Chapter 9

July 30, 1997
Stargate Alliance (SGA)
Cheyenne Mountain

It's late by the time Jack finally gets off the phone with the President and he and George wade through the paperwork that accompanies his decision to set up a number of teams to start going through the gate and exploring the vast network of addresses Doctor Carter and Daniel have been able to determine from the map in Abydos.

He's exhausted but needs to have this meeting before he can call it a night. Grabbing a folder he enters the Briefing Room and glances at those assembled around the table. Daniel, Kawalsky and Major Reynolds stand at one side, with George, Catherine and Samantha on the other. Jack lets his gaze momentarily linger on the doctor and when she meets his eye, he nods briefly in her direction. He had planned to apologize to her before the briefing but hasn't yet the opportunity and since he certainly isn't going to do it now, he sends up a silent prayer that they can make it through this without another argument.

He sighs as he takes his seat and the others follow.

"People, what is spoken of in this room is classified as SCI top secret. Major, what do we know about these hostiles that we didn't yesterday?"

"Not a hell of a lot, Jack," Kawalsky admits. "The Abydonian boys who survived the attack on the base camp thought it was Ra."

George frowns. "I thought he was dead, gentlemen. Which is it?"

"Oh, he's dead," Daniel nods. "He's definitely dead. I mean, uh… the bomb… he's got to be dead… right?"

"Then who's coming through the Stargate?"

"Gods."

"What?"

"Not as in 'God' god," Daniel explains as he leans forward in his chair. "Ra played a god – the sun god. He borrowed the religion and culture of the ancient Egyptians he brought through the gate and then he used it to enslave them. You see, he wanted the people of Abydos to believe he was the only one."

Sam glances up from the notes she's been taking and looks to Daniel. "So, you're saying Ra's not the last of his race after all?"

"Maybe he's got a brother, Ray."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, a few snickers result from Kawalsky's comment while Jack sarcastically mutters, "That's just what we need."

"No, wait a minute," Daniel continues, drawing the conversation back to the point. "The legend goes that Ra's race was dying; he survived by taking over the body of his human host – an Egyptian boy. But who's to say more of his kind couldn't do the same thing?" He glances around the others sitting at the table. "I mean, this could have happened anytime, anywhere, there's a gate. I mean… this could be happening right now."

Jack purses his lips as he considers Daniel's words, then focuses on Kawalsky.

"Aside from myself, Charlie, you've had the most experience of fighting this hostile. Assuming you have to defend yourself in the field, are you up to it?"

"We beat 'em once, Jack."

"I'll take that as a maybe," he quips before he finally turns his attention to Samantha, only to find her already watching him. "Doctor Carter, Catherine has informed me of a conversation you had with Daniel last night. You're confident that the Stargate will take us where we want to go with this new information?"

He holds his breath as he waits to see how she'll respond to his attempt to build bridges.

"Well, General, they're feeding the revised coordinates into the targeting computer right now. It'll take time to calculate, but it should spit out two or three destinations a month."

He nods, then he leans back in his chair. "People, let's not fool ourselves here. This thing is both vast and dangerous, and we are so far over our heads we can barely see daylight. Right now, I'm thinking we would all be much better off if the Stargate had been left in the ground," he mutters.

The thought of the Stargate Program being shut down again pushes Sam to have her voice heard, regardless of whether her opinions are supported by those sitting to her left and right.

"With respect, General, we can't bury our heads in the sand. I mean think of how much we could learn, think of what we could bring back."

"What you could bring back is precisely what I'm afraid of Doctor," he fires back, but then his voice softens. "However, the President of the United States happens to agree with you."

He notes the doctor's surprise, as well as everyone else's and resists the urge to smile – because, in the grand scheme of things, Jack is well aware of what he is about to ask his people to do.

"In the event your theories pan out, he has ordered the formation of nine teams, whose duties will be to perform reconnaissance, determine threats and, if possible, to make peaceful contact with the peoples of these worlds. Now these teams will operate on a covert top-secret basis. No one will know of their existence except the President and the Joint Chiefs… Kawalsky?"

He sits up straighter. "Sir?"

"Your team will be designated SG-1. The team will consist of yourself, Captain Casey –"

"And me?" Daniel asks.

Jack shakes his head at his friend. "Daniel, we need you to work as a consultant with the other SG teams from here. Your expertise in ancient cultures and languages are far too valuable –"

"No," he interrupts. "Look, I – I mean I know this is your decision but I just – I really have to be on their team. My wife is out there, Jack. I need to go."

"I'll take that under consideration. Major Reynolds, you will head SG-2."

His eyebrows rise in surprise. "I – I will?"

"George keeps telling me it's about time you had a command."

"I had a moment of weakness," he shrugs before all three men exchange a grin.

"We'll assign the other teams later," Jack says as he gathers his papers and starts to stand, while the others follow. "For now, sit tight until we've more information but be prepared to ship out at a moment's notice. George, Catherine, I'd like to see you in my office. The rest of you are dismissed."

He's aware that they all probably have more questions than he has answers at this point and it's not that he doesn't want to speak to anyone but he's struggling with the reality that he is now responsible for sending good men and women into situations unknown – because of a war he may have inadvertently started when he killed Ra.

He doesn't think he'd be as bothered by the situation if he could be with them on the front lines but the President made it pretty clear that if he ever tried a stunt like he did two days ago he'd be out on his ass so fast, the door wouldn't have time to even hit his ass on the way out.

Jack runs a hand over his face. If he's honest, what's also bothering him is the look of disappointment he saw in Doctor Carter's expression when he started to assign the SG teams – and her name wasn't mentioned.

"So, what's our next step?" George asks as he closes the door.

"We need to find out where our bad guy came from. I'm also going to need your help to go through personnel files and assign the teams."

They nod at his request.

"For now, the majority of the teams will consist of members of the U.S. military, including Air Force, Marines and Army, but we may have to bring in a few civilians. The President –"

The phone rings, cutting off the rest of Jack's sentence.

"O'Neill. Yeah, I'll be right there," he adds a moment later before he ends the call and leaps to his feet. "Ferretti's conscious. Page Doctor Carter to the infirmary," he throws over his shoulder, not waiting to see if Catherine or George follows.