CiC Meets SGC

By Michael Weyer

It didn't take MacKenzie Allen long to realize that one had to take every word Vala Mal Doran said with more than a little grain of salt. The woman was sitting at the meeting room of the SGC. Actually, she was more lounging, hanging back in her chair, one leg draped over an armrest, obviously posing for the men around.

"All right, Vala," Daniel began. "What is this about really?"

The woman brushed back her hair. "You know, you can make a woman a lot more open if you buy her a drink first, Daniel."

Daniel ground his teeth together as Mitchell hid a smile. "Come on, Vala, fess up."

"Oh, all right," she sighed as she swung her legs over and leaned forward. "As you may be aware, being a former Goa'uld host has its advantages. One of the top ones is that not that many Goa'uld are aware of the 'former' part. Just add a little voice modulator and you're able to get some information."

"Such as the location of certain, ah, storehouses or other places System Lords place their valuables?" Daniel theorized.

"A girl has to make a living," Vala smiled. "Well, in the course of one such…investigation, I came across information about some former System Lord readying a strike on Earth."

"Who is it?" Landry demanded.

"No one's really sure," Vala replied. "He wears a mask of some sort. He is making waves by the fact he calls himself Ra'mae."

That got the attention of the people around the table except for Allen, who just frowned. "Why is that important?"

"Ra was the System Lord we first encountered the very first time we used the Gate," Daniel told her. "He based himself on the Egyptian god of the sun. O'Neill ended up killing him."

"How?" Rod asked.

"He, ah, teleported a nuclear device onto Ra's ship," Daniel said.

Rod smiled. "I see he doesn't go half-way."

"What's this Ra'mae been doing?" Landry pressed.

"Apparently, building up some of the Jaffa forces left behind from various System Lords," Vala answered. She gave Teal'c a slight smile. "I hate to say it, but not all of your brethren are ready to turn atheist."

Teal'c just gave her his standard stern look as Allen spoke up. "What do you know about this…force he has?"

Vala sighed, sobering a bit. "Three full cruisers headed to Earth at top speed. All loaded with Jaffa ready to die for their new Lord. They're coming hard and fast and this Ra'mae doesn't care about the Asgard or the Ori or anyone else. I don't know why but he hates this planet and wants it burned."

"Ah, one minute," Kelly piped up, holding up a hand. "You're telling me that we've got a…an alien fleet rushing toward us? Shouldn't we warn people?"

"That'll create too much of a panic," Landry said.

"General, we've got a trio of alien ships headed at us! You think that won't be noticed by anyone?"

"Not like it's the first time," Mitchell said. Kelly just stared bug-eyed at him, not able to accept his words.

Allen was silent for a moment before turning her head to Landy. "General…what are our options here?"

Landy tapped the table. "The Prometheus can be ready for a defensive route within six hours. Our other ships are too far away."

"What's its armament?"

"It can stand against maybe one ship and gliders. But three…" Landry sighed. "It could be tough."

"Should we raise the Defcon alert?"

"That might raise too many alarms," Landry warned.

Rod frowned. "What about Russia, China and Europe?"

"We'll inform them of the threat," Landry stated. "But when it comes to alien threats, the SGC is the first line and it's still under American control."

Allen nodded. "All right." She turned to Vala. "Any idea how long we have?"

The woman shrugged. "Could be a few days, could be a few hours. It depends on how fast they have the engines designed."

There was a cough and Allen turned to see the head Secret Service agent coming forward. "Madam President, we should be getting you back to Air Force One now. It's better if you're at the White House."

"I think it's better if I stay here," Allen intoned.

"Madam President," the man intoned, his voice turning more serious. "Your protection…"

"If the strike's in a few hours and we're in the air," Allen interrupted. "I think I'm a lot worse off. This is a heavily fortified facility and could stand up to what's coming. And I want to make sure we can handle this situation."

"Ma'am, I think you better listen to your agents," Landry stated.

Allen looked around with both eyebrows raised. "Is it really necessary to remind all of you that I'm the Commander-in-Chief? Which means I have the final word. And the word is that I'm staying here."

Rod held up a hand as Landry opened his mouth. "General, save it. When she has that look in her eye, there's no stopping her. Trust me on that."

Allen rose up from her chair. "I want a full listing of the capabilities these aliens have, I want to talk to the Joint Chiefs over options, Kelly get on the horn to Jim and tell him I need him to coordinate from there. Oh and Rod? Call my mom and tell her not to worry." With that, she walked out of the room, her agents behind her.

Mitchell looked at Rod and smiled. "Now I wish I'd voted for her."

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Mackenzie Allen would be the first to admit that science wasn't her best field and theoretical physics was completely beyond her. So she had no idea what half the items in Carter's lab were for. Even as Carter explained them, Allen wasn't quite sure what she was hearing.

"We've been working on some new subspace detectors just in case such an attack came," Carter announced as she worked at a computer station. She had taken off her uniform jacket and tie and was working on the data in front of her. "They're still in the testing phase but if I modify their output, I can manage to boost the signal range and ensure they can spread out and hit the right hyperspace spectrum to find the ships before they get in range…"

She trailed off as she looked up at Allen and saw the blankness in her eyes. "Ah…you're not understanding a word of this, are you?"

Allen shook her head. "No, sorry."

Carter nodded. "It's okay. It can be rather technical."

Allen looked around. "I have to say, I am very impressed by your work, Carter. It's something of an achievement to have done so much for this facility."

"Thank you, ma'am," Carter said with obvious happiness. "That really means a lot coming from you." She rose from her desk to check on another computer screen. "I have to say, ma'am, there were quite a few women around the base who were more than a little pleased to finally see a woman as President."

Allen was used to such comments from various women she'd met. She was also aware that not every woman felt that way. Some still stuck to party lines and didn't like seeing an independent in office while others just didn't feel she in particular was the right woman in the role. She still managed a smile and nod at Carter. "Well, I can assure you, Colonel, the army isn't the only place where a woman has to fight twice as hard to show she can do the job."

Carter's rare smile was cut off as a loud alarm began to blare. The Secret Service agent at the doorway was instantly alert as a voice cut over the loudspeaker. "SG-1 to the command center!"

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"So," Vala was saying a minute earlier as she fixed a gaze at Rod across the briefing table. "This marriage to the President…is it one of those, ah, open ones?"

Rod gazed at her blankly before looking to Daniel. "Is she serious?"

"It's better not to ask," Daniel dryly intoned. "It's much more soothing for your mental health."

Vala put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Daniel, don't be that way. You know I'll still hold a place in my heart for you. And I'm sure I know a part of your anatomy you have reserved for me."

Daniel looked pleadingly at Rod. "If she touches you, will that give the Secret Service cause to shoot her?"

Kelly entered the briefing room and Rod looked up to see a concerned look on her face. "What is it?"

Kelly sighed. "It seems the Secretary of Transportation just decided to resign over allegations of bribery in his office. The press is looking for a statement and I don't know how long it'll take them to figure out the President isn't at some lunch club."

Rod was quiet before speaking. "Funny. That just seems so trivial right now."

"Amazing how fast your perspective changes around here," Mitchell noted.

The loud alarm got their attention and they were on their feet. Landry entered the office as well as the lights flickered on and off. "What the hell is going on!" he yelled out.

"General!" a technician's voice came over the loudspeakers as Allen and Carter entered. "We're getting an incoming transmission through the Gate! It looks like a hologram relay, sir!"

"A common device used by System Lords in the past," Teal'c informed Allen before she could ask.

Landry was quiet before speaking. "Send it in."

There was a hum and everyone could feel a static charge in the air. Suddenly, the image of a figure appeared in the room, standing before Allen. He was tall, dressed in dark red armor with a ribbon device on his hand. His head was completely covered by a mesh mask with an opaque visor that hid any of his features. He gazed around the room before speaking in the booming tone of a Goa'uld. "Who is in charge here?"

Landry cleared his throat but before he could speak, Allen stepped forward. "I am," she proudly stated. "Mackenzie Allen, President of the United States of America. And you must be Ra'mae."

The Goa'uld looked her up and down, his head moving a bit. "A woman in command?" He openly sniffed. "I had hoped it would be O'Neill."

There were several surprised looks on the faces of the SG-1 members, wondering what this man knew of them. Allen fought her surprise back as she spoke. "What is it you want?"

Ra'mae slowly turned his head and pointed at one person. "Her."

Vala looked behind her but saw no one there. She looked back and pointed at herself with a "me?" expression that looked more innocent than Daniel had ever seen her before.

Allen looked at her, then back at Ra'mae. "Ah…why her?"

"A strange question. Why would a husband not want his wife back?"

Every head automatically turned toward Vala. "Vala," Daniel said, sounding angered but somehow not all that surprised. "Is there something you left out of your little explanation?"

Vala shook her head. "No…no! I'm not married! Believe me, Daniel, you'd be the first to know!"

"Do not lie, Qetesh," Ra'mae hissed. "You are mine, now and forever."

Vala frowned. "Qetesh?"

Rod glanced at Teal'c. "Qetesh?"

"The Goa'uld Vala was host to," the Jaffa answered.

Vala shook her head again. "Now, wait, I know Qetesh and the only person she was ever married to was….was…" Her voice trailed off and her eyes widened in shock and fear as she muttered a curse in her own tongue.

"Yes," Ra'mae said as he reached up and began to pull off his helmet. "The time has come to do away with this pretense. It is only right you see my true face and once more call me by my true name…"

The mask came away to reveal a proud and handsome man of Egyptian descent, one eye glowing while the other was milky white. His features were marred by the metal plating that covered one side of his face.

Carter, Daniel and even Teal'c stared in absolute shock at the man. He seemed to enjoy the looks on their faces as he finished his statement.

"My true name…Apophis!"