Chapter 4: Call to War
The temple priests bustled about as the sound of the approaching Wraith ships echoed through the halls. They hurried to gather their belongings and quickly made for the forest just beyond the temple walls. They'd run as fast as they could and had arrived unscathed, at a spot just past the tree line. One of the priests pulled a small device from his hands and pressed a button on it. A shuttlecraft materialized before them and they hurried inside once the door was opened.
They watched from the window of the ship as they flew over the temple, beaming many of their people away. Their hearts sunk low in their chests as they watched their world being destroyed before their very eyes.
"Why is this happening? We've obeyed the teachings, and still our destruction is at hand." One of the younger priests shouted as he slammed his fists against a side panel of the shuttle.
"Calm yourself, Aleron. This will not be our end." Aleron felt a hand touch his shoulder and sighed heavily, leaning into the touch as a tear rolled down his cheek.
"I do not understand, Hector. There seems to be no way to stop these creatures. They are determined to see our entire race destroyed."
Hector sighed as he shook his head. "That may be true, but we must hold to our beliefs. Our faith will save us. It will set us free from all that threatens us."
"Our belief in what? Where is this protector you have foreseen, Hector! No warrior has come forth to spare our race, and now is when we need him most. The Wraith have already taken over much of this galaxy, they may have already taken Atlantis. If they have then Earth will surely be next. Where is your protector and defender of the People? Why hasn't he come forward?"
The older priest watched the emotions play on Aleron's face as the younger man spoke; he knew that what the priest was saying was true. He'd seen his mythic protector in a dream and swore that it was a vision of the future. Even now he could clearly see the protector's face as he brought down their enemy with lightening and fire. Surely he could not have been wrong. Somehow he knew his vision was real, but he had no way of knowing when this protector would arrive or how to convince his brothers that this nightmare would pass.
"Aleron, listen to me. I know that my vision does not seem clear you. I will admit that I do not know when the protector will come, but he will do so. We must stay vigilant until then. We will take our place in the higher plane and go forth to teach others of the great pathway, when the time is right the protector will come. Believe me, my brother. Our people who have been lost today will not have made the sacrifice in vain. We must go on in their name and show others the true way. We are all that is left of the Brotherhood of the Ori, we must strive to keep order amongst our people until the time our protector arrives."
Hector reached into his robe and pulled out a small box, opening it to show the contents to Aleron. The younger man reached inside to pull out two crystals. He rolled them over in his palm and nodded his head in understanding as Hector continued to speak.
"We must keep these safe until the protector comes to claim them. The Brotherhood are the guardians of the sacred scrolls and the protectors of the crystals. Keep your faith, Aleron."
"I will, Hector. Though at times such as this, it is difficult to do so."
Hector squeezed Aleron's shoulder, the younger man welcomed the comforting touch. When they looked back towards the window the Wraith ships were leaving. Once they were out of sight, Hector signaled the pilot to start the ship up and they left their planet behind, hoping and waiting for the time when their protector would come.
> > > >
Jack opened his eyes blinking away the visions the crystals had shown him, and sat upright as the others moved quickly to his side. He could feel the crystals still imbedded into his palm and brought his hand up so he could take a look. They appeared to have attached themselves to the center of his hand, though they weren't hurting him in anyway. He tried to pull them out, but it was obvious they were deeply imbedded in his flesh.
He shook his head as the others bombarded him with questions; he moved his hand as if to tell them he needed space. Taking the hint, the others backed away and let the General ease himself away from them. The voice he'd heard before he passed out was still echoing in his mind, though it seemed to be saying more than he'd originally heard.
/Do you accept your task/ The strange voice didn't sound male of female but like a soft whispering waterfall in his ears.
/What task/
/You are the chosen one, Janus. We have been waiting for you for many years. We had almost given up hope that you would find us./
/I'm not sure I understand. By 'we' you mean the crystals/ Jack thought it was strange that he was having this discussion in his head, but then again it wasn't the strangest thing he'd ever experienced so he mentally shrugged off the feeling and waited for his new companion to respond.
/Yes. We are the crystals, but we belong to you now. We are one./
/You said you'd been waiting for me…how did you know I would come/
/We have existed since time began. It would be difficult to explain this in words, but if you will allow us, we will show you./
/Go ahead./
Jack closed his eyes as he felt a wave of energy wash over him. Suddenly images began to flash through his mind. He could see the universe just as it was before the Ancients came, before any other beings had touched and corrupted it. He could see the first creation of human beings, animals, and plant life on various planets through the galaxies. The crystals had existed as many forms of life and had watched the different galaxies evolve. Then he saw the destruction that had occurred once other species began to travel the galaxies; finally he saw the Wraith and the Goa'uld. He could see the devastation they had caused and a brief glimpse of what they were going to do in the future. This last image was burned into his mind as he saw what his purpose was to be.
/You're like some sort of inter-dimensional life forms aren't you/ Jack asked as more images continued to flow through his mind.
/We exist in different forms on each plane of existence./
/That's how you knew I would come./
/Yes. We have seen what is to come. We gave that vision to another of your kind and waited until they sought you out. Unfortunately, it took longer than we anticipated./
/How is that possible/
/Time is relative to us. We do not see it as your kind do. Time is something your people wish to control, for us it is merely another aspect of our existence. We accept it and move with it./
/What am I supposed to do? Or rather how I am I supposed to do this/
The beings in his mind seemed to laugh at his question though he wasn't certain why. /You will know when the time is right. For now you must return to Earth. You will be needed very soon./
The images stopped and it became clear to him just what these crystals were. He was about to open his eyes again, when a thought popped into his mind. /What do I call you/
/You may call us Valyn./
/What about Ayola? Can you tell me if he'll be alright?"/
/There is still much of his path left to travel, but he will not join in what is to come. Not this time./
Jack was glad to hear that his nephew would be alright, but he still wasn't sure how he was supposed to complete his task. As if sensing his thoughts Valyn responded.
/That will come in time, of course that is only if you accept./
"Then I accept." Not realizing he'd said that out loud, Jack looked up to see Oma and the others staring him with looks of confusion on their faces.
"Are you alright, Janus?" Chaya was the first to reach out to Jack, he nodded at her as he took her hand and stood up.
"We need to leave. Make sure that Ayola is taken care of. We have to get back to Earth now." Jack's voice brooked no argument, as he started to move towards the door with the others hot on his heels.
They all followed the determined General out of the temple and through the village, only Chaya stopped long enough to tell one of the temple inhabitants to remain with Ayola to care for him while they were gone. They reached the Stargate and even Oma was stunned to see Jack dial in the gate address without having to ask what the last symbol was. After the event horizon burst forth, the group stared open-mouthed as Jack took a few steps forward and stepped into the wormhole without even a second thought. Colonel Reynolds was the first to shout, realizing that the iris would more than likely be in place on the other side.
> > > >
He stalked through the room looking from one soldier to the next, his disdain clear on his face. With a growl he motioned for the soldier nearest to him to leave and several others followed suit. The Wraith he'd sent through the gate had not returned from Earth and he was angered by the thought that the humans had once again found a way to thwart his efforts at destroying them.
Sighing heavily he turned to the remaining soldiers still guarding the worn and weary Teyla and Lieutenant Ford. Not wanting to show his frustration he smiled and took a few steps towards the two prisoners.
"I must thank you for giving me what I desired. It will only be a matter of time before the Wraith will feast on your pitiful planet."
Ford spat at Anubis and was rewarded with a blow to the head. Teyla was quick to move to her comrade's aide, but felt herself yanked up by her hair. She was face-to-face with Anubis as he peered down at her, with a look of pure hatred in his host's eyes.
"You may have beaten us today, but you will not win."
"You are a brave woman…foolish, but brave." He let her drop to the floor, kicking her square in the ribs, laughing haughtily as she doubled over in pain.
Shaking his head he turned to the remaining soldiers and ordered them to take the prisoners to where the others were being held. A maniacal smile ghosted across his lips as he watched them being dragged from his presence. He took a seat at one of the nearby consoles to wait for word from the team he'd sent to Earth.
> > > >
Colonel Carter heard the klaxons sound and was on her feet in a second. She hoofed it to the control room to find out who was knocking on the door. She was none too surprised to find Teal'c, Daniel and her father had gotten there about the same time she did.
"Who is it, Sergeant?" She asked the tech sergeant sitting checking the computer beside her.
"No IDC ma'am."
"Keep the iris closed." The sergeant nodded crisply as he quickly checked the iris controls one more time. Before he could say anything in response, the iris dematerialized before their very eyes. Carter turned towards Daniel and the others who looked equally puzzled, then snapped at the tech. "I said to keep the iris closed, airman!"
"Sorry ma'am, but I didn't open it."
Everyone in the control room watched as a familiar figure stepped through the wormhole and darted quickly down the ramp. The SFs had their weapons trained on the General, until Sam shouted from the control room for them to stand down. Teal'c and Daniel were the first to leave for the gateroom with Sam and Jacob right behind them.
"Jack! You're alright!" Daniel shouted as stepped into the gateroom. "How did the iris disappear?"
The General smiled softly and pulled the younger man in for a hug, and just as he did he noticed that several others were making their way through the wormhole.
"It's just a neat trick I learned."
"I see you brought company, sir." Sam pointed to the ramp where Oma, Chaya, and the others were now standing.
"I always say the more the merrier." Jack motioned for the others to come forward and herded everyone towards the conference room.
"What's going on here, Jack?" Jacob asked the question on everyone's mind once they were all seated around the conference room table.
"Long story, but suffice to say we need to get ready to go through to Atlantis." The entire room stared blankly at General O'Neill as he brought his hand up to his temple and began rubbing the small area in a circular motion. "I can't explain this right now. If we don't go in the next few hours, everyone on Atlantis is going to die."
"What are you talking about?" Daniel didn't even try to hide his exasperation or his confusion over what his friend was saying.
"Anubis has taken over the Wraith armada. He's planning to send more troops through to Earth. If we don't stop him now, there won't be anyway for us to do it later."
Oma and the other Ascendeds shook their heads in disbelief as they all began to shout out for more of an explanation. Jack raised his arms in the air to silence the room, surprised at how quickly they quieted. It was at that moment that Jacob noticed the crystals in Jack's right hand and quickly asked about them.
"These are…well, it's complicated. Let's just say they're something I need at the moment."
"Jack, you're being awfully vague right now." Jack rolled his eyes at Daniel as the young man shrugged his shoulders hoping for more of an answer.
"This is the best I can do right now, Daniel." The General looked around the room, and saw that everyone seemed to have the same lost expression on their face. "Listen, folks. I know this doesn't make sense. Believe me, it makes even less sense in my mind, but I don't wanna see anyone else hurt. I know none of you want that either. The only way we're going to prevent that from happening is by striking now."
The room went silent as they considered The General's words. None of them knew quite what to say in response, and it was Chaya that broke the deafening silence with a simple question.
"What do wish us to do?"
Several pairs of eyes were trained on the Ascended woman, gently tapping her fingers on tabletop. Daniel, Sam, Teal'c and Jacob still did not know who she was, though they were more than curious to find out. Jack merely smiled in her direction as he spoke.
"For starters, I need you and Desa to get the little party favors you've been hiding." Both Ascendeds glared back at Jack in shock and surprise. "You forget I know you both amazingly well. Unfortunately, I don't know where you hid it, but if I'm right you can get to it pretty easily from here."
"You never cease to astound me, Janus." Chaya's soft voice made Jack laugh and he nodded his head.
"That's good to know."
"I'm sorry, but could we maybe get an introduction here?" Daniel surprised everyone when he turned towards Chaya and crossed his arms over his chest.
Jack and Chaya laughed softly as they shared a knowing glance at one another before Jack began to answer the archeologist's question. "I think you two may have met earlier. Chaya tells me she showed up at that masquerade that was supposed to be a trial. Would you like to introduce yourself?"
With a proud smile Chaya stood. "My name is Chaya. I am an Outcast like Janus and the other Ascendeds here."
"That's another thing I'm confused about." Daniel cut her off as he raised his arm in the air. "How is it that you're all corporeal? I kinda got it when we were wherever we were for the trial, but not here in this plane of existence, so how is it possible?"
Oma shook her head at the mystified linguist. "It has always been possible for an Ascended to take corporeal form, it merely takes training. You were able to do so; I fear you have simply misplaced the memory."
Daniel, Sam and Jacob glared at Oma, then shifted their gazes to Skaara, Chaya and Tenal who were sitting quietly listening to the conversation going on.
The next hour went by in a blur as Jack barked out orders that set the whole mountain to bustling around. Chaya and Oma had left through the Stargate. Tenal, Skaara and Teal'c were hard at work helping Colonel Reynolds prep teams for the impending battle with Anubis. Sam and Jacob were readying the time travel ship that SG-1 had found a few months earlier. By the end of the hour SG teams were prepped to go through the gate, and to Jack's delight, Chaya and Oma had indeed returned with their 'party favors' in hand.
"Have I mentioned you're both great gals?" Jack grinned wildly as he cupped one of the treasures in his hands, while the two women rolled their eyes at him.
Everyone was shocked to say the least when the two Ascended women returned with a fully charged ZPM and a cache of Ancient weapons in tow.
Within minutes the ZPM was in place and they were dialing the coordinates to Atlantis. Jack guided the puddle jumper through first; using his newfound ability to disengage the iris-like device that he knew might be activated on the other side.
> > > >
As the chevrons began to light up Anubis smiled, thinking his soldiers were finally returning. Much to his chagrin he was met by the sight of an Ancient shuttlecraft being piloted by one of the Tau'ri he had come to hate with great passion. Anubis growled in disgust as Jack O'Neill waved at him with a devious grin on his face. He wasted little time retreating for the exit as a patrol of Wraith soldiers began to fire their weapons at the shuttle.
The SG teams that poured through the gate after the shuttle easily dispatched the few Wraiths that were firing on them with the use of their new Ancient weaponry. Jack set the shuttle down in the center of the control room and opened the door so his team could exit. He then led the SG teams out into the city, leaving Tenal and Oma behind to watch the control room.
> > > >
"They're pretty banged up, but they should be alright, Major Sheppard." Carson moved his hand back from Teyla's abdomen, and turned toward the Major.
"If they've already sent a team through the gate, then Earth may already be lost." Weir's tone was ominous, without a speck of hope in sight.
Sheppard shook his head. "General O'Neill would destroy the base before he let Earth be compromised. Elizabeth, we have to think positive. Maybe there's still a chance for us to help them."
"How do you propose we do that?" Dr. Weir rolled her eyes, not sharing her counterpart's hopeful attitude.
To their surprise it was Colonel Howard that spoke out in response. "Maybe we can slow the Wraith down. There are quite a few of us, we might be able to pull something off to buy Earth some time."
They heard a soft groan coming from their left and turned to see Lt. Ford coming to. "They already kicked our asses big-time, sir. How are we supposed to slow them down?"
With a wink and a smirk Sheppard bent down to pat the young soldier's shoulder. "We'll just have to think of something, won't we?"
Ford stifled a laugh at his COs cheerful expression and started to sit up, only to be stopped by Dr. Beckett's firm grip on his left arm.
"Not yet, Aiden. From what Teyla tells me, you took a rather nasty knock on the head. You need to rest up a bit before you do anything else."
Leaving Beckett to tend to his patient, Teyla, Sheppard, and Weir moved off to another corner of their quasi-prison to try and come up with a plan.
"Is there anyway for us to get to the gate?" Sheppard looked to Teyla, but the Athosian woman only shook her head.
"I do not believe so. The Wraith leader has it covered well. She has a squadron of soldiers guarding it."
"That's another thing, am I the only one that thinks that that Wraith is kinda strange? I mean she doesn't act like any of the Wraith we've encountered before." Both Weir and Teyla nodded in agreement.
"She did not seem like any Wraith my people or I have encountered."
Weir shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "How does this help? So we know that this Wraith is different somehow, but we don't know why. We know they operate with a hive mentality, maybe she is their queen and that's why she's different?"
Howard shook his head wondering what else was so familiar about the Wraith that appeared to be in control of the Hive ships. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he was certain it was more than her possibly being a Wraith queen.
Sheppard also felt something didn't seem right, and like Colonel Howard he couldn't put his finger on it either. Turning his head slightly he saw Dr. McKay walking towards them, and broke himself from his thoughts.
"What did you find out?"
McKay sighed and shook his head. "Good news is that Zalenka was able to purge some of the city's memory before the Wraith took over the gateroom. Bad news is that he has no idea how much he managed to erase, or if the Wraith have a way of recovering any of the lost data."
"That doesn't help us." Howard chimed in causing McKay to roll his eyes.
"I never said it would."
Sheppard glared at Rodney in frustration, but the scientist merely sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.
"First, thing we have to figure out is how we get out of here. The only visible exits are through those doors over there, and the transporter. The transporter has been locked, and the exit doors are guarded." Sheppard pointed to the sliding doors of the cafeteria and then to the transporter doors a few yards away. "Can anyone think of any other way out?"
They all stood there in silence trying to think of a way out of their confines, but nothing was coming to mind. With a heavy sigh Sheppard turned towards the transporter doors, running his hand through his hair. He knew they had to find away to stop the Wraith, but finding that way was easier said than done.
> > > >
The teams fanned out to scour the city to find Dr. Weir and her team. Colonel Reynolds led SG-3, while Jacob, Tenal and Skaara had joined SG-12, 15 and 16. Jack could feel a familiar presence close by and he sent the other teams as far away from it as he could. It felt strange to once more be leading SG-1, but it also felt right to have them by his side again. As they continued through the city Jack began to formulate a plan with the help of Valyn, and together they led the team to Anubis, so their plan could be put into action.
They slowly made their way down an empty corridor. Jack motioned for everyone to halt as he tried to sense where the presence was coming from. He moved them left and stopped at the end of the corridor where they were met with a heavy looking door.
"He's inside. I can feel him." Jack turned around, motioning for everyone to come closer. "I want everyone to stay on my heels. He's not alone in there, and those Wraith are gonna be hard to kill. Even with our new toys, they're gonna be a bitch to stop."
They all looked down at the Ancient weapons they were carrying, then back up at Jack.
"If he has taken a Wraith as a host, how will you know which one he is?" Daniel asked.
"I already have a pretty good idea which one dear old Anubis is. I'm guessing he's inside that one we saw charging out of the gateroom when we came through."
"What makes you so sure, sir?" Jack turned to Sam and sighed.
"It's just a hunch, Carter, but trust me on this one."
Shrugging her shoulders Sam nodded as Jack began to dole out orders to the team. Moments later SG-1 was in position. Jack brought his hand up, and as he did so the crystals lit up. The heavy door was thrown open and the team rushed inside, Jack in the lead. As they entered a swarm of Wraith soldiers charged them.
"Shit!" Was the only thing Jack could think to say as the soldiers descended on them, surrounding the four of them in seconds.
Jack silently motioned for everyone to put their weapons down. They did so with some hesitation as the Wraith began to step aside so their leader could view their newly captured prisoners.
"Did you really think you could stop me?" The strange voice got the team's attention, they looked up to see a female Wraith coming towards them.
Jack smirked as he shook his head. "Actually, it was a thought."
"Your species is pitiful. You should be grateful that I am sending the Wraith to destroy your world. I am ridding it of a useless affliction."
"You have no right!" Daniel shouted and made to lunge at the Wraith, but was stopped short when Teal'c and Jack grabbed him by the arms to hold him back.
"Your friends are wise to stop you, though they have only delayed your inevitable death, Daniel Jackson."
"Listen Anubis. If you're done preaching to us, we've really got more important things to be doing right about now."
The female Wraith cocked her head in Jack's direction and smiled. "Jack O'Neill…the second biggest mistake the Others allowed to happen. You should have been put out of your misery centuries ago."
Jack watched as they Wraith raised a hand and touched his chest with the slick palm. To his surprise he didn't feel his energy being drained out of him, and by the look on the Wraith's face, Anubis was just as perplexed at why nothing was happening.
"Gee, I think you must have forgotten to read the instruction manual when you stole that body."
Anubis growled and brought his other hand down across Jack's face, landing the other man on the floor with a painful thud.
> > > >
"You look like you have a plan, Sheppard." Colonel Howard commented as he watched the officer's brow wrinkle as he turned towards the doors a few yards away.
"What exactly is your plan, Major?" Dr. Weir asked as Sheppard brought his hand up to his chin as he stood in front of Colonel Howard and Dr. McKay.
"I haven't exactly come up with one…yet."
Sighing heavily she took a seat on the floor beside the three men. "Something tells me we don't have much time here."
"I know that, Elizabeth." Sheppard lowered his head a moment then brought it back up, the expression on his face lacking in the confidence it usually held. "If the Wraith have already sent a team through to Earth, they're more than likely planning a full-scale attack, and my guess is they'll do that sooner rather than later."
"The Major is right. We have to come up with a way to get out of here before they can get any kind of attack underway."
"That's it!" McKay's voice took everyone by surprise, as Weir, Howard and Sheppard turned to glare at the scientist in confusion.
"What are you yelling about, Rodney?"
"I have an idea. If it works, we may be able to get out of here and warn Earth."
Sheppard shrugged his shoulder and waited for Rodney to say more, but the scientist seemed to be staring out into space.
"Are you going to share with the rest of the class?"
McKay shook himself from his thoughts. "Sorry, Major."
A few minutes later the three of them were getting ready to set Rodney's plan in motion. Sheppard, Howard, and Teyla were in place watching the entrance of the cafeteria that had become their holding cell, for any sign that the Wraith were on their way. Rodney and Zalenka had pried open a panel beside the transporter and were moving quickly to reconfigure the transporter. The sound of approaching footfalls caused Sheppard and Howard to motion for Rodney to speed things up.
"If you or the Colonel would like to give this a try, go ahead. Otherwise, shut up and let us work."
Rodney's less than pleased response made the two officers roll their eyes, Howard turned to glare at the Major.
"Is he always like this?"
Sheppard smirked as he shook his head. "Usually, he's worse. Fortunately, he's brilliant enough that I let it slide most times."
"And the rest of the time?"
"I grip my P-90 very tightly and pray for the strength not to pull the trigger."
Howard started to laugh softly, but stopped a moment later when the door opened, just as McKay and Zalenka slammed the panel back in place.
> > > >
Jack could feel the blood pouring out of the cut above his right eye, the warm liquid dripping down his face. He brought his hand up to wipe it away and clear his vision, only to find the crystals in his hand glowing again.
Jack could hear the voice in his head begin to speak and he closed his eyes once more. /We will heal you, Janus./
/Thanks Valyn, but won't Anubis notice if this cut just disappears/
/Perhaps, but if we do not intervene you will be unable to continue in the battle to come. That is unacceptable./
/If you say so. Is everyone else okay/
/Your team is well. They are watching you now with great concern./
Sighing Jack let Valyn work and opened his eyes once more to see his team checking him over.
"Take it easy, Jack. That was a helluva blow you took." Daniel's voice was calming to Jack and he focused on it as he sat up.
"Where are we?"
"Anubis had us put in what looks like a storage room of some sort."
Jack blinked a few times as his vision became clear. "Remind me to duck next time I try to piss off an evil half-Goa'uld, half-Ascended being."
Carter and Daniel smiled seeing their CO was sounding like his usual self.
"We'll keep that in mind, sir." Carter smiled and reached out a canteen of water towards her CO.
"How's the head?" Jack looked up at Daniel and sighed.
"I've had worse. It smarts, but I'll live."
Daniel rolled his eyes and took the canteen from Jack as he handed it to him, promptly giving it back to Sam as he leaned down to help the General to his feet. It took a moment for Jack to get his bearings straight once he was standing, but once he had he wasted no time in scouting out his surroundings.
"How long have I been out?"
Carter was quick to answer as she looked up from her watch. "About a half hour."
"O'Neill, I do not believe your plan worked." Teal'c surprised everyone with his comment, Jack walked towards him with a cocky smile on his face.
"We've been in worse situations. We'll get outta this just fine."
The Jaffa arched his eyebrow in manner that Jack could only interpret as 'Somehow I doubt that.'
"So do you have a plan, sir?"
Jack looked down at his palm and reached up once more to his head, feeling the cut already closing. With a smirk on his face, the General nodded.
"Patience Grasshopper."
The rest of SG-1 stared blankly at their CO as he sauntered towards the opposite end of the room, humming a tune they were certain was the theme song to MASH as he did so.
> > > >
"What the hell!" Howard cried as he saw several SGC soldiers enter the room.
Colonel Reynolds smirked at the other officer and shook his head. "It's good to see you too, Howard. We're gonna get your people out of here. Just out of curiosity, where the hell is the Daedalus?"
Colonel Howard sighed. "I ordered them to go after Dr. Weir and Dr. McKay, but they weren't able to get to them in time. From what I understand they engaged one of the Hive ships in battle and drew them away from the city."
"Well, the General will be glad to hear that." Reynolds shook his head and both Colonels turned to leave but were stopped by a voice behind them.
"Who are you?" Sheppard asked, surprising the two Colonels who turned to glare at him.
"Colonel Reynolds, SGC." Reynolds motioned for his team to clear the hallway. "We don't really have time for this, Major. We need to get a move on."
"How exactly did you get here?" Weir asked as she stepped up to Colonel Reynolds.
"We came through the gate. At the moment the gate is in our control, but if we don't hurry that may not hold for long."
Quickly the Atlantis team was herded out of the room and down the corridor. They managed to get to the gateroom without running into anymore Wraith; Sheppard was surprised to see Chaya standing by a puddle jumper when they arrived.
"What are you doing here?"
"Major Sheppard. It is good to see you well." She smiled and embraced the Major warmly.
"Nice to see you too." Sheppard smiled back at her as he pulled away, but his attention was quickly drawn back to Colonel Reynolds and the current situation.
"Ma'am, we need to send these people through the gate." Reynolds turned to Weir and she nodded in agreement.
Oma was already on her way to the control panel, readying to tap in the address when Rodney spoke up.
"How are we going to do that? We don't have a ZPM?"
Reynolds smirked. "You do now."
The scientist's eyes nearly leaped from his face at the Colonel's words. "How is that possible?"
"Long story, Dr. McKay. Let's just be grateful that we have one. Start getting these people back home."
"What about the Wraith? They already sent some of their own through to Earth." Elizabeth asked as Oma dialed Earth.
"We know ma'am. They've been…dealt with." Weir raised an eyebrow at the Colonel's vague statement as she crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the wormhole to connect.
> > > >
Most of SG-1 was pacing the floor as they tried to come up with a way to escape their current predicament. Teal'c was the only one remaining in place, standing guard in the corner of the room, with his eyes fixed on the door.
"Sir, we don't have our radios. We have no way of letting anyone know where we are."
Jack turned to Sam and looked as though a light bulb had gone off in his head. "I wonder."
The others watched as Jack sat down in the center of the room, closing his eyes as he crossed his legs in front of him.
/Valyn, can we do this/
There was a long silence within him before the crystals replied. /Yes, it is possible./
/Good. Let's do this./
Bringing his hands to his knees he let out a deep breath, then slowly began to reach out with his mind, oblivious to the fact that his teammates were watching him as though he'd lost his mind completely. He reached out, seeking a familiar presence. It took a few minutes, but he soon felt Chaya's soft voice speak into him.
/What are you doing, Janus? Where are you/
/That doesn't really matter. Has Weir's team been found/
/Yes, we are attempting to send them through the gate, but Dr. Weir, Major Sheppard, Dr. McKay, and the one called Teyla are remaining behind with us./
Jack stifled a laugh, not at all surprised at Weir or Sheppard's hesitance to leave. /How long before they're all through the gate/
/Not much longer. Are you on your way back/
/We will be soon. I have to find out what Anubis is up to first./ He could feel the Ascended woman's concern, and mentally reached out to comfort her. /I promise you I will be safe, Chaya./
He said good-bye to her and quickly sought out Anubis. His mind scanned the city, but found no trace of him. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain go through his body and he fought hard to keep control of his mind.
/Looking for me/ Anubis's voice cackled in Jack's mind and he bit back a curse as another wave of pain hit him.
/That…the best…you…got/
/Far from it. Who do you think you are? You cannot stop me, human/
The pain ceased and Jack reined in his mental energy to shield against any more attacks. /You're wrong on both counts, buddy. I ain't exactly human, and I'm damn well gonna stop you/
/I will crush you/
/Bite me/
Jack could feel Anubis's anger rising, but before the creature could react Jack unleashed as much of his energy as he could muster to force Anubis out of his mind. He could feel Anubis scream in pain and he kept his focus on his mental attack. It took every ounce of concentration he had, but Jack forced Anubis away and slowly opened his eyes, his breathing rapid.
"Are you okay, Jack?" Daniel was right by his side, checking the General's pulse as he slid backwards into the archeologist's arms.
"Whoa! That was kinda strange."
"What exactly did you do, sir?"
"Well, Carter…let's just say I bought us some time." Taking a few deep breaths Jack sat upright and slowly made his way to his feet, with Daniel and Sam's help.
"I believe our guards have left." Teal'c's voice made them turn in his direction and Jack started to walk towards the doors.
He could feel his strength slowly returning to him and raised his hand using the crystal's power to open the doors. Jack stepped through first, dropping the few Wraith that were running in their direction with a wave of his hand, allowing his teammates to pick up the Wraith weapons, and then quickly urged them on. He led the team through the city and back towards the Stargate. They had nearly reached it when a troop of Wraith charged them.
The team fought but there were too many. Jack was already drained from using so much of his energy to attack Anubis's mind. He felt the jolt of the Wraith stunner as he was hit with a blast from the weapon, slowly felt himself begin to fall. As his eyes started to close he saw a familiar face moving towards him and he slowly let himself slip into unconsciousness once more.
> > > >
Anubis slammed his fist against the wall beside him as he cursed the unknown Ancient that was ruining his plans to attack Earth. He rapidly made his way towards the bridge of the Wraith Hive ship, trying to sort out how the Ancient was able to attack him so effectively. A demonic smile ghosted across his lips as a thought poured into his mind.
"You may have done me a favor after all, Ancient one." He laughed to himself as he began to formulate a new plan.
Within minutes the Wraith troops were ordered into combat, several troops beaming into the city to seek out the Tau'ri soldiers.
> > > >
Jack opened his eyes and saw that Jacob was leaning down to check on him.
"You alright, Jack?"
Nodding his head, Jack started to sit up. "Yeah, how is everyone else?"
"SG-15 lost two men, but we managed to get away from the Wraith…for now." Jacob's tone didn't give Jack much confidence in their current position.
"Are we near the gate?"
Jacob shook his head. "The gates is two floors up on the other side of the city."
"Damn! I was hoping we were closer."
"You and me both. There are a couple hundred Wraith between here and the gate right now. We'll be lucky if we can get halfway there before we're caught."
Sighing, Jack got to his feet and surveyed his surroundings. "Are the other SG teams at the gate?"
"Not really sure. We haven't been able to contact anyone since before we came to rescue you."
"Jake, I have an idea, but you're gonna have a take a leap of faith for it to work."
The Tok'ra didn't like the sound of that, he groaned inwardly as he nodded.
> > > >
Chaya watched as the last member of the Atlantis expedition team went through the gate back to Earth. The gate quickly shut down and those who had remained behind readied themselves for the impending battle.
"Where'd these weapons come from?" Sheppard and Howard asked as they reached out to take what something that looked similar to a Wraith stunner, from Colonel Reynolds's hands.
"Let's just say they were a gift."
Sheppard nodded his head. "Cool."
"Just depress the trigger here." Reynolds pointed to a notch near the handle of the weapon. "Hold on tight, cause she packs a helluva punch."
"Right." Reynolds proceeded to show both the Major and Colonel Howard around the rest of the Ancient weaponry they had brought along.
"Where's General O'Neill?" Weir was standing beside McKay at one of the control terminals above where the rest of the group was preparing.
"I was able to get the life signs detection system working again. It looks like they're on the other side of the city. The Wraith pretty much have the area between here and there covered." McKay pointed to a red area on the screen. "Looks like there's a pretty big group of Wraith heading this way right now."
"Colonels, Major! We don't have much time before the Wraith are on us, what's our plan?"
Sheppard, Howard, and Reynolds looked up at Weir and quickly jogged to her position. She pointed out what McKay had just showed her and the three of them moved back down the stairs.
"They'll hit us hard and fast, sir. Defending this gate isn't going to be easy."
Reynolds and Howard nodded to Sheppard. "I figured that, Major. There's also no way of knowing how long we'll be able to hold it, or if we'll be able to last long enough for the General to get here."
Howard motioned to McKay. "Do we have a way to contact the Daedalus?"
"We might be able to boost the radio signal a bit further. Depending on where they are we may be able to reach them, but I can't guarantee anything."
With a nod Howard and McKay went to work trying to contact the ship, while Sheppard and Reynolds continued to formulate their plan of attack.
"Chaya and I will help bring Jack and the others here; he will need our assistance." Oma and Chaya shared a quick glance and Reynolds shook his head.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Trust us, colonel. Tenal and Skaara will remain here. You will need them."
The colonel sighed, not quite sure what to do, but he knew that the general would do as the two women wished so he agreed. They all watched in silence as they two Ascended women left the control room.
"You have made the right choice, colonel." It was Tenal that spoke, though his words did little the comfort the colonel as he went back to readying the few people that were on hand.
> > > >
"When you said a leap of faith, Jack, I was sorta hoping you didn't actually mean it literally." Jacob took a deep breath as he stared down at the cargo bay below them.
Jack smiled and patted the former general on the back. "Don't worry. I didn't mean it that way. I just need you to trust me, and do exactly as I say, no matter how insane it may seem."
With a relieved sigh Jacob followed Jack down the scaffolding towards the bottom of the cargo bay where two puddle jumpers were sitting completely unguarded.
"What exactly is our plan, Jack?"
Jack laughed as he continued to work his way down towards the puddle jumpers. "You'll know in a few minutes."
"Just so you know, Selmak is not at all pleased with this secrecy of yours."
"Well, now you know what we feel like when the Tok'ra keep secrets from us. It's a pain in the ass ain't it?"
Jacob rolled his eyes as he nodded in agreement. "Of course you know this doesn't mean we're going to be telling you anything more than we already have, right?"
With a smirk Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Somehow, I don't think that's going to matter much after we get done here."
The Tok'ra shot Jack a confused look, which the General shrugged off as he continued to move closer to the ships below. Within minutes they had reached the ships and so far they were sure they had not been seen.
"So what exactly is the plan, Jack?"
"I need to use the radio on the shuttle. You get to be my lookout, for now." Jacob sighed heavily as Jack slipped inside the nearest ship and out of his line of sight.
The old solider was quick to get himself in a position so he could see if anyone was close by and waited for Jack to return. He could hear some chatter from inside the shuttlecraft, then a few minutes later Jack emerged from shuttle, the blue crystals in his hand glowing brightly. Just before he reached the spot where Jacob was waiting, two Wraith came into view and began to fire at them. Jacob stood and fired his zat at them to give Jack enough cover fire to reach his position but a blast from the Wraith stunner hit him square in the chest before Jack could reach him, and he crumpled to the floor, landing in a heap.
> > > >
"They're moving fast. We have to get to the General soon, or it'll be too late." Sheppard and the other SGC soldiers readied to leave with Chaya and Oma. They all strapped their weapons in place and moved quickly for the door.
"Reynolds, go with them. I'll wait here for my crew to get in range. We'll hold the gate until you get back." Colonel Howard motioned towards the others and Reynolds hesitantly raised an eyebrow.
"Are you sure?"
"Go. They're going to need as much manpower as they can get. There's no need for both of us to wait. Once the Daedalus is in position I'll send my men out after you."
Reynolds let out a deep breath and slowly nodded. "Alright. Good luck."
"You too."
The Colonels saluted one another before Reynolds hurried after Sheppard and the others. Weir, McKay, Tenal, Skaara and Colonel Howard were the only ones remaining behind in the gateroom,
> > > >
He watched from the control room of the Hive ship as a single dart ship was launched and leapt into hyperspace. The Tau'ri vessel approaching them had seen nothing, and this pleased him greatly. No one would foil his plans, least of all some pitiful humans.
/Why have you sent that one away from the city/ Her shrill voice echoed in his mind, Anubis sighed heavily in frustration.
He'd only had minimal success in silencing his host, at that in and of itself was a strange sensation for the former Goa'uld.
/It is all part of my plan./
/You are a strange creature./ The Wraith host mused as Anubis moved towards the window of the Hive ship.
/And you are poor excuse for a living being./
/It would seem to me that our races are quite similar. We both require humans so that we may live. Though we may use them for a different purpose, our goals are the same./
/I tire of your incessant opinions./
The Wraith laughed loudly, Anubis had to put his hands up to his temples to try and drown the sound out. /Perhaps you are not as superior as believe you are, Anubis./
/QUIET/ Anubis used all his strength to silence his host, but her words still echoed in his mind as he continued to formulate his next move against the humans.
He ordered his troops to advance on the humans. He knew that O'Neill and the others had escaped, but his plans were still intact. He was certain that the Wraith would easily crush the small rabble of humans, then Earth would be his for the taking.
> > > >
The Wraith were fast approaching them, and Jack had to think fast. He quickly grabbed his fallen comrade and carried him towards the shuttle bay doors, the Wraith still firing on them from the opposite side of the shuttle bay as he ran. As he got closer to the door he noticed someone waving him towards the door and firing at the Wraith behind them. They tumbled through the door just in time as a blast from the stunner caught him in the leg, and the door closed behind them. Jack felt the coldness of the floor on his face as he looked up to see a welcome sight.
"Are you alright?" Chaya asked as he bent down to touch Jack's arm.
He nodded then turned to Jacob. "He took a shot to the chest from a Wraith stunner."
"He should be alright. Those things don't do more than knock you out and numb you for a while." Jack looked over at Major Sheppard and smiled.
"Glad to see you're still alive, Major."
"Thank you, sir. I could say the same about you."
Shaking his head at the ever-cocky Major, Jack slowly sat up and ran his hand over the spot on his leg where the stunner blast had hit him. The blue crystal glowed deeply and Jack felt the feeling in his leg begin to come back.
"We need to get moving. The Wraith are close."
"We know." Oma quickly bent down and pulled Jack to his feet as the rest of the group moved quickly away from the shuttle bay.
They ran for a few minutes until Jack suddenly stopped and cocked his head in the direction they'd just come from.
"What is it, sir?" Sheppard asked as he reached a hand out to touch the General's shoulder.
"Desa, Chaya, I need you two to stay here. Sheppard get the rest of the team as far away from here as you can."
The major started to question his superior officer, but seeing the general's expression he quickly did as he was ordered, watching as Chaya and Oma went to stand beside Jack.
> > > >
Back in the gateroom they could hear the sounds of the battle raging on outside in the city. Colonel Howard was nervously pacing back and forth. He stopped when he heard a familiar click on his radio.
"Colonel, do you read me. This is the Daedalus, over."
The colonel smiled as he tapped on the radio so he could answer. "I read you loud and clear, Major. Where the hell are you?"
"Just about to enter the planet's atmosphere."
"What about that Hive ship that was after you?"
"Destroyed, sir."
"Good work, Major. Now get your asses down here. We need reinforcements, and fast."
There was a moment of silence before the Major responded. "No can do, Colonel. General O'Neill gave us orders. As soon as we carry those out, we'll be down to help out."
"Excuse me!" Howard shouted into the radio, the others in the room wincing at the harshness in his voice.
"We'll be down to help as soon as we can. Daedalus out."
As the Colonel put his radio down Tenal and Skaara moved closer to the doors, and they both raised their arms once they were squarely in front of the entrance.
> > > >
Teyla was leading a team through the city and they stopped when she sense the Wraith nearby. She was readying the team to attack the small band of Wraith when she felt herself being beamed away. She found herself transported to a room on a Hive ship above the city. Two guards took hold of her, though she struggled in earnest. They dragged her to the control room where their leader was waiting.
"Teyla Emmagan. It is good to see you again." Anubis smiled as he spoke to her.
"What do you want?"
The smile seemed to spread across his entire face as he took a few steps closer to her. "That is quite simple. I want you."
The look on Teyla's face was one of confusion and horror as Anubis reached out to touch her face with his left hand. She could feel the creature inching its way into her mind, telling her what he wanted her to do. With all her strength she fought against his control but he was far too strong.
> > > >
"We lost Teyla, sir!" The frantic sounding Major shouted into the radio as Colonel Reynolds bit back a curse on the other end of the line.
"What do you mean lost her? Was she hit?"
"No sir. She was beamed away a moment ago." There was a pause before the Major continued. "We're outnumbered, sir. We have to retreat."
"Damn it!" Reynolds shook his head. "Get your people outta there, Major. We'll rendezvous at the gate. Reynolds out!"
With that the colonel cocked his weapon and took aim at a Wraith that was moving on his position. He kept firing until the creature fell to the ground, then he looked around to see his men all firing at the incoming Wraith.
The enemy was coming down on them in great numbers. There were more than anyone knew what to do with. The more they fired and knocked Wraith down, the more seemed to come after them. Reynolds could see his team was tiring and he shouted for a retreat, ordering everyone to head back to the gateroom.
> > > >
"All I need for you two to do is to focus your energy on me."
The two Ascended women stared curiously at Jack as he dropped his weapon to the ground and brought his hands up in front of him. They could see the crystals now glowing almost purple in his hand as he turned his palms upward, his fingertips facing forward. He turned to look at each of them before turning his eyes towards the corridor ahead of them. The footfalls of the approaching Wraith were getting louder and neither Oma nor Chaya knew what Jack was planning.
They stood silently beside the General as the light from the crystals grew brighter and slowly began to surround the three of them. Closing their eyes they did as they were instructed, focusing their energy on Jack. They began to sense his thoughts and his plan became obvious to them both. Through this link with his mind they could also sense Tenal and Skaara as well. The other two Ascendeds were focusing their energy on Jack, just as they were.
As the Wraith descended upon them they began to fire their weapons at the trio, but the stunner blasts bounced off the force field the crystals had put around them. Jack used the energy of the four Ascendeds as well as the power of the crystals to focus an energy beam at the troop of Wraith soldiers still firing on them. He could feel each Wraith cry out in pain as they were cut in half by the energy beam. A shudder passed through Jack as fought to maintain the energy beam long enough. As quickly as he could he focused the beam and made it move all through the city, destroying any Wraith that it came in contact with.
> > > >
Weir, McKay and Colonel Howard watched in awe and confusion as the door to the gateroom burst open, four Wraith entered, only to be sliced in half by an energy beam that swept through the room. All they could see was Tenal and Skaara with their arms raised above their heads; a faint blue light surrounding them as the beam went around the room, then quickly moved upwards to the shuttle bay above.
"What just happened?" Weir asked as she watched the beam disappear above them.
McKay was gasping for breath as he turned to Weir and Colonel Howard. None of them had an answer, but they were certain the two Ascendeds standing by the door might know.
> > > >
Colonel Reynolds and his men hit the deck when they saw a huge energy beam pulsing towards them. It passed over them quickly and when it was over they stood to see the littered bodies of dead Wraith soldiers surrounding them. Stunned and confused Colonel hurriedly led his team the rest of the way to the gateroom, hoping they would have some answers as to what had just happened.
> > > >
Anubis pressed the button and watched as Teyla was beamed back into the city. With a smile on his face he moved through the control room of the Hive ship, ordering the others to begin their retreat. He could feel their fear through the mental link the Wraith all had with one another, it sickened him to think that a race so powerful could feel fear from a small group of Tau'ri slime. Even if they had an Ancient and few Ascendeds breaking the rules to help them, he was sure they would be no match for him.
Hurriedly he started towards the escape pods onboard the ship, but never made it there. He could see from the portside window that an energy beam was moving quickly towards the ship, and he had no time to outrun it. Anubis cursed as he felt the energy beam rip through his host's body. It wasn't enough to kill him, but it was more than enough to force him to leave it and only served to anger him beyond words. As his consciousness floated above the ship he silently vowed that he would get his revenge on the one called O'Neill. The Ancient had made his move, now it was his turn.
> > > >
As she opened her eyes she felt strange, as though her every step and movement was being controlled by someone or something else. She tried to shrug the feeling off, until she heard a voice begin to whisper in her mind.
/You cannot fight me, Teyla Emmagan. Your body is now mine./
/Who are you? Why are you doing this/
The voice seemed to laugh at her question, the high-pitched cackle echoing in her mind. /It does not matter who I am. Just know that you will be the one to lead us to the Earth, and you will be the one to help us destroy your race./
At the stranger's words Teyla did all she could to fight for control of her mind, but all she succeeded in doing was making the voice inside her laugh harder, the more she fought. She felt herself begin to lose and went silent as the creature controlling her moved her body to a transporter and beamed her back down to the city.
> > > >
Jack opened his eyes and brought his hands back to his sides. Slowly he turned to his companions, they both reached for him as he struggled to remain standing. Once he had regained his equilibrium the three of them quickly decided to return to the gateroom. They caught up with Sheppard and the others just as they reached the door.
"I take it that beam had something to do with the three of you?" The Major asked as he motioned for the General and the two Ascendeds to enter ahead of him.
"You might be right, Major. You just might be right." Jack smirked as he let himself be led into the room by Oma and Chaya.
Once inside he collapsed onto the nearby steps and let out a heavy sigh as he surveyed the weary group of warriors now in the room. They all looked to him, he knew he needed to explain, but he also knew that he needed to find out what Anubis's next move was going to be. The creature had been defeated in this round, but Jack wasn't foolish enough to think that this small loss would be enough to stop him.
"Where's Teyla?" Sheppard noticed the Athosian woman was nowhere in sight, he turned towards the Major that had been part of her team for an answer, but before the young man could respond a familiar voice called out from doorway.
"I am here, Major Sheppard."
All eyes turned towards her as she walked through the doorway. She appeared as weary as everyone else and a bit battered, with a few bloodstains on her shirt and jacket.
"What happened to you?"
She lowered her head and turned away for a moment before turning back Sheppard to respond. "I was beamed on board the Hive ship. There was some sort of commotion while I was onboard and I was able to get away using the beaming technology to return to the city."
"That must have been when that beam passed through the city." Colonel Reynolds commented as he took a step closer to Teyla and Major Sheppard.
Jack watched her carefully, standing up as she approached him. He put his hand up to stop her and raised the other hand as the crystals inside it began to glow once more.
"I never noticed it before, but you're part Wraith aren't you?" Jack asked as he slowly ran the crystals up her chest, stopping at her forehead.
Teyla nodded. "I am, though I did not know of it until recently."
"Is there a problem, sir?" Sheppard was quick to step in seeing that General appeared suspicious of his teammate.
"Not at the moment, Major. I just felt a strange vibe when she walked into the room."
"General O'Neill." Dr. Weir called out as she moved through the crowd of people to get to where Teyla and Sheppard were standing. "Teyla's not a problem."
"I know that, doctor. I don't sense anything out of place, as I said it was just a vibe I felt when she walked in. I trust her as much as you and Major Sheppard do."
"What are we going to do now?" Jack looked over at Dr. Weir and shook his head.
"First, we have to get in touch with the Daedalus. They should have taken control of that last Hive ship by now. While we're doing that we need to tend to any wounded we have."
"Desa and I will handle that." Chaya nodded her head as she and Oma began to move about the room checking on those that had been injured in the battle.
Jack moved to grab the radio from Sheppard to contact the Daedalus. As expected the Hive ship had been disabled by the energy beam he had used on the Wraith, and the crew of the Daedalus was able to commandeer the Hive ship and steer it away from the city.
"We shot down the few escape pods that were jettisoned from the Hive ship. We can beam down to your locale in just a minute, sir."
"Good work, Major. We'll see ya in a bit. O'Neill out." Handing the radio back to Sheppard, Jack smiled and retook his seat on the steps.
"I'd sure like to know what happened earlier, sir." Colonel Howard approached the General. "What was that beam that went through the city?"
"That's a long story, Colonel." Jack sighed as he brought his right hand to his head to gently rub his aching temple. "I'll explain everything once we're back on Earth."
"What about my people, general?" Turning to Dr. Weir, Jack nodded.
"Since we have the capability of coming back here at will, at least for the moment. We're going to do a proper debrief over the info you sent us earlier, then anyone that wants to is welcome to return. From what I can tell your team has done a helluva great job out here on your own."
"What about the Wraith?" McKay chimed in, not to anyone's surprise sounding negative. "There are more Hive ships out there, they won't stop coming just because we got rid of three of their ships."
"You have a point Dr. McKay, and we'll discuss that once we're back on Earth."
Before anyone could say another word a crew from the Daedalus arrived and the General was quick to move to greet them. Within an hour the ZPM from the Daedalus was placed in the city, so that the shield could be raised once more, and both the Hive ship and the Daedalus landed on the mainland and once they made sure both ships were secure, they took shuttles back to the city so they could depart back to Earth. A small contingent remained in the city, but everyone else returned to Earth to regroup and debrief on their current situation.
Jack made sure he was the last one to go through the gate, Weir was right by his side as they waved good-bye to the crew remaining behind. They stepped through the event horizon and found themselves on Earth once more.
> > > >
In his non-corporeal state he watched from a distance as the shield was powered up to surround Atlantis. For the first time in 10,000 years Anubis felt as though he were completely out of control. Never before had he faced such an adversary, even the other System Lords hadn't been as cunning and quick as the man he'd faced this day. The mere fact that he was strong enough to jar his mental control was enough to drive the former Goa'uld to madness, but he focused on his plan. He was patient. He would wait until they least expected it, and then he would strike. The Tau'ri would pay for their foolishness, and the one called O'Neill would pay the highest price for his insolence.
> > > >
They had been back for nearly three days, and Jack couldn't shake the feeling that something big was brewing. He had sat through hours of debriefing with the members of the Atlantis team, and he was slowly going out of his mind from the monotony of it all. He had managed to explain the energy beam as something that the Ascendeds had done, but he couldn't give a plausible reason for the crystals in his hand.
Not to his surprise the President had ordered him temporarily relieved of duty until the situation with the crystals was dealt with. He was delightfully surprised to find that General Hammond had been brought back to take his place. The bald Texan gave him a broad smile as the two men met at the elevator.
"It's good to see you again, Jack."
"Thank you, sir. You know if you wanna make this permanent I'll gladly take a demotion back to Colonel." Hammond rolled his eyes at his former 2IC's sense of humor, though he could sense there was truth in the soldier's words.
"I'm glad to be back, but I'd hate to see you a Colonel again. It's nice to not have to put of with your crap all the time."
"Ouch! That almost hurt, sir." Jack feigned a hurt look, but started to laugh a second later.
"Only you, Jack." Hammond shook his head. "You're never gonna call me George are you?"
With a shrug of his shoulders, Hammond got his answer. "Old habits die hard."
The two generals moved through the corridor, not stopping until they reached Jack's office. Once there they closed the door, Jack quickly moving to shut off the cameras and recording equipment in the room before he began to speak.
"There's a lot I have to tell you, but you have to swear to me it won't leave this room."
Hammond wasn't surprised at Jack's action or his request, he nodded slowly in agreement. "I'll hear you out, but…"
"No buts, George. What I'm gonna tell you can't leave here. Only my team and select few outside them knows. If you can't promise me this, then I'll turn everything back on right now."
The two-star General was stunned and it took a moment for him to find his tongue. "Alright, I'm listening Jack. Unless you say otherwise it all stays between us."
"Thank you." Jack nodded and slowly began to his tale, telling Hammond about whom and what he was, and all that had really happened on Atlantis.
As he listened to O'Neill speak George couldn't help but be amazed. For a moment he almost didn't want to believe any of it, but he knew that Jack would never blatantly lie to him like that. Over two hours passed as the two men continued their conversation, Jack answering all the questions his former CO had for him. Finally, they reached a stopping point and Hammond let out a breath he felt he'd been holding since Jack had begun talking.
"That's a helluva story, Jack."
"I realize that."
"So what happens now? You said you know Anubis isn't dead."
"He's not. He's still in Pegasus somewhere, planning his next move. The Wraith are still coming, but at least now we'll be prepared for them."
Hammond sighed and shook his head. "What about you? You say those crystals won't go away until you've completed that task you were given. How are you gonna do that?"
"Still working on that one. Right now your focus needs to be on Anubis. I can't explain it, but I know he's planning something." Jack looked away for a moment, trying to find the courage to make his next statement. "I have to go back with Oma and Chaya."
"Are you out of your mind?"
"No, sir. But I have no choice. The Ascendeds are on the brink of going to war. It's my fault. If Chaya and Oma hadn't interfered to help me, this wouldn't be happening. I have to do something. With you here I'm free to go and take care of things there. Hopefully, we can find a peaceful solution to things, but in the meantime I need to be sure that Earth is safe."
Hammond raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What does that have to do with me?"
"George, you're the only one that can be trusted to run this place. The Atlantis team is going back in a week. We're already vulnerable because we have no idea what Anubis's next move is. I need you here to make sure things are safe."
"I'm just one man, Jack."
O'Neill smirked and nodded his head. "That you are, but...trust me on this one. I need you here."
With a heavy sigh Hammond shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, Jack. I'll do what I can. How long will you be gone?"
"I'm not sure. I've already talked to Thor and he's going to be my cover while I'm gone. All you have to tell the President is that Thor beamed me away to study the crystals. I'll make a few strategically timed communications with the SGC when the need arises, hopefully I'll be back before ya know it."
Hammond brought his hand to his head to run his fingers over his scalp. He was beginning to wonder just how he got himself into these things.
> > > >
Jack strolled through the halls of the SGC casually nodding to some of the people he passed as he made his way back to his quarters. Telling Hammond the truth had been harder than expected, but he had known from the beginning that the General would be accepting of things. His only hope was that everything would work out in the coming days.
He could feel the rage building inside him as he thought of what was to come. He may not know what Anubis was planning, but he was certain that if he wasn't careful he would walk straight into whatever plan the enemy was already putting into place. Sighing he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and pushed himself forward into the elevator before him.
After pressing the right button he waited until he'd reached his floor and quickly exited when the doors opened. He could hear Daniel calling after him as he turned the corner, but he kept moving hoping the younger man would leave him alone. To his dismay, the archeologist followed his straight to his quarters, panting for a breath as he finally caught up to him.
"Didn't…you…hear…me…back there?" Daniel asked through ragged breaths.
"Sorry, Danny. Can't say that I did?" Reluctantly Jack let Daniel inside his quarters and closed the door behind him.
"What's with you? Ever since we got back you've been acting strange."
Sighing Jack shook his head. "Not sure what you're talking about."
"Bullshit…you can't lie to me, Jack."
With a smirk Jack took a seat on the edge of his bed. "If you're so brilliant, then why don't you tell ME what's going on?"
Daniel ground his teeth together and let out a heavy sigh. "You're worried."
"Aren't we all?"
"No you're worried about Atlantis, when Anubis will strike next, and you're also worried about what's going to happen to the Ascendeds."
"So you're a mind reader now as well?" Jack rolled his eyes as he leaned back and stretched out on the bed.
"No…I just know you."
"Ha! You only think you do."
"I know you better than you think I do." Daniel took a few steps closer to Jack and sat down next to him on the bed. "You're leaving soon, aren't you?"
"How the hell did you…?" His sentence was cut off as he jerked his head in Daniel's direction and sat up.
"You know I remember things every now and then…things from when I was Ascended. One of the things I remember was the balance that had already started to dissipate between the Outcasts like Oma and the other Ascendeds who followed the rules. There was a fragile peace between the two groups, the Outcasts accepting their restrictions and the Others avoiding them. You, Oma, Chaya and the others blew that to hell, the only thing standing between an all-out war is you."
Jack laughed weakly. "I have to try and do something. Oma and Chaya broke the rules to save me."
"I'm not saying you shouldn't go, Jack."
"Then what are you saying?"
Daniel chewed on his lip before hesitantly answering. "I want to come with you."
He shot the younger man a glare that would have stopped most anyone else in their tracks, but the archeologist simply crossed his arms over his chest in defiance.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"I'm a part of this too, Jack."
"How do you figure that!" Jack raised an eyebrow as he shook his head in disbelief.
With a heavy sigh Daniel reached out to touch Jack's arm. "When we were at the trial you said that Ayola and Jarron were related to me, that I was their descendant. If that's the case then I'm also part Ancient. Whatever is going to happen out there involves my family, so that makes me a part of this."
"Nice deductive reasoning, but you're still not coming with me."
"So you don't deny that I'm part Ancient?"
Jack shook his head. "Not at all. I know exactly what you are, Daniel, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to let you walk into a possibly dangerous situation when it can be avoided."
"You're not my protector, Jack. You may think you are, but I'm a grown man. I can take care of myself. I was also ascended, something you've never been. I can help you if you let me."
"I'm going to try to stop a war, Daniel. How exactly do you think you can help?"
Daniel rolled his eyes as he pulled away from Jack. "You really underestimate me. After all these years I thought you would have stopped that by now."
"I'm not underestimating you. I need you here."
"No you want me here so I'll be safe and out of your way." Angrily Daniel stood and moved towards the desk a few feet away.
"That's not true."
"Isn't it though? You've always seen me as a liability. First it was because I was the untrained civilian, and now it's because…because you don't trust me."
Jack was on his feet and by Daniel's side in an instant. "Damn it! Daniel, I do trust you. I trust you with my life."
Turning around Daniel saw the sincere look on his friend's face. "Then why won't you let me help you?"
Sighing Jack looked away. "I don't want to lose you. You're the last link I have to Jarron, the only real family I have left. I won't put you at risk."
"It's my decision. It's also my life, you can't choose for me. I want to do this." Daniel paused, brought his hand up and squeezed Jack's shoulder. "I…need to do this."
Bringing his hand to his forehead Jack let out a deep breath and focused his eyes on Daniel. "We leave tomorrow morning. Be ready."
With that Jack turned around and sat back down on the bed as Daniel nodded moving slowly for the door. He paused just as his hand touched the doorknob. He wanted to say something, but no words came to him, at least none he felt would have been appropriate. Instead, he pulled the door open, thrusting himself out into the hall, and walked away as the door clicked closed behind him.
The next morning Jack stood ready at the gate as Daniel walked in adjusting the collar on his BDUs as he took his place beside the general. A moment later the gate whooshed open and both men nodded to General Hammond, who was standing by the blast doors giving them a thumbs up so they could leave. They quickly moved up the ramp and stepped into the event horizon. When they came through the other side Daniel was surprised to find they were on Dakara.
"What are we doing here?" He asked as he watched Jack walking towards the DHD a few yards away.
"We're catching a connecting flight." Daniel raised an eyebrow at his friend's quip, as he followed him down the steps and away from the Stargate.
Jack hurriedly pushed some symbols on the DHD and the gate came alive once more. He motioned for Daniel to follow as he charged back up the steps and through the newly formed wormhole. Shaking his head Daniel took off after his companion to plunge through the Stargate, wondering just where they were headed.
He was greeted by a familiar face as he exited the event horizon, he smiled at the welcoming embrace he received from Skaara.
"I did not know that O'Neill would be bringing you, Dan-yel."
Daniel sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to come along."
"Let's get going, guys." Jack's voice got their attention as they quickly followed him away from the gate.
They reached the temple where Oma and the others were waiting for them. Jack was shocked by the number of former Outcasts that he saw as he stepped up to greet Oma and Chaya.
"We were beginning to think you wouldn't come." Chaya pulled Jack into an embrace.
"I'm sorry. I had to deal with things on Earth before I came here." Looking around Jack turned back to Oma. "How is Ayola?"
The Ascended woman smiled and pointed to Jack's left. The room began to part as a familiar figure came into view.
"I am well. I am sorry I missed your battle with Anubis. I would have liked to have seen his defeat."
With a soft smile Jack pulled the young man into his arms. "It's good to see you well again."
"I see you've brought Daniel with you."
Jack groaned and he shook his head. "He wants to help."
Ayola nodded as he reached out his hand to Daniel. "We could use all the help we can get."
"You make it sound as though the war has already started." Daniel said as he stepped back from Ayola.
Jack looked around the room at all those in the temple and then his eyes settled on Chaya and Oma. The look on their faces told him all he needed to know. He glanced over at Daniel who also read the looks on the Ascended women's faces and both men sighed.
"I didn't want this to happen." Jack clenched his fists together, feeling the anger inside him begin to build up.
"This is not your fault. This has been brewing for thousands of years."
Chaya placed her hand on Jack's shoulder, but he shrugged it away. "That may be so, but war?…a war could destroy everything. None of us is ready for this."
"No one's ever ready for a war, Jack. We just have to hope that we're capable of handling the fallout."
Jack turned to Daniel, the younger man seemed so much wiser than a human his age should be and then it became clear to him. Daniel did need to be here, their fate would be shared along with every other being that was with them now. Everything had led them to this point. The call of war had been sounded and they had no choice but to answer…and answer they would.
The end…