"We have excavated most of the space you'll need, but that was the quickest part," the master sergeant in charge of SGC expansion explained to Hammond. "It will be several weeks before any real livable space can be created."
Hammond nodded. "Give me a timetable. I know that you are working as fast as you can. I just need to know what to expect, so I can plan around it." They were in Hammond's office. The faint sounds of construction managed to winnow their way into the space. The sergeant explained the expected time scales while Hammond took notes. When he was done the general excused him. With a sigh he turned to the latest report from Dr. Jackson. Many and sundry were the responsibilities of a general.
An alarm sounded. The suddenness of it caused Hammond to jerk, creating a harsh line across the report he was reading. Dropping the pen and barely containing his frustration, he called down to Walter Harriman.
"Dammit Walter, what is it this time?" With all the new construction, a new alarm went off every few hours.
"Uh, sir, gate activation, it seems to be…" Harriman broke off to confer with another officer on gate duty. "Yes sir, it seems that Roodia is coming through."
Hammond hurried down the steps. He watched as the alien entered.
"Stand down," Hammond said to the defense personnel after he entered the control room, "Good morning Roodia. I will meet you in my office." A moment later Roodia was escorted in.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Hammond asked, ingrained courtesy tamping down the annoyance of the alarm.
"I wish I had a more pleasurable subject to talk about. Apophis moves."
Hammond nodded, then the import of the statement struck him. "Wait, what?"
"Apophis is making preparations to invade this planet. You must move swiftly in order to forestall him."
Many light years away, Lieutenant Scott watched as Dr. Jackson made awkward conversation with a few natives. Just then his radio came to life. After answering it, he switched channels and decided to break radio silence with Daniel.
"Hey Danny boy, we just got a message from Earth."
Excusing himself from his companions, Daniel spoke irritably into his microphone. "Yes, what is it? I was just making some headway with these folks."
"Uh, yeah, apparently Hammond wants us to pull out. Immediately." Scott tried to add force to the last word.
"What, right now? You gotta be kidding me!"
"Well, when your C.O. says jump, you run," Scott said, attempting joviality in place of force, since force had not swayed Dr. Jackson.
"Well, he ain't my C.O., and he can just wait."
Scott sighed in frustration. "Well, he is my commander, and he says we move out. Now, doctor Jackson." Scott almost threatened to drag him out if need be, but you had to speak to civilians differently then you spoke to military.
"Fine," Daniel said, exasperated. After a few minutes explaining to the natives that he had to leave, Jackson left their company. Scott had nearly got back on the radio, but hearing how Jackson was gracefully disengaging himself from the situation, he decided against it. Within an hour they were stepping through the gate.
"Well, general, I hope this was worth it." There were few people who felt like they could speak to the General in such a manner. Ever since Hammond's command to increase the pace of his cultural mission, Daniel had taken that order as license to act with relative impunity, pushing hard to have his own way with things. He had every intention of doing the same here, but upon seeing Roodia his entire demeanor changed.
"Roodia, hello, what brings you here?"
"That's what I want to talk to you about," Hammond said. "Let's go to the conference room."
Jack was already in the room, reading from a folder laid out in front of him. Once seated, Hammond began. "We have long known that Apophis was coming for us. What we didn't know is when he would be coming. Thanks to Roodia, now we do. He is preparing his attack as we speak."
"Uhm, couldn't we have had a bit more warning?" Jack said.
"It is only because of odd requisition orders to an obscure planet near your own that I even noticed. I was not privy to the preparations, and it was only through questioning my contacts that I knew that there was any attack planned." Roodia said.
Jack turned to Hammond. "And what does Brata'c have to say about this?"
"Brata'c is no longer an active part of the military," Roodia replied, much to Jacks consternation, "He was not aware of the orders. I was, and so I acted."
"Colonel, we must take this threat seriously. Roodia has proven himself reliable." Hammond said.
"Right," Jack said. "Sorry."
"Apophis has already launched his ships. However, they are lightly manned and provisioned. This will be rectified when they stop at the planet I mentioned. They will take on warriors and materials there. As I said to General Hammond, it is too late to stop the attack. However, there is a possibility, when they stop, to prevent the destruction of your planet."
"That is why I called you here, Dr. Jackson. Is there any chance that your efforts could be used to help us?"
"I don't know what you mean," Jackson said.
"I mean, is there any sort of disturbance that you could create that would force Apophis to recall his ships?"
"What? No, we've only really started. I could perhaps get a few to rebel, but local forces would be more than enough to quell that. Teal'c and Brata'c would be more likely to cause a disruption than I could at this point."
"There are not nearly enough jaffa defying God to cause anything other than an annoyance right now, at the cost of everything we have built. The jaffa can do nothing." Roodia said.
"Very well," Hammond said, "Colonel, I need you to organize a team. Hopefully you can infiltrate the ships and stop them before they reach Earth. I have recalled every away team so as to give you full access to our forces."
"Right." Jack considered this for a moment. "I will definitely want Teal'c with us, and probably Carter," he said, in an off-hand manner, "Roodia, what sort of resistance are we looking at?"
"Several hundred ground troops, more than a hundred udajeet, and two motherships, though the planet itself should be largely absent of forces. It is not occupied and far from any conflicts with the other goa'uld."
"So, what you're saying is that, if we get on board those ships, we will not be able to take them out by force?" Jack said.
"That is … unlikely. Though a force of several dozen would likely cause a delay, if only to deal with the threat."
Jack and Hammond exchanged a glance. "Yeah, we don't have that many people," Jack said, "It will have to be black ops style. A small team working from the inside. I think Young and Scott, me, Carter and Teal'c. That should be the team. We'll need any intel you can give us about these ships, layouts, technical specs, anything that might help us."
Roodia nodded. "I will give you what I can."
"Uhm, what about me?"
"Sorry Danny, but Teal'c can handle anything you would be capable of. Without military training you would mostly be getting in the way." Jack said, though he did appreciate Daniel's initiative.
"What about Carter?" Daniel asked, almost petulant.
"Well, first off," Jack said, with slight annoyance, "she's been through basic. Second, we'll need her for any technical problems that may arise."
"Dr. Jackson," Hammond said, "I need you here in case they fail. You will be the one most likely to raise a rebellion in our favor in case they don't return."
Jackson nearly argued out of habit, but saw the logic of the situation in time to avoid making a fool of himself. "Understood, General," was all he said.
"Dismissed."
Jack went off to gather his team while Daniel brooded in his office. Roodia cornered Hammond.
"General, I must beg your leave. The urgency of the situation forced me to come here without my customary precautions. If I were to return, I may be taken captive."
"You wish to stay, then?" Hammond asked.
"Not yet, and hopefully not any time soon. No, I must try and return. However, I must do so swiftly. With your blessings I will depart, though if all does not go well I may need to return, and return forever." Hammond recognized fear in Roodia's eyes.
"Of course. Be safe," Hammond said, feeling like an idiot. What help could two small words be when, as Hammond suddenly realized, this man was risking his life every moment of every day, for a planet, for a people, he had no connection with. "I just … You risk so much, and anything … anything we can do to help you, I swear it, we will." Hammond said with solemnity, and extended his hand.
Roodia took it, saying "I hope I will not have to see you for many days." He smiled, and left Earth.
He gave Harriman a new set of coordinates, ones not found in Jackson's notes. It was the home of a distant cousin. Roodia hoped to visit him, and sound out any potential mistrust of himself that he could. If all proved well, he would return home to his wife and children. If not, he would immediately return to Earth, and pray that his betrayal would not bring hardship and death upon his family.
"Dammit, sir" Hammond said with punctuation, "Just by talking to us he is risking himself. I trust him."
Hammond was on the phone with Adams, moments after Roodia had left. He was attempting to relay the information he had received to his ranking officer, but Adams was clearly in an obstinate mood. However much Hammond called Adams friend, Adams could also be damn annoying.
"Okay, fine, he's risking himself for no obvious gain, that makes him trustworthy. I'll play along for now. But what if his intel is wrong? What if he has been misled?"
"Then we all die. But if we do nothing we all die anyway, so what does it matter?" There was real heat in Hammond's voice.
"Fine, George, have it your way. I assume you've already begun?" Adams said. He knew that Hammond would likely have begun acting as though he had presidential approval before actually getting it. This was one of the traits that Adams actually admired about the general – he always acted, without hesitation. If the president said no, then George could stop the plan. If Hayes said yes, then Hammond would already be three steps ahead. Adams, though he would rarely ever say it to the man, was well aware of the cunning of Hammond.
"Yes. O'Neill is gathering his team. I will be briefing them shortly."
The initial plan was to go to the planet Roodia had mentioned, hide out, and attempt to board the ships when they arrived. It was a desperate plan, but the only one they had to work with. O'Neill was well aware of the risks, and made them explicitly clear to his team. Young, Scott, and Teal'c were resolute. Carter was obviously terrified, but she was adamant in her desire to live up to the expectations of her battle hardened compatriots. She held firm, and acted as though the threat of near certain death did not bother her. Much to their relief, however, this plan changed once Roodia returned.
"I know of one planet that will be supplying the convoy. You can more easily infiltrate them, and hide yourselves with the shipment they will send to the resupply planet. This will help us infiltrate the forces gathered there, and thus help us board the ships," Roodia said. Turning to Teal'c, he continued, "Your master sends his regards. He wishes most fervently that you succeed." Teal'c nodded in understanding.
"And I assume that you will be joining us, at least to this first planet?" Jack said.
"No. I must return home. You have infiltrated Chulak, and so infiltrating Ta'lah and subsequently Kardeef and finally the ships of Apophis should pose no great difficulty, given that you infiltrated Ta'lah successfully. I have given you all the information you need to accomplish these goals. All I can do now is bid you good luck, and hope that you succeed." Roodia gave a slight bow in the direction of O'Neill.
"Right. Thanks." Jack said.
"General Hammond, I wish to speak to you before I return."
Hammond regarded him for a moment. "Very well. Let me send off my team first."
"I will watch their departure from your conference room."
Roodia went up the stairs. Shortly afterward Jack and his team were gathered at the foot of the ramp. Hammond looked down at them from the control room. He wanted to give them a rousing speech. He wanted to find the words they could hold in their heart as they battled to save Earth. He considered himself an ineloquent man, and settled for, "You know what to do, colonel. Good luck and god speed."
The gate was opened. Jack O'Neill led his team through it.
They met rain, and cold. Roodia had brought several sets of armor to the SGC, and these helped the team blend in. There were many jaffa arriving, and it was not difficult to become simply one of the crowd. For more than a day they interacted little. They were but one of a large number of people being assembled. Soon the orders came through – they were to go through the gate to Kardeef. Once on the other side they were given further instructions. Their first task was to load the ships. After many long hours of labor they were sent to their quarters, deep in the bowels of one of the ships.
/
Sadiki stood upon the bridge of his ship, overseeing the coordination of supplies. An adjutant entered.
"My lord," the adjutant bowed, "we have received reports that the shol'va Teal'c has infiltrated the camps."
Sadiki raised an eyebrow. This was most certainly intriguing. "Is that so?" he said.
"Yes, my lord. Him, and several others. We can only presume that they mean to attack the ships."
Sadiki turned to face the speaker. "He will only be able to act once he has boarded the ship." He looked coldly at his inferior. "Let him."
"My lord?" the adjutant asked.
Teal'c's infamy, and his fame, were legendary. Capturing him would bring great honor to Sadiki. Meeting with him, speaking with him, would be far more valuable to Sadiki than any honor gained by capture. "Yes, let him think he is succeeding. There is a risk that he will evade capture if we move too soon." The lie came easily to Sadiki's lips.
"My lord," the adjutant looked abashed, "there are many … loyal … jaffa on this planet, and we have guards upon the chappa'ai. He surely cannot escape."
"He surely can," Sadiki said. "He has proven himself most capable. No," he said, turning back to the screens in front of him, "we will entrap him completely. Once on the ship he will be capable of nothing." He thought back to the stories he was told, of the greatest living jaffa. He remembered his mother telling him that one day he too might become like Teal'c, the First Prime, first among the jaffa, the best of them. He also recalled the story of Teal'c, the shol'va, of how he defied the goa'uld. He commanded his voice to be even, to betray no emotion. "I will want to question this shol'va myself. If he were to escape, or worse, end himself, than I would not have the pleasure of meeting him. No," he turned again to face his inferior, "I want him on this ship. I wish to face him myself. Let him come. He is nothing."
The adjutant left.