Chapter 2- The Alien and New Developments

Jack and Laura followed Hammond and Samuels to an infirmary where a doctor pulled a drape down revealing what looked like a human in a skullcap and what amounted to a large cut on his stomach. Laura felt a sense of revulsion as she looked at the man. She couldn't explain the feeling as she had never seen the alien before, but she also felt as if she had and for some reason didn't like him. On his forehead was a gold-plated snake tattoo. "Apophis sect," Laura whispered to herself.

"You have seen this man before?" Samuels asked.

"No. And I don't know why I said that, but something about this man is familiar. I have seen him before or people like him," Laura admitted, slipping her hand into Jack's hand.

"Is it anyone you know, Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"They're not human," the doctor said.

"Actually they are. Besides the gash right there, they are human. When you see one Jaffa, you see them all," Laura said, indicating the cut.

"Jaffa? That is their race?" Samuels asked.

"Yes. And before you ask, I still don't know why I'm suddenly remembering their names," Laura said.

"Best we can tell these slits are actually a pouch, similar to those found on a marsupial," the doctor said, indicating the cut.

"Like a kangaroo," Samuels said.

"Or a koala bear," Laura said.

"We haven't done an autopsy yet," the doctor said.

"These people, or aliens, or Jaffa, whatever you want to call them, came through, killed four of my people, and kidnapped another, using advanced weapons," Hammond said, indicating the beds where four bodies lay.

"Weapons, Sir?" Jack asked.

A man in camouflage came in with a long weapon. Laura felt her insides turn to ice A Jaffa Staff Weapon! That thing killed more people combined than most people knew. "We can't figure out how they operate," Samuels said. Good. It'd be better if you never knew, Laura thought as Jack took it and, to her chagrin, gave a demonstration.

"How you handle that and the look on the girl's face, you both have seen one before, I take it?" Hammond asked as Jack handed back the staff weapon.

"Yes Sir, but there were no weapons like this on Abydos. Those people were human. They were from Earth. Ra brought them there thousands of years ago," Jack said.

"I know all about that. But your report said this Ra was in fact, some alien that lived inside a human body," Hammond said.

"Yeah. His eyes glowed. That was our first clue," Jack said.

"Yeah, but also kind of like a parasite as well. It infests a human very much like a ring or tape worm would," Laura said.

"Are you sure he's dead, Colonel?" Hammond asked evenly.

"Unless he could survive a tactical nuclear warhead blowin' up in his face, I'm positive. Why?" Jack asked.

"Colonel, these people, or whatever they are, were guarding another man who retreated back through the Stargate. I got a good look at his eyes, Colonel. They glowed," Hammond said ominously.

"It probably wasn't Ra if he died like Dad said. I think there are others. Most that come to mind are Ra, but there is Hathor and Apophis too. This guy is Apophis sect if the snake on his head is anything to go by," Laura said, indicating the gold tattoo again.

"If we got you a list of all that looked like Ra could you remember them?" Hammond asked.

"Maybe if we had a list," Laura said as they left the infirmary.

"How do you feel about the Stargate Mission after all this time, Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"How do you mean?" Jack asked, holding Laura's hand tightly as they walked down the corridor.

"Well, it's been over a year. Has your perspective changed?" Hammond asked.

"Well, Sir, I-" Jack started to say as some soldiers led two men into an open office. "Was that-" Jack started to ask as they entered Hammond's office.

"Kawalsky and Ferretti, yes. They were under your command on the first Stargate mission," Hammond said as through the clear glass the two men sat down to an interrogation. "Tell me about Daniel Jackson, Colonel," Hammond said as Jack went to the glass.

"Why are they questioning my men?" Jack asked.

"They're not your men any more, Colonel. You retired. Daniel Jackson?" Hammond asked, sitting at his desk.

"You read the report?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Hammond said.

"It's all there," Jack said.

"Is it?" Samuels asked evenly.

"What's this all about, General?" Jack asked.

"You didn't like Daniel Jackson, did you?" Hammond evaded the question.

"Daniel was a scientist. He sneezed a lot. Basically, he was a geek, Sir. Sort of like my kid when she gets into a history project," Jack said.

"So, you didn't have a lot of time for him?" Samuels asked.

"I didn't say that. He also saved my life and found the way home for my men and me. A little thing like that kinda makes a person grow on you. Know what I mean?" Jack asked.

"According to the mission brief, your orders were to go through the Stargate, to detect any possible threat to Earth, and if found, to detonate a nuclear device and destroy the gate on the other side," Hammond said.

"Yes," Jack said.

"But that's not what you did, is it?" Samuels asked.

"Not right away. Ra's forces overpowered my team and took the weapon before I could arm it," Jack said.

"But with Dr. Jackson's help, you eventually regained control and did, in fact, detonate the weapon, yes?" Samuels asked. Laura found herself not liking this man much. Samuels was too arrogant, much like Ra and his ilk.

"Yes," Jack said.

"So,to the best of your knowledge, Daniel Jackson and everyone else you knew on Abydos is dead, correct?" Hammond asked.

"That's correct," Jack said, hesitating slightly. Only Laura caught the brief tremor. Living with Jack as long as she did, she knew when her father was lying.

"Good. Then you won't mind if I authorize a go-ahead on our plan," Hammond said, leaving the room. Jack looked at Kawalsky and Ferretti before leaving the office, followed by Laura.


"The quartz material the Stargates are made of, it must be tough stuff if it can withstand a Mark III," Hammond said as they walked down the corridor.

"Well, we sent a robot probe through after we got back, Sir. It was flattened on the other end. Obviously the Abydos stargate had been buried in the rubble," Jack said.

"But somehow it got unburied," Hammond said as they entered a large room with a round metal ring with, what looked like Egyptian hieroglyphics on it. Laura felt something like goosebumps raise on her arms. She had seen the Stargate before, but like everything else, she couldn't remember where. Some technicians were in front of it with some metallic oblong shape. Jack cursed softly.

"You're sending another bomb?" Jack asked, turning to Hammond.

"That's a bomb?" Laura asked in shock as a technician armed it and her stomach threatened to rise in her throat.

"A Mark V this time. If these creatures did reopen the Abydos gate, we intend to reseal it, for good," Hammond said.

"General, you can't do that," Laura said after a few seconds.

"Countdown's already started, Miss O'Neill. Unless you or your father have something to add," Hammond said dryly.

"Dad, I think you had better tell him the truth," Laura said softly.

"General Hammond, Sir? I regret to inform you that my report was not entirely accurate," Jack said.

"You didn't detonate the bomb?" Hammond asked amused.

"No, he did detonate the bomb. It was aboard Ra's spacecraft, so it did kill him and eliminate the risk to Earth," Laura said.

"However?" Samuels pressed.

"However, Ra's ship was in orbit above the planet at the time. Neither the gate nor anything else on the planet was destroyed," Jack said.

"Daniel Jackson is alive and living with the people on Abydos," Laura said.

"You violated direct orders! Why?" Hammond asked angrily.

"Because the people of Abydos are no threat to us. They deserve to be left alone," Jack said firmly.

"That's not up to you or your daughter," Hammond said.

"With all due respect, Sir, if he'd come back here and reported the gate on the other side was still intact, you would have sent another bomb, just like you were about to do. It wasn't necessary to let those people die. The threat from Ra was gone," Laura said, raising her voice.

"What about the probe we sent through? It was crushed instantly," Samuels said.

"After we came home, Daniel buried the gate in rocks, making my return or anybody else's impossible," Jack said.

"Well, those four bodies lying in the infirmary say otherwise, Airman. We'll send the bomb through on schedule," Hammond said to a tech.

"General, no! You can't do that!" Laura shouted.

"Oh, I can't?" Hammond taunted.

"There are innocent people on that planet," Jack said.

"There are innocent people Here!" Hammond bellowed.

"Please, Sir, don't do this," Laura begged.

"I have my orders too, Miss O'Neill, Colonel. I obey mine. Take Colonel O'Neill and Miss O'Neill to the holding room. Let's give him some time to think about things while I decide what to do with them," Hammond said tightly and left the room. Two airmen then escorted them out.