Stargate Revealed: Power & Politics, Part 16
by Livi2Jack
Summary: On the eve of battle assassins get too close. The Goa'uld are on the way.
Rating: All Ages
Category: Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Mystery, Point Of View, UST, Other
Related SG-1 Episode(s): 703 Fragile Balance, 720 Inauguration, 813 It's Good To Be King, 817 Reckoning, Part 2, 901 Avalon, Part 1, 902 Avalon, Part 2
Related Atlantis Episode(s): 201 The Siege, Part 3
Featured Characters: Jack O'Neill, Mini-Jack, Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, Hammond, Maybourne, and Hayes.
Author's Note: Spoilers for Season 9+.
Feedback is requested.
Chapter 16: No Rest For the Weary
"What a pantload!" Jack spat out. "Permission to beat the crap outta this woman, sir?"
"Why don't you two just get a room?" The SecDef retorted. "It would make all our lives a lot easier." Nods of assent punctuated the picture. "Quite a performance," he started to clap. "Bravo. Encore. And all that jazz."
Jack looked like he would haul off and strike the man. Then he caught himself and realized what he was doing.
"Jack, um, she's not there anymore." Daniel interjected. He was on to something. "She hung up. The hologram isn't moving anymore." They all stared at it. Sighs were heard around the room. "You are not acting like yourselves. Think. How long have you two been separated? It's been many hours. It's the tags talking, not you. Because, Jack I don't think I have ever heard you offer to beat up a woman or a reigning monarch as you just did."
"Well maybe it's about time, Daniel. Oh, if I could just get my hands around…" Jack raised his two hands in a gesture to strangle someone. "Gaaaa."
"That will be enough. We have bigger problems than watching Anthony and Cleopatra duke it out." Jerry Wasserstein, the White House Chief of Staff spoke up. "What we need to know are their capabilities and how we can interface to make this problem go away." He turned to Jack. "Putting aside all the insults, we need to get busy. What do you want us to do exactly? Send down your advisors and let's get on this already. By your estimates we only have a little over a day left to us."
"I still say you should get a room and get over it." The SecDef eyed O'Neill. Hammond snorted in disbelief. Jack was such a hotdog on a good day. And this was starting out as a really bad one.
General, look, we don't mean any disrespect. But you are compromised. It's not so much a loyalty issue as a physical and emotional one. You two have a weird relationship. If she is really the Regent of the Commonwealth as of a few hours ago, then she is now the most powerful human being in the galaxy. What the heck is she still doing here? This battle is better left to a subordinate so she can go back to her Capital and assume power there. But she is still here. Why? She's a mess too. And being a mess, her decisions scare the hell out of us." Hayes carefully observed O'Neill's reaction. "General, when was the last time either of you slept?"
"Two days ago, sir, Sunday night. She got an hour last night."
"Right. I am ordering you to get at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep. And if you know what is good for all of us, make her do the same. We can't afford to have mistakes from exhaustion when the shit hits the fan." Hayes waved his dismissal. "And if the two of you really need to be in proximity to each other, stay there and do your best to get control of this situation."
"Sir, I feel I should tell you that she is going to fight no matter what. The battle will happen. And sir, she can do it. The Goa'uld have no idea what her capabilities are. And with respect, sir, neither does anyone in this room." General O'Neill was in rare form. "I know that these tags or whatever they are affect judgment. But, I also know with whom I am dealing. Sir, I don't know how to put this delicately so I shall just say it straight."
"Unless you see for yourself what she has accomplished out there, you should not dismiss her outright. Sir, you have never been off world and neither have any of these men except General Hammond. You all just don't know what it is like. And you don't know what she is offering. Even what I have seen on Thor's ships can't compare to some of what she has available. And I am sure I have not seen most of what she has ready right now. She means to defend Earth and take down the Goa'uld. Don't discount her. With your permission, I shall ask her to give you a broadcast feed of the battle, CNN style. It will blow your mind."
Each man stared back at O'Neill. The idea was a good one. Funny how they never thought of it.
"Jack, you are right. It just shows how limited some of our thinking is. We would never have thought to get a CNN type feed of a battle in outer space." Hammond spoke in his fatherly voice. "Think she would authorize it?" Jack nodded.
"George, I think General O'Neill has a point. None of us have actually seen any of her hardware up there. I think I am due for a 'gander' don't you?" President Hayes smoothed back his grey hair. "Afterwards, assuming there is an afterwards, I would like to go up there in person and view the situation."
"Yes, sir." O'Neill assured him. "That would be nice."
"Send out another team to contact Thor. And send the other Prometheus class ship if you have to. Just find him." Hayes rubbed his eyes. "I will not be dictated to on my own planet. Is that clear? I don't care what she's got up there."
"Um, sir, if I may suggest," O'Neill hesitated. He got their attention. "If you do come, you really should bring her a present. She is really pissed and we didn't offer one when she came through the Gate. I could tell she noticed and was irritated. Maybe some chocolates and some flowers? She's not that demanding about such things. She just expects the gesture as a sign of respect. It's her culture."
"General, if she pulls this off, I can do better than that." Hayes nodded to him in dismissal. "Now get up there and do what you can."
At the SGC, Sam looked up from the new Medlab bio bed on Level 21. The Commonwealth aliens were generous in their gifts. Five new mobile medical units belonged to Earth courtesy of Lady Anna in return for O'Neill's participation in her war against the Goa'uld. This unit had been operational for a week. And thankfully, Sam got the benefit after the ashrak shot up the White House and her. All the blinking lights and images made her think that O'Neill would love to see this. She took in her surroundings. An air of excitement drew her attention. Something important was up.
"Airman, over here, please." Sam called to a nearby Medtech. "What's got everyone so excited?"
"Ma'am, now don't you worry. I'm sure the brass have it under control. You need to rest. You lost a lot of blood and had to have a transfusion." The young man smiled down at her and checked to see what was behind him. He came to attention right smartly. "Sir."
"Carter, how you doing?" Jack's hologram looked down at Sam. "They treating you alright?"
"Yes, sir. Are you okay?" Sam looked him over. He had obviously changed his suit.
"Not really. That will be all airman," the general dismissed the Medtech. "Um, Carter, you were saying before you got…shot, that you thought you had a way to sever the link caused by the tags. Because if something doesn't give really soon, I'm going to lose it, go crazy, bonkers, looney, three fries short of a Happy Meal, Bonzo!" The nurses all shushed him. He cringed and waved his hands to say okay I'm sorry. "Carter, I know you don't feel so good, but what was it you said before about magnets stopping Nintendos?"
Sam smiled up at him, same old O'Neill. She looked for a tray for some water, seeing none she asked, "Sir, some water first. I'm kinda dry." Jack swiveled around looking for a nurse or a Tech. "Bring the Colonel some water please." He surveyed the scene and nodded in approval. The water arrived. "Okay, slowly, how do we stop it? Because I'm gonna strangle that woman." Sam grinned up at him.
"I know how you feel, sir. Can I help?" She smirked a nasty grin.
"Actually, no Carter. You should know that she saved your life." He frowned and looked away. "She had some kind of ancient version of a hand healing device." He waited for the information to register. Ah, there it went. "And something else, Carter." Jack lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "After she tried and did some, I tried. Neither one of us had any real success until we BOTH used it together. A really strong beam shot out and when it stopped, that's when she passed out." Col. Carter frowned thinking.
"Okay, you say it took two of you to use an Ancient device. That's different. Before as long as someone had the Ancient gene, he could use any of the devices. But what you are suggesting is that there may be different genes or different versions of the same gene. And it takes both to work some equipment. We know some people are more adept at using Ancient technology. You are the best at it, sir." Carter sipped more water and gave it more thought. "I wonder why a medical device would need the right combination unless it does something else, like a weapon." The exertion was tiring her out. "Sir, I'm kinda tired. So, what I said about the tags was that a strong enough electro-magnetic field would disrupt the tags. The neutrinos they send out would be scrambled at the receiving end. Maybe it would be enough I don't know, sir." She closed her eyes and shifted on the bed.
"Thanks, Carter. You get some rest." Jack saw she was already asleep. He looked for several more seconds and left. Now he had to deal with that impossible woman. At least she had granted a fifteen-minute delay edited feed to the White House during the battle. Sometimes she was alright.
"Col. Cameron Mitchell reporting for duty, sir." Cam stifled the urge to sneeze. He sneezed anyway. The CO of the base wasn't any too happy. "Got a cold, sir."
"I can see that Colonel. Your orders are to take SGs 11 and 7 to Dakara where a waiting Ha'tak ship will try to get you to K'tau. Their people are in place. Do whatever you have to do to contact Thor." With a nod, Landry walked out. Cam walked to the locker room to suit up with some supplies. Jaffa accommodations usually did not come with food and other necessities humans preferred.
Five minutes later, the group assembled at the bottom of the ramp. Landry spoke to Mitchell. "Colonel, I am sending along Dr. Lee and two of his staff, just in case you need experts. If you don't, then send him along to the Tok'ra. They might find a way to call Thor with their own Tollan devices. Move out."
"Thanks for joining us, ladies. Let's do it." And they strode with intense purpose up the ramp through the shimmering blue water effect.
"Remind me again why we are doing this, My Lord General?" Lady Anna stood at the command console on the 'Daniel Jackson.' What she wanted to do was slap him. "Yes we both need to sleep, but honestly, this is not the time."
"Ma'am, we need to sleep. But, we can't seem to be apart. These tags are getting worse and worse as each day progresses. With the enemy on the way, you are not going to be functional if we don't get a few hours of rest. We have the time. The President is right. We do need to sleep. It's been days. C'mon, we should get some shut eye."
"This is humiliating. There is no privacy. If you want to go to the cabin," she paused and looked at him.
"No. Ack!" He waved his finger back and forth. 'Been there done that."
"We could go to the island where we have many more comforts."
"No."
"What about…"
"No."
"I own a hotel. We can have a…"
"No."
"A yacht in the South Pacific?"
"No."
"Ski lodge in Aspen?" Jack considered for a moment.
"No."
"A palace in India?"
"Definitely, no." She started to suggest something else. Jack gave her such a look. She sighed.
"Maui?" Jack grinned.
"No," answered Anna. "Fine. Arrange it in the Medlab. The doctors can give us a sedative and a private room." She smiled to herself. If it weren't so dire, this would actually be funny.
"That makes no sense." George Hammond clicked off his headset and looked at the White House Chief of Staff, Jerry Wasserstein, sitting across from his desk. "World leaders are disappearing off the planet. The President of China, the British Prime Minister, the French and German Presidents, the King of that oil country, oh whatsitsname, several other prime ministers, and a sultan. What in God's name is going on?"
"You think she did it?" Wasserstein uncrossed his legs, eyebrow raised.
"No." George sighed. "She's too busy for this small time maneuver."
"Best guess?"
Hammond passed a meaty fist over his eyes. "It must be the Goa'uld. They probably have some more ashraks or zatarcs doing this. But what do they want with those people? We can just get others to replace them."
"Maybe they don't understand that fact. Each System Lord is irreplaceable."
"No, Ba'al spent at least a month here that we know about and probably knows the score. He's up to something else." Hammond thought a moment. "He's probably trying to create chaos in our command structure before he attacks. Cut off the head before the body can act."
"The Press will have a field day with this. First we had the assassin this morning in the White House and now high-level abductions. The media will make it look like she's retaliating. We have to sit on this quickly." The White House Chief of Staff rose to contact the White House Press secretary. "I have to go back to the office."
"What treachery is this?" Teal'c demanded to know. "We are ambassadors of the Jaffa High Council. And you are risking a war detaining us this way."
"We are not so much detaining you as diverting you, Master Teal'c. Our most humble apologies. But it is necessary for your safety and ours." The obsequious young officer bowed and indicated the way forward.
"Explain."
"I am not the one who is charged with that duty. Please, I am just the messenger." He indicated the way again. Teal'c raised an eyebrow and glanced around his new surroundings. Nothing seemed threatening. Teal'c knew most of the safeguards were hidden. The last three months, Teal'c had spent time reviewing Commonwealth tactics and security. Their level of development was impressive. Teal'c's escort positioned themselves for conflict. Teal'c held up a hand without looking back.
"We shall listen. But do not think we shall forget this discourtesy."
"Master, they are mostly children. This one isn't even twelve years old. We can take some and make them deliver us to the Stargate. But we must act quickly." One of the large Jaffa was not going to move.
"Be silent. Your ignorance only shames us. They are NOT children." Teal'c nodded to the officer. "Tell him how old you are."
"I am thirty-four years old, Master Teal'c." The young man answered. "Commonwealth people live very long lives because of our DNA manipulation called, 'Genetic Restoration.' Most now live between 200 and 300 years, depending on how many ancestors have completed the treatments."
"The effects are cumulative. They live longer than we do. Lady Anna is 74 yrs old yet appears to be 21 yrs old. I learned this in my time with them, Jaffa." Teal'c looked appraisingly at him and then to the objecting Jaffa.
His escort were suitably surprised. Teal'c followed the young man. The rest were doubtful but had no other alternative so they followed, too. At the end of the corridor was a set of double doors. Teal'c and his party were announced and the doors parted. Teal'c marched in apprehensive but in control. He stopped short of the person in the room. Recognition swept his face. Irritation showed in his eyes, along with curiosity.
"Hey Tee, long time no see."
"Yes Dr. Jackson, what can I do for you?" Harry Maybourne, former colonel of Air Force Special Ops inquired with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Harry, do you know anything about today's abductions from Earth of various heads of state?" Daniel squinted at Harry with a certain amount of suspicion.
"Only the buzz from the NID. It just came in around lunchtime. Something about the President of China is missing and the British Prime Minister, too." Harry indicated a chair in front of his desk to Daniel, who ignored him. "Oh, I have my people looking into it if that's what you want to know. But that's not what you want to know." Harry leaned up to the desk and put his hands together. "No, we did not do it." He chuckled. "Of course that's what they must be thinking down there. But that would be pretty STUPID. Lady Anna isn't stupid." He shook his head and chuckled some more.
"Well, I had to ask, you know." Daniel shrugged and pushed his glasses back up his nose.
"How's Colonel Carter doing?" Maybourne asked in genuinely concerned tones.
"She'll be fine. She's still in the Medlab at the SGC. She lost a lot of blood and had to have a transfusion." Daniel looked around at Maybourne's office on the starship 'Daniel Jackson.' He nodded in approval. "Nice digs, Harry." He waved a hand.
"Yes, better than that hick planet you guys left me on. It's nice being back in the game." Harry smiled briefly. "What else do you want, Dr. Jackson?"
"We are wondering if you can give us any leads?" Daniel smiled quickly and looked innocent.
"Why should I tell you?" Harry leaned back in the chair sensing a negotiation. "I don't work for Earth anymore, that little treason thing never got resolved. I work for Her Highness, Lady Anna, Regent of the whole high faluting Commonwealth…directly." Harry smirked at that one. "Got to hand it to the Lady, she really knows how to play this game. She took over when they were closing in on her and executed the entire opposition, including their families. Then she put the King out to pasture. Really got to admire her, eh?" He thought about it for a moment. Daniel shifted uncomfortably. "But I will tell you this, Daniel. Take this back to the folks downstairs. Stop messing with her. She's been incredibly patient. More patient than any of you realize. And if it weren't for Jack, well, let's just say, things would be very different about now."
"Oh, really. How's that?"
"She meant everything she said down there when she lost it. It's why she's the new ruler and the King is on a permanent vacation." Harry's face clouded over. "You have no idea who or what she really is."
"And you do?" Daniel was on guard.
Harry just smiled a happy knowing grin. "Yes, I do."
"And it has something to do with Jack?"
Harry simply looked innocent and smiled. He was still grinning when Daniel went through the door. Then his face went grim. He had his job to do. Failure at this moment would not be tolerated.
"We are going to wake up in time, Ma'am?" Jack hesitated before accepting the sedative.
"This was your idea, General. And it was a good one. We can't do any more than we have. The computers are all set. We would just be in the way and an unnecessary distraction to the people finishing last minute preparations. At this point, what will be will be." Lady Anna lay back on her biobed in the Medlab on board the 'Daniel Jackson.' She tried to relax waiting for the medtech to give her the dose. "Six hours, no more Technician. And Jack, don't snore."
"Oy. Funny. I like funny. There's some hope for you yet, Ma'am." Jack looked at the device the medtech held. Jack's expression was dubious. And then he resigned himself. "Let's get some quality zzz's." The dose administered to Jack, the medtech then refilled it and approached Lady Anna. She reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Security!" Anna's voice brought the computer system to action. The medtech was encompassed in a beam of light holding him in position. Guards ran in. "I want the contents of that device analyzed immediately." The security guard reached through the beam and took out the device in his specially designed glove. Disarming assassins was part of the job. A doctor took the device and passed it under another machine. He looked horrified.
"Computer, quickly make an antidote for this size dose." It took a moment and then another device appeared. "My Lord General, I am so sorry." Jack was feeling the effects. Suddenly, his breathing stopped and his eyes started to glaze over. The antidote administered had only a slight effect. "Not working. It must be a different poison." The doctor went into emergency mode. All hell broke loose in the Medical Lab.
"How did you know, My Lady," asked the guard? She just looked at him with anger in her eyes.
"I sensed his intention. That was enough. Now find out everything. But I want him alive to make a public example of him. He tried to kill our sacred Lord General. Nothing is more venal. Nothing. Not even trying to kill me." The guard bowed and gave the orders to the other guards to remove the man to the brig. "Coordinate with Colonel Maybourne."
"You there, Captain, approach." A man just completing his medical exam came forward and knelt. "Find out who failed to detect this assassin and his conspirators in security. Arrest them. Arrest my chief of security. You are the new chief with the rank of Colonel. Computer record it so." Anna looked at the grim faces and saw the doctors working as hard as they could. "I give you this charge this day. Every person connected to this assassin is to die in public. The main conspirators shall be drawn and quartered, then revived in the sarcophagus. Do it again, then the bodies are to be burnt. The rest shall be executed swiftly in public. So let it be written so let it be done."
"If Lord O'Neill survives this attempt on his life, no matter what the outcome of this battle, your only purpose is see to it that Lord O'Neill lives on. Bring him to Princess Ellen afterwards if I am not alive. Arrange your detail and do WHATEVER is necessary. I so order the same fate to you and your relatives if you fail." The man kissed her hand and said,
"I swear, My Lady, if the doctors succeed, Lord O'Neill will survive."
"Is Air Force One ready?" President Hayes wanted to know. He gave a pained expression to his Off-world Affairs advisor retired Lt. General George Hammond. "That was the Russians. They want direct reassurances from the Commonwealth. Get one of her aides to all these folks. See to it George. Lean on O'Neill. No excuses." Hammond set his face to grim. "Are members of Congress and the cabinet secured in their bunkers?" General Maynard nodded. "Ok, get to the SGC to direct as soon as this meeting is over. Are we sending a Genesis team to the Delta Site?" Hammond nodded. "Now, how many of our units have been deployed?"
"We have all the F-302s readied. The force fields are all ready to be operational. We don't want to tip our hand where they are if they don't already know." The SecDef checked his notes. "Oh, we've removed most of our personnel from the Antarctic Base. We were told they would do it anyway. But we are allowed to keep a couple of scientists to observe." They all sighed and shook their heads. No one liked that part one bit. But what could they do? "The Russians are on full alert. The Brits and the rest of the Gate Alliance Treaty members are too. We have folks trying to calm down the oil countries who lost their kings and sheiks. And the rest are told to say that their leaders are anything from on vacation to in conference and not to be disturbed. But this is going to leak soon."
"Did they accept any of our people on their bases?" Hammond looked at General Maynard, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He shook his head. "That is just not acceptable. Did they say why?"
"Has to do with our plot to take them out with nukes sent by the Asgaard transporter. We apparently crossed a big line with them on that one. And we were told that if we even try to upload any to the 'Daedalus' without one of their techs overseeing the matter, the things will not arrive in one piece." Maynard frowned. "At least, they haven't taken the ordnance outright. I suppose they want to leave us some kind of defenses. But their attitudes have changed. These folks are all business."
"Dr. Jackson, did Maybourne tell you anything useful?" Daniel was a hologram for the meeting.
"Not really other than to say that we should be careful about 'messing' with the Lady anymore. And that if Jack weren't here, things would be different without specifying what. I got the impression that it would be extreme. Also, he gave me a warning to take back to you." Daniel paused to bring himself to say it. "He says we don't really know who she is or WHAT she is. And that's as far as he would go considering he says he doesn't work for Earth anymore."
"What does that mean, Dr. Jackson?" Hammond asked quietly.
"All I know is what he said." Jackson replied.
"So, he's telling us that she's not human or not who she says she is? I don't understand." Hammond persisted.
"Didn't I just say 'all I know,' sir?"
"Ok, thanks, we'll be in flight if you need us." George looked around. "Do you think she knows how advanced she really is? It may be closer to what was meant." Shrugs met his question. "If Maybourne went so far as to warn us, we should listen."
"Alright, let's take to the air under battle conditions." Hayes looked around the office one more time hoping it would still be there tomorrow.
DISCLAIMER: "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis" and their characters are the property of Sony Pictures MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp., Showtime/Viacom and USA Networks, Inc. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended against this or any other story in the universe. The original characters, situations and story are the property of the author(s), and may not be republished or archived elsewhere without the author's permission.
