A bunker made of ancient, immensely strong material encased in a force field powered by the hellish energies surrounding it waits on this dismal planetoid. This planetoid whirls around that gravitational pit at the center of the galaxy. Ever, it stares. And something stares back.
Inside this bunker waited ancient machines. Despite the eons of time, they await the purpose for which they were placed. That purpose is about to be fulfilled. In a darkened, spartan room, a Stargate opens, spilling shimmering space/time forth. A lone figure steps out of the wormhole. It pauses and looks back at the gate as the wormhole evaporates. It then walks into the room. Dim light illuminates it's aquiline features. A sinister smile plays across its face.

The hard luck Goa'uld Tanith walked out of the room, down a darkened corridor that hadn't seen a living soul in eons. Dark, ancient air flowed in his lungs as he silently communed with the dark presence that led him on, continually whispering promises, painting pictures of glory and revenge. Oh yes, it soon would be all his. The new age ushered into the universe would be glorious and terrible. And he would play a leading role in the new order.

He entered another room through a set of gray archways. Strange symbols littered the archways. These symbols, spidery and harsh, would cause a sane person a headache if they gazed upon them enough, wondering how anyone right of mind could read them. And that's the point. They couldn't.

Tanith silently padded into a cavernous domed chamber, lighted by a dull grey light. In the center of the chamber was a large rounded structure. Build of the same gray metallic material a stargate was, it was a mound, rather than a ring. Facing the entrance to the chamber was an oval opening, the 'ends' running parallel to the floor. Jagged, grey, it looked like a huge fossilized egg, or insect mound, from which something hostile waited to spring forth.

How true.

Tanith walked up to the mound, and began tapping commands into a panel on a pedestal beside the mound. With a silent moan, the dark opening suddenly became BLACK. The absence of light, life and all else that made our universe what it is. A great darkness, a great hunger lusted after it all.

"Master..." Tanith whispered, his voice full of adoration.

The darkness seemed to regard him for a moment, then a wave of anti life engulfed him...

Daniel Jackson's eyes popped open. He gripped the fallen rifle lying next to him, then regarded it with distaste. He then saw Teal'c sitting next to him. Daniel could see the deep concern in the Jaffa's stony face.

"Did you see it?" Daniel asked him.

Teal'c nodded gravely. "It would seem we have failed, Daniel Jackson. The universe is in jeopardy because of us."

Daniel shook his head and sat up, "Teal'c, we aren't responsible for Tanith and his desire to backstab all of existence."

"No, but we failed to stop him. And now, his plans continue."

Daniel sighed, paused and said, "Well, we're still here. So whatever Big Bang Tanith and his "god" have planned, it takes some time. So we have a chance. I mean, what else is there?"

Teal'c nodded conceding the point.

Daniel and Teal'c turned as Samantha Carter and one of the Rangers came into the room. Carter looked at Daniel, relieved to see him up. Her relief turned to concern again as Rhonda appeared unable to respond when prodded by Daniel. Specialist Hansen, combat medic on the Ranger SG team, went to work immediately on her and Corporal Tillman. Eventually, they rose, both apparently unharmed, but weakened.

"What was that?", Tillman asked, wobbly on his knees.

"It was blackness...horrible..." Rhonda said slowly, leaning on Daniel. He held her up.

"I can't find anything wrong with them," Hansen said. "Some kind of fatigue, but I have no idea why. From what I can tell, we are all affected by one degree or another."

"Even I," Tea'lc said, wonderingly.

"How's Junior?", Samantha asked.

"He is there, alive, but suffering from a similar malaise," Teal'c said, troubled.

Captain Killian then showed up, the rest of her team in tow. She was looking grim.

"Better come to the Gate Room, y'all," she said.

The group followed her down. As they approached, they could hear a voice shouting, on it's last legs. Colonel Jack O'Neil's voice could be heard, speaking softly.

"Major, it's ME. Jack O'Neil. I'm not..." Jack sighed.

Major Phillips, commanding officer of SG-3, Marine Combat Team, stood in front of the Stargate, eyes wild, pointing a pistol at Jack O'Neil. It shook badly. Three Marines lay in ugly positions elsewhere in the room. They weren't moving.

"Major, every second you block us, you give Tanith more time to do whatever he's trying to do," Daniel said.

"SHUTUP!" Phillips roared, jabbing the pistol sharply at Daniel, then turning it and his gaze back to Jack. "You weren't here. It was dark...so dark. He...HIM!"

He jabbed the gun at Jack, and it began to wobble even more.

Samantha looked at Jack. Teal'c looked as if he was ready to jump Major Phillips. Everyone else held their breath.

Jack looked at Teal'c and made a "Teal' back off...please?" face, then turned back to the fraying Marine.

"John, remember that training exercise at 29 Palms? That lovely little butterbar in the chow hall line? The one you said was the ONE THING that made it worth standing in that chow line?"

Phillips seemed to stop for a second, listening to Jack. "You know, the one who you said was...just a second..." Jack looked down, "Ah yes...something about the Academy producing a special vintage? Know what I mean?"

He smiled wanly.

Phillips' pistol dropped. He then sobbed, "My Marines..." then crumbled to the ground.

Captain Killian rushed to Phillips, while Darla Kincaide and Specialist Hansen rushed to the fallen Marines.

O'Neil looked at Daniel, "Dial home. Anyone check on those mercs?"

"Dead," Devereaux said. "And only some o' dem becau' o' us, sir."

"How about them?", he asked, pointing to the Marines.

"Dead, sir," Hansen said sadly.

O'Neil's face went stony.

"Let's get them home." He paused, "Dammit."

The wormhole formed, the remnants of the teams trudged up the ramp, bearing their grim charges, and then the museum stood empty again.