CiC Meets SGC
By Michael Weyer
Apologies for the long delay between updates, got distracted by other fics. Hope it's worth it.
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A long silence filled the room before Mitchell spoke. "How the hell many times do you have to kill this guy?"
Apophis turned his head to look to Teal'c, who actually appeared shocked. "So, Teal'c. It is I, your God, risen from the fires of the past."
"How?" Teal'c whispered. "Your ship…the Replicators…how could you survive?"
Apophis sniffed. "So I am to explain in detail my tale of survival? No. No, you are not worthy of hearing it. I survived because it is my destiny. I survived when others did not. I survived to take back what is mine." With that, he fixed his gaze of a very nervous Vala.
"Ah….I should point out that Quetesh and I parted ways a while ago," Vala stated. "So, I'm afraid you're, um, rather out of luck."
The Goa'uld sniffed. "That does not matter. We are still bound, as we were over a decade ago."
Daniel stared at Vala. "You were married to him!"
"No, Quetesh was," Vala quickly pointed out. "Look, it was all very political, merger of empires, consolidation of power, that sort of thing. Really, there was nothing more to it than that."
Apophis smiled. "I do not recall you saying that in our bed…"
"Okay, before we get to a branch of conversation that will have me seeing the base shrink for a month," Mitchell interrupted. "Are you saying you brought this whole fleet in just for her?"
Vala seemed insulted. "You don't have to make it sound so incredible."
Carter frowned. "But…you were also married to…" She trailed off as she saw Daniels' face.
Apophis raised an eyebrow over his metal plating. "You assume I cannot take more than one wife?"
"Well, looks like Utah will be spared," Mitchell muttered under his breath.
Apophis shrugged. "I am in need of a queen and who better than one who was with me before? Once I have finally crushed this pitiful world, I will make the galaxy tremble before the might of the one true System Lord. With the slave force of this planet…I shall be unstoppable."
"That won't happen."
Apophis turned his head to gaze at the woman. "And who are you to dictate to me?"
"Allen MacKenzie, President of the United States," Mac answered, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.
Apophis seemed more amused than impressed as he looked her up and down. "Hmmm…a woman in command? How interesting."
Allen bit her lip. "I will give you one chance to turn your forces away and leave this planet alone. Fail to comply and I will order the full might of our military to be brought against you."
Apophis gazed at her with what appeared to be true respect. "You I shall save. You would make a fine host."
Rod made a move forward but the others stopped him. Allen clenched her jaw as she glared at the hologram. The Goa'uld motioned to Vala. "Give her to me within the hour. Or suffer even worse destruction." The image wavered and then blinked to nothingness.
Daniel angrily turned to Vala. "Why the hell did you never mention this?"
"It was decades ago!" the woman argued. "It's not exactly the sort of thing that just pops up in idle conversation, you know! Besides, I knew the history you had with him and I was certainly not going to bring that up."
Kelly rubbed her temples. "You're telling me that this…this alien is going to invade Earth just to get his ex-wife back?"
"Technically," Vala piped up. "We're still married." At the looks she got, she continued. "Well, Quetesh was taken out of me while we were still married so…"
Daniel just raised his hands toward Mitchell. "Give me a gun. Give me a gun right now!" He looked to the Secret Service agents. "You, you can shoot her right?"
Once again the question flashed in Allen's mind. THIS is what's saving this planet?
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"Is there any way we can negotiate?" Allen asked. She was pacing the conference room with Landry sitting at the table. Facing her was a large viewscreen showing Keating and a few high-ranking members of the Joint Chiefs.
Landry coughed. "Ma'am, I know you're new at this but trust me, you cannot negotiate with the Goa'uld. We've learned that the hard way over the years."
"Is there any other help we can get?" Allen asked. "I understand we have that one ship but they have three."
Landry sighed. "Well, we've been trying to contact the Asgard but no luck. We're hoping they may be able to back us up."
Allen thought and turned to the screen. "General, what are our nuclear options?"
General Thompson sighed. "It'll be difficult, Madam President. It's not just programming the trajectories. We know they have advanced shielding that may be able to stand up to multiple strikes. Plus, there's the fact that setting off several nukes is a hard thing to keep quiet."
Allen rubbed her temples. "I need to know the possible casualty count."
"Of a Goa'uld attack?" Thompson stated. He let out a long breath. "Ma'am, we're talking…the end of the world as we know it."
Allen stared off before speaking. "How long until the Prometheus is in position?"
"Two hours," Landry answered.
Allen nodded. "Keep me posted," she headed out to the side room. "I need to talk to my husband."
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Carter entered the ladies' room, feeling fatigued. She'd been in this situation many times before but it never got any easier. An oncoming alien invasion and the world being threatened tended to make her tired out. She just needed a few minutes to wash her face and she'd be fine.
As she entered, she heard a series of retching sounds and saw a pair of high heels sticking out of one of the toilets. "Hello?" she called out.
There was a flushing and Kelly slowly exited the toilet, rubbing her mouth. "Sorry," she rasped as she went to the sink to wash her mouth off. "I just…"
Carter smiled softly. "The first time I went through the Gate, I puked all over my boots, right in front of the entire unit."
Kelly spit out into the sink and wiped her face with a towel. "I wanted to call my mother. Then I realized there was no way I could make it without breaking down crying." She wiped at her eyes. "I just…it's so much. This morning, I had a perfect grasp of everything but now…"
Carter nodded. "More than you expected?"
Kelly checked her reflection. "The first week in the White House, Gardner told me 'If the American people knew what really went on behind their backs, they'd burn down Washington.' I thought he was just exaggerating."
Carter patted her shoulder. "We've been through worse than this."
"Really?" Kelly seemed surprised. "You really have?"
Carter nodded. "Oh yes. I have such stories about this place…"
Kelly blew her nose. "I can't…it's just a lot. How do you deal?"
Carter smiled. "I've met about a dozen different versions of myself from as many alternate realities. I've also met doubles of myself who were robots. And then of course, I was taken as the host for a Tok'ra, which has left me with some interesting abilities. And don't get me started on time travel."
Kelly just stared at her blankly. "I'm better off just figuring you made that all up, right?"
"Probably," Carter admitted.
Kelly brushed her hair back. "No one is ever going to believe this. No one."
"That usually helps," Carter said with a light smile. "Come on, let's get back to the command center."
Kelly followed, trying to smooth out her skirt and realizing her eventual memoirs were going to be very, very interesting.
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Rod frowned as he saw the suited man standing outside a small room. "Is my wife in there?" he asked.
The agent nodded. "She wanted to be left alone, sir."
Rod fixed him with a cool look. "I'm going in there."
"Sir…"
"I'm going in." Rod pushed him aside to enter the room. "Mac? Mac, are you…"
He stopped as he saw Allen sitting on the small cot inside the room, her head in her hands, bending over and heaving for breath. Rod shut the door quickly before the agent could see it. He had to admit, it had been quite a while since he had seen Mac like this but he couldn't say he was surprised. The trouble with keeping oneself so strong and together was that eventually, it had to come out at once.
He came over to rub her shoulder. "Mac…"
She took a deep breath as she rose, rubbing her eyes. "Sorry, it's just…It's more than I expected."
"Mac, you're dealing with something you were never trained for," Rod stated. "It's natural that it'd overwhelm you."
"I didn't want it to," Allen said as she began to pace. "It was one thing to hear about alien life and invasions but having to actually deal with one firsthand…"
"Mac, you're able to handle this."
Allen faced him. "You think so?"
Rod smiled as he came to give her a hug. "I know so. You can do damn well anything, you've proved that. You'll handle this. We'll get through this. I know we will."
Allen smiled as she kissed him lightly. "Thanks. I needed that." She took a deep breath and Rod could see her assuming the demeanor of the President of the United States. "Don't tell anyone?"
"You have to ask?"
There was a knock and the agent stuck his head in. "Ma'am, they need you in the main command center. Something seems to have happened."
Nodding, Allen strode out, once more cool and confident, Rod following. He glanced at the agent. "You, ah, didn't happen to hear…"
The agent simply stared back. "Sir, I'm sworn to protect the President. Not just her life but also her image. I don't hear what I don't have to hear."
Rod smiled and gave him a thankful pat on the shoulder before following his wife.
