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Stargate: Do Over

Previously:

"I have many questions to ask. I want them answered." Thor demanded.

Chapter 03, Intergalactic Politics.

Luke stared at Thor. Chloe audibly gulped. Luke stared some more.

He then sighed and said, "OK buddy, let's get over this quickly, we got bugs to catch."

"My sensors have detected only one life sign aboard this vessel." Thor pointed at Chloe, "Her. Why are the rest of you not registering?"

"That's easy, she's biological. The rest of us are not."

Thor tilted his head. If he had eyebrows to raise, he would.

"In case of a screw-up with the replicators, she'll hopefully be unaffected and able to intervene. She and others are in each ship of the task force as our last line of defense in a worst case scenario."

"You mean to say you are androids." Thor blinked, "She is here to safeguard for the possibility that the attempt at reprogramming the replicators backfires and they instead reprogram you. That... that would be catastrophic!"

"Yes."

Thor blinked and took a moment to absorb that. "The replicators must not be allowed to obtain advanced hyperdrive technology." He said.

"They won't." Luke answered in certainty.

"I detect in you some aspects of technology we have previously only seen in replicators. Why is that?"

"The Ancients created the base aspects of the technology. They called their creations 'Asurans'. They were nanite-based artificial intelligences networked together, meant to be used as a weapon. However they were badly programmed and the Ancients were unhappy with their creation. They attempted to destroy them all, long ago; they failed. More recently we... replicated the technology and improved it. My appearance is that of a Human named Jack O'Neill. I have also a copy of his core memory imprint in me. And before you ask, yes the others here that look exactly like me also have the same core memory imprint in them and others that look like Chloe have the same core memory imprint as her. We have a few differences among us, specifically some of our knowledge differs."

"You are replicators? More advanced replicators?" He was not surprised the Ancients were involved. They had left a lot of technology scattered throughout the galaxies when they... left.

"Yes and no. The technology has a similar basis, though we have made a great many upgrades. But the primary difference is that I was not programmed. I have the knowledge, memories, experiences, wishes, fears, guilt, strengths, faults, personality... all of what the original had. I am not an artificial intelligence, I am sentient. As is everyone else here."

"Without a biological part, true sentience is... extraordinarily difficult. You are not the result of biological reproduction, how can you claim sentience?"

"I could ask you a similar question. No Asgard has been born in a thousand years. Yet here you are. The memory imprint of an Asgard downloaded into a cloned body, again and again and again."

Curious. "How do you know that? That is one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Asgard." Thor asked leaving the sentience debate aside.

"We know a lot about a lot of things. We know a lot about the Asgard as well. Please do not let that alarm you. In another time we were friends. We hope to be friends again."

"You are referring to the Great Alliance. Yet you are not Alteran." Thor said.

'Hmm, he misunderstood my statement, maybe I don't need to correct him?' Luke thought, 'Some misdirection is in order... let the diplomats handle the big stuff.'

"If I clone a biological body and download my version of the memory imprint into that body. Would you then consider that person a Sentient Human being?" he asked. "Do you consider Chloe here, to be Human?"

Thor opened his mouth to answer, then thought of the repercussions of either a positive or a negative answer. Both prospects were quite intriguing.

"What makes the biggest difference here, in this body, is the noggin." Luke continued and tapped a finger to the side of his head. "This body is made entirely out of nanites. Many of them are used to accurately emulate the exact configuration and functionality of a biological Human brain. In effect, my imprint occupies a Human brain. Others are used to emulate other biological functions throughout the body. That makes me almost Human. I have free thought, feelings, personality...

"The Alteran never accomplished this. They programmed and run extremely complex artificial intelligence programs on various hardware. Many approached sentience, but none of them ever truly grew beyond their programming. They did not think freely for themselves. A Human philosopher long ago said, 'I think, therefore I am'... Well, I Am." Luke paused, "If my nanites were not emulating a brain, the result would be very convincing, but not entirely accurate. The Ancients found out long ago that when a sentient being's imprint... for lack of a better word, runs on computer hardware something is never quite right. The personality would diverge from normal behavior a little bit. Too hostile, too friendly, too predictable, too unpredictable, too analytic... Very convincing but always something slightly off."

"Mmm, I will have to confer with one of our scientists that specialize in this field about these matters." Thor offered, "And the replicators?" He asked.

"The models you have seen are mindless machines that have the ability to simulate some primitive intelligence. Nothing more. Colombo already told you how they were created in the first place."

"This ship...?"

"She's a beauty isn't she?" He cut in excitedly, "We designed her ourselves. I mean the O'Neills, my line of imprints."

"How many... of your line are there?"

By that time they had already arrived at the system they intended to start in. Luke signaled someone to proceed with the task they had to do. This verbal battle might in the end be just as important as that.

"There are thousands."

"Why thousands and not one? If the original memory imprint was of one person, having it concurrently occupy many bodies, many brains seems; Is... unnatural." Thor opined.

'Ough, that will be hard to answer, it's the diplomats job to handle this stuff damn it.' He thought, "Uhm, you know of the repositories of knowledge the Ancients left behind." It was not a question.

Thor nodded.

"When we were created, the original had knowledge relative to the size of the Ancients' database in him. If the imprint carried with it all that knowledge... it would be unable to function by emulating a Human-based brain. We would have to fall back to using better and faster but ultimately simpler computer processors and basically be just smart machines. Or, we would have to emulate a brain that is something else, more advanced, but not Human. So, the core experiences and personality of the original are the same in all of us. Plus different small fragments of the original's full knowledge." That was very close to the truth, only fudged a little bit. Luke smiled a little thinking of what Thor's reaction will be when he is told the exact details.

"That is..." Thor was speechless. Any other questions he had, slipped away. He completely missed the fact that some of the questions were sidetracked. He was completely and utterly stunned. This simple yet brilliant idea, if applied properly could potentially allow the Asgard to fix their genetic problems by inhabiting bodies of another race, for instance Human bodies. The increased mental capacity of the Asgard has been one of the reason they were unable to fix their problem. That increase was not exactly natural in the first place. Why had they not thought of this potential solution before?

After moments had passed during which Thor was not forthcoming with more questions, Luke moved on to oversee the task force. It was going well. Large populations of replicators were already completely removed from planets and gathered in open space. They were instructed to configure themselves into spheres and towed by the task force vessels. It appears the replicators had yet to assimilate any advanced hyperdrive technology, so they were mostly inhabiting planets in one big chunk of the galaxy. Hopefully none of them would slip away.

The tricky part would be when they found any replicators still in the presence of other civilizations. They needed to take care no pieces remained so they could not be recreated later by that civilization. Even so, it was entirely possible some would slip their grasp... This project would have to be an ongoing effort for many years after the initial sweep.

SGSGSGSGSG

Thor observed as the task force continued its sweep, after the initial contact the replicators transmitted the reprogramming amongst themselves. In most occasions there were enough replicators on a planet to form their own ships and reach orbit. The task force simply had to gather the blocks and check - thoroughly - for stragglers. The towed masses of replicators had become so enormous, many of the ships had left to deliver their load somewhere and then later returned to re-join the effort. He was not told where they went and he did not ask.

He had spent a long time thinking through their discussion. Especially the implications it could mean for the Asgard. Their cloned bodies were degrading. For many Asgard this was already a problem, their bodies had degenerated and could no longer produce viable clones. In the time of a few minutes since he got here, Thor was introduced with two possible avenues the Asgard could research to fix their problem. The technology these people had could certainly solve the problem. Would they be willing to help?

Inside of a few hours, the progress was obvious. A large area of the previously replicator occupied space was now free of them. A few young species in this region of the galaxy would be forever changed, their civilization altered by the effects of the invasion of these weird metallic creatures and the memory they would leave behind. Many others were not so lucky, those were completely extinct.

He learned the function of the very big ship they brought with them. He got a close look at it, it was bulky and ugly. Very unlike the small ships. It had a brighter shade of white and peculiar big red colored crosses on the largest surfaces. They found an industrial civilization that had fought back en masse to defend their planet. Most of those few that had survived were injured in some way, too many to leave the matter to fate without catastrophic results to the species. They were treated on the big ship, which he now knew was a hospital ship. Thor provided information he already had for the insectoid species' physiology and they took care of the rest.

Thor considered that act. They seemed to be willing to intervene and help a less advanced alien species. Which was good, because even with all their technology the Asgard might need some help implementing their ideas. Thor was in the unique situation of thinking the Asgard might be the less advanced species compared to another. Something that had not happened in millennia.

SGSGSGSGSG

The initial sweep took more than a day. The fleet intended to make a second sweep and then most of the fleet would scatter in all directions seeking stray replicators. A few would remain in this galaxy to keep looking. Space is a big place, it is almost a certainty that some of them slipped away somehow. Many natural, and artificial, phenomenon could block the reprogramming signal from reaching stray groups. Those stragglers will be eventually found and gathered. And the search would continue on.

Thor was ready to return to his ship. He had much to report. The High Council will have a fit, hearing once again, they may no longer be the most technologically advanced species in the Local Galactic Group.

"Thor, before you run off to your duties." The Commander said, "You should contact the Santa Maria. Some of the Jackson line act as our resident Ambassadors when needed. Our Ambassador to the Asgard is aboard that ship, along with others that would like to talk with you."

"Very well, I will contact them."

The ship dropped out of hyperspace.

"Well here we are, right back to where we started." He said looking out from a view port where the Santa Maria and the two Asgard ships drifted.

"Farewell, Luke Skywalker."

"See you around Thor, may the force be with you!" He answered with a huge grin. Other O'Neills nearby grinned and snickered at that. The Carters and Jacksons rolled their eyes and shook their heads at his antics.

Thor beamed away, noting once again he needed to learn about all these idioms these Humans...? no, Asurans?; Well whatever they called themselves; were using.

After conferring with Aegir who was safeguarding the Biliskner and sending a quick report back home, he contacted the bigger, bulkier aurora-class ship.

"Greetings,"

"Hello, Thor. Would you like to come over here, or for us to send the Ambassador over there?"

"I will come aboard your vessel." His curious nature wanted to have a look at the Aurora-class vessel from the inside and perhaps take a peak at what upgrades they had done to it.

"OK, I am sending you coordinates where you can beam into."

Thor spent a moment gazing through a view port at the two different ships. One big and bulky, with an air of strength around it; designed as a warship by the Ancients. One small and stylish, designed by the... 'Hmm, what do they call themselves?'

He beamed in to the bigger ship. He was welcomed by Colombo; or was it another?

Well, he could find out with a proper formal greeting, if they would only allow him to complete one.

"Greetings, I am Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet." He said quickly hoping to not be interrupted this time.

"Greetings Thor, I am Jules Verne, Ambassador of the Asurans."

Aha! So they call themselves Asuran.

"Please call me Jules." He quickly added, "If you'd come this way, there is much I would like to speak with you about." The Asuran said.

Thor noted this ship had larger doors and corridors. His regular chair would have been able to fit. But he was still using the uncomfortable compact one.

"Looking at this ship from the inside, is... fascinating." 'Historic' Thor didn't say, when they were passing through a row of computer consoles.

"Yeah, the Alterans did have an eye for design. Though this model is fairly outdated. We had to redesign much of it so she could get here under her own power. We chose this old model hoping you would recognize it as friendly."

They arrived at a room with a large conference table in it.

A tablet was on the table, in front of the location indicated for Thor to approach. He looked at it, but had a few questions first before the ambassador started his spiel.

"You call yourselves the Asurans." he stated.

"We do, we adopted the name."

"What is your relationship with the Humans of Midgard?"

"Midgard, Earth, Terra, Tau'ri... It's our home, was our home. Uhm, it was our home planet. We identify ourselves with the people there, since although we are apart from them now, we once were them. Now... now we are so far more advanced from them technologically it would be difficult to fit in."

"Are you their guardians? Their protectors? Their overlords? Their rulers?"

"Good question. We... I, don't know yet. We certainly do not want to be their rulers. We hope to guide them, teach them and then let them flourish on their own. It will be a difficult process. In the mean time we do quietly guard them against anything they might not be ready to face yet. We hope that very soon they will not need that guardianship, that they will be able to defend themselves."

"We do something... similar with a few planets." Thor said without elaborating, "According to our latest records, the civilizations on Midgard were technologically primitive... Have they advanced so much, so quickly, to being able to defend themselves against the Goa'uld, and other threats?"

"Yeah.. No... Not yet." Verne answered. "They have certainly advanced a lot since your last visit." He paused. "Look at us. A few of them. We did, all this!" He said pointing his hands around the room. "Imagine what they, all together, can do."

"But this, is technology of the Ancients."

"Isn't that how it usually happens in the Milky Way galaxy? Someone, somewhere finds some technology left over by the ancients and they evolve, rapidly..." he said, "Sorry, the Avalon galaxy, we call it the Milky Way."

"Indeed. Often with horrendous results." Thor answered.

"Yeah, case and point, the Goa'uld. Most of their technology is stolen or found. Good thing most of them haven't found the good stuff yet."

"Most?"

"Mmm, there is one. He may be a problem to deal with. Anubis."

Thor consulted his computer, looking for details on Anubis. "Anubis. He was defeated and killed; even by Goa'uld standards his actions were horrible."

"Not killed, exiled. He's back. In a decade or two he will... stir the pot. He is not like the other Goa'uld."

"I am reminded I need to look into your culture, you are using many idiomatic phrases I am unfamiliar with."

"Oh?... Oh, our language, we have various cultural idioms we use, from various cultures too. Earth civilizations often intermingled sharing cultural characteristics with others, including language. On top of that we have many expressions that have no logical etymology behind them. Any translation program would have a hard time figuring out that mess without preconfigured references. Well, I could give you that information if you wish." Said Jules rapidly.

"Please do." Thor said.

Verne spent a moment of thought, then got up and faced Thor. "This might hurt a bit." He said and stuck his fingers into Thor's head.

The process took only a few moments and he withdrew his hand.

Thor stiffened immediately when he became alert. He activated the chair's defense shield, drew the weapons and alerted his ship to do the same.

"What did you do!" He demanded.

SGSGSGSGSG

Meanwhile on Earth.

Unknown location, United States.

"Tell me how to dial the device!"

"See, you pick it up, then you press the buttons of the number you wish to call and put it on your ear..."

"You are insubordinate Colonel!"

"Right back atcha."

"I have given you an order..." The interrogator said.

"I OUTRANK YOU!" Yelled O'Neill.

The interrogator, a Major General, was fuming! He did not have to tolerate this blatant disregard for his rank. The snide remarks. The outright insults! He wanted to send this guy on, to the real interrogators. They'd cut through the bullshit real quick. But he was willing to try a softer approach first, his willingness was running out.

"I am a Major General of the United States Air Force you are a..."

"Lieutenant General of the United States Air Force! Three stars, not two!" Answered Jack.

"You are a Colonel only. You will answer my questions." He said as calmly as he could possibly force himself to.

They stared at each other for endless moments.

"Can we hurry this along to where you send in the torture guys?"

"Oh, I'm sure they'll enjoy having a round at you if you keep this up."

"This is 1991, right? And you haven't yet figured out the 'gate, right?"

"That's why I am asking you to..."

"Then for your information, there is nothing here, on earth, or that those butchers can do to me that hasn't already been tried. And by the way your methods of torture pale in comparison to what I have suffered at the hands of Ba'al." He interrupted.

"We'll see about that!"

"We will. Now, in the mean time, how about you send someone in that has more than two neurons working in his head? This relationship is clearly not going to work. So... Hey! You behind the glass there! Find me someone I can work with already!"

SGSGSGSGSG

A few minutes later, the door to the 'interview' room opened and in walked another sharply dressed man wearing a suit.

Jack snorted.

The new interrogator raised an eyebrow in question and sat down.

Jack sat and remained quiet, hand on his chin, staring at the other man.

He asked a couple of questions, to which he did not get any response. Just continuous staring.

"So that's your new tactic?" The man asked. "Staring?"

"I'm thinking."

"Thinking what?"

"Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing that you're here."

"It's a good thing I am here I assure you..."

"You're wearing a suit. So, I'm guessing you already started working for the NID." Jack stated. To which the other man twitched and showed clear signs of restraining himself from further display.

"'we met?"

"Oh, Harry, of course we have met. Many, many, many times."

"Ah, so we work together in this alternate reality thing of yours?"

"I see you must have talked with Carter. How's she doing?"

"No, I haven't talked to her yet. Just read that in some of her reports." Harry Maybourne said.

"It's called alternate timeline you know." Jack pointed out.

"That's what I said."

"No, you said alternate reality, there's a difference. Ask Carter!" He said with a thin smile.

"See, this is better isn't it? You, me, talking." Harry said.

"I'm still not sure which Harry I'm dealing with here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There's two sides to Harry Maybourne. The young and stupid side that is willing, eager even, to do foolish things and cause immense damage, just to get his hands on a few trinkets and to hell with the consequences. Then there's the older slightly smarter Harry that is happy to help, thinks before he acts and is willing even to risk his own life to save others." He paused, "Which one are you?"

"Quite the philosopher. But I'm not here to have a philosophic discussion. I'm sure we'll have time enough for that later. Now there are more pressing issues we must discuss."

"Such as?"

"How the device works."

"See now, remember what I told you about young, stupid and consequences? Do you even know the consequence of me answering that? I mean sure, ask me again in a year, I'll tell you everything I know about that." He shrugged, "Are you even fully briefed?"

"I am."

"You are fully briefed that if I tell you how to use the stargate, now, today, we lose the challenge and we don't get the super-awesome-gate?" Asked O'Neill.

"What I do know is that we sent you back in time to warn us about something. Yet now that you're here you don't seem to care."

"Excellent misdirection, bad information. And when you're trying to guilt-trip someone, make sure you have all the available information first."

"Whatever it is we sent you back to fix, why not tell us now so we can fix it?" Retorted Maybourne.

"You didn't send anyone back in time. Besides, that problem is, for now, beyond your capacity to comprehend. How about you ask me about something I can answer instead of something that would cost us greatly if I did answer?"

"Why would it cost us anything if you answer my question about this, this stargate device?"

Jack sighed, "You really have not been briefed. Shame really. It means I can't even call you young and stupid. You're just... ignorant."

"Then enlighten me."

"We, all of us, the whole earth, have been offered some challenges, one of them is..." The intercom speakers came on at this time and a voice spoke, "Maybourne, come outside. The decision has been made to try stronger methods of persuasion."

Jack continued, "Is to figure out the gate on our own without outside help. Carter, Daniel and I, count as outside help. Frankly, it's the easiest challenge of all! Just put a few brainiacs on it and they'll figure it out. The award for succeeding is awesome, ask Carter about it!"

Maybourne was already at the door by then, "Harry! Wait. Listen. Whoever is running this shindig does not have Presidential authorization. Any politician worth their weight would see, that attempting the challenge on your own is a far better option. Besides, this one's child's play compared to the others and you got a full year to do it!"

Any further discussion was cut short by the door opening and someone urging Maybourne out.

SGSGSGSGSG

Back on the Santa Maria.

"Wow," he had never before seen Thor angry. This was angry! "Thor, wait, wait! I simply gave you the cultural information for you to understand the idioms we use."

"My head is on fire!"

"I might have given you too much perhaps. Calm down please, it'll pass. It's just a headache. I didn't know it would have this effect on you."

A bright light proceeded a hologram appearing. A hologram of Thor. "That was a bad idea." He said.

"I figured that, Thor."

"What?" Asked Thor, the live one, flinching at his own voice.

"What?" Asked Verne.

"Jules, I believe introductions would be appropriate." Said the holographic Thor.

"Oh, right. Thor meet Thor. Thor, Thor." He said first pointing at one, then the other, then the reverse process. He would have found the humor in this if not for the current situation.

"It was not just the amount of information that causes the discomfort, it was the method of delivery." Said holographic Thor.

"Really? I thought you guys do this thing all the time?"

"No, not this bluntly. Our methods are more... delicate." He turned to the live Thor. "You sent a message to your ship. Things are about to get awkward if you do not contact them and explain why you raised the alarm."

A display activated showing a view of the bridge, "Jules, why do I have two Asgard ships pointing their weapons at me?"

"Uhh, a misunderstanding?"

Thor shook his head violently and rapidly; stretching his neck upwards several inches.

Jules was taken aback, he'd never seen that before. "Is he alright?" He asked the holographic Thor.

"He is fine, merely stunned and amazed. The headache should only be mild. Asgard do not normally have headaches however. We do not often get amazed either." Said holographic Thor.

"Thor, I don't know what happened, but could you please talk to your ships? They're antsy!" Said Colombo from the bridge.

"Antsy? How can a ship be antsy? It does not wear clothing in which to put tiny insects." Said live Thor.

"Oooo-Kay." Said Jules. "I guess that didn't work too well."

"Thor? Ships?" Asked the Commander urgently.

Thor dropped his chair's shield with a thought and he was beamed out immediately.

After which Colombo let an enormous exhale out.

"Why so nervous?" Jules asked Colombo, "The shields should be able to handle their weapons."

"I didn't raise them..."

"You're nuts."

"Indeed." Agreed holographic Thor.

"Hey! We're supposed to be a diplomatic mission!" Answered Colombo.

SGSGSGSGSG

Several minutes later, "Incoming transmission."

"Let's see it."

"If you wish to continue our discussion. We may do so aboard my ship."

"OK, we'll..." The transmission was cut. He sighed, "Pissing off the Asgard is not what I had in mind here."

"We received beaming coordinates."

"Let the Ambassador know."

SGSGSGSGSG

Aboard Thor's ship, a column of blue-white sparkles appeared followed by Verne as he transported in with a flash.

"Hi. Sorry for the... thing. Are you alright?" Said Jules.

"I am well." Answered Thor.

A second Asgard was in the room sitting on a combat oriented chair. 'Wow, we were never considered a potential threat before.' Thought Jules.

"So, shall we continue?" He asked, "We were talking about Anubis..."

"You inserted your hand in my head and 'gave' me information." Thor interrupted.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't think it would cause all this trouble."

"It was very discomforting."

"It won't happen again; Again I'm sorry. Did the cultural information come through at least? Did it work?"

Thor blinked, "I am uncertain at this time. Whatever you did, has flooded my mind with mostly inconsistent and largely irrelevant information to what any Asgard would call language."

Jules thought about it, "Perhaps. We shall see." He took a seat in the big table in the room, slid a tablet over to where Thor was sitting and prepared himself to deliver his spiel.

"One of our major concerns is Anubis, once a Goa'uld, now partially ascended. He may be a major problem in our home galaxy that we may have to deal with personally. He is expected to make a comeback within a decade or two." And he continued, "There are a few others..."

SGSGSGSGSG

March 3rd, early morning.

White house, Situation room.

"So, that situation is resolved?" Asked the President.

"Yes sir, the General is in custody..."

"Not dead?" Interrupted the President.

"No, sir. Word is they want to deal with him publicly. We think, they hope it might help with their riot problem. Give the people something else to focus on. We are doing a lot better after your speech, but they still have a mess in their hands."

"Mr. Baker." He turned to the Secretary of State, "Contact our Embassy in Moscow, have them send an envoy to congratulate Mr. Gorbachev for a successful resolution of the coup attempt and inform them that you, personally, will be arriving as soon as possible. I want a letter ready for me to sign ASAP, which you will hand deliver. General highlights should be that we're faced with something external, unknown, not of this Earth. We should work together to figure out a united front to whatever this is, whoever they are... Put something there like 'we do not need to use nuclear weapons on each other simply because we're frightened', et cetera." He waved his hand at one of the aides.

Senator Fischer snorted audibly.

"Mr. President we cannot afford to show weakness or lack of resolve in the nuclear front." One of the Generals said.

"Richard, if nukes do fly, I become the last U.S. President. I'd much rather not."

The General bit his lip then nodded but with a frown.

He half-stood, half-turned back "Actually write one for others too!" He called to the retreating aide, "France, Canada, UK, Germany, China, Japan... You know the drill." He settled back down and turned to Senator Fischer. "Mr. Fischer, if you happen to have more experience in dealing with alien first-contact situations, please be my guest. Otherwise shut up! We're all winging it here..." Said the President.

Everyone sat up a little straighter at that, some gulped, others frowned, yet others grinned. Fischer was furious but kept his peace.

"Now, anything new about those attacks?" He asked.

"A spy satellite in the middle east caught this." Said a military intelligence officer and passed on some folders.

The folder had dark and hazy pictures of what were barely recognizable as 'Puddle Jumpers' as they had started to call them. About half a dozen of them converged in a structure.

"Where was this?"

"These were taken right before the incident in Al Kharj. The location is a military installation north of Al Kut, that's in Iraq, sir. We believe it is a prison."

"And the Asurans attacked it? Why?" The President asked while taking a magnifying glass to the photos.

"There were allied military prisoners there, they freed them. We talked to a British soldier we evac'd. He claims they busted in, took down everyone, released him, treated his injuries; the words he used is 'Healed me with their hands, they glowed and I was brand new.'" He paused at that. "He says they gave him provisions and a radio and told him to... I quote: 'Skedaddle and find your way home'. He also says there was an American prisoner. Jack O'Neill and that they all looked like him."

One of the Generals was called away for a phone call.

"Clearly delusional, hopped up in narcotics perhaps. We can't be sure of anything he said." Said Senator Fischer.

"According to him, he was never before more sober or clear minded than when they treated him." Countered the intelligence officer.

"So they busted O'Neill out and brought him to us, if a little rudely. But left the Brit go on his own?" Asked the President. "Interesting."

"He says after they first healed O'Neill; they, and I quote, 'shoved a hand into the American's head who then collapsed.' Sir, that matches the reports we have about Captain Carter and General Hammond."

"Uh-huh, what is their status? Are they conscious yet?"

"Yes sir." Answered Air force General Peter Stanley.

"And?" After a moment of no response. "Have they said anything yet?"

"O'Neill is not cooperating. He's outright Hostile. Carter is talking up a storm, our scientists say they are very excited, but at the same time they can't understand most of what she's saying."

"Hammond?"

"He appears to be very cooperative, he is still being debriefed. But still what he describes is in the realm of science fiction." Said Stanley, who adamantly believed there were no such things as UFOs and aliens. He was convinced something else was going on. He found the President's early assumption plausible, that these people were sent back in time by the good ol' U.S. of A, to fix something, but now they were spewing nonsense, buying time and planning something. "However he is insisting that he has no knowledge of how to activate the device."

"Still haven't found the other one?"

"No, sir."

"Keep on that. Now, what happened in that ranch?"

"We really do not know anything new. They came, they left and took everything and everyone with them. Nothing was left behind except the structures. The locals say there was some kind of religious cult there, but most are afraid to talk about it."

The President sighed, if there was one thing that was not weird about this mess he would like to know about it! "Let's move on, what about the challenges and the stuff our... visitor left us?"

One of the promising young scientists from DARPA called to consult, began his spiel, "Sir, I have been reading the material. The technologies they are describing are amazing! Space travel to other star systems, even other Galaxies! The challenges..."

"Sir," interrupted the General that had been called away for the phone call earlier. "I have Brigadier General Carter on the line. He is absolutely insisting to be heard. He says he has some information that you should hear directly."

"Carter? Any relation to the young Captain?"

"Yes, her father."

The president raised an eyebrow. "What sort of information...? Hmm, put him on."

...

"General Carter?"

"Yes... Mr. President?"

"Yes."

"Same president that ordered the interrogation and torture of two Air Force officers?"

_-+o+-_

A/N: My apologies for this: I had to edit the previous chapter where it said 'find, steal, buy or make' to remove the steal part. It was pointed out to me that it could be... a problem. I replaced it with 'acquire or make' which is less... naughty.

Coming up next... Everyone's got some 'xplaining to do.

Many thanks to my Beta readers.

Please review, my muse is hungry.

Posted on 2012-09-07