Hi everyone,
This story is the continuation of "Black Stone", available on the site. You don't have to read "Black Stone" if you don't want to. If your favorite characters are Sam and Jack, you may be interested in the last chapter of "Black Stone". Anyway, there will be elements in this new fanfic to help you get the overall picture.
The idea was to imagine what the Stargate Program looks like in the 2020s. There will be new heroes and some original characters of the franchise. Makes sense that generations go by over the years...
Finally, English isn't my native language. Sorry for the mistakes and if I don't recall all the details of the franchise.
Now, enjoy!
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They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, that's what they say on Earth. Somewhere else in the universe, a group of six people couldn't assert that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, but they could assert it had always been a great moment to share with close friends. In particular when you live and work on a planet that's not the planet where you come from.
Captain Maryanne Carter and First Lieutenant Philip Rossberg, US Air Force officers between thirty and thirty five years old; Premier Maître Bernard Rousseau, French navy commando in his early forties; doctor Akira Sakai, Japanese specialized in space exploration, in his fifties; a woman named Enedan, in her mid-forties; and a sixteen-year-old boy were tasting homemade jams in the kitchen of the outpost they had been assigned to after the events of the Black Stone expedition, in the early 2020s.
This expedition had a special meaning for Carter, Rossberg, and Rousseau, for it was their very first mission as members of the Stargate Program. Carter left a husband behind, who had encouraged her to embrace the mission. Rossberg got involved unintentionally because of a raid into a criminal's house. Rousseau had been personally chosen by a French diplomat.
This is how they met Akira Sakai, who had been part of the program for a few years and a strong supporter of the Black Stone mission since the moment the idea was originated. The man was a member of the SG-3 team back then. An interesting discovery during a common mission with SG-1 made the two teams submit the idea of a new expedition to the Direction of the Stargate Program.
This is how these four people got involved in this expedition that changed their life. Enedan joined the group later on.
The mission didn't go according to plan, but when we think about it, how many missions initiated as part of the Stargate Program did really go according to plan?
And now, six years later, Carter, Rossberg, Rousseau, and Sakai were sharing toasts with jams with Enedan, a woman recognizable by the tattoos on her neck and her right forearm, and her son, around a table in that kitchen, in that outpost so many light years away from Earth.
Slices of bread were in a plate, waiting to be covered by the red and yellow jams that were inside the two jars next to the plate. A knife was in each jar. Everyone had a mug of coffee, tea, or milk in front of them.
Rousseau, who made the jams, was giving details and showing the jars, while the others were enjoying slices. "The red one is strawberry and the yellow is a fruit from Lazek's garden. It's called booka. He brought it back from his trip to Corcomelis."
Sakai gestured to the yellow jar and said, "Personally, I prefer this one. It tastes like..."
Rossberg, eating a slice with the yellow jam like Sakai, and noticing his hesitation, suggested,"Orange, maybe?"
"Indeed." Sakai confirmed, then, to Rousseau, "Bernard, it's delicious! As always. You should open a restaurant someday. Or a food truck.". Sakai thought. "Yes, a food truck. More flexible." he validated.
The lady going by the name of Enedan became more excited by the idea than Rousseau himself. "I totally agree with Akira!" she said after swallowing a mouthful of her strawberry toast.
"And when am I gonna find time to run that business? And where?" Rousseau asked while his right hand was grasping his mug of coffee for a sip, perplex about the project.
"You don't have to run it on your own." Enedan commented. "Oh, wait, how about this: we all - she designated the group - could be your business partners. Maybe we could open a franchise on other planets later on. That would be awesome! How about this name: Chez Alpha?"
"Chez Alpha?" Sakai repeated, intrigued.
"Yes, because the cooker's French." Enedan justified, glimpsing Bernard.
"Wait a second." Rousseau said, raising his left finger and putting his cup back onto the table. "First, just because I like to cook doesn't mean I can do it as a professional. Second, I don't think we can use the team name for commercial purposes."
The teenage boy joined the debate. "Well, for the first point, take a training course. For the second point, change the name. Name it the five...". The boy hesitated, but nothing came to his mind. He ended, "the five something...", and bit his booka toast.
Rousseau was still perplex. He needed assistance. More exactly, he needed someone who would be more reasonable than these folks and put an end to their excitement.
"Please, captain, tell them it's not a good idea." Rousseau implored.
Everyone stared at Captain Carter, as if they needed a decision from their team leader.
A team famously known as Black Stone Alpha. Black Stone as in the Black Stone outpost they belonged to. One of the key teams of the Stargate Program, like SG1.
The no longer married captain looked embarrassed to be requested on an important debate whereas she just wanted to enjoy a good breakfast. She was dipping her strawberry toast in her coffee when she was called. Rousseau's eyes were begging her not to support Enedan's strange business project. Enedan's were asking for more enthusiasm. Sakai seemed open to the business collaboration. Rossberg was sort of waiting for an order and ready to invest in the food truck if it was decided to do so.
After a moment of an awkward silence, the young lady said eventually, looking at Rousseau, "Uh, well, maître, I suppose a plan B could be useful. I mean, professionally speaking. Just in case, we never know."
Carter ate a mouthful of her toast, being careful not to spatter her scarf.
Bernard was caught off guard. "You have a plan B, ma'am?" he finally asked.
The French soldier imagined himself preparing sandwiches in a food truck. His female superior was taking orders and announcing out loud to him, "One rillettes and two ham/comté! And do we have a tuna/tomatoes quiche?". Bernard looked at the fridge and answered, "Only one left, ma'am!". Carter reached the fridge, took the quiche, and put it into one of the three small ovens. Then, she started to prepare the lunch bags for the people who had ordered the sandwiches and the quiche. Military staff and civilians from Black Stone were waiting for their meals or to order. Rossberg and a grinning Enedan were handling the cashier, Sakai and Enedan's son were helping Rousseau. Sakai was wearing a bandana around his forehead and holding a long knife, which made him look like a samouraï of sandwiches. Carter had quilts, this hairstyle contrasted with her status of captain, that was bizarre. Suddenly, an alarm went off, making everyone, including Alpha team, leaving their current position to rush to the base's building. Carter grabbed her HK416 under the counter, Rousseau, under the preparation table, and the two jumped over the counter to run to the base. Their companions, except the youngest one, followed them with their guns and without the stunt.
The alarm in Rousseau's scene turned out to be the real Black Stone's. Rousseau shook his head, to erase this absurd scene and come back to reality. Seriously, Rousseau and Carter, experienced intergalactic warriors, making and selling sandwiches and quiches?
Rossberg, surprised, queried, "Are we expecting someone, ma'am?"
"No. I'd better go and check. You can stay here. Please, just save another toast for me."
The captain stood up and left the room, followed by Rossberg who wished to come with her.
The French soldier would never get his superior's answer regarding her plan B.