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The Return of Ra: "Plans of Action"

by Darrin Colbourne


"Mr. President, this is a grave situation!" Hammond said into the phone, regretting that he had to bring a new Commander-In-Chief up to speed on the type of things the SGC faced on a regular basis...and he'd voted for this one. "From what I understand, this Sia is capable of bringing back the first and deadliest enemy this facility has ever faced. I know, it's a little difficult to grasp, sir, but it isn't an exaggeration. With what we plan to do, if we can stop her in her tracks we may be able to avoid a much greater crisis later. No, I don't hold out much hope for a peaceful solution." Hammond listened as the line went silent for a moment or two, then as the President asked one more question. The general smiled as he answered, Texan to Texan, "Mr. President, here's what we need..."


This one was interesting. Sia found herself staring into the intact throne room of Ra's Pyramid. Apparently Ra had survived in this reality as well. His Horus Guards were kneeling in front of his throne, lead by Anubis, the jackal-headed First Prime.

Suddenly, she heard the soft, muted voice of Ra as he spoke to his servants, and her host's heart skipped a beat when she saw him come into view, full of the majesty she'd always remembered seeing in him. There he was, plain as day, ready for the taking...and she could do nothing. She'd already contemplated this. She couldn't take Ra intact from a universe that knew he was alive. It would simply sow discord there and most likely prompt that universe's Sia to come after him. Neither consequence was something she wanted to bear. She had to move on.

Her hand was about to touch the controller when she noticed Ra looking in the direction of the Mirror. His eyes were wide with disbelief, and he approached slowly, cautiously. Sia watched as he came ever closer and mouthed the question "Sia? What is the meaning of this?"

When she didn't answer right away his eyes narrowed and flashed, and with a gesture Anubis and the Horus Guards were upright and approaching the Mirror with their staff weapons ready. Bastet and the Selket Guards behind her readied their weapons as well, but Sia managed to switch channels before anything happened, changing the scene to the interior of some abandoned temple.

With a quiet breath of relief, Sia pressed on.


"All right, let's settle down, everybody." O'Neill said, calling his meeting to order. The fifteen SG Team leaders had gathered in the main briefing room deep in the facility. As would be expected, the assorted collection of colonels and majors was curious, but some were a bit edgy, having their missions either 'Stopped at the 'Gate', the common euphemism, or interrupted as they were in full swing. Especially agitated were the few scientists that had come to command SG teams. Two had vital observations to make on their respective missions and were anxious to get back to them. Colonel O'Neill was about to disappoint them.

"You may be wondering why we've called you here today." He said. "I'll cut right to it: Our friends the Snakes are about to throw a wedding."

Faces all over the audience twisted into looks of utter confusion, and O'Neill congratulated himself on coming up with this next particular crack, no matter how convoluted the setup:

"Someone new is going to hit us with something old, by way of something borrowed, and if we don't stop them, everyone is going to end up oh so blue." With that, he began his brief on the situation.


Her eyes were getting tired from staring into the Mirror, but Sia would not give up. She tried to tell herself that there couldn't possibly be that many different possibilities to diverge from the moment of Ra's defeat to the present, even though she knew she was lying to herself. There could easily have been millions of different possible events springing from the time O'Neill and Jackson sent the bomb through the transport rings, or any moment in particular. She was just trying to find one, and she'd known it would be difficult going in.

Patience, she scolded herself. She literally had eternity to find the right reality. She changed the channel again.

An ancient curse escaped her lips as she looked into the face of an Asgard.

She switched the channel again.


"We're almost done here." Martouf said. The last of the main tunnels had finally been dug, leading to the large meeting chamber for the Tok'Ra Council. The planet they had dug into was only barely habitable, raked by hurricane force winds and covered in gravel-like sand, sporting a freezing climate and thin atmosphere. It was the least hospitable world the Tok'Ra could find, one where it would be difficult for the Goa'uld to operate on the surface.

When the MALP had sent back the pictures and atmospheric readings on the planet, Hammond had almost been tempted to have Carter outfitted in a spacesuit lined with Kevlar before he let her go through. She'd convinced him that the usual desert battle dress and some body armor would be enough. It almost wasn't. She'd barely gotten twenty feet from the gate, fighting the gale and micrometeorite barrage all the way, when the transport rings appeared around her. When she got into the tunnels, she saw that her weapons had been sanded and pitted with impacts, while her uniform had been ripped in several places, including the armored parts. She wasn't wounded, but her clothing might not survive a return trip. Martouf offered to supplement her uniform with more durable clothing for her trip back.

"This is a good world for you." Carter said. "The bleakness of it should offer you some protection."

Martouf nodded. "We may all need similar refuge if Sia succeeds." He said. "I hope these plans of yours will work. Garshaw should be nearby. Let's get her and the rest of the Council together and you can tell us what you have in mind, along with what you will need from the Tok'Ra."

"I can tell you what we'll need right now." Carter said as they walked. "We'll need you to provide a force about twenty strong. They'll be vital to our defense and eventual counter-offensive. I haven't got all the details worked out yet, but the main goal is to wear Sia and Ra's forces out in a futile attack, then go for the Goa'uld themselves. We'll have several different elements working to achieve that goal. General Hammond was working on getting some of the people and things we need when I left. I have to go back soon and help coordinate them."

"Then we'd better not waste any time." Martouf said, picking up his pace.


Sia could only smile at the scene. It was comical the way the strange little fish peered back at her from the submerged Mirror on the other side. She was a little surprised that all the water wasn't rushing in, then reasoned that more than physical contact must be required to make the transition to another reality. There must be some kind of conscious desire to go along with it. Just to prove her theory, the fish swam up to the Mirror and tried to bite it...

...and collapsed to the floor of Sia's throne room with a wet thump, then began to thrash around. The Goddess motioned for a Jaffa to come over. The Selket Guard was set to blast it with her staff, but a flash from Sia's eyes stopped her. Putting aside her staff, the Jaffa carefully picked up the fish and held it for Sia, who gestured with her chin to the Mirror. The Jaffa touched the fish to it, sending the thing back to its environment. Once in the water, it took one last glance at the strange being on the other side of the invisible wall, then swam for its life.

Sia was satisfied. She had no reservations about killing, except that the death must have some benefit to it. The dead fish would simply have been a dead fish, its death having served no purpose. She switched the channel again.


"It is good to see you, old friend." Teal'c said to Bra'tac as they clasped hands at the wrist. The two former First Primes of Apophis greeted each other with smiles, though Bra'tac's was wider and showed his teeth, while Teal'c's was more formal and reserved.

"It does an old heart good to see you, my young friend." Bra'tac said. They were meeting in a quiet marketplace on Chulak, after hours, in between two kiosks. It was likely they'd be safe from prying ears. "Tell me, what brings you home?"

"How many have you recruited?"

"It is difficult. There are so many here still loyal to Apophis." Since they'd helped rescue SG-1 from the clutches of Hathor, Bra'tac had been trying to expand the small band of resistance fighters they'd gathered for the effort. It was slow going, but he'd had some success. "At present, I've got fifteen men to join our cause."

"It will be enough. Gather them at the Stargate and prepare them for battle. We will have need of them soon. There will soon be a great battle, led by the Tau'Ri. We and the Tok'Ra will assist them." In a few minutes, Teal'c explained all the information he knew, plus he laid out what would be expected of his people. Bra'tac listened carefully, raising an eyebrow only when Teal'c told him what other equipment would be needed.

"But we left it there, and as good a pilot as you are, it doubt we could get it into Earth's Stargate facility."

"I am told we will not have to fit it there. That is part of the plan."

"Very well. Our men will be ready to carry out our mission."

"Of that I have no doubt, old friend."


She saw a world covered with snow and ice, in the throes of a massive blizzard. She switched the channel. Now there were Ancients working on an old Stargate. She changed the channel. Aliens she'd never seen before jumped back from the Mirror when they saw her appear in it as they examined it. She switched the channel again.

This next scene made her pause. She was looking in the Mirror at...herself.

Yet it was not a true reflection. Of course, it had to be another reality, but one she'd never considered. There she was, looking back at herself, equally surprised, except the other Mirror could only be in what must be a Tau'Ri facility, similar to the one that housed the Earth Stargate in this reality, and her counterpart was wearing a Tau'Ri uniform, the jumpsuit type that was blue in color and sported few adornments except for the SGC patches on the shoulders that had come to be so hated by the Goa'uld. Her beautiful face was not made up, and her long hair was tied back severely. She checked the rank insignia, and recalled what she knew about the Tau'Ri military. A lieutenant! Not even a position of real authority!

Sia's eyes flashed with indignance, and on the other side, Air Force Lieutenant Sia Morgan looked into them and said "Whoa!" They raised their controllers and Sia switched channels as the lieutenant turned her Mirror off.


Daniel Jackson couldn't help but look back at the replica of the Great Pyramid as he crossed the sands of Abydos with his welcoming committee. It was there that the greatest adventure of his life had started. More importantly, it was the proof that he needed to validate the theories he had formulated about the origins of human civilization. It was a shame he couldn't tell any of the stuffed shirts who'd mocked him about it, National Security and all. Who do you think built the Great Pyramid? He could hear one ask in his mind. Men from Atlantis? Or Martians perhaps? How about a little of both, fat boy?

One more thing about the sight gratified him. It had not yet been covered by a Pyramid Ship, serving as a landing pad for one being its sole purpose. That meant that no Goa'uld had returned to the desert world--yet. Jackson was sure that this happy situation would not last. He was positive Sia would bring back Ra. He couldn't understand why she hadn't done it yet. Surely she must have come across dozens of Ras since she'd started using the Mirror. Not that he was complaining. The longer she took to bring him back the more time they had to prepare. Still, he wished he could let the Mastage he was riding run flat out, but no one could stay on the back of one of the elephantine beasts of burden when it was at full gallop.

Jackson was being escorted by four Abydonian young men, who were also riding. They had been among the boys who had helped retake the Stargate and free their people all those years ago. They had been in the pyramid when Jackson arrived, keeping watch on the 'Gate, a regular vigil on this world. Seeing them brought back painful memories of Sha'uri and Skaara, but also good ones of the time he'd spent on Abydos, teaching the people here about their past and helping to guide them to what Jackson hoped would be a bright future.

A day's ride brought them to the walled village that served as the Abydonians' home. They were spotted as they approached, and a large group met them when they reached the open gates. Some women brought them water to drink while a group of boys tended to the animals. As he sipped, Jackson was happy to see Kasuf coming toward him out of the corner of his eye.

"Welcome home, my son!" The elder exclaimed, greeting Jackson with a grin and a strong handshake. As far as Kasuf was concerned, Daniel Jackson was Abydonian, by marriage as well as by acculturation, and would treat him as such. Jackson, as always, appreciated the sentiment.

"It's good to be back, Good Father." Jackson said, with respect as well as genuine pleasure. Abydos had become home for him at a time when he'd had no other, and he had no intention of letting anything happen to it. "Unfortunately, I do not come bearing good news. I'm afraid both our worlds are in terrible danger, but Abydos especially."

Kasuf's face suddenly became very serious. Daniel Jackson traveled among the stars, challenging the gods with tools and weapons that beggared his imagination. If his son was worried, then the danger must be terrible indeed. "What is it, son? What has happened?"

"The problem is what might happen. One of the demons has obtained a device that...that could help her bring back Ra."

At the sound of the Sun God's name Kasuf's blood ran cold, and for a moment--just a moment--Jackson could see a look of stark fear come across the old man's face. Then the look was replaced with one of grim resolve, and his voice became low and menacing. "Ra will return?"

"That is what we fear will happen, yes."

"And he will threaten us again?"

"That is possible."

"That will not happen, Daniel. We will fight him to the last man and boy! We will not be his slaves again!"

"I know, Father, and this time you will not fight alone. My people are going to send help, as much as possible, but we need you to do some things here."

"Anything! What must be done?"

Jackson started to explain as they walked into the village. "First, we'll need a large, clear area in the village to work from. I have just the right place in mind..."


Sia had to admit to herself that she'd need to stop soon. Though she might be able to search for an eternity, she couldn't do so continuously. Her arms were starting to get tired, as well as her eyes. Her host body had needs that had to be tended to, and would require some rest. Impatience was finally starting to overtake her. No matter how often she told herself that she didn't need to hurry, her subconscious was screaming for an end to the search. She dreaded putting off the hunt for the next day, but it was becoming less and less her decision to make.

Such was her impatience that she almost turned away from a channel that looked promising. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a dark, charred wall in the Mirror, and stopped her hand before it manipulated the control. She took a closer look. It looked like the interior of the storage room she'd seen long before. The surfaces of the walls were burned and warped. In some places they'd completely disintegrated.

Sia snapped her fingers. One of the servant girls approached immediately, carrying a pillow on which rested a shiny, golden disk. Sia picked up the disk and slid her hand over it. A hum began to emanate from the object and she took it to the Mirror. With a touch she sent it to the other side, where it floated in mid-air. The disk started to glow with a pulsating light that filled the room. In the glare Sia could make out details. This was a storage room on Ra's Pyramid Ship.

A few seconds later the device began to display characters in the air. The goddess read them carefully as they appeared and disappeared. This was it! Every reading the device took matched her exacting specifications. She'd found the reality she was looking for.

Beyond the Mirror, in that universe, the bomb had made it to Ra's ship, but had malfunctioned. The material that had made up the warhead of the original Tau'Ri device had been impure, and the resultant explosion had been less powerful than intended. Human scientists called it a "fizzle", the nuclear arms equivalent of a "dud". The materials that composed the Pyramid had further reduced the bomb's effectiveness by absorbing and disbursing the explosive energy of the blast. Had the blast been powerful enough, they would also have magnified the energy release, just as the Pyramid had done in this universe, and just what the raw material would have done to the bomb had Ra's plan to ship them back to Earth succeeded.

Of course, it was still a powerful enough explosion to kill Ra, but not irretrievably. Yet she was sure no one from that universe, knowing Ra was dead, would rush to dispose of his body, faced with the killing radiation that was still permeating the Pyramid's remains. Instead, they would fall into discord, vying for power, much as in this universe. Even her alternate might be too busy fighting for her share of the remaining universe to attempt a proper rescue. That left the way open for her.

"Now." She said.

Bastet and the Selket Guards sprang into action. They knew immediately what was expected of them. Four of the Jaffa carried an opaque, roughly human shaped casket to the mirror. As one, they touched their hands to the screen, as well as the casket. They all appeared on the other side in a flash. Once in the alternate pyramid they set off at a run, heading for where the Sun God must have been, the control station in his throne room.

Sia fidgeted and bit her lip as she waited. Suddenly, eternity didn't seem very long. So close to achieving her goal, she found herself counting the seconds until the Jaffa returned. There was no way of knowing how long the retrieval could take. Though they knew where Ra was supposed to be, the damage sustained by the pyramid might make getting to him problematic.

The Goddess needn't have worried. Though it had taken longer than it would have on an intact ship, it didn't take that much longer. Soon, the Selket Guards returned to the mirror carrying the casket, which now seemed to weigh them down. It took some effort for them to stand it upright. When they had it in position, four more guards got ready on this side of the doorway. The retrieval team touched the casket to the mirror surface. It reappeared in front of Sia. The four new guards caught it as it tipped over, then carried it out of the way.

Sia regarded the Jaffa in the Quantum Mirror. The team leader took a deep breath, brought herself to attention, then touched her fist to her chest and bowed solemnly. Her team followed suit, honoring their Goddess. Bastet returned the salute fully, while Sia returned the gesture with a bow of her head, showing genuine respect. The team would not be coming back. The radiation was already killing them, causing more damage than their Goa'uld larva could fend off, and bringing them back would risk contaminating her Pyramid. Besides, they had one more thing to do.

Once the silent goodbyes had been exchanged, the retrieval team readied their staff weapons and aimed them at the doorway. Sia raised the controller and touched it, turning it off. As soon as the channel was closed, the Jaffa in the alternate universe would destroy that mirror. What they did after that was their own affair, as long as they gave no evidence of what they had done, but Sia was confident that the radiation levels would make sure they never spoke to anyone.

She then gave the controller back to her servant and turned her attention to the casket. The material it was made of was radiation proof, and thus was safe to examine. Once empty, she could now barely make out the shape of a body through the translucent casing. She could barely make out the grayish skin and diamond shaped mouth of the badly disfigured corpse. The shock of the rebellion on Abydos had caused him to revert to the form of the host he'd taken before he'd discovered the Tau'Ri, but as long as there was a trace of human DNA left to work with, Sia was sure that would not be a serious problem.

Without a word Sia walked over to the transport rings. The guards carrying the casket followed close behind, then set the casket upright in the center of the transport area and gathered around it. Sia joined them, then said to Bastet: "Maintain this orbit and await my instructions. If all goes as I expect, we should be landing within a day."

Bastet nodded, then touched the jewel control on her gauntlet. The transport rings descended with their usual ratcheting sound, and in moments Sia and the others were whisked away.


The C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft sped through the night sky, escorted by two Air Force F-15s. The pilots found it a little odd since they'd be over U.S. territory the whole trip, but orders were orders, and their orders said nothing was to impede the Globemaster's progress.

Meanwhile, in the plane's cargo bay, the loadmaster looked again at the big, flat wooden box and the short, squat, square one that were the cargo for this mission. He scratched his head, trying to figure out what was in them, and why they warranted such secrecy. Normally the sergeant was in on each mission briefing, but this time he hadn't been allowed in the "officers only" meeting. He didn't even know where they were going. Finally it became too much. He trotted over to the two Rangers accompanying the boxes and asked one of them point blank.

"Okay, I gotta know. What's in these things?"

The Ranger looked over at his teammate and they smiled at each other, then he looked back at the sergeant and answered. "It's a big round thing that turns into a pool and sends you to other planets!"

"Okay...where are we taking 'em?"

"Area 51!"

The loadmaster got an annoyed look on his face. "Fine, don't tell me!" He said, then stalked off.

The Ranger waited until he was sure that the sergeant couldn't hear him over the noise of the engines, then said to his partner: "Damned if these things don't write their own cover stories!"


Meanwhile, the SGC was flurry of activity, even though most of the personnel on the base had been evacuated, while those left behind were shutting down and securing vital systems. As they worked, General Hammond and Major Carter talked in the briefing room over handwritten notes and quickly sketched maps on which Carter had created a detailed operations plan. As the de facto operations officer for what was being unofficially called "Operation Sundown", it was her job to coordinate the disparate elements of what was turning into the Stargate Expeditionary Force and finalize the way they would be used to stop Ra.

"The President has also promised us the use of Colonel Cromwell and his people," Hammond said. "That will give us another fifty troops that are capable of special operations."

"That will be great!" Carter said. "If Teal'c and Daniel come through that will give us the equivalent of an irregular battalion." She checked her watch. "The first of the transports should be nearing Area 51. Were there any problems getting the modified equipment?"

"No problem with the Army vehicles. They were loaded and on their way by the time I got the evacuation going here. The 'Mini 500' kits were a little tougher to get, but they and the conversion kits are on their way. We can assemble them on the ramp once everything is set up."

"I hate 'some assembly required'," Carter chuckled.

Just then a technician came in. "We're ready." She said to General Hammond.

The General looked out at the Stargate. He pressed the intercom and said: "Close the iris."

The iris slid shut, closing the entrance to the 'Gate. When he saw that, Hammond said: "Shut down."

In the control room, all the control systems had been powered down already. The lone techie in the dark room operated the Stargate using the backup system programmed into a laptop. It wasn't powerful enough to sustain normal Stargate operations, but could be used for a short while to do what was required. The techie touched a control.

The power sources for the Stargate immediately shut down and secured themselves. Once that was done, more techies in the 'Gate Room disconnected the power leads from the device, rendering the Stargate non-operational. The lights were turned off as the technicians left, leaving only the briefing room illuminated.

"I think its time to go, General." Carter said.


"Lowering the ramp!" The loadmaster said into his radio to the pilot. The landing had been a smooth one, almost delicate, as if what they were carrying was extremely fragile. The sergeant carefully directed the action as hauling trucks towed the equipment pallets off the plane. The flat box was particularly tricky, since it had been loaded upright. He noticed that other aircraft were offloading as he guided the big box down the ramp. When the object was clear, he took a moment to get a good look.

He couldn't recognize the airfield, since in the dark every air base looked like every other. As he wondered where he was he noticed a pair of C-130 transports offloading some sort of vehicles. They looked like dune buggies, and on closer inspection he realized that they were the desert ATVs that the Army sometimes used. Maybe they were in or near the desert. The Middle East? Naw, they weren't airborne anywhere near that long. Maybe a test range in the Southwest, like the National Training Center.

As he tried to figure it out he heard a voice in his ear. "Button her up. We're cleared to leave right now!"

The sergeant sighed as he acknowledged with "Roger that." He trotted back into the cavernous cargo bay and hit the door controls. He looked back as the ramp raised and the view of the mystery airfield was obscured. No crew rest, no tour of the local nightlife...they'd barely touched down. Whatever was happening, the powers that be sure didn't want non-essentials taking up valuable time.

As the C-17 taxied away, the flat box was towed to an obscure part of the secret airfield. It was held upright on its pallet by wooden braces at its bottom. The hauler positioned the box precisely on a mark set up for it, just as the other box was set on a different mark. When the trucks cleared out a squad of Rangers surrounded the area, guarding the two boxes. Only specifically authorized personnel would be allowed to approach and open them. Until then, they would lay undisturbed as ground crews unloaded the other aircraft descending into the suddenly very active secret base.


Sia watched intently as the components of the elaborate sarcophagus she'd had constructed folded closed around the translucent casket, right until the last Ankh shaped cover piece slid into place at the top. It was an exact replica of Ra's original, one that she had designed herself. It worked better than any sarcophagus in existence, her contribution to the longevity of the chief god. As soon as it closed the device quietly set to work. The energies within would destroy the casket as they healed the twisted body it contained.

She turned her attention to the Jaffa surrounding her. There were now a number of Horus Guards along with the Selket Guards that had accompanied her. "We will stay and watch over him as he heals. In the meantime the servants should prepare the welcoming ceremony."

A Horus Guard bowed and turned away to relay Sia's orders as the goddess sat in a chair nearby. She touched the sarcophagus lightly and whispered: "Soon, Mighty Sun God. Soon you shall have your revenge."


Carter and Hammond returned the salute of the sergeant standing at the bottom of the stairs perfunctorily. The Air Force Gulfstream jet had gotten them to Area 51 in record time. Once on the ground they proceeded immediately to the area where the two secret boxes had been left. They showed there ID's and traded passwords with the Ranger in charge of the security force surrounding them. The Rangers let them pass, and Carter went immediately to inspect the large flat box.

"They seem to be in the right spots." She said.

"We can open them up once we get everything ready to send off." The General said.

"Let's hope that's soon. Time is something we don't have on our side, and something Sia has an abundance of."


She knew she that she'd never be able to relax enough to actually sleep, so Sia opted for deep meditation. She sat in a chair near the sarcophagus, legs crossed and arms at her sides. Her back was perfectly straight, and she breathed in a slow, soothing fashion. The technique left her calm but alert, ready for indication that her liege lord had awakened.

It was a long night, and a silent one, with only the soft humming of the sarcophagus and the ever-vigilant Jaffa to keep her company. As the hours passed, her growing impatience threatened to disrupt her meditations. She had waited so long for this moment, this time when order would be returned to the galaxy. Surely a few more hours should not be much of a hardship, but Sia was swiftly learning that even a few fleeting moments can seem like an eternity when one must wait for something joyous to happen.

It had been so long since they'd first set the body in the sarcophagus that Sia had lost track of time, so she didn't know exactly how long she'd been waiting when she heard the sound of stone sliding against stone. The device was opening, and Sia turned to stare at it as each of its components separated. They stopped several agonizing seconds later, and it was a long time before there was any other movement.

Then a form sprang upright, covered in a dark, filmy shroud. With its first breath it screamed, filling the chamber with a shriek of pain, fear and outrage that echoed throughout the room, and the Jaffa fell to their knees and bowed deeply before the figure.

Sia merely stood and approached the sarcophagus with slow, measured steps. "Easy, my Lord," she said softly, "be at ease. You are safe and alive once again."

The head of the shrouded figure turned in the direction of Sia's voice. It's eyes flashed through the fabric, and the muffled voice of a Goa'uld hissed: "Abydos...!"


NEXT: "FIRST MOVES"