Chapter 11

Lightning Fervor

Helltanz's notes: Like I said I divided the meeting up.

- Chapter begin –

"We're talking about a full scale attack from space. I'm afraid people are going to notice ships showing up in orbit and landing troops." The British ambassador stated. As it stood even now the nations of earth were gearing up to take precautions against such an easy conquest, but there were something which just couldn't be defended against. This had been demonstrated by the Thanagarian occupation, who had subverted most of earth's defenses before arriving.

"We're hoping it won't come to that. As you know the stargate program has managed to deal with several threats to the security of this planet without divulging any information to the general public."

"You've gotten lucky and you know it." Retorted Kinsey, "The situation with the Thanagarians could just have easily have ended up being the goa'uld coming to call instead of those stupid birds."

Hammond stood up, "We also have some damn good people. We've given as gotten as good as we've got. For all their advanced technology most Goa'uld have a fatal flaw—arrogance." Growled Hammond in response, before glancing at Raiden. "Their technology is powerful, but it doesn't mean we're impotent, and the system lords have their own issues."

Major Davis nodded, "We've been able to take advantage of the simple fact most of the System Lords don't perceive us a significant threat," As far as things went given what was out there, Anubis's return Earth wasn't particularly high on the system lords interest at present, "as well as the fact several system lords are rather friendly towards Earth. Now as Raiden has pointed out our technology may be inferior it is still effective. Our radar guidance, and missile technology is very much a reliable countermeasure to Alkesh, and Death Gliders"
"Yes, yes but nothing on earth could defend against one of these Ha'tak." The British ambassador commented, "Its bigger than anything the Thanagarian have, and its fully shielded and seems to be capable of fulfilling the role of aircraft carrier, battleship and troop carrier." He declared gesturing to the slide on the wall.
"Mr. Ambassador that isn't quite true, we have developed the X-301 a hybrid fighter-interceptor a combination of human technology and Death Gliders provided by the System lord Sokar," A glance was tossed at Raiden, who pretended not to notice. He personally thought the move stupid, and had told Sokar as much, "the project was successful after this success we began developing the FX 302 a craft made entirely of parts produced using our own technology with similar abilities as the X 301."

Sokar was, now that he had been accepted back into the system lords, assisting the Tauri in development, because that was the part he desired in the plan. The 'devil' had a massive industrial base far superior to most of the system lords, and his Ha'tak were some of the most advanced. Still Sokar wasn't big on fighters his entire strategy relied mainly on heavier strike craft to support assaults backed by a capital ship.
"Do you mean to tell me the United States Air Force is currently flying a fighter-interceptor that is capable of both atmospheric and space flight?" demanded the Chinese Represenative ferociously.

"That's correct." Major Davis remarked, "the FX 302 simply wasn't in numbers high enough to fight off the Thanagarian forces without support from larger ships. As I said both the Prometheus, and our 2 Ha'tak class vessels were-"

"This is unacceptable." He snarled ignoring the major's statement concerning the invasion.

"Mr. Ambassador-."
"No general the United States has supposedly been operating the Stargate for the benefit of all mankind yet now we find you have been taking advantage of the situation that radically alters the balance of power on this planet."

Raiden's hand sparked drawing the attention. "Wait your damn turn to speak you snivelling monkey. As for the development of technology is has been their right they developed the technology and could have without the use of the stargate. Whatever political nonsense you have going is irrelevant, settle that elsewhere."
"Wait," He stated, "What? I don't understand how exactly is that possible." Chekov asked in a confused tone, everyone turned to face the system lord.
"There are several abandoned bases on Earth left behind by Sokar, Ra, and others all with functioning Death Gliders, as well as bases outside the atmosphere, which contain the technology of the Goa'uld or other races. As Thor has told you there are ancient emplacement in the solar system. The United States military could have procured these technologies from." Stated the system lord, "Not to mention Yu or his subordinates probably have installations on Earth, and no doubt other Goa'uld as well have similar facilities." Personally Raiden suspected Yu had facilites somewhere in eastern China but had never cared quite enough to look.

"Any other new technologies we need to be made aware of?"

"Might as well tell them, general. They're going to find out sooner or later." Kinsey commented smugly.

"Ever since we encountered a Goa'uld Ha'tak, we have been working to find a viable countermeasure. At the moment Earth has a flight two Ha'tak and a flight three Ha'tak, the latest model of Ha'tak as well as this." Major Davis brings up a slide displaying the Prometheus class cruiser. "This gentleman is BC(X) 303 Prometheus class, the Prometheus was designed to carry a complement of eight FX-302 fighters, and is one of several planned."
"I must contact my government immediately." Objected the Chinese ambassador cutting major Davis, Raiden didn't bother to chastise the man for breaking protocol even if he did get annoyed by it. It had become so common he considered just blasting the man into a wall.
"Mr. Ambassador… we volunteered this information in the spirit of cooperation. We're trying to defend the entire world."
"Under your leadership."

"We have the experience." Hammond responded. "Our teams have been going through that gate on a daily basis for the past few years and have been making contact with alien civilizations. We have the experts, and we have things already established. If we had wanted to we could have taken this immediately to NATO"

Perhaps that should have been what they should have done, Raiden considered, as it was this was a retarded clusterfuck, if he understood the Tauri term correctly. If Sokar had come he probably would killed one of the ambassadors by this point, or the other politician.

"I'm sorry General, but it may be impossible to achieve an agreement as long as the stargate and any resultant technology remain under the sole control of the United States military."

"What do you suggest?" he indquired

"We could move the gate to a neutral location and create a permanent staff drawn from all five nations." Suggested the French ambassador

"I'm afraid we can't agree to that."

"Well that choice may finally be up to you. Once the rest of the world learns of the Stargate, they may well demand it." The Chinese ambassador commented smugly quite confident the US would have to bow to outside pressure.

"Gentlemen please, perhaps I can offer a compromise. Please?" The senator suggests.

"I sympathize with the Ambassador's position, a device as powerful as the stargate in the hands of a military organization it's a recipe for abuse, despite everyone's best intentions."
"What are you suggesting?" inquired the Chinese ambassador

"We have a civilian organization known as the NID. Now its mandate has been to keep an eye on top-secret projects like the Stargate Program. I propose we give this organization direct control of the gate effective immediately."
Hammond looked up watching as Raiden smiled, "You can't be serious."

"I'm completely serious, the NID is the only organization besides the Air Force that has the knowledge, experience and skill to run the Stargate. Under the NID I'm sure we can determine a suitable level of participation for all the great nations represented here at this table."

Raiden stood, and swung his arm in a sweeping motion Kinsey went flying backwards over chair, and into wall with thud, "I'm afraid I can't tell you long I've been waiting to do that since he got here." The System lord remarked"What he proposes is simply put impossible. Whoever they like can demand it all they United States Air Force will retain control of the Stargate as the designated Representative of the United States Armed Forces of the High Council of the System Lords." Commented Raiden continued, personally he wanted to swat all of the clamoring fools but he at least had the. "As the general was attempting to inform you before you interrupted him again in violation of our traditions." over in a heap kinsey grunted gasping for breath." it was our descision particularly according to the treaty that by stipulations of System Lord Cronus and the System Lord Yu Huang Shang Ti that only the military of the United States could be depended upon to responsibly operate the stargate. It was thus decided by the High Council, and ratified in agreement with the Asgard Supreme Council that it must remain in the custody of the United States Air Force. Without my recommendation this will not change. Additionally should the NID attempt to seize control of the Stargate I will have little choice but to deploy ground troops in defense of the Tauri Stargate Facility in accordance with the treaty, which stipulates quite clearly such would be considered a violation of a suzerain state." All things considered, he had in fact considered bringing his ground troops to this meeting. He had quickly discarded such notions, but he had still for a brief moment considered them as an option. No the way the tauri were bickering it might be necessary. The treaty negotiated to admit Earth into the protected planets agreement had also been worded to prevent NID use of the Stargate. The best way to insure that had been to legally insure the gate remained in the control of someone the Asgard, and the goa'uld could depend on to keep it away from the NID.

Hammond sighed. Well that was definitely not the way he had wanted to keep control of the stargate but at least it kept it out of the NID's hands. Strictly speaking as SG 1, and some of the other experts were the only ones who could really read goa'uld no one really had known the exact wording of the treaty.

The senator finally managed to clamber up pushing the chair aside, and off of him. "What you can't be serious." Exclaimed Kinsey. "Thats ridiculous, no one would have agreed to that,"
"The system lords were quite clear on such matters," Raiden commented, and he found the man's bluster about how no one would agree to such terribly amusing, the tauri had been so happy to be allowed to keep their stargate they'd paid little attentention to stipulations. "The treaty is written as we intended it, the Tauri retain both their stargates as long as they remain in the custody of a sanctioned caretaker, sovereign rights to protect their colonies, and development of their own defenses, with or without help from the System Lords. We are in turn obligated along with the Asgard to protect this world from threats of rogue Goa'uld, as well as other threats, such as the Thanagarians, which I have been informed will not be an issue." All reports indicated the Gordanians were pushing them back, winning on every front or something like that.
"You don't happen to have ships in orbit at the moment do you?"

"It is within my capacity that I could deploy a limited force of Mobile suits to defend this facility," Not that he couldn't just use his ship to deter any potential aggressors, no one was suicidal enough to try and pick a fight with one of his battleships. "until the arrival of additional warships. Until a treaty review the USAF is the designated custodian of the treaty, under their stargate command, as this is not likely to change, especially given what I have seen, I do not advise to make any plans." As far as things went Yu just happened to like the SGC, and personally, not that he'd ever say it to, well yes he would, but Cronus seemed to have a rather pointed interest in O'neill's scientist. The NID had also proven itself a potential issue, enough that the Asgard had brought them up when the System Lords had brought up the issue of reviewing control of the gate.

"Treaty I am not sure what treaty you are referring to?" Senator Kinsey stated, he knew pretty well what Treaty they were referring to but he had never heard this about this clause being in it. Not he'd actually ever gotten a copy of it. All reports seemed like the treaty conclusion had been pretty informal

"The treaty was signed shortly after Setesh was dispatched. We and the Asgard Council ratified it quite quickly after Sokar was admitted to the High Council." He remarked not bothering to conceal his lack of interest. The treaty had been a piece of needed bureaucracy, it hadn't meant he had to like it. "I am unsure why you would not be aware of it if you are as important as you seem to believe," He finished with a jibe General Hammond should have been aware of what the system lord was talking about Colonel O'Neill most likely still had the documents relating to the treaty somewhere given he had served as Earth's representative during the treaty negotiations. Raiden took a minute to briefly summarize the conditions on which Earth was to be allowed to retain control of both of its Stargates. Which was basically summarized under the guardianship of the United States Air Force, barring an agreement between the Asgard, and High Council changing custodial duties to another tauri organization, and that the Earth would be counted amongst the Protected planets at least until such time Earth was capable of defending itself against hostile threats without the need for the System lords' interference.

As it was even if the human's could convince the System Lords as a whole to agree to even consider renegotiating as well as the Asgard to agree to renegotiate the treaty, well neither side would ever approve of the National Intelligence Division having any form of control over the Stargate. Overall the United States was considered the best choice for guardianship of the Stargate for various factors. Amongst those were their established ties with the Asgard, them being ultimately responsible for killing Ra, and Hathor, amongst others, along with a number of other factors both on and off world.

As it was there was also the fact the National Intelligence Division's personal history spoke for itself. The Asgard had made it abundantly clear they would never allow the stargate to reside in the care of the NID. It was why the Asgard systems were around Stargate and Area 51, to insure both gates were constantly monitored... It would also head off any potential sabotage of the gate, hopefully.

In the wake of the Thanagarian occupation defense spending had increased several fold with serious talks about plans to install anti fighter batteries in major cities to defend against Alien fighters, and developing more mobile rapid reaction military elements to respond to threats. The attack on NORAD, as the military was playing it off officially had already let them increase the prescence around Colorado spring. The USAF had claimed that NORAD had been 'phoning for help' as one pr official had put it to the press. All the public relations people had danced around just who had gotten to phone for help, and for the moment it wasn't that big of an issue, not with everyone picking up. No give it a few weeks when everyone got over the camaraderie and started blaming each other for everything that was when it'd become important.

Raiden hadn't really told them anything at all about what the NID did, "We're talking about something that has always been a very borderline criminal organization, whose true mandate has always been to acquire alien technology at any cost…" major Davis agreed.
"If the threat posed by the other species in the galaxy is as serious as you say, acquiring technology should be our first priority."

"Tell that to the people of Madrona, sir. The NID stole a weather control device from that planet, causing a complete destabilization of their atmosphere. They would have died had SG-1 hadn't have tracked down the culprits and retrieved the Device. Even after we managed to shut down there base of operations here on earth they continued to steal from an off world base, but they stole from the wrong aliens." Raiden had heard that story, or at least the gist of it, O'neill had backtracked their base and brought an Asgard Battlecruiser down on it. It'd probably been boring to watch from the sidelines given all indication was the NID were little more than thieves, who usually avoided goa'uld planets... admittedly there were reports of tauri on minor border worlds that didn't coincide with SGC teams, but who could say it very well could have been a false flag operation by a rival system lord.

"Granted the NID has employed some questionable methods in the past, but we're all agreed the status quo won't do and I would hesitate to point fingers, General Hammond. Given that you and Jack O'Neill are still in charge of the Stargate program... well I'm questioning your competence," Kinsey turned to address the ambassadors. Raiden had no idea what the idiot was playing at now, the system lords decided the fate of the stargate, no meager Tauri politicking would change the will of the gods."but if you want to look at their records in the company of these fine Gentleman, that's just fine. Each of these reports details an incident in which the operations of Stargate command has brought the planet to the brink of destruction."

Every time anyone activated a stargate it indangered a world, whether yours or the one you were traveling to. Well not everytime, but in this era of turmoil it was close enough. Everytime the NID had used the gate they'd broken the treaty with the system lords, the Goa'uld enforced ex posto facto whenever it suited them.

As it was Anubis would not hesitate to use such incidents to enforce martial law on the planet, and that was strictly speaking a best-case scenario. Any move by Anubis to do such, and strictly speaking Anubis had the legal standing to d o it, just not the resources. If he did try it'd start a fight over the Solar system, or earth specifically. Not that it would really mater. Sokar would rush in, and while Raiden wouldn't rush he knew he'd hardly be able to leave the situation floating between Sokar, and Anubis if it did come to blows.

Truthfully though Raiden saw no point in letting this continue. The human position could only be construed as willfully stupid. He'd looked into all of this carefully, though he personally considered it a waste of his time the movements of Tauri legislation was such a dull thing even he knew that Kinsey had recently moved from appropriations to intelligence oversight, a position which would have the potential to give him direct control over the stargate if it was run by one of the American Intelligence Services. "Is there anything else we need to discuss one of lieutenants has stated he needs to make a report." Raiden commented toying with wrist, "I am prepared to reiterate my support for continuing USAF trusteeship of the gate, so I see no further point in entertaining this particular line of debate."

"There is still the use of the stargate to design military weapons solely belonging to the united states." One of the ambassador's remarked, "I'm quite sure that if it hasn't happened already this technology will be produced by US corporations, for the regular armed forces."

Raiden shrugged dismissively, such was beneath him, "That matter is beneath the notice of the System Lords. Any technological development that results is an internal Tauri issue. I would suggest if you really want to participate in the Stargate Program," He stated, ultimately that particular issue didn't concern him, "you could ask the American's if you can have your own Stargate team, as to military research you once again ask the American's to joint finance research projects like the North Atlantic countries do for Jet Fighters, you contribute monetary assets and Scientists to assist in research and design your own units. Perhaps we could meet again in a week to finalize this discussion. I believe that's all we'll be able to do for now."

"Yes that would potentially be a very good, The French ambassador nodded, "We all need to consult with all our individual governments before such a decision can be reached."

"Then we are adjourned." The system lord beamed back aboard his orbiting flagship.

The British ambassador quirked an eyebrow "Does he always do that?" he asked looking the major

The pentagon liason nodded, "Unfortunately, yes. It seems to be their defacto way of getting in somewhere."

"a bit like Star Trek then?" The ambassador commented, Chekov snorted. "Well then lads I should be off, a lot to discuss with Her Majesty's government, and all." Indeed it seemed like all of them would taking back more than they'd originally expected.

Chapter conclusion