"What motivates a villain makes them interesting. Methods they use to achieve their respective ends are what makes them dangerous." I was watching the Goa'uld vs Wraith video when I came across this comment and I cannot tell you how true this is. With the Ror'char, I wanted to create a more menacing ground force. Like, as cool as the Jaffa were, they are about as competent as the stormtroopers. I wanted to create an enemy that brought back the feeling we got when we saw serpent guards march through the gate in "Children of the Gods". Please review and tell me what you think.
The grassy green hills of the planet seemed peaceful, even with the remains of the Asgard colony in the background. But that illusion as peace was shattered as two Ror'char troopers marched over the hill, scanning the area with their weapons raised. One eyed a hole in the ground, knowing that a part of the ceiling of a buried Asgard structure had given way.
"Nothing to report," the trooper said on his radio, his grotesque voice echoing from his helmet.
"Roger," another voice responded. "Keep your eyes open." The two troopers continued walking, not knowing that they were being watched from that hole.
Corin watched as a fine trickle of dust and sand seeped through the hole from the troopers' footsteps as they left.
"We can't keep going on like this," Corin said to Martin, looking at the team. They had finally settled in a small room with two Asgard computer terminals along the walls and a circular platform at the center. "Sooner or later they're gonna find us."
Corin looked around the room. He wished he could just dive into the Asgard texts in the computer but he knew that this wasn't the time.
Nova's eyes suddenly opened as she awoke with a gasp. She looked around wildly, trying to take everything in all at once.
"Major," Martin said when he saw that she was awake.
"Give me an update, Martin," she said quickly. Martin was almost stunned by her tone of voice. Even on the ground, falling unconscious every few minutes, and unable to walk, she still maintained her rugged command.
"We found a room to take shelter in," Martin explained. "I'm guessing about fifteen Ror'char troopers. They're searching the area."
"And they apparently soak up bullets like a sponge," Chen commented grimly.
"Their armor's tough but it's not bullet proof," Martin corrected, remembering his encounter of the Ror'char on Millennium. "Maintain fire on the bloke and they fall."
"Hold on," Nova suddenly said. "It can't be that tough. On Millennium, I killed one with a knife." Martin looked at in her in utter confusion.
"That's impossible," Martin said, remembering the firefight was he part of on the Millennium. "These guys need two to three bursts to kill."
"Armor tough enough to soak bullets but weak enough it can't take a knife?" Chen asked. Everyone looked at him when he said this. His tone made it sound like he had an answer. "When I worked at Area 51, a project I was working on was to mix the protective properties of the Goa'uld force shield with the nano-bots of the replicators to make a new type of armor." Nova and Martin gave a nod while Corin just stared in confusion.
"Goa'uld?" he repeated. "Replicators? Did I miss reading something?"
"We can explain everything later," Nova quickly said.
"You guys know the basics of the Goa'uld force shield, right?" Chen continued.
"Harder you hit the bloody thing the harder it…blocks," Martin said. "We know."
"The goal of the project was to make an armor capable of this. It would've been much easier and cheaper to make than shield generators but produce the same result. Soft on regular duty; the moment someone tries to shoot the person it'll harden into something as tough as trinium."
"But it won't harden at a knife?" Martin asked, scoffing at the idea of an armor that could stop bullet and lasers but not knives.
"We'd have to increase the sensitivity of the armor," Chen explained. "By the time it registers knives, it registers almost everything too."
"Sounds like a bloody flawed design. Any other weaknesses in the armor we should know of?"
"So we know a little more about what we're dealing with," Nova said, breaking up the pair. "Chen, Corin, I want you two to go to the stargate. If it's guarded, head back. We'll have a better idea of what we're dealing with."
"And if it's not?" Corin had to ask.
"Then go back to Millennium," Nova said firmly. "See if General Mercer will send a rescue."
"What about you two?" Steven asked, knowing that Martin and Nova would not last if the Ror'char find them.
"I can't go back to the Millennium," Nova said. Her teammates stared at her in confusion. "I've been compromised," she explained. "I wasn't sure until now but, whatever was happening with the Asgard computer...there's something inside me."
"You can't be sure about that, Major," Martin said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I am sure!" Terra snapped. "Every time I go unconscious I can feel in the back of my mind. Something jumped from the Asgard computer and into me."
"And it might do the same if we take her back to Millennium," Chen said, filling in the blanks. Nova nodded.
"What is it?" Corin had to ask. "Asgard defense system?"
"I don't know. But we can't stay here and, until I can get it out of me, I can't go back. This is an order," Nova said firmly. "If we want a way of getting out of this, we need back up." Corin stared at her. He wanted to protest but knew she was probably right.
"Which way out then?" Corin asked, taking out his pistol. Chen didn't answer; he just looked at the hole the ceiling.
"Give me a boost," Chen said, stepping under the hole before taking a moment to think about it. "I'll give you a boost." Corin liked the sound of that better. Chen was stronger and more fit than Corin was, not to mention heavier, so it made more sense if Chen helped Corin up first.
Corin cautiously popped his head out, looking around to make sure there weren't any Ror'char around.
"We're good," he said, hauling himself out of hole and onto the surface. Chen groaned in annoyance as loose soil rained on his head. Corin lowered his hand and pulled Chen up to the surface. They carefully scanned the area, making sure there weren't any troopers hiding somewhere.
"Let's go," Chen said, gesturing toward the forest at the edge of the Asgard city. The two of them quickly made their way to the tree line over the uneven terrain. They were completely open. If the Ror'char saw them, there was no place to hide or take cover. They had to get to the tree line as fast as possible. They didn't feel safe until they were in the confines of the timberland.
It was only in the trees they slowed their pace to a steady walk. Running seemed like a better idea since they were pressed for time, but it might also alert any nearby Ror'char troopers to where they were.
"What's the deal with these guys anyways?" Chen asked, keeping his voice low. He ducked under a tree branch as he continued talking. "You said the Ror'char already have control over most of this galaxy. What's there left to conquer?"
Corin weaved through the knee-high grass as he explained, "The Ror'char nation is in a state of civil war. It's been broken up into at least a dozen different factions with a different leader, but their core ideal is still the same: absolute control."
"So the guys we've been fighting?" Chen asked, stepping over a log in his path.
"They're from the faction I'm from," Corin answered. "It's led by a man named Vosk, President Vosk."
"And we have at least a dozen other Ror'char factions?" Chen asked. "Peachy…" Chen raised his right hand, telling Corin to stop. They both stooped down as they neared the stargate, looking for any guards.
"I don't see anyone," Corin said.
"Yeah, it looks clear," Chen said suspiciously. He didn't like it. The Ror'char knew they were on the planet and yet they didn't put any guards by the stargate. Still, they couldn't just sit there and stare.
"Let's go," Corin said, getting up. Chen reached up and pulled him back down.
"You don't find this a little odd?" he asked. "No guards?"
Before either of them could say a word, they heard the familiar rumble as the stargate began to activate, the white chevrons clamped to the sides lighting up. The wall of water rushed forth from the ring before settling back into the event horizon in a glittering puddle of water.
"Now what?" Steven groaned. He and Corin got ready to run, expecting more troopers to come through. Instead, a massive dull gray pod flew through the event horizon, just barely fitting through the gate. The moment the ship was through the two sides of the pod extended outward, pushed out by a thick struts, forming a massive pair of wings, and it took off. A shimmering green shield appeared around the ship as it tore through the trees, protecting the vessel from harm as it burst out of the forest and into the sky. Corin ducked and covered his face as the ship kicked up a cloud of dirt over them as it flew off. Broken timber and leaves rained to the ground.
"What was that?" Chen asked in panic.
"Ror'char stryker," Corin yelled, looking up at the sky. "They probably brought it to survey the ruins. They probably also have a ship on the way." Chen turned to look at the hole through the trees that the stryker just created. As he adjusted himself, something else caught his eye.
"Crap," he muttered when he realized it was a Ror'char trooper aiming his weapon at them. The trooper must have been a guard silently watching the gate, ready to shoot whoever tried to dial.
"Time to go!" Chen yelled as he grabbed Corin and yanked him to his feet. It was just in time. There was an electrifying crack as a blue bolt of energy shot out of the rifle and hit the ground near them. They didn't even bother shielding their faces as they ran from the fountain of dirt that erupted from the impact. Seeing his target run, the Ror'char trooper immediately went after them.
Chen whipped around just long enough to aim and fire his P90, the gunfire echoing through the forest. The trooper ducked behind a tree as the bullets tore through the foliage around him. Splinters flew off the tree as the bullets shredded through the bark.
Corin yanked out his pistol, took aim, and froze. Firing a gun at a paper target was one thing but firing at a living being was another.
There was another crack as a blue bolt of energy flew through the trees. Another trooper was running through the forest toward them.
Without another word, Chen turned and took off, grabbing Corin and dragging Nevec along. He and Corin could hear the two troopers chasing after them, firing their weapons in a desperate attempt to hit their target. The two of them weaved through the trees. The blue energy bolts rammed into the trees, a fountain of fire spewing from the impact. Hitting a moving target while on the move was hard enough but now their targets were running through a forest of cover. Chen felt confident that the Ror'char troopers would not hit their mark.
"Hit the trees, max yield!" one of the troopers suddenly yelled. There was another crack as the bolt of energy flew, not at them but, past them, hitting the tree in front of them in an explosion of splinters. Corin yelled in shock as he brought himself to a halt just as the tree toppled over right in front of him.
It was only then they realized what the new tactic was. Hitting them while they were running through a forest was near impossible, so they were shooting down the trees instead.
Chen ducked as a tree fell right beside him, a cloud of dust jumping up when it hit the ground. Corin jumped over the fallen log in a desperate attempt to keep up. Another blue bolt of energy hit the one in front of them, sending it falling to the ground. Chen slid right under right before it hit the ground while Corin had to run around it. They could see the clearing in the distance but it didn't bring any relief. On the hills, they were open to fire. And it got worse…
"Crap!" Chen yelled in shock when he got to the clearing, realizing there was a steep drop between the forest and the hills. Corin soon caught up and saw the valley. They couldn't take their time sliding down it. The only way they could make it to the bottom without getting shot was to completely throw themselves over the edge.
There was a crack as another blue energy bolt hit the tree right next to them. Chen jumped back as it toppled over, landing where he was just a few seconds ago. Corin was safe, or so he thought. It was only after the tree had hit the ground he realized that the impact had shaken loose the soil beneath his feet. The ground soon gave way. He yelled in shock as he found himself tumbling head over heels into the chasm. The ground beneath the fallen tree gave way as well and the massive log rolled into the ravine with Corin beneath it.
"Corin!" Chen yelled. He wanted to jump down and see if his friend was ok. He kept telling himself that there was a chance Corin wasn't killed by the tumbling log. But he couldn't, not with the two Ror'char troopers behind him. Chen turned and ran alongside the edge of the valley, trying to find an easier way into the ruins.
The two troopers soon reached the scene. They paused for a moment as they analyzed what happened.
"Check it out," one of the troopers said, gesturing toward the bottom of the valley. "I'll remain in pursuit."
"Affirmative."
The trooper then took off through the forest after Chen while the other took out a small handle from his pouch. There was a vicious click as a long blade shot out of the handle, humming once it was fully extended. The troopers stabbed the blade into the ground, the soil and rock clearing out of the way of the tip. The trooper then slid into the valley, using his sword as an anchor to slow his descent. It was time to see if the human at the bottom lived or not.
-.-
Nova had fallen unconscious and was living her memories again. She had been a part of SG-23 for over two years now in Earth's ongoing war against the Lucian Alliance. She was in the briefing room with at least four other SG teams.
"Anyone know what this is about?" Bonner asked impatiently, scratching his bald head. "I was trying to sort out the intelligence reports we got from our last mission about Lucian moles."
"I was busy reminding Harding to finish writing his mission reports," Nova added in.
"I was going to write them later," Harding said innocently. "Besides, General Landry was busy choosing people to oversee the training for the new recruits."
"And you were one of them," Nova guessed.
"You doubt my teaching skills?"
"I was busy…doing something very important…in the mess hall," Harrison added, feeling like he should put in his own line.
"I think we all knew that," Bonner said. Harrison shot Bonner a dirty look at that statement.
"They brought back the donuts," Harrison defensively. "I needed to make sure I got some before everyone else takes them all."
"Hey, you were the reason they ran out of cake last time," Bonner pointed out. "Imagine how many angry SGC personnel there were. They take a lunch break after a long morning of work and there's no more cake."
"And the green jello the week before," Harding added. "Don't forget the green jello."
"Hey, not everyone can be like GI Jane over here," Harrison argued, gesturing toward Nova. "She's the only person on this base that eats like one sweet a week."
"Gentlemen!" a stern voice echoed as General Landry walked up the stairwell. Nova had to keep her jaw from dropping when Colonel Mitchell followed him in. He may not have been part of the original legendary SG-1 but he was still SG-1.
"Alright boys!" he announced loudly as the display came on. An image of a strange purple corn came on screen. "We've recently come across some intel regarding the Lucian Alliance's production of kassa."
"I wonder what kassa popcorn tastes like," Harrison muttered to himself.
"Most importantly, we learned of the address of another major kassa farm." There was a click as the image of a large village appeared on screen. Another click and the picture showed the village from a different angle. "The people there don't like the Alliance but are too afraid to revolt back. If we liberate the townspeople from the Lucian Alliance we'll have crippled the Alliance's kassa production. SG-12 and 23 will be stationed in the town. If we can root out the Lucian Alliance, we're going to want to make sure the townsfolk are safe. SG-3 will begin burning the kassa fields, see if we can catch anyone's attention. SG-18 and 5 will remain to guard the gate. We're hitting their little stash of drugs so we can count on them trying to stop us. The Odyssey will be in orbit around the planet and Teal'c said that we can count on five ha'taks lending us a hand too."
Nova kept her mind sharp as she listened to the rest of the briefing. SG 23 was both a military and exploration team so they had to help with major military operations such as this.
"Any questions?" Mitchell asked. Everyone exchanged glances but no one said anything.
"Sir," Nova suddenly spoke up. Everyone in the room turned their attention to her. "I must ask. The Lucian Alliance was formed as a result of the power vacuum left behind by the Goa'uld. If we do manage to defeat the Lucian Alliance, what's to say another coalition won't be formed by the power vacuum they leave behind?"
Mitchell gave a sigh, not liking the answer.
"We don't," he said. "There's talk about Earth filling the power vacuum to maintain order." The SG teams in the room began whispering among themselves, not liking the idea of that.
"Look, I don't like it any more than you," Mitchell interjected. "But, we can't worry about that; we have to focus on beating one bad guy at a time." Nova gave the colonel an unamused stare. They started the stargate program to defend earth, not try to run the whole galaxy. A position like that was just begging to be abused. She didn't like that the concept was even on the table.
-.-
Corin gave a cough as the cloud of dirt settled on his chest and face. He looked up at the log, which was now wedged between the slopes of the valley just barely an inch from him. He could not believe how lucky he was. He looked at the countless branches that had been thrust into the ground that could have easily impaled him. He crawled out from under the log, feeling the welcoming light of the sun as he made it out; but that wasn't the only thing welcoming him. Once he was out, he found himself staring at the tip of a Ror'char trooper's sword. Soil rolled down the edge of the hill as more troopers slid down, aiming their weapons at Corin once they were at the bottom.
Corin gave a small sigh. When he chose to run from the Ror'char he knew that they might eventually catch up to him. He guessed this was it. He got ready for his end.
"Stand down," a familiar voice called. It was a cold voice that had a snake-like hiss. The Ror'char troopers immediately lowered their weapons as Exodan Krell emerged from the hills with a smile on his face. "This one's an old friend."
"Krell," Corin breathed angrily.
"It's good to see you again, Corin Nevec."
-.-
Martin looked at Nova helplessly, not sure what to do other than wait. He knew that strange things and unusual situations came with the territory of exploring other planets. Still, he had never seen anything like this.
"INCOMING!" Martin heard a voice yell down the hall. He took aim, ready for whatever was coming. Chen suddenly rounded the corner, ducking as a blue bolt of energy hit the wall beside him in a fountain of sparks and fire. He was in position. Chen threw himself to the ground, so Martin would have a clear line of fire, as he brought up his own P90.
The moment the Ror'char trooper appeared from around the corner, they fired; a storm of bullets ripping through the Ror'char armor, a cloud of gray dust flying off the chest plate as the trooper struggled to aim his weapon through the gunfire. Charles and Steven continued firing as the trooper roared in pain, the helmet distorting his yell into a demonic howl as he finally fell to the ground, a plume of smoke rising from his chest.
"Did we get him this time?" Chen asked in annoyance. They slowly walked toward the body of the Ror'char trooper, ready to shoot again if he was still alive. Martin nudged the body with his foot. No movement.
"Where's Corin?" Martin asked. Chen was still out of breath, his chest heaving uncontrollably, from all the running.
"I don't know," Chen finally said. "I think the Ror'char have him."
-.-
Corin expected a lot of things to happen to him if he was ever caught by the Ror'char again, but this was not one of them.
He was sitting fairly comfortably on a fallen log outside. Only one trooper was guarding him and they had actually given him some food to eat. He slowly ate away at the meal bar that had been handed to him. He had even been allowed to keep his pistol.
There was a rustle as Krell waded through the grassy hills and slowly walked up to him.
"Overlord," the trooper guarding Corin greeted. "The stryker has finished surveying the ruins."
"Tell it to deploy a ring platform," Krell ordered. "The frigate should arrive soon."
"Yes sir."
Krell turned his attention back to Corin. The gray-skinned alien took out his sword as he walked up to Corin, gently twirling his weapon in the air. The narrow but long metal blade hummed with power.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Krell asked Corin as he brandished his sword. "It's a new addition to our arsenal. Based off of Furling technology; the molecules in the blade vibrate so fast that it cuts through most matter with ease. It appears that, just as the Alterans and Asgard rely on crystals, Furling technology relies on what appears to be simple stone or metal." Corin didn't answer, not caring much about the sword.
Krell silently walked over to Corin, stooping down in front of Nevec. This close, Corin could see almost every detail of Krell's face. With his gray skin, sunken oily black eyes, and rigid face, he looked like a goblin.
There was a loud click as Krell retracted the sword blade back into the handle.
"Leave us," Krell told the trooper, putting the handle in his coat. The trooper gave a single nod and walked off.
"I must admit, Corin," Krell said as the Ror'char trooper disappeared from sight. "When I discovered that you had joined this band of renegades I thought you only sought an escape from us. I did not expect that you would be conducting missions with them." Corin wanted to protest but couldn't think of how to.
"You didn't kill me," Corin said, surprised that Krell let him live, more surprised that Krell was actually treating him so well.
"It was not necessary," Krell said. "As difficult as it is to believe, we are not killers, Corin." Corin scoffed at that comment. "We are peacekeepers. We are here to protect and watch over this galaxy."
"Peacekeepers?" Corin repeated, stunned by what Krell was saying.
"Indeed," Krell hissed. "Primitives often speak of the dream of world peace. The Ror'char offer more: eternal galactic peace. All actions the Ror'char have taken are aimed at that goal."
Corin had enough. He has always been fed Ror'char propaganda but this time he was going to talk back. He was fed up listening to the same thing over and over again and wasn't going to keep quiet this time.
"The galaxy is falling apart!" Corin yelled angrily. "Pirates and gangs run a third of it. A quarter of it is just different warring nations, and the Ror'char are fighting each other!" There was a time when Corin wouldn't have snapped at a Ror'char official out of fear of being accused of treason. This time, he didn't care.
"And what of each individual Ror'char nation?" Krell asked calmly in the same snake-like hiss, his oily black eyes staring at Corin. "What of the Ror'char citizens? What of the Ror'char society? Crime is a rarity. As is unemployment. The moment a person is born into a Ror'char society, his future is guaranteed. He is guaranteed an education, a job, a life. He will grow up never knowing the threat of losing everything he holds dear. He will grow up never knowing what it is like to lose a loved one at the hands of a criminal. For that matter, there is no need to turn to crime. Every individual is guaranteed enough money and resources to live in relative happiness."
"And at what cost?" Corin asked. "You monitor and control every aspect of peoples' lives. You tell people how to live."
"A necessary sacrifice," Krell stated. "The Ror'char need to know every detail of their society in order to plan out the lives of the people to ensure they live happy lives."
"These aren't chess pieces. They have right to be free, to choose their own lives."
"And yet, they are incapable of making the right choice. You give a society freedom, they will choose crime, murder, prejudice, and war. Like a parent teaching misbehaving children, we must tell them what to do or they will go back to fighting each other."
"And the propaganda?" Corin asked. "The indoctrination, the brainwashing since childhood? Or are those just facts that we should believe?"
"Another necessary sacrifice," Krell said. Corin felt his jaw drop, stunned that Krell knew that the things being told to them was just propaganda. Every person he knew in the Ror'char Empire believed what they were told. Corin was stunned that Krell actually saw past the lies.
"And what about killing people who don't agree?" Corin huffed. "Is that also a necessary sacrifice?" Krell didn't immediately answer, as if he was thinking about how to put it.
"Tell me, what are the roots of all conflict?" Krell asked. "Why do people fight?" Corin just stared, not wanting to answer. "Resources? One wants something so he tries to take it from another. The Ror'char will distribute the resources to those who need them. What about status? One wants to ascertain a certain position so he fights another for it. The Ror'char will give everyone a position of status where they can live happy."
"That doesn't explain why you have to kill people who disagree," Corin interjected.
"That is the other root of all conflict," Krell explained. "Difference in belief. People fight because they believe in different things. Let us use your wife, Andrea, as an example." Corin felt his fists clench when Krell mentioned Andrea. He didn't want to hear her name from Krell's mouth when he was the one who killed her.
"What about her?" Corin asked.
"She opposed Ror'char rule," Krell pointed out. "Let's say we had let her live. What would have happened? She was very outspoken about her position. She would have told others. People would listen. Soon, there would be people who agree with her. There would be division, then conflict, then violence. There is far too much at stake to let one person spread dissension or insurrection among the populace. We must make sure our nations remain undivided if we hope to ever have peace."
"Well, guess there'd be no point to reeducation camps if there wasn't anyone to reeducate," Corin scoffed.
"As you said, the galaxy is in disarray. It is imperative we end the civil war that has engulfed the Ror'char and return to maintaining peace and order in the galaxy. And what of the Harvesters, Corin?" The mere mention of the Harvesters sent chills down Corin's spine. "You talk about the lives we take. What of the lives we save? How many people have died because of Harvester raids? How many people are now safe because we shield them from these raids?"
"Last I checked, you guys didn't make much progress on that front either."
"The Harvesters vastly outnumber us. We must focus on protecting our own territories first and foremost. We cannot afford to be brash or we may begin losing territory to the Harvesters." Krell stood up, looking around the landscape, his hat keeping the sun out of his eyes.
A stryker swooped across the hills, dropping a huge platform on the ground before flying away. The frigate is nearly here.
"There is a saying that all cultures seem to share," Krell said as he watched the platform hit the ground. "With power comes responsibility. The Ror'char have the power to ensure peace and safety throughout this galaxy; we have the responsibility to make sure that happens. We will maintain order in the galaxy whether it likes it or not."
-.-
Martin slid his backpack under Nova's head. It wasn't a pillow but it was the best he could do. He took out her nine millimeter pistol and slid it into a pocket. They were going to need all the firepower they could get.
While he was doing that, Corin was busy examining the Ror'char rifle. He held in his hand, aimed it down the hall, even flipped into the air.
"I don't think now's the best time to be testing out your new toy, mate," Martin said.
"I'm trying to find out what we're up against," Chen said as he examined the rifle. "We gathered plenty of Ror'char technology from our battle on the Millennium but it was all severely damaged." Chen remembered how he increased the artificial gravity to kill the Ror'char troopers occupying Millennium.
"Well, you did kinda smush 'em," Martin pointed out. "The clean-up crew hates you by the way."
"I'm overwhelmed with guilt," Chen scoffed sarcastically.
"How do you even fire that thing?" Martin wondered. Chen gave Martin an agitated look.
"Well, I don't think it's the trigger right here the fires the weapon," Chen remarked with the same agitated sarcasm. "But, that doesn't explain what this does." Chen pointed at a dial on the side of the weapon. Martin just shrugged.
Chen turned the dial counter-clockwise as far as it would go, aimed down the hall, and pulled the trigger. Nothing. Martin gave a stifled laugh.
"You break it again, mate?" Martin asked.
"I think that's just the safety," Chen said, adjusting the dial one notch. He aimed again and fired. This time a small blue pellet of energy shot out of it, hitting the wall. There was a quick flash as the pellet burned up in a small ball of fire, leaving a large scorch mark where it hit.
"Stun setting?" Martin guessed with a shrug.
"More like the 'well done' setting," Chen grumbled. If that blast could scorch the wall so badly, he could hardly imagine what a wound would look like.
Chen adjusted the dial again and fired. The blue bolt shot out of the rifle and hit the wall, a shower of sparks and a fountain of fire spewed from the impact.
"I think we all know what that does," Martin remarked. They had seen that firing mode too many times.
Chen adjusted the dial one last time and fired. The bolt that fired was much larger than the last. Martin and Chen jumped back in shock when the bolt that hit the wall exploded, a barrage of flames erupting from the point of impact. Chen covered his head as dust and debris flew down the hall and in his face. Burning pieces of debris rolled across the ground.
"Bugger me," Martin muttered in shock when he saw this. Chen immediately turned the dial back to safety. "So we learned the Ror'char use BFG's."
"I'm not so sure," Chen said, taking another look at the weapon.
"Meaning?"
"Well, I can't be sure until I get it back to a lab but…"
"But?" Martin asked.
"Will you just wait," Chen snapped, getting annoyed at Martin's fussing. "Look, I've gone through the copy of the Asgard database that we brought with us. I've looked at the schematics for the ion guns they used to use and this thing looks almost exactly like one."
"Ion guns?" Martin repeated. "You mean those cannons the Asgard used to have on their ship?"
"Before they were replaced with the plasma beams, yes," Chen said with a nod. "Like I said, I'm not sure until I can get this to a lab but this rifle seemed like a miniature version of the ion guns. It's like, whoever built this based their design off of them."
"So…what does this mean?" Martin asked, not understanding the implications.
"Corin told us that the Ror'char have been studying technology of the Alliance of Four Great Races before he was even born," Chen said grimly. "I think we may have underestimated how far they've advanced because of it."
"We've made advancements from Alliance stuff too," Martin pointed out.
"We've made advancement from Asgard technology and a scarce understanding of and Ancient technology," Chen corrected. "These guys have had at least a hundred year head start. Who knows how much Alliance technology they've already incorporated? They have a ZPG based off the ZPM, now they have this ion rifle from the Asgard ion guns. They may not be as advanced as the Alliance but they're trying to get there. They might even have soldiers with Nox powers by now." Just the mere thought of that sent chills down Chen's spine.
"Corin told me that all the Ror'char factions are at war and that Alliance technology could tip the balance," Martin added. "That makes this a massive arms race over who can integrate Alliance technology the fastest."
-.-
An unconscious Nova relived her last mission at the SGC. After so many missions with SG-23, after visiting so many words, this was the day everything changed. This was the mission that would change everything.
She ran through the buildings of the village, eying every window and balcony with suspicion. Frightened villagers ran inside. The presence of SG soldiers in a Lucian Alliance controlled village would probably result in a firefight. Nova knew this. She also knew that any one of these villagers could be a Lucian Alliance spy that would ambush them when they least expect it.
"SG-3's begun burning the kassa fields," Mitchell's voice crackled through the radio. "Everyone, stay on your toes."
Nova looked around. She could see Harding hiding behind the wall of a hut. Bonner was hiding behind a cart full of hay. Harrison casually walked through the town, muttering angrily how he was chosen for bait.
Nova could see the plumes of smoke rise from the kassa fields. Everyone knew how valuable kassa was to the Lucian Alliance. It would only be a matter of time before the gangs arrived to protect their assets. The Alliance thugs would be the first to react and she had to be ready. She was ready…for the next fifteen minutes. She was growing impatient and so was everyone else. They thought the Alliance would arrive in force to protect their kassa.
She could see the plumes of smoke rising from the kassa fields; they were still burning. Where was the Lucian Alliance?
"Any activity?" Harding impatiently asked through the radio. No response. "Colonel Reynolds? Mitchell?" No response. "We're dying of boredom here." No response. Harrison looked at Harding nervously.
Nova could see the members of SG-18 patrolling the streets too, looking equally worried.
"I don't like the looks of this," Harrison told Harding as he scanned the buildings. "They might be jamming our radios."
"Which means they're here," Harding said.
Even the villagers seemed to have vanished. Harding knew the villagers were all hiding inside their houses but it didn't make the seemingly empty village any less creepy. They both instinctively raised their rifles when they saw movement from the corner of their eye. An old man was slowly limping through the street, huffing as he struggled to use his cane to help him walk. He looked at the SG teams, his face covered by his large hooded cloak.
"What's he doing out here?" Bonner wondered out loud.
"We have to get him off the streets," Nova said. "If a firefight breaks out, he's going to get hurt." Harding nodded in agreement.
"Keep your eyes peeled," he said as he walked up to the old man.
"Hey, we gotta get off the street," Harding told the old man.
Bonner kept his eye on the farmhouse. It looked like the perfect place to hide a gang of Lucian thugs. Nova had her eyes on the tavern, suspecting some Lucian pirates had disguised themselves as the villagers and were hiding there.
That's when she saw it.
"Harding!" Nova yelled. Harding looked up and saw a Lucian pirate aiming at them from the balcony. He didn't hesitate to raise his m16 and fire. The silence in the village shattered like glass as he fired on the pirate. The pirate ducked back inside as the bullets shredded the windowsill.
Gunfire suddenly erupted from all the buildings, bullets raining down on the SG teams. Harrison dove under the cart of hay as bullets easily tore through it. Nova fell to the ground as bullets grazed her arms. SG-18 dove for cover behind anything they could find, firing back at the Lucian Alliance thugs.
Nova always wished the Lucian Alliance had stuck to the clunky staff weapons instead of using firearms.
She fired at a balcony where a Lucian pirate was. A single burst of bullets was all it took. The Lucian pirate yelled in pain before falling over the railing. Harding fired in all directions, trying to protect himself from the storm of bullets. He didn't even pay attention as the old man he didn't even notice the man he was helping earlier reach in his cloak and take out a Lucian Alliance pistol.
Despite the deafening storm of gunfire around him, it was this single bang that was the loudest. Harding looked at the old man in surprise as he felt the warm blood drip down his uniform. There was another bang and Harding fell to his knees.
"Harding!" Nova yelled. The old man tried to turn his gun on her but was immediately riddled with bullets as Nova charged at them. She slid down beside Harding as he began to cough up blood.
"Well, fun while it lasted," he said with smile.
"It's going to last a lot longer," she said, dragging Harding to the side of the building. They were at least partially under cover there.
"C'mon, Captain," Harding said with a smile, wiping the blood from his mouth. "I think we both know this is it." Harding slumped over. "It makes you think about all those medical stories you hear: the guy who took a bullet to the brain and didn't know for two weeks, the woman who had a pipe go straight through her heart and survived, the guy who died because one bullet hit some important artery or something in his foot." Harding tried to laugh but just coughed up more blood.
Nova knew the firefight was still going but she couldn't hear it. She didn't care about it. The only thing that was important right now was right in front of her.
"You can add your story to theirs," she said, fumbling through her equipment for anything that could help. Harding reached up and put a firm hand on her shoulder. She stopped and looked at him.
"It's better this way," he said. "I wasn't going to last long with all the smoking I do. Rather die by a bullet than a bunch of rolled up pieces of paper." Nova wasn't going to take this. She wasn't going to listen to this. SG-23 had been through too much together. The team was not going to lose someone now.
"Captain," Harding said with one last smile. "It's your team now." The smile never left his face as his head gently drifted back and fell limp. Nova stared, still refusing to believe what just happened. But, it did happen. Shouldn't change what had just happened.
"Fall back!" a voice yelled as bullets continued raining down on SG-18 and SG-23. They were surrounded, outnumbered, outgunned, they had lost communications with Odyssey, SG-3, and the teams guarding the gate, and were being hailed by weapons fire. "Fall back!"
Nova clenched her fist and stood up. She rushed out in front of the retreating SG teams.
"Hold your positions!" she said firmly, ignoring the bullets that just barely missed her head. The two teams stared at her in disbelief. "We need to get out of the street! SG-18, secure the tavern! It's the most easily defensible location. Harrison, Bonner, we're taking the inn. It's three stories tall and it'll give us a vantage point over everything else!" They just stared at her. "I gave you an order, let's move!"
"Yes ma'am!" SG-18 all suddenly said, charging back into the village. Harrison and Bonner kept looking at her.
"What about the Colonel?" Bonner asked.
"He'll be watching us fight," she said, cocking her M16. "SG-23, let's roll out."
-.-
"Here," Chen said, sliding to Martin his P90. "I'm keeping this," Steven added, picking up the ion rifle.
"What am I supposed to use two of these?!" Martin exclaimed, picking up the second P90.
"Dual wield," Chen suggested as he turned the dial on the ion rifle to the medium setting.
"That only works in the movies," Martin said, trying to find out how he could aim two P90's at once.
"Spray then," Chen said, not caring how Martin would shoot it. He was the best shot on the team; he'd find a way. They were so busy chatting that they didn't even notice Nova's eyes flutter open. She looked at Chen and Martin with a blank stare before slowly standing up. Nova scanned the room with the same blank stare as she began to slowly make her way to the center of the room, right between the two Asgard terminals.
"Major?"
Martin and Chen finally noticed Nova walking around but she did not react. Her emotionless expression remained the same as she eyed the two of them.
"Charles, something's not right," Chen said, slowly raising the ion rifle. Nova slowly cocked her in curiosity.
"You think it's the entity?" Martin wondered. "The Major said that there was something inside her. You think this is it?" Without a word, Nova raised her hand into the air as if she was stretching. Chen and Martin jumped back as massive bolts of electricity shot from her fingertips and into the ceiling.
"That answer your question?" Chen yelled, covering his face as sparks exploded from the walls.
"What's it bloody doing?!" Martin yelled, not sure what to do.
"You're asking me?" Chen snapped. They didn't know if whatever was happening was dangerous and if it wasn't they'd be killing Nova for no reason.
Finally, the bolts of electricity stopped. Nova's body went limp and fell to the floor. Chen and Martin rushed to her side.
"Someone want to tell me what the hell is bloody going on here!" Martin yelled. As if to answer his question, the two Asgard computers at the side suddenly came online, lines of Asgard text scrolling down the screen.
"I'm guessing the entity decided to go home," Chen said, picking up the rifle. "Let's blow it before it suddenly decides to show us a new trick."
Hearing this, Nova's eyes suddenly opened.
"Wait!" she said, bolting upright. Martin and Chen looked at her in surprise.
"Major?" Martin asked suspiciously.
Nova just nodded. She tried to stand but found herself wobbling backwards. Martin gently helped her to her feet.
"Terra, if it's in the computers I think we should fry it before it does something else," Chen suggested, his rifle still aimed at the computer terminals.
"It's ok, Chen," Nova said, walking up to the computer terminal. "It didn't want to hurt me. It was just curious."
"What do you mean?" Chen asked. "The entity?" Chen looked at Nova, then at the computer, then back at her.
Nova cautiously walked up to the computer terminal, watching the screen.
"Hello?" she asked. There was a moment of silence before the reply came.
"Hello," the computer greeted in Terra Nova's voice.
