Well I was half way done with chapter 12 last chapter. Unfortunately I decided I really didn't like the chapter when I finished and scrapped the whole thing. Realizing I haven't uploaded in a while and didn't want to keep people waiting, I wrote this little thing. I have another mapped out and am writing it now, so you might actually see another chapter within a week.

I don't own stargate.

Bold = Goa'uld


The DARK Force motto is Destuam Deos. Meaning 'Tear down the gods'.


February 20, 1997

Gateroom - Alpha Site

"Mr. Weeks, welcome to the alpha site. I'm Senior Airman Ware of the JDC and I'll be your escort for the duration of your visit," introduced the airman.

"Thank you, Airman. If you could please take me to Major Davis," requested the presidential liaison.

"Yes, sir. If you would follow me, he has just started the interrogation with Doctor Jackson." The airman led the younger man out of the gate room. The stargate had been transferred from Heliopolis to a newly built bunker. The bunker enclosed the stargate with its thick reinforced concrete walls. They were designed to keep anything from leaving or entering without permission. Weeks could easily be convinced that he was still inside the SGC.

Weeks was led out of the bunker where he marveled at the sight before him. Massive metals hangars sprawled for miles to his right. To the left he could see Heliopolis barely hanging onto the cliff face, about to fall into the ocean. Weeks knew from his briefing that the hangars were the SRL off world location for performing research on Goa'uld technology from Ra's ship. Speaking of, the massive alien space craft was visible in the distance. Captain Andrews managed to land the massive thing in a relatively flat area nearby.

The airman led Weeks to a mundane Humvee. The vehicle was just a light transport variant with no roof, weapons, or armor. The airman drove him toward the barracks, one of which having been converted into a detention facility. The barracks had an odd checkered pattern painted on and a curved roof that overhung the walls.

The airman let Weeks out of the Humvee and instructed him to proceed into the building. One of the guards at the entrance opened the door for him. The inside was surprisingly luxurious, for a military base. Weeks decided that was to be expected because the Jaffa willingly surrendered. Major Davis and Doctor Jackson were sitting across a steel table from Teal'c. The Jaffa was currently finishing up a plate of lunch, Weeks thought he saw jello, while Doctor Jackson was conversing with the Major.

Major Davis was originally the liaison between the pentagon and the SGC. With the creation of Homeworld Security, however, things had to be shuffled around a bit. General Scott headed Homeworld Security out of the pentagon and really only reported to the SecDef and President, the rest of the pentagon was only informed as needed. Major Davis became the liaison between the General and the SGC. His job was mostly to ensure that the both parties were on the same page, practically a glorified messenger. It was an interesting situation because General Hammond had operational command over the SGC but General Scott, and also the SecDef and President, set the overall agenda. Nicholas Weeks, on the other hand, was practically the President's eyes and ears on the ground.

"Mr. Weeks," addressed Major Davis.

"Major, good to see you again," responded Weeks.

"Doctor Jackson, its nice to finally meet you. I've been impressed with your work," said Weeks.

"Uuh thanks. Um, who are you by the way? Are you here to ask some questions?" asked the awkward archeologist

"No. I'll leave that to the Major, he's the expert here. I'm just here to watch," laughed Weeks as he stuck out his hand, "I'm Nicholas Weeks, the Presidential liaison."

"Oh, nice to meet you. I-uh guess we'll get started then if Teal'c is finished," replied Dr. Jackson as he returned the handshake. Said Jaffa pushed away his plate and sat up straighter upon hearing his name.

"Doctor Jackson, the people from Chulak?" asked the Jaffa.

"What's he saying?" asked Major Davis, with a slight accusatory tone.

"He just wants to know about the people we saved," explained Jackson, "They're safe on another planet." Teal'c seemed resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be told where, but at least he knew they were safe.

"Ask him why the slaves had been assembled in Ra's palace," instructed the Major. Jackson began to speak in Goa'uld and made a bunch of exaggerated hand gestures to help his questioning. Teal'c, conversely, made almost no movement when he said his response.

"He says that originally Amaunet, mate of Apophis, was in need of a new host," reported Jackson

"Originally?" asked Davis.

Dr. Jackson conversed again with the Jaffa. His extreme use of hand gestures was starting to really get annoying.

"Apophis' host was damaged beyond repair. His needs took priority," Jackson eventually reported.

"Shit," expressed Weeks. Davis couldn't help but agree, but a military man like himself wouldn't say it out loud.

"How did he survive the attack on Abydos?" This time Weeks asking the question. Jackson ferried the question to the Jaffa.

"The Gao'uld are extremely resilient. Never before have I seen one unable to withstand a drug. Apophis was forced to take refuge in the symbiote pouch of another Jaffa and we still had to take him to a sarcophagus," said Teal'c.

"Wait so your telling me you were part of the attack on Abydos?" asked Major Davis, talking through Jackson.

"Yes."

"How did you and the other Jaffa survive?" asked Jackson knowing how deadly VX was.

"Apophis rewarded us for bring him to safety with the use of his sarcophagus. Laying in it for even short time periods can cure the deadliest diseases," explained Tealc. After Jackson's translation Weeks came to the realization that the SRL was in possession of one such device from Ra's ship.

"Are we to expect any retaliation for our attack?" Davis decided to move on to another line of questioning.

"The Goa'uld will send their Naquadah bombs through the stargate. They will believe their weapons will have destroyed you. They will not send warriors through for some time to make sure of your destruction," answered Teal'c. Jackson relayed this information to the two liaisons.

"If Colonel O'Neill's report is accurate, then Abydos' gate address was obscured by smoke grenades. The Goa'uld would have no idea where the attack came from," commented Weeks.

"And even if they it was Abydos, that wouldn't lead them to us. I'm curious about this Naquadah, though," said Davis.

"What is Naquadah?" questioned Jackson.

"Naquadah is the source of Goa'uld magic. Slaves mine it on hundreds of planets to give the gods their power, one of which was Abydos. It powers all ships and weapons of the gods, in its liquid form," explained Teal'c.

'He must mean EX-1,' thought Weeks after the translation from Jackson. No reason to mention it out loud he thought, compartmentalization and all. If the element was the reason for the Goa'uld's power then it was best that not many knew of their research into it. Weeks did not doubt that the Goa'uld would stop at nothing if they knew about Earth, especially if they were working with Naquadah.

"Teal'c is there anything you would like to offer up?" said Davis for Jackson to translate.

"Anything. I offer my knowledge of the Goa'uld. My skills as a warrior in defeating them. I pledge my honor and life to this world," said Teal'c

"What can you tell us about how the Goa'uld make their liquid Naquadah?"

"Nothing."

"Do you know the physics behind their hyperdrives?"

"No."

"I see."

"Knowledge of Goa'uld magic is forbidden."

A knock on the door proceeded Colonel O'Neill walking in the door. Teal'c didn't make many facial expression, but you could tell he was pleased to see the man.

"It's not magic Teal'c. That's just what they want you to think. Sorry to barge in, Major," said O'Neill while returning the man's salute.

"No problem, Colonel. Perhaps you would like to ask some questions?"

"Perhaps. Hey Teal'c," waved the Colonel.

"O'Neill," greeted the Jaffa.

"So Teal'c. Tell me about the Goa'uld," said O'Neill for Jackson to translate.

"They rule by force. Their numbers were at one point very few, but have now reached a golden age and each year have grown more numerous. Ra kept their race in line, but with his disappearance the Goa'uld system lords have began a desperate battle to absorb his planets and resources. Goa'uld are selfish and arrogant, they will do anything to increase their power and domain. They think themselves immortal and above all other beings," explained Teal'c

"How many planets do they have?" continued the Colonel.

"Many hundreds. While the main system lords each control a sizable number, there are an uncountable number of minor Goa'uld with at most a hand full of planets. To list them all would take hours."

"We can get more specifics later," Major Davis made another note on the small pad he had been using, "If we ever come into direct conflict, perhaps we can negotiate with them, at least the less powerful ones?"

"The Goa'uld see your kind as below them. Nothing you offer would sway them. They have no need for peace. If they could kill you, they would." Teal'c painted a disturbing picture.

"And they can? They have many... what are they... Ha'taks?" asked Weeks.

"Without using the stargate, such a trip could take weeks to months, perhaps even years. It would take many vessels with entire armies of slaves to keep such an expedition supplied. Such trips are very costly for a Goa'uld and therefore often the rare result of cooperation between system lords."

"So then are most Goa'uld actions through the stargate?" asked Davis.

"Many Goa'uld planets are close together and not so costly. Still, Goa'uld will attack far away planets. They use overwhelming force to ensure little loss, and the captured world makes up for the cost of the trip."

"And these slaves are all human?"

"Yes. The Goa'uld tell stories of a primitive world, the Tau'ri, where they harvested the first of this form. Some were granted the privilege of being a host, others became Jaffa, and the rest slaves. Before the Tau'ri the Goa'uld used the Unas, but the location of their homeworld was lost long ago and the Goa'uld suffered from lack of hosts," recited Teal'c.

"Jackson, tell him humans evolved on our world. These Tau'ri are us," instructed O'Neill.

"No don't," interrupted Weeks.

"Sir, I'm afraid Mr. Weeks is correct. Allowing a connection to form between us and the Tau'ri could allow the Goa'uld to discover earth," warned Major Davis.

"Perhaps it would be best to continue this later. After coming up with some more specific questions," proposed Weeks. Major Davis nodded his consent and followed Weeks out of the room. Doctor Jackson stayed with Colonel O'Neill.

"Am I a prisoner?"

"...Yeah," admitted O'Neill.

"I see."

"Not exactly living up to your expectations are we? You see we've been alone in our little corner of the galaxy for a while now and I think... we just need to get to know you better. Your knowledge of the Goa'uld alone make you invaluable to us."

"I will give my knowledge freely."

"And we're thankful. It will save many lives."

"I will pledge my allegiance to this world."

"I don't know if that will be enough for my superiors to trust you."

"I understand. I served as a warrior of you enemy. I carry your enemy within me."

"Humans are easily scared of change and what they don't understand," Doctor Jackson told Teal'c.

"You're probably pretty used to that, huh?" Commented O'Neill.

"Why are you not afraid O'Neill? Or you Doctor Jackson?" queried the giant Jaffa.

"Oh, I was very intimidated by you. Earlier though, I realized you were just a big teddy bear," laughed off Jackson.

"Teddy bear?"

"Umm, it is this- this soft animal shaped toy. For our young to amuse themselves," Jackson attempted to explain.

"Teal'c, I saw you stand up to a god. You refused to kill. I saw you make that decision," started O'Neill.

"Indeed?"

"In that moment, I learned everything I needed to know about you."

"If I had killed you there, I would not be here."

"Neither would I," O'Neill let his cynical humor slip in.

"I will prove my allegiance."

"I sure wish you didn't have to."

"When I do... Will you show me this world?"

"Oh, you bet. But it's not this one. Another," O'Neill got up, "Not all at once though. It's really big." Dr. Jackson followed O'Neill to the door. They knocked once, waiting for the guard to open it. Behind them Teal'c settled into some sort of meditation stance.


The US Air Force spent hundreds of hours analyzing the 1996 Abydos mission. Particular focus was spent on the Goa'uld aircraft. Colonel O'Neill submitted a report condemning the Uda'Jeet as inferior to earth equivalent. The Air Force disagreed. The Uda'Jeet were limited by their lack of cockpit, but the Death Glider variations had no such problem. With its reaction-less drive the Death Glider had serious advantages over jets. While jet engines have problems with supersonic air and thin atmosphere at high altitude, the Goa'uld engines have no such issues.

The Death Glider's pitifully primitive search radar was of no comfort, as the gliders received data from the advanced radar and subspace sensors from the mothership. Targeting radar was useless for the point and shoot staff weapons, and as such left out. And since death gliders did not use targeting radars or missile, they also didn't use ECM. While a small advantage, the flipside was that their weapons were unaffected by Earth ECM.

Assuming the Goa'uld don't destroy all air defenses and airbases from orbit, current generation equipment would have difficultly with Death Gliders. In a dog fight the Death Gliders can use their inertial dampeners and vector their engine to perform maneuvers Earth fighter simply can't counter. To avoid missiles the fighters can simply fly higher and faster. This reality was a major concern for the Air Force.

In 1996 the Air Force was about to award Lockheed and Boeing contracts to develop prototypes for the Joint Strike Fighter program. The main requirements of the program were for a common multi-role, low-cost, low-maintenance, low-observable aircraft that would be made in variants for the Navy, Air Force, and Marines. The desire was to harmonize requirements between services to reduce overall military acquisition costs. This was ignoring many protests like that of Air Force Chief of Staff Merrel McPeakthat; forcing the services to have one aircraft would greatly complicate the project and increase costs.

What the outcome of that project would be will never be know. The Air Force rapidly changed their requirements for a next generation fighter due to the Goa'uld and pulled out of the program. Would stealth work against subspace sensors? Should they move to a faster two engine platform to close the speed gap? More development of thrust vectoring to close the maneuverability gap? The Air Force realized that to truly overcome alien fighters would require incorporating reverse engineered technology into an experimental fighter. But what to do in the meantime? These factors led to the Air force's decision to submit a new request for proposal; one for the Advanced air-Supremacy Fighter (ASF).