A/N: Once again, I appreciate the support. I hope this new 'spin off' gets more support and attention as it goes on. This is this episode's finale. I understand that this "episode" was a little fast; I had to introduce new characters, a new location, and a new enemy in the length of what would be a one hour episode (well, 45 minutes technically). The pace should slow down a bit after this. Please review and enjoy

"Does anyone speak the language that this guy is speaking?" Martin asked loudly as dozens of people walked by him in the SGC. Boxes and crates were stacked and piled high along the walls as people began wrapping them in plastic for transport. Carts stacked with supplies and equipment were being dragged down the hall.

It was the day before the Millennium Expedition. Amidst the chaos of preparing everything, Martin had been pulled over by a scientist who apparently only spoke in a foreign language and apparently won't let him go until he helped the guy.

"Anyone?!" Charles Martin called again as more people simply brushed by. "What language is this guy speaking?"

"It's Russian," a voice called out. Martin spun around for a second, trying to find the person who answered. It took a moment before he finally discerned the only person in the crowd who would definitively know this.

"Dr. Jackson," Charles greeted, surprised he didn't notice the man standing right beside the boxes. Daniel took a step forward, responding the Russian scientist in the same language. After a brief exchange in Russian, Daniel finally told the scientist: "Just put it in the hall outside the gate room."

"Thank you," the scientist said, dragging off a cart stacked with crates.

"He speaks English?" Charles said in disbelief, thinking about the several minutes he just spent trying to communicate.

"Oh, yes," Daniel said quickly with almost a hint of amusement. "He was just messing with you." Charles gawked for a moment.

"Seriously?" he coughed.

"Well, he thought your reaction was funny," Daniel said, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Brilliant," Martin groaned as he and Daniel began making their way down the hall.

"So why aren't you joining this expedition?" Martin asked as they brushed past the flow of people still packing. "You were so bloody eager to join the Atlantis Expedition."

"Yeah, Jack wants me to stick around," Jackson explained with a shrug. "He doesn't want me going off too far. They got Midway back up and running so I was able to convince him to let me go to Atlantis." Daniel remember when super-hive attacked earth. It took a while but Atlantis was able to get up and running and headed back to Pegasus.

"So I guess SG-1 is now being disbanded."

"Well, I wouldn't put it that way," Daniel said. "Mitchell and Vala are sticking around."

"But, Carter's being assigned to the Hammond, Teal'c's going back to the Jaffa Nation, and you're apparently off to Atlantis," Charles listed.

"Well, the only reason we all came back was to fight the Ori," Daniel babbled, suddenly talking incredibly fast. "This was what we had originally planned on doing. I was originally going to go to Atlantis on the Daedelus but an issue with Vala made me miss my trip. Now that the Ori aren't here, the only threat left is the Lucian Alliance and the SGC's got that covered."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down there, mate," Martin quickly cut in. "I only understand every fifth word."

"Right, sorry," Daniel said, realizing he had just started babbling. "I'm just saying, we only came back because of the Ori threat. Now that that's over, we're all going back to what we were originally going to do."

"Give it a week," Martin commented as he entered the gate room, where they had already begun dialing Midway. "You'll miss going off world."

"Chevron four, encoded," Harriman announced as the stargate's inner ring spun to find the next symbol.

"I'm going to be working off world," Daniel pointed out. "They're still going through the Atlantis data base; that's how they found out about Millennium. Who knows; they might find the addresses for other outposts too. I'm just happy I get go through the database myself now."

"Chevron five, encoded."

"Give it a week, you're gonna miss the exploration bit," Martin insisted.

"Maybe," Daniel shrugged. "On the flip side, it is going to nice not having the fate of our galaxy hang in the balance."

"We'll try not to ruin that," Martin joked, hoping that their first encounters would be friendly.

"Chevron six, encoded."

"Well, it would be nice to make an ally first thing in a new galaxy," Daniel remarked.

"Chevron seven, locked," Harriman announced. The Milky Way stargate charged up, energy surging through the conduits in its ring as massive tidal wave of water seemed to surge out of the ring, stopping mere feet from the base of the ramp, before flying back and settling into the stargate in a massive wall of shimmering water.

With the stargate open, the room came to life as hundreds of scientists, doctors, and soldiers began grabbing bags and heading through the gate.

Martin took a step forward and paused, taking a breath.

"Something wrong?" Daniel asked when he saw Martin hesitate.

"Nah," Charles shrugged. "Just, once I step through, I'm not gonna see my home, my family…earth, ever again."

"Not too late to reconsider."

"No," Charles said firmly. "I'm going through."

Martin picked up one of the backpacks laying at the side and slung it across his shoulder. Daniel grabbed two cases and he and Charles made their way up the ramp.

Martin stopped one more time in front of the stargate's event horizon, taking a deep breath, scarcely being able to imagine what awaits him in NGC 300. He let out a sigh and stepped through the shimmering wall of water.

Martin wondered how his life would have played out if he had chosen to turn back at that very moment. He would probably be at home, spending time with his sister and her children. Instead, he was with a team of thirty marines trying to surround the Ror'char ship docked to Millennium.

That section of the station hadn't been explored yet and the halls were left dark. Martin could barely see what the hall in front of him. He could see the black figures of the six marines with him sneaking down the hall. He knew twenty four others were also making their way to surround the ship.

Martin raised his fist, signaling his group to stop, as they neared the door which lead right to the hall the Ror'char forces were in. He quietly signaled four of the marines to take cover along the walls and the other two to move to the sides of the door. He and the two other marines jogged to the door, making sure they don't make too much noise. They pressed against the walls outside the door, making sure they cannot be seen. Even from there, they could hear footsteps in the hall from where they were.

Charles pressed the microphone on his earpiece closer to his mouth.

"This is Lieutenant Martin, we're in position," he whispered.

"Copy that, stand by," Donavan's voice replied. Martin fumbled as he took a periscope out of his pack. He inched the periscope around the corner.

"I have a visual," he whispered through the mike as he eyed the Ror'char troopers standing guard in the bay as he peered into the hall.

The troopers wore the same black suits and helmets as Krell and Dreas but they seemed a lot more imposing from where Martin stood. Several of them marched down the hall outside the hatch their ship had docked to while others stood guard near the entrance and the other doorways in the hall.

Martin didn't know how to feel about this. The only reason the Ror'char troops were all at their ship was because Krell thought that having troops spread too far around the station would make them feel threatened. If the Ror'char weren't the dictators and conquerors Corin described them as, then it would look very bad if they were caught.

-.-

"What the status on that ship?" Steven Chen asked as he went back to the control room.

Everyone was moving about, getting ready for the worst. It was almost ironic in Steven's eyes. The only reason they were so on edge was because of the ship. Having alien soldiers on the station was one thing but having a spaceship that might show up on their door step was another.

"Ship's still holding position," Donavan announced. Steven glanced at the conference room, where Mercer and Terra Nova were still talking with Krell and Dreas.

"At least the second one isn't here yet," Chen muttered, remembering that they had sent for an ambassador to arrive by ship.

"I was able to get the internal sensors online though," Donavan added.

"Make a map of the station on the monitors," Chen ordered. "We need to see what's happening." It took Donavan a moment to pull the readings up on the screen.

"I said map, not mess," Chen said stoically when he saw a jumbled mess of white lines and flashing dots appear on screen. It was obvious how to read it, the lines representing the wall and the dots representing the life signs in the station, but it was as if the scanner was showing every single floor in a slice of the station and it was impossible which line and life sign was on which floor.

"Sorry, let me fix it up," Donavan mumbled as he typed something into the computer. Chen watched as most of the lines and dots faded until a map of a section of the station became obvious. The three of them could see the layout of the hallways and the numerous life signs waiting in the large chamber and in the halls outside the chamber.

"Alright, there should be thirty-one life signs in the halls outside the bay the Ror'char ship is docked to," Chen said, noting that a massive group of life signs surrounded the bay.

"Then the twenty two life signs in the bay would be the Ror'char troopers," Donavan read from the sensors.

"Well, there's going to be a hell of a firefight if things go bad," Chen commented. "What about this station's weapons?" Steven thought about the ship waiting just outside the nebula. If things go bad, that ship will make its way to the station and attack.

"We still can't get them online," Donavan said, shaking his head.

"Well, let's hope things go well for Mercer and Terra," Steven said, realizing just how bad things will get if the negotiations go south. "We have to focus on winning the fight inside the station."

"Why's that?"

"The Alliance is still a thousand times more powerful than the Ror'char and that ship's an exploration force, not an invasion force. They'll only attack if they have some sort of an advantage."

"Like troops already in the station."

"Exactly. If we beat the Ror'char inside the Millennium that ship will probably leave."

Donavan gave Steven an uncertain look at the sound of the word 'probably'.

"It's all we have," Chen defended. "Look for an internal security measure or something." Donavan nodded in agreement as he went to work.

-.-

"We are doing this for the good of the galaxy," Dreas preached to Mercer and Nova. "Imagine it. A galaxy without war, crime, prejudice, poverty, but we can only succeed if the whole galaxy submits."

Nova thought out what Corin said about Ror'char propaganda. The Ror'char ruled by force and propagated that it was for the good of the galaxy. She didn't know if the emperor really believed this but Dreas and Krell believed this and the other Ror'char troopers probably believed this, and they would fight and die in order to bring about their order. They thought they were doing the right thing, that their cause was just, and they will not listen to anything that tells them otherwise.

"You do understand that there are other systems that could also bring about peace and order," Mercer said.

"Unfortunately, the order of those systems are only short term, they fade and the society degrades into chaos," Krell said. "I admit our way is not the easiest but it is the best. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good of the whole galaxy. We don't like it, but it is the only way."

Nova looked at General Mercer, whose face was now stiff, his eyes closed as he hung his head in disappointment.

"So much for an ally," Nova muttered.

-.-

"Uh…Charles," Chen said through the radio. "I'm reading three life signs coming down the hall behind you."

"Ror'char?" Martin asked as he and his men turned to face the doorway behind them. "Chen, we need way out." They had to hide before any of the Ror'char troopers saw them.

"They're already right outside the door!" Chen snapped. "There is no other way out!"

Just as Steven said this, Martin watched as three Ror'char troopers marched through the doors. Even after they marched in, Martin kept praying that they would not see the men in the hall. He prayed that, for some reason, they would have to turn around and march the other way. No such luck. After the Ror'char troopers marched in, took a moment before they realized that the hall was full Earth soldiers.

"Who are you?!" one of the troopers barked as they immediately raised their weapons. Martin and his men instinctively did the same as they heard the several Ror'char troops in the bay rush to see what was happening. They were surrounded.

-.-

Nova felt her fingers reach for the nine millimeter pistol she had holstered at her waist. It was obvious things were going to go bad.

Nova looked at the U-shaped table, analyzing her situation. They were on opposite ends of the table, putting about seven feet between her and the Dreas and Krell. A gunfight at that distance would be ugly. Both would shoot, neither would miss, and they would all die from it. No; at this distance the only option was fighting the old fashioned way. Nova moved her hand from her pistol to the knife she had sheathed.

"I'm afraid we cannot accept the terms for this alliance," General Mercer said. Nova grasped her knife.

"You condemn your people and the people of this galaxy, General," Krell said, still trying to convince Mercer.

"That is where we disagree," Mercer replied.

"Then, I'm afraid you leave me no choice," Krell said, his voice darkening. He stood up, clicking the radio attached to his suit.

"This is Underlord Exodan Krell; begin your advance through the station; no survivors."

-.-

Martin and his men were still at a standoff when he heard the order come through the Ror'char troopers' radios.

"Bugger," he muttered when he realized what was going to happen. "This is Lieutenant Martin, engage Ror'char forces!" he ordered at the very last moment. Whatever calm there was in that hall shattered like glass as gunfire erupted from both sides, the deafening sounds of weapons fire echoing down the hall like a storm. Bullets rained on the Ror'char troopers as bolts of blue energy streaked through the air like bolts of lightning. Martin could hear the yelling of his men as they opened fire on the Ror'char but couldn't hear what they were saying over the deafening sounds of the gunfire.

-.-

"We apologize, General, but we must do this," Krell said as Dreas grabbed the rifle leaning against his chair. Nova instantly reacted, leaping over the table toward Krell and Dreas. Dreas managed to raise his rifle but not before Nova had already reached him. By the time Dreas had pulled the trigger, Nova had managed to shove the barrel of the rifle toward the ceiling.

Nova has seen alien weapons fire before. She's seen the orange energy bolts from a staff weapon during her time at the SGC. She's seen them burst into a small ball of fire as they hit the wall. She expected the same thing to happen with this weapon, but it didn't. When the energy bolt struck the ceiling it didn't just burst into a small ball of fire; it exploded. A wall of fire surged from the spot where the energy bolt struck, debris and pieces of the ceiling rained to the ground.

Despite the massive explosion above her, Nova slashed at Dreas with her knife. Dreas instinctively let go of the rifle as her blade cut across his right wrist. He felt the warm flood flow out of his suit as she plunged her knife into his stomach, leg, and shoulder. Dreas keeled over and collapsed on the floor.

Nova turned to fight Krell but realized that the alien commander was gone.

"Major Nova," Mercer said. Nova looked up and realized that General Mercer had not moved an inch since the fighting started. "Stop him."

She gave the general a nod before taking off down the hall, drawing her pistol as she ran. The room fell quiet once again as General Mercer slowly stood up, his eyes fixed on Dreas's body.

"There is no need to continue the charade, Vos Dreas," Mercer said calmly, walking around the table. "I know you're still alive."

The moment Mercer said that, Dreas's hand shot to his rifle. Mercer watched calmly as Dreas rose to his feet, rifle aimed right at the general.

"You should've run when you had the chance," Dreas hissed maliciously with a demented smile.

"I am not one to run from a fight," Mercer said calmly as he turned away from Dreas, fiddling with something in his hand.

"I'm glad you didn't," Dreas said. "Now, I get to kill you because of it." Dreas smiled at the thought. He didn't know how the fight will go but he will cripple the Earth expedition by killing their leader.

Mercer simply raised an eye brow when he heard this.

"Then fire your weapon," he said, not moving from the spot. Dreas's smile vanished when heard this. He's never heard a person so calmly ask to be killed; it was almost eerie to him. Dreas shook it off, raised his rifle, and pulled the trigger. He's executed hundreds of people before, watching their bodies collapse to the ground in a smoking heap from his weapon. He expected this to be no different. The blue bolt of energy shot from the end of the wasp-shaped rifle, streaking through the air, and exploding on impact. A wall of fire shot out from where the bolt hit, a cloud of smoke floating up into the air.

Dreas looked up in disbelief. An orange field of energy had formed around General Mercer right before the bolt of energy hit, protecting him from the weapons fire.

Mercer slowly turned around, his calm expression gone, replaced with a menacing glare.

"My turn," Mercer said, but it wasn't his voice. It had changed, deepened; it almost seemed to echo through the room.

Dreas did not know what to do or how to react. He would swear Mercer's eyes flashed as the general slowly lifted his left hand, revealing a golden metal gauntlet with a red gem nestled in the center which began to glow furiously.

-.-

"Martin, it's Chen, do you hear me?!" Chen shouted through the radio.

"Little busy here, mate!" Martin shouted back over the roar of gunfire. The halls were scorched by the Ror'char energy weapons, smoldering craters the size of watermelons sizzling in the walls. The halls were riddled with bullet holes and the floor was carpeted by bullet shells.

Martin thought his ears were going to implode from all the noise. He couldn't tell what's happening. He fired bursts of bullets into the bay where the Ror'char troopers were but he couldn't tell if they hit their mark. The weapons fire from both their guns and the Ror'char weapons filled the hall with nauseating nonstop flashes of light.

"Charles, do you have any men in the bay?" Chen yelled from the control room. He couldn't tell if Martin could hear his voice over the noise.

"No!"

"Martin, keep your men out of the bay until I give the all clear!" Chen yelled through the radio. He waited for a response but all that came through was static. "Martin, do you hear me?!"

"Roger that," Martin's voice finally came through.

Hearing this, Chen sprang into action hammering away at the keyboard.

"What are you doing?" Donavan asked as Chen furiously continued working.

"Twiddling with the artificial gravity," Chen explained. "The Millennium's central city uses artificial gravity plates. The floor is tiled with grav-plates. All I need to do is increase the grav-strength a couple hundred times, and everyone in the bay is going to get crushed under their own weight."

"Kinda brutal," Donavan remarked, picturing the Ror'char troopers being crushed by their own weight, their bodies folding over as every bone in their body snapped, unable to take the strain.

"We don't have a choice," Chen argued. "If we don't clear out the forces in the station, there's no way we can scare that ship off."

Chen had just finished up when he heard screaming and yelling behind him. Chen whipped around as three of the guards in the room raised their weapons.

"Not good," Chen breathed as Krell marched into the room. No one had a chance to react. Krell grabbed one of the nearby technicians and pressed his weapon against her head.

"GET OUT!" he ordered. Nova rushed in but it was too late. Her heart sank when she saw Krell with a hostage. She had hoped to end it quickly; put a bullet into him and end it. But she was too late.

"Let her go," Nova demanded, raising her pistol.

Nova looked at Krell's hostage. It was just one of the technicians that came from Earth. One of many technicians. If she dies, any of the other technicians could take her place. Her death will not have any lasting impact on their expedition. Nova didn't know her and probably will never even bother trying to get to know her. Personally, she didn't care about that woman at all.

But that didn't matter. It didn't matter how little that technician meant to Nova; it didn't matter how replaceable she was. Krell could extinguish his hostage's life as easily as snuffing a candle. That woman's story would end there and then. It would begin with her birth, being brought into the world in her parents' arms. It would continue with her growing up, playing with her parents, going to school, dating, graduating high school, going to college. Nova stared at Krell's hostage, whose life story was not much different than her own. But, if Nova makes a wrong move, it would end at the barrel of Krell's weapon. That woman may not mean much to her but she means something to someone else.

Her mind raced as she tried to think of a solution. Whatever they would try to do, Krell could kill his hostage. Nova lined her pistol with Krell but didn't shoot. If her shot wasn't the killing blow Krell could still kill his hostage and that's assuming she doesn't miss.

"You know how this game is played, Major Nova," Krell said, pressing the barrel of his weapon against his hostage's head.

"And how do I know you won't kill her once you're done?" Nova demanded to know. She tried lining her sights with Krell but she didn't dare fire.

"Pointless question," Krell scoffed. "I won't bother telling you I won't hurt her; my word is meaningless to you. But you don't have a choice. Do what I say and I might kill her once I'm done but if you don't do what I say, I WILL KILL HER." Nova knew what he said was true. It didn't matter if Krell gave his word or not, she wouldn't believe it. And, even that wouldn't matter because she doesn't have a choice.

Krell gestured toward the group of people in the control room. Nova groaned in frustration. She did as Krell wanted and slowly walked into the control room, her weapon still raised, praying that another guard will come up from behind Krell and shoot him.

"Into the hall," Krell ordered. Nova hesitated for a moment but complied. She and everyone else in the control room slowly inched down the hall. Krell observed as one of the guards waved his hand over the buttons beside the door. As everyone from the control room filed into the hallway outside, Krell spied the same button on the other side of the doorway.

There was a moment of silence as everyone waited to see what Krell would do once everyone was out of the control room.

"A deal's a deal," Krell said, aiming his weapon at the button in the hall and shooting it. Fire leapt out of the panel as it exploded into burning debris, the stunning boom of the explosion echoing down the hall. He shoved the technician into the hall and immediately closed the door.

Krell knew he didn't have much time before they found a way around or more guards came. He had to work fast. Finding the DHD was easy, the only control console with an array of buttons and symbols. He took him a moment to find the unique symbol that would be the point of origin but once he did Krell immediately began dialing.

The stargate hummed to life as power surge into it. Its inner ring began to spin, spinning so fast the symbols became a blur, as if it was looking for the first symbol. Once the first symbol found its way to the top of the stargate, the milky-white opal slid down, locking the chevron into place as another opal on the gate lit up. The ring began to spin again and the second chevron soon locked into place.

Krell knew he didn't have to watch all seven chevrons engage. He made his way down the steps to the gate room. He had just arrived as the seventh chevron locked into place. Energy surged through the metallic ring as a wall of water surged forth, freezing in midair for a moment before flying back into the center of the ring, settling as a massive wall of glittering water.

Krell smiled as he took a step forward, not realizing he was being watched. Krell had nearly reached the event horizon when he heard a yell. He turned around just barely in time to see Corin sprinting down the hall, tackling Krell to the ground. Corin wrestled with Krell for a moment, trying to hold the Ror'char leader down, but it wasn't enough. Krell soon tossed Corin off. Corin Nevec jumped back to his feet but was too slow. Krell had raised his rifle to Corin's face.

Corin stared down the barrel of the wasp-shaped rifle, expecting Krell to pull the trigger.

"Wait a moment," Krell said with a smile. "I know you." The alien commander stared at Corin for a moment. "I remember you; you were the groom." Corin felt his fists clench when Krell said that, thinking about his wedding day. Krell could see Corin's frustration and anger.

"Out for revenge, I'm guessing," Krell commented, almost amused by Corin joined an alien race to achieve this. He glanced down at the halls that led to the gate room and control room. It had barley been a minute since he forced everyone out of the control room so the halls were still empty. He had time.

Krell smiled as he slowly backed up, lowering his rifle. He took a step back, gently placing his rifle on the ground and sliding half of it through the event horizon so it wouldn't close, at least not yet.

"You're move, Corin Nevec," Krell said with a smile, his black eyes narrowing. Corin couldn't believe it. Krell was actually giving him the chance to take revenge. It was not an opportunity he was going to waste.

Unfortunately, fighting was not something Corin was good at. He was a teacher taking on a trained killer. Every nerve in Corin's body told him to turn and run away; he wasn't a fighter. But if he ran, Krell would escape and he would lose his chance for revenge. He had to keep fighting. But, he was completely outclassed. Every flailing punch Corin threw was blocked while Krell pummeled him with punches and kicks. White light flashed before his eyes every time a punch landed on his cheek, his ears ringing as the world blurred for a second. The kicks to his stomach and chest forced the air out of him so fast it felt like his lungs imploded. Corin tried tackling Krell to the ground again but was merely tossed to the side. Corin could tell; Krell was toying with him. It didn't matter. If Corin could just prevent Krell from getting through the stargate, the soldiers from earth could finish him off. But, Corin didn't know how much longer he could stop Krell from going. It had only been about thirty seconds but Corin was already on the ground, battered and bruised.

"You disappoint your wife, Corin Nevec," Krell announced loudly. "I gave you the chance to kill her killer…and you can't even do that." Krell looked down the halls again. He couldn't wait any longer. Earth forces would be storming in at any moment now.

"Give your wife my best regards," Krell said as knelt beside Corin, pulling out his dagger.

Krell didn't have time to do anything though. He just about to finish Corin off when a bang seemed to shatter the air. Krell ducked as a bullet streaked through the air and hit the stargate behind him. Krell looked up and saw Nova charging down the hall, firing her pistol. Krell flung his dagger at Nova. She ducked just as the blade flew past her. The chances of a flying knife killing its target is unlikely at best, but Krell didn't throw it to kill her. It was a distraction and it worked. By the time Nova looked up, Krell had vanished through the stargate. Nova rushed forward. She couldn't rush after him but she could at least keep the wormhole open. Too late. The shimmering wall of water vanished before Terra could reach it. Silence fell on the room as the violence ended.

Guards and soldiers flooded into the gate room, just seconds too late.

"He's gone," Corin breathed through clenched teeth as he sat back up. His chance at revenge had just slipped through his fingers.

"It's one less problem we have," Nova said, helping Corin get up. Corin only told Chen about his vendetta against Krell; Nova didn't know how much Corin wanted Krell dead.

Chen rushed past everyone and ran to the control room.

"Charles, you still there?" Chen asked over the radio.

"Yeah, we're fine," Martin replied through the radio. Steven gave a sigh of relief.

"You're clear to enter the bay," he said.

"Roger that, but whatever ship they had docked just left." Charles looked at the now closed door which once led to the ship which the Ror'char docked to the station with.

"Wait, what?" Steven asked as Nova helped an injured Corin to the control room.

"They're gone. One of Ror'char soldiers ran into the ship before you did whatever you did, and it left."

Footsteps echoed through the room as General Mercer came up the steps, his hands folded behind his back.

"Major," he greeted. "I hope I'm not too late."

"No, you're just in time, sir," Nova said as she watched the screens. "

"What's the status of the ships?" Mercer asked.

"Leaving," Steven said. "We're letting it go."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Martin asked nervously.

"The Ror'char aren't as advanced as the races that built this station," Corin explained as he teetered on his only not-twisted ankle. "If they think we have this station, they'll retreat."

"Yeah, this time," Matin pointed out.

"It's all we have!" Chen snapped, staring at the monitors.

He could see the blip on the monitors that represented the ship. It held still, floating at the edge of the nebula, waiting for a response form the ship that docked with the Millennium. Does this one ship dare to take on the power of the Four Great Races?

"They're opening a hyperspace window," Donavan read. "They're leaving."

Nova gave a sigh of relief as she watched the blip on the screen vanish. It was over.

"What about that other guy?" Steven asked, remembering Krell had a subordinate with him.

"Major Nova made short work of him," General said with an approving nod toward Nova. "Good work…all of you."

-.-

"Hell, it's about time," Chen said days later as he strolled into the gate room in his new black gear and uniform with a P90 hanging from his shoulder, where his other teammates were waiting for him.

Corin was staring at the Beretta M9 handgun he was given.

"You're aware I have no idea how to use this, right?" Corin said nervously, praying that they don't get into many firefights.

"That's why we're only givin' you the pistol," Martin said chuckled in his Australian accent as he walked by, his M4 carbine slung over his shoulder.

"Good thing I'm a fast learner," Corin said as he struggled to holster his gun. "I've already learned four other Earth languages and started learning Alliance languages."

"How?" Martin began asking.

"I had a lot of free time doing nothing in the infirmary," Corin interrupted, thinking about how long he spent in the infirmary healing up from his fight with Krell.

"Well, if we ever need to ask the enemy to surrender in another language, we know who to turn to," Chen said sarcastically.

"Oh, you're funny," Corin said unappreciatively. Chen seemed to be angrier than he usually was.

"He's just sulking," Nova said as she walked into the gate room, carrying her P90. "He'll get over it."

"Over what?"

"Remember when I had to up the power in the gravity plates," Chen explained. "Apparently it caused a short circuit and I had to re-hook the generators…again. I'm not your friendly-neighborhood electrician here."

"No, you're the cranky-intergalactic-explorer," Martin joked.

"Major Nova," General Mercer called out from the control room, his back straight and his hands folded behind his back. "Is your team ready?"

"Ready, sir," Nova said, looking at Charles Martin, Steven Chen, and Corin Nevec.

"Dial it up," Mercer ordered Donavan, who began punching the symbols into the DHD.

The stargate hummed to life as its inner ring began spinning as it tried to find the first symbol, which made its way to the top. The opal slid down and locked the chevron as another opal clamed to the side lit up.

"So what do we know about this planet?" Nova asked as the gate continued dialing.

"Well, the MALP showed rocks," Chen said. "Nice big circle of rocks around the gate."

"Which could be signs of civilization," Corin pointed out.

"You seem rehearsed," Chen remarked as another chevron was locked in.

"I was language and history professor," Corin pointed out. "The Ror'char don't exactly let people just leave, so this is exciting for me."

The last chevron locked in. The stargate's launched its wave forward which then flew back into its ring and settled as a shimmering puddle.

"Gentlemen," Nova said. With that, the four of them started up the ramp. After so long, from the SGC, to Atlantis, to Destiny, another team had been launched in search of another adventure.

Mercer watched as Nova's team vanished through the event horizon. Standing from the control room of an alien city made Mercer think about the moments right before the left, when he watched the stargate from the control room of Atlantis.

"General Mercer," Woolsey said when he saw the general just staring at the gate.

"Just reminiscing," Mercer said calmly, folding his arms behind his back. Only Atlantis had the three ZPM's necessary for the trip. Mercer watched as hundreds of people getting ready for the final trip to Millennium. A MALP was already ready and people were scurrying to finish final preparations.

Even the general had a huge knapsack full of equipment waiting at the side.

"So our Milky Way allies didn't change their mind? We did offer a joint expedition."

"The Free Jaffa Nation are not interested in intergalactic exploration," Mercer explained. "And the tok'ra are content with the arrangements that have been made."

"The expedition members don't know, do they?" Woolsey asked when Mercer mentioned the arrangements.

"The arrangement was a compromise," Mercer said. "If the expedition members knew it may affect the chain of command of the expedition. It has to remain a secret…at least for now."

"Everything's ready," Chuck suddenly said from his seat in front of the DHD. "Should I start dialing?"

"Not yet," Mercer said. "I'd like to say a few words first." He swung his knapsack over his shoulders as he slowly walked down the steps.

"May I have your attention please," Mercer announced. It was almost incredible how loud he could be at his age. At the sound of his voice, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to lo see what he had to say.

"This is it. We've been moving supplies from the SGC, to Midway, to Atlantis, now to the Millennium. Once the gate is active, we will send the MALP and go. This is our last stop… in every sense of the phrase. Once you step through, there is no turning back. As all of you are aware, we are exploring a galaxy further than we've ever traveled. We may never see Earth again. If anyone wishes to withdraw from this expedition, do so now."

Mercer scanned the crowd, who stayed where they were. They were all going through with this.

"I imagine this is hard for many of you," Mercer continued. "The idea of leaving behind your homes and traveling to a new galaxy may like an impossible achievement, but the fact that we stand here now, in an alien city in another galaxy, is a testament to what we can achieve. We made it this far thanks to our indomitable and the strength of our resolve to unlock the secrets of the universe. Now it is time to tap into that same resolve to continue unlocking the secrets of the universe. I cannot promise that we'll see Earth again…but I can promise the adventure of a lifetime."

Mercer looked at Chuck and finally gave the command: "Begin the dialing sequence."