, "Can you tell General Hammond that I've made a decision concerning his offer?" Seeing the guard nod, he smiled and closed the door.
SGC - Briefing Room
"So..." Jack started, his eyes gazing at the piece of paper in front of him, "What is this?" His left hand was tapping the table as he held the paper in front of his face, gazing at the words on it, "I mean I know what it says, but I want to know what it's doing in front of me."
It was just him and Hammond in the room, Sam, Daniel, and Tea'lc had left to do their own things, as they talked. Hammond looked towards Jack, a serious look on his face, "Ben has agreed to help us, on the condition that he has a test run."
Jack frowned, "What kind of test run?" He put the paper down so that he could look at the general, his eyes narrowed in thought.
"Basically, he wants to go on a mission and see if he can work with us." Hammond replied, a warning audible in his tone, "Don't screw this up, Jack."
Jack raised his hands in surrender, "Understood... that still doesn't explain why you're showing this to me," He pointed to the paper, "I mean, he's practically his own weapon."
Hammond nodded as that made sense, "According to him, the Omnitrix has a time limit. Once it times out, he has to wait ten minutes before he can use it again. So he will need something to defend himself when that happens,"
"Ah," Jack nodded, understanding dawning on his face, "Why didn't you say so?" Pulling a pen out, he quickly signed his name at the bottom of the page, "Still think it's stupid that there needs to be another person's signature to validate an order from the general."
George sighed, his head shaking in amusement, "I don't make the rules, Jack. You know that."
"Yeah, yeah," Jack shrugged as he stood up, "So where is he? We've got a new mission, as you know, and I'm thinking it would be a good one for him to go on."
"That was exactly what I was thinking," Hammond agreed as he stood up looking towards the door, "You can come in now."
Jack raised an eyebrow, Tea'lc style, as a man came in with wavy brown hair and green eyes gazing from within the bangs that hung over his face. He was wearing the standard fatigues of all SGC personnel; the shirt and pants being around the same size as Daniel's so as to fit his body type, "Damn, you clean up nice."
"Thanks," Ben muttered with a small smile, not really accustomed to random strangers complimenting him. He looked over to where the general had sat back down, "So... what's the plan?"
"Well, with you wanting a test run, we're thinking that you join my team on a mission that's coming up, if that's ok with you," Jack offered, hoping that Ben would come with him. A man who could turn into super-powered aliens would really help in the long run.
"I've got no problem with that," Ben shrugged as he took a seat at the table, next to Jack. He paused, "There is just one thing... under no circumstances will I kill another living being. If the situation calls for it, I will do what is needed, but don't expect me to be happy about it."
"I understand, and we won't ask you to kill unless the situation requires it," Jack replied, his hand resting on the younger man's shoulder, "Even if we kill, it is so that others don't have to."
Ben nodded; a grim look on his face, "I see... When do we leave?"
"Now, actually," Jack answered with a grin as he got up, "If that's all, General Hammond. I'd like to go and get ready." He waited for Hammond to give him the go ahead before leaving.
Ben watched as Jack skipped out of the room, a strange look on his face, "Is he always like that?" If so, then he could finally understand why Keven and Gwen got upset with him all the time.
"Honestly? Yes," George replied, a frown on his face. He closed his eyes, "I need to take care of some things so you can go."
Ben saluted before leaving the room.
SGC - Gate Room
"So," Ben started as he adjusted the handgun on his hip, "Are these shirts supposed to be so itchy?" He looked towards his teammates, a frown on his face, "What are these things made out of anyway?"
Jack did a 'so-so' gesture with his hands, "Roughly fifty percent nylon and fifty percent cotton and don't worry about it, we can probably find you something better later on."
"If," Ben stressed, "there is a later on." Finishing his preparation, he looked towards the rotating Stargate, a small smile on his face, "Still nothing is certain."
"Glad to hear that," Jack stated as he stood at the edge of the ramp, his eyes locked on to his teammates, "We know what our mission is, let's not waste any time. I have an episode of the Simpsons to catch and a beer in the fridge waiting for me at home." With his part said, the liquid-like substance surged forward before shooting back into its self.
Ben shook his head in amusement, "Am I to expect any form of conflict?"
"Not really," Sam answered; a black bulletproof helmet on her head, "Maybe some dangerous wildlife, but nothing truly hostile." With her part said, Jack walked through the gate, the rest of the team following him.
Location - Unknown
Cold. That was the first thing he thought as he walked out of the gate. He saw Jack standing in front of him, his gun pointing in a random direction. He jogged over to him, his hand hovering over the Omnitrix, ready to transform at a moment's notice, "What happened?"
"I saw something," Jack said, a cautious look on his face, "It kind of looked like a giant hummingbird with sharp teeth." He pointed his gun to where he heard some rustling but pulled it away when he saw that it was just a pair of birds. Jack turned towards Tea'lc, a questioning look on his face, "Was that the creature?"
"I believe so," Tea'lc replied, his grip on the staff weapon not loosening in the slightest as he looked over at Ben, "Do you have a form capable of tracking invisible creatures?"
Ben nodded, "Yup. They may be impossible to see with eyes, but they still leave a scent," He paused, a stray thought hitting him, "Though if they're in the air it might make it a bit harder to track them."
"Sir!" Sam shouted from behind them, "We have a problem." All three men turned towards her and were surprised to see that the Stargate was gone. As they walked towards her, Ben could not help but feel that there was something going on.
"...Has this happened before?" He asked, a sinking feeling emerging in his stomach. His hand was clenching the tranquilizer gun that hung on his hip, ready to knock out any that would try to hurt him.
"No," Tea'lc replied, "I have never seen anything like this before, even during my time as First Prime of Apophis."
"Great," Ben mumbled to himself, his eyes narrowing as he took in his surroundings. Everything was quiet, too quiet, "I'm going to go and scan ahead, see if I can find anything that can help."
"Yeah... let us know if you spot any hostiles." Jack informed the hero.
Ben nodded before he turned on the dial and slammed down on the alien he needed. As the transformation took hold, he released a roar that had built up in his throat, "AROO!"
Omnitrix Database: Wildmutt - Vulpimancer
Vulpimancers are far more animalistic than humanoid. They can range from the size of an adult human to several times the size of a human. As they mature, they grow tails.
They have canine paws with curving claws and quills that grow on their backs. Their most notable feature is that they have no visible eyes and instead have gill-like nostrils on the sides of their necks.
Vulpimancers from Vulpin are orange and have a dog-like mouth, teeth, and tongue.
Vulpimancers have incredibly enhanced senses of hearing and smell, which they use to work out their surroundings due to their lack of eyes.
Vulpimancers have enhanced agility that allows them to run, jump, and climb at a superhuman rate. Their acrobatic and gymnastic capabilities are similar to that of an ape.
Vulpimancers can dig at a fast speed, even through solid stone.
Although Vulpimancers are quadrupeds, they are capable of standing on their hind legs and punching with their front legs, though somewhat awkwardly.
"A dog?" Sam blinked as she walked over to the transformed human, her hand rubbing the canine-like creature's orange fur, "No... you're similar to one but far different." The first thing that she noticed was that it lacked eyes, ears, and had no visible nose. The gills on its neck were like that of a fish, allowing Ben to breathe in, and most likely smell, the environment.
She smiled as Ben sniffed her, his gills fluctuating, "Trying to get my scent huh? Why don't you go and scout ahead? If you spot anything, you can come back and inform us." With a pat on Ben's shoulder, she watched as he ran to the nearest tree before using his claws to latch onto one of the branches and jump to the next one.
"So..." Daniel started, a smirk on his face, "Should we be expecting to get you a puppy when your birthday comes around?" He ducked under the half-hearted punch that Sam sent his way, "I was just asking, sheesh."
Sam rolled her eyes but continued doing her job, a small smile on her face.
Wildmutt sniffed the ground that he stood on, his teeth bared in a feral snarl as he followed the strange scent. This creature, it was elusive, to say the least. His legs carried him slowly across the mossy ground, his feet not staying in one place for long, so as to avoid making any form of sound.
"Reduced to a mere mutt, how strangely fitting." The voice from earlier chortled in his mind. Wildmutt growled lowly but chose not to do anything else, in fear of alerting his prey. He paused, his gills flaring as he could no longer find the creature's scent, almost as if it had chosen to abandon staying in the one area and flown somewhere else.
He cursed within his mind; this was going to take forever. Climbing onto one of the trees, he sniffed the air in hopes of catching the scent again but was disappointed when he realized that it was too faint.
With a shake of his head, he prepared to jump to another tree but stopped when he heard the sound of footsteps on the floor bellow. Using his amazing sense of smell, he compared it to the team's but realized that it was completely different.
He could smell some sort of metal but it wasn't one that he had encountered before, "Jaffa! Kree!" Choosing to lay low, he watched, through his thermal vision, as the apparent Jaffa talked to each other.
"We will find the creature and bring it back to you, Lord Apophis!" One of the Jaffa shouted, his weapon pointing at the sky. Before he could fire it though, Wildmutt lunged at the alien. His razor sharp claws allowed him to rip into the man's armor as he knocked out the Jaffa. Using his strong back feet, he somersaulted backwards, avoiding the shot of energy from one of the other snakeheads.
"A fine hound, you are. Jaffa! Kree! Bring him back to me. I would see him become one of my pets." Apophis, Wildmutt assumed, commanded as he walked away. Wildmutt scowled but focused on knocking out the Jaffa in front of him.
"GAROO!" The sound waves from his roar surged towards the Jaffa, knocking him into one of the trees. With a careful sense of caution, he approached the downed warrior and sniffed him. Seeing that he was unconscious, he headed back the way he came. The team would need to know about this.
Jack narrowed his eyes; his body crouched behind a rather big bush, as he pointed his weapon at the creature in front of him. Despite being invisible, he could still make out its form thanks to the rapidly moving wings. It also helped that it was loud, "Here's hoping that it turns visible once we tranquilize it."
"If it didn't, we would be here forever." Daniel shuddered at the thought, as much as he loved the idea of exploring new planets; he didn't want to be on one planet forever.
"Yeah-no. I ain't spending any more time here," Jack replied, his finger hovering over the trigger. Before he could pull it, though, a staff blast scared the creature away. A curse escaped his mouth, "Shit!" Clicking the button on his radio, he spoke to Tea'lc, "What the hell was that, T!?"
"That was not me, O'Neill," Tea'lc informed him, confusion evident despite his stoic tone.
"Crap," Jack groaned, another curse escaping his mouth. He pressed the button again, "Ok. Let's meet up again. It's obvious that there are Jaffa present here."
It was Sam that responded, "Understood, Sir." The audible click was enough to tell him that she was done speaking. With a sign he looked towards Daniel, an annoyed look on his face, "Somehow... somehow this is your fault. I know it."
"Don't pin this on me," Daniel defended himself, an equally annoyed look on his face, "Despite what you think, I am not a bad luck charm."
"Could have fooled me," Jack mumbled under his breath.
"So... did anyone figure out which Jaffa sect fired the shot?" Jack asked as he checked his ammo. A curse escaped his breath; there wasn't enough to take on a large amount of Jaffa. This was bad, really bad.
"Indeed. It appears that Apophis himself has come to this planet." Tea'lc stated.
Jack blinked, his panic temporarily forgotten, and looked towards Sam, "Really?" Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Daniel perk up.
Sam nodded, her blue eyes narrowing in concentration, "Yeah... he was there. There was one thing, though. Apparently, according to Tea'lc, he kept talking about a fine beast. One that was orange."
"Ben?" It was Daniel that asked the question, his own eyes narrowed in concentration now, "This is bad. If Apophis gets his hands on Ben, and the Omnitrix in connection, then we'll be screwed."
They were startled when said person(beast) entered the small clearing. With a mighty howl, the dog-creature slammed its arm brace and changed back into Ben with an emerald light, "I appreciate your vote of confidence."
"Sorry," Daniel apologized before he paused, "How did you get away from the Jaffa?'
Ben smiled, amused by Daniel's question, "I didn't. I had to knock them all out, although, one got away."
"Impressive," Tea'lc commented, earning a small smirk from Ben, "Did you see Apophis?"
"No. I don't know what Apophis looks like and second, Wildmutt, the form I took, doesn't have eyes." The alien hero replied, a frown on his face, "Although one of them sounded like two people were speaking."
"That's probably Apophis, then," Jack replied, his hands reloading his gun.
Ben nodded, storing the information away for later use, "So, what's the plan then?"
"Apophis knows where Sha're is. If we can catch him, we can get her and Skarra back." Daniel announced a determined expression on his face.
Jack said nothing as he contemplated Daniel's words, a part of him actually wanting to agree. He looked towards Tea'lc, the only one amongst them who knew Apophis intimately, "How many guards would he have with him?"
Tea'lc closed his eyes in thought, "I cannot say for certain, but I would estimate about two to three Jaffa guards. Although, since Ben Tennyson has taken them out, he will call for reinforcements."
Jack groaned, why couldn't things ever be simple? With a sigh, he asked the dreaded question, "How long will that take?"
"Roughly five minutes with the Stargate, but since that is no longer an option, it will take roughly an hour for the reinforcements to arrive," Tea'lc replied, providing a small glimmer of hope.
"Ok... so we need to get him before they arrive, right?" Ben asked for confirmation. Seeing them nod, he couldn't help but sigh, "I just want it noted that I think this is a bad idea. No alien overlord ever goes anywhere with such a small force to begin with. I mean how does he protect himself if the Jaffa are killed?"
Sam blinked, that was actually a very good question. "He has a point, Sir. What's to say that Apophis doesn't have a force field or something like that?"
Tea'lc shook his head, "He does not, Captain Carter. During my time as First Prime, he has never shown any signs of owning that type of technology."
Ben blinked before sighing, "Ok, then. I guess we try and nab him. Don't say I didn't warn you," As he got off the spot that he had been sitting on, he noticed slight indents on the ground. He tilted his head. That was curious.
"Ben?" Jack asked, seeing that Ben was distracted, "You ok?"
Ben shook his head, "I'm fine. Just thought I saw something," He looked towards Jack, a small smile on his face, "But thanks for asking."
"No problem," Jack's hand rested on Ben's shoulder, "We should get going, though. Time's ticking away."
"So... how long before Apophis shows?" Ben asked Tea'lc. He was lying on the ground, his green eyes staring into the sky, while Tea'lc patiently watched the forest, scanning for any sign of movement.
Tea'lc shook his head, sparing Ben a quick glance before returning to his watchful duty, "I cannot say, Ben Tennyson. Apophis has always been a tricky one, his actions being almost unpredictable."
Ben raised himself up, a curious look on his face as he gazed at Tea'lc's back, "How do you know he will come then? What's not to say that he's hiding somewhere?"
"He will come, of that, I have no doubt," Tea'lc stated, a firmness in his voice that Ben could not help but admire.
"I hope you're right," Ben admitted, his hair blowing in the wind. He could see a storm approaching and if the wind was any indicator, it was going to be a rough one, "Let's just hope he gets here before the storm does."
Tea'lc said nothing, too focused on the small clearing in front of him, but the slight incline of his head informed Ben that he agreed. With a sigh, he laid back on the ground, his eyes gazing back at the sky.
A small smile played on the former First Prime's lips, "I concur," With that said, he returned to watching the clearing, his eyes like a hawk.
"I'm bored," Jack drawled, his gun lying beside him as he laid flat on the ground, his stomach lying on some sort of soft moss. He looked towards Daniel, hoping to start some sort of conversation, but frowned when he saw the archaeologist looking over some notes, "I cannot believe you are doing that right now. What if Apophis suddenly showed up?" He asked; a scathing look on his face.
Daniel rolled his eyes, "I don't see you complaining about Ben and his lazing around." He pointed towards said person, who was simply staring at the sky. They were roughly a few yards away from Ben and Tea'lc but they stuck to whispering, so as to not give away their location.
"Because," Jack stressed as if talking to a child, "I know he can take care of himself. So, unless you have a magic watch from outer space that can turn you into an alien, I suggest you put the book away."
A few short feet away from the bickering men, Sam was busy reloading her gun, "He has a point, Daniel. You're not trained like us, and the only thing protecting you from getting killed is the fact that you have a gun and a bulletproof vest. So please, for our sakes, take up your gun and stay alert."
Daniel frowned; they had made a good point, as he picked up the handgun that lay to the side. Why had he taken it off in the first place? He shook his head; it didn't matter, "So... you guys wanna talk?"
"No." Jack's reply was quick and blunt, "Your version of talking involves prattling on about history, something that I do not like." He ignored the slight pout on Daniel's face in favor of looking down the scope of his gun.
Daniel made to report, when the sound of branches being stepped on hit his ears, "Did you hear that?" His only response was them dropping to the ground as staff blasts rained into the clearing.
"CRAP!" Daniel winced at Jack's roar, his own body diving for cover, as they tried to avoid the fatal energy blasts.
Jack raised himself back up and fired a few rounds in the direction from where the blasts were coming from. He scowled, though, when the blasts didn't stop. In fact, they appeared to increase in speed and ferocity as each blast scorched the ground.
"Ben!" Jack exclaimed urgently into the radio, "If you can do your thing, I would appreciate it." His only response was a flash of emerald light, signifying that Ben had transformed.
When the light faded, there stood a blue moth-like creature with what appeared to be a cloak around it.
It was Sam that first voiced her thoughts, though most of her attention was on not getting shot, "He kind of looks like the Mothman." She fired her rifle into the dense cluster of trees, before noting a slight shimmer of gold hidden by the leaves, "Hopefully, he can do something that can get us out of this mess."
"BIG CHILL!" The moth-man like alien exclaimed, its voice creating chills in the spines of all that heard it, as it flapped its wings. It's green bug eyes were narrowed in anger as it breathed in some of the frigid air, "How many are there?"
"I cannot say. I expect that it is only Apophis who engages us, but I cannot be certain." Tea'lc replied as he fired back with his own staff weapon.
Big Chill said nothing, its body becoming translucent as it flew towards where the attacks originated. It barely felt the shots going through its body, except for a slight burn, as it breathed out a stream of pure ice. After a few minutes, it stopped to gaze at the now frozen forest.
"Holy Shit!" Jack exclaimed from behind the cryogenic alien, his head sticking out slightly, "...That is sooo cool."
"And highly improbable," Sam muttered to herself, her blue eyes wide as she gazed at the frozen trees.
Big Chill ignored all of them, his intangibility fading as he gazed at the frozen trees. It narrowed its eyes as the frozen trees stood within the windy forest... there! It was slight, but something did move, "We're not done yet."
"Understood!" Jack shouted, his left hand holding onto the rifle, as he got up from the ground. Both Sam and Daniel followed as well, with Tea'lc coming over to the three of them, "Can you make a shield for us?"
Big Chill nodded before breathing out a stream of freezing cold ice that slowly built itself up into a wall. "Will that work?" It asked, a smirk on its insectoid face as it floated back to the ground, its body phasing through the ice that had formed, "The ice won't hold for long, so we need to implement our plan as soon as possible." With that said Big Chill slammed the Omnitrix symbol and turned back into a human.
"Sorry about that." Ben apologized, "But Big Chill naturally lowers the temperature of the surrounding area, which would have alerted Apophis to our presence."
"It's ok," Jack waved of Ben's apology, "We all know how important the element of surprise is." He looked back at Sam, Daniel and Tea'lc, a thoughtful frown on his face, "For the plan to work, someone will have to sneak up behind him, while the rest act as bait for Apophis."
Before anyone could say anything, the sound of ice cracking alerted them to the fact that they needed to get out of the area, but before anyone could do anything, a large boulder of ice came down upon them, knocking them out.
The last thing Ben saw was the fading image of a dark-skinned man approaching him.
Sunlight filtered into the straw hut, the young man lying inside it groaning as his eyes fluttered open, "What the? Where am I?" As he got up, a glaring headache surged within his head, forcing him to his knees.
"You were knocked unconscious by a large block of ice, what else were you expecting? An ice cream cone?" The voice asked sarcastically as Ben cradled his sore head.
The man ignored the voice, so far it had been everything but pleasant. As he looked around, he noticed that his gun was gone and that there was a hole in his shirt.
He noticed a small wooden door to the side, one that had just been opened. He felt the cool breeze brush against his skin as he walked towards it, only to be stopped as young boy materialized before his very eyes, "What the? Who are you?"
The boy looked human, despite the branches seemingly growing out of his hair, "I am Nafrayu." He pointed his finger at Ben, "What is your name?" The curiosity was evident in his voice and Ben couldn't help but smile.
"Well Nafrayu, my name is Benjamin Kirby Tennyson but you can call me Ben," He gently tapped the young child on the nose. It was intended as a kind, gentle, gesture, but the Omnitrix took that as an opportune time to scan the child's DNA.
"Uncataloged DNA detected. All functions not available. Please standby." It intoned in a mechanical voice making Ben mutter under his breath.
Nafrayu tilted his head cutely, kind of like a puppy, as he gazed at the Omnitrix, "What does that do? Is it a weapon?"
"No," Ben denied, his head shaking in the negative, "It allows me to transform into other species, you know? Allows me to experience what they feel every day of their lives."
"An interesting device you have, Benjamin," An older man stated from the door, a small smile on his face. He stood next to the young alien as Ben got off his knee, "And I see that Nafrayu has gotten to know you well."
"A pleasure to meet you," Ben stated as he shook hands with the strange alien, "Now... what is your name?"
The man gestured for him to follow him as they walked out of the hut, "You may call me Opher, now you must be hungry so we have made some food for you. I hope you will enjoy it."
Ben nodded his head in appreciation, "Thanks. So do you guys live here?" He asked as he followed Opher to a small clearing.
"We do. Everything we need, we get from Gaia itself." Opher nodded, a smile on his face as he touched the ground.
Ben paused, storing away the name of the planet for later use, "That is commendable. Where I come from, humans have ravaged the planet and destroyed most of its nature."
Opher frowned, "That is disappointing, but to be expected. You are young, you will learn." He passed Ben a small wooden bowl as they sat on a log.
Ben grinned as he drank some of the soup like substance, before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, "I've got to ask, but where are my friends. The ones that I came with?"
"They are resting," Opher replied as he ate some of his own food, "We moved them to another room so that we could speak." He put down the bowl in his hands and stared at Ben, "Tell me... why did you attack those other men? What had they done to you?"
Ben sighed, he was afraid of that, "You must understand... those men are bad people. They don't care about life, they only care about themselves. I attacked them, not because I wanted to cause harm, but because I knew that if somebody didn't stop them, then they would go on to cause untold pain to entire civilizations."
Opher sighed, "But who gave you the authority to judge those men?"
"I know where you are going with this," Ben told Opher before he gestured to Nafrayu, "If you saw that he was hurt, would you allow him to continue suffering when you know that you have the power to help him?" Ben asked.
Opher shook his head vehemently, "Never. He is but a child; it is my duty to keep him safe as he is too young to look after himself."
Ben smiled, now he was getting somewhere, "Now what if someone said that Nafrayu was not hurt, to leave him be. Would you allow yourself to stand on the side as people walked by, seeing the young child's suffering, and did nothing?"
The older alien fell silent; he didn't know how to answer that question. Finally, a small smile appeared on the man's face, "You are far wiser than you appear."
Ben shrugged, "I try. Still, the point stands. Just as it is your moral obligation to look after Nafrayu, it is mine to look after those who cannot protect themselves."
"... I see." Opher replied, "You are truly a wise man and it is my honor to have gotten to speak to you. But alas, our time must come to an end. Anteaus tells me that your friends have awoken." Opher got off his log and motioned for Ben to follow him.
Ben tilted his head in confusion, "How do you know that? Are you telepathic or something like that?"
"I do not know what this telepathic thing is, but my kind is able to read the surface thoughts of all living things." Opher replied as he moved some branches out of the way, "And yes. We did read your thoughts, but only to learn your language." He bowed his head in apology.
Ben frowned, he didn't like people digging around his head... but he had to admit that he would have done the same thing. With a small sigh, he waved of Opher's apology, "It's ok. Let's just go find my friends."
Jack groaned as he stared at the humanlike aliens, or alienlike humans, in front of him, irritation evident on his face, "We're not in the assassination business, just so you know. That person, the one that we tried to capture, is a bad guy."
"Yet you sought to attack him first?" The other alien, a woman, asked.
Jack frowned, "We just wanted to take him back to our world and have a long talk with him." He paused as he spotted another one of the aliens approach with a familiar figure in tow. "Ben! You ok?" He asked, worry for his teammate evident in his voice.
Ben smiled and waved back, "I'm fine. I've just been having a talk with Opher," He gestured to the alien next to him, "What about you guys?"
Jack breathed out a sigh of relief, "Nothing much, just trying to explain to these guys that we don't mean any harm."
"Don't bother." Ben replied with a small sigh, "They have telepathic abilities, meaning that they can read the intention behind your words."
Jack frowned that complicated things. He looked towards Daniel, "You wanna have a go at this?" Daniel was probably the most honest person he knew.
Daniel nodded, "We're from a race of people that want to learn your ways, to learn your medicine."
The alien shook his head, "No. You will rest, and then you will go and take your ways with you." He started to get up when Ben's watch beeped loudly.
"Sample acquired. All functions now available." The watch announced in a mechanical voice.
Sam looked at Ben, an inquisitive gleam in her eyes, "Ben... does that mean what I think it means?" If so, then it confirmed what she had thought, their hosts weren't human.
Ben nodded, "Yep. It means that I can now turn into one of these guys." As he started fiddling with his watch, trying to find the new alien, he missed the incredulous look the aliens sent him, Opher and Nafrayu excluded.
"Him turning into a Nox? I find that unlikely!" The younger version of Opher denied; disbelief evident in his tone, "They are a young species, and their ways cause harm to all. How can he become one of us, when his own species destroy everything in its path?"
Opher nodded, "That is true... but as you said, they are a young species. Unlike us, they have the potential to learn... to grow. We can teach them, teach them a better path." He nodded to Ben, "This young man is someone special... Gaia has shown me a future where there is no more fighting amongst the universe."
The woman's eyes widened, "You received a vision?" Seeing Opher nod, the woman quickly turned to her companion, "Anteaus... this is great. Gaia has spoken. The elders must know of this." The three started a conversation, trying to figure out what to do.
Jack blinked, confused as to what was going on. He looked to Ben, hoping for an explanation, "Mind explaining what's going on?"
Ben shook his head, "I have no idea, sorry. All I know is that Gaia is the planet and they are the Nox."
"That's something at least," Jack grumbled.
"Got it!" Ben suddenly exclaimed, a grin on his face, "I've found the Nox in the Omnitrix." He blinked suddenly when he saw everyone staring at him, the Nox included, "Sorry."
Daniel shook his head, amused, before turning to Anteaus "Do you have anyone in charge that we can speak to? Someone that we can make our case to?"
The Nox shook his head, "No. None of them will want to see you," He paused as he gazed at Ben, "Maybe him, though. It is not often that we get a vision from Gaia." He smiled at Jack, "Gaia is not the planet, despite what Ben has told you. While it is an apt description, it is in fact, the collective consciousness of every living thing on the planet."
"That's amazing." Daniel announced, before looking to Jack, "Think about it, Jack. Memories, experiences, feelings... they're shared by every single Nox and animal."
Jack rolled his eyes, but he had to admit... it sounded amazing.
Anteaus smiled as he looked toward the female, "They understand that at least. Maybe they do have potential, Lya."
"Indeed... Come, the one that you had attacked has awoken." Lya stated as she gestured for them to follow her.
Sam frowned as she walked into the small hut, her eyes not leaving the Jaffa, "Sir... if he leaves and returns to Apophis, he could expose the Nox."
Jack nodded, "I know." He looked towards Anteaus and Lya, "If they leave, and they spot you, you will be in serious danger. Allow us to take them, we'll take them back to our world and make sure that they can't reveal your existence."
Anteaus shook his head, "No. If they ask to go with you, then you may take them. But if not, then they shall go back to their own world." He approached one of the Jaffa and smiled, "You are getting better. Soon you will be healed," His smile turned into a frown, "And then you will take your ways with you. Gaia has no place for those who practice senseless violence."
The Jaffa glared at him, "You have no right to judge me. I live only for my god, and in return, he shall reward me with glory." He tried to throttle Anteaus, but found that he was still too weak to move, "Luck is on your side, but when my strength returns, I will return to Apophis with all of your heads."
Tea'lc shook his head sadly, "Can you not see that Apophis is a false god? He is no more divine that you and me. Reject Apophis and see the truth, Shak'l." He begged his former student, but Shak'l was not having it.
"Lies! Shol'va Shol'va!" Shak'l screamed. His body lurched forward as if trying to attack Tea'lc but could not. A small wave from Lya and the Jaffa fell back asleep.
Anteaus frowned, sadness etched onto his face, "His heart is filled with great darkness... I fear that he may be worse than even you." He left the hut, deep in his thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Tea'lc... but I don't think you will be able to convince them," Jack stated as his hand rested on Tea'lc's shoulder.
"I know, Colonel O'Neill," Tea'lc stated, his emotions unreadable, "I had hoped that I could get through to him, but Apophis has a strong grip on all of their hearts... one that will not be broken easily."
Sam frowned, "I'm sorry Tea'lc."
Ben crossed his arms, "No. Everything has a weak point. Spend enough time and you will find it. You may not be able to convince him now... but maybe later on, you will have a better result."
Tea'lc smiled, "Indeed."
"Well," Jack started, "I don't mean to break this great bonding moment, but we need to still figure out how to prevent the Jaffa from revealing their existence."
Ben smiled, "I might have a solution to that. One of my aliens can manipulate electrical currents, so with great care, I could probably administer a shock strong enough to wipe their memory of the Nox."
"That could work, sir." Sam announced, "A strong enough shock, with great care, could potentially wipe their memories without causing any real harm."
Jack nodded, "Good. We'll go with that, still better clear it with the Nox. They don't seem to be very keen on us taking the Jaffa with us." He jumped in shock when Anteaus suddenly appeared beside him.
"You would be correct," Anteaus announced, "But if you can ensure that no harm will come to them, we will allow you to wipe their memories of this world and of the Nox."
Jack nodded, "Ok. We'll do that."
Taking that as his cue, Ben chose the alien he needed.
"AmpFibian!" The new alien announced.
Omnitrix Database - AmpFibian -Amperi
AmpFibian is the Omnitrix's DNA sample of an Amperi from an unknown planet in the Andromeda Galaxy. Amperi are jellyfish-like beings. They have four tentacle-like arms and two legs. Three hood-like parts make up their head and torso, with the uppermost being the head and the lower two being the torso. They are blue in color, with a white pattern covering their entire body. They are aquatic but can survive out of water.
Amperi are masters of the electromagnetic spectrum, with the ability to produce, absorb, and redirect electricity.
Amperi can sense the electrical pulses in the brains of other life forms, allowing them to read their thoughts.
Amperi move by floating gently through the air, flying more quickly, or by becoming pure electrical current and traveling along power lines.
Amperi can breathe underwater and swim at high speeds.
"This will only take a few minutes," The blue jellyfish-like alien announced, his blue tentacles touching Shak'l's forehead. With a slight grunt, he sent a small surge of electricity into the Jaffa's head, "Crap... We've got a problem. I can't erase all of his memories." Releasing the head, he floated back to the team.
"What does that mean?" Jack asked as he crossed his arms.
AmpFibian shook his head, a small sigh escaping his body, "I've ensured that he won't remember the Nox, but I wasn't able to wipe his memory of me using the Omnitrix..."
"Which means that when he wakes up, word of you will spread," Jack finished. "Just great. Ok... we'll finish up, find Apophis, wipe his memories and then get going. We've got to figure out a plan with how to deal with this new situation"
Opher, who had walked back into the room, smiled sadly at AmpFibian, "We will help you restrain Apophis so that you can wipe his memory, but after that, we wish to speak to you privately."
AmpFibian nodded his head in understanding before following his team out of the room.
Apophis snarled as he blasted one of the few remaining Jaffa with him, his anger palpable, "Where is Shak'l!? Can no one do anything right!?" His eyes glowed golden as he stared down the Jaffa, "Find him or your heads will be forfeit."
As he removed his hand from the Jaffa's head, he heard something approach, "What the- Who goes there?" His only response was something hitting him in the neck, "Gack!" As he grabbed the offending object, he noticed it was some sort of metal dart with feathers sticking out of it.
Pulling it out, he felt the world around him spin. As he tried to find his balance, three more darts were shot, one for each Jaffa present, "Show yourself, Tau'ri. I know it is you who attack me- Ugh! You will not kill me!" He groaned out as he fell to his knees.
As darkness overtook him, the last thing he saw was a flying, blue jellyfish approaching him, "Don't worry. I have no plans of getting my hands stained with your filthy blood."
"It's done," AmpFibian announced as he allowed the transformation to end, "He won't remember any of you, of that I promise." While he could not see the Nox, he could still sense their bio-electrical signature in the area.
Opher was the first to reappear, followed by Anteaus and Lya, "Thank you, though I wish it did not have to come to this."
Jack rolled his eyes discreetly, he didn't want to insult the Nox, "That's great and all, but we have to go and report all of this to Hammond now." He enjoyed their winces, a small part of him crooning in pleasure.
Ben shook his head in amusement, before looking back at Opher, "Sometimes... not everything can be solved with peace. The Goa'uld are prime examples of that."
"You may be right," Anteaus admitted, "After hearing from Opher your explanation as to why you did what you did, I have come to see that your way, while not preferable, does have some merit."
Ben blinked, he hadn't expected that. Sg1's wide eyes informed him that they felt the same surprise. Shaking his head, he smiled at the Nox, "Thank you. We try to help people, and as you said, we are a young species. We still have room to grow."
Anteaus smiled; his head bowing in respect, "Opher is right. You truly are wiser than your age. Come, we shall escort you back to the gate."
Ben nodded in thanks, "Thank you. I hope that we can become good friends, one day."
"I hope for that as well," Opher smiled as he walked ahead of Ben. Every now and then he would stop and pick some of the sap from the trees and lick it.
The rest of the journey was spent in silence, Daniel and Sam talking about some of the wildlife they had spotted.
It wasn't long before they found themselves on top of a small hill, the same one that they had appeared on when they arrived on the planet. Anteaus waved his hand, the gate reappearing where it had last stood.
"You were the ones to hide the gate?" Daniel asked, a little bit astounded by the fact. It wasn't often they met someone, or something, that could hide other objects at will.
Lya nodded, "Yes. We wanted to know what kind of person you were...and learn about you, we did." With a wave of her hand, the Stargate formed an operational wormhole.
Jack absentmindedly sent the GDO code, "So… you also hid the flying bird creature?" He blushed when the Nox's attention turned towards him.
Anteaus nodded, "Indeed. Now you must go. We must inform our elders of what has transpired today." He paused, "You were worried about us, were you not?" Seeing them nod, he turned towards Opher, an unspoken message being communicated. Waving his hand, SG-1 heard something behind them turn visible.
Ben was the first one to turn, "WHOA!" Where there was once nothing, a floating city now stood, "My god!" He turned back towards the Nox, a stunned look on his face.
Opher smiled, a mischievous look in his eyes, "Worry not, we are not defenseless." As SG-1 gawked at the floating city, he handed Ben a small grey stone, "When that turns blue, you must return so that you can talk to our leaders. Maybe, we can make an alliance that can benefit both our species."
Ben nodded, a serious expression on his face, as he pocketed the stone, "I will." Turning back to Sam, he nudged her shoulder, "Come on. You can gawk another time."
"They looked so defenseless," Sam muttered to herself as she walked through the gate, Ben following her.
Ben sighed as he walked down the ramp, Jack and Daniel following behind him. General Hammond was at the bottom of the ramp, Sam conversing with him about what had happened, "I've made my decision, General." He paused... no... he had to do this. His friends and family would want him to do this, "I'll join you, on the condition that I join SG-1."
Hammond smiled; this was great news, "Thank you. We'll need to take care of the paperwork, but this should work out."
Ben nodded as he took off his gun, "I hope so. After seeing into the mind of Apophis, and his Jaffa, I've realized that I can't stand by and watch everyone suffer when I know that I can help them."
"Commendable. Your family would be proud." Hammond replied, a kind smile on his face, "There is going to be a debriefing in ten minutes, so go get changed."
Ben winced as he slowly inched out of the embarkment room, "Yeah... I can't do that. Bad memories and all that. So just call me when it's all over." Finishing his portion, he made to flee but found that he couldn't move.
Sam snickered as Tea'lc held onto the neck of Ben's shirt, "Yeah, we don't believe that. Go get changed."
"Fine," Ben grumbled as Tea'lc let go of his shirt, "I'll be there. Don't expect me to like it, though."
As he walked out of the room, he heard the rest of the team laugh and a small chuckle from General Hammond.
It's done! Chapter 2 is finally complete at a whopping 11,253 words! It's my longest chapter to date. I expect reviews. You hear me! If I don't get a lot, I'll sick Rath on you.
LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING READERS WHO ARE HIDING BEHIND THE SCREEN! IF YOU DON'T LEAVE A REVIEW I'LL SMASH MY WAY THROUGH THE SCREEN AND BEAT YOU TO A PULP!
Ok maybe I won't do that, but the point still stands. Rath is watching
Now to the fun part: SHOUT OUTS!
Misanthropist Wordsmith: Bro... I've read your stories. They're very interesting.
Massivereader-Reviewer: Thanks for the review. I only chose to shout you out because your username made me laugh.
Polaruspax: Thank you for your review. It was quite detailed, and I enjoyed reading it.
I don't know when the second chapter is coming out; it took me a month to write this after all lol.
