I own nothing, nothing I tell ya!
1300 hours, February 9th, SGC
"Maj. Riley Finn, reporting for duty sir!"
"At ease Finn" responded Jack O'Neill "Now, I do not know what you've been doing in your old job, and I know I can't ask and you won't tell, but whatever it was, this is more important, here, we save the world. Often weekly. Daniel."
"25 years ago, a large stone ring purported to have been a gateway to the gods was unearthed in Egypt. It ultimately came into the possession of the USAF who made an exhaustive study of it. A few years ago, we finally got it to work. Its name was the Chap'pai, translated as Gateway to the Heavens, or, as we call it, the Stargate. It can be used to travel to other planets, which we've been doing since we got it to work. However, there are species out there that are a threat to us, whose technology dwarfs our own. We have been fighting a guerrilla war with them since we discovered each other. They are called the Goa'uld, a parasitic species who take control of their host's bodies by wrapping around the brainstem. They were the basis of the ancient Egyptian pantheon of Gods. They reside most often in humans, as we seem to be their preferred hosts…"
Finn looked worried, "How do you spell 'Goa'uld?" he asked.
"Ohfercryinoutloud, that's hardly the major point in this explanation Lt. Col.!" Exclaimed O'Neill.
"Sir…"
"Fine. 'G O A ' U L D'. Happy?"
Finn muttered 'Hell' underneath his breath at the spelling, but none of SG1 noticed, then continued out loud "Okay, we're in an interstellar war, with a species of parasitic snakes. Does that explain the not-entirely-human guy with a ski hat on who's on the NID's 'capture-if-alone' list?"
Daniel gaped. Jack looked stunned. Sam looked amazed. Teal'c…raised his eyebrow.
"Indeed RileyFinn, though the NID information was not known to us. I am a Jaffa, former First Prime to Apophis, the false god who enslaved my people. I fight with ColonelO'Neill to free my race."
"How did you know Teal'c wasn't human?" Asked Sam.
"My old, ah, sorry, can't speak about it. Is there anything else I need to know?"
"Yes, well, we have some 'allies' who we don't trust that much who are basically Goa'uld who take only willing hosts, they're called the Tok'ra. Then there are the Free Jaffa, who we do trust, but who cannot help us much. Plus, there are the Asgard, who we trust a lot and are responsible for the Goa'uld not being able to attack us here on Earth and we've got a prototype warship called the Prometheus thanks to them, which, unfortunately, doesn't work that well. That's about it."
"Sorry to interrupt, but you know what the NID has in their files?" queried Jack.
"No, they gave my old unit a list of targets to retrieve once. We ignored them."
"You ignored them! Why weren't you cashiered for ignoring authorised civilian orders? And can we do that?" asked O'Neill, to Riley for the first point, and the room in general for the second.
"After a previous, ah, 'problem', due to NID sanctioned orders, our team leaders were given the authority, by the President himself, to reject NID orders following a unanimous vote of our personnel to that effect. And, as we're black ops, we couldn't be charged for disobeying orders which, due to their nature, there was no record of, could we?" Answered Riley "And I am forbidden from telling you more. Sorry."
"Right. Well Lt. Finn, welcome to the SGC. Any further questions?" said Jack, in his best 'Col. O'Neill, USAF' voice.
"Yes, yes I do." Riley said with a sombre face and tone. He grinned, "When do we eat?"
1900 hours, 3rd March, SGC
Nearly a month had passed since Riley Finn had joined SG1. Three missions, all routine, had the veteran members waiting for the calm to break into a storm of monumental proportions, while Riley had begun to think Jack had overstated the dangers involved in Stargate travel. Riley's time in grade meant that he was a Brigadier in the Army, but for his time in SG1 he took the temporary rank of major, to fit in with his team-mates.
Finn's concern over a half remembered prophecy regarding a Goa'uld transcending dimensions to destroy the world 'by unlocking the Chap'pai with The Key' had been relieved by a long, secured, phone call with the Initiative's research (prophecy's only or else) section, which told him there was no such prophecy.
The team had bonded well, though Riley didn't speak much of his past. Seven years of training in dealing with 'HST's' had left its mark though. Riley kept a selection of anti-vamp/demon equipment in a box in his locker, which he did not open in front of anyone. Jack had taken to calling it 'the box which is not opened' every time he saw it in the locker-room. The classified nature of his previous work produced his lack of anecdotes about previous postings or his equally classified friends and acquaintances, especially not of the petite blonde slayer he used to date, or of his wife, who, like the blonde 2IC of SG1, was also called Sam, and who had stayed with Team 1 of the Initiative when he had transferred. Their marriage was still good, they co-ordinated leaves to meet up and do the husband-wife thing, but there was the strain of both of them having secrets from the other concerning their respective jobs. It made things difficult, like when evasions were made regarding each other's injuries, but the love was still there.
But today, things changed…
"Major Finn! An urgent call for you on Line 4, sir." Called out an airman at the guard-post as he was exiting the Cheyenne Mountain Facility on his home from the SGC.
"Finn here."
"Riley! It's Sam." (Samantha Finn, not Samantha Carter.)
"Sam! Hi, hows …"
"No time Ri, as of now, General's Hammond, Owens and all SGC personnel are cleared for the briefing on HST's. One of our recent captures was both invulnerable and immortal, so we were forced to detain instead of kill. It looks like a Polgara, but bigger, meaner, smarter and orange. It was obsessed with getting to something called a Chap'pai…"
"Uh Oh"
"Yeah, well, it's escaped, injuring most of Team's 1,2 and 3, it's heading your way and none of Buffy's group are between you and it. Team 4 is in Peru and Team's 5 and 6 are in Mongolia. Also, it's ignoring the 'darkness-only' thing most demons have."
"You called Buffy?"
"No, but weird things are happening in Sunnydale, and intelligence puts all their allies on high alert and within a half hour of Sunnydale. Except for the Watchers Council, most of who died in an explosion at their London HQ."
"So, it's invulnerable, immortal, probably pissed off, heading our way and wants to use the Stargate and we have no allies, that it?"
"No, it gets worse. This demon is a high ranking one, it's going to amass a load of groupies, lower demons mostly, maybe some vampires, on its way."
"Great. Thanks for the heads up, Sam. Talk to you later. Bye"
"Bye Ri."
Riley ordered the sentries to keep an eye out for 'anything 7 foot tall and orange' and hide after reporting it if they did. The Airman, used to strange orders from SGC personnel, did as ordered. Riley dashed into NORAD and grabbed a wall-mounted intercom. Willing his voice to be calm, he pressed the 'All Stations' selection and spoke into it.
"This is Brigadier Riley Finn of the United States Army, a hostile group with unusual physical features is reported to be headed toward this facility. All personnel attached to NORAD are ordered to avoid action with this group and conceal themselves in secure locations if sighted, pending confirmation of this order by General Owens within the hour. That is all."
Making his way to the office of General Owens, the officer newly appointed in charge of NORAD, Riley announced himself to the sentry at the door and was escorted into the Generals presence.
"What the hell do you think you were doing, you sorry excuse for a soldier!" General Owens bellowed when he saw who it was. "Who are you to give orders to my personnel, and your claim to be a 'Brigadier' while clearly being a 'Major' as shown by your rank insignia is absurd, and an offence under the Army's regulations. Then, coming to see me is suicidal, as I'm pissed off you idiot!"
General Owens was clearly unamused by Riley's actions. Riley stood to attention and began to explain himself.
"Sir, my actions are authorised under Presidential Executive Order 1986, circa 1998. My permanent rank is that of Brigadier, I have assumed the temporary rank of Major for the duration of my assignment to the SGC so as to avoid upsetting the SGC's command structure. If the General would be so kind as to request the presence of General Hammond and of SG1 to his office, I can and will explain my actions. I request that the General confirms my orders until such a time as he is in possession of all pertinent information and confirms the existence and relevance of my authority. Could you also ask them to bring 'the box which is not opened' and some 'zat's please."
"Very well Brigadier, I hope you know what you're letting yourself in for." The general activated his own intercom and spoke into it. "This is General Owens. Until further notice, follow the orders given by Brigadier Finn. That is all." Then he turned to a blue phone on his desk and used it to contact Hammond. "George, could you and SG1 come up here, I've got your 'Major' Finn giving orders he claims are authorised by an Executive Order… Thanks George, could you ask SG1 to bring 'the box which is not opened' and some, ah, 'zat's… Finn said… Thanks George."
While they waited, Riley ran through what he had to tell the General's.
-Demons real. Magic real. Initiative. ADAM. Experimentation, demon & human. Civilian deaths. Military deaths. 78 losses. Buffy? No, no Buffy, no scoobies. General 'some civilians successfully deal with…' Current Initiative mission, s&d. no more demon research.-
As General Hammond and the rest of SG1 entered Owens' office, Teal'c carrying Riley's box, all armed with 'zat's, the intercom sounded.
"Sir, the guard post is reporting a, ah, '7 foot tall orange monster' accompanied by three 'horned demons' and twelve guys with distorted features. Shall I …"
"Shit!" Riley's expletive shocked SG1, as he hadn't used anything stronger than 'darn' during any of their missions. "I thought we had more time. General Owens, order your men to fall back and avoid action, bullets just piss these things off. Teal'c set that down over there."
As General Owens relayed his orders, Riley moved to his box and opened it. SG1 crowded forward to see a load of what looked like thick sharpened dowels, a couple of short swords and a…battle-axe?
"The bumpy headed guys are vampires, already dead, so three 'zat shots. If that doesn't work, then a stake through the heart will do it." Riley stated, passing three stakes each to Jack, Sam and Daniel. "Try not to miss." Pulling out the battle-axe, he handed it, along with two stakes, to Teal'c "Decapitation for the vamp's, and the axe should work on the demons. Word of advice, don't stake the demons, it tends to piss them off." Pulling out the short swords and the last stake, Riley tucked the stake into his pocket and held a sword in each hand, "I was planning on breaking this to you gently, but here it is. Demons are real, deal with it. The big orange one want's the Stargate, we've got to stop him, Okay. Good." Riley gestured to the door, "Let's go kill us some demons."
As SG1 left the Generals office, Hammond and Owens looked at each other.
"Is life always this exiting for the SGC, George?"
"It's a slow week. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to keep track of SG1 from the security centre."
"Sure…"
Hammond left the room.
"A slow week, maybe I oughta' transfer…"
SG1 were rapidly making their way to the lifts to the SGC.
"The vamp's will probably come at us first, followed by the demons." Stated Riley.
They got to the lifts just as the ten vampires and four demons got there as well.
"Well, there goes that theory." Sighed Riley as he and the rest of SG1 readied themselves for battle.
"ĀŃňÖIJŲ! ŢŧǑĎĶ, ΓƯǍ 'Riley Finn' ŦĩĘĴ!" called out the head demon.
"He knows you?" exclaimed Jack
"Not personally, I don't socialize with demons." Answered Riley.
Then there was no more time for talk as the vampires and three lesser demons attacked. The 'zat's proved useless on the demons, and merely singed the vamps. Casting them aside, SG1, flagship team of Earth's resistance to the Goa'uld, fought with the unfamiliar weapons of a bygone age. Teal'c and Riley were by far the best, Teal'c axe making short work of one of the demons and three vampires. Jack, Sam and, god help him, Daniel were all being forced back by two vampires apiece. The other two demons and the remaining vampire attacked Riley, who beheaded the vampire, stabbed the first demon and, using the dying demon as a springboard, leapt at his last opponent. Knocking it back with his momentum, though not far. Bringing his other sword round in a tight arc, he beheaded it as well.
-Ah, the joys of a sharp sword.- he thought, turning to check on the rest of SG1. Daniel and Sam had both managed to kill one of theirs, but Jack was having problems and the dust was making Daniel sneeze.
"Help them!" Riley called to Teal'c, who nodded in reply.
Riley turned again, searching for the head demon, to be confronted by a massive paw, moving at speed, which smashed into him and hurled him across the hallway. Dazed, Riley saw the demon enter the SGC elevator, the doors close and the lift begin to descend. Hammering on the door, he just hurt his hand. Spying the emergency stairs, he leaped through the door and began to hurtle down the stairs. By the time he reached the bottom level, five minutes after the demon due to the speed of the lift and the depth of the stairwell, even his Covert-Ops honed physique was pushed to its limits. Bursting through the doors he was confronted by a trail of injured MP's. Charging to the gate room, he was just in time to be clubbed across the room once more, this time losing consciousness. The demon had prepared a circle of sand in front of the Stargate, and was chanting. The gate activated, for the first time green instead of blue and the demon jumped through it.
As Riley regained consciousness, he was greeted by the worried faces of SG1 and General Hammond in the base Infirmary.
"Are you ok?"
"What was that?"
"Why was there that funky smell when we killed them?"
-oh boy, this will take a while.- thought Riley.
Reviews would be appreciated. I've got a plan for this, but updates may take a while, as the plan is somewhat sketchy. Let's just say, Buffy and the Scoobies are coming, either next chapter or the one after.