Chapter Two: Gathering Storm
Back in the command area, Moya's crew debated Crichton and Sheba's desire to join Crais in his mission to go after Scorpius. Not surprisingly, Rygel had the most to say.
Have you gone completely fahrbot! You want to turn Moya around and head back into Peacekeeper territory?
Crichton slowly paced about before facing the others. I know the risk Fluffy, but if Crais and Sheba are correct, Scorpius has a device that can reach Earth. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots as to what he could do to Earth, let alone the galaxy. I won't speak for the rest of you, but Sheba and I are going with Crais. We're going regardless of whether you come or not, but if you choose to come along we sure could use your help.
Chiana twitched nervously. Just what do you have in mind? Walk up and knock? According to Crais, Scorpius and this stargate are located within a former Goa'uld fortress, surrounded by a protective forcefield dome, and at least one Peacekeeper Command Carrier is in orbit. Even with Talyn's help, it would be impossible to destroy it without getting blasted first.
You would be quite right in your plan, Pip. We'll go right up to Scorpius front door and knock and have him let us in. Crichton answered.
Aeryn regarded John with deep worry before stepping forward and saying angrily. No! Forget it, if you'd think that I'm going to sit back and let you sacrifice yourself again...
There's no other way we can possibly get by those planetary defenses. Crichton interrupted. Stargate or no stargate, Scorpius still wants the wormhole secrets in my head.
Staring into his eyes, Aeryn realized that there was no stopping him. The former Peacekeeper just gave a painful nod, I'm not going to watch you die. You can do this without me.
John saw the angst on her face. Her eyes almost welling with tears. He tried one last time to explain why he had to do this, trying to make her understand. He reached out and took her by the shoulders.
Scorpius has the ability to reach my world. Aeryn, we're talking about my home.
In one twisting move, she brushed his grip off. I'm not going through this again.
Then Aeryn turned and stormed out of the command area. For a moment Crichton started after her, but Sheba suddenly blocked his path and indicated that she'd go after Aeryn.
***
It wasn't hard for Sheba to track Aeryn down. She could hear the former Peacekeeper down in her personal gym beating the tar out of her punching bag.
Before entering the room, she felt for her blaster on her hip, making sure it was there. Confronting Aeryn when she was this angry wasn't the safest course of action.
Sheba just walked through the entrance and watched Aeryn, who was simply slugging the daylights out the punching bag in the center of the room. The Colonial warrior cleared her throat, trying to get her attention.
Want to talk? Shaba asked
Aeryn shouted, not stopping for a second from unloading her fury of blows on the punching bag.
Sheba whispered to herself. After a moment, she walked over to the opposite side of the punching bag and helped to hold it in place. For her part, Aeryn ignored Sheba's presence and continued hammering away.
Nothing else was said between the two women. Sheba just stood there, continuing to hold the punching bag steady, and let Aeryn punch out her anger. After a while, Aeryn slowed and finally stopped from exhaustion.
Sheba watched Aeryn as she stepped away to catch her breath. Feel better?
Aeryn glared back.
For another moment, Sheba just remained beside the punching bag as Aeryn finally got her wind back. Once Aeryn stopped panting she spoke, but she murmured so quietly that Sheba barely heard it.
*"I hate myself."*
Sheba was expecting: I hate you' or I hate John'. But not that one.
I let him back in, back into my life. Aeryn added.
Try as she might, Sheba could only nod in agreement. That's the price we pay for love. When we open our heart, we also open ourselves for possible pain.
Aeryn sighed and collapsed on the deck to sit. Why does he have to be that way?
Sheba sat down next to her. He's Crichton, he's Human and he cares. Sadly, more about others than himself. He's a rare type in the galaxy.
Aeryn snorted. You say it like I should be grateful.
You're angry right now and I understand, especially after what you have been through, but John is only doing what's right. His world might be endangered. Would you behave any different if the situation was reversed?
You're right. Aeryn finally sighed, wiping a tear away. It's what he is and who he is, and I can't change that. I would never want to because then he would stopping being John Crichton.
Reaching out, Sheba placing a comforting hand on Aeryn shoulder. I promise I won't let anything happen to him. I swear on my honour as a warrior that I will protect him.
Looking to Sheba, Aeryn managed a smile. The former Peacekeeper always had mixed feelings when it concerned Sheba. The Colonial warrior had quickly bonded with Crichton, becoming close friends. Even though the two humans came from two different distance corners of the galaxy, they did had a common interest, Earth. Crichton still desired to return home and Sheba also wishes to seek it out as well. Aeryn felt jealous at first but she later determined the relationship between John and Sheba was pure friendship.
In time, Aeryn came to admire the Colonial warrior. Sheba was a soldier and a fighter pilot, although as a human, she shared Crichton's complex behaviour patterns. She can laugh, joke freely but when a deadly situation should arise, Sheba can instantly became professional and lethal as any Peacekeeper. Aeryn also couldn't believe the hours they spend over dinner chatting about battle maneuvers and close fighter actions or dog fighting' as Crichton described it. If Aeryn had a choice in picking one person to watch her back in a fight, Sheba would be one of them.
You can keep your promise to yourself. Aeryn said to Sheba. I'm going with you and I'm going to keep Crichton alive myself.
Sheba grinned. Then in that case, I'm going to make sure you both get out of this in one piece.
***
Five days had gone by and no word from the Tok'ra. Carter was worried that something dreadful had happened to them and her father. Teal'c thought that something of great importance must have happened that required their full attention. Daniel suggested that the Tok'ra might be in the midst of relocating their base, considering the fact that they never lingered in one place for too long. O'Neill sort of wondered if Carter had just simply dialled the wrong number in trying to call them.
Regardless of the reason or reasons why, life at the SGC had to go on. There was the scheduled dig on P3X 727, a desert planet where SG-4 discovered a buried remains of an ancient city. Daniel Jackson was dying to investigate it, so General Hammond gave a go ahead on the mission. SG-1 and SG-3 were to join and assist SG-4 at the massive site.
For O'Neill, the only thing worse than supporting a rock hunt was having to look under one himself.
Once on P3X 727, the assigned SG teams moved out to set up camp at the site while Major Carter, Teal'c, and Lt. Hailey returned in an electric buggy to transport the last of the supplies from the stargate to the camp area.
So, Major, Hailey said, lifting a small crate and loading it on the cargo bed of their small vehicle. What are Daniel and everyone else hoping to find here in some old buried city?
Carter smiled at the young petite woman. She had taken an interest in Hailey, after meeting her at the Airforce Training Academy when she was still a cadet attending during a lecture Carter was giving. Carter saw the potential that the brilliant young woman could bring to the top-secret SGC program and executed a leap of faith when she had General Hammond recruit her. To Hailey's credit, she didn't disappoint Carter and committed herself to the project 110 percent. She was now an important member of the SGC team.
Well, Lieutenant. It could help us to understand who lived here before. Whether they were Humans, a Goa'uld outpost, or someone else entirely. For all we know, this place could have been a world where the Ancients lived.
Hailey gave a snort. So, this could be just the place that would bore Colonel O'Neill to tears.
Carter grinned remembering how much O'Neill *loved* science and being on digs. Oh, I think the colonel will survive even if nothing exciting is going on.
Teal'c was in the process of moving one of the more larger crates when he heard the stargate powering up, humming with growing energy. He watched as the chevrons were slowly locking into place. Someone was dialling into their stargate.
Major Carter. He said aloud. The stargate.
The SG-1 second in command stared at the stargate for a long moment, realizing that there were supposed to be no further scheduled visits from the SGC until tomorrow.
Take cover! she shouted.
Teal'c and Hailey ducked behind several crates on either side of the gate, while Carter moved behind a robotic MALP in the middle. Each levelled their weapons towards the stargate, covering it at three different angles.
Holding her P-90 with her right hand, Carter reached up and activated her shoulder radio.
Colonel O'Neill. Do you read?
Read you, Carter. What's up?
The fifth chevron was already locked in.
Sir, someone is coming through the stargate. It might be an unscheduled visit from the SGC, then again it might not.
O'Neill's voice instantly became more serious. I read you, I'm coming with SG-3 and 4 right now. Don't be a hero, if trouble comes out of that gate, fall back to us.
Understood, Colonel. Carter was relieved that the cavalry was on its way, but O'Neill was a half a mile away and would have slow going over sandy terrain. So, help wouldn't arrive for several minutes.
Just then, the stargate flared to life with the ever familiar exploding sound of kawoosh'. Five seconds later, black armored clad beings, armed to the teeth stepped through the gate. They weren't from Earth and they weren't Goa'uld neither. They were definitely anything but friendly looking.
That's far enough! Major Carter barked at the unexpected visitors, pulling her assault rifle tight against her shoulder. I'm Major Carter from the SGC. Identify yourselves.
The armored beings paid Carter and her two companions little attention other than stepping down off of the gate platform, taking up positions about the stargate, and levelling their own weapons at the SGC defenders. What was worse, as Carter continued to watch more of them were pouring out of the gate. She counted up to twenty-three of them by now.
She shouted again. I said HALT! Identify yourselves!
I believe I can help you with the answer to that question, said an oddly cultured voice. Carter's eyes were drawn to a new figure that had just emerged from the stargate. He was unlike anything she had ever seen before. He was dressed in black armor like the other visitors, but more reptilian in design, and his face was pale and demonic looking.
He stood proudly at the foot of the gate, with the glowing pool of the event horizon behind him. Around the base of the stargate, his men who numbered twenty-four Peacekeeper commandos formed a protective ring about him, covering their surroundings and the badly outnumbered SG members.
My name is Scorpius and what is yours my dear?
