CHAPTER 36
EPISODE-----LOST CITY PART 2
The next day……
Jack was in Daniel's office trying to finish the crossword puzzle while Daniel was looking at some book over in the corner at his cluttered desk. Jack was very frustrated too.
"Does this mean anything to you?" Daniel asked bringing the book over.
"Nope." Jack said not even looking.
Carter and Ford were elsewhere in the base and Jack had Ford stay near at least one of them in case he did go off the handle. He said he was fine, but they thought otherwise just in case considering the damage he did do in the training room and the hole he put in the wall. Thankfully, Ford had the money to replace the equipment he damaged and such. He opted out and went with Carter, who seriously didn't mind. She brought out the best in him anyway and had the most control over him.
"Could you at least look at it?" Daniel asked, almost begging to demanding.
"Daniel. I don't speak Ancient, yet, and eventually when I do. You know I'll never understand it." he said looking away from the puzzle.
"You have to try." Ford would.
"Look last time things just happened to pop into my fron." he said waving his heads near his head.
"Fron is head."
"All right, you see, now I have no idea what you are talking about." he said as Daniel grabbed the crossword puzzle.
"Maybe is you would stop working on this stupid crossword…"
"Hey, hey, hey!…" Jack said reaching for it. "I'd like to at least finish that while I can."
"No fighting now boys." Ford said walking in with Carter.
"Funny Ford." Jack said giving him a glare.
"I thought you were suppose…" she started saying seeing the crossword in Daniel's hand.
"13 across you wrote Taonos."
"Yeah so. What's it mean?"
"Well, I don't know, you tell me?" Daniel asked. "Eight down you wrote praclarush."
"What's eight down?" Carter asked.
"Um, label but there is empty spaces. I think the answer is suppose to be identification. 13 across is sphere."
"I think we have a pattern here." Ford said glancing at it.
"Such as?" Jack said confused.
"I think you're unconsciously put out Ancient language through that. Maybe talking won't do it this time around. Written questions, such as crossword puzzles is bringing it out. Farfetched idea, but maybe…"
"Ford's right. This is it!" Daniel said.
"Now I assume we are speaking the same language." Jack said sitting back and crossing his arms then moving them to his head.
"Sphere. Planet. Label. Name." Daniel said trying to prove his point.
"Following. Still. You. Not." he said looking at Daniel as he does when Daniel starts going when Jack gets lost. He sat up taking his hands off his head.
"Praclarush Taonos! I think that you wrote the name of the planet with the lost city in the crossword puzzle."
"Bit of a jump." he said.
"Why else would you do that?" Daniel said as Carter took the puzzle.
"The clue seven down is celestial body. He wrote Uma Thurman." she said not believing it as she gave him a small glare.
"Yes." he said reluctantly.
"Uma? You got some strange taste in Hollywood woman Jack." Ford said. "Mary Steenburgen wouldn't fit huh?"
"Really? And who would you prefer?" he said sitting back ignoring Ford's question.
"I've already got who I preferred." he said putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Carter doesn't count!" he stated. "She's not in the movie business, so try again."
"Nope. I pick Sam. I like intelligence women, Sam just has a lot of beauty to go with that quality. And is the only one ever to catch my eye."
"I'll give you that. All the other women, on or off base that I have seen look at you, you just….never notice." Jack said waving his hands like it was a strange concept. "Carter just…"
"Enough about me, please. Let's figure this out, which is more important." she said failing not to blush as she looked at the puzzle.
"Right, anyway, this mess has to mean something." Daniel said pointing at the crossword.
"It does." Jack said taking it back forcefully from Carter's hand. He sighed looking at the puzzle.
"I'm hungry." he said getting up and walking away.
"So am I." Ford said leaving.
"Good, cause I hear you can cook, so I want you to give it a go and make me….."
"Oh no…."
They were all at a table to themselves eating and talking in the cafeteria. A lot of others were eating as well. Ford was getting quite a few congratulations from people until Jack ordered them away. They were thanking him for finally doing something to Kinsey. Incidentally, Ford got lucky and didn't have to cook.
"Praclarush Toanos. According to this, it means city of fire. It means it was lost. That has to be where the lost city is."
"Even if it is, knowing the name of the planet doesn't do us any good if we don't have a gate address to get us there." Carter said.
"But it is a start. Maybe some old legends or myths might have something." Ford said.
"We can look. Though this name in unfamiliar." Daniel said.
Jack ripped the SGC insignia off Daniel's coat and dropped it on the table.
"Jack what are you doing?" he asked after they looked at him a moment.
"At."
"What?" Carter asked.
"At."
"This?" Daniel asked pointing at the insignia.
"That." he said pointing at it as well.
"This is…At?" Daniel said still pointing at it.
"You can stop…that. And don't ask me what it means. I don't know." he said shrugging.
"I think I do." Daniel said pulling his note pad out and writing a symbol down. I looked like a flat hourglass.
"What's this?"
"Shhh." he said. They all looked at him. "Well?"
"You just told us to be quiet." Carter said.
"No, when I look at this I think….shhh."
"That it." Daniel said.
"He just needs to see the Stargate symbols and he'll be able to point out the one's we need. Certain ones will….be clearer to him hopefully."
"I think so. But there might be a different way." Daniel said looking at Ford briefly.
"What?" Carter asked.
"I think Praclurush Taonos is not just a name but the gate symbols themselves. Each symbol has a certain sound to it."
"Like the alphabet." she said.
"Right. Six syllables."
"Nice job Daniel. Let's go check that theory out." Ford said.
They left quickly going to the gate room.
"At is the Earth symbol. Our point of origin." Daniel explained to Weir on his note book after he wrote out the address. He had seven symbols.
Carter was at the computer looking up the address as they talked. Ford was watching the screen with her.
"This is the gate address that will lead us to the lost city?" Weir asked.
"We dialed this same address over two years ago, but couldn't establish a wormhole." Carter said as they found it.
"Lost in fire." Daniel said.
"What we are looking for could still be there." Carter said. "The gate might be destroyed."
"Fire…fire…a seismically active planet with erupting volcanoes perhaps. No one would think to go near the planet. But the city would have some form of protection. It would have to." Ford said tapping his lip. "The Ancients would have built something when they put it there to keep it safe, wouldn't they?"
"That sounds feasibly right. It's a distinct possibility." Daniel said.
"I can calculate the planets position from space, but we'll need a ship to get there."
"Prometheus." Daniel suggested.
"But Anubis on his way, Prometheus is our last line of defense." Weir said.
"Maybe Teal'c has something by now." Carter suggested.
"Where's Colonel O'Neill?"
"Oh no." Ford said thinking about the last time. "I think he's pulling a Tim Taylor. We better get to the supply room."
"Uh oh." Daniel said realizing what Ford meant as they left quickly.
"We better hurry." Carter said running with them.
Jack was really at it, building something, taking stuff off shelves, and making a mess as they walked in.
"Colonel?" Weir asked.
"Don't ask." he said carrying parts.
"The last time this happened he just started doing things without knowing why?" Carter said.
"Need any help?" Ford said jokingly.
"Yeah, hold this." he said tossing something into Ford's arms.
"I was kidding." Ford muttered looking at the object.
"It's a good sign though. Hopefully it means we're on the right track." Daniel said.
"Sir…"
"I don't know Carter!" he yelled grabbing a yellow box of small parts.
He grabbed what Ford was holding and stuck it on the table.
"Grab a naquada generator will ya!" he said after putting those objects down. He went off to another part of the room getting more stuff.
Teal'c and Bra'tak were in a tent on Chulak looking for warriors to help in their cause. They had the different warriors come to the tent to be interviewed as it were. It was very dark out so they had their fire lit inside the large tent.
"I am Ronan." a young Jaffa warrior said entering the tent and bowing. He had the same symbol on his head as Teal'c, but tattooed on.
"I knew your father." Bra'tak said.
"It is an honor." he said. Bra'tak motioned him to come closer. "I have a ship at my disposal."
"So we have heard." Teal'c said.
"Forgive me, but as brave as you are, you cannot possibly stop Anubis's fleet with just one ship." Ronan said. "I have seen the extent of his forces."
"We only wish to use your ship to find something more powerful." Bra'tak said.
"Something that we believe that will defeat Anubis once and for all." Teal'c said.
"If that is true, then I will join you. That is my only condition." he said after they looked at each other. "I am a fine pilot."
"So we have heard." Teal'c said.
Everything they really needed for this trip, that Jack had come up with needing was at the base of the ramp of the gate. SG-1 was going to Chulak to use a ship that Teal'c and Bra'tak found. Ford was being used as the pack mule since he could carry the most weight. A couple hundred pounds easily. Ford mentioned earlier that he believed Jack was using him. Jack had laughed and put another object in his arms that covered his face. They were suited up and ready to go.
"Do you think you have everything you need? I think there's still a sink in the kitchen." Weir said.
Though Ford's face was stuck behind a few large crates he was carrying, they heard him chuckle lightly. For some reason, he thought it was funny. The rest of SG-1 looked at her funny when they entered the room as she spoke.
"Was that a joke?" Jack asked.
"Perhaps, a bad one." she said trying to cover it up.
"Yes. Very bad. But I sense hope for you." he said sincerely then looking back at a certain team member. "Unlike a certain someone."
"Well, I hope for all of us that you find what you're looking for Colonel."
"Thank you." he said walking up the ramp.
They all went through with airmen tossing in what was left to be taken. It wasn't long and they had the ship filled, quickly since Ford was the pack mule, as Jack had said jokingly earlier. The ship was in hyperspace quickly soon afterward. Daniel was sitting on a crate thinking and writing while Jack was leaning against part of the ship that was slanted. Carter was in the engine room, Ford was up front with Teal'c and Bra'tak getting a brief run down on how the ship operated. He said he wanted a better understanding on how to fly it, just in case.
"What?" Jack said looking at Daniel.
"I would have done it you know."
"I know." Ford said he would have too, but…"
"There should be a way to reverse the effects. Once we get what we need. We'll find a way."
"Were coaxing everything we can out of the engines, but we are still two days away. How you feeling sir?" Carter asked.
"A little curvis. A little fron-ache." he said then looked at them seeing their expressions.
"We need to go faster." he said getting up and leaving.
At about this same time, Anubis's fleet passed by the Earth's moon.
"Mr. President, a short time ago our space based radar picked up three Goa'uld vessels drop out of hyperspace." a high ranking military man said after entering the room.
The secretary came in as well. A guard was in the background. General Hammond was there with him standing. General Francis was sitting on the couch and a very agitated Kinsey next to him. The President was sitting alone across from them all on the other couch.
"Looks like you were wrong Bob." the President said.
"Three Goa'uld ships is hardly the full force of Anubis's fleet." Kinsey said mockingly.
"It sounds to me like Anubis wants to know if SG-1 was able to procure Ancient defense technology." Hammond said.
"They weren't." Kinsey said smartly.
"Well not yet, but Anubis doesn't know that." Hammond said.
"Then he is most likely holding back his main invasion fleet until he knows what we got." the President said.
"Prometheus and our 302's can give them a run for their money." the other General said.
"If that's all he throws at us, then yes sir I agree." Hammond said.
"Then let's do it." Kinsey said.
"However Mr. President I agree with your assessment of the situation. He's trying to goad us into a action that will show our hand. To launch Prometheus now would only go to demonstrate that we lack the advanced weaponry that Anubis is afraid of."
"Remain at Defcon 3, but contact the governments of Russia, China, France, Great Britain and Canada. And let them know what we think we are in for. In the meantime, I better prepare for a hell of a speech." he said getting up. "Thank you."
Jack was moving crystals around in the engine room. Carter had called Ford back to help watch so he might be able to duplicate the idea later. Ford was better with engines in general. So far he was getting it, he'd just have to remember the color scheme with Carter's help. They still hadn't figured out why he was color blind even though he was in perfect health because of his immortality.
"Give me your zat." he said.
Carter was reluctant for only a second. She handed it over and he stepped back shooting the crystals. The engines powered up quite a bit by the sound output that increased.
"Here you go." he said returning it.
"Nice job Jack. Only wish you knew what you did." Ford said going over what Jack had done in his mind as he looked at the handy work.
"Sir…I think you should know that General Hammond authorized me to take control of the team…"
"Do it now." he said like it was no problem.
"Jack?"
"I don't think that's necessary." she said.
"I trust you. Go ahead. I resign. You're in charge." he said turning back to some of the crystals. "You're under her."
"Okay." they said slowly. Jack pushed the panel back in and then they left going back up front.
"I'm really worried now."
"Don't be Sam. He may be slowly loosing his mind, but there's enough there that he knows he can trust you with command. Besides, I know you can do it." Ford said as they followed moments later.
Jack had Teal'c and Daniel join him with Ford to discuss something real quick. Jack said it was a guy thing and Carter left, reluctantly.
"Guy thing Jack?"
"Not really Ford. If we can't reverse this…"
"Jack…"
"Daniel. Let me talk. If we can't reverse this then I want you two to promise to watch Ford here."
"Why me?"
"Because you're going out with Carter and I don't want to see her get hurt, so if you do anything to hurt her, then I want you to make him pay for that. Kill him if you have to."
"Are you serious Jack?" Daniel asked surprised.
"Deadly."
"Nice vote of confidence Jack, but I would never do something like that and you will get out of this."
"Whatever happens, you promise to take care of her. No matter what."
"I do. With my life."
"Good, then lets just go get this over with."
Anubis was looking outside his ships window when one of the Jaffa guards came in telling him their small fighters were encountering no resistance. Anubis turned ordering him to tell them to attack. They would then know if the Tauri had Ancient weapons or not.
"Oh man. I was right." Ford said after they came out of hyperspace. The planet was one large volcanic activity after another. Giant red ball in space with big black sections between red areas. "At least it's not a big ball of ice."
"Indeed." Teal'c said.
"Well this doesn't look good. The surface of the planet is almost completely covered by lava flows." Carter said coming into the room. Daniel and Jack entered behind her.
"Why did I have to be right." he said rhetorically.
"How could there ever been a civilization down there?" Daniel said.
"A star becomes a red giant like this at the end of it's life." Carter explained. "A million years ago, this planet may have very well looked just like Earth."
"So we are a million years late?"
"Probably more."
"Look for something abnormal on the planet Master Bra'tak. Please." Ford said rubbing his head.
"It's the only shot we got. Unless…." he said looking back at Jack. The rest of the SG-1 team did as well.
"What?" Jack said.
"I have scanned the entire surface." Bra'tak said.
"What do you want me to say?" Jack said as they looked at him again. "I don't even know why we are here."
"But you did pack the Hazmat suits for us. My guess is that you knew the condition of the planet and you knew we would have to go down there." Carter said.
"Then you know more than I do."
"No sir, I don't. Sit down and take a look." she said.
He didn't move. Ford saw her body language change seeming like she was joking but being serious as she spoke again.
"That's an order."
Jack hesitated too long.
"Go Jack or I'll pick you up and put you in that seat." Ford said.
He gave them both looks then moved.
"Easy." he said passing Bra'tak as he got out of his chair letting Jack sit.
It didn't take long and he had the scan screen up showing a grid of a section of the map. It centered on a spot.
"Taonos."
"Sir?"
"What?" Jack said.
"You looked at the screen and said Taonos." Daniel said.
Jack looked at the screen then shrugged. "If you say so."
"You say so."
Carter leaned over touching a control which brought up the grid showing a particularly strange area on the surface.
"There's a small anomaly on the surface here. Like a bubble."
"Is it a cavern?" Bra'tak asked.
"It looks like a perfectly rounded half sphere of molten rock."
"A shield. It may have ran out of power some time ago, if it's out of power, but it kept the chamber from being destroyed." Ford said.
"Exactly. That has to be it." Carter said looking at the screen. "We should check it out right away."
Carter went to the back section quickly.
"Mr. President, we have managed to contact the Captain of the Spruance, a destroyer in the Nimitz battle group." Francis said holding the phone on the President's desk. He put the phone down and activated the intercom.
The President came over leaning on his desk with both hands.
"I repeat there was some sort of beam that came out of the sky. There wasn't any warning! The entire carrier just went up in one big fireball."
"Captain can you see the enemy?" the President asked.
"Holy!!! Another cruiser just went up!!!!" the line went dead soon after.
Francis picked up the phone and listened then put it down slowly. Everyone in the room could tell what happened.
"The engagement began less than five minutes ago…and that was only one Goa'uld ship."
Ronan piloted the ship over the dome of hardened molten rock and waited.
"Here. The crust may be thin enough for the rings to penetrate." Bra'tak said pointing at the screen.
"You're not coming Ford?" Daniel asked as he put his suit on. Teal'c, Jack, and Sam were putting theirs on.
"No. I'm going to stay and enjoy the scenery. You don't see something like this everyday. Besides, Jack forget to bring more than four."
"I could…"
"If there is any writing down there, which there probably is, you will be needed. Besides, you can only understand what Jack says. I can't do anything down there anyway that I can think of. You guys go and call if you need anything."
They ringed down inside finding it very dark, dark red anyway. It wasn't appealing.
"Can you still hear us?" Ronan asked as he stood near the middle console.
"Indeed."
Bra'tak was at the controls while Ford was waiting near the ring transported controls.
"We will move a safe distance and return on your signal." Bra'tak said moving the cargo ship away.
Down inside they looked around slowly. Their flashlights not helping much.
"Radiation levels are pretty high." Carter said.
"I believe Ford was correct. A shield once protected this structure." Teal'c said.
"It's possible that the rings compromised the dome's integrity. We shouldn't stay long." Carter said.
Jack kept walking like he knew where he was going.
"To bad. Otherwise it's very pleasant." Daniel said.
Walking past what looked to be stalagmite points coming out of the floor, they came into a room with a large base section on which a strange chair was sitting.
"Architecture indicates this was defiantly built by the Ancients." Daniel said.
"This facility does not appear to be operational."
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm kinda hoping this isn't the lost city." Sam said as Jack walked up to the chair.
"Sir, be careful." Sam said as he sat down in the chair soon after. Blue lights lit up around the place and in the chair.
"Jack, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Daniel asked.
He activated something on the chair and the room became much clearer. He took his head cover section off.
"The atmosphere is safe." Carter said after checking with the scanning device.
The others took their's off as Jack touched some gel like substance in the arm of the chair with his hand. The chair leaned back as he kept touching it making a holographic map come up above them.
"A map of the galaxy." Sam said.
"It looks like a map of the planets that the Ancients ever colonized is in here." Daniel said.
"This is where we are." he said saying the planets name and pointing at it. The map suddenly changed showing the Sol system.
"That's our solar system." she said. The scene changed some as it zoomed in on Earth. "Earth."
"That does not appear to be Earth." Teal'c stated.
"It doesn't take into consideration thirty million years of continental drift." Daniel said.
"So why are you showing us this?" Carter asked. Jack only moved his head some.
"Jack?"
"Terre Atlantis."
"Atlantis?" Daniel asked.
"The Lost City of Atlantis?" Carter asked shocked.
"Are you saying that the lost city of the Ancients is here?" Daniel asked pointing at the Earth.
"Antarctica." Sam said seeing the map zoom in on that part of the planet.
"Subo Glaiuse."
"Under Antarctica?" Daniel asked. "The city we have been looking for is under the ice in Antarctica?"
"It's been on Earth the whole time?" Carter said. Jack looked at her.
"Jack. We were just there!" Daniel exclaimed.
"We came all this way to find out we have to go back." Carter said.
"No." Jack said pushing on the gel more like it was buttons.
Everything shut down and he put his head mask back on. Everyone else did too very quickly as Jack got up and went just off to the right of the chair. He waved his hand over a spot and a large crystal thing came out of the ground. Just a bit bigger than those hand thermos's that are good for camping, but just a little longer. It glowed yellow as it resonated with power. He gave it to Carter.
"A power source." she said handing it to Daniel who put it in a pouch.
"Bra'tak we are ready. We know the location of the lost city. It's on Earth." she said through the com as they ran out heading for the rings. Dust and rocks from the ceiling started coming down slowly as it began to want to cave in.
"Understood Major Carter." he said getting up and passing by Ronan. "Pilot the vessel. I will see to the transport rings."
"I told you, wait that was Teal'c, I had this taken care of." Ford said as Bra'tak approached. "Gotta do something other than just stand around…"
"Very well."
Ford suddenly shook as he was hit by a zat blast. Bra'tak turned to get a knife in his gut as Ford dropped to the floor.
"We are betrayed."
"You are the betrayer. Of your one true god, Anubis." Ronan said pulling the knife out.
Bra'tak dropped to his knees grabbing his injury and breathing hard.
"You should have struck for my heart Ronan."
"You will die more slowly this way." Ronan said holding the knife still and smiling. "And I will be rewarded for bringing a great prize….."
"Wrong smartass."
Ronan turned to see a hand catch him in the face. Ford lifted him off the ground and slammed him into the floor. His head cracked audibly and he died instantly.
"Master Bra'tak." Ford said coming to his aid.
"The controls. We need to get them. Help me."
Ford helped Bra'tak to the controls and then went back to the ring controls per Bra'taks orders.
"I don't think the dome's going to hold." Daniel said as they kept walking as fast as they could.
"Bra'tak what's happening up there?" Carter asked.
"Everything is fine." he said.
"Bra'tak the…." Carter started saying when the rings came down.
They came up with her still talking.
"Dome is starting….never mind."
"Bra'tak is hurt. Go help him." Ford said leaning against the wall. They got their head mask off quickly.
Bra'tak was taken out of the pilot seat and placed on the floor. Teal'c was next to him. Carter got to the controls after Ford said he was fine. He explained what happened quickly to them.
"Ronan was a minion of Anubis." Bra'tak said grunting through pain.
"Save you strength old friend."
"You know I am stubborn Teal'c. But this battle I cannot win." he said shaking his head.
Carter came back as they looked at Jack. He kneeled down putting his hand over the wound then closed his eyes and bowed his head. A faint light came from Jack's hand and Bra'tak grunted in pain.
"The pain…is fading."
Daniel called out Jack's name as he caught him from falling over. Teal'c helped Bra'tak sit up, both men bewildered by the fact that Bra'tak was completely healed. Jacked looked at them like he was lost.
"Once more, I am in your debt."
"But how?" Carter asked kneeling next to Jack.
"O'Neill posses the healing power of the Ancients." Teal'c said through watery eyes.
"I guess your condition is a little more advanced this time." Daniel said.
Jack nodded to Bra'tak as the ship suddenly jumped forward into hyperspace. Ford was piloting the ship or was when he activated it then came back to them. They looked up as he walked over.
"He just…." Ford said shrugging. He didn't look right.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. I didn't have my coat on and got to feel the full extent of those zat guns. Not a very pleasant experience mind you. I'm still having a lingering effect. Now I know how you guys feel. How's Bra'tak?"
"O'Neill has healed him." Teal'c said.
"That's great news. I got us into hyperspace and headed home. Someone else can take over now."
"But so far there's nothing that has been intercept. Since the battle group has been destroyed, the Goa'uld haven't fired a shot." one of the Generals said.
"Why not a city or two, just to prove his point?" one of the aids said.
The lights in the rooms dimmed as a holographic Anubis showed up in front of the Presidents desk. The President had been walking around near the seats and turned to see the new face, or in this case faceless person. Everyone got up and ran for cover as armed security personal came in protecting the President and everyone else. They started firing doing nothing more than damaging the walls and desk.
"Hold your fire!!! It's a hologram!!" Francis said.
"I am Anubis."
The President stepped forward straightening out his clothes.
"You've got to be kidding."
"You are the leader of this world?"
"I am the President of the United States of America. One nation among many."
"No more. Bow before you god."
Hayes laughed. "I don't think so. However I am willing to discuss your surrender."
"If you possessed weapons matching mine, you would have used them by now."
"Don't let the suit fool ya fella. We are going to fight."
"You bring destruction upon yourselves."
"Never going to happen." Hayes said.
Anubis's hologram faded away.
"Too much?" the President asked turning to everyone after the lights returned.
Anubis brought the rest of his ships out of hyperspace and orbited Earth.
"Sir, thirty plus ships just appeared in orbit. They are taking station around the planet." a General said holding the phone. Hays unloosened his tie.
"I guess he didn't buy it." he said sitting on his desk.
"Mr. President. It's time to go to the Alpha site." Kinsey said.
"Go ahead."
"Mr. President…"
"No. Go ahead. I'm….I'm staying."
Kinsey didn't argue but left quickly.
"You're all welcome to join him."
"I think you know we are staying with you sir." Francis said.
"God knows George, you deserve to go."
"No sir. I think I will stay here too."
"Good. Well if you'll except it. I got another job for you."
They were coaxing as much power as possible out of the engines racing home. Jack was in the process of building, god only knows and the Ancients, some sort of wired up device around the ring transport on the floor.
"Are you preparing a weapon for battle O'Neill?" Teal'c said walking up. Jack only shook his head mildly as he kept working.
"The sensors have detected an armada of Goa'uld ships around Earth."
Jack kept working away.
"Can you understand anything that I am saying O'Neill?" Teal'c said sadly.
He knelt down.
"O'Neill, I wish for you to know that.."
Jack reached out with his right hand and cupped Teal'c's left side of the face. He looked at Teal'c a moment then patted his shoulder. Teal'c nodded. Jack then went back to work and Teal'c left and came back to the front.
Hayes was sitting down looking at a static filled screen.
"Mr. President, for the last two hours the Goa'uld have systematically taken out power grids and broadcast terminals all around the globe." Francis said. "They seem to want to disable our communications."
Hayes nodded and stood up.
"So much for my speech."
"We are doing our best to get the word out to the public to remain calm." the aide said.
"Saying what?"
"For the moment, we are sticking with the word, meteor shower."
"That will only hold up as long as those ships stay out of range. Go to Defcon one. John, launch Prometheus."
The General nodded and left the room.
Down in the gate room at the SGC, the gate was being dialed for the Alpha site. Kinsey was at the ramp base with a couple others as well as Dr. Weir.
"Well, I thought you were a lot of things, but a coward was not one of them." she said as Kinsey signed some document.
"You're a pragmatist Doctor. Besides someone has to ensure the human race and the American way of life. By the way, if you survive. You're through." he said. Suddenly all power shut off and the gate quit dialing.
"What the hell's going on?!!!"
"We've lost main power." a technician up in the control room said.
"Well get it back!!!!"
"Manually Iris control. Close it now!!" Weir yelled. A guard went over grabbing the switch. The Iris shut as other guards got into position.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?!! Open that Iris and dial the Alpha site right now!!!" Kinsey yelled to the technician.
"Unauthorized off world activation!!!"
The gate suddenly activated instantly and a wormhole was established. The whole room shook but nothing came through.
"That was a nuke, or worse." the technician said.
"Anubis has dialed in. You're not going anywhere." Weir said.
"You get me out of here! You hear me?" he said grabbing her arm roughly as she went to leave.
"We just received a coded message from SG-1. It's not coming through the gate."
"I don't give a damn!!!!" Kinsey yelled.
"Well I do!" she said pulling herself free and going into the control room.
Hayes was sitting at his desk listening to Dr. Weir. She was in her office, Hammond's office once, talking to him about what SG-1 had reported on the intercom.
"Mr. President. The Prometheus cannot win against entire Goa'uld fleet. But it could buy SG-1 enough time to complete their mission…" she was saying when Kinsey interrupted her.
"Mr. President. That is down right insane. I am relieving Dr. Weir and taking command…"
"Sir from what I looked at…"
"Will you just shut the hell up!!!"
"I'm sorry sir." she said sitting back.
"Not you Doctor."
"Excuse me?"
"Consider your resignation accepted Bob."
"You can't do that!!!"
"Oh, please. I have enough on you to have you shot. A guy named Ford helped with some of that information."
Ford had sent him the same DVD thing he created just after giving one to Kinsey. The same day in fact. After he had gotten the copy to give to Kinsey, he had one sent to the President seeing as Hammond knew the guy. It arrived a few hours later.
"This is the biggest mistake you will ever make." Kinsey said angrily.
"But I think I will stick with my original thought, which is shut the hell up."
"I promise you that you will only live to regret this!!" he said then stomped out of the room.
"Go ahead Dr. Weir."
"I believe that sending Prometheus is SG-1's best hope." she said as Kinsey stormed out.
"Colonel Kirkland we have our orders." Hammond said waling onto the bridge of the Prometheus. He took a seat quickly. "Lets get this bird in the air."
"Set inertial compensators and shields at maximum. Initiate launch sequence."
Everyone busied themselves getting the ship ready. Outside in a secret location the hanger doors opened above them. The ship slowly rose out of the ground on a platform then took off.
Still in hyperspace….
"Jack's modifying the matter stream transmitters on the rings. We'll use it to bore a hole through the ice." Daniel said coming up front. Carter and Ford were back with Jack.
"We must first defeat the forces of Anubis." Teal'c said.
"Yeah. How are we going to do that?"
"You must exit hyperspace as close to the Earth atmosphere as possible." Bra'tak said.
"So we can appear on the other side of the armada."
"We will not have much time to decelerate."
"Of that I am aware my old friend."
The came out of hyperspace just above one of the oceans and came in fast. The whole ships started rocking.
"Teal'c. Teal'c, you're going to pull up right?" Daniel said as the Antarctic ground got closer.
"What's going on…..oh my god." Ford said coming in. He could see the ground closing in fast as well. "I'll….be in the back."
He turned and left not wanting to see such sights. He hated the cold.
Carter was on the ground helping Jack work as Ford came back.
"What's going on?"
"Just some turbulence. Nothing to worry about Sam."
"I am attempting to do so Daniel Jackson." Teal'c said.
Daniel watch the ground get close enough you could spot animals if you were looking. They came down fast and just barely hit a mountain top. After getting stabilized control.
"Where now?" Teal'c asked.
"It has to be near the coordinates of the second Stargate." Daniel said.
Jack come running forward and touched Teal'c. Carter and Ford came back up as well as Teal'c got up giving his seat up.
"My lord. A scout ship has exited hyperspace and is headed for the planets southern pole."
Jack piloted between mountains and got to the needed location. A beam of white energy fired from the ring area under the ship burning a hole down into the ice.
"Sir, how long is this going to take?"
"I'd say not long with that much steam. I sincerely hope we don't get shot down. I hate snow." Ford said as they all watched stream rise quickly past the window.
Jack got up heading to the back. Bra'tak took over piloting.
"Anubis cannot have missed our approach." Teal'c stated going to the middle console.
"You are correct. Alkesh and gliders our approaching." Bra'tak said. "Many. They will be in firing range in thirty seconds."
SG-1, minus Jack, watched through the front window.
"Where is the enemy coming from?" Ford asked seeing just a barely there glimmer of some ships coming at them, but they looked wrong.
"Behind us." Bra'tak stated. "Why?"
"Then what is that?" he said pointing out the window.
"Sir, we are about to get out a…." Carter started yelling.
"Those are not Goa'uld." Bra'tak said.
"All be damned! It's the Prometheus!!!!" Ford shouted.
Carter moved up looking out closer. It was the Prometheus and the F-302's they had. Instantly they were caught up in the middle of a battle in the air. Energy bolts flew all around as the Earth forces and the Goa'uld fought in the air. A few hit the ship rocking it.
"I always wanted to see a space battle up close, but not like this." Ford commented.
"SG-1. This is Hammond. Do you read?" came through the com.
"Yes sir. It's good to see you." Carter said happily. "Let's go."
Bra'tak stayed at the helm as the others went back to get ready to go down. Jack was pushing everything off the rings since that thing he built was not needed anymore. Everyone except Jack grabbed their equipment.
"Colonel. How are we going to get down there?" Carter asked.
"The rings Carter." Ford said casually. He hoped it didn't come out wrong.
She cocked her head to the right as she kept getting her equipment on.
"Oh yeah. That makes sense. The transmission beam just couldn't penetrate a mile of ice."
"Right." Ford said kicking off a part on the ring. He closed his coat and got in the middle.
"We are taking damage to our hull."
"All the remaining F-302's have expended their ordinances!"
The Prometheus was shaking under the intense bombardment. The bridge sparked in many places as it took hits.
"We can't bring them back aboard. They'll have to divert to McMurdo." Hammond said.
"We need to break off and recharge the shields."
"Hold your position." Hammond ordered.
"Ready." Carter said after the team was in the circle.
"Good luck." Bra'tak said turning from his chair to them. The rings came up and they went down.
It was just about the same as on the lava planet, expect much brighter seeing as it was walls of ice. They walked off slowly looking around. Jack seemed to know where he needed to go. Ford slipped on his gloves and stopped at the outer section of the rings.
"What are you doing?" Daniel asked.
"This is the only way in. And out. I got you all covered. Go save the planet."
He nodded as Ford turned around. Whatever came down, it would have to face his fury first. He thought about Kinsey and everyone else he had trouble with that he wanted to punch out or worse. And he thought about his friends and how they depended on his keeping them safe so they could have time to save the planet.
Bra'tak moved off with the ship leaving the Prometheus over the site.
"We are in range my lord."
"Fire." Anubis said.
The ship rattled and shook as it took a major bombardment from the motherships in orbit.
"Shields
are failing!!!"
"Scout ship has cleared the hole."
"Set a course for Anubis's ship." Hammond ordered. "Move us out of here."
"Bring the engine's online. Emergency thrust."
More blast from orbit rocked the ship as it took off.
"The Tauri vessel is abandoning its position."
"This looks vaguely familiar." Carter said as they looked around.
Jack walked up to some strange alcove in the wall. It looked like it was meant to hold someone. Like a coffin standing up and Jack said something in Ancient.
"Sleep." Daniel said after Carter looked at him.
A noise caught their attention. They looked into the room with a chair on a large base. Same as on the lava planet. Anubis was there in his hologram form.
"You are too late. The power of the Ancients is mine."
Jack walked up and then through him. He disappeared with Anubis saying fools.
"It's a hologram." Daniel said.
Jack went over and waved his hand across the area he had back at the other planet. A similar power crystal came up but was completely without power. Carter came in and got into her pack to get the other one out. She handed it over after Jack removed the depleted one. He was putting it in when the rings activated.
"Here they come!" Ford yelled.
The rest of SG-1 got into position to fire if needing to. It was two of those super soldiers. As soon as the rings had dropped Ford moved in. His right hand hit the guy on the right in the gut with great speed. The soldier staggered a bit then fell. The other one reached out grabbing Ford's left arm. Ford slipped out of it quickly, spun that guy around and snapped his neck so hard the head almost came off. He backed off outside the rings and popped his neck. His hands twitched for the next round.
"Whoa. I hope I'm never on Ford's bad side." Daniel commented.
"I doubt we'll ever be on the receiving end of it." she said.
Jack installed the power source not worrying about the soldiers anymore. The chair and other area's lit up instantly.
"The human attack vessel approaches."
"Destroy it!" Anubis commanded.
The Prometheus charged forward taking massive hits from Anubis's mighty vessel. None of the other ships in his fleet were firing at it.
As Jack sat down in the chair two more soldiers appeared. The bodies of the others were messed up by the rings coming down on them. Ford did a different tactic and reached out grabbing them both by the necks. He let out a roar of anger and slammed them into the ice wall causing it to crack and make a few chunks come out. He squeezed hard breaking their necks, then tossed them aside before backing off again and waiting. This time though he popped his knuckles.
The joy of battle. I admit they are almost a match for us. Herc thought.
Almost?! They are nothing compared to us! I feel so strong right now I could probably toss a tank!
Jack pushed on the gel in the arm and the chair leaned back turning away from them.
"Shields are down. Weapons are expended."
The Prometheus held up against the onslaught, but was losing slowly as it kept moving forward.
"The next hit is going to take us out."
"Hold your course. Brace for collision." Hammond ordered.
The area around Jack glowed as he closed his eyes. Behind Ford the ground gave way glowing. He jumped out of the way and scooted over to where Carter was.
"What are you afraid of?"
"Whatever that is, I didn't want to be around it. I suddenly felt like I was about to be killed. Must be because I'm joined."
As he spoke to her, what looked to be glowing fireballs came out of the ground and headed up the shaft. It was like seeing a eruption on the sun, but not at bright. It was pretty too.
"Way to go Jack!" Ford exclaimed.
"Incredible!" she said.
"Nice job Jack." Daniel said looking back at him then at the erupting fountain.
The energy Jack unleashed ran up the long hole they bore out and attacked the remaining Goa'uld fighters above the ice while still heading out into space. Bra'tak watched in awe as the fiery fountain came out of the ice. It was spectacular. The fountain stopped coming out down below and the team went over to Jack who was still sitting with his eyes closed. The fiery wave passed around the Prometheus and struck Anubis's ship as well as the rest. Their shields did nothing to stop the attack.
"Weapons fire coming from the surface sir."
"Break off course. Get us out of here!!!" Hammond ordered.
The Prometheus changed course and headed back toward the planet as the intense energy attack kept ripping the ships apart.
"Our shields are of no use!!" Anubis's First Prime exclaimed.
Anubis screamed as several of the energy balls came into the bridge. Within moments his entire fleet was wiped out.
"What the hell was that?"
"That was SG-1!!!" Hammond said cheerfully.
Down in the SGC, they heard from someone reporting. Some one in the military. Probably from the Prometheus. The President was listen in as well.
"Thousands of bright yellow….I don't know. They're coming from the surface. I don't know what they are. Their cutting the enemy fleet to shreds!!!!! My god!!! It's beautiful!!!"
Jack had his eyes open a moment then they closed and his head turned to the left.
"Jack?" Ford said giving him a small shake. Carter moved in checking him.
"His pulse is erratic. Don't you dare leave us now Jack. We won." Carter said as she held his face. "Colonel."
He slowly opened his eyes.
"Sir, I have the President for you."
"Patch him through." Hammond said.
The small screens on the bridge activated and they could see President Hayes.
"I'm confirming that the enemy has been defeated. The threat has been eliminated."
"Congratulations George. I don't know how we are ever going to repay you."
"Please Jack." Carter said.
Jack looked very tired and was sweating. He really looked at deaths door in some ways as he said that Ancient word for sleep.
"That thing." Daniel said looking at Ford. "We need to take him over here." Ford gently picked him up, and walked over quickly with Daniel. The chair went back to its sitting position after Jack was removed. Ford set him in the alcove and it lit up.
"You think this will clear his mind?" Ford asked as he backed away.
"I don't know. He said sleep." Daniel said.
"Now what?" Carter asked looking at them then Jack.
"Aveo…Amcuse." Jack whispered.
They looked at Daniel.
"Goodbye." Daniel said slowly.
The area behind Jack lit up with a bright light bringing some field forward past him. It was very cloudy to see then it cleared. Jack was in suspended animation.
"We can't just leave him like this. There has to be a way to reverse the process. The answer has to be here somewhere." Carter said.
She was keeping herself from crying, but just barely.
"I don't think this is it Sam."
"What do you mean?"
"The dome's too small. It's like Taonos. It's obviously not a city. It's an outpost of some kind."
"This isn't Atlantis?"
"I don't think so." Daniel said obviously upset as well.
"If this is not the lost city. Then where is it?" Teal'c stated.
Ford had been holding his hand against the glass like covering looking at Jack. He walked away slowly shaking his head. Carter touched the surface looking at Jack. He was frozen with his eyes looking at them.
"I should have done it. It should have been me."
"That was not possible Ford Primus."
"One of you could have taken Hercules." he said slowly. "I should have just kis.."
As they looked at Jack to say goodbye's, hopefully just for a few moments. He suddenly grabbed his head. They didn't notice until he dropped to his knees.
What the hell?!! Herc exclaimed. What is that?
I don't know!
Voices, he was hearing voices, lots of them. He looked around trying to find them as he got up. The room lit up for a few moments like a flashing of power trouble then it quit.
"Ford?" Daniel asked seeing him back away. Ford looked like he was terrified.
"Bra'tak, get me out of here." he said slowly looking around. "Now!"
He didn't even notice his team looking at him strangely. He was ringed up instantly. They came up just after he did.
"Ford Primus! What is going on?" Bra'tak asked as Ford sank against the wall looking ready to freak out. He was sweating pretty bad and was shaking.
"I don't know! I don't know." he said over and over again as he breathed hard.
"Ford? What happened to him Bra'tak?"
"I am uncertain. He was like this when he came up." he said to her.
"I don't know. I started hearing voices, but I couldn't make them out. It sounded like those voices they use in movies with demons." Ford said shakily. "I'd almost swear I heard Anubis too."
He was starting to breath normally again after a couple of moments.
"Whatever happened after Jack went into that thing, I don't know. I've never been so afraid in my life! I had to get out of there."
They went back to the SGC and Bra'tak went home leaving the ship with the SGC. They were not really mourning Jack, but they sure as hell missed him being around. Whatever happened to Ford, there was no medical reason they could tell. Carter leaned on Ford for support and he knew deep down she grew to care for him, and he never said anything about it. If she gave up everything for Jack, he would not stop her. Her happiness is all he cared about.
