I am so, so, so, so sorry I didn't update for five months! Every time I thought of it, I was busy, and when I finished what I was doing I'd forgotten again. Senior year of high school, a world-wide pandemic, trying out anime, and attempting to write Stargate fanfiction do not mix.
I can't say I'll be back to regular updates anytime soon- we're almost at the end of the semester and I have several midterms that I am so not ready for. I'll try to make sure I don't randomly disappear for ages between chapters again, and feel free to hunt me down and smack me with something heavy like a calculus book if I do.
To recap: SG-1 has been reunited, and Daniel has finally opened up to his friends, telling them about what happened during the years he was gone. He's also rebalanced himself and gained control of his dark aspect, so hopefully no more merciless killing streaks or anything. The Ori have made themselves known, and now we move on to Part Two of this story...
Chapter 8
The Ori's first ambassador came to Earth two weeks later. General Hammond had been unreasonably gracious, in Jack's opinion, but the Prior, as he called himself, left peacefully, advising them to read the "Book of Origin" he had left behind for them. Sam had been extremely insistent on avoiding a fight, seconded by Daniel and Teal'c, and Jack had been outvoted.
The day after, the Tok'ra sent word that the Ori had destroyed a small village on a planet near Vareth, after the inhabitants had refused to accept Ori teachings. Hammond immediately contacted the Asgard, Jaffa, and the rest of their allies, warning them of the actions taken by the Ori and the threat they posed- a threat not unlike the Goa'uld, but much stronger. Declarations of alliance came in response, and the leaders of the respective organizations came together to discuss possible action. Soon, the New Alliance was formed- a collection of races determined to defend their galaxy against the Ori.
Scout ships were sent out to determine the location of the Ori fleet, and battles soon followed. Ori ships were fast and highly technologically advanced, but with the assistance of the Asgard, the Nox, and other sufficiently advanced races, the New Alliance held their ground.
War was declared. Fleets combining Asgard, Tok'ra, Tau'ri, and the rest of the New Alliance that had the power of space travel battled Ori fleets constantly, winning or losing one battle and rushing to another. The New Alliance fought to hold back the Ori onslaught, at times coming dangerously close to losing.
Daniel's Ancient knowledge was a valuable asset, saving the New Alliance and his team time and time again. His memories were also highly useful in learning more about the Ori. They were distant relatives of the Ancients, who despised the Ancients' policy of non-interference and instead believed they should help people of the lower planes achieve enlightenment- and wipe out those who did not accept their teachings.
SG-1 led the war effort on the field, organizing fleet movements and assisting planets in fighting off the Ori, with their base camp set up outside the Tok'ra facility on Vareth. They were targeted by assassins numerous times, but their training, experience, and knowledge allowed them to prevail each time.
-*/*-
"Colonel Carter! Colonel O'Neill!" A young soldier sprinted up to Sam and Jack, who were in the command tent, examining a map with Rhea, Daniel, and Teal'c. "General Hammond wants to meet with you and your team to discuss a mission."
Daniel's attention was fully focused on the map, but he clearly heard Jack's surprised "He's coming here?"
"Yes, sir," the soldier responded. "He'll be here in two hours."
"Let everyone know, and alert the Tok'ra," Sam ordered. "I want our defenses tight as a prison cell and the fleet ready for anything when the general arrives."
The soldier saluted and ran off. Daniel looked up. "Is 'prison cell' really the best metaphor for that?" he asked mildly.
Sam winced. "Sorry. It was the first thing I thought of. I do not want someone getting in here and taking us and General Hammond out in one blow."
"There is no reason to suspect the Ori forces know of the general's arrival," Teal'c pointed out logically. "However, it is wise to be prepared should they launch an attack while General Hammond is here."
Two hours later saw the team at the Tok'ra Stargate, watching the familiar figure appear in the rippling blue event horizon, a quartet of soldiers at his heels.
"Hey, George," Jack said cheerfully. "Come to inspect our playhouse?"
Hammond cracked a smile. "Good to see you, too, Jack."
"What's the mission, sir?" Sam asked.
"The Asgard found an Ori facility," the general explained. "We need someone to get in and figure out who's in charge, and your team is the only one I'd trust to do that."
"An infiltration mission?" Teal'c summarized.
Hammond nodded. "Yes. Are you up for it?"
If Daniel was being honest with himself, the part of him that was motivated by morbid curiosity wanted to fight an Ori to see how his abilities matched up against theirs. He wasn't going to tell his friends that, though.
Jack shrugged. "Sure. Anything to get out of being in charge."
Rhea nodded. "I'll go."
Sam pursed her lips. "I'd have to leave a couple people in charge in case something goes wrong, make sure the leaders of the New Alliance know we'll be out of contact…"
Daniel interrupted her tirade. "We're in."
"Glad to hear it." The general walked with them into the command tent, where he spread out another map. "The Stargate is here. As far as we can tell, it's too far from their base for them to make an effective use out of. Therefore, that will be your entry point. As soon as you get there, I'd advise you to get moving as soon as possible- they may know when the gate is activated. You'll then proceed to here, where our scans found an entrance."
Sam nodded. "Looks pretty simple."
"Don't say that," Jack scolded. "It's never simple."
"We rarely have missions that go according to plan," Teal'c agreed. Rhea grinned. Daniel hid his own smile by examining the map.
"Good luck," Hammond told them as he headed back toward the Stargate. "Colonel Mitchell will cover for you here. Report to the SGC when your mission is complete. And don't get killed. I don't have time to find another elite team."
Sam saluted a little belatedly, and Jack simply grinned wickedly. "After all these years, he finally admits we're his elite team," the former colonel muttered in a satisfied tone as soon as the general had returned to Earth.
Daniel exchanged a look with Rhea and shook his head in amusement.
-*/*-
Another hour later, they had filled in their soldiers on their plan, in case they needed backup, and gone through the gate. The environment they emerged into was slightly chilly, and Daniel was glad for the cloak he wore.
As they made their way toward the facility, an idea came to Daniel. "Rhea, could you follow behind us? I'd like to have some backup if something goes wrong."
She opened her mouth to protest, but at his meaningful look she nodded. "Alright. Just promise me you'll be okay."
"Promise." He kissed her quickly and headed off with his team as she faded into the shadows. After a few miles, they came to the entrance- a large arch in the mountain and a tunnel leading inwards.
"I'm guessing we shouldn't just walk in the front door?" Jack guessed.
"Give me a second," Daniel requested, sending his senses out into the archway. "There's definitely some kind of alarm or shield there. I think I can neutralize it…" He focused, and the shield became visible and flickered out. "Hurry- it'll only stay down for a few seconds."
They darted through the door, and Daniel sensed the shield come back on. He sent an extra touch of power through the system to hide the momentary fluctuation and hopefully conceal their presence until after they had left.
They followed the tunnel and came to a large, empty room. Three tunnels led off from it, and Jack headed into the left one. Daniel followed him down that corridor with Sam and Teal'c at his heels.
After a minute or two, they began to hear voices coming from ahead. Torchlight flickered, and Daniel signaled for his friends to stay back while he scouted. He padded forward and peered into the next room. Over a dozen Priors stood silently in rows, apparently waiting for something, as another Prior stepped down from a dais at the opposite side of the chamber.
He beckoned for his friends to come up quietly, and they listened as the Prior said to his fellows, "The Orici will soon be here. She is deserving of the utmost respect, and she will slay you if you do not provide it."
Daniel arched an eyebrow. The word 'Orici' was similar to the Ancient word meaning 'chosen one', but he had no idea what it meant in this context, nor who this Orici was.
From another corridor on the other side of the chamber, behind the dais, emerged a beautiful young woman with dark hair tied in an intricate style around her head. She wore a black dress with thin armor fitted to her torso, and a cape fluttered down behind her. Two silver-armored guards flanked her.
Something about this newcomer made Daniel instantly duck behind the archway. He could feel her power, and its intensity made the darkness locked deep inside him stir, as if sensing a threat and preparing to fight.
Her voice rang out. "The New Alliance has declared war upon us. They refuse to accept Origin, and urge other worlds to do the same. We cannot allow this to continue. Soon, we will crush the Alliance. If I call upon you, will you answer?"
"Yes, Orici!" the Priors answered as one.
"Good," she said. She scanned the room with piercing dark eyes before leaving through the corridor she had come from. Daniel retreated back along their tunnel, signaling to head back. They'd seen enough, and it was time to go.
They had just arrived back at the first chamber when Daniel's senses warned him something was wrong- a shield had been put up between them and the tunnel that led to freedom.
He reached out to his friends, about to call them back… when everything went dark.
-*/*-
Sam opened her eyes. She shook her head to clear it and looked around.
Jack and Teal'c were unconscious on the floor next to her, and Daniel was slumped on the bench against the wall. They were in a cell with silver walls and no visible door.
She forced herself to sit up, rubbing her eyes and trying to focus. The last thing she remembered was seeing Daniel struck down by a bright blast of light… Daniel. Mentally scolding herself for forgetting him, she clawed her way across the room to the bench he was lying on.
A quick examination told her he was only unconscious, but something felt wrong. The bands around his wrists glowed faintly. The last time she had seen that kind of thing was when Ralon's men had tried to capture him, back on Shaleron. The ropes they had used to snare him had glowed the same way. The ropes must be suppressing his abilities or keeping him unconscious, she thought. The Ori know who he is- what he can do- and can counter it.
"Are you alright?" a familiar voice asked. Sam spun, keeping herself between the speaker and Daniel, before recognizing the voice.
"Rhea," she exhaled, relaxing. "Don't sneak up on me when we're in a cell in the middle of a hostile enemy base!"
The younger woman winced. "Sorry. I should work on that. Are you okay?"
Sam nodded. "I'm fine."
Rhea gave her a small smile. "I followed you guys like Daniel asked, but I had to hide when they took you. I just got here, and I had some trouble avoiding guards. A lot of them are getting ready to leave for the invasion."
Sam looked up from shaking Jack awake. "Invasion?" she repeated worriedly.
Seeing her expression, Rhea clarified, "No, they're not going for Earth, at least not yet. I think I heard one of the soldiers mention a world that they were going to burn for not accepting the teachings of the Ori."
"What world?" Sam asked, reaching over to grip Teal'c's shoulder.
Rhea thought for a moment. "I think it was Lan- Langara."
Sam stared at her with dread, frozen. Langara. No! It all made a sort of horrible sense. After his experiences on SG-1, Jonas Quinn would never allow his people to bow to false gods, and the Ori would slaughter them all for that. "Oh, god," she whispered.
"Oh god what?" Jack asked gruffly from his sprawled position on the floor, not opening his eyes.
Sam looked down at him. "Jack, the Ori are going to invade Langara."
Jack's eyes opened. For a moment Sam saw a flash of concern, and then Jack hid it. "Oh," was all he said, but Sam could tell he was worried.
Rhea looked back and forth between them. "I don't understand."
Sam pursed her lips. Teal'c answered, "Some years ago, Daniel Jackson was exposed to a lethal dose of radiation while stopping an explosion and Ascended to avoid death by radiation poisoning. A citizen of Langara, Jonas Quinn, risked his life and reputation to come to Earth and bring a sample of the highly valued material that had cost Daniel Jackson his life, when his superiors had blamed Daniel Jackson for the accident and refused to accept responsibility for their role in Daniel Jackson's death. Jonas Quinn returned to his homeworld after a time on SG-1, and after descending Daniel Jackson rejoined us. Jonas Quinn has remained a very close friend and valued ally since then."
The young woman nodded. "Daniel never explained the circumstances that led to his Ascension, and now I understand why." She gave Jack a critical look. "You're worried about your friend on Langara."
Jack attempted to scoff but Sam could tell he was faking. "He's Jonas. He'll be fine." Rhea arched an eyebrow but didn't protest, then turned to Daniel.
"How is he?" Sam asked.
The young woman barely glanced up. "I don't know. The bracelets are definitely doing something. They must be power dampeners." She shook his shoulder.
Daniel's eyes fluttered open. "Rhea…" he murmured. "I'm glad you're here."
She helped him into a seated position. "You've certainly looked better."
He shook his head to clear it and examined the room. "Jack, Sam, Teal'c, you guys okay?"
Jack spread his arms. "Totally fine."
"I am well, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c responded.
Sam sighed. Daniel looked at her, instantly picking up on her emotions. "What's wrong?"
"The Ori are going to attack Langara," she answered tiredly, rubbing her forehead. "And we have no way of warning Jonas what's coming."
-*/*-
General George Hammond listened as Jacob Carter finished the report. He glanced at Janet Frasier, who seemed just as worried. She had been very close with SG-1 in both of its incarnations, he remembered.
Jacob met his friend's eyes. "George, this is getting worse. They staged a full-scale attack on an entire planet. There's no telling what they'll do next."
Hammond nodded. "I know."
Jacob hesitated. "Shouldn't we tell SG-1? Their friend was on Langara when it was attacked. They deserve to know what happened."
Frasier pursed her lips. "SG-1 isn't here. They went on a mission, and they haven't come back yet," she admitted. Jacob's face tightened.
The trio stayed silent for a long moment, wondering and dreading what the future might bring.
Is there ever an episode where SG-1 returns on time and not being chased by hostile aliens?
Yeah, Adria is the leader of the Ori forces. I liked her as an antagonist and didn't want to waste a good villain(also I'm too lazy to come up with an original villain). The general storyline of this arc and one section in particular are based on a few S10 episodes, but I will try to keep it from being a rewrite of those canon episodes, and the ending will be my own design.
I always thought it was sad that Jonas just vanished off the grid after he left SG-1. Next chapter will reveal his fate after the Ori invasion, and we'll see Adria meet Daniel and crew face-to-face.
I should have the next chapter out... sometime in the next month, maybe two weeks if I'm being optimistic? It'll depend on how much homework I have. I promise it will not be five months again! :)
Until next time!