Chapter 2: Fast Talks and New Colonels
Setting: Stargate Command, Present Day
Brigadier General Jack O'Neill stepped out of the elevator onto the 27th floor of the most secret facility in possibly the world. Stargate Command. It had been months since he left and was returning to meet the new commander of SG-1, the flagship team O'Neill was once a part of. But those seemed like distant memories since his promotion to Head of Homeworld Security, replacing Lieutenant General George Hammond, whose place was now with the USAF Vessel Prometheus. He walked through the doors into his new office, where a young man stood, dressed in his highly decorated Air Force uniform. He turned at the sound of O'Neill opening the door and began to walk toward him. O'Neill noticed a slight limp, but it didn't seem to affect his walking that much.
"General O'Neill, it is an honor to meet you. I am Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell." The young man smiled his pearly white grin. He was clean cut and young. Most likely a rule follower. Quite the opposite of Jack O'Neill, who was getting on years and had a tendency to ignore orders.
"Mitchell. Sounds kinda familiar. From what I've read, you lead the squadron of F-302s over Antarctica about a year ago. I have to say, you did an amazing job." O'Neill wasn't trying to flatter the young man, but he saw a slight shade of red on his cheeks. That man had led the squadron that gave O'Neill and the former SG-1 the time to save Earth from an old enemy.
"Thanks General. It was an amazing experience and I'd do it again if the opportunity ever arises again."
"Oh, I'm sure it will. In fact, I promise you the chance will come at least once this year." He laughed slightly at his comment. It seemed Earth's obvious and inevitable destruction came at least once a year, but was always thwarted by O'Neill and his former team. God, he missed those days.
"So uh, I guess we should get on with the tour. I'm anxious to see the amazing things that go on down here." Mitchell walked toward the nearest window and looked down to an amazing site. The Stargate. A giant ring made of a rare metal known as Naquadah and allowed instantaneous travel to planets all over the galaxy and some beyond. Built by an ancient race long ago, its mysterious were still being unraveled ten years after it was first activated.
"Of course. Well, we could start here. This is the base commander's office and the main briefing room. Unfortunately, the new commander could not be here. I assume you have already met General Landry?"
Before Mitchell could answer, a young man rushed into the room. He looked as if he had no shaved in many weeks and wore glasses. He was dressed in the main attire of the base: a black shirt, green fatigues, and standard AF black boots. He carried a large leatherbound book. Mitchell knew right away he wasn't Air Force as they had a strict policy on facial hair.
"Jack! Jack! Jack! You have to read this. You don't realize the signifance to everything we've learned this has. This could prove so much and change everyone we've learned about the Ancients and the first humans." Daniel Jackson began to ramble. A young and eager scientist, Daniel Jackson was the one who unlocked the Stargate and has been a part of the operation ever since. At the current moment, he was talking extremely fast and making little sense. This was no surprise to General O'Neill.
"DANIEL! Calm down and speak slowly. You don't want to scare your new team member. Daniel, this is Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell. Colonel, this is Doctor Daniel Jackson."
"Yeah, nice to meet you." Daniel completely blew off Mitchell and began to talk again, more slowly than before. O'Neill rolled his eyes at Mitchell and he grinned.
"Jack! This text we found in the outpost is going to change everything we ever thought we knew. Several million years before Atlantis left Earth, Earth was home to more than one city. Six to be in exact. Atlantis, which we found. Avalon, which we believe is somewhere on Earth. Xanadu, which was most likely stationed in Asia and is either there, destroyed, or in another galaxy. Ubar, which we found completely desolate and destroyed on the Arabian Peninsula. Not a shred of Ancient technology left. Lemuria, which is Atlantis' sister city and presumably left to another galaxy or could be under the Pacific Ocean. And then Agartha, which could be somewhere in China near Lhasa, but the Chinese government would never let us look for it. For all we know, it could be underground, in another galaxy, or destroyed.
"Each of the cities was ruled by a council of six – three men and three women. The way each city was set up, you had three men/women pairs. One was the main "president" of sorts, the next was like "governors", and the third like "mayors." The "mayors" of the cities argued much with the other four council members of their cities. Deciding to put an end to the fighting, the twelve men and women separated from the Ancients on Earth and headed out an unknown area. They left in a ship about the size of two puddle jumpers, carrying the supplies needed to create life on a planet, including a device similar to the Dakara device.
"The Ancients settled on a planet and began their own version of their race. The 12 Original Ancients named themselves Kobol, which is closely related to Kolob, meaning "star nearest unto God." The planet became known as Kobol, and the Ancients themselves were then known as The Lords of Kobol. After a while, an event known as the Great Exodus happened, in which the people on the planet separated to a nearby system and then established 12 planets. A group of the people chose not to go with the other 12, and become known as the 13th Tribe, which traveled to Earth. Each planet was named after one of our constellations that we use for horoscopes: Aerilon, Aquaria, Canceron, Caprica, Gemenon, Leonis, Libran, Picon, Sagittaron, Scorpia, Tauron, and Virgon. They all developed independently, the Ancients watching over the planets. About two million years passed when the Ancients were contacted – a plague had hit Earth and all the cities that were choosing to were leaving. Each would go to a separate galaxy in the hopes of continuing the race of Ancients. However, the Ancients back on Earth did not know of the 12 Colonies.
"The 12 Colonies of Kobol prospered as the Ancients separated into different galaxies. According to this, Atlantis was the first to leave. Avalon and Ubar chose to stay on Earth prior to its departure. The status of the other Ancient cities is unknown to the Outpost. The Outpost Scrolls did say that Xanadu was leaning toward leaving. At the time of Atlantis' departure, Lemuria had been sunk to protect itself from contaminating the other Ancients further. Agartha could either be here or in another galaxy. But by the time Atlantis left, the 13th Tribe had not arrived on Earth. But upon the return of the Atlantis Ancients, there was life on Earth and it wasn't the Ancients. It was presumed the 13th Tribe had finally made to Earth. A large portion of the Ancients chose not to interfere with the 13th Tribe, and those who did choose to mix with the tribe passed their gene down.
"No matter where the cities went, one thing remains the same. A group of rogue Ancients helped established 12 Colonies of Second Evolution Humans, which would be similar to us. They've had longer to prosper, which would make them technologically advanced, thus an important ally in our fight against the remaining Goa'uld and the Wraith. But one of those colonies of Second Evolution Humans is who we are right now" The young archeologist was out of breath and wheezing as he sat down to catch his breath. O'Neill watched him as Mitchell got him a glass of water.
"Well Daniel, I'll get on the horn with Hayes. We'll see if he'll let Hammond take the Prommie out for a little spin."
"WAIT! There is something I didn't get a chance to say. The Ancients who did this brought a Stargate with them. We just need to find the address and it should lead us to Kobol – to a temple known as the Temple of Athena. It is believed among the 12 Colonies that in conjunction with something called The Arrow of Apollo, access to Earth via the Stargate can be granted. The Arrow of Apollo is inserted into a designated place and the DHD rises out of the ground. On the wall behind the Stargate, the address to Earth will appear with a message: "With these Ancient Symbols, the lost tribe of Earth will be accessed. Press the symbols in the correct order on the dialing device and you will be transported to your long lost brethren."
"Wow." That was the only thing both Mitchell and O'Neill had the power to say.