Stargate: Genesis
Written By: The Ascended Ancient
Chapter VII: "A Disastrous Campaign"

A/N: With each chapter, we draw closer to an explanation of what the hell is going on… along with additional appearances from beloved characters from the show.

In his office at the Homeworld Defense Force Headquarters, Jack O'Neill waited for his guests in a semi-patient manner. He did occasionally get up and start pacing around the room, but most of the time he just sat in his chair. Finally, the door opened, and the two generals he'd been waiting for walked in. They were Major General Hank Landry and Brigadier General Samantha Carter, the later of which was also Jack's wife.
They had both agreed against her changing her last name very early on, especially since Jack couldn't seem to remember to call her 'Sam' instead of 'Carter'.

"Hank, Carter," Jack greeted. "Take a seat." They both sat down in front of his desk. "I think you both know why I asked you to come here."

"You want to resolve the situation on the Genesis Colony," Carter said intuitively.

"You're absolutely right," Jack told her. "These international delegates are breathing down my neck to get something done, so I'm going to do it. Now, what should I do?"

"Given what little we know about this enemy," Sam replied, "I'm not sure what we can do. I mean, so far our weapons have been highly ineffective against them." She sighs. "Even so, we have to do something."

"Samantha and I have been going over data transmitted by the UAV we sent to P4X-337 yesterday," Landry explained. "It indicates that a large portion of the planet's natural resources are being transformed into this silvery alloy. As for the colony itself, it's been transformed into some sort of fortress. The moment our UAV got close to it, it was shot down."

"I see," Jack said slowly. "So, what do you guys think we should do about it?"

"Attack," Landry replied simply.

"I agree with General Landry, sir," General Carter told Jack. "Using a combination of BC-303s and ground troops, we should be able to at least slow down whatever Spalding's got planned." Jack sighed and looked down for a moment.

"All right," he said. "You have a go."

"Thanks, Jack," Sam said with a smile as she and General Landry got up and headed for the door.

"Carter," Jack called after her. Sam turned around. "We still on for tonight?"

"Assuming we don't have to work late," Sam said with a smile.

"Excellent," Jack replied with a smile. Sam just chuckled and walked out the door.

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In the briefing room of the S.G.C., General Landry sat down with S.G.-1. Well, not all of S.G.-1. Colonel Crawford was still in the infirmary, slowly becoming worse. Doctor Lam was doing everything she could for her, but it didn't seem to be enough.

"Major Hailey," Hank said when S.G.-1 had sat down, "with Colonel Crawford incapacitated, I'm temporarily placing you in command of S.G.-1."

"Yes, sir," Hailey replied.

"Good." Landry clasped his hands in front of him. "As you know, the debate about what to do about the Genesis Colony has gone on at the highest levels. This morning, Director O'Neill, General Carter, and myself reached a decision. We're going to attack the colony."

"Are you nuts?" Banks asked. "The last time we were there we were lucky to get out alive. What makes you think this time will be any different?"

"Because this time you'll have air support," Landry replied. "Two BC-303s, the Prometheus and the Byzantium, will attack the colony from orbit at the same time as you strike at it from the ground. You will coordinate your efforts with them. Our goal is to at least inflict serious damage on whatever Jeremy Spalding is trying to do there, even if we can't destroy it. This is not a suicide mission. As soon as it gets too hot, you are to retreat through the Stargate."

"Sir, who are we going to have as backup?" Hailey asked.

"S.G.s 3, 5, 17, 21, and 27," Landry told her.

"The Marine teams," Daryl said softly.

"If that's all," Landry began, rising from his chair, "then…"

"Excuse me?" someone said. General Landry and S.G.-1 turned to look at the stairwell, where former-governor Donald O'Connor standing. "I heard what you said about the mission, and I, uh…" He scratched his head. "I want to be a part of it."

"With all do respect, Mr. O'Connor," General Landry told him, "you do not have the military experience required for this sort of mission."

"Sir, I served in the United States Marine Corps in Iraq," the ex-governor said. "I retired at the rank of lieutenant."

"That was years ago," Landry countered. "Do you still remember that much of your training?"

"He seems to," Daryl said. Everyone turned to look at him. "When we were retreating from the colony, he picked up an MP-5 and helped cover the civilians. He did one heck of a job, sir." Daryl sighed. "I think… at least until Colonel Crawford recovers, that he should fill the empty slot on S.G.-1," he continued, a touch of sadness in his voice.

"I'll consider your recommendation, captain," Landry said. "In the meantime, I have other teams to brief. Dismissed!"

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"Daryl!" Major Hailey called out. Daryl Reynolds turned around to see her walking down the stairs from the briefing room. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course, Hailey," Daryl replied, following her out of the control room. They walked a few feet before Hailey began to speak.

"When Leslie was in command… you gave her advice," Jennifer explained. "You helped her out. A lot." She sighed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… I want you to do the same with me. You see things that the rest of us miss, and I'll need that kind of help on this mission. Ok?" Daryl stopped walking and turned to her.

"You don't need to ask me to do that, Hailey," he told her. "I'd have done that anyway."

"I just had to be sure," Jennifer replied with a smile.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Daryl said, "I'm going to check up on Leslie."

"Of course." Captain Reynolds turned and walked off down the corridor towards the infirmary.

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On P4X-337, Jeremy Spalding stood in the heart of his fortress, waiting for the inevitable. The humans would retaliate; it was in their nature. When they did, Jeremy would be ready for them. And even if they did destroy him, his agent on Earth would avenge that loss and destroy them all.

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When General Carter chose the man to place in charge of her 303s for the attack on P4X-337, she knew that she had to choose the most reliable commanders she could get. So, naturally, the choice wasn't a hard one. As a result, Colonel Cameron Mitchell now found himself sitting in the command chair aboard the Prometheus as it shot through hyperspace. As he sat there silently, he found himself thinking about the upcoming mission, about the daunting task of attacking an unknown enemy that had managed to thwart them quite successfully so far.

But whenever he thought like this, Cam just set his jaw. He was an experienced commander with an experienced crew aboard two powerful vessels. He would succeed. He had to.

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Back in the S.G.C., General Landry finally received the subspace signal from Prometheus indicating that both battlecruisers were in position. He immediately ordered his strike team to disembark through the gate, hoping to god that he wasn't sending them to their deaths.

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On the surface of P4X-337, Jennifer Hailey was struck by how much the planet had changed. No longer was it the lush, temperate paradise it had been less than a week ago. Now it was a barren wasteland, the surface pockmarked with craters. The sky above was no longer clear and blue, but covered in dark clouds that crackle with lightning.

"Oh my god," Donald O'Connor whispered. General Landry had approved his position on the team a few hours before they left, bringing S.G.-1 back up to its full strength.

"Pretty, isn't it?" George said sarcastically.

"What could anyone hope to gain by doing this?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know," Hailey replied.

The S.G. teams continued down the path from the Stargate, dodging potholes and the like as they went. In the distance they could make out the silvery structure that had been the colony. Now it was something else, and it frightened the soldiers who were walking towards it that they didn't know what it was.

As they walked, there was a crackling noise over their radios. "This... arrived... begin..." Then, the radios died.

"Damnit!" Hailey swore. "I thought this could happen."

"What's going on?" a sergeant asked.

"The ionization in the upper atmosphere is blocking all transmissions from the 303s," Hailey replied. "We won't be able to coordinate the mission with them."

"Then I guess we're on our own," George said.

"I guess so," Hailey acknowledged. "Ok, here's the plan. S.G.-21 and 27, hang back on that ridge and cover the rest of us. S.G.-1, 3, 5, and 17, we're going in. Eliminate all hostiles you see. When we get close enough, S.G.-3 and 5 will focus on the hostiles while S.G.-1 and 17 plant C-4 along the compound. Understood?" A chorus of 'yes, ma'ams' answered her. "Then let's move out!"

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On the outskirts of the star system, the Earth warships Prometheus and Byzantium soared through space towards P4X-337. On the bridge of the Prometheus, Colonel Cameron Mitchell waited anxiously for the battle that he knew was coming.

"Can you get any readings on the planet?" he asked the sergeant at the sensor station.

"Nothing, sir," the sergeant replied. "The atmosphere appears to be heavily ionized, and our scans are just bouncing off of it. And I have no idea if our signal to the ground troops got through." Mitchell sighed. He would have to proceed without any sort of coordination with the ground troops; there was no way around it. He just hoped that this problem was the only one they'd face during this campaign.

"Major Logan," Cameron said into the comm system. "Launch your squadrons."

"Yes, sir," Major Joshua Logan replied over the comm. Immediately afterwards, twelve F-302 fighters launched from each of the two battlecruisers.

There's no turning back now, Cam thought.

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On the ground, the assault team slowly approached Jeremy's compound. Since they hadn't been fired upon yet, they believed they were either undetected or ignored.

In space, the warships and fighters soared towards the planet, hoping to draw out any defenses that were there with this show of force. Nothing happened, which fostered a belief that maybe there weren't any defenses to deal with.

And in the heart of his fortress, Jeremy Spalding watched all of this with limitless patience. He had no reason to strike now. They couldn't do any serious damage to him, and with any luck friendly fire would do more damage than his weapons.

And, he thought, once they've realized they can't stop me, I'll make sure that they pay for ever thinking otherwise!

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Without any difficulty, the Prometheus and the Byzantium were able to reach the upper atmosphere of P4X-337. Colonel Mitchell stared through the forward viewport, knowing what his next order must be.

"Lieutenant," he said, addressing the weapons officer. "Target the coordinates of the former Genesis Colony and fire."

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On the ground, S.G.-1, 3, 5, and 17 made it to the outer edge of the compound. Reaching into their pockets, the teams pulled out their C-4 and began to plant it along the outer wall. When they'd used up the C-4, they ran for a crater located a short distance away. S.G.-21 and 27 were there, keeping their weapons trained on the compound in case they were attacked.

As the other S.G. teams ran for the hills, so to speak, bursts of blue fire, the tell-tale color of a 303's railguns, shot out of the sky and struck the compound. But it didn't just strike the compound. It struck all around it too. And to the horror of the ground team, several bursts of railgun fire struck amidst the team. There were cries of pain and cries of horror as half the soldiers who had approached the compound were vaporized instantly. The rest of them, all numb from what had just happened, kept on running. That was the only thing they could do. When they finally reached the ridgeline, they collapsed.

Nine men dead, Major Hailey thought, her mind still trying to grasp what had just happened. Killed... by our own people. But she was in command. There would be time for her to grieve later.

"Fall back!" she ordered. "We don't want anyone else getting in the way of the cruisers fire!"

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"Sir!" the sensor officer cried. Colonel Mitchell turned to look at him.

"What is it, sergeant?" he asked.

"The ionization clouds are dissipating, sir!" the sergeant replied. And, sure enough, the massive clouds that had covered the planet began to vanish. Below them, they could now see the burning ruins of the compound. From the looks of things, they had completely destroyed it.

"I guess it wasn't as tough as we..."

"Sir!" the sensor officer interrupted. "The compound appears to be..." The sergeant, at a loss for how to describe what was happening, fell silent. But Mitchell didn't need him to explain what was going on. He could see it with his own eyes. The fires were dying down, and the silvery material the place was made out of began to stretch and twist. A few moments later, the damage was gone. The compound was fully repaired, not even a scratch on it.

"How is that possible?" Mitchell said softly to no one in particular.

"Sir!" the sensor officer cried out once more. "Unidentified ships closing on our position!" Cameron looked up at the monitor as it displayed an odd-looking vessel surrounded by dozens of smaller ships fly towards them.

"Shields to full!" he ordered. "Charge rail guns and arm missile tubes."

If their base can repair that easily, what's to stop their ships from doing the same? he asked himself. But there was no other course of action. They would engage the enemy, and then they'd pray to god that they weren't all going to be slaughtered.

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On the surface of P4X-337, Major Jennifer Hailey led the assault team back to the Stargate. So far the only fire that had been directed their way came from their own ships, which was probably ironic in some sick way. Overhead, the dark clouds began to clear, revealing a starfield overhead. And up ahead, no further than a few dozen meters, was the Stargate.

Thank god! Jennifer thought. We're almost home!

Suddenly, a sheet of that silvery material shot up out of the ground and wrapped itself around both the Stargate and the DHD. The assault teams stopped running and just stared ahead in disbelief. They were trapped.

Then, the whine of plasma fire was heard from behind them. Before anyone could react, two young sergeants were shot dead. Hailey prepared to give the order to take cover, but before she could she felt a sharp pain in her left leg. She fell to the ground, knowing that there was no way she was going to get out of this one alive.

End of Chapter VII

A/N: Will Hailey live? Actually, will any of them live? Well, I'm not telling. Just know that pretty soon everything will be explained... not that things will get much better because of that.