Life in the prisoner of war camp was much easier than Earl had thought it would be. For the over one hundred thousand Colonials captured by the Earth, either from the ships which were trapped in orbit after the initial invasion, taken during the theft of Liberty Station, captured on Galar or some other means, the difference between what they expected and what was the case where incredibly different. Captured after the initial invasion, Earl had thought he would be tortured or worked to death as a labourer. Instead he had been asked some questions for a few hours, many of which were nothing more than ones about simple facts about the Colonies or relating to everyday life back home.
When he had been released, he'd found himself in the middle of a makeshift tent city surrounding several dozen building which he'd later learned was the heart of the camp, medical and base housing facilities surrounded by a defended fence, as well as large mess halls designed to accommodate the prisoners meals. He'd discovered quickly that outside of the fence surrounding the main administration, health and Terran personnel housing facility, there weren't any walls keeping people inside the camp. The reason for this was simple, escape was impossible. The camp was located on an island, one whose wildlife was as horrifying as it was alien. In the third night he had been there, a group of six had tried to venture towards the mountain which was the heart of the island. Three had returned carrying one more in a comatose state, the final two never seen by Earl again.
As the weeks went by and more prisoners started to show up, the camp was expanded and given more permanent facilities to deal with the influx of new prisoners. Sprinkles of news about how things where back home would come with each new inmate. A large influx of civilians as well as military personnel came not too long after his stay had started, by all accounts people stationed or visiting Scorpion Fleet Shipyard. He hadn't figured out how they had done it, but they had pulled the whole damn thing from Scorpion orbit all the way here. The thought frightened him quite a bit.
The next, as so far last, large sudden influx was from a large complement of army and marine members being captured on some place called 'Galar'. He had no idea what that was, but apparently they'd captured it before the Earthers had captured it right back. That's when the big news had stopped for a while, as it wasn't for a few weeks until new faces started to show up. Seemed there was a small but consistent stream of new prisoners now. Earl hadn't been able to get a good picture from them of what was happening, too few of them to get the same clear image he's like. What he did learn made him wonder what he was missing. From what he could scrape together, the ground pounders who dominated the new stream of prisoners had been deployed to Sagittaron as part of some massive troop serge to deal with a sudden intensification of the conflict on the backwater planet. He couldn't get much more out of the few he's spoken with outside of the Earther's had turned the local rebels into beasts, and that on top of that actual monsters and descendants of the gods themselves had appeared on the battlefield, their appearance marking the moment most elected to throw down their arms. He couldn't believe the beings described to him by the few who would speak of them. He could believe even less so that the Colonials had a few such people of their own now.
What had happened to his worlds in such a short time? He'd only been in the camps for a little under five months.
"Break it up you two, keep that up and it'll be the brig for both of ya." Earl looked back on the dirt path he was walking on, the closest thing the camp had to streets. A pair of Earth MPs where trying to stop a fight between two of the inmates before it started. The bold letters was one which had become a common sight at the camp. Outside of the medical staff and those who worked the mess, most of the Earthers stationed on the island where military police brought in to keep order, their being used instead of conventional police or normal soldiers being due to their training being specifically in dealing with soldiers while upholding the law, something important in a camp whose men and women where mostly from an enemy army or navy.
Walking up to one of the multiple mess halls set up throughout the camp, he got in line for his morning rations. The morning was still pretty early, so there where only about three hundred people ahead of him. The line moved quickly, a good step being taken every few seconds as one by one the people ahead of him got their breakfast before heading either to one of the many seats inside the hall proper, or finding a spot just outside to sit. With the pre-dawn crowd still growing, Earl wasn't sure if he could get a seat if he wanted to, though with how quickly some of ate their rations he could probably get a seat somewhere.
Not five minutes after entering the line he found himself going through the motions for entry into the hall. A slid of his Earther provided identification card through a scanner, which led to a small green light on the machine lighting up to tell the two armed guards at the door he could pass. Once that was done he could go in one of the two lines within the hall which both led to different serving areas, but both had the same food. Without thinking, he went to the one on the left. Taking a tray, he was quickly met with the smell of different cooked meats in his nose, mixed with the fruits and coffee the planet had no short supply of.
The line continued to move quickly, no one wasting time thinking about anything other than getting their food and finding a place to eat it. As he walked along the mess hall's serving area, he picked up a plate of mixed eggs and sausage, then some bread, butter, plastic utensils and lately one of the glasses of the orange juice fruit drink the Earthers had introduced him to. It was an odd tasting drink, but it had caught his attention, much more so then their milk. An odd thing it was, the Earthers seemed to drink it after adolescence, something unheard of in the Colonies. Drinking milk after passing puberty was simply not done, mostly because for most Colonials the body started rejecting the lactose.
As he finished making his way through the mess hall, he noticed that there seemed to be more on his plate then he was used to. One of the guards noticed him stop, and walked towards him.
"Something wrong?" The guard asked, getting Earl's attention.
"What? Oh, no, I just thought the portions seemed larger then they usually are." Earl stated.
"They are, today's a major holiday so the Director ordered extras be added to the rations." The guard stated.
"Holiday?"
"It's called Christmas. It's about… you know what; it would take too long to explain. Just keep moving and find a place to eat." The guard calmly ordered.
"Yeah yeah." Earl stated. "Give my regards to the Director then."
It didn't take too long to find a spot to sit; being alone meant he could wedge himself between groups of people who had come as a pack without much disruption. As he quietly and quickly ate his meal, he noticed that those around him seemed to be slightly more upbeat then they had usually been. Maybe it was just the little extra they got to their meals for the day, but he definitely felt better then he usually did.
Redicker Base
Sagittaron
"… and will declare, once more, that until 7:00 hours Tawa Standard Time no acts of aggression shall be committed by Terran forces or by forces loyal to the Republic of Sagittaron. The Republic…" The radio in the officer's club declared, before being changed to music by one of the patrons.
"What the frak is all that about?" One of the lieutenants sitting at the bar asked.
"That message has been playing all morning, from what I hear it's around the whole planet too, though with different times depending on where it is." A captain replied. "Seems the Earthers want a temporary cease fire. A REALLY temporary one."
"Why would they possibly want that?" A major asked, taking a glass.
"Who cares, I think the real issue is they've got a radio station network which seems to encompass the whole planet." Another major replied, looking at the radio. He walked up to the machine and turned it back to the broadcast.
"… and the Terran State, as well as its dependencies, and allies the Republic of Galar and the Hebridan Federation, officially recognize the Republic of Sagittaron as the legitimate state and government over the planet of Sagittaron of the Cyrannus System. The alliance…"
"Ah turn that crap off; we came in here to relax, not to listen to their clap trap." An officer cadet moaned.
"You came in here to get away from the enemy, but the enemy doesn't get away for you. Not on this planet." A voice stated, earning everyone's attention. As they did, not a moment was wasted as the officers snapped at attention at the entry of the base's Major General.
"At ease." With his order, the officers spread their legs and moved their arms from their sides to behind their backs. "Those of you who still have your stripes on, take them off now."
The officers, who had left their stripes on, which was most of them, did as ordered.
"Welcome to Sagittaron boys, this is not the planet you learned about in basic or in school. In fact, if any of you served here before, it isn't the world you left behind either." The General stated. "Your enemy is a different beast from what he once was. I do not know what these Earthers have been telling them, teaching them or giving them, but the enemy can attack you from anywhere at any time. Never let your guard down, no place is too safe for them to not attack. In fact, given their latest offensives, defended positions are targets which they take as challenges, not as discouragement. The enemy is not one who is above fighting dirty, never go outside with your stripes on, never let them know you are an officer, never let them see you stand out from amongst your subordinates. The moment they figure out which one of you is an officer amongst the infantry, they will strike you down."
Behind the General at the door, loud footsteps could be heard approaching.
"Gentlemen, before you enter your first trial of combat, I think it's appropriate to show you the latest in our military's research and development fresh off the assembly line."
With that line, a man wearing Kull Armour entered the officer's club.
"Lieutenant Nowart, I hope you are comfortable in there." The General stated with a laugh.
Allan said nothing, but at the comment felt a phantom pain in his left leg below the knee, right where it had been amputated. In his mind it was no small miracle that despite both his legs being cut off below the knee he could still retain full combat effectiveness thanks to the miracle of technology he was using.
O'Neill's office
The Peak
"Words cannot describe how disappointed I am in both of you." Jack stated quietly. He was sitting at his desk, hands clasped over his mouth as he thought about just what to say.
Before him at attention stood two officers, both of whom had their bodies currently linked to the minds of two people on Sagittaron as their link through an ancient communication device had their minds switched with Captain Jon Haida and Lieutenant Rei.
Jack couldn't say he wasn't expecting this to happen eventually, but what he was dealing with was something he also didn't expect to come up as an issue for another few years in the case of the two standing before him. He rubbed his eyes as he thought about how while quite a few people where spending their Christmas with their families, he was dealing with this on top of all the other work he had to do and the fact that his own friends and family where all scattered across the galaxy doing god knows what.
"Sir, if I can…" The man who's body Jon's mind was in started, only to be cut off by Jack raising his had to silence him.
"Not one word. I'm going to speak and neither of you are going to say a damn thing." Jack was still quiet as he said that, but it was enough to command both to do as they were told due to the tone alone. Jack stood up, and started to pace around his desk. "You two kids are may be officers, you may be war vets and you may be some of the deadliest weapons of war in our arsenal that doesn't involve splitting of atoms, but make no mistake, you are still minors and in by the eyes of this organization, our government and myself, in matters like this you will be treated as such, is that clear?"
"Sir!" Both barked.
"Good. Now, here's how we're going to handle this; you are not to tell anyone outside of medical staff or direct relatives until such time as it becomes impossible to retain as a secret, then once that is done you are to keep the issue outside of the public eye, is that understood?"
"Sir!"
"Good. Now, effective immediately you are being pulled from the front line and transferred to the Intrepid." Jack said, looking at the woman who Rei's mind was currently housed in.
"Understood?"
"Sir!" She barked.
"Good. Now, both of you, dismissed." With that command, the two left his office, heading towards the communication room to sever the link between the ancient communication device there and at their base.
Jack sat back in his chair; rubbing his eyes again as his ears picked up the sound of the door only a handful of people knew about opening. Taking his hands off his face, he saw the ugly doctor and one of his Strike Force clone assistants walk in.
"You look stressed Jack; maybe you should see a doctor." The doctor said with a smile.
"Doc, you have something to say or are you just going to laugh about how at this rate I'll be looking like you even with the technology we have?" Jack asked, not really wanting to put up with his own brand of snark right now, let alone his doctor's.
"Actually I was here to say that I want to keep an eye on them." The doctor replied.
"Who, those kids?"
"Yes. Jack I don't think you understand what could be learned just by observing this. We have a baseline human and a Tagrisian about to create the first set of hybrids between are our two distinct branches of humanity breed, and both are Espers to boot."
"And why is that impressive exactly? It isn't the first time a human has shagged an almost human thing before."
"Jack you don't understand, it's like witnessing the first Labrador and German Sheppard having puppies, where both dogs are exceptionally gifted ones."
"So you're saying both those kids are dogs?"
"Jack now's not the time to be a smartass. Think of the possibilities. If it does turn out that the result of a baseline human and a Tagrisian having children is healthy, fertile offspring who manage to get the more beneficial elements from both parents, we could be looking at the first of a new breed of humans being born into the universe, a mix of two worlds isolated from each other for tens of thousands of years."
"Couldn't we just wait for the inevitable to happen with people who aren't part of the military?"
"Well yes, but that will take time, and besides, given how there are literally two Tagrisians in the whole universe who have any Esper ability, one of which is a four year old, when is the next opertunity going to be to observe the development of second generation Espers who are also mixed race which have both their parents be Espers?"
"I'm guessing quite some time." Jack stated with a sigh. With how tired he was coupled with how exhausted he felt, mixed with the doctor being much smarter then him, he didn't want to fight him on the issue. "Alright, so what do you want?"
"Just to have myself transferred to the Intrepid's medical staff when it returns for its regular replenishment of its stock."
"And who is going to handle your work here?" Jack asked.
"My assistants." The doctor replies, earning the attention of the clone in the room. "Even with the ones you have running around the galaxy on black ops missions, the ones permanently left behind have been trained to be more then capable of handing the work I do, plus most of my current research for the next few months already has the basic plans laid out. Their speech patterns may be a little off, but they are more than competent enough to do the work without my help."
"Are you saying they're smarter than me?" Jack asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"Yes Jack, they are smarter then you."
At that, Jack let out a sigh. The doctor was probably the only person who was able to push him around so easily who wasn't a former member of his team.
"Alright, I'll handle it. Is that all?"
"For business yes, but there is one more thing. The clones are having a little 'family' dinner tonight since it's their first Christmas, and they've invited me, a few of the other doctors and nurses, and you, to attend."
"Well you can count me in, better it be with someone you like better than no one at all." Jack said, a small smile appearing on his face.
He could almost see a small one appear on the face of the clone as well, though he wasn't sure if it was actually the case or just his imagination.
Battlestar Rycon CIC
Space around Liberty Station
The CIC of the ship was bustling with life for the first time since the ship had been captured. Once dormant, it had returned to life as members of the Sagittaron resistance, officially branded the Army of the Republic, brought the ship out of its sleep and into its role as the flagship of the new Navy of the Republic. The ship had Terrans assisting in its return to life, new faster than light, shield and secondary weapon systems being added to give the ship an edge over its Colonial counterparts.
From his vantage point near the center of the CIC Tom watched as the techs worked their magic. He, as the only political leader amongst the highest ranking members of the Sagittaron resistance, had been chosen as the civilian leader of the government-in-exile, with the others military oriented members of the old resistance leadership being charged with forming and running the army and navy while he dealt with the actual governance and diplomacy. His office was less then spectacular, one of the briefing rooms on the battlestar which had been repurposed to allow him to do his work.
For a moment he wondered if, despite how far they'd come compared to where they had been not a year before, it was really worth it. With how things had been developing, he wondered if their fight would lead his people from having one master to another instead of the freedom they had been fighting so hard to achieve. He removed those thoughts from his mind a moment later. It was possible the Terrans would betray them, but from what he had seen they seemed almost disinterested in his world and those of his solar system, almost as if they'd rather not have to deal with them at all due to their having more pressing concerns elsewhere. What they could possibly be he did not know, but he felt they were to his people's benefit as, if his suspicion was correct, it would mean the Terrans would be more interested in keeping his world on good terms then having to actually put more resources and manpower into keeping them in line. He couldn't be sure, but he was a betting man, and it was a bet he had already made and now could only wait to see the outcome of.
Yes, the pieces where falling into place one by one, and it he could feel the plan for a free Sagittaron coming together before his eyes.
McKay residence
Atlantis
"Ah, Major, welcome to Atlantis, hope the trip wasn't too harsh on you." Jennifer stated, welcoming the Major and her adopted daughter into the apartment. "I hope this isn't too inconvenient for you, coming all the way from Tokyo for this."
"Oh it's nothing, my husband's on business for the day, and Mei's been excited about this all week, haven't you?" Mei said nothing to acknowledge her legal guardian's words as she leaped out of her arms and looked around the apartment.
"Abby and Timmy are playing in their room; it's the first door on the left." Jennifer stated, pointing towards the door in question. Mei nodded her head and made her way to the room, walking in and getting the attention of the twins.
"So this is Atlantis?" Major Barclay asked, looking out the apartment's window.
"Yeah, the city of legend built millions of years ago." Jennifer stated, taking a look at the cityscape for herself. "Funny, with all the legends about this place and how long it lasted, it's amazing how close we came to losing it on more than one occasion, and how easily it almost happened at that."
"Well we all almost screw up at times. I mean I heard there was a guy who accidentally blew up a solar system here."
"Uh, yeah, that's my husband." Jennifer stated nervously, rubbing the back of her head.
"I know, but my husband loves to make that joke about him. Seems he knew Rodney back in his college days, but he isn't a super genius like your husband is."
"Oh, let's not go that far. Rodney's incredibly intelligent, but he isn't smart enough to be a genius. His common sense is too lacking for that to be the case." Both women got a small laugh at that.
The day went by quickly, and almost as quickly as they had arrived the adopted mother and daughter duo where leaving for the transporter room.
Hanku Base
Sagittaron
Peter Sietro looked over the machine he had built. It was the third 3X70, which, along with the lone 3X85, brought the number of power suits he had built to four. As with every one of the machines he had built, he had refined the design based on what he had learned about it in combat. This latest one had been designed with the specific intent of dealing with the man who he had faced at Intelligence Headquarters. Built in targeting sensors which could hopefully track a fast moving object going the man's speed.
He turned to look at the piece of 'equipment' the base had to work with in regards to the individual in question. The clear liquid container had the severed arm preserved as it floated at the center of the preserving chemical mixture around it. Peter placed his hands on the glass containing the arm. He looked closely at the arm, taking in every inch of it with his eyes as he through about how to kill the person who had lost it. In a day or so the arm would be taken away to another part of the base for doctors to try and learn something from it, but Peter was more interested in how the man who had lost it has been reported running with both his arms intact.
"Looking into the abyss again?" Max asked, his sudden voice causing Peter to jump back.
"Frak off Max, don't you have a village to burn down?" Peter barked back.
"I burn down forests, not villages." Max replied, lifting his hand and igniting it.
"Whatever you damn freak, what do you want?"
"I want to know how my toy is coming along." Max stated.
"MY 3X85 is on the way here." Peter informed him. "Right now I'm trying to make one of my suits be the perfect counter for that bastard."
"You're still upset about what happened?" Max asked rhetorically. "You have to let it go, they were better than us, sure, but they've probably been doing this longer to. Get out there, blow something up, take out a rebel camp, that'll help you blow off steam."
"I can't believe the one of us with the cooler head is the one who is a literal hot head." Peter let out a sigh. The two had developed an odd friendship in their time together, describing themselves as the smart one and the strong one. Curiosity was one of the things they had in common apart from being abnormal, which was why Max eyes a large crate suspiciously.
"What's in the box?"
"Hmm?"
"I said what's in the box?"
"Oh, that?" Peter asked, pointing to the offending crate. "That's some rockets I'm going to use as shoulder-mounted weapons on the next prototype. Two sets of eight right above each shoulder."
"How many prototypes of this thing are you going to make?" Max asked, kicking the large crate lightly.
"Until I make one the military wants to mass produce. Until then it's just prototypes that change things up a bit."
The two kept on having small talk for a few minutes, Peter putting the finishing touches on his latest masterpiece while Max watched. They stopped as a cold fell over the room, causing both to look at the door.
"So this is where both of you have been hiding." Harold, the latest addition to their 'team', stated. He hadn't been as easy to fit in with the others. He had been found in an underground fighting ring, and had taken the offer of taking a position under the military's command or face prison time for crimes he was suspected of having committed.
The crimes he had committed where mostly related to illegal fighting, namely making quite a bit of money from beating men twice his age and size half to death thanks to his ability to turn parts or all of his body into whatever he touched. He could always be seen with a little bag of refined metals tied to his pants, ready to take one out and turn himself into a walking man of metal at a moment's notice.
"Hey, some of us have a real job to do around here Harold; it's not my fault I need to keep building these things." Peter stated dismissively. "If you want to make yourself useful, turn into steel and help me move the arm so I don't have to take out the pulley."
"Sorry, but like you said it's not my job." Harold said with a laugh, leaving the two behind.
"Asshole." Was all Max said before going back to watching Peter work.
Gate Room
Juliet Site
Jonathan O'Neill let out a long sigh as he watched the stream of people walking into the base. Hundreds of them where coming through from Earth, representing the first settlers who could turn the planet into a strong colony for Earth. The world was already seeing heightened defences in orbit and on the ground set up due to this, and though it would take years it would eventually reach the point where it rivaled the Earth's own defences as a fortress capable of taking on hundreds of ships attempting to take the world by force. Jonathan wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but he had seen the forecasts for population growth on Earth due to the high birth rate would lead to the world returning to its peak population in only sixty years, so as long as the perpetual siege mentality which the people of Earth had developed over the years continued off world settlement would be needed to simply stave off overpopulation.
"Something wrong?" Karin asked, looking between Jonathan and the settlers.
"Nothing, just thinking about things." Jonathan stated, scanning over the faces of the settlers with his eyes. "You know, this planet is the type of place I'd like to settle down. Nice, quiet, out of the way, but still close enough to civilization to go back when I need to."
"Type of place you'd like to raise kids?" Karin asked, doing the same thing as he was with her eyes.
"I guess you could say that, wouldn't be against the idea." Jonathan stated back. "Of course, that has to wait until I leave SG-14."
"Or I could leave. Just have to change commands so you aren't my direct superior." Karin stated.
"Well in either way, we can't do anything until one of us leaves the team."
"I have transfer papers written up already." Karin informed him. "They're to request a transfer to one of the settlements like here for command of a small outpost. With my rank I'm more then qualified for a weapons depo command or a position in a gate facility."
"I'll sign it off, but I do have to say it's a shame to lose you." Jonathan said, watching the gate deactivate as the last settler walked through.
"Oh cut the crap, we might not be working together from now on, but at least we can actually be together when we're off duty."
"I still say we should have risked it." Karin's only response was for her hand to meet her face at that comment. Why had she fallen for an idiot?
Author's notes
Well that turned out to be more filler then I'd originally expected it to. Trying to blast through a few chapters right now, since I want to get chapter 30 up by the 18th. No promises, but I will be trying to get that done. After that things will return to a more normal posting schedule however. Until next time, keep reading my friends.
