Chapter One : Shadow
Twelve Years Later…
2784 A.D.
The Planet Omari
The quiet silence of late afternoon was broken by the a sudden sound of a wormhole gushing out into the air. In seconds it settled into a rippling watery surface from which four men stepped, their guns hanging harmlessly at their sides. This was supposed to be a simple diplomatic mission, an easy beginning for SG-2's newest recruit, Charles Simon. He was fresh out of Military training, but a good soldier from what his commanding officer had heard and Colonel Langston expected no less than that.
"Well, let's get goin' before we're late." Langston said to his team.
"Yes," Lieutenant Gavin McGregor said, glancing at Simon, "the Omari look down upon those who do not value punctuality. SG-6 found that out the hard way. That's why they aren't here right now."
"What happened?" Simon inquired. McGregor grinned at the sound of uncertainty and fear in his voice.
"They didn't kill them if that is what you are thinking. They just merely refused to see them again and requested someone else, someone with more respect for their time, to continue on. Hence, us." McGregor explained with simplicity, his hand motioning to the team at the last of his words.
Simon laughed. He was nervous about meeting a people of a different planet but still was very excited. Ever since he had learned he would become part of the famous Stargate program it had seemed he had been going on full throttle and he didn't feel like he was to slow down anytime soon. He didn't mind it at all. It was the chance of a lifetime, to go off world. It was a very coveted position and given only to those who deserved it the most, so not only was he proud that he could say he was part of it, but he could feel complimented on all his hard work, even though the promotion had been quite the surprise.
- - -
The Omari people lived halfway up a nearby mountain, three miles up through dense forest trees similar to the evergreens on Earth. Colonel Langston had lead his team three fourths of the way to their destination when the rocks began to tumble down and over each other. Lieutenant McGregor was the first to notice. He immediately stopped and watched.
"Sir." He said no more.
Langston turned to his subordinate. "Yes, Lieutenant?"
"The rocks are moving."
"They look like they're falling." Corporal Cameron Rhodes observed, taking off his glasses for a brief cleaning.
"Is there any seismic activity here?" Simon asked, looking around at the other three.
Rhodes answered, puzzled. "No, there isn't supposed to be, but - -"
"Look!" McGregor cried, pointing up the slope. Everyone followed the angle of his finger. More were sliding towards them. Now rocks were not the only thing in the current of this strange forest river. As they watched it only gained speed.
Langston took a step backward. The mountain was shaking, he could feel it building up beneath the thick soles of his boots.
"We should go back, sir. Until we know it is safe to return." Rhodes suggested.
"I agree." Langston said, "back to the gate."
Before they could even begin their trek back the mountain trembled violently, sending the team into chaos. Their legs quaked under them, the moving ground underneath rebelling against them. And with the same swiftness it seemed to crumble under an unexplainable, invisible force.
Their screams lasted for only a moment.
- - -
Cheyenne Mountain Complex
Earth
The beast had fallen upon them like an ominous shadow, and General Andrew Marshall supposed that was exactly what it was. The shadow of death, and it's name was Ares. The monster had probably picked the name out of the head of one of it's unfortunate victims. The name showed just how arrogant it was, comparing itself, naming itself after the Greek god of war. However, the General had to admit as he gazed out his office window overlooking the Stargate, there probably could not be a better defining name for the bloodthirsty creature.
His brows furrowed in concentration and disquiet. He didn't like what he was hearing, not at all. Behind him stood the Commander of SG-4, his voice revealing the trepidation the General was feeling. "It had to have been Ares, sir. There was no other cause for the collapse. A whole damn mountain!" Major Sheffield's voice rose sharply. "There was nothing left of Langston and his team, absolutely nothing - - unless of course you count Rhodes's specks."
Sheffield was silent for a few minutes, letting the solemn mood sink in. He didn't quite know what to say about the situation. To be frank there probably wasn't anything he could say. Everything was getting worse, and their enemy getting closer. Their options were running out, and they didn't have much time left before they fell. "The bastard's getting closer, isn't he, General?"
Marshall turned. "Yes, he is, and there's no way to stop him, at least not now. I think it's time to set forth out plan. Call Garrison and contact the members of the expedition team."
"Yes, sir." And with that Sheffield left the General alone with his own thoughts.
- - -
Tau'ri Outpost PX-2823
It wasn't the usual sounds of the planet that awoke Lieutenant Nova Danai in the morning. It was radio static, a voice. She rolled over, tangling herself in her sleeping bag. She shrugged it off with an exasperated sigh and proceeded to dig through the great heap of papers that had amassed themselves in her tent. She carefully dove through her sea of work until her fingers found a familiar object.
She brought it up to her mouth as she staggered outside, shielding her eyes from the light of the rising suns on the horizon. "Lieutenant Danai here," she said groggily, "did someone say something because I missed it." She leaned against a tree and waited. She didn't have to wait very long.
"Lieutenant, we're to report back at the Cheyenne Complex within the hour. I suggest you pack up and haul your ass down here." Colonel Carpenter. Her commanding officer.
She had to smile at his words. He seemed like such a hard man, but in reality, he was nothing more than a big softie. She shook her head. "Yes, sir, but may I ask why, sir?"
"All I know if that we're supposed to report in for some kind of emergency briefing. The faster you get back up here the faster we get to go find out."
"Affirmative, sir."
"I don't know why you insist on staying down there in the weeds in the first place." He muttered through the line.
"I don't know how you can't." She retorted. Anyone who didn't want to be outdoors was crazy to her. She loved the sounds, the smells, just the plain exhilaration of being on your own. And at any rate it was easier for her to work without the distraction of the ever frantic base camp, which was turning too much into a miniature city for her tastes. "I'll be at the gate in forty minutes."
When there was nothing more said she put the com away and started straightening her paperwork. She couldn't understand why they were being called back so early. They still had so much to do there. But who was she to judge the General's reasons? He probably had interesting news for the teams.
- - -
Half an hour later she had finished stuffing everything into it's rightful bag. She would leave the tent up for the local soldiers to take down. Due to the time constraint she couldn't do the task herself. She swung her backpack up and on and then raised the duffle back strap and placed it over her shoulders. She glanced at her watch and realized she only had fifteen minutes to make it. If she was late Carpenter would have her hide.
When she arrived at the Stargate her teammates were waiting patiently for her. As she approached she overheard Ramirez mumbling something about how there was probably some rogue Goa'uld or something they had to be warned about. Nova hoped so, but as of late they had been preoccupied with something way more dangerous than any of those damnable snakes. Something so horrible that even the Goa'uld tried to steer clear of it.
"What do you think it's about?" Major Campbell asked, poking his head around his oversized bag. Sometimes she swore he had managed to pack his whole home in there.
"Why do you always insist on asking me?" the young woman inquired, innocence lighting her silvery eyes.
"Because you always seem to know." Campbell replied. "And besides, don'tchu got connections up high?"
Lt. Danai frowned at that. "Well, for once I do not know what's going on. I am as confused as you are."
"Somebody mark it on a calendar," Dr. Eugenio Ramirez chimed in. "Danai's confused."
"Very funny." She said humorlessly.
"All right, all right," the Colonel shouted, "enough of this beating around. Let's get going."
"Yes, sir!"
- - -
Cheyenne Mountain Complex
"It's SG-7's IDC, sir." The controller told General Marshall as the Stargate activated. The other man nodded and then departed. He went down to meet the team just as they stepped through the event horizon. Campbell, Ramirez, Carpenter, and then Danai. "Lieutenant, Danai," he said, his sharp tone indicating that there was no time to waste, "if you'll come with me, please. I think there's something you need to hear. The rest of you can go change."
"Man, I knew it had somethin to do with you." Campbell said, glancing at her. She only looked slightly surprised as she followed General Marshall from the room. She didn't even look back.
"Now I really am curious." Ramirez said. "Why'd the General just call out Danai? You don't think she is in any kind of trouble do you?" That received a negative from the others. Danai was a straight arrow. She definitely was a little odd at times, but not enough to get her in trouble, and they couldn't see her doing something so terrible as to grab the General's attention. This had to do with …
"Ares." Colonel Carpenter said. "I bet it's about Ares."
"Ares?" Campbell asked.
"Yeah. I guess you didn't know, but Danai is the only survivor of one of Ares' massacres. Her whole city fell under his influence. She was just a kid. Five others from her home world lived. But…" The Colonel paused. "Danai is really the only one who truly survived."
"Meaning, sir?"
"The others went mad. No one understands why the Lieutenant wasn't affected like them, maybe it was some kind of immunity or something. I guess we'll never know…"
Well. That's not much for now, but it's a start. I know I don't have the infamous Sg-1 in here yet but they're coming in the next chapter. Eventually I will have Skaara in here, too. So if you're a Skaara fan, like me!, rejoice. Also, there will be Sam/Jack.
Cyas when I got another chapter out, but I have to work on The Lost, my other story, first.
Au revoir, and all those goodbye things.