"Could Bellegor be the leader or one of the leaders of this coalition?" Sam asked, looking at the screen of a laptop.
Instead of enjoying a barbecue with her family, the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force was discussing with the Stargate Command and Black Stone via video conference, seated in the back of a black SUV with her aide, Pulaski. The screen was divided into three windows displaying Carter and Pulaski, the SGC's briefing room, and one of the Black Stone's.
Harrigan, Sheppard, Galvez, McKinson, Jackson, and Rodney McKay were sitting around the table at the SGC. They had been joined by another member of SG1, Doctor Rebecca Wayland, civilian, and another member of SG3, Captain Patterson, USMC. Matthews and Alpha team were in the same position, on the other planet. Except Maryanne, who was standing close to the camera of the big screen in the room.
The captain answered to Sam, "We don't know yet and Kalahan didn't tell, ma'am. Maybe we'll find more information in this base. We go there, find the bomb and intel, C4 the place, and go back home."
The leader of Black Stone Alpha looked steadfast.
Rodney McKay looked unsure. "Just because we destroy this complex doesn't mean it will stop the attack. What if they're building other weapons in other bases, Maryanne?"
"Then, let's tell them that we know what they're planning and we can react. We're not gonna stand here without doing anything."
The other military people in the SGC and in Black Stone approved Maryanne by a nod. Sam Carter remained more moderate even though she was okay with the principle.
In the SGC, Daniel leaned to the table, put his arms onto it, and shared his thoughts, "I think the attack on Atlantis wasn't a coincidence. The Wraiths are probably involved with this coalition."
Nobody seemed surprised by this theory, except Wayland. "Why would the Praelistians work with a race that uses human beings as nourishment, Daniel? That doesn't make any sense."
"Unless they agreed on sharing Earth's resources." Daniel supposed, looking at Wayland.
The lady grimaced, understanding Daniel was referring to the people of Earth.
His elbows now on the table, Daniel joined his hands and expressed another concern, "What I don't get is why the Wraiths attacked us in this timeline and not in the Black Stone guests'?"
Daniel looked up to the big screen in the SGC. So did his fellows around the table. Sam looked at the window focusing on Alpha. Silence filled the three places. Even Black Stone had no explanation for that, until Rossberg suggested one.
"Jordan McKay didn't approve my future me's idea in the first place." the lieutenant started and paused. Indeed, everyone, including his team, was looking in his direction. He continued, "Jordan McKay said that changing our timeline could worsen the situation. Maybe my future me's plan and/or our visitors' arrival somehow triggered this attack?"
Sam questioned, "Black Stone, did your guests say anything about the Wraiths in their timeline?"
Matthews answered, "In their timeline, some Wraiths woke up from their hibernation and joined the battle way after it began. Their contribution was minimal compared to other groups. Then, no news over the past seven years."
Silence filled the briefing rooms and the SUV again, but Harrigan ended it, "Look, whatever happened happened. I suggest we focus on the next step. Unless we have a better option - the general glimpsed the window showing Black Stone - Alpha should follow Kalahan's lead - Harrigan went back to Maryanne - I'm sorry you have to do this, Captain Carter."
"No problem, sir." the lady expressed, bending her head.
John Sheppard said, thoughtful and looking at the window displaying Sam, "We'll have to inform the President and the IOA, Sam."
In the car, Sam nodded. "And if the situation gets worse, they'll have to tell the public." she concluded, preoccupied, to John.
Shepard was having the same feeling as Sam. It had been a matter of time. The Stargate Program couldn't stay classified forever. John suddenly remembered that moment about five years ago, when everything was about to change. At that time, he was still the major general in charge of the US's fleet of space carriers...
... Sheppard had to leave Colorado for a while. He had business to do in Washington D.C. He happened to be at Homeworld Command on that day, and decided to pay a visit to Sam Carter.
He saw, through the bay window of her office, that Sam was having a conversation with the President. No doubt about that for she was using the red phone laid on the left side of her desk, holding the handset to her left ear.
She beckoned John in when she noticed him, despite the fact she was busy with the President. The major general silently walked into the office of Lieutenant General Carter and closed the door while the call was still ongoing.
"... Yes, Mr. President. I understand... Thank you, have a nice evening, too. Goodbye, Mr. President."
Carter hung up. Sheppard had been looking at the shelf behind her in the meantime. The visitors could spot a few pictures in frames. In one of them, Jack O'Neill, a former owner of this office, holding a big tuna he had caught in a lake. There were books about stuff related to space and engineering. All had a mysterious title that Sheppard would never understand and remember. Surprisingly, a small Bible was discreetly laying in a corner of the shelf. Carter had bookmarked some excerpts, as she had done with the science books.
John turned towards his pensive colleague when he heard the sound of the handset back on its platform.
"What's up, Sam?" John queried, feeling there was something.
Carter took a deep breath before she declared, "The Stargate Program's gonna become public. The President's gonna give a press conference in two weeks."
John had a blackout, realizing the huge shock wave that was going to shake the world. The man had faced many dangers, he was no longer the kind of people to be impressed so easily. However, the shocking news was way different... Fighting against the Wraith suddenly seemed less difficult than explaining to the world that the US Air Force (joined later by a few countries) had been exploring planets and fighting against very dangerous enemies over three decades... Sometimes putting Earth in jeopardy...
"Holy crap..." John eventually sighed, pale.
The man fell on the seat across Sam's desk.
"You tell me..." Sam acknowledged, resigned. "Let's be honest, John, we knew it was going to happen, people are asking questions. Not to mention the Black Stone expedition...". Sam shrugged and concluded, "It was just a matter of time..."
Sheppard remained silent, but his silence just meant he was sharing the same opinion. It was even a miracle that they managed to keep the program secret for so long.
"We'll have to inform our staff, and help them get prepared to deal with the media." Sam intoned, her eyes wandering on some papers on her desk.
"The media?" John reacted, lifting up his head as if he was waking up. He asked, confused, "How can the media know who's working for the Program?"
"They know everything. If they don't, they will." Sam replied, looking at John.
Sheppard nodded and felt stupid by his own question. Someone knocked at the door at this moment. John could see through the small window on the door that it was Harrigan, brigadier general back then. John notified Sam, and beckoned Harrigan in.
The one star general, in his service dress like his peers, enthusiastically greeted them from the doorway, "Hi, ladies and gentlemen, I was in the neighborhood and...". Harrigan suddenly stopped, seeing his fellows' deflated faces. "What's going on? You look on your knees." he asked, worried, after closing the door.
John and Sam glanced at each other, and the former helicopter pilot gave the reason, "The President's gonna disclose the Stargate Program."
"Oh my..."
Harrigan couldn't finish, thunderstruck. The man stayed silent for a moment. An idea came to his mind, which he shared, "Wanna drink? I'm buying."
Harrigan's sudden exotic invitation happened to be the best solution to cope with the news at this moment. Sheppard couldn't say anything else than "I'm in."...
... There had been ups and downs further to this disclosure, but the three generals survived. John Sheppard was now in charge of the Homeworld Command, working in a new building as the headquarters had been moved from the Pentagon to another site in the D.C. area. For political reasons, of course. Sheppard had gotten used to that over the years. Still not his cup of tea, he had always loved being on the field. But like someone told him, they needed someone who knew what it was like to be on the field and who had been on it for many years and gaining a strong experience in alien encounters.
Sheppard ended the silence that followed Sam's statement, encouraging Alpha team to do what they had to do while Sam and he would deal with the political aspects of the situation. At the end of the meeting, Sam asked Matthews if she could have a few more minutes in private with Maryanne. The young lady was determined to do whatever it would take to stop this attack on Earth. She had gotten used to dealing with tricky situations and this attitude reminded Sheppard of his time at Atlantis, when he was younger.
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The point I wanted to address is that when you play with timelines, there can be unexpected consequences or events that didn't happen in the 1st place but happen when the timeline is modified. I think it's possible. Maybe I didn't express it very well, but at some point, I couldn't keep on rewriting the corresponding lines forever.
Did you get that the Stargate Program was now public^^? (I mean, in the heroes' timeline, in the late 2020s) I think you may have noticed some hints: the posters in Bryan's boarding school, Harrigan mentioning that guy who tried to take dust from Cheyenne Mountain for his girlfriend...
Thank you very much for reading my story and your comments. I may not respond to each of them in private, but it doesn't mean I don't care. On the contrary, they're encouraging me to continue. I'm pleased to see even if English's not my native language, I'm able to write something that seems coherent, otherwise you wouldn't read it^^. If you find anything that is shocking, just let me know so I can improve.
Once again, thanks a lot!