A/N

Here it is – the next installment in the human's demise (or not yet).

Summary: The ORI have arrived and are preparing for the assault. In these desperate moments, General O'Neil comes up with a plan, a bold plan. However the execution does not go as planed.

Flames, Suggestion and comments are most welcomed.


Disclaimer: The characters of SG1 and Atlantis belong to MGM.

Chapter IV

Mission failed

Supreme Commander Thor returned to Earth with almost the entire Asgard fleet, a handful of eighty ships. The To'kra followed their example and brought around forty Ha'Tak. Earth command was very pleased with this outcome given that the Orion has been repaired after the ill outcome of the battle with the Priors escort fleet.

Everything for Earth defense has been checked and rechecked. The fleet was stationed around the moon to avoid unexpected detection from Earth satellites that could present serious public problems for the governments involved.

Spies have been dispatched to look for the ORI fleet; so far they haven't seen any ships of the ORI fleet. It seemed that the ORI have learnt their lesson that the battle will not be as easy as they thought.

Down at SG Command, Walter called Landry to the gate room as the gate suddenly became active.

"Unscheduled off-world activation." – Walter announced. "Receiving an IDC. It is Master Bra'tac."

"Open the IRIS." – General Landry ordered and went to greet him.

The IRIS was opened and soon Master Bra'tac accompanied by two Jaffa stepped through the gate. He smiled upon seeing Landry and SG-1.

"Greetings General Landry."

"Nice to see you, Master Bra'tac. What brings you here?" – General Landry replied.

"I bring word from the Free Jaffa Nation. We have decided to repay part of our debt to you. A large part of our fleet is currently on its way to Earth."

"That's great news." – Mitchell said. "More ships."

"Cool!" – Daniel added.

Master Bra'tac followed General Landry to the briefing room to discuss their strategy and introduced him to the Atlantis team. Bra'tac was most pleased to learn that SGC and Earth people were doing everything possible to learn more about the Ancients and their technology and that they have managed to preserve the great city of Atlantis. They promised him a visit to Atlantis.


A week later, the spies have reported that they have spotted two separate ORI fleets heading to Earth and that they arrive in the solar system within the next forty eight hours. All ships were positioned and were waiting for the beginning as all spies returned. The ORI however did not arrive at the specified time. Instead they came two days later. They deployed their fleet near Jupiter, and the only problem was that more ships have arrived than anticipated and more were coming.

"So what is the final count?" – General Landry asked.

"There are around four thousand ships and more are coming." – Walter replied.

"Four thousand?" – General O'Neil exclaimed. "Where the hell we missed them?"

"Our spies have been able to spot only the parts we were informed for. We couldn't have known that the ORI had so much more." – Landry observed.

"Yeah, Jack, he is right." – Daniel agreed.

"Hmm."

"Well we have also a fleet." – Shepard said trying to sound optimistic.

"Do we have four thousand ships?" – O'Neil eyed him mockingly.

"No, sir. But we have the anti-prior gun mounted on every ship of the fleet, and one of the little gray guys ship is worth ten of theirs; not to mention the others, plus our defenses with the drones." – Shepard replied.

"Aha." – O'Neil said disparagingly.

"Sir…"

"Look Shepard, the count is simple. They have four thousand we have a bit more than two hundred. It is twenty of their ships to one of ours and the number is growing, with or without the Priors it doesn't really matter." – O'Neil cut him off.

"If we only had some replicators to increase our numbers." – Sam sarcastically added.

"Gee. Don't say that Carter." – O'Neil got offended.

"Sorry sir just trying to levitate the tension." – Sam shrugged.

"Don't…try." – O'Neil said in a teasing tone.

"So what are our options?" – Landry asked formally.

"Well given that they want to conquer us primarily because we are opposing them and refusing to believe in the ORI, I'll say we have no options." – Daniel stated.

"We could negotiate."- Rodney McKay suggested.

"Negotiate? Why would we do that? They are the bad guys." – O'Neil said.

"He is right." – Sam suddenly agreed and everyone looked at her. "It could buy us some time."

"Meaning?"

"We could initiate negotiations for the cease of fire if we are to accept the ways of the ORI."

"What?" – Everyone shouted in unison.

"I mean we can't withstand a force such as this even with the anti-prior gun. We have to make them go away till we discover something useful and effective against them. I know this idea is not appealing to me either but what alternative do we have besides to be wiped out." – Sam argued.

"And in the meantime give up all we have fought for? Sell our souls to them? No, Carter." – O'Neil rejected.

"I agree with you sir but what could we do? You said it yourself it is by now thirty ships to one."

"There is a way." – Master Bra'tac intervened. He had a terrible idea, one that he was not fond of but it could work. As everyone looked at him, he spoke. "We will offer them the acceptance of the religion of the ORI by the Jaffa Nation in exchange for your safety."

"No way! Are you nuts?" – Mitchell shot. "Why have we fought all this time? And for what to surrender just because they have greater numbers than us – no, definitely no."

"What do you propose then?"

"I appreciate the sacrifice offer, Bra'tac." – O'Neil replied. "But I think it is better to nuke them and be done with it."

"Sir, we tried once and didn't work." – Sam objected.

"Yeah but at that time we didn't have the anti-prior thing and now we do. They wouldn't even realize what hit them."

"They won't fall for this, sir. I mean even the Wraith managed to shut us off at the second time we tried that." – Shepard objected also.

"Yeah but as I said they won't get that chance. You will go to a diplomatic mission or negotiations – whatever. And…you'll bring a naquadah bomb with you. You're going to disable the Priors and deploy the bomb in the middle of their fleet and it will make a big boom." – O'Neil explained.

"Sounds like a plan." – Landry said.

"Actually many bombs." – O'Neil added. "And then you have to get out pretty quickly."

"Sir." - A voice called in.

"Yes, Walter, what is it?" – Landry asked.

"The ORI fleet has reached ten thousand ships, sir." – Walter announced.

"There we go. More than we can handle." – Mitchell smiled sad.

"Get started on General O'Neil's plan." – Landry ordered.

"Sir?"

"You heard me. We have to defend our planet and that's what we are going to do. No…"

"Matter how difficult it looks. The odds were never on our side." – O'Neil finished.

"Indeed." – Teal'c agreed.


The Odysseus was chosen for this mission as they thought that if they have went with the Orion that could have provoked the ORI to attack them immediately. The naquadah bombs have been loaded and set for a five seconds detonation upon transport. Mitchell, Daniel, Sam and Teal'c came aboard as well while Shepard and McKay remained on the Orion just in case.

Colonel Emerson contacted Stargate Command to receive final instructions and then ordered the departure. The Odysseus jumped into hyperspace and few minutes later dropped right after the asteroid belt. The ship then passed on impulse and continued slowly.

"Contact the main ORI ship." – Emerson ordered.

The ORI have seen the approach of the Earth ship and have moved several of their ships to intercept it. The Prior on board was concerned with this unexpected move of the humans and so he ordered some of the ships under his command to accompany him. Other ships were given different orders.

"Sir, the ORI main ship is hailing us."

"Open the channel." – Emerson ordered.

On the main view screen, a prior dressed in pure white clothes appeared. Somehow he looked different from the other priors. The Prior gently nodded and spoke.

"I'm High Templar of the ORI – Saran."

"This is Colonel Emerson of the Earth ship Odysseus. I've been ordered to open negotiations with you regarding the surrender of Earth to the ORI." – Emerson said.

"And so upon shadow, they have been enlightened. You will disband your defenses and vow your allegiance to the word of the ORI. You will serve the ORI and shall be offered the path to enlightenment without question."

"Yes, we are willing to do so. But there are some conditions to that."

"The path to enlightenment is taken without any conditions. So they prayed to be embedded by the fire that would provide them with…." – And the Prior continued with his blessing speech.

"Bla bla bla bla…" – Mitchell said in the back silently. "Why are their speeches so boring?"

"Hmm. I don't really know." – Daniel answered.

"Well, shall we get started?" – Mitchell asked.

"Yep." – Sam replied.

Sam started to calculate the distance and then to set the timers of the bombs. They also had to activate the anti-prior gun and calculate the time in which the Odysseus must jump into hyperspace to outrun the explosions wave, and this was taking time. Hopefully Sam has made the initial calculations on Earth before they embarked.

"Sir, sensors are detecting ships coming from the other side of Jupiter."

"What?" – Mitchell said and took a look at the readings. "They are flanking us. Sam, do what you do quickly."

"Right almost there." – Sam replied.

"Sam!" – Mitchell shouted. "Now will be a good time."

"Just a second. Here I'm ready."

"Colonel Emerson we are ready." – Mitchell said on the radio.

"Understood." – Emerson whispered and nodded towards his tactical officer.

The Odysseus initiated the anti-prior gun and given that the ORI didn't seem to respond back, Sam beamed the first bomb with the timer set to detonate five seconds after a given command from the bridge.

They managed to transport another bomb but no other as suddenly the ORI vessels coming from the far side of Jupiter began jamming their sensors and engaged them into battle.

"Shields up!" – Emerson shouted but turned to the Prior. "Is this how you resort to bring peace and enlightenment?"

"The eyes of the snake have been discovered. You came with no idea of peace in your souls but the ORI sees everything and punished for your action you will be." – Saran replied with an evil smile.

"Shut him off." – Emerson ordered and the link was severed.

"Sir, shields are down to fifty percent."

"Come about. Answer them with all that we've got. Colonel Carter?"

"We are ready but they have knocked out somehow the transporters. We have to detonate now." – Sam replied dogging a handful of burned cables.

"Sir, shields have dropped to fifteen percent."

"Get us out of here. Engage the hyper drive." – Emerson shouted.

"Yes, sir."

The Odysseus turned around and a hyperspace window appeared through which they escaped. They dropped out of hyperspace few minutes later near the Moon, and they were contacted immediately.

"Sir, it is General Landry."

"Open the channel."

"What happened there, colonel?" – Landry asked with worry.

"We managed to transport two bombs but they flanked us and attacked us." – Emerson replied.

"Yes, sir and also they began to jam us and somehow managed to knock out the beaming units preventing us from using it." – Sam added.

"So they've learnt about our little ruse."

"It would seem so." – Sam responded.

"They anticipated the attack sir." – Daniel added.

"Did you detonate the bombs?" – Landry demanded.

"No, sir. As I said they jammed us." – Sam explained.

General Landry was about to say something when he was interrupted.

"Sir, long-range sensors are detecting a large number of vessels."

"More Jaffa ships?" – Landry asked.

"No, sir. All Jaffa vessels promised by Master Bra'tac have arrived."

"Then who are those?" – Landry demanded.

"I haven't got the slightest idea, sir."

General Landry did not say anything. He had secretly sent a SG team to negotiate with the Lucian Alliance to join them but the offer was rejected. It seemed that their leader was somewhat pleased with the possibility that Earth would be wiped out. But Landry did not get the chance to put more thoughts into that as he was called again, this time by Emerson.

"General Landry, our sensors have just detected again the small craft, the one we've tracking."

"Where it came from? Why haven't we detected it before? " – Landry asked perplexed.

"We don't know, sir. It came from the surface of Mars and is currently in orbit around the planet."

"Mars?" – This time Landry was completely dumbfounded and he was not the only one.


A/N

If you have a favorite episode in SG-1 season 9 please let me know and in Atlantis, I'm just curious.

And…Don't forget to review. Thank you.

Lordheaven