Lost In Time

Part VIII

Present Day

"Oh… this is so not happening to me!" Jack nearly shouted as he was transported aboard Thor's ship – it almost felt like it was becoming a second home to him, "Thor! Didn't you agree to not beam me up when I was in the middle of an… audience?"

"But, O'Neill," came the familiar voice of the greyish colored alien, "I thought that you were located in the SGC prior to your transportation to our ship. Is it not permitted to transport you from your base?"

"No! Yes! No – I mean… it's a little complicated at the moment, Thor," Jack sighed, "You see, we've got some, eh, visitors…"

"Yes, we know."

"You know?" SG-1's leader asked, "Oh, let me guess – I take it your visit to our galaxy isn't a social call?"

"That is correct, O'Neill," Thor answered, "About forty-eight hours ago, it came to our attention that a yet unidentified spacecraft had entered your solar system. We regret that we were not able to arrive here on a shorter notice, but…"

"Oh, yeah…" the Colonel interrupted, "It's not that unidentified anymore. In fact, it's not even alien! What'd you say about that, huh?"

"Please explain, O'Neill. I am not sure I understand what you are saying."

"Yeah, well, it's from the future. Our future, to be exact."

When Thor did not respond, Jack continued. "It's apparently called a Mobile Suit, and we have no less than eighteen of those big, gigantic, robotic things on our planet right now."

"What is their function?"

"Eh, yeah – that's kind of a problem. You see, they're actually made for combat… and let me tell you, they're not so fond of each other."

"Where are they now?"

"Oh, we're keeping them at the SGC."

Short silence.

"But, O'Neill, you just told me that they are… gigantic, as you would call it. How is it possible that you are currently holding eighteen of those objects at your base?"

"Eh, yeah, well… they weren't exactly robots, but… robots with a pilot. So, now we keep the eighteen pilots in our base, and the Mobile Suits are stationed a couple of miles from the mountain, non-stop guarded by a dozen of Airmen. Actually, sixteen of those pilots pilot an identical looking Mobile Suit, while two of them have a more advanced looking Mobile Suit. Plus, when those sixteen Mobile Suits saw one of those more advanced Mobile Suits, it sure scared the hell out of them."

Another short silence.

"Do you have any idea what caused to travel through time?"

"Not really. But, the two pilots of those more advanced Mobile Suits keep arguing and yelling about 'pushing a button'. You know how Carter's usually way better in the techno-stuff than I am, Thor."

"And do you have any idea on how to get them back?"

"Eh, not really. Can't you help us with that? You know, beam 'em two hundred years into the future, or something like that…"

"Unfortunately, we do not possess such technology, O'Neill," the Asgard responded, "We just came to your planet to make sure Earth was unharmed in any way."

"Oh, yes – about that," the Colonel said, "We just heard from the Tok'ra, that our dear Apophis is planning a surprise attack – well, not so surprise attack anymore – against us. Isn't that a violation of that treaty we set up?"

"Yes, it is, O'Neill," Thor responded, "And we too have received word that Apophis is preparing an assault on Earth. However, we can not interfere when the Goa'uld has not yet showed any signs of hostility itself."

"So, what you're saying is… that only if Apophis shoots us to hell, you can blow 'em up, right?"

"Yes, but not only as 'Apophis shoots you to hell', also as a Goa'uld mothership enters your solar system, we have the right to do whatever deems necessary to defend your planet."

"Thank you!" Jack exclaimed, "That was just what I wanted to hear! How's the war against the Replicators going, by the way?"

At this, Thor suddenly seemed very sad – for an Asgard, that was. "We have lost many Asgard in the battle against the Replicators. However, we may have found a new way to successfully destroy a Replicator, in theory."

"Oh, yeah? How's that?"

"Surely, you are aware that a blast of a Goa'uld Zat'nik'tel does a Replicator more good than bad."

"Yeah…"

"Currently, on this ship is being experimented by reversing the particles of a Zat'nik'tel blast on subatomic level. The effect would be that the new energy output of the Zat'nik'tel generates great heat, hopefully enough to disintegrate a Replicator. That is one of the main reasons why we have come to your solar system. We do not wish that this technology falls into the hands of the Replicators."

"So, basically, you're not only in our solar system to check if we're okay, but also because you wanted a place to hide? Sorry to say so, but when Apophis arrives, he'll know you're here, and believe me, he'll find a way to make you the one to blame for breaching the Protected Planets Treaty."

"We are aware of that, O'Neill. That is why I am send with the newest Asgard-vessel, capable of cloaking the entire ship, impenetrable to Goa'uld scanners."

Jack blew a whistle. "Sweet."

"What just happened?" Wu Fei asked astonished, "If I'm not going slightly mad, I think I just saw a man disappearing in a flash of white light! I repeat, what the hell just happened?"

While Heero didn't comment, he was just as dumbstruck as the other Gundam pilot. Never, never in his entire life he'd dreamed of encountering something like this – oh, yes, Zero One's pilot did have a faint idea of what just happened. He just never thought he'd actually see it in person.

Aliens…

General Hammond was running out of options. And boy, were they running out fast. How the hell was he going to explain this to those two boys? And worse, how the hell was he going to explain it to the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

"Sons – no need to tell you that what just happened wasn't exactly planned."

"Not going to deny it?" Chang asked surprised.

General Hammond shook his head. "What's the point in denying if there's no other way to explain what happened?"

"So, what was it then?" Altron's pilot asked.

However, it was not the General nor anyone else from the SGC that replied – but his fellow pilot Heero Yuy. "Aliens."

"Say what?"

"How'd you know that?" Daniel asked incredulously.

"It's true?"

The General raised his voice. "I repeat, there's no point in denying anything now, but all I ask from you is to retreat to your quarters for the moment, as we try to clean up this mess… and hopefully get Colonel O'Neill back."

"How'd you know that whatever happened to that O'Neill-guy was alien?" Wu Fei asked Heero as soon as they had arrived at Yuy's quarters – the two pilots had successfully asked if they could discuss something in private.

"Come on, Chang," came Zero One's reply, "You know as well as I do that Earth in the early twenty-first century could never have developed technology such as that without us knowing about it."

"True," Altron's pilot nodded, "What do you think they're doing down here? I don't think we've ended up at this base just for some random reason…"

"They must've probably thought that Wing Zero was Alien technology, as soon as they spotted me… that probably would've explained why they told me I wasn't the first Alien in orbit around Earth when they first encountered me."

"Next question," Wu Fei continued, "How come we don't know about it in the future? Surely, if the United States government had such operation going on, it would've been made public at one point in the future?"

"There's two options: either it's still running, or it shut down for some reason."

"And I take it you want to find out what?"

"Yes. But we can't find out what happened to this facility, as long as we don't know what this facility is…"

"Howdy, campers," the Colonel said as soon as he set foot on Earth again, "I'm back!"

"Colonel," the General begun – not very happy, "I doubt it is useful to tell you that whatever reason Thor had to transport you up, it'd better be good!"

"Yeah – about that. Alright, first of all – he knows about Apophis planning an attack against us."

"And?"

"He's not going to do anything against the slimy snakehead unless Apophis does something against us first."

"But doesn't his… being here invalidate the Protected Planets Treaty?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, it kinda does," Jack explained, "But he claims he's got a brand new Asgard-ship with him, with cloaking capability…"

"Really?" the Major suddenly exclaimed, "I mean, we've seen such technology on that Goa'uld cargo-ship of us, but never on such a large scale!"

"Major, I'm sure you can take a look at it as soon as our time-travelers are back to the future and Apophis is defeated," General Hammond answered, "But right now, we've got some more important things to take care of. Colonel, first thing tomorrow morning, you're going to interrogate all eighteen time-travelers together with Doctor Jackson, starting with those 'Serpents'. I'd like to hear their point of view, and how it comes they're terrified of those boys. Meanwhile, Teal'c, Major, tomorrow morning, you're gonna make sure that the Asgard-ship is in fact completely cloaked, and continue the preparations that have to be made for Apophis' attack. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Dismissed."

"Tomorrow, 8:30?"

"Sounds good to me. Level 21, right?"

"Level 21."