A New Player
At another sphere in the galaxy, the Victory had picked up the two SG teams, along with a third, General Landry ordered to go with them. The ship was two minutes from exiting hyperspace in the vicinity of P9K 778, Dmitri sat uncomfortably in his seat. He worried about an ambush, it had been two days since the SG teams were there, anything could have happened since then. He turned to Major Chung.
"XO, I don't like the feel of this, drop out of hyperspace now, we'll re-coordinate our vector to bring us in behind the larger of the planet's three moons."
Chung. "Aye sir. And sir..."
Dmitri. "Yes?"
"Good plan sir. We still have a couple of systems not yet fully on line sir."
At two thousand kilometres behind the planets largest moon, well out of tracking range of any possible force on P9K 778, Victory's hyper window opened and the warship exited and came to a halt. Dmitri ordered coms to send a message to Ishta, to reroute to their present position.
Anne was just finishing a dressing on one of the ship's ground force officers. Major Heine Keller, he had taken a fall in one of the hangar decks, playing basketball. The big man sat emotionless as Anne tugged on the last of eight stitches in his left knee, he would not take a local for it, he said pain was good for the soul. She rolled his pants leg down and spoke to him.
"Major if I may speak candidly?"
"Please do doctor, ma'am." He said in his Bavarian accent, tinged with a little bit of Louisiana.
She looked up at him and smiled. "This would not have been so bad, if you were to lose a little weight. You probably might have just bounced right off that floor."
Keller laughed heartily. "Ah doctor, my wife has been trying to get me to lose weight for near on twenty years. My dad was a big man, my grandfather was and my brothers are. But ma'am, I will take it under advisement. Especially so I guess, as I get a little older, it mightn't hurt to shred a few kilo's." He laughed again.
Anne was reading his file. "Mmm, says here you're forty eight. Came up through the ranks, first in your native Germany, you immigrated and after citizenship, joined the US Army and got into the Delta Force. That's pretty good going don't you think Major?"
Keller wasn't quite sure of the angle the doctor was getting at, so he just answered casually. "Yeah, I guess so ma'am."
Anne eased his concern. "Don't worry Major, I just like to know my patients a little better than most doctors do. But I will say this in earnest, ease up a bit alright. I'm putting you on light duties for seven days, you should be fine then after I remove the stitches"
Now he found the angle, the Doc was the same as his mother, concerned, but not so as she would seem to be pushy. He liked her, he thought the rest of the crew would as well. Probably spend a lot of time finding stupid little reasons to visit the ship's doctor. He'll have to watch that in those, under his command. "Was there anything else ma'am."
"Ah yes there was Major. Is Captain Julie Henderson attached to one of your units now?" Anne inquired.
"Yes ma'am. I gave her delta squad earlier today. Is there a problem doctor?"
"No of course not. But there was something I needed to check with her. Could you send her up when you return to the combat squad rooms please."
Keller smiled. "She's not preg.."
"Major, please." She just glared at him, which only served to make him chuckle again. 'A very happy man that one.' Anne thought to herself as he left.
Lt. Adams called out to his commander. "Sir, we have a bearing on a ship heading for the planet at an extreme velocity sir. Speed point eight niner of light sir, unidentified sir, it's not Ori or anything else in our data base."
"Say again Lieutenant, speed?" Dmitri said.
"Zero point eight niner of light sir and we have nothing of it on our data base sir."
"Track it Adams."
"Ah sir, we'll lose it while we're behind this moon sir."
"I know that Lieutenant. Major Chung, order a cloaked 401 to follow that craft and see what it does, passive tracking only. But tell the pilot to keep out of any weapons range of anything else he sees. Do it now"
"Yes sir." The XO replied.
A sharp pinging alarm signalled a hail from one of Ishta's ships on station with the Victory. Commander Helak, Ishta's second came on screen. Dmitri addressed him. "Commander yes?"
"Colonel our sensors picked up a strange ship a moment ago."
"Yes Helak, we saw it. Do you have any idea of it's origins?"
"Myself no sir. But one of my crew who had once served with Camelus, said that a long time ago his former master tried to attack a world and was sorely beaten. No other Goa'uld ever dared challenge them again, it was a world they called the Aschen sir."
Not many of the crew had ever actually served directly with the SGC, those few that had, were not with that command very long. Yet a couple of older hands had. One of them a signals officer; had served eleven years with Stargate Command. He knew perfectly well who the Aschen were. He dropped the cup in his hand when he heard Helak's message, all the bridge crew turned to him to see the whitened visage of his face.
Keira Porter and her crew of three, arced around the largest moon of P9K 778, the 401 was cloaked and she checked her speed. In subspace there was no way in hell she could catch the mysterious ship. Her scanner operators tracked the vessel though, as it raced toward the planet. At around ten thousand kilometres from it's obvious target, it began to slow down to almost normal subspace speed. The Lieutenant banked, to take the 401 around the planet's circumference, the continents clearly coming into view as she rapidly got closer. Briefly as the other ship came around the planet ahead of her, they momentarily lost it's signal. The coast lines of the centre most continent, the one where the Stargate was located, became apparent and Keira spoke aloud. "Holy mother of God...will you look at that!"
The other three leaned forward to peer at the horizon beyond them. They were about a three hundred kilometres away from where they picked up the signal again. Lt. Porter brought the 401 to a virtual standstill. In front of them, hovering above the planet's surface, were no less than nine Ori warships in the distance, showing on their monitors. Whether they had detected the inbound craft, or the Tornado was unknown, for none of them made any obvious reaction. The crew of the 401 watched on screen, via the craft's long range camera, the events far beyond Mk 1 eyeball perception. Dwarfed by the larger vessels, the strange craft came at the Ori from an almost vertical approach from above. It fired from what appeared to be a top hull mounted weapon station, the blue beam of it's ordinance, passing totally through one ship, then slicing through the rear section of another. The Ori ships spread out, the 401's sensors detecting weapons being charged and shields active. For big ships, they were fast, but this ship, whatever it was, was much faster. Keira and her friends could just make out the definition of it. Probably three or four times the size of a 401, it was long and slender, she imagined like if someone had designed a space version of a fast attack naval craft. It was very dark, perhaps grey in colour.
On board the second damaged Ori ship, personnel ran every which way. Alarm klaxon's sounding on all decks. The warship began venting atmosphere through the breach in it's rear section. In moments it will begin to break up, the damage too severe. In their last breaths, some of the crew witnessed the first ship explode violently not far from them. A lot of them cursed, the Ori said they would be victorious, nothing could harm them.
Keira pointed out the window. "Are you guys seeing this?" She asked, as the raider peeled away from it's devastating attack, only to turn and face the remaining warships head on. Though they had spread far apart, it did not seem to matter to the insane captain of that little warship. The Ori fired at it, every time missing by a hair. His cannon opened up again, blasting a huge chunk out of another of the remaining seven. It wasn't a fatal blow, but it was out of the fight. Then to the amazement of the 401 crew, the attacker withdrew. He literally, rolled and turned from his last attack and sped off into the far blackness of space. The Ori ships regrouped, seemingly unsure perhaps as to their course of action, then their enemy was back as fast as it did the first time, blowing the previously crippled ship to pieces, then it broke off again.
The Ori commanders must have grew tired of the small ship's game. This time they pursued it until all ships were way beyond the Tornado's standard sensors. Sergeant Wiseman, the tactical operator, switched to long range, the ships were now far from the planet. Porter was tempted to do a surface scan, but hesitated. They all agreed to wait a bit longer. After almost ten minutes just sitting there, the skipper of the 401 determined they should carry out the survey below. The Lieutenant was about to alter their position when Wiseman called out. "Ah..er skipper, you might wanna hang off a bit. That ship just entered hyperspace and the Ori are turning back."
"Well we've got at least ten minutes...we can..." Keira started to say.
"Lieutenant, the scanner indicates that vessel is returning about...now." Wiseman replied.
A hyper-window opened just above the surface of the planet. Bursting through the event at speed, the grey ship drove downwards, entering the atmosphere near to the area of the Stargate. The 401 captain ascertained a small risk was worth getting more intel on this curious warship. Not to mention it's tactics.
Porter pushed the Tornado down hard and went into a large circling pattern around the area, still cloaked as it was, she hoped all, if any ground attention would be on the raider.
Warrant Officer Dubois on the second tactical displays, informed his skipper there appeared to be a large massing of what could be a military garrison, it was spread out quite far and if it were troops they were looking at, somewhere in the vicinity of two hundred thousand would be a conservative estimate.
The little warship was not far above the surface now, at sub sonic speed it's course taking past the Stargate toward the largest congregation of activity. The crew in the 401 observed with amazement, when the seemingly advanced craft, started dropping what appeared to be conventional ordinance. Perhaps cluster bombs and large general purpose bombs. This was weird, they were watching a vessel capable of blowing Ori ships up with ease, reverting to what most societies outside of Earth, would regard as primitive devices of war. The ship drew fire from below, it even suffered a couple of small hits, which showed it was not well shielded. It did not seem to matter though, the craft made another two passes, and scored some major hits, then broke off and headed straight for the Tornado.
Coming alongside the cloaked 401 and flying in formation with it, the raider opened a broadcast channel. "Cloaked ship, I know you're there, please identify yourself, I have my main battery aimed at you and I will fire if you don't uncloak immediately." The radio voice demanded.
Porter's crew looked across at the ship flying with it. Surprise was registered on all their faces. Though the 401 does have an energy signature whilst cloaked, they are still very difficult to detect. It may well be this ship has detection capability unknown to other technologies. Porter nodded to Wiseman, he uncloaked the ship. The crew looked the sleek ship over. It certainly was a warrior. Almost every conceivable panel had been patched over with a mismatch of sheeting. The few small hits from the Ori engagement were plainly visible, there would be more patches. While looking over the ship, Porter and her team noticed something unusual, on the nose was painted a figure of a young woman, dressed in military apparel, obviously of Earth origin, a loosely stylised version of that, the SGC's Marines were wearing some years ago. The woman in the painting had long red hair and was carrying a mini-gun of all things. But the most curious thing was the name painted underneath, 'Julie's Justice'.
"What the hell..." Lt. Porter and her co-pilot Sub Lt. Surrudhin said in unison. "It looks like an overgrown F117, all flat sides and all...but, God it's done up like one of those old WW2 bombers." Lisa Surrudhin exclaimed. "Damn kill markings as well." She noted looking at the dozens of small symbols painted beneath the cockpit. Well, where the cockpit should be. At this time they couldn't see because there appeared to be some kind of covering over what might be the glazing. Those covers slid down into recesses and they were now staring at a pilot, co-pilot perhaps and some other crewmen, all staring equally as hard, back at them. Hard men by their looks, youngish maybe, they were all bearded, rough unkempt hair. Looking for all the world like pirates; which they were probably trying to emulate, Lisa pointed to the tailplane, where a skull and cross-bones had been painted. These men must somehow be from Earth, but who were they?
"Do you mind if I know who I am addressing?" Obviously it was the pilot talking to them. "You'll have to talk quickly though, those Ori will be back here shortly."
Carl Wiseman turned away from his console and leaned close to his skipper. "Lieutenant, if I'm not mistaken, isn't that an Australian accent?" He all but whispered. Porter just nodded in the affirmative. She wasn't quite sure how this should proceed, so she went with caution.
"I'm afraid I can't give that information to you freely sir, but it may well be we are on the same side. You could follow us to our Command ship, where we could continue this conversation more freely." There, that should be enough to gauge their leanings.
"Ah, negative on that I'm sorry. But I agree we are on the same side. Perhaps at another time soon. There is one thing you could do for us though, since you are from Earth." The pilot asked of them.
"Yes what is it?" Porter asked impatiently.
"There was a Marine officer with the SGC a few years back, Julie Henderson. If you could track her down, tell her...tell her Ben will see her again soon." Then the ship pulled away and as fast as it came, it was gone. When it did, Keira noted that aside from the ship's main weapon located atop it's hull, various other weapon stations were affixed to it in turrets, some looking to house what might be conventional multi barrelled MG's. How strange she thought.
"Skipper, he was right, those Ori are heading back this way, we better skedaddle." WO Dubois gave a warning.
Keira was still in a slight state of shock, she had to give her head a shake to clear her thoughts. "Yeah righto Dub, we're outta' here." And with that the 401 returned at speed to the Victory. "Man...this is gonna be some briefing." She told her crew.
"Keira, we've got a data burst from that ship, they must have sent it just prior to leaving." Lisa said.
"What is it Li?"
"I don't know, it's encrypted, but at the end it has, 'To Sam, I hope you find this useful'."
"I'll Betcha ten bucks that's for Colonel Carter." Wiseman said nonchalantly.
Anne sat on the edge of her stool in the Med lab, Julie Henderson stood opposite the older woman she knew was about to ask her a lot of questions, she felt quite foolish, fidgety as well. Julie was well aware this day had to come...she was not sure though if she was prepared for it though. 'God' she thought, buck up girl, you're thirty-two years old now, not a little kid.' Then pushed those words to the back of her mind when Anne spoke softly to her. She had this silly habit of tugging at her long red hair when she was nervous. She did so now, the regulation bun, had moments ago, come undone as if it had a mind of it's own.
Anne spoke softly. "Would you mind sitting please Captain." It wasn't a request. Julie pulled up another stool and obeyed the command. "I want you to tell me everything, from the start. But most of all I want to know why you believe Ben is still alive." There, his mother came straight to the point.
"Good that's the way Henderson did things herself. She may well end up liking Ben's mum, as much as her own, God rest her soul."
Julie related to Anne everything she could possibly remember. From the day Ben walked into her life, his first day at the SGC, what was it? Nine years ago in the mess. This quiet young Aussie kid, tall almost awkward looking, but strikingly handsome. A year younger than herself, he politely asked if he could sit with her. Of course she said yes. He talked little that first meeting, but in time she got to know him as well as anyone could. He never spoke much of his family, only that he loved them, but they weren't to know where he was. In fact he even told her the SGC did not realise who he really was. They grew close, until that last time she saw him, embarking with his team, SG11, through the gate. She remembered so clearly on that day though, Sam Carter watching the team depart, looking hard at the young RAN sub lieutenant, as if she knew him. But at the time, everyone at the SGC knew him only as a US Marine officer, he had perfected the accent to a T.
"Did you love him Julie?"Anne asked bluntly.
"Yes, very much and I still do." She withdrew her service tag chain from around her neck, to show the glittering diamond engagement ring. "Ben gave this to me, two nights before that last mission, I said yes." Tears ran down her cheeks freely. It was Anne's grandmother's, which Anne had given to her son, for the day when he would find the woman he loved.
Anne MacGregor eyed the Marine Captain with new appraisal. For nine years this young woman had waited for her son, not knowing if he'd ever come back. Not even being sure all those years if he was still alive...or did she know? "Alright then, Julie, tell me how you are so sure Ben is still alive?" No messing around, that trait she shared with her husband.
It was then Julie told her the most incredible story. So incredible, Anne believed it could not have been fabricated. As well there would be proof and evidence to corroborate the details. "About four years ago I was attached to another SG team, my regular team having all come down with some nasty virus. I was spared, because at the time I was on leave, visiting my sister. The SGC had gotten some pretty reliable intel on a minor Goa'uld who was willing to trade information on Anubis in exchange for amnesty and possible asylum on Earth." Julie paused to sip some water. "We had to make several gate diversions along the way, the Goa'uld having left encrypted instructions, that we must not be seen or followed at any point. Finally we came to an isolated planet on the edge of the galaxy, so far out of the way, it wasn't in the SGC's data base of addresses, including those of the Ancients. In a small town, quite modern actually, perhaps at an era equivalent to Earth's around the sixties..."
Anne interrupts blithely. "Ah, good times."
Julie. "What...oh, yeah, my folks always said that. Anyway when we came through their gate, we were met by a guy in uniform, a cop actually. He told us to go to a certain street and look for the local medical centre, there he said we'll find a Doctor Selene, we need to speak to." Julie stopped mid sentence, Anne could see she was thinking of something.
Anne. "What is it Julie?"
Julie. "Oh, something just occurred to me. No one mentioned it at the time, but that place was a copy of any middling town of Earth if ever there was, from that era. When we were walking to find the place we had to go to, I caught sight of a Gas Station up a side street. I didn't think anything of at the time, you know we'd seen some pretty weird stuff travelling through the Gate. But you know ma'am, I could have sworn I saw an old Buick sedan pull out from there. Apart from that, all the sign-age was in Ancient script, but the language was a form of Celtic. Crazy eh?"
Sarah Connolly pulled the sealed envelope from her jacket pocket, Jack had given it to her just before she and her new XO Major Hailey left the Pentagon. She quickly read over the orders which she had already memorised and skipped down to the last part, where she raised her eyebrows at the words...you are to take the position as second in command of the fleet, under Admiral William MacGregor. You will report directly to him and in the event of his incapacity, assume command of the fleet. She folded the letter and slipped it back into her pocket and turned to her pilot. "How long Jen?"
"Two minutes out ma'am. We've got a hail from Ishta now."
"Good I'll take it."
"Welcome back Sarah, I'm sorry your leave was cut short. How was Master Brat'ac?" The Sun haired commander said quietly.
"He's good Ishta, I think he's going to get married."
"Humph, Teal'c should listen to him more often I think." Sarah did not need to interpret that comment.
"What's happening now?"
"SG1 and the Admiral have boarded the second Ori ship, the Admiral requests you dock with that ship before proceeding to the other."
"Very well then, we'll see you shortly. Connolly out."
The new fighter came in swiftly passed the Ori warship's bridge, SG1 and MacGregor watched as it banked to make it's turn into the docking bay. Cam whistled softly. "I think we should have one of those as our personal transport Sam."
"Good idea, I'll ask the boss!" She smiled and glanced at Mac. He just returned the smile, which basically said, 'Get in line Sam'.
Some time shortly after, Captain Hampton entered with Sarah and Jennifer Hailey. Salutes and greetings were made all round and then Sam spoke to the newly promoted Major.
"Congratulations Major, you've earned it." She shook the young woman's hand sincerely, remembering the upstart cadet all those years ago. Sam had to suppress a laugh, she said herself Hailey would do well if she applied herself. Now a Major, a couple of years or more before her time, but the truth was, the kid could have quite easily, at least academically, gone straight from cadet to her present rank. Sam had to add a hug to her praise. Hailey embraced her mentor equally.
Mac read Sarah's orders and then waited for a short while until everyone had settled before he addressed them all. "Ok then, here's the plan. We have two Ori ships, one...we don't have enough to crew them. Two, Captain Connolly, we've established we can fly them without Priors, the bastards fixed that for us, seems they were running out of those ungodly creatures and needed humans to take control. That brings us back to one. I'd like to keep both of them if we can and as I see it we only one option."
They all looked at him, not really knowing what was in his mind, but Daniel guessed it right. "You want to use our prisoners us crew Admiral?" He looked Mac directly in the eye and saw it there.
"Yes," Everyone around him, even the two marines there drew a sharp intake of breath. There was a minutes silence until Vala spoke.
"Admiral, no offence, but those people hate us probably more than we do them. How are we going to turn them around in moments, when for all our trying, we could not do it in the last two years of the war?" She was right and everybody agreed with her including Mac. But he could not tell them what he knew. Not just yet.
Mac stood there with his arms folded, he turn about and looked at each in turn, he stopped at Daniel, an idea occurred to him. "Alright then, Daniel I want to talk with you, everyone else give us some space for five minutes."
"Sir." They all came to attention and as a group, left the bridge and headed out into the passage way. Mac took the few steps over that separated him from Daniel. "Tell me Daniel, what do you remember of being ascended?" He came to the point and Daniel got curious.
Daniel. "Actually, after all this time, I think little bits, like flashes come to me sometimes. I've never told anybody, heh, heh.." He laughs quietly... "I mean most people think I'm pretty nuts most of the time anyway. So I've kept it to myself."
"I've read your file. You said that the Ancients, Oma Desala, to be correct, had wiped your memory, do you believe it?"
. "To be honest Admiral, I'm not really sure. Why."
"Here's the thing, and by the way, call me Will or Mac please. We have around three hundred prisoners out there who's one tenet of faith was that the Ori would grant them ascension if they served and then died in their cause am I right?"
"Pretty much, yeah. You think you can turn them sir?"
"You and me both, Danny Boy."
"What, heh, heh, sir, I mean Will you've gotta be kidding."
"Nope!"
Ten minutes later everyone else had gathered once more in the bridge, Mac outlined their plan. They were going to bring about one hundred of the Ori personnel over to this ship and have them assembled in the cargo bay area. Mac had some of the marines take the body of Thalas down there and asked Sam about the weapon they had found.
"As best as I can figure, it's an outsize ZPM with a warhead attached. From the readings I took there is a high probability it is very much like the Ancient weapon that was on Dakara."
"To create or destroy all life forms Colonel Carter?" Teal'c replied.
"Yes. And with that power source, combined with whatever he said was left behind by the Ancients down there in Ganymede's ice, it might easily have destroyed all life, not only in our Solar system, but a large part of this galaxy as well. I believe sir, we should try and discover what it is he was about to connect with."
"I agree Colonel. Sir if I may?" Sarah said.
"Yes Captain?"
"General O'Neill said I was to command one of the Ori ships. I know he meant the first one we captured, but perhaps if I may ask, why not this one. With a small crew, we could stay here awhile and find what it is Colonel Carter was talking about here on Ganymede. We won't need any of the prisoners here for that sir, besides we can't possibly take them back to Earth can we? At least not at this point."
Cam squeezed in between Sam and Mac. "Captain's right sir. We can do whatever we need to do over on the other warship sir. We still have a mission to finish, a fleet to catch up to."
"Well it seems we have democracy here. Ok then. Cam, have the marines put that garbage in a body-bag and load it on to our 401. Then tell them to remain on board with the captain and major. Jonas we'll take you back to Ishta's ship, then she can catch up with the Victory. I'll speak with her when we take you over. SG1, we have a job to do on the other ship, then hopefully, we can catch the fleet ourselves. Any questions?"
"The IOA want one of these ships intact, so I guess it'll have to be this one when I am finished here sir?" Sarah asked.
"Mmm, yeah...let em' have their toy Captain. But I'll need you back out here with us a.s.a.p, ok."
"Yes sir, we'll um, ah hitch a ride on whatever we can sir...Sir."
"Yes Captain?"
"I'll need at least four or five other techs, if there's any to spare amongst the crew we have on the other ship, our guys I mean."
"Consider it done."
SG1 and Mac were returning to their craft, after the meeting with Ishta. The Jaffa commander did not take it too well being asked to leave them behind and catch up with the Victory. But in the end she knew her responsibilities to the Galaxy at large, and conceding that the threat had been extinguished here, she finally agreed, only after she performed one last request for the Admiral, he would signal her, and then take her leave at flank speed, when the job was done.
As the team proceeded down a passage toward the cargo bay, Sam stopped to ask her uncle a question.
"Sir how are you planning to 'convert' our prisoners? Have you thought about what we'll have to do if you don't succeed?"
"Sam, you worry too much. Daniel and I have it all worked out." Sam looked over to her friend, who just shrugged his shoulders and mouthed the words 'I don't know Sam.' The others of SG1 looked at him also.
On board the other Ori ship, SG1 disembarked in the hangar bay and was greeted by the detachment commander, Lt. Colonel Petr Szbeski, a solid American officer of the Delta Force, despite his Czech background. He saluted smartly to the Admiral and Mac returned his salute with equal enthusiasm.
"Well Colonel, everything in place?"
"Yes sir. We have all the detainees gathered in the starboard cargo area, I'll have some of my men bring the body over sir."
"Here's a question, why are we dragging this guy's dead derriere, all over the place?"Cam asked.
"All part of the plan Cam, all part if the plan." He then turned to Vala, who seemed to be in some sought of dream state. "Vala, you ok?" She didn't answer. "Vala!" He spoke a bit louder. Daniel leaned toward his friend.
"What, oh. Yes sorry Daniel. It's just that it was on a ship like this, I brought Adria into the world."
"You regret not being able to save her Vala Mal Doran?" Teal'c said with understanding in his eyes.
"Yes." She said softly.
Cam walks slower to let the Admiral come beside him. "Sir if I may ask, what are we gonna do if there are more like this Thalas guy on this ship?"
Will looks him directly in the eye. "I'm counting on it Cam." All Cam could answer was. "Whoa."