Chapter Sixteen
Airman Foster
I have been here at the SGC for a few years and still cannot fathom the depth of reality. The Stargate is real; aliens are real; and I am here to witness the mind-boggling reality of it all.
The base is full of people that say they are not heroes, just people who are doing their duty, I being one of them. I am not tooting my own horn – no, far from it. I just know the risks we take each and every day when we come into work, but none more so then SG1, the premier heroes of this base. Yes, heroes. They are definitely heroes, saving our butts and then some on more than one occasion.
The CO of this base used to be the leader of the team. In my book he is the greatest one of them all. Hero worship you say, maybe, but I try to model myself from his example. He has always taken the time to say hello or find out if you had seen the game the night before, but lately he's barely had time for himself. Like yesterday morning when I was ending my shift, I ran into him when he came into work. He was not looking his best and I asked him if he was alright. He just nod and said yes he was fine and he thought he could get a mountain of paperwork out of the way, hoping to start off a Monday on a good footing.
His day did not end that way from what my team told me this evening when I came in for my shift. The duty officer assigned my team Security detail with General Hammond. I was surprised to hear he was in the mountain and to find out that General O'Neill was out saving the Universe again. General Hammond was here temporary to cover for General O'Neill until he returns...maybe.
We were standing in the briefing room at our security post and could not help hear that General O'Neill did a spectacular vanishing act. My heart was sinking with the information they were telling the General. Don't get me wrong, I am happy that the Goa'uld maybe taken care of; the Tok'ra are healthy and flourishing; the Jaffa are restored to the human race, but it is hard to hear that General O'Neill may not return, as well as his...son.
I was contemplating on our missing CO when the klaxons sounded and sent everyone from the briefing room scrambling down the stairs to the control room. My team was not far behind.
"There's no GDO signal as of yet, sir," CMSgt Davis informed the General as he descended to the room.
"Keep the iris closed," before he finished his sentence the base lights shut down and a moment later a hologram of Baal appeared at the center of the gate ramp.
General Hammond leaned into the mike and asked, "What is it that you want, Baal?"
Baal quirked an eyebrow and began to smirk as well. "I have found something of yours, perhaps?"
The General had squinted his eyes and gave Baal a glare, "Like what?"
"Well it really is like who."
"Who is it Baal and what do you want in return?"
"I will show you when you let me through your gate, and as for what I want..." he paused to give effect for his next words, "...I would like to start negotiations for an alliance."
Everyone's mouth in the room dropped open, including mine, when we heard that little statement. 'Yea right, when pigs fly,' I thought. 'You know...around here that could be possible.'
"I am sorry, but that is unacceptable. We can not allow you through until we have assurances of Earth's safety."
Baal appeared to digest that as he tilted his head to one side and looked at General Hammond. "If I let the people through will you consider a meeting?"
"Yes, but we will have them checked out by our medical team first. Then and only then will we discuss what we require of you before you may step through the gate.
Baal looked at him and bowed his head and then spoke without his Goa'uld voice, "I am Am'ir, and I am host to Baal. Please stand by to receive two individuals through the chapa'i."
We all just stood there in stunned silence. Baal gave a small bow and vanished and the lights came back on. I have always wondered why Asgard technology had to drain the base power for the holograms to work.
The gate was still open from Baal's side and when we opened the iris it took a good minute before anyone stepped through.
The General and the rest from the briefing room went down to the gate room to greet our new comers. The two figures that came through had those stupid robes with the hood up over their heads. It could be anyone or anything under there. I hate those things. All of my team and SFs in the gate room kept our guns drawn and aimed at our new comers.
Both persons reached up slowly and started to draw their hoods down. When they brought them down completely there were gasps from the General, the Colonel, the Tok'ra and the Jaffa. Daniel Jackson gasped as well with one word falling from his mouth, "Oma!"
"Hello Daniel," the lady said with smile that was so serene.
"What happened?" He asked.
Before he could get an answer, the General interupted by saying, "Dr. Jackson, why don't you show our guest to the infirmary for their check-up and we will meet in the briefing room in one hour. Then we'll get down to brass tacks.""Yes, sir," he answered while still staring at the lady. The other person was silent and his head was bowed. I am not sure of him, so I kept a closer eye on him while Airman Perkins and I followed the group to the infirmary and Johnson and Wertheim trailed the General and the Tok'ra.
I have meet a few Tok'ra and I agree with pretty much everyone else, Jacob Carter is the best of the bunch. Well, that would be Selmac actually. I always thought the host had a lot to do with the attitude this particular Tok'ra has. General Carter being a retired Air Force General, a known leader, helped Selmac easily see Taris' point of view; while Selmac, on the other hand, being the oldest Tok'ra probably helped smooth out the rough edges of the General. The blend works.
We finally make it back to the briefing room an hour later. Dr. Jackson seems pensive and quiet, not having initiated any conversation with the lady or the gentleman during the whole time they were in the infirmary.
Once the room was settled the General started the debriefing, "Welcome to the SGC," he said and inclined his head in a salute towards the couple. "I understand we're waiting on some of the medical tests?" He asked, addressing the question to Dr. Jackson.
"Yes, and Dr. Brightman will be here when she receives the results."
"Thank you Dr. Jackson. Oma, do you remember everything or have your memories been erased as Daniel's were when he descended?"
"I have most of my memories except for the Ascended abilities. I did not retain any of the powers it entailed."
"What about the Ancient abilities? Do you still have those?" Daniel asked.
The klaxons decided to go off at that precise moment so the question was destined to be unanswered till another time. "Unscheduled off world activation," as Davis announced over the PA.
Hammond
'Now what,' I thought. 'I cannot wait until General Landry gets here. I'm getting to old for this.'
I make my way back down the stairs. Sam, Teal'c and Jacob followed. Daniel stayed with our guest.
"What do we have son?" I asked while approaching the window.
"Sir, we're receiving a message from Endora," answered Walter.
"Go ahead and patch it through."
"Yes sir."
"This is Garan of the Endorians, please may I speak with General Hammond."
"This is General Hammond. What can I do for you, Garan?"
"I am not sure. My sister, Tilly, is more or less demanding to go back to your base. She says it is urgent and that it has to do with her father, Jack."
This could be just a child hurting for her father or she really knows something. I looked around to gage half of SG1 and Jacob reaction to this news. Sam shrugged her shoulders, Teal'c raised an eyebrow and Jacob tilted his head to one side, none were committing to an opinion.
"Go ahead and send her through. We will take good care of her."
"I will be joining her sir," it was a statement, not a question.
"Fine son, come on through," I said. "Sergeant, open
the iris."
I went down to greet our newest guest as they exited the gate.
"Hello, Tilly. It is good to see you again." I said and reached out a hand to clasp hers.
She took it and squeezed it gently. "Thank you, sir," she said and did not take the time to breath before her next statement. "We need to get to the Claviger quickly before it is to late."
The urgency was a tangible feeling pouring off of her. "Then come this way," and I motioned for her and Garan to follow me to the briefing room.
Sam
I was trying to hold it together but I was not succeeding very well. Dad is trying to help but I am afraid it was falling short.
All the good that came out of Jack's sacrifice does not help the self-pity that I was feeling. I know that both Jon and Kanan were among the same sacrifice, but I could not stop the hurt I was feeling in losing Jack. We both had sacrificed our love for saving the world. I was tired of it all and sitting there and listening to Oma and the General I finally realized that there would be no more Jack to be there to make things better or jokes for distractions.
Then the klaxons came to life with its normal blaring. I followed the General to the control room to find out what else it could be.
When I found out that it was Tilly, I almost broke down right then and there, because it was too much. I wanted to yell at Tilly, 'Stop it. Leave it alone.'
So when Tilly came through and said, 'that we need to get to the Claviger quickly or it would be to late,' I began to have a glimmer of hope, just a glimmer. I was afraid to hope too much and then have it all come crashing down again.
We made our way to the briefing room where everyone did a quick reintroduction. Then Tilly moved to the device still sitting in the center of the table. Daniel reached for it and pulled it to the corner of the table and closer to Tilly.
She looked up at Daniel and said, "All four of us need to touch it at the same time. We need to touch our crystals that we touched before." She had turned to look at each of us in turn.
We each nod our head, to say we understood and moved closer to the Claviger. Tilly further explained that I needed to touch her shoulder while Daniel touches mine and Teal'c will place his hand on Daniel's. She did not explain what she would be touching, but I had an idea.
General Hammond had instructed everyone to step back to the outer edges of the room and called for a medical team to stand by.
We all took a deep breath, surprisingly even Teal'c, and reached out to touch our corresponding crystals and appropriate shoulder. All of the crystals on the box began to glow. Tilly reached with her other hand and placed it on the larger center crystal. A surge of energy pulsed through all of us.
Garan
When Tilly came to me earlier, saying she had to get back to Earth immediately. I was doubtful. Then seeing her bringing SG1 together and starting up the box, I became a believer. Then when I saw what looked like blue lightening vibrating through all four people, I was scared and worried, or more like terrified, about Tilly and our friends. Then another energy pulse hit and their heads were thrown back and their backs arched. I prayed that they would not die.
You could feel the electricity jumping and tickling us as we watched. The power on base shut down and the only lights we saw were from the four people locked in a statuesque macabre before us. I feared for all four of them.
Then, quiet suddenly, everything abruptly came to a halt. No lights where on except for the red glow from some emergency lamps that came on due to the power outage.
As my eyes became accustom to the dim lighting I noticed the bodies of Tilly and SG1 laying on the floor. I rushed to Tilly's side to check and see if she was alright. The doctor that was called earlier was also there in the same instant checking for her pulse, she proceeded to check the others when she found one.
"General! Doctor! There are two more bodies over here," a security guard had yelled from some where near the office door. "I believe one of them is General O'Neill, sir."
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