Stargate Genesis
Episode Six
"The Old Gang"
/Author's Note: From now on, we will be posting episodes here and on our website at the same time, instead of on a delay. Thank you to everyone who has been reading. We've been having a blast writing this series and have no plans to stop any time soon. Please follow and review! -Caleb/
Colonel Cameron Mitchell stood in an empty gate room. He looked up at the ancient wormhole device and sighed. It had been six years since he was assigned to lead SG-1, and so much had changed in that time. After defeating the Ori, Colonel Carter became General Carter and took over Stargate Command after General Landry retired. Teal'c had returned to Dakara to guide the political process as the Jaffa people became the predominant power in the galaxy. Only recently Dr. Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran left Earth to join the Atlantis expedition, a post Daniel had been after ever since the expedition was launched.
That left Cameron without a team. He had been offered jobs in the Pentagon, on Atlantis, and even aboard the Elizabeth for the Genesis mission, but he refused them all. Stargate Command was where he belonged, leading SG-1. He only wished SG-1 was still around to lead.
Lt. Walter Harriman walked into the gate room and stood beside Cameron.
"Looks like the old gang isn't coming back this time, Colonel," said Harriman.
"Sure looks that way," replied Cameron.
"What will you do?" asked Harriman, turning to look at Cameron.
"I'll find a team, and then we'll do what SG-1 has always done," said Cameron. "Step through the stargate and stop the bad guys."
~~00~~
The lawn of the small two-bedroom house was unkempt and full of weeds. An old lawn chair sat on the porch, holding up the sleeping body of Ronald Greer. He wore shorts and a faded Hawaiian shirt with patterns of blue and green lizards printed on it. His right arm was in a sling. The whole appendage hung uselessly from his shoulder, a sharp reminder of his time in the stasis pod on board the Destiny, helpless to save anyone. The front door of the house was ajar, and a small pile of unrolled newspapers lay near the welcome mat.
A black SUV pulled up in front of the house. The passenger door opened to reveal Cameron, dressed in a crisp Air Force uniform. As he walked up the path toward the porch, Greer stirred and sat up, recognizing the colonel.
"Colonel Mitchell," he said groggily.
"Major Greer," replied Cameron.
"What brings you to my neck of the woods, colonel?" asked Greer.
"Some neck of the woods," said Cameron. "I heard the SGC set you up. Can't you afford a better place than this craphole?"
Greer raised an eyebrow, and then motioned toward a second camp chair on the porch.
"Please, have a seat," he said.
Cameron sat in the chair, and clasped his hands together.
"I'm going to get straight to the point, Major," he said. "I'm putting together a new SG team, and I want you on it."
Greer snorted. "I'm done with that shit, Mitchell. I've seen enough space to last ten lifetimes."
Cameron considered the man next to him carefully. He opened up his mouth to speak, but was interrupted before he could make a sound.
"I told you, I'm done," said Greer.
"You know, we could fix that for you," said Cameron, pointing to Greer's bad arm. "Medical technology has come a long way since you left Earth."
"Get off my porch," snarled Greer.
~~00~~
Samantha Carter sat behind her desk at Stargate Command. She had long since replaced General Landry's old desk chair with a new ergonomic one. It didn't set quite the same tone in the office, but then again Carter wasn't quite the same general. She adjusted a lever on her chair and resumed reading the backlog of emails that had piled up during her vacation the previous month. The most important emails were forwarded to her private account while she was on leave, so most of what was left was bureaucratic nonsense and mundane reports. Still, she carefully read each one and sorted them into the appropriate folders.
A new message appeared at the top of the queue labeled "thinking of you." She opened it to see a photo of her husband, Whitney, hanging from a precarious-looking rock overhang with a goofy smile on his face. The two of them had spent a month hiking and climbing through the Arizona desert, and when launch preparations for the Elizabeth had called Sam back to the SGC, Whitney had stayed in Arizona, not yet willing to leave the beautiful desert vistas they had discovered together.
When Sam was put in charge of the SGC her time off-world dropped to almost nothing, and it gave her more time to pursue Earthside hobbies she had neglected for years. She met Whitney at an indoor climbing facility, and they hit it off immediately. He was a small-time travel writer who spent most of his time backpacking across the remaining places on Earth untouched by human progress. She was a high-ranking Air Force officer who until recently spent most of her time travelling across the Milky Way Galaxy and meeting new civilizations. They were perfect for eachother.
Since then, Whitney had been granted limited clearance within the Stargate program, but he never expressed any desire to step through the gate. One of the things Sam loved most about him was that he lived in the moment and saw beauty in everything. "Why travel to other planets," he would always say, "when there are so many beautiful places right here on good old Earth we haven't seen yet?"
Sam chuckled to herself, making a mental note to remind Whitney not to send emails to her work address. She heard a knock at the door and looked up from her computer.
"Come in," she called.
Major Jessica Warren opened the door and stepped into the office. She was sharply dressed in a well-decorated Air Force uniform. Jessica held herself well, shoulders back and head high. Sam stood up to greet the young woman, who stood at attention and saluted her.
"At ease, Major Warren," said Sam, smiling. "Have a seat."
"Thank you General Carter," said Jessica, taking one of the cushioned seats in front of Sam's desk.
"Please, call me Sam."
Jessica visibly relaxed. "Thank you."
Sam opened a folder on her desk and looked up at Jessica.
"I've been doing some reading on you, Major," she said. "Two tours in Iraq, over a hundred hours logged in enemy airspace, multiple commendations for exemplary service. And you've got doctorate degrees in Astrophysics and Mechanical Engineering. You know, you remind me of someone."
"Who is that, General - I mean, Sam?" asked Jessica.
"Me," said Sam, smirking.
~~00~~
Dr. Lisa Park awoke, gasping for air. She reached out with her hands only to discover cold glass blocking her way. Panicked, she felt around the glass but found no opening. She began to bang on the stasis pod door. As she slammed her fists against the glass, she remembered she had eyes, and opened them. Milky white irises provided no vision. Lisa stopped banging and remembered that she also had a voice. Her plea for help came from her mouth as little more than a whisper.
"Why didn't you save us? Why did you let us all die?"
~~00~~
Greer awoke damp with sweat, his sheets a jumbled mess. He sat up and took a deep breath. It was 2 a.m. He stood up and walked groggily to the kitchen. Opening the cabinet with his good arm, he grabbed a cup and turned the tap on in the sink. In the glass door of the open cabinet he saw the reflection of a man dressed in all black standing a few feet behind him.
Suddenly alert, Greer stepped to the side and turned to his assailant as a dart hissed past him and lodged itself in the wall above the sink. Moving quickly, he closed the space between himself and the man, smashing the glass cup in his hand against the attacker's face. Greer took a step back and scanned the room around him. He saw the other men as another dart hit him in the shoulder. He collapsed before he could make the hallway.
~~00~~
Cameron walked into the control room and stood next to Sam as alarms blared, signalling an incoming wormhole.
"Howdy, Sam," said Cameron.
"Cam," she said, turning to him. "Any luck with Major Greer?"
"No dice," he said.
"Well, there's someone else I'd like you to meet," said Sam.
"Receiving IDC," reported Harriman. "It's Teal'c."
"That's odd," said Sam. "We're not expecting to hear from him for another week. Open the iris."
Down in the gate room, the iris opened. A moment later, Jaffa leader and former SG-1 member Teal'c of Chulak stepped through the open wormhole.
~~00~~
Teal'c, Sam, Cameron, and Jessica stood at the head of the conference table above the gateroom. Teal'c turned to Jessica.
"I believe I have not had the pleasure," he said.
"Major Jessica Warren," she said, extending a hand.
Teal'c smiled and shook her hand.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen you around here either," said Cameron.
"Colonel Mitchell, this is who I was telling you about," said Sam. "I'm recommending Major Warren for SG-1."
"Glad to meet you, Major," said Cameron. "Anyone Sam recommends is a winner in my book."
"Thank you, Colonel," said Jessica.
"I apologize for the interruption, but the matter that brought me here is one of great urgency," said Teal'c.
"Yes, of course," said Sam. "Please, let's all have a seat."
Sitting in a chair near the head of the table, Teal'c began to explain.
"On Dakara we are in the midst of a negotiation between the Free Jaffa Nation and the Tok'ra," he began. "With the growing presence of the Lucian Alliance in our galaxy, our two peoples have found it necessary to coordinate our military forces."
"Well that sounds great," said Cameron. "Everyone's gettin' along. What's the problem?"
"The problem, Cameron Mitchell," said Teal'c. "Is that not everyone is … gettin' along."
"The Jaffa and the Tok'ra have a bit of a troubled history," said Cameron to Jessica, who was sitting next to him. "What with the Jaffa having been the foot soldiers of the Goa'uld for hundreds of years of galaxy-wide oppression."
"I am aware, Colonel," said Jessica curtly. "I have read the mission reports."
"The grudges of old wars are not easily forgotten," said Teal'c. "This morning a Jaffa high councilor was found dead in his quarters, and a Tok'ra woman is suspect. A group of Jaffa are holding her prisoner even now."
"And that can't be making things any easier for the negotiations," said Sam.
"Indeed," confirmed Teal'c. "The Tok'ra delegation is threatening to leave Dakara and withdraw their support if the prisoner is not released."
"Is she guilty?" asked Jessica.
Teal'c cocked his head and considered the major. "I would not know, Jessica Warren."
"What can we do to help, Teal'c?" asked Sam.
"The Jaffa and the Tokra have long considered the Tau'ri to be a trustworthy ally," said Teal'c. "I believe SG-1 would be accepted as impartial judges to peacefully resolve the situation."
"Sounds great, Teal'c, but SG-1 ain't exactly a team at the moment," said Cameron. "Ever since Daniel and Vala left, we're short a few members."
"SG-1 is in a transition period," said Sam. "Major Warren, Cameron, and I will accompany you to Dakara to help in any way we can."
Teal'c nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Samantha Carter."
"You want me to come?" asked Jessica.
"Gotta start somewhere, kid," said Cameron.
~~00~~
Ronald Greer awoke to find himself tied to a metal chair. He blinked at the bright light shining on his face.
"What the hell…" he groaned.
"Welcome back, Major Greer," came a low voice.
"What is this?" asked Greer, straining his eyes to see the man standing behind the light.
"We represent the interests of the Lucian Alliance, Major," said the voice.
"You gonna try to brainwash me?" said Greer.
Someone outside Greer's range of vision picked up two knives and ran the sharp edges against each other. The sound echoed ominously.
"Not quite," said the voice.
~~00~~
Cameron, Jessica, Sam, and Teal'c stepped through the gate and into the gateroom on Dakara. Jessica walked slowly, wide-eyed at the brand new world that had appeared before her. She had read the reports, but to actually step through the stargate was something else entirely.
"Never stops being incredible," said Sam, smiling. "C'mon, we've got work to do."
Teal'c led the way, guiding them through ancient hallways. Jaffa men and women stood silently to watch them pass. Some of the Jaffa still had the forehead tattoos of their former Goa'uld masters, while others had attempted to burn them off. A few of the men SG-1 passed had gold markings on their foreheads like Teal'c's; the gold mark, Jessica knew, was the mark of a first prime, the head Jaffa slave among a Goa'uld system lord's ranks.
"Where are the Tok'ra?" asked Jessica, to no one in particular.
"The Tok'ra High Council has convened in a private meeting chamber along with the Jaffa High Council," replied Teal'c. "We must act quickly before they make any … rash decisions."
"The Tok'ra can get a bit testy," said Cameron, who was walking next to Jessica. "If I had an alien in my head 24/7, I think I'd have a temper problem too."
"Well, it's not exactly like that," said Sam. "The Tok'ra symbiote and the human host have a symbiotic relationship. No Tok'ra ever blends with an unwilling host, and the two share everything, including an extended life. A human host blended with a Tok'ra symbiote can live for over 200 years. My dad was blended to the Tok'ra Selmak for years before he died."
"I'm so sorry, Sam," said Jessica.
"No, no, it's okay," said Sam, smiling. "If it hadn't been for Selmak, dad would have died of cancer years before he did. Selmak gave me more time with him, and the two of them helped SG-1 out of more tight spots that I can count."
"We are here," interrupted Teal'c. They had arrived in front of a heavy door, guarded by two armed Tok'ra.
~~00~~
Danesh was restless. She paced back and forth in the cell, anger building to a boiling point. Lynn reached out to her, soothing her troubled mind in a way that no other host had ever been able to do.
The Jaffa are a reasonable people. They will not sentence us without a fair hearing, whispered Lynn.
"If they are so fair, why have they locked me up in this cage?" asked Danesh.
Have we not made unfair accusations against the Jaffa? replied Lynn.
"I am no murderer!" cried Danesh.
I know, Danesh. More than most. Please, breathe, cooed Lynn.
~~00~~
Jessica followed Cameron, Sam, and Teal'c into the meeting chamber, which had a high ceiling and was furnished with a long table. The seats of the table were populated by Tok'ra and Jaffa in traditional garb. As they entered, the Tok'ra at the head of the table stood to greet them.
"Teal'c," he said, extending a hand.
"Hel'shen," said Teal'c grasping the man's forearm in greeting, as is the custom among the Jaffa.
"Please, be seated," said Hel'shen, indicating four empty seats near the head of the table.
"Where is Rak'nor?" asked Teal'c, referring to the current leader of the Jaffa High Council.
As soon as he said it, the doors of the meeting chamber opened, and Rak'nor walked in, flanked by two Jaffa warriors.
"Why are you wasting your time with this foolishness, Teal'c?" he bellowed. "One of their people has killed one of ours! The Free Jaffa Nation is one less because of them!"
Teal'c stepped forward and regarded Rak'nor carefully.
"I have brought SG-1 here to help determine the truth behind the murder," he said calmly.
"The Tok'ra Danesh was found at the scene of the murder with no explanation!" shouted Rak'nor.
"Your accusation against her is based on prejudice and malice!" retorted Hel'shen. "There is no evidence-"
"Enough!" demanded Teal'c, standing between them. "SG-1 will serve as an impartial judge. Until they have completed an investigation, I expect our two peoples to remain civilized."
Rak'nor nodded and stormed out of the room, followed by his entourage. Hel'shen bowed slightly, and looked at Sam.
"If Teal'c trusts your judgement, then so do I," he said.
"Thank you Hel'shen," she said. "Now if it's not too much trouble, we'll need to see the scene of the crime."
~~00~~
Kefaeyl of Goranak slumped in his chair, dry blood crusted around the stump where his head had once been. His hands hung limply by his side, and his head sat on the floor some four feet away from the chair. The symbol of the system lord Ba'al was tattooed on his forehead.
"His name was Kefaeyl," said Teal'c. "He was a member of the high council, and a strong proponent of Jaffa and Tok'ra cooperation."
"So I'm guessing whoever killed him was trying to derail the negotiations," said Sam.
"I have come to a similar conclusion," affirmed Teal'c.
"So where does the Tok'ra woman your people are holding come into this?" asked Jessica.
"Danesh was witnessed fleeing from the scene," said Teal'c. "She claims she was running for help, after discovering the body."
"And you don't believe her?" asked Cameron.
"It is not a matter of what I believe, Cameron Mitchell," said Teal'c. "There is currently no other suspect. The High Council will not release her unless the true murderer is found."
"So then you don't think it was her," said Sam, bending to inspect Kefaeyl's neck.
"I have known Danesh for some time," replied Teal'c. "Though she is often impatient, she has always been a friend to the Free Jaffa Nation."
"Is there anyone else who might want the negotiations between the Jaffa and To'kra to go south?" asked Cameron.
"There are many who oppose our partnership," said Teal'c.
"What about someone who isn't Jaffa or Tok'ra?" asked Jessica.
"Like who?" asked Cameron.
"Who stands the most to lose from military cooperation between the Jaffa and Tok'ra?" said Jessica.
"The Lucian Alliance," affirmed Sam.
~~00~~
Jessica and Cameron found themselves standing in front of Danesh's holding cell. Two Jaffa guards stood nearby, watching them.
"Hello, Danesh," said Cameron. "My name is Colonel Cameron Mitchell of SG-1, and this is Major Jessica Warren."
"Hello, Colonel," replied Danesh. "Thank you for your assistance."
"We're doing what we can," said Cameron.
"Can you tell us what you saw when you found Kefaeyl's body?" asked Jessica.
Danesh regarded her with a cold stare. A private war raged in her mind before she answered.
"Kefaeyl was a major defender of the Tok'ra-Jaffa military alliance," she said. "I went to his room last night to discuss the day's negotiations."
"So you're a member of the Tok'ra High Council?" asked Jessica.
"I am a scientific advisor to the council," said Danesh.
"What did you find when you got to his room?" asked Cameron.
"The same thing you did, Colonel," said Danesh. "Only when I arrived the blood was still fresh."
"Did you see anything else?" asked Jessica. "Anyone else?"
Danesh closed her eyes. When she opened them and began to speak, it was the softer voice of her human host.
"My name is Lynn," she said. "And we did see something else."
~~00~~
Sam and Teal'c walked into Rak'nor's private quarters. The High Councilor was sitting in a chair, hands together in a steeple, staring into space.
"Rak'nor," said Teal'c.
Rak'nor looked up and nodded thoughtfully.
"I just need to ask a few questions," said Sam.
"There is nothing to know," said Rak'nor. "The Tok'ra have always hated the Jaffa. Kefaeyl wanted peace between our people, so they killed him."
Sam cocked her head doubtfully, and then continued.
"Is it possible that a third party was involved?" she asked. "Could a cloaked assassin have gotten into the room?"
"Impossible," said Rak'nor. "Though we dress in the traditional way of our people, we are not so backwards as you may believe. This entire building is protected by an anti-cloaking device. Were there a hidden assailant in our midst, we would have been alerted."
"He is correct," said Teal'c. "There is no cloaking technology I am aware of that is capable of fooling the device Rak'nor speaks of."
"What about a double agent?" asked Sam. "Could there be a Lucian Alliance agent operating under the guise of a Tok'ra or Jaffa?"
A fire lit in Rak'nor's eyes. "If you are suggesting that one of my Jaffa warriors-"
"Well I'm sure the men under your command are loyal to the Jaffa cause, but there are thousands of Jaffa here on Dakara," said Sam. "Isn't it possible that one of them isn't who they say they are?"
~~00~~
"As we made our way to Kefaeyl's quarters, I saw a Jaffa warrior with the symbol of Lord Utu on his forehead," said Lynn.
"Sure," said Cameron. "The Jaffa have all sorts of Goa'uld symbols around here. What's that got to do with anything?"
"Lord Utu was a minor system lord," explained Lynn. "At the end of his reign he controlled only one planet. Danesh was among the Tok'ra force that killed Utu and liberated the Jaffa under his charge."
"They did not attack you?" asked Jessica.
"The Jaffa slaves of Lord Utu had long been doubtful of his status as a god," said Lynn. "When Utu was slain, his remaining Jaffa burned his marks from their foreheads. I watched it myself. Utu was a cruel and unforgiving Goa'uld; none of his former slaves wished to bear his mark."
"So this Jaffa you saw, you think he was an impostor?" asked Jessica.
Lynn's eyes glowed as Danesh resumed control of her voice.
"It is possible, though as I have told Lynn, we did not witness every Jaffa burn off his mark," said Danesh. "There could be some who did not."
"Regardless, we have to follow this up," said Cameron. He looked at Jessica. "Let's go find Sam and Teal'c."
~~00~~
An hour later, a Jaffa warrior with the mark of Lord Utu on his forehead was dragged before the joint Jaffa and Tok'ra High Councils. The man snarled at the assembly.
"Is this the man who killed Kefaeyl?" asked Hel'shen.
"There's only one way to find out," said Cameron. He spit on his thumb, walked up to the captive, and rubbed his thumb across the man's forehead. Ink smeared across the impostor's forehead, distorting the symbol.
"Weren't willing to go all the way and get it tattooed on, eh?" asked Cameron. "I don't blame you. Never know where those needles have been."
"Who are you?" barked Rak'nor.
The man laughed and looked up at the Jaffa High Councillor.
"This galaxy belongs to the Lucian Alliance," he said. "You're all going to die."
"Melodramatic much?" asked Cameron.
"Take him away!" ordered Rak'nor. He looked over at Hel'shen, who met his gaze. "And release the Tok'ra woman."
~~00~~
Sam, Cameron, Jessica, and Teal'c stood in the gateroom. The gate was bright with the shimmering blue pool of the event horizon.
"Thank you for your assistance in this matter," said Teal'c.
"So you won't consider joining the team again?" asked Cameron hopefully.
Teal'c smiled. "I am afraid I cannot, Cameron Mitchell," he said. "I must remain here on Dakara."
"Well, it was worth a shot," said Cameron.
"It was very nice to meet you, Teal'c," said Jessica.
"And you, Jessica Warren," said Teal'c warmly.
"Colonel Mitchell!" came a voice from down the hall.
Cameron looked to see Danesh running toward them. She arrived in front of the group and stopped to catch her breath.
"Danesh," said Sam, smiling. "What can we do for you?"
"I want to join SG-1," said Danesh.
"You what?" asked Cameron.
"I am a skilled engineer," said Danesh. "I speak two dozen languages common to the Milky Way Galaxy, and I am familiar with Goa'uld and Tokra technologies and customs."
Danesh took a deep breath and allowed Lynn to take over.
"Our duties in the negotiations between the Tok'ra and the Jaffa are now complete," Lynn said. "Danesh believes she can be an asset to your team, and I must admit, I have always admired the exploits of SG-1, not to mention the fact that we now owe you our lives."
Cameron and Sam looked at her in stunned silence.
"I do believe Danesh would be an excellent addition to SG-1," said Teal'c.
"You trust her?" asked Cameron.
Teal'c smiled and nodded. "I do."
"Good enough for me," said Cameron. "You ready to go?"
"Well, we'll have to report this to the Tok'ra High Council and bring Danesh back to the medical ward at the SGC for a full evaluation," said Sam.
"Yeah, yeah," said Cameron. "Welcome to the team, Danesh."
Danesh's eyes flashed, indicating her return.
"Thank you, colonel."
~~00~~
"You can torture me all you want," said Greer through gritted teeth. Blood dripped from his lip, and his good wrist burned where he had been struggling to free it.
"Oh, we will," said the voice. "You haven't had enough yet?"
"Not even close," said Greer.
Pain radiated from his face as the nameless man smashed something hard and metal against his jaw. He screamed, blood once again filling his mouth.
"I'll ask you again: what is the address of the stargate on board the Elizabeth?"
Greer spat a mouthful of saliva and blood. "I don't know."
More pain.
"You failed, Colonel Greer," said the voice. "The men and women aboard the Destiny, they died. Lisa Park, she died. Because of you."
Greer struggled to lift his head. "How could you know that?"
"You forget, colonel. The Lucian Alliance has eyes everywhere."
Greer felt hard metal across his jaw once again before he slipped into unconsciousness.
~~00~~
As Sam, Cameron, Jessica, and Danesh walked through the gate into the gateroom at the SGC, they were greeted by Major Danzer, the leader of SG-28.
"Colonel Mitchell, sir," said Danzer.
"Major," Cameron responded. "What is it?"
"You asked us to check on Major Greer, sir," reported Danzer. "He's gone missing, and it doesn't look like he left voluntarily."
Cameron turned to Sam. "Can we track him?"
"Major Greer was implanted with a nanite tracker," she said. "It is standard procedure for discharged soldiers with high-level clearance. We can find him."
~~00~~
Ice cold water brought Ronald Greer back to consciousness. He snapped awake to find himself still strapped to the same chair, still being interrogated by the same nameless man.
"Ready to tell us the gate address, Major?" said the man.
"Go to hell," hissed Greer through clenched teeth.
"Is that what you told your friends on the Destiny?" laughed the man.
Greer reeled as he was hit across the face again. The man said something else but he couldn't hear it. He couldn't feel anything. In the corner of the room he saw Dr. Lisa Park wearing her blindfold and smiling at him. She walked over to his chair, leaned down so her lips brushed his ear, and whispered something to him.
~~00~~
Lisa lay on the cold floor of the Destiny, straining to hear far-off footsteps. She coughed as toxic air filled her lungs. No one was coming to rescue her, she realized.
A bright light surrounded her, and she felt herself being lifted up away from her own body. Her sight had returned, and she marveled at the revelation before noticing that she had died. Lisa realized that she was the bright light, and her lifeless body was nothing more than a shell she was now leaving behind.
She rose up through the Destiny and saw that it was damaged beyond repair. As she watched, a solar flare ripped the great ship apart, sending mangled parts and bodies floating through space. Among the wreckage was a shuttle, fully intact and bracing itself against the flares with its shields. Inside were Eli Wallace and Ronald Greer.
"It's not your fault," Lisa whispered, though Ron couldn't hear her.
A woman was floating next to her, bathed in the same white light Lisa was, watching the burning of the Destiny.
"My name is Oma Desala," she said, smiling gently. "Everything is going to be all right."
Lisa felt peace wash over her as she looked down on the lone shuttle carrying the man she loved. Then she turned to Oma Desala and followed her on the path to ascension.
~~00~~
"It's not my fault," Greer said, lucidity returning. Lisa was gone.
"What did you say?" said his interrogator.
"Everything is going to be all right," said Greer.
"The hell are you-"
Somewhere behind the bright light that had been shining at Greer's face for an amount of time he had long since lost track of, a door burst open and more light flooded the room. Armed men rushed in and quickly subdued the Lucian Alliance agents.
"He's here," came Colonel Cameron Mitchell's voice. "We're bringing him home."
~~00~~
Greer sat on a hospital bed in the medical ward of the SGC. He flexed his arm, watching the fingers move at his command for the first time since before he'd gone into the stasis chamber on the Destiny.
Sitting on the next bed over was Danesh, who was taking in the room as if she had never seen one before.
"Are you a member of Mitchell's new team?" he asked her.
"I am," she said, meeting his gaze.
"You're not one of those Goa'uld things, are you?" asked Greer, noticing her alien voice.
"Hardly, Major Greer," said Danesh. "I am To'kra."
"My name is Lynn," said the host, taking over. "Danesh and I are equal partners in all things, and we are allies to the Tau'ri."
Greer raised an eyebrow. "Alright then."
Cameron and Jessica walked in to the medical ward and stood before Greer and Danesh.
"How are you feeling, Major Greer?" asked Cameron.
"Good as new, Colonel," he replied. "I was wondering about something though."
"What's that?"
"I don't know the address of the Elizabeth's stargate," said Greer. "In fact, I don't know much of anything the Lucian Alliance doesn't already seem to know. Why were they interrogating me?"
"I can answer that," said Jessica. "The Lucian Alliance has always been disorganized. Though they have a central leadership, there are factions within the Alliance, and no shortage of in-fighting."
Cameron looked at Jessica and cocked his head quizzically.
"I told you, I've read the mission reports," she said, shrugging.
"It is true that communication among the Lucian Alliance has always been their weak point," confirmed Danesh. "They gain their strength from sheer numbers and ferocity."
"So the men who interrogated me, they had bad information?" asked Greer.
"Yes," said Jessica. "That seems to be the most likely explanation."
"Major Greer, I'd like you to meet Major Warren," said Cameron. "And I believe you've already met Danesh."
"So this is your new team," said Greer. "An egghead and an alien."
"You are the alien," said Danesh.
"I was hoping," said Cameron, "that we might be able to add 'grumpy soldier' to that list."
Greer considered Cameron.
"Come on man," said Cameron. "If you don't join, I'll be the only guy. Help a brother out?"
"Only if you never say 'help a brother out' again," said Greer.
Cameron smiled. He looked around at his new team: Major Jessica Warren, the ace pilot and genius scientist; Danesh, the fiery Tok'ra scientist and linguist; and Major Ronald Greer, the tough-as-nails soldier and survivor of the Destiny.
"Welcome to SG-1," he said.
Written by Caleb Palmquist
Story by Caleb Palmquist and Andrew Marron