Part I, Chapter III
April 12th, 2002
Stargate Command, Colorado Springs
Deep within a mountain, a great ring began to spin. Seven lights around its edge began to glow, and a plume of turbulent energy erupted from within. Just as suddenly as it appeared, it retreated into the Stargate. A wall of energy, rippling like water, formed inside the ring, and five figures came through the doorway to another world.
"Welcome back, SG-1," a voice declared. "Debriefing will be at 1700 hours."
"Well," Doctor Daniel Jackson, the team's linguist and anthropologist, stated, "That was... interesting."
"Indeed," spoke Teal'c.
"Yeah, how do you have that much luck, Potter?"
"High rolls at character creation?" the man in question joked. 'Of course, even that wouldn't cover half the shite I pull off," he thought to himself. "Really now, this is SG-1! We're supposed to do stuff like this!"
"Alright, boys, enough with the banter. We only have half an hour until debriefing, and I, for one, don't fancy getting Dr. Frasier angry by missing another post-mission check-up," Major Carter said with a smirk. The rest of the team gulped, though none as noticably as Lieutenant Colonel Jack O'Neill, SG-1's commanding officer.
"You heard the lady," he said, "Let's go see the scary lady with needles!"
-o-
On the way back from the infirmary, Harry Potter reminisced on his arrival at Stargate Command two years before. He had been beamed away from his cell below the Ministry the day before he was scheduled to go to Azkaban by the rogue Asgard Loki, and rescued a few days later by Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet. Thor's offer to be returned to his home had been denied, rather panicked. When Thor saw the memory of the event, he understood why. It seemed, he had stated, the descendants of the Ancients did not have retain their ancestors' desire for justice.
Harry had eventually been placed on the world of his ancestors' legacy, where he met SG-1. He had returned through the Stargate with them, and had eventually been granted permission to join the program on a permanent basis. He had kept two secrets from them, however. First, when he had come through the 'Gate, he had brought back the collected archive of Alteran knowledge with him; and second, he had the ability to manipulate energy, a talent many less scientifically advanced called 'Magic.'
Harry was jolted out of his reverie when he stepped foot into the briefing room. After the last of the team had filed in, General Hammond, the SGC's commanding officer, exited his office.
"SG-1," he said. "Report."
"Well, sir, the mission went smoothly. Nothing unusual happened at all."
"What Jack means to say, sir," Daniel interrupted, "is that the Goa'uld barged in on us about an hour after we got there. We were captured, as we... often are, and then Harry somehow got us out."
"We come bearing gifts," Harry joked. "Two fully-functioning Al'kesh, just waiting to be picked up for study. We hid 'em about a half-hour's walk from the 'Gate."
"This may be just what we need for Prometheus, sir," Carter said excitedly.
"I'll have two teams retrieve the ships at the next available opportunity, and let the folks at Area 51 know you bought their Christmas presents early this year," Hammond decided. "Have your reports on my desk this time tomorrow. Potter, stay behind. The rest of you may go."
"General, sir?" Harry asked. "What did you want to speak about?"
"Sit down, son. This is an unusual situation, even by SG-1 standards." Harry's eyebrows jumped into his hairline. That was an extreme statement, one not made lightly. He sat down.
"Son, three hours ago, I got a call from the President saying there was a situation I should be aware of. He said that ambassadors from a '62442' division of the British government would be coming later this week to meet with you. He said I should tell you this, and that you would know what that meant." Harry's face drained of color. They were coming here?!
"They will arrive, apparently, in two days. They've been granted one week to discuss whatever it is they want to discuss with you."
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"Where will this meeting take place?"
"This room, why?"
"Just... curious."
"I'll put an extra officer on guard duty outside the door."
"Thank you, sir. Um, if it's not too much to ask... can I have a zat on me during the meetings?"
"If it's the group I think it is," Hammond said solemnly, "I'd be concerned if you didn't ask."
-o-