Here is the latest chapter. I wanted to get it out before the week came to an end, but that didn't happen. Lets just call this a Sunday surprise. I hope everyone is having a great weekend, and has a fantastic week in the coming week.
Shepo: Thank you for the kind words. As a lover of all things Star Gate, I am happy to provide a follow on for other fans of the series. I hope you continue to enjoy all I have in store.
jdnokc: Sick and disgusting? I would say that is a bit of an overreaction. SImply because O'Neill is a major character in no way means he is insulated from loss. Every person lost in a conflict is someones son or daughter. Where is your righteous indignation for those deaths? If you can't handle one death and the emotional fallout to follow, then its best you stop reading this story as things will not be pleasant to read for such fragile sensibilities as yours. If reading such things bothers you to such a degree, you might wish to rethink your choice of reading military science fiction.
Gillian Grayson: I took your advice to heart. I'm simply not sold on how my effort turned out. I'm left feeling it fell flat.
CSM Forrester: The slow boil portion of the story is over. Now things get fast and brutal.
Antoni11: Thank you!
Science Vessel Copernicus
Ancient Mentor Planet
Alterran Home Galaxy
In orbit, high above the barren landscape of the planet below, the form of Copernicus sat silently. For many hours, the powerful Ancient designed and Asgard influenced sensors aboard the science vessel had scanned the planet. Initial disappointment on the sensor findings had quickly turned to excitement, at least to Daniel, upon the discovery of a clearly unnatural structure standing above the surrounding landscape.
It stood to reason that this sole structure was the last remaining trace of those known as the mentors of the Ancient's. That fact alone ensured Doctor Daniel Jackson would lead a team to the site. His hope was to locate these mentors, and learning everything that could be learned from them. Daniel hungered for knowledge surrounding the early Ancient's, as well as the history of these mentors. Visions of what could be learned from this race danced through Daniel's mind, making concentration on anything else difficult, if not impossible.
Anticipation ran through Daniel's veins, as he stood ready to begin this newest journey through the history of the universe. The possibilities following initial contact with the benevolent civilization that nurtured the early Ancient's were staggering. Perhaps this race, if still living, would share their teachings with Earth. Daniel fully admitted to himself that his naive outlook often overlooked potential downsides to any first contact. As the hopeful individual that he was, he found it extremely difficult to allow those potential downsides to creep into his frame of mind.
While Daniel would have gladly undertaken the ground search on his own, the commander of Copernicus had other ideas. Aware of Daniel's near constant run of bad luck on other newly discovered worlds, the vessel's commander insisted Daniel be accompanied by an armed escort. This was not something Daniel agreed with on any level. As the debate about an armed escort grew more heated, the commander of Copernicus eventually laid down a gauntlet, and stated that without an escort, this mission would end threat won the day, and Daniel's reluctant agreement.
Boarding a Puddle Jumper within the internal Jumper bay within the bowels of Copernicus, Daniel and his escort of four armed Air Force Security Police airmen took their first steps on this adventure. Taking their seats, the five individuals watched as the two man flight crew of the Jumper sealed the rear ramp. In a silent and low hover above the deck plating of the internal bay, the Jumper reoriented itself over the energy field protected exit. Descending through this protective energy field, the Jumper's flight crew deployed both drive pods of their craft.
Careful not to engage their defensive cloaking system, the flight crew took a very roundabout route towards their final destination. As the Jumper sped away, Copernicus began to transmit a message in Ancient, towards the planet below. This message announced peaceful intentions, and the desire to communicate with those inhabiting this world. Sensors aboard Copernicus and the Jumper searched for any response, but none came.
Passing into the atmosphere of the planet, the Jumper maintained its pace. Were they to charge towards the destination, it could be interpreted as a threat. If the Jumper progressed too slowly, it could be seen in the same manner. Shedding altitude, the Jumper descended towards the ground below. Looking through the windscreen, Daniel drank in the sight unfolding below.
Lacking any trace of standing water, the ground below was a deep and rich red. That suggested a soil composition high in iron. Canyons running in all directions further suggested that water had once made its mark on this planet, carving each canyon seen. It was in one of these many canyons that the Jumper descended into. Thirty feet above what appeared to be a dry river bed, the Jumper raced. Maneuvering deftly through the twists and turns of the smooth and worn canyon, the Jumper inched towards its designated landing area.
Coming to a static hover, the Jumper shed its final altitude above the planets surface. Setting down on the fine red sand of the dry riverbed, the rear cargo ramp lowered. Dry heat surged into the Jumper in greeting. Daniel and his four armed escorts, rising from their seats, exited the craft and took their first steps on this world so far from Earth. Taking his first step on the deep red riverbed, Daniel lifted his foot and looked down on his footprint. In his eyes, this footstep was significant, as it signified humanities continuing journey of discovery.
"For now, lets keep the weapons holstered. We don't want to send the wrong message, and its unlikely that your weapons would do anything to a race with potentially a hundred million year technological head start anyway." Daniel suggested.
"Whatever you say Doctor Jackson. We are just here in case you need us. Until then, we will just hangout in the background." The security team leader responded.
With Jackson in the lead, the five person group began their trek. As they trudged through the red colored riverbed, red dust kicked up into the air illicit multiple coughs from the team. Thankfully, Daniel's allergy problem so prevalent early in his career with the SGC were no longer an issue at all. One thing they all noted was that this planet was hot. Sweat saturated their backs, as the sun beat down upon them.
Swiveling his head left and right, Daniel took in the sights around him. The canyon they followed began to narrow, allowing him the opportunity to study the rock strata without slowing his pace. Interestingly, the canyon walls were smooth to the touch, suggesting that the water that had carved these canyons had done gradually, over many millions of years. Had that water still been present and combined with the heat, the humidity would have been oppressive.
Entering a series of narrowing twists and turns, Daniel knew they were drawing nearer to their destination. Based on the overhead photos taken by Copernicus, Daniel was aware that the structure should be just a few thousand yards away. If only the narrow canyon walls were not so tall, the structure would have been in sight already. Slowing their pace to a crawl, the team clustered closely together as they navigated the increasingly tight twists and turns of their rock walled path.
Taking his next step, Daniel felt firmer footing. Sandy riverbed gave way to hard packed soil. Seconds later, the canyon opened to a large clearing, ringed by smooth rock ways all around. In the center of this clearing, a massive dirt encrusted spire rose into the air. Hundreds of millions of years of sand buildup on the spire had caked it in thick red chunks of hard packed soil. Despite that, the twisting outer structure could still be discerned.
Filled with wonder at the sight before him, Daniel felt hope well up within him. These were the moments he lived for, and this was the reason he had followed in his families footsteps to become an archeologist. These moments were the culmination of a life's work. For several minutes, Daniel simply stood and intently studied the spire. His attention fully focused on the structure, Daniel failed to take note of the teams discovery nearby.
"Uh, Doctor Jackson? I think you may want to take a look at this." The security team leader suggested.
"Have a look at what?" Jackson replied.
"Them." The team leader said while pointing at the ground.
Yards away, lay the remains of several long dead Priors of the Ori. Several were reduced to skeletal remains, while others had been somewhat preserved by the harshly dry and hot climate. Tattered priestly robes adorned each body. Beside them lay their crystal topped staff every Prior was known to carry. To take the life of a Prior was no easy feat, yet here lay numerous examples. Strangely, none had managed to get any closer to the spire than the first. This suggested that someone or something was watching, and standing guard over this structure.
Turning his attention back towards the spire, Daniel took a step closer to the structure. Peeling his eyes, he scanned the structure for any visible sign someone was watching. At that moment, a single beam of violet energy sprang from within the spire, and made contact with Daniel's forehead. Seeing this, the security team reacted quickly. Unholstering firearms, the team quickly encircled their charge. Realizing that could easily be construed as a threat, Daniel quickly ordered them to holster their weapons, and back away slowly. As the team retreated, the violet beam of energy vanished.
That beam, thought a weapon by the security team, was anything but. Coming in contact with Daniel's forehead, the beam had first scanned the archeologist's mind. Probing the language center of Daniel's frontal lobe, the beam had quickly and painlessly extracted the languages known by the target. It had stopped short of extracting memories that were not language related though.
In the space between the five Tau'ri explorers and the alien spire, wind began to howl. Red colored sand filled the air, obscuring the spire in the distance. From two points to either side of the team, the wind intensified. Funnels quickly formed, These whirlwinds, filled with deep red soil, stood stationary, as if under intelligent control. To enforce the idea that running was a very bad idea, three other man sized tornados formed in seconds. Each among the team knew that they could very easily share the same fate as the Prior's that lay feet away. None present missed the fact that one tornado existed for every team member present.
Tension buzzed through the body of each security team member. Daniel, entranced by what he was seeing around him, remained calm and in control. As a display of technological prowess, if that is what this was, succeeded in impressing Daniel. As the saying went, magic is simply technology that is not understood. In his gut, Daniel knew something was coming, though he had no clue what that something might be.
That something turned out to be a booming voice filling the air. Deep and clear; the deep bass of the voice reverberated in the chest of all present. This voice asked but a single question.
"How does one begin?" The voice asked.
A confused look took hold on the faces of the security team. Sharing looks of confusion, None of the security team knew what to make of the question posed. Daniel, as he often did, thought of the depth of the question. Contemplating that question, as tornadoes stood menacingly nearby, Daniel pondered the question itself. He was well aware that pondering the questions deeper meaning was often the very best way of finding the answer. Taking a step forward, Daniel moved to reply.
"One begins with an open mind, without any preconceived notions." Daniel shouted in reply.
"Why does one begin in such a manner?" The booming voice asked.
"To find the truth for truths sake." Daniel answered.
Seconds after Daniel uttered those words, the five stationary tornados began to move. Crisscrossing the path of each other, these five tornados danced around. As they danced, they began to merge into one another. As they merged, they grew in size until only one large tornado remained. Growing in height, the tornado remained stationary. Internally, windspeed within the tornado dramatically slowed. Fading from existence, the tornado vanished and left nothing but red soil and dust filling the air. At that moment, at the base of the spire, a thin seam of white light formed on the spire's surface vertically. This seam split, and opened into a doorway. Filling this doorway was a lone figure.
"I think we passed the test, and this is our reward." Daniel mused.
"Are we going in there?" The security team leader asked uneasily.
"No, you are staying out here. I am going in there though." Daniel pointed out.
"Doctor Jackson, I can't let you do that. My orders are to remain at your side throughout." The team leader objected.
"You have your orders, and I can appreciate that. You will be staying out here with your team. I won't tell if you don't." Daniel offered.
Knowing he had no power to stop Jackson, the security team leader ordered his team to stand fast. Before he could so much as wish Daniel luck, the archeologist was already making his way towards the spire, and the figure standing within the doorway. On Daniel's face was an eager expression. Striding towards the doorway with purpose, Daniel crossed the distance quickly. Nearing the doorway and the figure within, Daniel strained to get a glimpse of what the figure looked like.
A shimmer ran through the figure, as often happened with holographic representations. As far as appearance was concerned, the figure differed greatly from the human form so often encountered in several galaxies. Instead, this figure was five feet tall, with deep purple skin, and eight limbs. Four of these limbs were legs, while four were arms. Atop the body, a large oval shaped head with six dark eyes sat. An arachnid race came as no surprise, as they had been encountered before. As Daniel neared the figure, it slowly backed away from the entryway, to allow Daniel entry.
"You are the first to be granted an audience. Welcome." The figure offered.
"You speak my language. I am assuming the beam helped with that." Daniel replied.
"That is its purpose, yes. How else would we communicate with you, unless we resorted to scientific pictograms?" The figure questioned.
"Good point. My name is Daniel Jackson, and I have come a great distance to meet you." Daniel said in introduction.
"You may call me Path. Scans performed on you show that you differ greatly from those who's remains litter this area." Path stated.
"I assume you mean the Prior's. At one point, my world had unfortunate dealings with those of their kind also. My home world is not in this galaxy." Daniel explained.
"Your genetic profile is very similar to those we once mentored, with several differences. How is it your world was not under the control of the Ori?" Path asked.
"You know of the Ori? They are no more. Long ago, the Alterran people suffered a split. Half remained in this galaxy, and later went on to become the Ori. The other half, those we refer to as the Ancient's, traveled to my galaxy and spent their time devoted to the pursuit of science. Later, they seeded life in their form. I am a descendant of that seeded life." Daniel further explained.
"It pleases me to know the Alterran people advanced to such a level. We had high hopes for them. Let us walk while we talk." Path suggested.
Falling in step beside one another, Path and Daniel began to walk up a raised and curving path. Displaying a holographic representation of the spire's internal layout for Daniel, path explained the facility itself. Looking closely at this representation, Daniel was struck by the similarity of the layout to a shape known to all humans. That shape was the double helix.
"May I ask the significance of this internal design?" Daniel asked.
"Based on your question, I feel it likely that you already know the answer to your question." Path answered.
"This shape is most commonly found in DNA, the genetic building blocks of my kind." Daniel replied.
"Not just your kind Daniel. All life shares this genetic construct. It is the one thing all life shares universally." Path replied.
"Is this the work of your people?" Daniel asked honestly.
"It is not. It is simply something we learned long ago. Very few universal constants exist, but this is one of them." Path countered.
Continuing upwards in the spire, Daniel took note of chambers spaced at each level. He learned that this structure contained twenty three such chambers. Interestingly, the number twenty three was very significant to DNA as well. Daniel sensed a deeper mystery present, though he did not know fully what that mystery might be.
"If I may ask, why were the Prior's killed?" Daniel asked.
"They answered the question incorrectly. We knew much more about the Prior's than they could have ever realized. The Ori sent them here to learn about us out of fear, not out of the desire to truly know us. Eventually, the Ori ceased sending their minions here and left us to remain in peace. That is all we wanted when we removed ourselves from the galactic stage." Path recounted.
"What do you mean by removed? Are you talking about going into seclusion?" Daniel inquired.
"A discovery led to our taking the step of sequestering ourselves away. You would not understand." Path answered.
"Try me, I just might." Daniel suggested.
"Are you aware of what the cosmic microwave background is?" Path questioned.
"I am." Daniel replied smoothly.
"Long ago, we discovered a structure in the microwave background that should not exist." Path continued.
"By we you mean? We are aware of that structure." Daniel interjected.
"By we I mean the Oraibi. That is the name of my people. If you are aware of the structure, I assume you are working to decipher it." Path put forth.
"We are, as the Ancient's were. That message is what led to the divide between the Ancient's and the Ori. Long ago, the Ancient's launched a vessel we call Destiny for that purpose. Destiny continued on its journey long after the Ancient's ascended to a higher plain of existence. We are now manning Destiny, and continuing that mission." Daniel admitted.
"Those we nurtured ascended? They progressed as we thought they one day would. Ascension is but a first step though. The Ori should have feared the CMB structure, as they feared us. We too launched a vessel to collect the message fragments. What we found is what drove our retreat from the universe." Path continued.
"Did your vessel find the answer to the question of who or what was responsible for the structure in the microwave background? How did you retreat exactly?" Daniel questioned.
"Our vessel found answers, but not the ones we hoped for. We realized the danger this signal represented. While we abandoned the mission and destroyed the vessel, we knew that in time another civilization would follow in our footsteps to ascertain the origins of the microwave structure. My people believe in peace and understanding. War is abhorrent to us. Following that signal to its origin will lead to a conflict that cannot be won, or contained. Knowing that, we abandoned everything. The only way we could ensure our safety from the inevitable war was to lock ourselves away far out of reach. We created a new existence for ourselves, in a region of contained subspace created for the purpose. Our realm transcends time, space, and region. There, we will remain safe." Path said seriously.
"What leads you to believe the signal will lead to war?" Daniel asked in confusion.
"Did it not with the Ori and Ancient's? Those aboard our vessel learned enough to know the signal would result in chaos. Several aboard our vessel experienced hallucinations. Some of these urged the mission forward, while others pleaded to abandon the mission forevermore. I cannot tell you more than that, for fear of you using this information to unlock the secret of the message. As a race that fostered the first advances of your ancestors, I ask on behalf of my people that you too abandon the pursuit of this mystery. To continue forward is to risk all that you know." Path implored.
"Before I can pass your concerns along, I need to know why you feel so strongly about this." Daniel countered.
"Young one, somethings should not be questioned. Continue your mission, and you place the universe in peril. That is all I can tell you." Path said with finality.
"My people wish to know you, and learn from you. We are connected by our shared histories." Daniel began.
"Until such time as you have forever abandoned pursuit of the signal, we can have no dealings with you or the universe. I understand your disappointment, but that is how it must be. Abandon the quest. I must ask that you leave, and not return until you have come to understand our request. Goodbye Daniel." Path said before vanishing.
Standing at the pinnacle of the spire, Daniel felt a range of emotions. Disappointment, annoyance, and confusion welled up within him. This was not how he imagined first contact with the mentors of the Ancient's playing out. Daniel, eternal optimist that he was, considered this entire mission a failure. That failure would trouble him for some time to come.
Aretha
Across the Universe
The planet of Aretha was one with a traumatic past. In its ancient history, Aretha had enjoyed a world filled with the peaceful Arethians. During this time, culture had flourished across this world. As a unified culture, the Arethians valued beauty and peace loving pursuits. Then, a plague had fallen upon the peace loving Arethians from the skies.
This plague came in the form of a race not of this world. Like the monsters of a child's nightmare, this alien race had brought the far from warlike Arethians to heel without effort. For thousands of years after their arrival, this alien race had controlled every aspect of daily life on the planet. Medical experimentation marked the era of alien control. This experimentation and genetic manipulation was done for the alien race's amusement.
Altering the genome of the Arethians, the native race were transformed. While they had once been short in stature, and covered in fine hair, their new form was stronger and larger. Six generations after the plague's arrival, Arethians stood fully six feet tall on average, with sturdy box like bodies. The fine hair that once adorned their bodies was transformed into a wiry hair. These changes were for a purpose.
Fully in control of the Arethians, the conquering alien race had used their subjects for amusement. Gladiatorial games, fought by Arethians to the death, played out each day. During the conquering alien races time in power over this world, millions died simply for entertainment, and to assist in further genetic research. This served to forever alter the natives of Aretha.
Conflict became their new focus. Each native became a fierce warrior by nature. Creating deep divides between sects of Aretha, this served to forever split the unity the native race had known its entire existence. After several millennia of this, the conquering race one day vanished overnight. While Aretha was no longer under their control, the conquering race had forever altered the landscape of this world.
Advancement resumed decades after the plague's departure. This advancement brought with it war. Conditioned for combat, Arethians knew nothing else. Cities were built, and destroyed. This was done not out of purpose, but out of the implanted genetic predisposition towards violence. As no sect possessed a clear cut technological advantage, these wars became a never ending slaughterhouse of attrition warfare.
All that these waring sects could agree on was that never again would a plague from the skies be allowed to take Arethians captive. Death was better than a life in bondage. Despite all sharing this belief, it did little to prevent the wars that gripped this world, and had done so for many centuries. Two days before, a stark reminder of external threats had arrived in orbit.
Astronomers were the first to take note of the return of visitors not of this world. Reaching across cultural barriers, astronomers from opposing sides of the great war that had hold of Aretha, astronomers shared their findings with others. They did this in the hope of confirming their findings, while also hoping to spread word far and wide. Turning their telescopes to the sky, this group of Aretha's greatest scientific minds soon confirmed that a large vessel was indeed orbiting this world. As one, this group reported their individual findings with their respective governments.
These reports generated considerable buzz within these governments. It was argued that perhaps another explanation for the large object orbiting the planet was possible. After all, no move to enter the planets atmosphere had been made, nor had communication been attempted. Refusing to provoke a response, the governments of the world opted to not establish contact themselves. Instead, these governments agreed to set aside their long aged conflict amongst themselves, and prepare for a larger threat. If no move to scout the planet was made, it stood to reason that this object might not represent a threat at all.
The appearance of numerous small flying craft in the skies of Aretha silenced that argument for all time. Armies long locked in battle, while retreating to their own national lines, were the first to report sightings of these small craft. Shortly thereafter, these small craft appeared in the skies above major cities. In a panic, some fired small arms at these craft. Failing to hit the small craft, those firing upon them were astounded by the speed and agility the craft displayed. Word of the crafts capabilities, and the militaries inability to so much as hit one of these craft with weapons fire found its way to governments across the planet.
What came next was the most horrific for the citizens of Aretha. The large craft in orbit began to transmit a series of images to the planet. Contained within this data stream were images of the large vessel in orbit. Adorning the vessel were weapons mounts along the upper side of the incredibly large ship. That made this a warship, and a warship meant an alien presence bent on conquest. Also contained within the transmission from the invaders ship were images of the occupants of the vessel.
Lacking body hair, and coming in many skin colors, these beings were the stuff of nightmares for Aretha's children. In each image, these beings stood proudly, displaying their arrogance. The face of each being was contorted into a twisted and frightening form, displaying bright white teeth. Only predators displayed their teeth with such glee. Accompanying audio transmissions of an indecipherable language followed, which sounded to Aretha's linguists like guttural chants. It became clear that these aliens were bent on the conquest of Aretha, and had no fear of making their hostile intentions known in advance.
Conquest and a return to enslavement were unacceptable outcomes to the inhabitants of this world. Death was far preferable than a return to life in bondage. All Aretha felt this way. In fact, it was the one thing the inhabitants of this world agreed on. Panic rippled through the streets of each nation, forcing the combined governments to convene an emergency meeting of all heads of state.
In this meeting, it was decided that no effective way existed to defend Aretha from a race possessing such advanced technology. If this race of conquerers could cross the vast expanse of space, then they would have no trouble at all conquering Aretha in a day and night. During this meeting, governmental heads laid their ages old grievances with one another to rest. For the first time, the native inhabitants of Aretha would act as one, towards a common goal. Deciding then and there, the leaders of all nations enacted a plan conceived long ago.
At government directive in each nation, each household was required to maintain a kit for an event such as this. Within that kit was a glass vial of pills, numbering one pill for each member of the household. Over radio broadcasts, the citizens of each nation were instructed to open these vials, and consume the contents. Mass suicide followed. Individual national armies, recalled from the front lines of a war now abandoned, began to lob lethal chemical weapons into the cities large and small of the world. After firing their issued compliment of lethal chemical munitions, the soldiers of these armies consumed their pills also.
In a matter of six hours, the inhabitants of Aretha lay dead of dying by their own hand. The sacrifice of ones life was a far better fate than to become the slave and plaything of this conquering race. Displaying defiance to those who sought to rule Aretha, the inhabitants of this world chose death.
On the bridge of Destiny, the bridge crew had watched first in confusion, and then horror. Overflights of the world by shuttlecraft had brought about a violent reaction from the inhabitants of this world. That was understandable, as Destiny was an unexpected visitor. Transmission of a first contact greeting, including photos of a smiling crew, had generated incredible amounts of radio traffic on the world below. The language used on this world was indecipherable to standard translation programs, so the contents of these radio transmissions was unknown.
The recall of armies from battle gave the crew of Destiny hope. Perhaps their arrival would bring about a well deserved peace for this war ravaged world. Keeping a close eye on the planet below with the vessels sensor suite, a sudden decrease in detectable life signs was noted. As this trend increased, the crew became alarmed. Watching the militaries of this world lob chemical munitions into the cities of this planet before committing suicide horrified those on the bridge. The question of why the inhabitants were doing this was asked multiple times. As the last life sign on the planet faded, Doctor Nicholas Rush and Eli Wallace stood on the bridge speechless. Both wore the glassy eyed look of a man who had just seen into the depths of hell. Beside both men appeared the phantom apparitions of Gloria Rush and Sergeant Riley.
"Look upon the horrors below Nicholas. Continue this mission, and you will be able to undo tragedies such as these. See this mission through and you can right the wrongs." Gloria whispered into Rush's ear.
"An entire species has perished because of your arrival here. Had you never come, those of this planet would still be alive. Let this example serve as the justification to abandon this pursuit. If you refuse, more will die. Can you live with the death of entire civilizations on your conscience Eli?" Riley quietly asked.
"I think we've seen enough. Break orbit and get us out of here." Colonel Ian Davidson ordered sadly.
Breaking orbit, Destiny powered away from this world. Within the hallways of the Ancient designed vessel, the crew was somber and numb from the events they had watched transpire and had possibly instigated. Moving forward, this would trouble the crew of Destiny, and plague their nightmares for some time to come.
Star Gate Command, Cheyenne Mountain
Earth
Milky Way Galaxy
"Incoming wormhole." Sounded throughout the facility.
Briefed by an emergency dial in minutes before, emergency services stood ready within the cavernous gate room. Also present, along with a detachment of facility security personnel, was Brigadier General Samantha Carter. The emergency dial in could only mean that the mission of SG-31, in conjunction with SG-8, had failed. After the events of the last few weeks, and the tragedy that had befallen General O'Neill, another disaster was the last thing Carter wanted or needed.
Through the gate emerged four of the five members of SG-31. Lieutenant Breanne Goodly looked to be an emotional wreck, with tears flowing down her checks. Sergeant Yerner, assisting his teammate, assisted Goodly down the ramp. Lyza, the Replicator member of the team, wore a concerned look on her face. As the team made its way down the ramp leading away from the gate, SG-8 exited. Each of the teams four members carried a stretcher between them. On that stretcher was the body of Colonel Andrews. From where Carter stood, she could see multiple ruptures in the Colonel's exoskeleton, as well as severe charring of the suits outer armor.
"What happened?" Carter demanded.
"General Carter, I believe I am best equipped to brief you on the situation. I would suggest that Lieutenant Goodly be allowed to proceed to the infirmary, and be sedated." Lyza stated.
"Sergeant Yerner, please take Lieutenant Goodly to the infirmary. Lyza, come with me." Carter ordered.
As SG-8 turned over care of Colonel Andrews body, Carter and Lyza made their way upstairs to the General's office. Carter's active mind debated exactly what had happened off world, until she finally decided to be patient and learn exact details from Lyza. Entering her office, Carter motioned Lyza in before slamming the door.
"Now, tell me what happened." Carter ordered.
"Would you prefer that I start at the beginning?" Lyza asked honestly.
"That would probably help. Now, start talking." Carter urged.
"In the days before our departure on this mission, rumors have circulated widely about a possible security leak within the SGC. These rumors made their way to my team." Lyza began.
"Where did these rumors originate?" Carter inquired in annoyance.
"The origin of these rumors is unknown to me. Humor group nature makes tracing the origin of a rumor a difficult task at the best of times." Lyza countered.
"I'm aware. Continue." Carter further ordered.
"Upon our arrival at the planet to be explored, my human teammates openly discussed these rumors. That was the topic of discussion for much of our first few hours of exploration. Colonel Andrews stated the seriousness of the topic at hand, and instructed the team to cease feeding the rumor mill. This request the team complied with. From that point, the team continued our exploration, after dividing into two elements. Per Colonel Andrews request, I remained with Sergeant Yerner and Doctor Bagley." Lyza continued.
"During the discussion of these rumors, did Colonel Andrews behave strangely?" Carter asked seriously.
"I detected no difference in emotion or action from the baseline I had already established in my numerous interactions with the Colonel. His mood did change shortly after the arrival of SG-8 though." Lyza stated.
"What brought about the sudden change?" Carter questioned.
"I believe it was the radio message the commander of SG-8 broadcast stating that Colonel Andrews was to surrender his firearm, and return to the gate under escort where he was to be placed under arrest." Lyza replied.
"Are you serious?" Carter demanded in annoyed shock.
"Yes, I am. Colonel Andrews responded to SG-8's communication, and stated that he refused to be a scapegoat. He further went on to claim he was being framed. Before Lieutenant Goodly could take Colonel Andrews into custody, Colonel Andrews attempted to flee. It is my understanding that the Lieutenant gave chase. Sergeant Yerner and I moved to assist the Lieutenant, but we were unable to reach the two before an unfortunate turn of events transpired. According to Lieutenant Goodly, when she cornered Colonel Andrews, he drew a weapon and threatened her. She opened fire with her service weapon, and the Colonel expired." Lyza extolled.
"When you reached the scene, what was the emotional stated of Goodly?" Carter probed.
"She was very emotional. While Sergeant Yerner and myself secured the Colonel's body, Lieutenant Goodly asked for a few minutes to gather her thoughts, and walked away into the wilderness. Her request was understandable in my view, when judged by the knowledge of human nature I possess. Sergeant Yerner made contact with SG-8, who sent word to you about the unfolding emergency. After collecting the body, both my team and SG-8 returned to Earth." Lyza finished.
In the infirmary many levels below Carter's office, Lieutenant Goodly laid in bed. At Doctor Caroline Lam's insistence, an IV line with a saline drip had been administered to the distraught young woman. To this, Doctor Lam added a sedative which was meant to help Goodly relax. Casting her gaze towards the intravenous line running into her left arm, Goodly relaxed for the first time in days.
Upon hearing the rumors circulating throughout the SGC, she had become wildly concerned, and filled with trepidation. Fearing the Tau'ri may have learned her true origins and allegiance, she worried that at any moment she would be placed under arrest. That fear and worry soon turned into conviction, as she planned to permanently sever the one connection that could point the way towards her as the mole within the SGC.
Learning that her team would be deployed on an off world mission, the young woman planned the permanent exit of Colonel Andrews from this life. Before any of her plan could come to fruition, SG-8 had arrived. In truth, Colonel Andrews had not panicked on his own. It was Goodly that had urged him to run, insisting that she would hide him until his name could be cleared. The two had then ran, to find a temporary safe harbor for the Colonel.
Upon reaching a suitable temporary hiding spot, the Colonel came to the realization that this woman he loved was the only one who believed in his innocence. Telling her as he had many times before that he loved her, the Colonel was unprepared for that woman drawing her weapon and firing several times at him in rapid succession. Shooting to kill instead of to wound, Goodly's shots hit their mark. Before Colonel Andrews took his last breath, he simply asked why in confusion.
While the Colonel's body was secured and collected, Goodly had wondered away from the others. While her teammates thought she was collecting her thoughts, Goodly was instead carrying out a vital function of her true mission. Attaching a low power transmitter to a small data crystal, Goodly planted intelligence that the Lucian Alliance would later collect. On that crystal were a variety of updates that she had learned through chatter with others, as well as information pertaining to Alba Longa.
As sedative coursed through her veins, Goodly breathed a sigh of relief. Her position among the Tau'ri was secure. The only threat to her was now gone, bringing the investigation into potential leaks to a halt. The fact that she had covered her tracks in such a way as to place her above reproach was particularly amusing. Now, nothing stood between Goodly and the completion of her mission, or the mission of her comrades.
The White House
Earth
Two Weeks After Edora Attack
In the days following the attack upon Edora, answers to the many questions surrounding the attack had surfaced. Seeking answers for these questions, the intelligence gathering agencies of Earth swung into high gear. The majority of questions were answered by Aris Boch, currently in the custody of the United States. Many more questions arose following the detainee's tell all question and answer session.
Much of the information provided by Aris Boch had been unconfirmed at the time of his questioning. Assets throughout the Milky Way, belonging to the many nations of Earth, were quickly tasked with verifying the information provided. Adding to this, though cleansed of its true origins through various channels, was information provided by assets of the Intelligence Support Activity. In time, a fuller picture developed. Despite this, many questions remained, that might never be answered.
Jack O'Neill, after learning of the fate that had befallen his son, retreated into himself. Close friends, such as Secretary of Defense Hank Landry, had rallied around Jack. Were it not for this outpouring of support, Jack might have remained a man lost in a sea of heartbreak. Walter Harriman, dedicating his every waking hour to the task, remained by Jack's side for a solid week. At the end of that week, Jack's heartbreak had solidified into resolve, and the desire to right the wrongs inflicted upon himself, Earth, and the people of Edora. Grasping tightly to this new mission, Jack seemed a changed man, and once again ready to lead and command.
Returning to his duties, those around Jack treaded carefully. Refusing to be treated like a bird with a broken wing, Jack poured every ounce of his energy into planning a response to this attack, with partner nations around the world. The response that would come would not be one from a single country, but instead a coalition of nations that had suffered loss during the attack upon Edora. Each step of the way, O'Neill and Landry worked with allies to navigate the minefield standing between a response, and acceptance of an attack. Once those preparations were deemed ready, it became time to brief the Commander and Chief. That was a task both Landry and O'Neill had intimate familiarity.
At the White House, both Landry and O'Neill arrived at the side entrance with little fanfare. Due to the early morning arrival, none of the few tourists outside the seat of United States leadership took note of the unmarked vehicles as they pulled in. As President O'Bannon finished up his daily briefing, Landry and O'Neil were shown into the Oval Office. Standing beside the President, the White House Chief of Staff grimaced
in response to the newly arrived visitors. Taking seats, coffee was served and the meeting began.
"Good morning gentlemen. I apologize for the early hour of this meeting, but as you know, my schedule is a full one today." President O'Bannon began.
"We serve at your convenience Mr. President." Landry replied.
"Jack, I wanted to take a moment to offer my sympathy for your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers, as well as the thoughts and prayers of my family." O'Bannon sympathized.
"Thank you Mr. President." Jack replied tersely.
"So what do you have for me?" O'Bannon asked expectantly.
"We have learned a quite a few pieces of information regarding the attack, and the motivations behind it. Furthermore, the opportunity to truly do damage to the Lucian Alliance has presented itself in the form of a human the SGC has met previously." Landry briefed.
"You have my attention Hank. Tell me what you've got." O'Bannon urged.
"As you know, we have been listening in on Lucian Alliance subspace communications traffic for some time now. Our off world listening post on Tartarus picked up a fair amount of chatter following the attack on Edora. What they learned surprised us a fair bit. It seems that the attack was not a planned effort of the Lucian Alliance leadership, but the work of one man. At this time, we believe this to be, and intelligence supports our assertion, that this was part of a move by a member of the Alliance to usurp control of Kefflin, the current leader." Landry explained.
"You're telling me that this is part of a change in their leadership? How reliable is that assessment?" O'Bannon questioned.
"Based on communications intercepts, we are confident in the assessment, and allies privy to this intelligence agree. Communications intercepts following the failed attack support this, as the man who ordered the attack was recalled for consultations with Kefflin. This was a failed coup, and the smart money rests on the individual, Slavish, meeting a gruesome end sooner rather than later." Landry further explained.
"In regards to us, what does this mean?" O'Bannon inquired.
"This offers us an opportunity. If support for Kefflin is in question, then the Alliance is hardly operating as a unified front. This suggests confusion within Alliance ranks, so now would be the time to take a few of their pieces off the board." Landry suggested.
"Secretary Landry, level with us. Is it not possible that you are using the attack on Edora to launch yet another in a long string of provocations aimed squarely at the Lucian Alliance? Would they have attacked us if we had not treated them as an eventual enemy?" Chief of Staff Ed Pine questioned pointedly.
"It's very important to remember that the Lucian Alliance is primarily a psychological warfare machine. Their purpose is to conduct not just attacks, but highly visible attacks to reinforce their standing." General O'Neill interjected.
"Pardon me if I don't take that statement at face value. This sounds like you pushing for another Tagrea style invasion simply because the attack on Edora hit close to home for you." Pine sneered.
"Ed." O'Bannon cautioned.
"You want to hang Tagrea around my neck like an albatross? Well, go right ahead. Tell me Mr. Pine, when was the last time our off world operations cost you anything dear to you? The Lucian Alliance is our enemy, plain and simple." O'Neill replied in quiet rage.
"An enemy you declared an enemy, nothing more!" Pine objected.
"Ed, that's enough." O'Bannon warned.
"General O'Neill did not one day wake up and decide that the Lucian Alliance was an enemy. In the past, they have attacked the Pentagon, and had their operation succeeded, would have leveled much of the east coast." Landry retorted.
"If they had, I would have known about it." Pine argued.
"This occurred several years before disclosure." Landry countered.
"Why didn't I know?" Pine demanded.
"Frankly, you weren't important enough to tell." O'Neill pointed out.
Looking around the Oval Office, President O'Bannon could see the animosity. O'Bannon knew all too well that his Chief of Staff was far from a fan of the military, and of Jack O'Neill in particular. While he understood Pine's reasoning, O'Bannon was unable to agree in full.
"Gentlemen, let's focus on the reason you're here. I am pressed for time today, so lets stay on track." O'Bannon suggested.
"During questioning of the Lucian Alliance ground force commander, we learned where a majority of their ground force manpower is drawn from. This individual has made it clear that his people serve the Alliance out of survival. We have the opportunity, with the assistance of individuals loyal to the captured ground force commander, to remove the Alliance's ability to invade with substantial ground power from the board." Landry stated confidently.
"I'm guessing a blockade, while the natives rise up. Am I right?" O'Bannon mused.
"Blockade? That is an act of war!" Pine argued.
"So is attacking our fleet, and an embassy. This is nothing new." O'Neill goaded.
"A blockade is possible, but would be difficult to enforce. Hyperspace travel makes enforcing demarkation lines difficult at best." Landry added.
"Then what are you asking for Hank?" O'Bannon asked.
"We are asking you now for permission to participate in the liberation of the captured ground force commanders world, and to conduct a number of diversionary operations during said liberation efforts." Landry replied.
"If I say no?" O'Bannon asked seriously.
"Then France, Russia, and Norway will go it alone. They are very displeased by the deaths of several of their citizens on Edora. Non participation in this effort could have wide ranging diplomatic consequences as well." Landry stated.
"Why is that?" O'Bannon pressed.
"France, Russia, and Norway have all enacted Article Five of the United Earth Alliance treaty. We are treaty bound to respond, as an member nations of the UEA were attacked." O'Neill said.
"You know I don't want this, right?" O'Bannon asked.
"Mr. President, the people of Edora didn't want to be needlessly attacked. We are at war, it is that simple. War doesn't pick a convenient time or place." Jack countered.
"Hypothetically, lets say I agree to our participation. What level of involvement are we talking about?" O'Bannon further pressed.
"France and Russia will be taking the lead on this as far as ground operations are concerned. Our participation in direct ground operations will be limited to a battalion of ground troops, and a small member of specialists. Beyond that, we will provide a majority of the airlift, plus a few offensive air units. Our footprint in this sandbox is as small." Landry clarified.
"You know my stance on operations such as these. Diplomatic fallout from inaction is not something I am willing to accept though. You have a tentative go for now. I will get you formal approval by weeks end." O'Bannon concluded in disappointment.
"It took a political tap dance to put Tagrea behind us with the voting public. This will be no different." Pine said in disgust.
The Balardgone
Paris, France
Earth
In the Balardgone, France's equivalent of the American Pentagon, the French military high command was hard at work. Situated along the banks of the Seine, near the Eiffel Tower, the Balardgone was a relatively new addition to the Parisian cityscape. Within this massive complex of multistory buildings, the French military headquarters was finally unified in one place for the very first time.
Deep within the Balardgone, in a secure room filled with bodies and clouds of cigarette smoke, military planners busied themselves putting together the plan for the liberation of a Lucian Alliance controlled world. Alongside French military planners were members of the Russian General Staff, as well as representatives of Norwegian military high command.
Pouring over reams of intelligence data developed by assets of Earth, military planners plotted moves to come. This coming military endeavor would be the first of the new United Earth Alliance, that had replaced the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. While Earth was fast becoming accustomed to working together, this first UEA operation would mark a milestone in international cooperation. Seated together, a representative from France, Russia, and Norway were seated together, deep in discussion.
"Can we be sure the American's will join us in this undertaking?" Russian Colonel Feliks Dotsenko asked in concern.
"General O'Neill has assured us that our invoking of Article Five of the UEA Treaty will ensure American participation." French Colonel Laurent Maisonet assured.
"How does that effect our planning?" Norwegian Colonel Magnus Selvig questioned.
"The majority of the needed transport capacity will come from the Americans. They will also clear the way for the landing of our forces." Maisonet responded.
"Their deep strike doctrine is fearsome indeed." Dotsenko added.
"The large concern are the vessels stationed on the target planet. Reconnaissance shows a total of four Ha'tak Class vessels present. They seem to rotate, with one in orbit while three are stationary on the planet. We need to assume that this could change at a moments notice. If no change is seen, elimination of the Ha'tak in orbit falls to the Norwegian and Russian vessels that will arrive prior to our ground forces." Maisonet continued.
"What assurance do we have that the Lucian Alliance will simply not reinforce this world with a majority of their fleet?" Selvig questioned.
"Fleet units of all UEA nations have already been recalled. They will conduct a series of operations meant to prevent that very thing from transpiring. It is my understanding that the Asgard will assist in this effort as well." Maisonet replied.
"Both the Russian and French carriers will have their upgrade completed within days. Based on the intelligence we have in hand, we should be able to achieve air superiority within a matter of hours. The real concern is agreeability of the native population. For reasons of uncertainty, Russia will commit the ground forces listed in the planning document, with further forces ready for quick deployment." Dotsenko stated.
"We will be deploying the Foreign Legion in whole. This will be the first time we have every done such a thing." Maisonet added.
"Brigade Nord, led by the Telemark battalion will lead Norwegian ground forces. The Americans will also commit ground forces, but not in the numbers of our contributions." Selvig stated.
"This all hinges on the promises of the captured Lucian Alliance ground commander. If he delivers on his promises, we will succeed without problem. If he fails to deliver, this could get out of hand quickly." Maisonet interjected.
"When do we begin to move forces into position?" Dotsenko inquired.
"My understanding is forces will begin to make their way to the jumping off point aboard Fleet Station McHenry in a matter of days." Maisonet replied.
Possara
Lucian Alliance Home World
Milky Way Galaxy
Since the Tau'ri run on Possara, much had changed. The Lucian Alliance, fearing the prospect of being painted into a corner, had taken steps to prevent that very thing. The population of Possara had been divided into eight equal groups. Seven of these groups were moved to other nearby habitable planets off the galactic gate network, and all within two hundred light years of Possara. Scattering into shadows and galactic backwaters was thought to be the best defense against Tau'ri containment.
As a whole, the vast majority of the Lucian Alliance Fleet was deployed. Standing guard over each of the planets the Lucian Alliance called their own, these scattered forces hoped to prevent a large scale Tau'ri assault. Using the incredible power of Kefflin's mothership, a series of space stations identical to the destroyed Hasara space station of Goa'uld design, were towed from Delmak into each solar system under Alliance control. While these stations had very little hope of standing up to a direct attack from the Tau'ri fleet, they were meant to serve as a tripwire of sorts to provide early warning.
In orbit of Possara, Kefflin's mighty mothership, and an assortment of escorting Ha'tak's stood guard. Adding to this force were Ha'tak's belonging to the faction of the Alliance controlled by Sloviash. Learning of Sloviash's failed attack on Edora, and subsequent destruction of much needed vessels and ground forces, Kefflin had immediately summoned his wayward Second. Had the attack upon Edora succeeded, Sloviash might have approached Possara like a conquering hero. Due to the failure of the attack, Sloviash was far more concerned with the keeping of his own head. All other considerations for Sloviash came a far second.
Upon his arrival at Possara, Sloviash had warily made his way to the city below. His fears of being accosted after exiting the transport rings were all for naught. Greeted by his fellow Alliance members, Sloviash began to believe that he could weather the storm sure to follow. At a dinner to celebrate his return to Possara, Sloviash had happily partaken of food and drink, while Alliance members discussed plans for the future. Midway through this dinner, Sloviash passed out facedown in his platter of food; falling victim to the tranquilizer lacing his wine.
Regaining consciousness many hours later, Sloviash found himself securing tied to a chair. Looking around at the dark walls surrounding him, Sloviash realized that this could only be Kefflin's dungeon playroom, where one entered but never exited alive. That thought had sent a chill down the man's spine. He knew all to well the sadistic tortures Kefflin had inflicted upon his enemies over the years. Not once had Sloviash ever believed that his plan would end with him here, waiting for a painful end.
Through a doorway behind Sloviash, footsteps approached. Based on the heavy footsteps, Sloviash knew it was Kefflin approaching. More frightening was that Kefflin was happily whistling a song popular among the humans of this world. If the man could find joy in torture to come, how much would he enjoy the act of torturing one who had betrayed him? A cold sweat began to cover Sloviash's back, neck, and face in response.
"Sloviash, so good of you to return." Kefflin said in greeting.
"I am in your service." Sloviash replied nervously.
"Are you? I find it amusing that you say that while strapped to a chair for betraying me." Kefflin responded doubtfully.
"Betray you? Never Kefflin!" Sloviash protested meekly.
"The last man who sat where you now sit lied to me. Those lies continued until I cut out his tongue." Kefflin pointed out.
"I am being framed! Whoever is doing this does so to weaken the Alliance!" Sloviash argued.
"One thing you may not be aware of is a certain crystal added to each vessel in the fleet. This crystal contains a program that records all communications, and forwards them to me for review. It is a safeguard against enterprising individuals such as yourself, who covet my seat as First." Kefflin explained.
Before Sloviash could reply, another figure entered the room. Making his way to Kefflin's side, Carlyle made eye contact with Sloviash, before handing a slip of paper to the First. In hushed tones, Kefflin and Carlyle spoke.
"What did you find?" Kefflin asked.
"It is there. Dozens of sacks of Kassa, matching the amounts we knew to expect from the intercepted signals on the database." Carlyle stated.
"It appears you are a thief as well as a failed usurper. You have been busy." Kefflin chuckled.
"Anything he says is a lie. He is framing me to turn you against me. It is he that covets your seat as First." Sloviash stuttered.
"Are you forgetting that I have seen the message you shared with the vessels attacking Edora? I believe you ordered them to attack, and secure your leadership of the Alliance. Am I mistaken? Please tell me if I am." Kefflin urged soothingly.
"The diversion of Kassa from our stores was discovered by the three men verifying our inventory." Carlyle stated in accusatory tones.
"In your foolish pursuit of a position you are woefully unfit for, do you have any idea the danger you've put the Alliance in?" Kefflin asked in a steely voice.
"The Tau'ri are weak! They will do nothing in response!" Sloviash argued.
"How will we stop them if they do? Our fleet is no match for theirs." Carlyle objected.
"What he says is true Sloviash. The fleet is not meant to directly combat the Tau'ri. We learned that years ago at the super gate when a handful of Tau'ri and Asgard vessels destroyed much of the Alliance. As for the Tau'ri not responding, that might have been true had you not provided them the proper motivation. I have learned through sources of my own that in your attack, the son of General O'Neill was killed. Do you honestly believe this man who considered us an enemy before, will not throw himself fully into a war to destroy us all?" Kefflin asked quietly.
"I wounded the man who has wounded us. You should be thanking me!" Sloviash barked.
"Thank you?" Carlyle asked in disbelief.
"Yes, thank me. I did what you are too weak to do!" Sloviash argued defiantly.
"Unknown to you, I did have a plan of action for the Tau'ri. We know we cannot stand up to them directly. That is why we have fomented conflict across the galaxy. In this way, we could tie them down until their soft willed population no longer had a taste for war. Your actions have wasted all of my efforts. My original plan of action is now useless, and we will be forced to alter our plans moving forward. All of this is due to your lust for power you wouldn't know how to use if you had it. Blunt instruments should never fancy themselves precision instruments." Kefflin lectured.
"If you are going to kill me, why is he here?" Sloviash asked, referring to Carlyle.
"The animosity between you two is no secret. I thought it only fair that the man who will absorb your position into his own be the one who ends your life. Fair is fair after all, and I pride myself on being fair." Kefflin grinned.
Listening to Kefflin's words spurred a rapid fire process of thought in Carlyle. Wheels turning within his mind at the speed of light brought Carlyle to a quick conclusion. If he were going to pull this off, he needed to make his move now.
"If I kill him here, it could lead to problems among those loyal to him. Perhaps we can do this another way, that eliminates that risk, and adds an element of entertainment to the equation." Carlyle suggested.
"What do you propose?" Kefflin asked.
"Let me take him to another world. There, I will use him for hunting practice." Carlyle replied.
Listening to the two men speak about his fate, Sloviash felt sick to his stomach. Death was inevitable to all, but death at the hands of one he despised was the ultimate insult to Sloviash. After the treatment Sloviash had inflicted upon his potential executioner, he was sure the man would take great pleasure in ending his life.
"Where will you take him for this?" Kefflin questioned.
"Do you really want to know?" Carlyle asked in response.
"No, I suppose not. Sloviash, you had a good run. Have a good death." Kefflin said, before exiting the room with a smile on his face.
"Where will you take me?" Sloviash asked in fear.
"The last place you ever would guess." Carlyle replied cryptically.
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