Thanks for your patience. I've just had a bunch of stuff to get done. For those of you who reviewed, keep it up! For those of you who haven't, ...

Oh, I don't own anything here except what I made up.

SGC: One day later

"So what you're telling me is that while you found the arms dealer, you bumped into a group of people who, one: didn't know about the Stargates, and two, were there to buy a ship?" General Landry asked.

"Yes," Cheery said hesitantly.

"I can see two things possibly wrong with this report. First, did you take into consideration the fact that they might have been lying? And secondly, your conclusion that these might be some kind of new threat is frankly, overrated." He held up one hand to prevent an outburst. "Now I will be handing your report on those new weapons you saw to Lt. Colonel Carter ASAP, but you guys go get some well needed rest. Dismissed!"

Onboard the Imperial II Star Destroyer Cardia: One day after Sharnish

"Now that I've heard your report, let me get this straight." Captain Yamato asked, pacing around his ready room. "There seem to be at least one if not two major interstellar governments here, they have matter transport technology, and also apparently interstellar wormhole generation, and yet they use SLUGTHROWERS!"

"Not just slugthrowers, sir. One of the groups were using long energy rifles if you'll recall." Sara said helpfully as the others fidgeted nervously in their chairs.

"Well, after the Admiral got a look at this, he's decided to send you and your team to try and learn more about these groups. But also know, we've begun offensive operations, so you'll have to be careful. Now that we've 'extracted' all the relevant information out of your local pilot, don't look at me like that. I didn't order it you know. You can go prepare yourselves on the simulators. You've got at least a couple of days before you need to go."

Aschen Space: aboard a Lucian Alliance smuggler ship

"Hey Boss! How're we going to land here again?"

Brand, the pilot of the cargo ship, turned to face his subordinate, "We're going to coast in like a meteor and when we're close enough, power up and land." He turned away, shaking his head and wondering just what he had done to piss off his boss. Sighing, he turned back to the view screen. As his eyes widened and proximity alarms blared, he twisted his ship in a tight spin away from the impossibly huge wedge that just appeared right in front of him. "Give me more power!" he screamed at his engineer, or at lest what he had in place of one. "We're going into hyperspace NOW!"

Unfortunately, those would be his last words ever spoken. For a hotshot Imperial gunner took a pot shot at the small vessel with his capital turbolaser. The gunner gave a shrug as the rest of his crew congratulated him on his nice shot. Then they concentrated on the first world scheduled to fall to the Empire of the Eighth Fleet.

Aschen HQ: Same time

Alarms echoing in the background, the leaders of the Aschen were gathered to face the newest threat to them. The current speaker, the youngest of the group and the only one not involved in their failed Stargate program, was exhorting his fellows to, "— forget the past! We need someone's help now! Yes, I know that they gave us bad data for the Stargate addresses, but we were going to 'help' them ourselves. Currently we don't know the location of anyone else who exists, let alone be willing to help us. If we send a message now, and we lose, what will it matter? Yet if we do this and we survive, all we lose is our pride and arrogance." He paused glaring at the assembled elders and dared anyone to contradict him.

At the far end of the table, the eldest rose, "My boy, we are not ever sure of their own location, let alone if they would be willing to help us, their former allies. It is for this reason that the council has decided to defeat the invaders on our own." Turing to the rest of the council he closed the meeting with the simple phrase, "We are the Aschen, and we will prevail."

Pacing back and forth in his quarters in the underground bunker, Arlin waited for his aide to return. "Stupid old fools! Can't they see that these huge ships could do? They don't talk; they just sit up there and shoot! We've even seen that they've launched landing craft! And yet 'We will prevail!' Psh!"

A knock on the door interrupted his mutterings. Opening the door, he welcomed in the chief of Stargate security. Motioning him to take a seat, Arlin sank down behind his desk.

"You know the latest threat assessments. Report."

Fidgeting slightly under Arlins now stone cold eyes, the captain began. "Using what they've chosen to let us observe of their numbers and technology, we don't expect our limited aerospace force to last three more days. After that, we're not sure about the exact capabilities of their ground forces, but assuming the same level of advancement over our own under manned ground forces," he sighed, and deflated with despair. Continuing, he managed to get out, "Not more than a week, two at most for organized military action, maybe more if we hand over all major areas and wage a guerrilla war from the wilderness. I'm sorry sir, but there's nothing more we can do! They outclass us in every way!"

Arlin was visibly shaken, more at the captain's attitude more than anything else. "What about an address that the Earthers have been to, or set up an outpost? Have you had any luck?" Pleading against his own now oppressing despair, Arlin waited for the man to get himself back under control.

"That we've had better luck with. We've found one of their chief off-world settlements. From what we've been able to tell, it's called the Gamma Site."

Arlin sat up straighter with a slight gleam in his eye, "Good news at last! Captain, assemble a team for me. We're going to head right there as soon as possible. Bring the latest communication intercepts and Intel."

"Um, Sir? We haven't been able to determine what kind of method of communication they are using. It's not on any of the EM bands that we would think they'd be using."

Blinking slightly at this, Arlin brushed it aside, "Whatever. Bring what we have. I'll meet you in the gate room in fifteen minutes." With that, Arlin swept him out of the room to make a few last minute calls.

Gamma Site Gate Camera: Same Day

SCHRAM

The noise would have told any of a hundred peoples that something momentous was occurring. Unfortunately the camera installed out here lacked a microphone to transmit this important information back to its masters. Luckily, its masters had ways around that.

"—Ert! Unscheduled Off-world Activation! —"

"Whua?" The sleeping rating woke with a jerk. Quickly shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, he snuck a glance around to see if anyone had noticed. Seeing that no one even seemed to care, he finally realized what the alarm was saying. Spinning quickly around to his monitors he caught only the barest whisper,

"Good job. You should know that it's your problem."

On the monitors, five people stepped from the shimmering veil of the gate. Four of them were armed, he noted; assuming they were an equivalent to an SG team. The last person seemed to be a business exec, or a politician. However, the fact that he was wearing a suit helped.

"I wonder who they could be?" Running his mind through the list of people who could have access to suits like that, the list ended with… He lifted the phone by his elbow, and called the commander. "Sir! We have unscheduled off-worlders on planet. I think they might be with the Trust!"

After one of the comm. Techs pointed out where the Earth base was, Arlin didn't waste any more time. He ordered everyone to move out at the fastest possible pace. Barely an hour later, they were stopped just out of sight of the base by a group of armed soldiers.

"Halt! State your business with Earth, you Trust weasels!"

Arlin stepped forward to face the obvious leader. "We are not part of the 'Trust' that you speak of," Arlin spoke slowly and carefully. "I am Arlin, a member of the Aschen High Council, and I come to ask for your people's help." He stepped forward in a gesture of pleading.

Scratching his head, the lead guard said, "Well I can see that this will be confusing…"

SGC: Two hours later

If General Landry looked astonished after he had finished hearing the report from the Gamma site, he looked, well; it's kinda hard to say what he looked like after hearing from SG-1.

"So you're telling me that we were warned by yourselves from the future to stay away from theses Aschen, but that later we bumped into them on one of their colony planets. Then they tried to trick us into becoming a barren species and yet they got away with a list of very nasty surprises when they opened up their stargate?" SG-1 nodded, and he continued. "Yet you're still recommending that we send a team to check this situation out?"

Daniel spoke up first, "If they are telling the truth, then at least one segment of their population seems willing to trade and join the growing interstellar community, Sir."

Sam interjected, "If the threat is as big as they say it is, we'll need the kind of data we can get on them sooner rather than later. Also, sir, if the invaders are using the kinds of weaponry that SG-20 witnessed, then frankly, the Aschen don't stand a chance."

In the face of this seemingly united front, Landry turned to Teal'c, "what do you think Teal'c? I'd value your input on this."

"It would seem to be in our best interests at this time to assist the Aschen. If you do not object I will contact the Free Jaffa Nation to see if it would be able to send assistance." Teal'c got up and left for the gate room.

Mitchell put in his two bits, "Sir, I think that we should believe them. I've read the same reports that you have, but I think that we should go scope this out."

Seemingly defeated, Landry gave his 'orders', "Statr planning a recon mission with SG-20 to the Aschen homeworld. I'll get on the phone with Homeworld Security at once."

Everyone rose as he left, "Yes Sir!"

Gamma Site: one hour later

Arlin wished he knew more of what the Earthlings would decide. He had been here for over three hours, with no word on how things were progressing. It was both frustrating and understandable. That was why when he heard the guards at the door to his holding cell move he was more than prepared to face the news that his people's request for help would be turned down. That was also the reason that he nearly had a heart attack when the group that had confronted his people before stepped into the room.

"Welcome!" he managed to say. "I am glad to see such heroic members being sent to visit me." He paused and then continued. "Not trying o be presumptuous, but may I inquire as to the health of one Jack O'Neil?"

"Jack is doing fine. In fact, he was recently promoted back home." Mitchell said.

"I'm glad to hear it," Arlin replied. "What about my government's request?"

Surprised by the genuine feelings this man had, Sam told him.

Unnamed Eighth Fleet supply ship

Brown robed figures met in the dank confines of the room. It was unchanged except for the single lamp that illuminated the center of the room. Two figures entered the small spot of light, one tall and striding like a general. The other, hunched over, creaking along with a cane in his hands. Quiet settled over the assembled members of the Order.

"My Friends!" the tall one announced. "We have a clear sign that the time to move is at hand! The Fleet has moved against it's first enemy, and has met no resistance!"
From the back, where the light was darkest a voice cried out, "No resistance? Or just nothing our numbers could not overrun?"

The general-figure spun to face that voice. "Come on out Old Man. I know that you are the one hiding in the darkness!" That comment got a few appreciative chuckles. "Come out into the light so that we may all gaze on this naysayer of the 'dark side'"

"Fine then, I will." The brown robed man walked into the light by the general-figure. "I will come forward and also speak!" He raised his hands entreatingly. "My brothers. Do you not remember how things were before this dark war? Back in the time of the Old Republic! Back before Palpatine bade us to set aside our differences with the Sith for the good of the war against the Ssi-rui?" He lowered his voice. "But also my brothers, before the Civil War. This war that sets us all against each other? The new war between Light and Dark? Do we want to restart the path that led us to that war that we have just now been allowed to escape!"

"Get to the point Old Man."

"I propose that we send a few members to investigate this galaxy more thoroughly. We all know how badly Probe Droids can mess up. To put it bluntly, we have no idea what this galaxy holds. We should investigate things here."

"Who then would you nominate? One of your precious 'lightsiders'?"

'I know I'm going to regret this' he thought. "Not at all." He said to the astonishment of everyone. "I nominate Sara. She should be at least one of them. After that, we should pick four more teams. Two for my 'lightsiders' and two more for your Sith."

"This is acceptable." The hunched figure rasped. "This agreement is to the will of the Force. You will all agree to this course of action now, or else we will all fall."

Stunned, the leaders of he two factions conferred quickly, and then spoke as one, "Agreed."

TBC...