Chapter 25 – Operation 'This Should Be Easy'

"You... you killed him!" Cynthia yelled. "How could you do that, you... you monster!?"

"I don't need him. I know SG-1 has a history of escaping, so I removed him before he became troublesome," Athena explained coldly.

"You can't make me help you now," Cynthia warned.

"Actually, I can. Surely the threat of one of my children possessing your body is enough to make you co-operate. If not, I don't need your co-operation."

"Oh. Since you put it that way... I guess I could help."

"I doubt I will need your help. For that reason, I am leaving you on a remote space station until I have a use for you. There is no available method for escape."

"A space station?"

"It is in the void between stars, off any common travel routes. There are basic amenities and food supplies. There are no spacecraft or parts to build one. And you won't be able to build and power your own Stargate, so don't waste your time in a futile attempt. Also, I will not return if the Replicators do not function correctly. Is there anything you need to tell me before I abandon you?"

"No, it's perfectly safe," Cynthia promised.

"I thought so, but I had to be certain before taking the risk."

"Does that mean you aren't really leaving me on a space station in the middle of nowhere?"

"We arrive within the hour."

"Oh. Drat."

-

Two days later...

General Jack O'Neill was not having a good week. So many people he cared about were missing, Sam was still assigned to the Alpha Site, several unfriendly nations were making threats in favour of giving the Stargate to those creepy CAKE people, and Doctor Frasier had become downright dangerous. God help any Goa'uld or Trust agent who she met in her current mood.

All this was piled on top of the usual chore of running the SGC. This job was made more onerous by the increased public scrutiny caused by full disclosure. At least he wasn't giving guided tours to school kids. Yet. Not that he didn't like kids - he loved kids - but they had no business in such a dangerous place. Neither did the half-dozen reporters the President had unwisely allowed limited access to the base.

At least the vultures had some security restrictions placed on them. Jack took great pleasure in allowing them to film the gate opening and then quickly finding a security reason why the footage had to be destroyed. He'd dashed their hopes five times now. It was one of the few things keeping him sane, he figured.

"Unscheduled off-world activation!"

That would be number six. He left his chair as quickly as his knees allowed and joined the technicians in the control room. "What have we got?"

"Receiving Master Bra'tac's IDC."

"Open 'er up," Jack ordered. He waited for the 'old man' to step through. "Welcome to Earth, Master Bra'tac," he called down.

"O'Neill, I bring good news. Athena has begun her assault on Kali the Destroyer, leaving Dakara almost unguarded. It is time to strike," Bra'tac announced from the ramp.

"Strike away," Jack agreed. I'll have Carter keep in touch with Teal'c. Also I'm authorised to have three teams on standby if you need to call in some extra ground support."

"I will keep this in mind," Bra'tac replied. Not quite a 'thank you', but close enough.

"Alright. I'll open your highway home. And a word to all you reporters: since this visit involves an ongoing military operation, you are required to erase all record of it, and are bound to repeat nothing regarding it. Understand?"

"But you've made us erase every single activation! This is the eighth time you've told us that," one of the cameramen protested.

"That many? Fine, you can have up to 'I bring good news', but not a syllable more. We don't want to tip off the Goa'uld about any plans of attack we may or may not have, understand? If a word of this gets out, I'll personally see to it that the lot of you are delivered to a planet where you can learn first hand what the snakes do to make people talk when they don't have civilians blabbing vital intel. Understand?"

The camera-bearing invaders nodded warily.

-

A few hours later, a collection of brilliant flashes of light announced the arrival of the Free Jaffa fleet around Dakara. Immediately the few Ha'taks guarding the planet moved to respond, but they were overwhelmed in due course. After one was blown to pieces, the remaining pair surrendered. Having gained air superiority, it was fairly straightforward matter to storm the remaining ground resistance and secure the temple.

Many of the warriors desired to celebrate their victory, but Master Bra'tac wisely warned that it would be a much greater challenge to keep Dakara than it was to take it. His speech sufficiently motivated the Jaffa Army to prepare for the return of Athena's fleet – or however much of it survived the altercation with Kali. Snakeskinner remained available under the control of Carter and Hailey, serving as a lookout for approaching ships and standing by in case extra force was needed for defence.

Unfortunately, the sensors failed to notice an Al'kesh, which popped out of hyperspace over the temple. It had come from quite a different direction to Kali's territory, which helped to explain why it had not been anticipated. Immediately, all ships within range began to fire on it. Its shields flared with the massive influx of energy. For a few long seconds the barrier held, but the onslaught was too great for any lasting benefit, and the ship burst into a brilliant fireball.

The destruction came far too late, however. The temple had already become over-crowded by the addition of a sizable squad of Kull Warriors. They had been beamed off the ship as soon as it was in range of the temple. The black-armoured beings quickly formed ranks to drive the Jaffa back from the wall. The two groups traded staff and wrist-blaster fire, but the latter was far more effective, due to the energy-absorbent armour the super-soldiers wore. A lucky few Jaffa – including Teal'c – were equipped with disruptor weapons capable of slaying Anubis' monstrosities, but they only made a small impact compared to the rapid blaster fire directed at them. It was difficult just to stay alive.

"What's going on down there?" asked Sam, her message being relayed via subspace to Snakeskinner and then to Teal'c's radio.

Teal'c crouched behind a column and fired upon an exposed warrior. The blue energy bolt hit the creature's armour, and it dropped dead. "ColonelCarter, we are under attack from Anubis's drones. I believe we require assistance," he answered.

"I'll do what I can, Teal'c. Keep me posted."

Behind the line of warriors stood a lone figure, cloaked in dark robes. He studied the symbols on the wall and began to rotate certain sections. Moments later, the ground began to tremble. The wall slowly raised, and the rocks behind it split open. As Anubis stepped into the newly-revealed chamber, a dozen large metal objects impacted on the planet's surface. Each split into several battle-ready Replicator 'bugs'. They skittered up the temple steps and surged into the jumbled Jaffa ranks. Some tried to form a wall to protect the losing Jaffa, while others leaped at the drones.

Two drones collapsed under a pile of Replicators. For a moment, some of the watching Jaffa became optimistic. This lasted until several of the Kull Warriors reached for weapons slung on their backs. Projectile weapons. A hail of bullets tore into the mass of Replicators, freeing the super-soldiers underneath. The situation went downhill from then on.

"ColonelCarter, the Replicators are only peripherally effective," Teal'c reported

"That's 'marginally', Teal'c," Sam automatically corrected. "Who's the guy with the cloak?"

"I believe it to be Anubis."

"And is that…?"

"An Ancient control panel similar to that which manipulated the time machine," Teal'c finished.

"That's what I thought, but I can't get good image quality out of the Replicator vision. Do you have any idea what he is doing?"

"It is not safe to venture close," Teal'c understated. It was far from safe to remain where he was, let alone closer to the action. There were many hazards, including not limited to being knocked down by a springing Replicator, trampled by a heavy Jaffa or drone, and being hit by energy burst from either side, or bullets. "However, I suggest that it would be unwise to allow Anubis to complete whatever he plans."

"I'll try sending in a larger wave of Replicators."

"I will rally my brothers. With the correct timing, we may be able to pass the blockade."

Bolstered by extra mechanical help, the Jaffa fought fiercely. With furious force, they drove the Kull Warriors back to the entrance of the secret chamber. Sam had found a way to sacrifice some of the Replicators' speed for increased cohesion, but the drones' weapons still chewed through them too quickly. Replicator blocks littered the floor, and the air reeked of scorched Jaffa. Executing a mad rush, a score of brave warriors pushed their way into the chamber, but they fell before they could reach Anubis.

"Teal'c? Teal'c, what's happening?" Sam called frantically. She received no response, and quickly switched to the subspace link to Earth, where the general waited for an update. "Sir, I've lost contact with Teal'c!"

"Can you see what's going on?" Jack asked.

"Most of the Jaffa in the temple are down, and there are three super-solders mowing down the ones outside the temple. I don't know what Anubis is doing. No, there's a massive build-up of energy at the top of the temple mount!"

"Energy? I take it that's a bad thing?"

"It might be some kind of weapon," Sam figured.

"Can you disable it?"

"I'll see what I can… No!"

"You can't?"

"Jack, this is… horrific! A wave of energy, disintegrating everything it hits. Jaffa, drones, even Replicators. Gone."

"Disintegrated, or transported?" Jack queried.

"From what I could see, the clothes and armour were left behind. And the Replicators simply fell apart. It must disrupt the bonds between the components of organic and mechanical creatures. Perhaps I can… Damnit!"

"What happened?"

"Snakeskinner. The wave reached it. It's gone."

"You can make another one, right?"

"Given an hour or so, yes, but for now we've lost contact with the planet," Sam reported.

"What's the point of a weapon that wipes out all life on a single planet?" Jack wondered. "And isn't activating it a bit… suicidal?"

"I assume the control room is shielded."

"Ah. So Anubis is still in there."

"I expect so, Sir. And if…"

"If? Carter?"

"If the Dakara stargate was connected to another planet, the wave would pass through. From the energy readings I recorded, it would be strong enough to cover that planet as well."

"Would the iris keep it off Earth?"

"I'm fairly certain it wouldn't, Sir."

"Then we need to destroy the weapon ASAP," Jack concluded.

"I agree. The only way to be certain of its destruction would be to detonate a nuclear bomb inside the temple itself. And there's probably at least a few of Anubis' drones left, so whoever goes will need plenty of Nullifiers," Sam suggested.

"Agreed. I'll update you when we're ready to… Uh oh!"

"Jack?"

"Unscheduled incoming wormhole. It could be Anubis!"

"It probably is," Sam agreed. "I assume you can't shut down the 'gate'?"

"Walter's trying. Nothing's working. It never does. And the dialling computer confirms that the wormhole is originating from Dakara. We'll have to use the self-destruct," Jack decided with a heavy heart. "It's the only way to save Earth."

"There's only a slight chance that will close the wormhole, Sir."

"Carter! We have to try!"

Sam heard Jack giving the order to start a one minute countdown, and frantically searched her mind for any way to disable the weapon or close the wormhole, or even block the energy wave. There simply wasn't enough time to do anything. Cynthia probably had a way to forcibly close a wormhole, but the girl was still missing. "Goodbye Jack. I love you," she said, knowing they had little time left.

"Backatya, Sam. And when you find our daughter, tell her I love her too."

-

Note: and that's the perfect place for a chapter break!