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Chapter Eight: Departure

*
"So, the mission is approved?" asked Colonel O'Neill of General Hammond. Everyone was gathered in the main conference room to hear the answer.

"Yes," said General Hammond. "The possibility of finding new allies or technologies against the Goa'uld was too tempting to pass up. Of course, this is all partially contingent on what Max and his compatriots have decided. If he is truly the heir to the Antarian throne, then it will be better to have him along as our ambassador of sorts."

"That may be a problem," said Max. "Khivar doesn't want us back there, or he does want us back so we can be killed. At least, I think he does."

"Well, that's why we'll be going along to make sure nothing like that happens," said Major Ambrose.

"Both SG-1 and SG-8 will be going with you, as well as several Tokrah," said General Hammond. "They will take you there in a cloaked transport, fly into Antar's atmosphere, and insert you there using the ring transport."

"We should be able to pull you out as well if you run into a problem," said Jacob Carter.

"Look, we still haven't decided what we want to do," said Max. "We still need to discuss it further."

"Well, you have until day after tomorrow, because SG-1 and SG-8 will be going with or without you," said General Hammond. "We'd much rather it be with you."

Max, Michael, Isabel, and Tess retreated to the quarters assigned to Max on base, to discuss things. After several hours of bickering, debate, and compromise over certain concerns, Max went by himself to speak with General Hammond.

"Ah, Max," said General Hammond. "Come in. What have you decided?"

"Sir," said Max, standing in front of General Hammond's desk. "We have agreed to go with your team. On...one condition."

"What would that be?" asked General Hammond.

"Sir, the main thing that has been holding up our eagerness to go is that we all have people here we care about," said Max. "I have my wife, Liz, Tess has her husband, Kyle, and his Father, Michael as his girlfriend, Maria, Isabel has Alex. Sir...this is a decision they should be made aware of. Sir, I'd like them to be brought to the SGC and told exactly what is going on."

"Absolutely out of the question," said General Hammond. "What do you think this place is, Mr. Evans, a Disney world? I can't just bring civilians here because their boyfriends and lovers are going off on a trip through the Stargate. Many of the people who work here have families, who know absolutely nothing about what it is they REALLY do here. It is for the safety of a world not ready to know the truth that the Stargate is our nation's greatest secret."

"Sir, it's a secret that has already been divulged to them," said Max. "Alex already told them and us about the Stargate, the Goa'uld, the Jaffa. Liz, Kyle, Sheriff Valenti, Maria...they were all there. If they already know, what harm would it be for them to be brought here. I can give you the same assurances about their oath of secrecy that I did for us."

General Hammond was silently contemplating what Max had just said. This mission had a greater chance for success if Max and his three compatriots were with them. The Antarians would be much more willing to open up relations and provide assistance against the Goa'uld if they were along. At least, a faction of the Antarians would. These civilians already know about the Stargate program, and the same requirements made of Max and the others could be extended to them.

"Very well," said General Hammond. "I'll have them brought here."

**
Twelve hours later, Liz, Maria, Kyle, and Sheriff Valenti were being led off of an elevator in the SGC, and were staring wide-eyed at their surroundings. Alex was leading them to the main conference room, where Max, Isabel, Tess, and Michael were all waiting for them.

When the group arrived, they found an Air Force General waiting for them, along with their four loved ones wearing the green fatigues worn by Alex and the other SGC personnel, only without the team patches on the shoulders. Maria chuckled a little at seeing Michael in the military uniform.

"Well, did you enlist or something while you were here, spaceboy?" she asked as she hugged him.

"Or something," said Michael.

"Hey," said Kyle to Tess, "that's actually kind of a sexy outfit."

"You say that about everything I wear," said Tess.

"Yeah, well for something reason...seeing you all dressed up like G.I. Jane is getting my soldier to salute, if you get my drift," said Kyle, taking Tess into his arms and kissing her.

Max and Liz were quietly hugging each other. Max reached down and touched Liz's pregnant belly.

"How is he?" asked Max.

"Kicking quite a bit," said Liz. "I think he has been missing you."

"So, Max," said Sheriff Valenti. "Care to tell us what's going on?"

"I think I can be of help with that," said a booming voice from the direction of the table. "I'm General Hammond, commander of this facility. If you will sit down, you will be briefed after we discuss some matters of secrecy."

The new arrivals all sat down around the conference table. General Hammond spoke to them about the importance of the secrecy of all they were seeing and were being told, and threatened them with imprisonment for life if they did ever divulge to anyone what they were being exposed to. They all agreed to abide by the terms of secrecy required, and were then briefed by General Hammond about the mission to Antar. To say the least, Liz, Maria, Kyle, and Sheriff Valenti were stunned.

"I don't believe this!" said Maria. "You are just...going to run off to Antar and get killed!"

"No, we aren't running off to get killed!" said Michael. "This is a matter of destiny here!"

"Nobody is talking about staying there permanently," said Max. "But we need to find out more about where we come from, and see if our alien brethren can do anything to help Earth and its allies fight the Goa'uld."

"But what about our baby, Max?" asked Liz. "I don't want our son to grow up without a Father!"

"And I am not letting you go on this little excursion, Tess!" said Kyle. "Its too dangerous!"

"This isn't your decision, Kyle!" said Tess. "Its mine! I love you, and I promise that I WILL come back to you, but I have to do this!"

"Tess, Max...everyone, I've got to agree with Kyle, Liz, and Maria," said Sheriff Valenti. "You are charging off into a situation where you don't know exactly what you are going to find, and you could all end up getting killed. This Khivar wants you dead, right?"

"Yes, but there are others there who are supporters of our family," said Isabel. "At least...the Antarian royal family who spawned us. And we have Tess' accessed memories of Antar and information from the Asgard to guide us."

"Look, everyone," said General Hammond. "I understand this is going to be difficult for you. I'm not saying this mission is not without risk. But I am sending two of my best teams with them, and they will have the Tokrah to extract them if things get hot. Colonel O'Neill and Major Ambrose will do everything possible to bring them home to you."

"Alright, look," said Kyle, "I see I can't talk Tess out of this. So, I'll do the next best thing. I want to go with you!"

"I'm sorry, that's not advisable," said General Hammond.

"And I won't allow that," said Max. "We love you all dearly, and we are not letting you go into this with us. We have to do this ourselves, with the SGC's help."

"Max, you and I are supposed to be partners, in everything," said Liz.

"Not this," said Max.

"Then how come Alex gets to go?" asked Maria.

"Um, see this," said Alex, pointing to the patch on his right shoulder. "I'm a member of SG-8, an officer in the U.S. Air Force. I have experience with off world missions, and I am trained in weapons and tactics. Which one of you fits that description?"

"Okay, stupid question," said Maria. "But I am not happy about this!"

"Maria," said Michael, taking her hand. "You...have come to mean a great deal to me. I won't put you at risk. But...honey, understand, I've got to do this. If I don't, and I stay here...I'm going to wonder my whole life what I might have missed. That's not fair to you or to me. I will come back to you. I promise."

"While they are gone, you are welcome to stay here at the SGC, so you will be here when we get any news about them, and when they return," said General Hammond. "That's the best we can do."

***
After the meeting with General Hammond, the gang from Roswell spent as much time with each other as possible before Max, Alex, Isabel, Michael, and Tess, were set to leave with the SG teams for a planet where they would meet up with a Tokrah transport. The next day came far too soon for the loved ones that were being left behind. They made their goodbyes to each other, and then those who were leaving made their way to the gate room, while the others watched from the control room.

The members of SG-1 and the other members of SG-8 besides Alex were waiting in the gate room, along with Jacob Carter. Isabel, Max, Michael, and Tess, were all dressed in green fatigues and utility vests with important survival materials. Alex and the other SGC members were all armed with P-90 assault rifles (with the exception of Teal'c, who carried a staff weapon), pistols, and Zat guns. The Stargate was dialing the coordinates, and they waited to make their journey.

"So," said Alex to Isabel. "I've got to say, you fit the part of a soldier pretty well. How does it feel?"

"Strange," said Isabel. "But...empowering, at the same time."

"I kind of feel like Rambo," said Michael.

"I thought you would have said Braveheart," said Tess.

"You know, I'd feel even more the part if I had one of those cool Zat guns," said Michael.

"Sorry, G.I. Joe," said Colonel O'Neill. "No guns for you to play with. Besides, with your powers, you don't need toys, you can just play with yourself."

Everyone in the gate room gave Colonel O'Neill a bemused expression.

"Hey!" said O'Neill. "You know what I mean! I mean, he can blow people away with thought power, for God's sake!"

"Chevron seven encoded and locked," said a voice over the intercom.

The Stargate activated, and the wormhole sprung to life within its dimensions. Max, Michael, Tess, Isabel, and Alex, all took one final look at their mesmerized friends and loved ones in the control room, as General Hammond gave them final clearance to proceed.

The SGC team members stepped swiftly through the wormhole, as did Jacob Carter, but Max, Tess, Michael, and Isabel were more nervous about things. Max, Tess, and Michael, stepped slowly through the gate. Isabel hung back, afraid. A gentle hand reached over and took hers in its grasp. Isabel looked and saw that it was Alex.

"I'm here," said Alex. "It won't hurt. We'll do it together."

They walked hand-in-hand into the swirling blue vortex. After they stepped through, the scene to their perception seemed to change to a swirling mass of stars and blackness as they were rocketed interdimensionally through the span of the universe. It was as if the whole universe was whirling by as they were carried in the form of energy through the wormhole, then suddenly deposited on the other side.

Isabel and Alex stepped out of the wormhole together, just as they had stepped in on the other side. They found themselves on a desert world, with nothing but the Stargate and sand dunes around them.

"What a ride!" said Michael. "That was the most incredible experience!"

"Alex, you do that everyday?" asked Max, his eyes still wide with wonder after the journey.

"Well, not everyday," said Alex.

"Its incredible to think we just traveled across the galaxy in a matter of seconds," said Tess.

"It never ceases to amaze me," said Sergeant Reynolds. "It makes you feel like the entire universe is your oyster, in a way."

"Okay, so...we've landed on the world from Dune here," said Michael. "Now what?"

"The transport is just over the hill," said Jacob Carter. "Follow me."

The group set off across the sand to the waiting ship that would take them to Antar, and to whatever destiny had in store for Max, Isabel, Michael, and Tess, and their new friends from the SGC.
End of Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine coming soon.
Well, what did you think of this chapter? Sorry it took so long to post. I went to a Sci-Fi Convention this weekend, so things got held up because of that. Anyhow, please keep those reviews coming so you can all let me know how I'm doing with the story.