Disclaimer: The characters used within this are mostly the property of others. I have a few originals, but the vast majority are not original. A few well known names may be used, but everything here is fiction. This is for entertainment only and not for profit.
-=oOo=-
Araiansu - Chapter 9
-=oOo=-
Sam and Jack walked on to the bridge.
She said, "We have to abort this mission for a priority mission. Siler, please remain near the medical bay in case they wake up. I don't want to leave them fully alone. This has to be scary for them. There are rooms near there that you can work in."
"Of course."
Sam said, "I want a plan to either drop off the sub quickly or to release it on a course we can pick it up later."
"How quick?" asked Avon.
"The Tolan are being suddenly very offering of technology."
"We have studied them. They are not that stupid," muttered Avon.
"No, they aren't. We'd like to find out why."
Jenna said, "We can release the sub now and it will be safe enough for at least months. Sure there might be freeze damage, but nothing we can't fix."
Avon said, "You might as well just let it go. The water will evaporate without the tether field."
Villa said, "Releasing the tether."
On the monitor they could see the water rapidly boiling away.
Sam said, "Good. Bringing all eight reactors online. Zen plot us an emergency speed course to the new Tollan home system, but outside of any known enemies detection range and engage when ready."
"Confirmed. Liberator will arrive at the target coordinates in fourteen minutes."
The lights dimmed as all available power was shunted to the drive systems.
"Damn, she can move when she is in a hurry huh," remarked Jack.
"That she can sir. I just hope I'm not adding wear and tear on the systems for no reason, but this makes no sense. The odds of the Tollan doing a one eighty and giving our government all their weapons is somewhere up there with Ranma renouncing the art."
"No kidding Carter. So what is the plan when we get there?"
"Like I said initially I just want to stay well back and watch. If it is just the Tollan and an SG team, well that is probably fine. They either get weapons or they don't. If they do get weapons designs the Asgard must be informed. If they don't, well as long as we eventually figure out why that is fine, but if there is a third party…"
"Your thinking what Goa'uld?"
"Maybe? I suppose it could be some other enemy, or the Tollan have somehow gone insane due to a virus or something. Frankly sir none of this makes any sense, and that is why we are going there fast."
They waited impatiently as the minutes counted down.
-=oOo=-
Ranma knocked on a door he had been dreading. His father in law had found somewhere else to be, though they were supposed to meet up later.
An adult male about his age with darker hair answered the door. "Yes," he said.
"Hello, my name is Ranma."
"Whatever it is you are selling…"
"Wait, please. I'm not selling anything. I'm here to talk about Sam."
"Sam, is she okay?" he asked concerned.
"She is fine. She is more than okay. Can I come in?"
"How do I know who you are? Sam said not to trust strange people, that she had enemies."
"That is a good point. Do you know General Hammond?"
"I have his phone number."
"Well I'll just stay out here. You can call him and ask him about me."
"Okay I'll be right back." The door closed in front of Ranma.
"We'll that could have gone worse," mused Ranma.
Ten minutes later he was invited in.
-=oOo=-
Daniel Jackson was surprised that as soon as he approached the offices used to request a meeting with the Pope that he and Jin were pulled aside into a meeting room with what was apparently very well armed Papal security.
"Um hi," tried Daniel.
A tall balding man sat in the back in white robes. He wasn't the Pope, which was no surprise, but he was sure of that much.
The man asked, "Why are you here?"
"I take it you know who I am then?"
The man said, "You are Daniel Jackson; recently a civilian contractor on the Air Force's Top Secret stargate program that explores new worlds, seeks out technology, and generally gets into trouble. More recently you joined the Earth Defense Force." He turned to Jin. "You are Jin Yang, top environmental scientist from China. We are uncertain why you are with Mr. Jackson."
Daniel said, "Well so much for classified information. I hope your keeping that information fairly secure."
"We are. Continue."
"To be honest well I'll start with Jin. The Chinese president asked for our help to address air pollution and environmental damage. Unfortunately she still needs a translator for many of the records she wants to access, and I had another mission, so basically she is here because, well stuff happened and I asked if she wanted to come."
Jin nodded to this.
"And you?"
"I'm here on a favor to Ranma Carter."
"And he wants?"
"Want is perhaps not the right word. His wife Samantha Carter, well they were married by Thor already, and they consider that valid."
"Debatable, go on."
"Well they wanted to get married again. Jin thought that maybe Sam's pastor would be interested."
"Also reasonable. Where do we fit in?"
"Well Ranma was originally sent from the Earth he grew up on, which wasn't this Earth, but well not important. He was sent to another planet that Sam ended up on. I don't even have the name. I should have gotten that. At any rate, Ranma wanted to see if Sam wanted to marry him again on the same planet where they met. He plans to ask her brother and the pastor of course, and Jack is going to ask a bunch of people at the SGC, though I'd imagine he pawned that task off on General Hammond."
"You still have not said why we were approached."
"True. Someone joked that you could probably get the Pope to marry them if you wanted."
The man frowned.
"Hey, it was a joke. You obviously make all your own decisions."
The man smiled faintly.
"Either way, well to make a long story short, well I don't have an exact timeline, but the plan was to see if a member of the press and maybe someone from the Vatican, or even the Pope himself if he wanted wished to come for the journey."
"That is an interesting request. When do you need an answer?"
Daniel's phone buzzed, then buzzed more loudly. He hesitated.
"You can check your phone."
Daniel pulled his phone out and checked it. "I honestly have no idea. According to this rather cryptic message they just had to leave on a priority mission to well I'd rather not say more. I don't want to get prosecuted and it wouldn't help you to know."
The man said, "Confirm that the ship has left."
A tall man quickly left the room.
"How many could come if we went on this mission?"
"That is a good question. It probably depends on how many come from the SGC or from Sam's side of the family. Liberator is a big ship, but my wild guess is around a hundred or two hundred max. I'd assume the SGC will send less than fifty, if for no other reason than they can't send more and keep functioning. Sam has saved all of their lives many times, and my own, and yours for that matter."
"We know. You have been in our prayers many times," he said quietly.
"Thanks. There have been a lot of times we needed it. Thanks to Sam and Ranma we have a chance, if we don't mess it up. Frankly Reverend, I'm as scared now than I've ever been. I don't think our planet will end up wiped out by the Goa'uld or us all enslaved. I have faith in the work we are doing. I have less faith that we won't wipe ourselves out. Frankly Reverend with so many people readily believing lies, my faith is not what it was."
Jin and the others looked at him in concern and considerable introspection.
"Are you religious my son?"
"No, I'm sorry, I'm not."
He nodded. Then after thinking a few seconds he said, "And yet you live a life of service with no regrets."
"I have regrets," Daniel said quietly. "I'm not honestly sure I ever should have solved that puzzle that opened the door."
"It would have been solved with, or without you."
"True, and I honestly don't think a year or two of difference would have made that much of a difference, and if my guess is correct someone would have solved it by then. The problem we have to solve is not one of science but of man. I wish I could honestly have faith that it would all work out." He added after a short pause, "Actually, now that I think about it, perhaps things did occur when they were meant to?"
"How so my son?"
"Jack, well Jack was really torn up after his son died. He got hold of a handgun that wasn't secured well enough and managed to kill himself. Jack never really talked about it, at least not to me, but from some things Sam said, I think he was near eating a bullet when General West recalled him."
The reverend said, "Some would say that if you look at any series of events, some will end up going well, some average, and some poorly; that it is crazy to assign mystical interpretation to some and not to others, when it is probably only random chance. That is not what I say, but some say that."
"What do you say?" asked Jin curiously, as she struggled to parse the English.
"I choose to look at the world believing that there is more to it than this, choosing to see the positive, to see, like Daniel has seen good sometimes born in the darkest hour. I tell you both this. If you do not believe in God, then believe in His work. Good Men and Women, flawed as we all are, surround us. Your team has been instrumental in helping us navigate this perilous time and I think will continue to be so. Others will help us navigate other parts of it. Even now, even with your ship gone we someone see every word the liar speaks and his deception is revealed to all. Many choose not to believe what their eyes tell them, but progress is being made. We are tested on this world Daniel Jackson. Jin Yang. We will bear this burden and any others that come for as long as we can, and if we fall we will trust those that come after us to continue the work, not for ourselves, but for those that come after us."
Daniel said, "Thank you. I think I needed to hear that."
Jin added, "My thanks."
"You are of course welcome, and while I do not know how many will come, I assure you that I will be among them."
"Thanks."
"Now, you are far from home. Would you consent to being our guests till you return? If there is anything we can do to help you just name it."
Daniel asked, "Actually I've heard the Vatican has the largest collection of ancient texts in the world. If there is anything that would help us…"
"We have a few scholars that work on such tasks. Once or twice we have even placed a text where you might find it."
"Ah," he said in sudden understanding.
"And you Jin?"
She spoke carefully, "Do you have any scientists I might talk with? Perhaps we might figure out something?"
"That will take a little longer, but we will see to it."
She bowed her head in thanks.
-=oOo=-
Ranma had never been so thankful for hidden weapons space than he was in Mark's house. All he had to do was to bring out a tablet and show Mark how to scroll through pictures and he had made a friend.
Mark was eager to meet his nieces and nephews, even if he couldn't quite get over Sam having grown children or all the stuff at the SGC that she still hadn't been able to tell him about. Fortunately, he never signed anything, and America had no official secrets act. Even more fortunately an Asgard tablet had effectively unlimited space for photos and video.
Ranma offered to cook while Mark kept looking through the tablet. It took him some effort since it had been ages since he used a stove, but, well spaghetti was never that hard, at least with bottled pasta sauce.
He was a bit surprised when General Hammond knocked on the door when dinner was about to be served. He was less surprised to see Jacob behind him. They were swiftly invited in and then interrogated about the danger he had put his sister in. The general regretfully was unable to answer any of his questions.
George asked, "Mark, are you willing to sign the non disclosure agreement?"
Jacob said, "It would be helpful if you did, but the choice is yours."
"What would that mean?"
"Sam is in a gray area. Technically she is almost untouchable by the US government because they need her, but she has also signed many things that says she can go to jail if she leaks classified information. Ranma has not, and until he marries Carter in a way the US recognizes is not technically a citizen of anywhere, which presents other issues. Will it cause a problem? I doubt it. We need them. Will it make my life much easier and make it more likely you are informed if something happens? Yes."
He looked at his dad who also nodded his encouragement.
"Okay, I'll sign."
General Hammond made a phone call. After he got off the phone he said, "I'm having the forms brought by. Be sure you read them. They are very serious. Now, did you perhaps have enough for one more?"
Ranma said, "Probably not, though we can get started."
George said, "How about I order Chinese as well?"
He got several nods of agreement.
They eat the food they had, while they waited for the forms. Mark signed the forms, while the person who brought them out went over the house for listening devices. At General Hammond's request they turned off all their cell phones. The tech who brought the forms took the signed forms with him. Right after that the Chinese food arrived and they finished most of that off.
After they finished dinner, George said, "Normally classified information would only be discussed in secure facilities, though I do have some leeway when there is need. Now feel free to ask your questions. I still won't promise to answer since some things are too sensitive."
Jacob said, "Perhaps I should go first?"
"Dad? What do you mean you go first?"
"I was dying a couple years ago. I should have told you. Sam had some stuff happening to her…"
He went on to explain what happened to Sam and then his blending with Selmak.
"Wait, you have a thing in your stomach?"
"Around my spinal cord actually."
"Seriously?" Mark asked.
Jacob bowed his head. His eyes flashed.
Selmak spoke, "Greetings Mark. My name is Selmak."
After Mark recovered from that information dump and accepted that Jacob was still his dad the General's interrogation took another hour, but soon George, Jacob, and Mark were enjoying watching Sam and Ranma's children grow up, even if it was on a relatively small screen.
An hour later the General mentioned leaving.
Ranma asked, "So is everyone coming with us to the planet we met when we go to get married?"
"I'd love to, if I can. I'm not sure yet." said George. "Jack already has me gathering the list that we can bring from the SGC."
Jacob asked, "Was there any doubt?"
"I'll be there," Mark added.
Ranma asked, "Do you think you can help me talk your pastor into doing the ceremony?"
"On another planet?" asked Mark.
Ranma nodded.
"That is going to be an interesting conversation."
"Actually," George said. "Tell me his name and I'll arrange the appointment. We have to try to keep what secrets we can. I'll come as well. I'm afraid I also need to do a background check on him. Most likely there was one done given that Sam goes to his church, but it wouldn't have been to the level required for this."
Ranma asked, "Is this all necessary? I can spot lies."
"Sadly it is. There are those that would use any excuse to take power. Let's not give them any."
Ranma nodded.
George said, "Ranma, I should have told you sooner, but Sam took the ship to some allies of ours at my request."
"Huh? What was so urgent?"
"Here we get to the point that I can't justify speaking of it outside of a secure setting. I don't believe they are in any serious danger. Would you like to come back to the base?"
"Yes. Wait." He pulled his communicator out of his weapons space and saw it had several messages, none of them urgent. He read them quickly then replaced it. "Okay I know where they are and why. Your base sounds good. If Sam or the kids did need me that is the place I can best help. I just really really don't like waiting. I'd rather be there."
"Now you know how I feel," said the General.
"Can I come too?" asked Mark.
"To an upper level guest room yes. To the SGC no, not without me getting further approval. I've pushed things as far as I can. Jacob is authorized of course..."
"But you would be able to tell me quicker if there was a problem?"
"A little yes."
"Then I'm coming."
George said, "I recommend we take my car. It's less of a headache."
Mark shrugged. "Fine with me."
-=oOo=-
Liberator exited hyperspace at the very edge of the Tollan system.
Sam said, "Zen three hundred sixty degree passive survey. Report all anomalies."
"There are four Goa'uld motherships at the end of our detection range."
"Fuck," said Jack. "I knew it was too good to be true."
"No kidding sir."
Sam asked, "Zen, from the passive sensors again, are there any signs they are moving?"
"Ships are running at minimal power. They appear to be fully intact."
"What about the planet? Are there any signals we can interpret passively that tell us what is going on?"
"Battle computer is monitoring the data. No further information is available at this time."
"Avon?" asked Sam.
"I'm digging, but so far it doesn't seem likely we are going to tell from here."
Jack asked, "Should we attack?"
"I'm debating if we have time to let Jenna and Dana rest. Jenna is our best pilot and with Dana coordinating weapons that would be our best bet to destroy them all before they could flee. Normally I'd ask Ranma, since he is even better and can coordinate both."
Dana said, "If we are doing this we might as well do it now. Unless your going to kick those people out of the medical bay, we are not getting any useful sleep now."
Jenna said, "Agreed."
Sam said, "I'm authorizing a mild stimulant for anyone who thinks they need it. If anyone needs to use the bathroom, get a drink, whatever, get it done, but be back here in ten minutes."
Villa and Avon rushed out. No one else did.
Sam said, "Siler, can you hear me?"
"I can Sam."
"We are going to battle soon. Go to the replicator and replicate anything you want for a weapon. Get an extra P90 for Jack just in case. Zen can direct you to my room and open the door for Ranma and my assault rifles. Bring those to the bridge then please return to guard the infirmary. Cally, go get everyone rifles. In the unlikely event we are boarded or I have to send you across there is no point in wasting ki to kill Goa'uld. Very few things can stand up to an Asgard plasma rifle."
Cally ran from the room without a word.
"I'm surprised you didn't use those against the replicators," noted Jack.
"They are one of the exceptions. They gain energy from them. It just makes things worse."
"Ah."
Avon walked back to his position.
"Avon, anything?"
"There are remarkably few radio emissions from that world, though that is not surprising for what we know of Tollan technology. The power generation is consistent with the Tollan. We are too far away to get much more."
Jack said, "It doesn't matter what is going on there. Oh I'll hate myself if an SG team or the Tollan are killed, but if we let those motherships get away. They are the priority."
"I know. Damn I wish Ranma was here. I'm too used to him pulling off the impossible."
Dana said, "We can do it mom. You know we can."
"I know you can, and if you couldn't Jack and I could. A part of me really doesn't want to put this blood on your hands, but the numbers say what the numbers say."
Avon said, "The only sane decision making is rational decision making. These Goa'uld will not know what hit them."
Sam said, "They overcame, or think they can overcome the Tollan. Is that it? Did their Ion cannons fail or something?"
Avon said, "Still unknown, though it is curious. If I'm interpreting the data correctly then there are no Ion cannons currently ready to fire. The Tollan tech base is at least good enough to detect those ships. Even if they were slighly out of range, I can't see them being powered down, well, unless…"
"Unless they somehow don't work. Damn," Jack said. "The Goa'uld are probably already there and maybe in control."
"We don't know that sir, though I agree it is likely. Zen, on optimal attack vector will the Liberator pass within transporter range of the Tollan world?"
"Affirmative."
"What are you thinking Carter?"
"I'm going to go do something, with as much as I love him, I can only call it a Ranma level of stupid."
"If your going down there, then so am I," said Jack.
"Fine. Is everyone else okay without us here?"
Jenna said, "We will get the job done mom."
"I know you will."
Siler walked into the bridge carrying two Asgard heavy assault rifles and two P-90s with extra magazines in his arms.
Sam took the rifle on top from Siler and held it in her hands, listening as it powered up. "Zen add Jack O'Neil and Sylvester Siler to those allowed to use any of the rifles without limit."
"Confirmed. All active rifles are updated."
"Okay you two, this is a very short lesson. See this up and down arrow on the top. One bar should kill almost any Goa'uld. Two bars is probably overkill. Three is extreme overkill. Do not go beyond three."
"So what happens if you go to six Carter?" asked Jack.
"If your aiming at something far away, you probably destroy it. If your are aiming at something close, you probably kill yourself and anyone near you as well. That is possible for two and three as well, just harder."
"Understood," he said gravely.
Jenna said, "Sylvester can take my gun if he wants it. If it reaches the point where I have to fight we are toast."
"True," agreed Sam.
"I'll stick with what I know. The P90 is probably less apt to rupture the ship."
"Fair enough," agreed Sam.
Jack took a P-90 as well.
"Is everyone else ready?"
Jenna asked, "Avon will you run the sequence?"
Avon said, "I will. We are 30 seconds to op. Battle Stations!"
Sam said, "Zen, grant full authority to bridge crew while we are absent. Let them do what they need to do."
"Does the acting second officer concur?"
"That is you Jack."
"I concur."
"Confirmed. The current bridge crew now have unlimited authority until you return."
Avon said, "Ten seconds to sequence start."
Sam said, "All generators online."
Avon said, "Sequence start. Zen Activate Full Wavelength Cloak."
"Full wavelength cloaking device is online and activating normally."
He asked, "Confirm readiness."
"Propulsion online."
"Weapons online."
"Shields online."
"Transporters online."
"Active internal defenses online."
Avon said, "We are ready Jenna."
Jenna said, "Okay Villa I want a full powered point to point hyperspace jump when I call. The first stop is near the planet. As soon as we drop off Mom and Jack we will jump again."
"Both sequences are ready."
Avon said, "Dana will you be ready with a firing solution when we emerge?"
Dana replied, "I am ready now. The weapons are at full power. Between that and the drive emissions, they may detect us soon, cloak or not."
Jenna said, "It won't matter."
"Cally, are you ready with the programmed transporter sequence?"
She replied, "I am. They are to be transported to behind or inside a vacant structure within two miles of the Tollan Curia. I can't be more precise from this distance but Avon's program will be calculating the transport coordinates as fast as possible, once we are closer."
"Good. Any last words before we execute?" asked Jenna.
She was met with silence.
Jenna said, "Jumping!"
The Liberator forced its way into hyperspace for the relatively quick hop across the system reappearing above the Tollan home world.
Jack and Sam vanished and then the ship vanished back into hyperspace for the even shorter hop to battle.
They were headed into the fire.
-=oOo=-
Jack fell from several feet in the air against the side of a building. "Ouch," he said very softly before looking around. Carter was already standing and looking for threats.
She said, "It appears clear so far, but that transporter beam would be noticed by the Tollan, and if there are Goa'uld here, they may know too. Let's move."
They ran from building to building staying in the shadows until Carter said, "Follow me sir. I think I sense Narim."
They kept running until they slipped inside a building. There on the floor Narim lay bleeding with a partially cauterized blast wound to his side. He was not awake.
Sam said, "Cover me. This will take all my focus."
Jack warily increased the setting on his plasma rifle to level two even as he moved out of the main line of sight of the door. Sam dragged Narim against the wall before she sliced opened his shirt and removed it piece by piece with her ki. She then laid her hands on him near his wound. Her hands and Narim's body glowed a brilliant white as his wound began to close.
Jack focused back on the door.
-=oOo=-
Narim could hardly believe that he wasn't dead. He looked up. "Samantha?" he gasped.
"Rest."
"You have to get out of here. The Goa'uld are here."
"Where is the SG team?" she asked.
"Dead," he said sadly.
Sam closed her eyes for a moment, but kept the flow of healing energy going.
"How many Goa'uld or Jaffa are there on the planet?"
"Perhaps a dozen. It is the ships above. The Curia are helping them. I'm sorry."
Jack said, "Sam we need to get to the gate and guard it. We can't let them get away."
"Your right. I'm sorry Narim. You should be okay if you rest."
"I will go with you."
"I don't have time to finish healing you and you will die if you reopen those wounds."
"Then I die. You need my help."
Sam pulled out a small cylinder from her storage space. "These are Asgard medical nano. They are dangerous and might kill you, but less dangerous than you coming with us without them."
"Do it," said Narim.
She pressed the cylinder down towards his wounds. They regenerated as if by magic. Narim got up.
Jack said, "Can you handle this plasma thing?"
Narim nodded. "What are the range settings?"
Sam said, "Your weapons has a limit of around two I think."
Narim paled. "I see," he said gravely. He took the weapon and turned it back to one.
Jack got his P-90 ready. Narim went over the controls of the nearby computer station and sped through several menus. "The mechanism to disable non Tollan weapons was already down. We can go."
They got to the gate just as the Jaffa started dialing. Narim fired the first shot killing him. This was followed by a second shot through the same guy by Jack with his P-90. Sam picked off another target even as the Goa'uld dodged and tried to reach for the gate pedestal.
Sam targeted him directly. She said, "Move away from the gate or die."
The Goa'uld and his four remaining Jaffa moved away.
"Narim," she asked. "Is there a reason to keep them alive?"
"No," he said and after flipping the rifle up to level two shot the Goa'uld through the heart vaporizing him and two of the Jaffa behind him. Sam and Jack finished off the others.
Sam asked, "Should we blow the gate?"
Jack said, "Guard it I think. Hopefully someone starts getting some order going here. Why are there no guards?"
Narim said, "They were killed, along with the Curia. Before that someone ordered an evacuation of the city. I don't know how."
Sam said, "I'm sorry. If I had gotten here faster."
Jack said, "Carter don't be ridiculous. We delayed like a total of fifteen minutes, and that was just to make sure everyone was ready up on the ship."
"They were dead long before you got here. The team was here almost a day before they were killed. We had sadly lured here. Wait. How did you get here? The gate?"
"No, we came by ship."
"Ship. There are four Goa'uld motherships up there."
"Hopefully not for much longer," Sam said.
"Only an Asgard ship could...," started Narim.
"We have one," added Sam. "I just hope my kids are alright."
Narim said, "We could go back to a building and check. The sensor net should still be up."
Sam asked, "Do you mind if I blow the gate so we don't have to guard it?"
"No, it can be rebuilt."
"Okay, let's get a little farther away."
They traveled back several thousand feet before Sam powered up her plasma rifle increasing the setting to level four. She took aim and fired. A bar of plasma energy lanced across the field in an instant enveloping the gate in fire. The resulting explosion destroyed the entire area.
"Overkill much Carter?"
"I figured it would draw people to it to figure out what happened and away from where we are going."
"A fair point," he conceded.
They got back into the main complex and Narim brought the display of nearby space on screen. A zoomed in view showed that Liberator had lost one of its main blasters and about a sixth of the ships mass but they were still fighting against one remaining ship.
Two more minutes and it was done. Liberator was the victor.
Sam said, "No one should have been in the weapons pylon. The radiation there is lethal when the weapons are active. Can you see if the piece is still around?"
Narim searched and he soon found it. "There is significant material missing, but it should be within our ability to help you repair. I've summoned help from the nearby city. What will these nanobots do to me?"
"Hopefully nothing. They should repair the obvious damage and destroy themselves. They just lack the processing power to repair complex sickness and injuries. Cancer is possible. They may also repair cells that have DNA damage causing further problems."
"Then hopefully our medics can fix it. It is better than the rest of us got. At least it wasn't the entire planet. Sam, Jack, we really are in your debt. I didn't understand why the Curia was wanting to give you Ion weapons, but as far as I'm concerned you can have them."
Sam said, "We are kind of working for the Asgard now. Keep your weapons."
"My god Sam. We made horrible weapons for the Goa'uld. They use our phase shifting technology to send bombs through shields. That is probably what happened to your ship. They only had the one sample I know of."
"That would be a problem," Jack said dryly.
Sam said, "I'm going to need the technology so we can learn to defend against it. We also can't leave until we are absolutely sure the Goa'uld can't get any more. What a mess."
Sam suddenly heard, "Mom. Are you guys okay down there."
"Jenna, we are fine. The other SG team was dead before we got here. The Curia and their guards are dead, but Narim made it. The Goa'uld are dead now, as are the Jaffa."
"I sent a message to Othalla. Thor is going to come and help repair our ship. They sent a phasing bomb through our shields. It took out the pylon. The entire section remaining is far too radioactively hot to enter. The engines took some hits too. Unless it is urgent, we are waiting for Thor."
"That's fine. When he gets here tell him I had to give Narim my nanobots. He seems fine though. Is everyone okay?"
"We are cutoff physically from the medical bay but they are all fine. The auto repair systems are working. I'm sorry we kind of wrecked the ship."
"Don't care, as long as you are fine. We will fix the ship."
Jack said, "Any battle where you can go four to one and everybody gets to go home to their families is a miracle. Take the win for what it is. You did good kids."
Narim said, "On behalf of the Tollan, we are deeply in your debt."
"Thanks. We are just glad we were able to get through it with no one hurt. That bomb really surprised us."
Narim said, "I want to apologize to you all personally when I can. The Goa'uld were not stopped by our Ion cannons. The Curia was taken over and compromised. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry but we built the weapon that did that to your ship."
Avon said, "Well then it is good that we stopped it when we did. I've already worked out a possible way to block one in the future. You will help with testing it will you not?"
"Of course."
The leaders of the next city were the first to arrive along with a contingent of guards and medics. "Narim, you are alive. What happened?"
He went on to tell them even as a medic steered him towards the nearest medical center when he mentioned the nanobot danger. He had just gotta a few scans run when Thor transported down.
"Greetings O'Neil. Samantha."
"Hiya Thor," said Jack.
Sam said, "It is good to see you again Thor."
Thor said, "From the wreckage we determined that Anubis was the Goa'uld that ultimately led this faction. You killed Tanith?"
"We did," Sam acknowledged.
"Good."
Sam asked, "What of the Liberator?"
"Full repairs will take several days. We have analyzed the solution to the phasing bombs suggested by Avon and intend to try to implement it on all Asgard ships including the Liberator."
Narim deeply bowed. "I am deeply sorry that my people created such a weapon."
"The Asgard made a mistake that almost cost us our entire civilization. Only the improvements in cloning and original patterns brought by Samantha and Ranma along with the alternate Heimdall saved us. We assume you will learn from this mistake."
"On my life, I will spend every last minute of it trying to make it so."
"Then let that be enough. My ship will remain here to guard this world until other options can be found."
Sam said, "We have to assume that Anubis has the plans for the phasing bombs. We aren't that lucky. Do you mind if we give serious help to getting the Tollan defenses back up to effective."
Thor said, "Understand this people of Tollana. Your failure here concerns us. That your defenses failed is not surprising. Enemies improve too. You believed too much in what you had built and stopped seeking to improve. That is not the attitude of an enlightened race. That you built weapons for the Goa'uld is a problem. If you do it again, be it with technology learned from us, or simply your own I may have to make a choice I really do not want to make. Do not force me to make that choice."
Narim bowed again, this time touching his head to the floor. The rest of the leaders of the nearby city did as well, acknowledging and accepting the fault of their people.
Thor said, "Enough. Make sure this mistake is remembered and not repeated."
"We will," they all agreed.
Jack asked, "Is there any chance of contacting Earth? I'd like to let Hammond know what happened. We kind of destroyed the gate when we were not sure if there was anyone else that might use it to escape."
Narim said, "We can build one, but I don't even know if we have the Naquadah required. It would take a few weeks probably."
Thor said, "The Earth lacks communication equipment that could receive the signal unless you gave them..?"
Sam said, "It's on my list somewhere, but not yet."
"Then unfortunately not. While my ship could create one. It's systems are currently needed for the repairs to your ship."
"That's alright. Thanks."
Thor blinked but said nothing.
Narim said, "Can someone take the task of getting a new gate built?" One of the other leaders, a young woman, just slightly older than Sam with sandy brown hair said, "I'll do it."
Sam said, "We will need coffins. The bodies will need to be in shape to take back home."
"As will we," Narim said. He pointed to someone to the left of the person who just volunteered. "Will you see to it? The Tauri that died for us are to be given full honors. I can't make any decision about the others."
He pointed to another, "Will you review all the security footage? I will create a detailed report of all I remember." Another nodded.
Finally Narim added, "Does anyone know how to handle all the rest?" He asked despairingly.
Jack said, "Give praise and honor where it is due. To those that simply got killed without knowing give appropriate respect. To those that collaborated tell the truth, including why we think they did it, no more, and no less, but don't forget to mention the how much it could have cost and still could cost."
Narim nodded. "Wise words. Please see that it is done." He turned to Thor. "Thor, will you please relay what happened to the Nox. If our defenses can be penetrated…"
Thor said, "I will do so now." He vanished in a flash of light.
The doctor that was attending Narim came over. "I have your results. The healing done by the nanobots is not quite correct. We are going to need to clone you a new liver."
"Is it urgent?" Narim asked tiredly.
"No, it will take weeks for it to be a problem, and even then it would be manageable for awhile. We should have a liver ready in about ten days."
"Very well. As long as I'm not ahead of anyone sicker than me."
"Of course."
Sam said, "I'm glad the damage was minor."
"Yah me too."
Thor reappeared. "The Nox have been informed. They have had plans in place for some time. For now they are moving to a new home world that the Goa'uld do not know about. An additional Asgard ship is being dispatched to make sure they can move safely."
Sam said, "We are going to try to make Mars livable. They are welcome there, but it is going to take probably years or maybe decades."
"They have already selected a new home world, but I will let them know of your offer."
Sam nodded. "Before I forget, is there any chance of getting a replacement medical nano pack? I used mine on Narim."
"The doctor just said he can clone me with a new liver."
A flash of light appeared and a new small cylinder fell into Sam's hand. She promptly hid it away.
"That is a very curious skill," Narim noted.
"It is a very dangerous skill exploiting a fluke in the nature of local subspace," Thor said.
"Useful though," Jack added.
Thor tilted his head slightly in agreement. "If there is nothing else?"
Sam said, "Actually, I really want to get back to my kids."
Sam vanished in a flash of light.
Jack said, "I'm okay here for now. Maybe I can help train their guards or something?"
"You have my thanks." Thor vanished as well.
Narim said, "We have so much work to do, but Jack brings up a good point. Guards work with him. Learn from him. They have been fighting the Goa'uld directly for years now with far fewer resources than us, and yet we came arguably closer to losing our planet. What is almost worse is we surrendered our principles. A member of the Curia lying to the public is I think worse than murder, let alone all of them, save Omac. He died a true hero. We have much to do, but the first thing I think is we must never forget how short the path back down is, and we must always be watchful of it."
-=oOo=-
Author's Note: How about some feedback? What do you think of the overall story so far? Some helpful commentary would be nice if this is the kind of thing you would like to see more of.
