AN: Sorry for the delay in posting. I wish I could say otherwise, but a month is probably going to be the regular posting time. I don't want to rush this by any means. I can say though...40 reviews? It's probably mostly because of the Holo-SG-1 question, but still...I am so glad to see that level of interest. I hope I can keep it up.
USS Daedalus, Hyperspace
"Pretty," Jack O'Neill said, as the Daedalus flew through the blue tunnel of hyperspace.
Holo-Sam snorted slightly, "You get used to it sir."
Jack shrugged, and walked over to the rest of SG-1. Teal'c was looking out the bridge windows, probably thinking about something or other. Daniel was trying to ask Holo-Sam about the future, with the hologram pointedly deflecting the questions. Sam herself...looked like a kid in a candy store. Regardless of the origin of the ship, the technology on-board had gotten her interest. Jack couldn't help but grin at that. Sam Carter was still a scientist at heart (which did admittedly annoy him), and she couldn't resist this chance of looking at advanced tech.
"Enjoying yourself Carter?" the Colonel asked with his signature grin.
Sam had the grace to look embarrassed...for all of a few seconds, "This ship is amazing sir. I don't even know what half of the things on here do, but what I do recognize is so far ahead of what we have...I can't believe its only been a decade."
"That's what everyone back home thought," Holo-Sam agreed, "Technology advanced so fast after the turn of the century. Even without the Stargate program."
The sadness remained in her voice even as she said that though. This Jack hadn't reached the point where he could so easily read Sam's emotions, but the hologram wasn't exactly trying to hide her feelings.
"Anyway," Jack changed the subject, "how long till we reach Earth? As nice as this ship is, I don't want to spend a week on it."
"If this were a Ha'tak, it would take months O'Neill," Teal'c spoke up without changing his position, "however, the hyperspace window is different from what I am familiar with."
Well, that explained why he was staring out the window, Jack thought, as Holo-Sam spoke up again.
"Teal'c is correct, though the Ha'tak he is familiar with are being phased out," the AI replied, "the hyperdrive on the Daedalus and the other two ships is much faster though. It shouldn't take more than an hour or so to get back to Earth."
Jack and Daniel had surprised looks on their faces at hearing that. Sam looked even more eager to get into the guts of the ship(s) while Teal'c turned fully around, his eyebrow the highest anyone on SG-1 had seen it.
"I have never heard of such speeds," the Jaffa said, outwardly stoic, inwardly as shocked as everyone else on the ship.
"Asgard technology is amazing that way," Holo-Sam replied with a shrug, "they can go even faster than this."
SG-1 looked at each other, before Jack stated the obvious.
"I really want to meet these guys."
Sam and Daniel nodded their agreement. For different reasons admittedly, but they did agree with the general thought of wanting to meet the Asgard as soon as possible. After all, they seemed to be really advanced. Advanced enough that even Teal'c was impressed by what he saw. And with him being a former First Prime (and thus privy to the most advanced technology Apophis had), that was saying something about the Asgard. And, by extension, Earth now. And it meant something very important...
"We're not ready for this," Daniel said softly, always the most logical minded when it didn't involve the Goa'uld.
Holo-Sam looked at the floor, looking somewhat uncomfortable. She knew her team better than they did at this point, and knew it was only a matter of time until they figured that out. Even as she knew they needed to.
"Daniel's right," Sam said, "we saw what the NID did with the Tollan...what will they do with these ships?"
"They ain't touching these things if I have to pull in every favor I have with Hammond to do it," Jack added, conviction lacing his voice.
"Indeed," Teal'c finished.
Holo-Sam's eyes were wet as she smiled at the younger versions of her closest friends, "I may not have all the data on the future, but don't worry...I won't let anyone misuse this ship. The same goes for Daniel and Teal'c on the other ships."
Said men looked at each other, before both raising eyebrows at Holo-Sam.
"We're right here," Daniel said.
Holo-Sam reminded herself that she was talking to different people (easy enough with a bald Teal'c and Daniel's...interesting...hairstyle), "The Odyssey has you aboard Daniel, like I am here. Teal'c is technically the AI for the Daedalus but I was the only one active at the time you arrived. The Hammond is my ship."
That...made sense really. At least, it did to Sam since she understood technology better than the rest of SG-1. They would have to rotate each of the AI's, if the ships really had been sitting there for a century. It was just a coincidence they ran into her counterpart when they arrived. But...why her? Or why Teal'c and Daniel for that matter?
Jack seemed to read Sam's mind, as he asked that very question, "I sorta understand you and Daniel being all hologhost things, but why Teal'c?"
Holo-Sam smiled at the 'hologhost' bit before answering, "We were the only ones left you would know sir. You...died, trying to evacuate survivors from Earth."
Needless to say, Jack and the rest of SG-1 flinched at that. Even if they hadn't been a team for very long though...it did sound like Jack O'Neill. Even with another decade on his age, he certainly wouldn't be the type to hang back. He would have tried to get people away from the Wraith as long as possible. And it explained why they chose Teal'c for the third AI...at least they knew him.
"Well," Jack said, "that's a downer."
"Indeed," Teal'c said simply.
Sam and Daniel nodded. SG-1 was a new team, but they didn't exactly like hearing about their leader dying like that. And thus, they changed the subject.
"About the Asgard," Daniel said, "are they going to be okay with us having these ships?"
"It is their technology," Sam added.
"I...can't answer that," Holo-Sam said, evading the question, "you will know when you meet them."
"In other words, they already know but you won't tell us?" Jack replied...say what you will about the man, he wasn't stupid.
Holo-Sam made a motion of zipping her lips, and wouldn't answer. Which really told them all they needed to know...now it was just a matter of what they would do when they got back to Earth, more than anything else. So SG-1 settled in for the hour or so they had to wait, wondering just how things would go when they arrived.
Unknown Location
While SG-1 was discussing things aboard the Daedalus another discussion was taking place they would never know about. On the Higher Plane that the Ascended Ancients lived on, they were watching events with a wary eye. They hadn't interfered when the ships arrived in the past, as their rules dictated. But even they were leery of letting such a young race have such advanced technology. They didn't want to interfere by any means, but even the most strict of Ancients could see where things could horribly backfire in this situation. Thus, they called one of the first meetings they had had in centuries.
A building formed out of the mist of the Higher Plane, Ancient's floating in and taking the form they had in their lifetimes. Hundreds of them filed into the building, taking seats around the room. One of the Ancients walked into the center of the large room, knowing that he was going to be questioned again on the situation.
"Janus, you know why you are being questioned, correct?" one of the Ancients asked the man in the center.
"Naturally Larric," Janus, a former scientist, replied.
"Have you changed your answer?" Larric asked.
Janus merely shook his head in reply, "No it hasn't. I've been through every corner of those ships, and there is no sign of my time machine. However our children got those ships back, it wasn't my technology doing it."
"Were you seen?"
"Not by the AI they left behind no," Janus replied, "but that hologram of Thor might have noticed me when I looked at the Asgard technology. Which is amazing...they truly did surpass us in the end."
Murmurs went up at that, but they didn't last long. Pride in the Asgard aside, it mattered little when the Ancients could easily surpass them now if they wanted to, with their Ascended knowledge. The bigger question remained what to do about those ships. Those of the Ascended who took any interest in looking at the future were understandably rattled, as everything had fallen out of shape.
"What should we do about the ships?" Larric asked the gathered Ancients.
A woman stepped forth from the crowd, a few angry looks sent in her direction. Oma Desala was distinctly unpopular amongst the Ancients for numerous reasons, so her opinion (while valid) was not going to be looked on kindly.
"We should observe this closely," Oma said, forgoing her typical way of talking to get the point across, "and be ready to guide our children."
Somewhat expected it may have been, quite a few cries of dissent came up at Oma even suggesting showing themselves and helping to guide the humans. It went against everything they stood for. They couldn't interfere on the lower plains. It carried far too many risks, and they had held to that for so long, that any suggestion to throw that aside would naturally be met by anger.
Larric however, held up a hand to silence the cries, before turning to Oma, "And how do you suggest we do so Oma? Or why we even should consider breaking our most sacred law?"
Oma looked right into the other Ancient's eyes, "I do not know how we should guide them without drawing attention. But we should keep the option available nonetheless."
"And why is that?"
"The Nox won't, the Furlings have gone into exile, and the Asgard are dying," Oma listed off, not quite able to keep sadness out of her voice, especially with the Asgard, "we are the only ones who can help them. Keep them from destroying themselves with that technology."
Another woman stepped forth at that, Morgan le Fay. She was far from an ally of Oma, but this was one situation she had plenty of experience with, from her 'work' with Merlin.
"Merlin tried to do the same with Camelot," Morgan said, "they did succeed for a time."
"The point of this?" another Ancient spoke up, "if they destroy themselves, it is their own fault. We can not interfere just to save our children. We did not interfere with the Tollan, we did not interfere with any number of races destroyed by the Wraith. We can not break our laws."
Murmurs of agreement echoed through the hall. The Ancients were agreeing that they shouldn't interfere. It was not their place, and they shouldn't abuse their power. That lead down a dark path...they all knew of the Ori. If they let themselves interfere, were they truly better than their dark cousins? Using their power like that opened the way to corruption, and was the primary reason they hadn't ever done so. Say what you will about the Ancients, they weren't idiots.
For her part though, Oma had been expecting this. She knew it would be an uphill slope, and she was well aware of the problems. She had a reputation for helping beings ascend where they wouldn't be able to do on their own. This had ended badly with Anubis...but she still believed it was the right thing. And hiding behind a veneer of order and caution or not...no Ancient wanted to see Terra...their children die from their own mistakes.
"I know this is a radical suggestion," the woman said, "all I request is that some of our people watch over our children. And, if they prove themselves worthy, guide them. Let us try. If we fail...I at least will accept the exile."
The Ancients talked amongst themselves again. Oma raised a good point, in limiting the involvement if they had any. If they merely let Oma and a handful of willing Ancients observe the humans of Earth, they could limit the problems. And if they were willing to accept exile as the punishment, so much the better. But, one meeting alone would not break thousands of years of tradition. It couldn't go that fast.
"We will think on your suggestion Oma Desala," Larric said, as the room and Ancients faded into mist once more.
Earth
Back on the lower plane, the three ships from the future exited hyperspace over Earth. Aboard the Daedalus, SG-1 finally got a look at what they looked like as the Odyssey floated by in front of them. Long, sleek, and with obvious hangar bays. They just screamed human in design. No crazy pyramid shape like Ra's ship, and it was a distinctly human thing to leave hangars like these ones. Even more so when one thought about the fact these were built by the United States Air Force, first and foremost.
"Nice," Jack whistled as the Odyssey circled around to get back behind the Daedalus.
"Is that the Point of Origin?" Daniel asked, noting the large symbol on the flank of the ship.
"Yes," Holo-Sam replied, "We decided to identify our ships that way, so the Free Jaffa knew who they belonged to."
Teal'c face cracked an ever so slight smile at the mentioning of 'Free' Jaffa. The rest of SG-1 nodded their heads in understanding, as that type of system made sense. Jaffa probably couldn't read English (or any other Earth language) so using something they would recognize made more sense.
"Can't anyone with a telescope see us though?" Sam asked curiously.
"The ships are not large enough to be noticed easily," the hologram replied, "however, we integrated some Asgard stealth technology into the design. We can't be seen unless we want to."
"Well, that's a relief," Jack said, "but what if a satellite smacks into one of them?"
Holo-Sam laughed at that, "We'll land the ships on the Moon if need be sir. Right now, I assume you want to be beamed back to the surface?"
Jack nodded, before that flash of white light surrounded him again. When it cleared, he saw a shocked General George Hammond standing up from his desk, staring at SG-1 standing in his office.
"I will never get used to that," the Colonel muttered darkly, "oh, hello General."
Hammond looked at SG-1, before sitting back down in his chair and sighing. Why did he get the feeling that SG-1 shocking him like this was going to become more and more common as the years went by? Good thing he didn't have heart problems.
"Is that how the ship transports you?" the General asked.
"Yep," Jack replied, "neat isn't it?"
Hammond sighed again, "Very. Am I correct in assuming those ships are in orbit then?
"They are," Sam confirmed, "sir, those ships are amazing. According to..."
"You?" Daniel supplied.
"...me, the ships are cloaked to where we couldn't see them if we wanted to. We don't have to worry about anyone finding out about them."
"That is going to be confusing," Hammond said dryly.
"Oh it is sir," Jack replied, "I can only imagine what Teal'c and his hologhost will talk about."
Said Jaffa raised his eyebrow, letting Jack know he didn't like being the butt of a joke. Jack ignored it though, since it was fun. Sam and Daniel just watched with small smiles, while Hammond had to remind himself why Jack O'Neill was his second in command. Putting aside the questionable utility of that choice, Hammond asked more pertinent questions.
"The ships are ours correct? No strings attached?"
SG-1 looked amongst each other, before Daniel said, "Technically yes...but the hologram said the NID isn't allowed to get near them."
"While that does make sense," Hammond agreed (he knew as well as anyone what Maybourne would do with those ships), "how does 'she' plan to enforce it?"
Now the team looked uncomfortable, aside from the typically stoic Teal'c.
"Well sir...each of the ships has an Artificial Intelligence aboard," Sam answered, "they have complete control of the ship's beaming systems. If someone tried to hijack one, they could beam them off. And I really doubt that's all they have control of."
It didn't take a genius of Sam's quality to know the problem here. The ships were technically theirs yes. But the AI's had the final say in how they were used. Sensible precaution? Yes. Annoying and problematic, especially when the politicians and other higher ups got word of it? Yes. Again, it didn't take a genius to know that hell was going to be raised. That being said though...
"We have to agree to that though," Jack said, though he didn't sound happy about it, "they could just leave if they wanted too."
"And go where?" Hammond asked, mostly out of curiosity.
"The Asgard probably," Daniel answered, "it is their technology in those ships. I doubt they'd complain."
Hammond stood back up, and walked into the meeting room. SG-1 followed him, watching as the General paced around the head of the table. He was deep in thought. The ships were important...Earth needed those ships. They probably couldn't replicate the technology any time soon, but even so, just having them would make Earth far more secure. If they were as advanced as they seemed to be...nothing could touch them.
But is it worth the risk? Hammond mused.
True, the ships helped. True, Earth needed them. But the risk was just as great as the reward. The 'AI' aboard the ships may want to help Earth, but what if they annoyed them enough to make them leave? Hammond didn't want to think about that, as he knew the NID would raise hell when they weren't allowed aboard the ships. Maybourne himself would probably bring it right up to the President.
This was quickly going above even his pay grade to be honest. He had to make a call on that red phone in his office...the President would have the final say here, as it should be really.
AN: Not quite as long as I would like, but it seemed like a good place to end it. We find out more about the ships AI(s) and see how the Ancients are dealing with this. I don't think I have any more to say down here, so let me know what you think!
