Stargate Revealed: Power & Politics, Part 20
by Livi2Jack

Summary: The battle for Earth and humanity rages on. Intrigue continues. Something's after Ba'al.

Rating: T

Pairings: None

Category: Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Mystery, Point Of View, Other

Related SG-1 Episode(s): 703 Fragile Balance, 817 Reckoning, Part 2, 901 Avalon, Part 1,

Related Atlantis Episode(s): 201 The Siege, Part 3

Featured Characters: Jack O'Neill, Jack's Clone, Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, Hammond, and Hayes.

Author's Note: Spoilers for Season 9+.

Feedback is requested.


Chapter 20: Life's A Ba'al In The Lost And Found
"There!" The Sr. Battle Tactical Officer on the Bridge of the 'O'Neill' exclaimed. "They are moving in from behind the sun. Ba'al must think he can start mopping up." A wicked grin lit up his face. The Commodore examined the plot and nodded his agreement.

"Connect me to Admiral Zay." The First Officer gave the command to the Communications Officer. Zay answered the page in his sumptuous office. "My Lord, the enemy has begun to move its reinforcements. They are still in hyperspace traveling towards the Asteroid Base's position. I recommend that we institute Battle Plan Five."

"Five, hmm?" Zay considered for a moment. "What percentage of Ha'tak class vessels have we destroyed?"

"Fully thirty percent, My Lord Admiral. We have neutralized nearly forty percent of the Death Gliders so far deployed or on the Ha'taks we destroyed. However, we have not yet fired the energy cannon from the Asteroid Base. It is online and ready. Why the base commander has not used it we aren't sure. But the plot reveals that he may be waiting for two more Wannabe style Ha'taks to come into range. He would lose his shot at only one of the old style vessels by waiting. It is a bold ploy. We estimate he needs another two minutes." The Commodore waited for Zay to digest the information. Actually, the Commodore was becoming concerned. Even whisker beam communications were not allowed until the base fired revealing its position.

"Very well, but not until the Asteroid Base fires. If they are having problems, we have to go to Plan Six with modification. Give the order after the two-minute window. Zay out." Admiral Zay sat back watching his own plot. He stood up to relieve the stress and then decided to go to the Battle Bridge for the sake of morale. There wasn't much he could do other that watch each pre-set computer driven plan work. But the troops would feel better seeing his sure hand at the helm. In the heat of battle, sometimes plans had to change. One set of plans might be added or subtracted depending on the results. It still took human ingenuity to decide when to make those modifications.

On the Bridge, the Duty Officer called out the presence of the Lord Admiral. Everyone stood and saluted as they had been taught by Lord O'Neill. And then they bowed according to custom and went back to their assigned duties. Admiral Zay strode confidently up to the holographic console plotting the path of the Ha'tak vessels closest to the Asteroid Base. It was a perfect window of opportunity. Enemy Gliders and Al'kesh were on the final approach to make a strafing run on the Base.

It was typical of the Goa'uld to approach from farther out. After all, Apophis did this on his first attempt on Earth. Anubis sent the naquadah asteroid on a similar Earth intercept course from the outer reaches of the solar system. Later Anubis managed to exit hyperspace and get right up close to the planet for the Antarctic Battle. But he was gone and so were his staff who knew how. Ba'al was doing the same old thing, coming in on an approach far enough outside the plane of the ecliptic to avoid exiting hyperspace inside the planet. SOP for the Goa'uld.

"Commodore, if those cannon do not fire, activate Plan Six and make sure they do." The Admiral kept an even voice level despite the strain. Plan Six would trigger other remote drones. These drones would send overriding commands to the firewall isolated computers on several different asteroids. That plan assumed the base had been overrun or the personnel had been disabled. Micro-devices on the base would assume some damage had occurred and attempt repairs. Then the battle would begin, guided by local artificial intelligence (A.I.). Automatic defenses once activated would unleash their deadly fire. Lady Anna insisted on redundancy. She left nothing to chance.


"Come on, why don't you fire?" Jack growled at the display above him. He sat in the Ancient Chair inside the Antarctic Base. Data and images streamed above him as Daniel worked to translate as fast as he could.

"Fire what, sir?" Carter knew O'Neill had seen the defenses up close. But seeing his agitation was unnerving.

"She has great big honkin' space guns the likes of which even the one on Orlin's planet could take a lesson. They are on several of the rocks in the Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. See those big red icons?" Jack pointed up to the right. "Those are Ha'taks. They should be close enough to take a hit. The little icons must be gliders. They are too close. Nothing is happening." Jack searched with his mind to get a better view of the situation on the base. The Chair responded by showing the outer fortifications of the base. Jack closed his eyes to concentrate.

"Daniel, are those bodies?" All over the base, people were just lying every which way. Carter moved around behind the chair to see more.

"Aw crap. Something got in there. Does the readout tell you anything, Daniel?" Jack concentrated again.

"It says something about the atmosphere. I think it's not breathable." Daniel sucked in his breath and tried to decipher more. "I can't be sure, but I am pretty confident they are all dead or dying."

"Ok, let's tell Zay." Jack activated his communicator. "Zay, buddy, got some bad news. Can we talk?"

Admiral Zay looked up to see O'Neill sitting next to him by the console on the Bridge. It wasn't optimal, but it was probably important. "Yes, My Lord General, what is your report?"

"I have been scanning that base you have in the Asteroid Belt. They are all dead or dying from either lack of air or poisoned air, we can't tell which. And the bunch that was behind the sun is on the move." Jack waited for a response. "That's all I've got right now."

"Thank you, My Lord General. That is very valuable information. You have been most helpful. We'll take it from here." Jack's hologram disappeared. Zay simply raised his eyebrows to the Commodore as the automated firing sequence unleashed a hail of fire previously unknown to the Goa'uld. Being that close to such powerful cannon fire negated most of the enemy's shielding. The power of the charges punched through even the new shields. It wasn't quite the effect of Tollana's ion cannons, but it was close enough. Just the shaking from the hits caused severe damage. Surviving the blasts wasn't enough of a strategy. The multiple cannon positions caught four Ha'tak vessels in point blank range. The leading old style Ha'tak was still partly inside the energy weapon's envelope and took several crippling hits. And then the cannon went to work on the Glider assault. Many dozens of Death Gliders vaporized in the volley. Three more Al'kesh met the same fate.

Admiral Zay mentally sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. So many good people down there had died on his watch. He didn't know which was worse, watching all this death or surviving to watch more. The smart defenses all around the inner system went to work targeting every possible vessel. Energy cannon and automated micro-missile platforms unleashed their fury on the enemy. Even so, Admiral Zay knew this first phase of battle had to run its course. The real battle was only just beginning. The enemy's reserves were about to enter the fray.


"Holy Hannah," exclaimed George Hammond. Similar outbursts spewed out of the rest of the compliment around the briefing room's table. As promised, the Commonwealth did send a CNN-type feed with a 15-minute edited delay to the impromptu war room. The holographic images of energy cannon action on the enemy ships filled the room. "Can anyone focus on that base they have out there?"

"Yes, sir," replied Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman. The Commonwealth sent him an assistant for broadcast monitoring. The feed zoomed in on the energy cannons at work. Ships vaporized into dust right over the table as they approached the Asteroid Base.

"The President should see this," remarked the SecDef.

"Aw, leave him alone. He's got his hands full with politics on the phone. We can get a repeat of this later, am I right, Sergeant?" General Maynard, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs queried the diminutive noncom. Sgt. Harriman nodded in the affirmative.

Colonel Chekov, the Russian representative, went pale. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined the force that was unleashed by those cannon. His immediate reaction was to wonder what would happen if those same cannon were turned on Earth. Looking around the room, he realized everyone else had the same thought. Just showing them this broadcast was intimidation with finesse. Lady Anna was a master propagandist. Of course she was willing to display the battle. When she was finished, Earth was hers. His eyes met the SecDef's. Understanding passed in a flash between them.


"My Lord, we have lost four more Ha'tak to the Hak'taur. And, we have lost eight dozen Gliders and three Al'kesh to their energy weapons." The Goa'uld Tactical Officer on Ba'al's mothership felt the panic rise in his throat.

"Is that all?" Ba'al tried to seem unconcerned before his underlings. In fact, the strength of these humans was unnerving. With the size of the force he had assembled, this battle should have been nearly over. As it was, the new Supreme System Lord had to pull in his reserve force from behind the sun. A decisive victory was necessary to ensure his place on the Council. Anything less could mean subversion even from within his own ranks.

"My Lord, more micro-devices are assembling inside our vessels. They are scrambling our computers and melting our control crystals. Reports are coming in from all over the fleet. Your orders?" The Bridge Officer kept his voice level. He wanted to scream.

"We have provided the humans with an unimportant decoy force so that they would reveal themselves. And it has worked. Now we know what pitiful toys they throw at us. Inform the second force to begin operations around Earth. We shall confound their efforts and split their forces. Then we shall crush them." Ba'al's eyes glowed. He offhandedly picked a speck off his splendid gown. After all, he had the Hak'taur woman in her stasis pod here on the ship. At the right moment, he would reveal all to her forces. They would surrender.

"It shall be done, My Lord." And the Bridge Officers went to work with a vengeance.


"Jack, I just thought of something awful." Daniel mopped Jack's face with a moist towel. The effort in the Chair was taxing the silver haired general. He had been poisoned less than a day ago. Despite all the advanced medical treatment that saved him, Jack was feeling drained. And he was cranky.

"What!"

"Well, if the Asgaard are watching all this, they must be feeling uneasy about all this firepower. Because they are afraid of lesser races using their own equipment against them, they have their own personnel on our ships. I mean they don't even want us to know how to work the transporter system they gave us. We are just becoming knowledgeable enough to do it. And now look at what just blew up some really big ships out there." Daniel stretched out his hand to indicate the energy cannons firing from multiple positions. "With hyperdrive missiles we don't need their transporters to send weapons inside the most advanced shields." Daniel referred to Hermiod's attempt to transport nukes inside Wraith vessels in the Pegasus Galaxy. It worked until the Wraith adjusted their shields.

"Sir, Daniel's right. The Asgaard feel vulnerable to the Goa'uld for goodness sake. If we can wipe out the Goa'uld like this, then they have to worry we could do it to them." Carter sat down. She had been terribly wounded just over twenty-four hours ago as well. With all the healing she had done, it was a good bet she was tired too. Sitting in the cold Antarctic Outpost didn't improve her mood either.

"And, so, therefore, what?" Jack snarled as his blood sugar crashed. "Can we get something to eat around here?" His Commonwealth support staff jumped to assist him. "Hot food, I want something hot."

"Jack, I just realized something else. ZPM's." Daniel bit into his doughnut.

"What about them?"

"The Asgaard never gave us a ZPM."

"Why would they give us a ZPM? They don't have them." Jack accepted a plate of food and flicked off an unseen contaminant.

"They must. Or they have something very similar." Daniel was working into his exposition. He spoke more rapidly. "Jack, if the Asgaard had a treaty with the Nox, the Furlings, and the ANCIENTS, then they must have had some parity with them. In other words, you don't have a treaty with folks who aren't at or close to your own level of development. We are talking about the ancient alliance of the Four Races we found on Ernest's planet. You remember, the meaning of life stuff." Daniel was pacing in front of Jack now.

"I get it. You must be right." Sam put her feet up on an extra chair. "We have seen the Nox city floating in the air. That fact alone indicates that they have an immense power source. The city of Atlantis could fly through space between galaxies. They used ZPM's. We know that the Asgaard can travel between galaxies. The power required to travel between galaxies is enormous. Their neutrino-ion generators power the engines. But we've been doing research into that technology since they gave us engines for the Daedalus class ships. I don't think it can do the whole job. But the fact that we have seen Thor travel in moments across this galaxy indicates a tremendous power source. Such a source would equal a ZPM. I don't know why I didn't think of this before now." Sam paused and added, "And we know the engines they gave us require a power source they don't want us to understand."

"Jack, don't you see? The Asgaard have had what we needed all along to power this Ancient Chair weapon. We had to develop the next generation of naquadah reactors to power it. And we did. But they had enough power to help us rescue the Atlantis expedition from the get go. And they DIDN'T!" Daniel was fairly bouncing. "I can't believe no one realized this!"

"If they had that kind of technology, then they probably have the way to make more drones. I mean they said they have been studying the Ancient's Repository of knowledge for centuries. They told you it was so vast even they hadn't completed an analysis. Surely they know how to access information on some basis by now. And they knew the original Ancients." Carter covered her eyes with both hands. She was exhausted. "Daniel is right. The probability that the Asgaard could have refilled this chair or even manufactured something equivalent is really high."

"But Thor needed me to use my brain to figure out a way to make something to use against the Replicators. If they are so advanced, why couldn't they access that information without me?" Jack didn't like where this was going. "And they don't use the Ancient's drones."

"That's a good point, sir. Obviously, your mind was a better search engine for that data. Or maybe, the Asgaard are so advanced they can't think strategically about how to access it. They aren't dumb enough anymore. I am just guessing. But the point really is that they do have the necessary power supplies. And they haven't shared them with us on a meaningful level." Sam accepted a plate of hot food gratefully. The attendant was most solicitous of her. She was Lord O'Neill's personal assistant. Everyone knew she had nearly died defending their Lady. And their Lady had done her all to save this officer. "Your Lady may be right about the Asgaard."

"MY lady?" Jack snarked back at her. "You got something to say, Carter?"

"Yes, JACK. YOUR Lady. Is that clear enough for you?" Sam's ire at the situation boiled over.

"That's SIR to you Carter." He glowered at her. "If you have a problem, Colonel, save it for after the battle. Understood?"

"Yes sir, after the battle."


"Jeez, that's some sound and light show going on out there." Colonel Harry Maybourne of the Commonwealth--these days--stood in the forward lounge of the starship 'Daniel Jackson.' His companion was one of the previously abducted Earth leaders. She was a Prime Minister of some backwater country. But Harry needed a break and she was demanding to speak to someone in authority. By the look on her face, the woman understood the enormity of the situation. Well, she would have to be smart to outlive her competition back home.

"Colonel Maybourne, let me understand this again. You are from Earth?" Harry nodded still absorbed watching the battle. "And you were formerly an American Air Force Colonel? So how did you get over here?" The woman's lilting accent was charming. She had received new clothing appropriate to her culture. The long colorful draped fabric looked good on her, Harry noticed.

"Um, yes ma'am. That's correct. How I got here? Well, let's just call it a series of circumstances beyond my control." Harry grinned trying to be charming. After all, he was a world leader too even if it was on some hick planet. "Did you know I'm also king of a whole planet out there?" He watched for the surprise to register. There it was. He so enjoyed that moment. "We are allies of the Commonwealth. So naturally, when Her Royal Highness Lady Anna requested my assistance with my former colleagues, I couldn't possibly say 'no.' And well, you can see the rest." Harry shrugged as if he did this every day.

"In other words, you got stuck out there, took over, and cut a deal with these aliens to get off that planet." The P.M. was nobody's fool. "I am aware of the Stargate Program, Colonel. How many other people have claimed territories out there?"

"None right now that I know about. And if I don't know about it, then, well, let's just say it isn't worth knowing." Harry offered a glass of refreshment from the food dispenser to his guest. "That's why I'm here. They saw talent. I saw opportunity. Everyone wins." They clinked glasses.

"Well, you certainly took long enough to find me. What about the others? And what will they do with us?" The P.M. drank up.

"Even now, ma'am, my agents are retrieving another set of leaders Ba'al has stashed away. Oh, we'll find them unless he took them off world. Even so, we'll have most of them back by this evening." Harry took his time over his drink. "As to what we shall do with you? Nothing. Probably invite you to a party when this is over. We are truly hospitable folks. Peaceful really. That's why all that out there is so impressive."

"Well, they aren't peaceful anymore." She gestured to the big explosions. But her eyes evaluated her companion. He used the pronoun 'we' over and over. Clearly, he declared his new loyalties. In her eyes, he was a traitor. There was way more going on here than words could express. Earth was in trouble from their own saviors. "Colonel, if I want to be returned to Earth, now, would that be possible?" Harry gave her a disappointed look. "Ah, I see. I am a prisoner."

"Oh, no, ma'am, never think of it that way. You are safer here than down there. I assure you. And Lady Anna wants to meet you personally after the battle. Plus, we cannot divert assets during a battle. No, no, ma'am, you are our guest, our honored guest." He faked a short bow. "Please let the others know how sincerely we welcome them up here. Now, I must get back to the battle, you understand?"

"Perfectly."


"Captain, I must speak with you." Teal'c stood before Captain Jack, O'Neill's clone, on board the Commonwealth Starship 'Enterprise.' The Captain as Teal'c was coming to terms mini-Jack was busy receiving reports from the bridge in his ready room. The skirmish to secure a Wannabe supply outpost had been over for hours. The task force was in the process of 'liberating' everything that could move. Some of that were Jaffa.

"Sure T, shoot." Captain Jack looked up and up at his very large visitor. "You know, one of your arms is as big as my thigh?" Teal'c cocked his head to consider the statement. It was as off the wall as anything the real O'Neill would have said. The similarities were disturbing. But the differences were even more so.

"Captain, I must know when I and my delegation can be sent back to Dakara. Our delegation is overdue by many hours. Relations with your people are strained at best. It would be wise to return us now that the battle is over." Teal'c had seen enough to know that these humans were a threat to the New Jaffa. And he didn't appreciate the diversion of his group to the battle.

"T, buddy, I thought the New Jaffa Nation was our ally? What do you mean by strained relations. Care to share?" Captain Jack indicated a chair. Teal'c reluctantly seated himself. "And it wouldn't be the first time you came home late after a date."

"Captain, we were sent on a diplomatic errand. Instead, the Commonwealth has risked our lives in a battle. We should have been returned directly through the Stargate. I must protest. And, you must return us before the High Council decides that something improper has occurred." Teal'c realized there was a message being sent to the High Council here.

"And you will be returned as soon as we have finished our business." Captain Jack twiddled a small object waiting for Teal'c to ask the obvious question.

"And that business would be?" Teal'c hated these games. But now he understood there was more to the message.

"Well, you are telling me relations are strained. What's up?"

"Last week, Master Bra'tac came to the SGC to speak with Lady Anna in person. In that meeting he revealed that the High Council believes that either the Commonwealth or some other powerful enemy is attacking Jaffa planets out near the rim."

"So? Did he have proof?"

"No. But it is well known that the Commonwealth hates the Jaffa in principle. Although we have endeavored to prove our honor as allies, still that hostility is ever present. Your delay of my return will only cause further consternation." Teal'c waited for the meeting to play itself out. Rak'nor was insistent that some evil fate awaited them as long as they stayed here. Teal'c had to admit it was an unusual ploy to divert an ambassadorial delegation to a battle.

"T, it hurts me that you would say such a thing. But," Captain Jack paused, "that's ok. Because we're good enough, and smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like us." The young captain grinned a boyish smile at his joke.

"This is not the time for levity, Captain."

"Oh, lighten up, T. Do you really believe that this skirmish wasn't a slam dunk?" Captain Jack twirled in his chair. "We've had this planned for a couple of months. Your presence just helped us clarify something."

"Indeed."

"Yeah, indeed. We knew the High Council didn't believe Lady Anna's briefing. So we have to show you what's really going on out here. That's why you are here, my friend. And it's a doosie." Captain Jack watched the dawning of understanding and sadly recognized that Teal'c was not HIS friend but the other Jack's. "But that's what's waiting at our next stop."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow as a question. Captain Jack tried to imitate him unsuccessfully. He tried one eyebrow and then the other and both. Then Teal'c decided there was really no threat to his party and chuckled inwardly.

"Show me this doosie."


"Dr. Jackson, we have a problem." The Commonwealth Colonel in charge of O'Neill's security approached Daniel very quietly.

"Oh, yeah, what can I do for you," Daniel had to tear his eyes away from Jack's retreating figure. Jack was going to the bathroom, again. Daniel was worried. Neither Jack nor Sam was feeling well. And Jack was feeling the effects of Lady Anna's absence. Without her present, Jack lost his concentration and became irritable. Add that to the fact he had been poisoned earlier this morning and hadn't slept in days, no wonder he was in a foul mood and hurting.

"We are getting inquiries from the Medship about why we haven't put Lady Anna's stasis pod on the ring transporter. But we did almost two hours ago." The Colonel wasn't sure how to ask. "Dr. Jackson, to your knowledge, this ring transporter is just like any other?"

"Um, yes, we've used it countless times the last two years. We had to re-charge the batteries so to speak, but we are good at that now. After all, it hadn't been used in ten thousand years." Daniel gave a rueful smile.

"Well, she didn't arrive where we sent her is all I know." The Colonel was perplexed. "Do you think she could have arrived on an Earth ship. You have ring platforms on them don't you?"

"It's possible. I can check." Daniel whipped out his Commonwealth communicator that looked and operated like a cell phone. It reached nearly anywhere. Daniel dialed the SGC, much to the relief of the Colonel. "Um, yes, this is Dr. Jackson, General?" Daniel listened for a moment to General Landry. "Sir, we need to confirm that Lady Anna was received on board the Prometheus, the Daedalus, or the Odyssey?" Daniel covered the phone with his hand. "They're checking."

"You can just use the 'mute' button, Dr. Jackson." The tall Colonel was surprised.

"Right. Ok, I'll tell them. Thanks. Oh, no. No problem. No I don't know if she wants to go there. I don't think so. Just checking." Daniel hung up before this got too weird. "So you want to tell me what's going on?"

"We think she's missing."


"Commodore, enemy ships have exited hyperspace between us and Earth. They are coming in closer than the others. We count ten large ones, just as Lord O'Neill predicted." The First Officer was busy at the surveillance drone console. A holoimage of multiple ships formed up a line of battle. "They are attempting to converge on our position from all directions. Your orders, My Lord."

"Send a Higgs boson pulse transmission to the fleet in hyperspace. It's time to add another one of our little surprises to this 'shindig' as Lord O'Neill would say." Both officers nodded to each other and executed the rest of Plan Six.


"My Lord, more large hyperspace signatures just entered the system above and below the plane of the ecliptic. There is an enormous ship poised right over our heads." The First Officer on the Goa'uld mothership couldn't keep the panic out of his voice.

"You fool. Control yourself. Bring the Hak'taur woman in her stasis chamber."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Now continue the attack and add our little surprise to the action. I want the battle station to de-cloak in orbit over Washington, the Tau'ri capital." The Supreme System Lord, Ba'al, gave his malevolent smile to the First Officer. "The next time you panic will be your last."


"Jack, something huge just appeared in orbit." Daniel gesticulated wildly overhead. The image was big and black and forbidding. They watched as legions of Gliders launched. A strike was imminent.

"I think this is my cue." Jack started to concentrate.

"Wait, look!" Daniel could hardly contain himself. "There's a Stargate up there, like they have in the Pegasus Galaxy. There's one in space and it just engaged!"

"I'll get it." Jack closed his eyes.

"No, it's ours or rather theirs." Daniel pointed to the Commonwealth officers and guards. "Things are pouring out of it."

"You fellas know anything about this," Jack asked?

The Colonel in charge of Jack's security detail stepped forward and saluted then bowed. "Yes, My Lord General." Carter winced at that designation and did a double take on the bow. O'Neill instituted the salutes to replace the bows, but the Commonwealth folks couldn't get used to it. "As you know we can make our own Stargates. Our Great Lady has been using orbital Stargates since she sent an expedition to Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy two months ago." Surprise registered on the Earth Force Advisor and his team.

"They've been to where?" Jack couldn't believe his ears. "I didn't get the memo."


"Admiral, there is a large structure that just de-cloaked in orbit over Washington. And Ba'al is waiting to communicate with you. Do you want to take it in your office?" The Commodore was suggesting just that. They didn't need to spook the bridge crew any further. He was still worried about a mutiny, especially in light of this morning's events in the Capital. Lady Anna had staged a coup d'etat and was now the Regent of the whole Commonwealth. But none of the crew knew it yet. The commanders did not want such a distraction to affect the crew during the battle. But they couldn't take the chance that someone did know and would react badly to this new event.

"No. I'll take it here." Admiral Zay took a seat in the command chair. "Make sure he only sees my face."

"Surrender and I will let your subordinates live. You see, I am a merciful god." Ba'al gestured with outstretched arms and a patronizing look. "Defy me, and I shall destroy Earth." His stern evil countenance communicated his determination. "You see I have your leader." A holoimage of Lady Anna in her stasis pod materialized beside him. "I intercepted her transport from the surface. Lovely isn't she? A truly superior specimen, and now, she will be the vessel for my new Queen. My fleet is poised to attack you from all sides. And, my battle station will assault Earth if you do not surrender. From henceforth and evermore, you are now my slaves." He began to laugh.

"I don't think so." Admiral Zay flicked his finger off camera. Ba'al's orbital base disgorged its contents of Death Gliders at the planet. At that moment, the orbiting Stargate activated and micro-missiles of another variety launched through the incoming wormhole at the orbital station. In a few seconds, it was blown to smithereens. The explosion rocked even the great Base ship, the 'O'Neill.'

Ba'al's face turned to pure fury. Two ship images went bright and then disappeared. Ba'al's mothership blew apart. Direct fire from the gargantuan Base Ship 'O'Neill' made short work of the first mothership. The second mothership met the same fate from the appearance of the Base Ship ' Jericho.' The ' Jericho' de-cloaked next to the second mothership and blew it to bits.

At that point, drone platforms, self-propelled large containers, and more missiles fairly ejected out of the Orbital Gate. They arrived by the dozens and deployed their defenses in orbit around Earth. Electronic warfare (EW)packages released from the drones. Countermeasures deployed from multiple platforms and containers, aiming their weapons outward to the battle. Missile launching robotic stations spread out forming a complex pattern to complete the net encircling the Earth. In mere moments, Earth was a fortified bastion.


"Captain, we have reached the system. The task force is in position." The First Officer of the ' Enterprise' stood ready for the order to begin.

"T-man, what you are about to see is very classified. I am asking you to refrain from disclosing the details until our ambassador is able to make a full report to the High Council." Captain Jack knew the best way to make certain the information reached the right ears was to say it was a secret. He knew Teal'c would keep his word if he gave it. But the others were not known entities. He was betting one of them would flap his gums.

"Very well." Teal'c rested his hands behind him and waited for the display to begin.

"Number One, you may proceed. Take out the orbital defenses and then haul ass for the inner system. Use Plan B." Captain Jack saw the expression on his first officer's face. "Since when has Plan A ever worked? Just use Plan B and get it over with."

"Plan B, My Lord Captain."

Jack sat back to watch the fireworks. "I love fireworks."

"And what are we after here, Captain?" Rak'nor was too curious to keep still. He moved up to stand beside Teal'c.

"You folks are complaining about strikes against Jaffa controlled planets out on the rim. Well, there are a few issues involved. First, there's the matter of what these Jaffa are doing to humans they have enslaved." Captain Jack waited for the protests. The two Jaffa in the rear mumbled their protests. Teal'c raised a hand to silence them. Jack waited for them to settle down.

"And second, the Goa'uld are using the Jaffa out here for their own nasty purposes. With the destruction of the Goa'uld Empire, they are short staffed. Most of the Jaffa are out of reach. Currently, there are few mature symbiotes available anymore to increase the Goa'uld population. We, that is the Commonwealth, have destroyed two breeding facilities in the last several months. About three months ago, we took out Ba'al's new Queen. But even so, those prim'tah would take years and years to mature assuming they could find a Jaffa to incubate them. So you see the problem?"

"Indeed." Teal'c looked disturbed.

"You are saying the Goa'uld are attacking the Jaffa out here to harvest the mature symbiotes they carry?" Rak'nor was appalled. Captain Jack gave him a hard stare.

"I always knew you were a bright fellow, Rak'nor." Captain Jack turned back to Teal'c. "And today we shall prove we are allies of the Free Jaffa. This planet is going to be hit today by the Goa'uld. But first, you should see what's going on down there. It isn't pretty." Jack signaled to the Security Officer. "Take them down to examine the situation in cloaked scout ships. I want them back in an hour."

"I believe you." Teal'c said heavily. "But the High Council will not unless we see it with our own eyes. Rak'nor, you and the others go with the Hak'taur and make the inspection. Be prepared to report. I have much to discuss this day with the Captain before the battle."


"Sir, a couple of Gliders made it through the orbital defenses." Carter and Daniel watched in awe. The orbital defense net went to work on the thousands of Gliders which had launched from the now defunct Goa'uld high orbit base. The Commonwealth defense net was completely automated. The Gliders dodged and weaved to no avail. Drones locked on and pursued sometimes in clusters until the offending craft exploded.

"I got them." Jack closed his eyes and discharged a few drones to take out the enemy Gliders. "We've launched the F-302s," Jack reported. Carter looked up at the plot and finally identified the friendlies. The defense net was steadily working away at the remaining Gliders. Most were making a run for it to the remaining Al'kesh and Ha'taks.

"Oops," Daniel uttered in dismay. "Jack, a cluster of Commonwealth drones have locked onto the Asgaard ship by mistake. Sam gasped. A package of robotic death on hyperdrive capable rockets took off after the cloaked Asgaard ship.

"Why don't they fire?" Jack switched to look into the Asgaard bridge. The little guys were agitated. The ship wasn't moving. The drones stormed ever closer.

"It says their engines aren't ready. They don't have any firing solutions. Apparently, they can't get a lock on the targets. The captain, I am assuming it is the captain, Aegir is his name, is ordering a jump into hyperdrive." Daniel stopped in amazement. "Do you realize what this means?"

"Pretend I don't, Daniel." Jack was busy manipulating the gel pads at his fingertips.

"It means the Commonwealth can attack the Asgaard. Do you think this is a mistake or a show of force?" Carter moved around to get a better look.

"I don't know, Carter. Daniel, why don't they jump?"

"They can't. They're trying, really, really, trying, but something has jammed their engines." Daniel translated the data stream as fast as he could. "Ok, something is finally working." The Asgaard ship started to move off. But the drones changed course and matched the speed.

"They're in trouble, sir." Carter took a deep breath.

"Ah, they're off. They jumped into hyperspace, and oh no, Jack!" Daniel was huffing and bouncing. "Jack the drones followed them right in." Even the Commonwealth guards gathered around to watch the chase.

"They can't use weapons or shields while in hyperspace. Something I learned from Thor the time we fought the Replicators and I had to blow up the Asgaard ship, their 'O'Neill.' He said they were defenseless while they were in hyperspace." Sam stuck her hands in her pockets to warm them up. The Antarctic Base was very cold at best.

"Ok, they dropped out of hyperspace and raised shields. The display says they are having only partial success though." Daniel and Jack stared right at the display until the explosions detonated.

"Uh oh." Jack intoned.


The silence around the SGC conference table was deafening.

Each man around the table felt sick. It was a victory and a defeat.

Earth faced a new reality, as it never had before.

The Commonwealth could and did attack the Asgaard.

The Commonwealth had a defensive net in orbit all around the planet.


"My Lord Admiral, we detected a small vessel exiting the mothership just before the explosion. It went into hyperspace before we could catch it. We think it was Ba'al." Admiral Zay just nodded wisely. Of course there was an exit strategy. "The rest of their fleet is making a run for it."

"Begin Plan Seven and continue until we have destroyed or chased off the rest. Mop up those still stuck 12 light hours back. I'll be in my office. Connect me to Lord O'Neill when I am in there." The Commodore's eyes were glistening. Everyone on the bridge was in shock. Some of the women were openly weeping. Admiral Zay walked swiftly with purpose off the bridge.


Ba'al settled in to enjoy his flight back to his homeworld. He had a prize. Something good came out of this. With her, he would rebuild the Goa'uld population and rule for all eternity. Looking down at the Hak'taur woman sleeping so peacefully in stasis his urges made him consider having some fun on the way back to his fortress base. There she would be blended with the Queen waiting for her. Until then, why not?

The System Lord deactivated the stasis pod and waited for the female to awaken. He was already anticipating the pleasures she would give him. Slowly she stirred. He stroked her soft pale skin. She was the picture of health and beauty. This Hak'taur woman was said to possess unusual abilities. He wondered if those included something special for the bedroom.

Consciousness returned. The eyes opened and came into focus on an elegantly dressed handsome man. Ba'al smiled a malevolent sneer. Oh she would be fun. He grabbed her wrist and hauled her up. That was his first mistake. She broke his nose with her fist. And then the fun really began, on her terms.

Out came all the hidden devices on her person. The buttons on her gown became weapons. Ba'al found himself fighting tiny mechanical devices trying to invade his body, up his nose, boring holes in his eardrums, digging into his skin. A few made it down to his crotch. He screamed. Ba'al found himself running. The few Jaffa on board came running towards the screams. By that time, the woman had assembled the weapon from parts drawn out of her hair arrangement. She fired relentlessly until all the guards were dead. Kneeling down beside the stasis pod, a vengeful woman reconfigured it into a scooter with a shield.

"Come," she commanded the device. It followed. Then with absolute calm, she marched through the corridors of the escape vessel to search out HER prey.

"You can't escape me, Abomination!" As she marched, she plucked more devices from her costume. Small beads went rolling and activated into an insect-like swarm. Voice commands sent them ahead of her small vertical scooter. Then she really got rolling.

Ba'al was amazed to find her barreling down on him as he neared his quarters. A swarm of tiny round balls attacked him. Frantically he tried to close the door. But she aimed her weapon at the control panel and eliminated the controls. Ba'al raised his hand to use the Ribbon Device most Goa'uld carry. The woman spoke. Suddenly, a web of unknown origin formed over his arm and then his whole body. Ba'al fought to tear it off. He did a crazy dance tearing at the web, while the strands multiplied.

By then she was nearly upon him. Ba'al tried to reach the transporter controls to get to another deck. The woman got off her scooter and marched implacably at him, taking aim at his head. Just then, Ba'al got the thing to work and vanished in a flash of light.

The woman activated retinal imaging software from a chip in her brain. Inside her eye, she scanned the data stream from the sensors imbedded in her clothing. The very fibers constituted a sensor net. She located her prey. Then, another device assembled from items drawn from her earrings and cuff links enabled her to access the transporter in the ship. Her sensors placed him three decks below. By using her own sensor controls, the woman insured that she could not be redirected by Ba'al's transporter. The game was afoot.

Ba'al realized she was close when he heard the staff weapon fire. He smiled thinking that his Jaffa finally got her. For once in his thousands of years, the would-be Supreme System Lord was mistaken in the extreme. She came around the corner hot on his heels. Ba'al spoke a command and an energy shield blocked her path. He grinned and sneered. The woman consulted her sensors from the internal retinal images. She turned and located an access panel. Ripping off the cover, she dumped a glistening powder on the crystals. She sneered back. A few moments later, the lights began to flicker and the energy shield turned off. So did the life support. Ba'al turned and ran.

More weapons fire ended in Jaffa death screams.

Ba'al had already staged his retreat to another deck. The woman followed, slapping more items from her dress on the walls. The force of her hand burst the beads. Bioengineered one-cell organisms made their way through panel seams into the computer relays behind the walls. There they began to reprogram the computers to accept only her commands. Deck by deck systems surrendered to her control.

"You're a bad, bad boy. Momma is going to have to punish you. Come to Momma."

Ba'al turned to see her standing within striking distance. His nose was a bloody pulp and the micro-devices were already inside him, gnawing his insides. The woman threw her head back and laughed a maniacal cackle. Ba'al raised his hand device again to strike but it would not work.

"Aw, poor boy. Your toy doesn't work anymore. Such a shame," she raised her hand and he didn't wait to find out what would happen. He ran for it. Rapid weapons fire chased him down the hall. Reaching another compartment he activated his beacon to have the computer relocate him again. Nothing happened.

"Computer, relocate." A sick whine began. Ba'al didn't want to wind up so much goop on the floor. So he figured by now she had sabotaged the transporter and the computer. "Computer cancel." To make sure, he tore off his computer ID and other locating devices. Sure enough they disappeared only to reappear in a jumble.

Looking for an escape, Ba'al raised a panel above his head and began his climb to the next level through the access shaft. The woman approached on her scooter, noticed the panel and grinned. Oh this was too good. Reaching above her head, she launched her rings from her left hand. They hit the ceiling inside the access shaft and bounced. She just walked away chuckling, not bothering to look behind. The scooter followed behind her like a puppy.

The discarded rings disassembled and recombined into a multifunctional robot. The robot took off after the man in the shaft. Sensors in the device located him by his radiant heat and the chemicals put out by his body. Like a dog hunting an escaped convict, the device was relentless on the scent. Ba'al was sweating and panting by the end of the shaft when he heard rather than saw what was coming after him. He released the panel and dropped down into the corridor to make a run for it.

She was standing there waiting for this tormentor of millions. Her clothing had become an exoskeleton of armor. In the armor, camera devices surveyed her area from behind, above, and below. The sensor net in the fibers scanned her environment to detect threats as they approached, analyze her environment, and control the ship's computer systems. All the information was routed to the chip in her brain which she accessed through the retinal imaging system. Loaded for bear was the best way to describe her now.

The woman puckered her lips and blew the dust out of her gloved palm at him. Some landed on his sartorial splendor. Ba'al threw the panel at her and beat a hasty retreat. She climbed on her scooter and went after him. More weapons fire dogged him down the gold plated corridor. Ba'al was running for his life, looking back at her gaining on him. He was losing his eyesight. And he itched. The ruler of so many planets stumbled and banged into the wall. Recovering, he pulled himself towards another door, scratching like a dog with fleas. His throat started to close in a reaction to whatever she had infested him with. He was suffocating.

Just then, Ba'al reached the station he needed. The Goa'uld got through the door in time to lock her out. His body was filled with little devices chewing through his flesh. Ba'al found a zat gun and aimed it at the door controls and then himself. The Goa'uld was hoping the burst of energy would disable the devices. It did. After taking the shot, he did the electrocution jerky dance and went down in a heap. Ba'al hit his head on the hard deck sole. It sure did hurt. He lay stunned on the floor of the auxiliary bridge hoping she wouldn't make it through the doors before he could rise. Ba'al could barely keep consciousness through the pain. Slowly he managed to breath. But by now, Ba'al was coughing up blood.

Finally, he was able to crawl to the controls to separate the inner ship from the shell of the larger escape vessel. He pulled out the control crystals from a panel and used a zat on the inner door mechanism. There, that should keep her out for a while. Now, how to make the ship separate before she got in? He could hear her devices cutting through the trinium reinforced naquadah/carbon blast doors. It was the strongest alloy known in four galaxies. But these microthingys were cutting through as though it were wood. Ba'al staggered bleeding and torn to another control panel in the auxiliary bridge. His hair fell out in clumps. The Supreme System Lord began to activate the separation sequence. Screw the battle. He had to get the hell away from HER. Ba'al raised a force field to shore up the compromised blast door. His hands were slick with his own blood.

The woman's voice came over the com system. "Coward. Don't want to stay and play?" He looked around feeling the initial vibrations indicating separation. "Well, we shall meet again. And thank you for showing a girl such a good time." She just kept laughing. Through his distress, it occurred to him. He pressed a few more commands and launched bombs back to the shell of the escape ship. He had to take out that crazy bitch or she would find a way to come after him with the outer shell and its thrusters. Just before entering hyperspace, he saw the flash and the remains of the escape vessel shoot in all directions. It was a small consolation.


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