Some of the reviews have had (constructive!) criticism of my claim of Goa'uld superiority compared to the Andalites and Yeerks. Well, after going back, checking out a few websites, rereading a few Animorph books, and watching a few SG-1 DVDs, I concluded that this probably wasn't accurate and so made a few (very slight) changes in the previous chapters. The new version has Andalite and Goa'uld technology roughly on par with one another (at least from Erek's point of view).
This brings me to another point. I didn't go into this fic with the ending in mind like I did with "Great War." My idea for the first chapter was pretty specific, but the rest is just kind of flowing, so some inconsistencies will exist.
Oh, yeah. This story takes place early Season 7 in the Stargate SG-1 continuity.
And now, without further adieu-
Ax
"Goa'uld"
The senator said the word, one with which I was not familiar, very softly. I looked at my friends; they were gazing intently at the senator, who was in turn on his knees and staring at the burning Yeerk factory, apparently lost in his own thoughts. Prince Jake, in tiger morph, quietly approached the man.
(Senator?) Jake said tentatively.
The senator came out of his reverie with a start, turning to look directly at Prince Jake. This appeared to frighten him even more, which was understandable, given the nature and appearance of Bengal tigers. He backed quickly away from Prince Jake, right into Marco, in gorilla morph. With a yelp, he jumped to his feet and ran beyond our group.
"I don't know you who-what you are, but if you hurt me, I assure you there will be consequences."
Marco rolled his eyes, a human expression of annoyance or exasperation, and quite odd to see on a gorilla. It seemed he was about to speak, but Prince Jake spoke up first.
(No one here wants to hurt you, Senator,) Jake said. (We're trying to protect you.)
"Protect me?" The senator snorted. "I have my own ways to secure my protection, especially from the Goa'uld."
(Now listen here, Mr. Big Shot Politician, we just saved you from getting your brain-) Rachel started fuming, but was silenced by a look from Jake.
(What's a Goa'uld?)
The Senator sat in stoic silence now, refusing to say anything.
I spoke up. (I am going to assume that these Goa'uld are the ones that operate the craft that destroyed this facility. If that is true, than Earth is facing a second alien invasion.)
That got the man's attention. "Second?" He paused. "Oh my god! You! You're some of Hammond's mistakes, let out of the gate!"
(Whoa! Whoa! Chill!) It was Marco. (We're good guys. We're trying to save people like you from getting an earful of Yeerk.)
"Yeerk?"
Tobias
We explained the situation to the senator, Robert Kinsey. We explained the Andalites, the Yeerks, and Visser Three and the invasion. Of course we left out the part that we were just a superpowered gang of teenagers, but that should go without saying.
He took it rather well, all things considered, but then if he knew what was in those death gliders he was involved in some pretty weird stuff himself. When we were done he asked us one rather bizarre question.
"What's the address of your world?"
I cocked my head. (The address of our…world?)
Kinsey looked around at us. "Never mind. If you don't know- or won't tell me," I heard him mutter under his breath, "it doesn't matter for now. I need to get back to my hotel and then to Washington."
(Uh, that's a no can do,) Marco said. (The Yeerks will be looking for you now.)
Ax nodded, a human gesture he had picked up. (You escaped from them with a good look at their dracon beam weapons and a portable Yeerk Pool. You are now a significant liability to them, and they likely won't bother to try to infest you again. They will probably just kill you.)
Kinsey looked back at the still burning factory, then up at the sky. "Then I need to get to Colorado."
Rachel
(What's in Colorado?) Jake asked.
Kinsey looked down at him. "You're the tiger, right? Well I have some friends in Colorado. Any alien invasions, they'll be the ones to talk to." He muttered something else that sounded like "and blame."
(These friends might be infested.) I said.
"If they were than this invasion would already be over," Kinsey replied.
(OK, then,) Jake said. (You can find a way to Colorado, but we're coming with you.)
I stared at him. (We're what? Jake we're needed here.)
(If this is a chance to let Uncle Sam in on the Yeerk invasion, we have to take it.) Jake replied. (One senator can be taken down easily, but if the larger government, or the military, can be alerted, we might have a fighting chance.)
I had to admit, that made sense. (OK, then lets go to Colorado.) I turned to Kinsey.
"I'll have to make a phone call," he said.
Tobias
A short while later, a rather scruffy looking homeless guy approached a pay phone in a bad neighborhood. The senator had wanted to use his cell phone, but we convinced him that it may be tapped. Instead we found him a ratty disguise to hide himself and his face, allowing him to find a phone in town.
Kinsey hadn't let us overtly listen in on his conversation. Something about top secret stuff and needing clearance and national security.
This had not pleased Rachel. (We just informed you of an alien invasion, buddy. I think we've earned whatever clearance we need.)
Kinsey didn't budge, though. That was OK, since the others, when Kinsey wasn't looking, of course, just morphed to fly and took up positions throughout his clothing. I took up a perch on a nearby building.
Sen. Kinsey punched a whole bunch of numbers into the phone, presumably extensions and security codes, before getting who he wanted.
It's widely known that hawks have excellent vision, but its slightly less known that they also have great hearing. I could hear everything the senator said.
"What in God's name is going on over there, George?" Kinsey hissed. Pause "You know damn well what I mean. Dispatching F-302s close to a populated area…George, what were you thinking!" Pause. "And how did those gliders slip under your nose." Pause. "What do you mean nothing's been detected in orbit, there's got to be-" Pause. "Alright never mind, never mind, there's another matter to discuss." Pause. "Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about." Pause. "Blue centaurs. Talking, telepathic animals. Slugs. Am I ringing any bells, General?" Pause. "No? Well there's some weird alien activity out here, I met them, and I'm willing to bet it came out of your mountain!" Pause. "I don't care what you've been doing, General." Pause. "You can be certain that when I get back to Washington I'll have a few things to say to certain…influential people." Pause. "That'll have to wait, because I'm coming out there now." Pause. "Yes I know I'm campaigning, but some things are more important- What was that?" Pause. "Just know that I'm coming out there and I expect a plane waiting for me." Kinsey then proceeded to give "Gen. George" the name of a small airstrip on the outskirts of town. Shrewd of him, since low profile was what we wanted.
I spotted the others leaving Sen. Kinsey's clothes after he hung up. They would go somewhere to morph to birds, and then meet Kinsey back in the woods. Kinsey himself, with some furtive looks around him, walked off where he would rendezvous with the Animorphs.
Jake
The plane ride went off without a hitch. The plane, a small unmarked business jet was waiting at a little community airport that mostly handled private planes. Kinsey had changed back into his politician's finest before getting on, so as not to elicit questions from the Air Force crew. We followed Kinsey onboard as flies, demorphing and remorphing as needed in an unoccupied compartment in the back.
During the flight, we went over what we overheard of Kinsey's phone call.
(It seems that the government has its hand in some alien happenings,) I said.
(But it didn't seem like the guy Kinsey was talking to knew about the Yeerks.) Cassie said.
(They talked about detecting gliders,) Tobias put in, (so he must know about the…what was it? Ghouls? Golds?)
(Goa'uld,) Ax said. (And I would like to know how the human race has achieved contact with a race we Andalites know nothing about.)
(Well, Ax-man, space is a big place,) Marco said.
(And we have traveled throughout it, but have never encountered these Goa'uld.)
(Maybe they're from another dimension?)
Ax scoffed, not realizing Marco was joking. (Interdimensional travel beyond the realms of normal space and zero space is purely theoretical at this point, even among Andalites. Some, in fact, believe it to be impossible altogether. The amount of energy required to stabilize a dimensional shift to a different physical-)
Before Ax realized that he had totally left our feeble human minds in the dust, the pilot announced that we were landing at Peterson Air Force Base.
(Where is Peterson Air Force Base?) Cassie asked.
It was Marco who answered. (It's near Colorado Springs. It's the home of NORAD, Northern Command, and the Air Force Space Command.)
(Marco, how on Earth do you know that?) Rachel asked.
(The History Channel.)
When the plane landed, the senator stepped out, closely followed by six flies. We were greeted by a guy in his mid-fifties, short graying hair, and wearing a blue utility uniform. He was standing next to an unmarked black Yukon and giving Kinsey a rather sardonic grin.
Kinsey halted in his tracks. "O'Neill," he sneered.