Note: The old information update has been removed. FF stated it as an update. Now, if I simply replaced the chapter text then it wouldn't show the actual new material as a new chapter. So, off with the old and on with the new.

Chapter Eleven

'Headaches and the Adventures in Tau'ri land'

Cyrannus System

Picon HQ Picon

"I need three more acetylsalicylic acid tablets," President Goesel muttered as he rubbed his temples. Truthfully, he wanted a couple of antacids to add to the Colonial version of aspirin tablets. "Growing pains," he muttered for what had to be the fifth time in the last ten minutes. "Let me see if I understand this correctly. My newest colonies are about to start a civil war over a bunch of lizards we don't need or want

for anything." he added looking at his aunt, "and the colonists on their way there haven't even gotten a tenth of the way to the new worlds. If we call them back then we waste a tremendous amount of resources we may not need to if the civil war does not materialize. Or, we allow them to continue and run into an intra planetary war before they even arrive." He pulled up a finger. "Then the Junis and the entire exploration fleet is back after being pulled into another war with an alien species at least as powerful as the Terrans and their independent Tollanians colony which isn't defined as a colony at all." He held up another finger. "We've effectively slapped the Goa'uld by openly speaking to the Terrans thereby spitting in their faces. That's the good news because the only reason why they haven't started to kill us all is because they're trying to survive a war with the allegedly same aliens that the Junis may or may not have inadvertently brought to our very doorstep?" he wanted to scream. "Anything else?"

"I am afraid so," High Admiral Augustus Cain answered. "But we need to focus on the reports from the Junis. If that report is accurate and I see no evidence so far that it's not, then we have the answer to whom the Terrans and the goa'uld are fighting. Even if the Junis is sure that they weren't followed we can't be positive. If they are, then we are already at war. And if their technology is half as powerful as we've seen, then they will tear the Colonies apart. Or the Goa'uld may come for us first, although somehow I don't believe so. That's the bad news. On the positive side, the Junis brought back some interesting technology that if we have the time, we can use to help defend ourselves."

"In a couple of years!" countered the Undersecretary of the Colonial State Ellene Gratines. "You may not have noticed, but we're in the big leagues now. The Cylons are gone. Instead we have Terrans, Tollanians, and Goa'uld flying around, with energy shields, beam weapons, subspace travel, and let's not forget their cloaking technology. We are behind them in so many ways, and don't say 'quantity is a quality all its own'. We are not united, our people are frightened," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm frightened" she added. "The people may not even know they are too; but, they can feel it. That's why so many are running to the Makaria systems, to be close to Earth–where they feel protected." Cain looked thoughtful while Goesel in turn looked mulish. "Think about that for a moment," she told them. "May the gods have mercy on our souls; however, we have to face the facts. Either the Thirteeners are the first Tribe to leave Kobol or the last. They may be the youngest or eldest. It doesn't matter. They're the ones who have the guns and technology we need to keep the Colonies from becoming a graveyard. We need to swallow our pride and ask Earth for help, real help!"

There was a momentary flicker in Goesel's eyes, just enough for Ellene to notice. She had a gift for reading body language and she specialized in reading her fellow politicians. That was the reason why she had risen so quickly in the ranks. Now her gifts were telling her that she'd underestimated the President's resolve. "You've already initiated some back channel talks with the Apellai…"

"Terrans."

"Terrans," she smiled. "Of course, you don't know what I am talking about."

Goesel looked grim. "We don't know what you're alluding to and you don't either," he said in no uncertain terms. "Now, changing the subject for now," he continued, "in two days, I will be addressing the Quorum. I need some sort of definitive answer concerning the rebellion at the Makaria sector. We can't have our territories starting a war there and I am loath to have the military involved especially since the military is already involved! It's a simple solution. Give the lizards back to their own kind as I ordered. I want to know why this isn't happening."

One of the Libran lawyers present at the meeting, Sire Garius bowed in respect to the President and began speaking. "The three worlds by definition didn't have the required number of people to be considered an official colony and are as such defined as territories. "Yes, they are under the edicts of Colonial law but they do not have the rights and privileges of the Twelve Colonies as of yet. Now Earth and some of their colonies would, by our definition, meet the qualifications. If we can convince Earth to return to the fold, most of our pressing problems could be resolved to everyone's satisfaction."

"We tried imposing our will on them," said a chagrined Admiral Nagala. "That approach didn't work out very well."

"That is a wildly acknowledged fact. But neither have they cut themselves off from us. I take that as an excellent sign that they are interested in the reunification in the near future. They're still only one world with small colonies and limited resources. They may have military superiority however they need the experience and help we can give them. They have been in space for a very short period of time and they could use our guidance."

How this change of conversation went from finding a solution to territorial war, to bringing Earth into the loving embrace of the Colonies, Augustus didn't know. What the High Admiral did know is that he wanted to scream but wisely he said nothing. However he did begin chewing his Earth blended cigar loudly enough for everyone to hear, much to the President's annoyance.

"We are not discussing Earth nor its colonies' entry to the Twelve Colonies" Goesel snapped. "We're speaking about our territories threatening to start a shooting war with one another."

"Legally, it's one and the same," the Sire countered. "Legally, we understand that Earth and the Apellai people have separated from us for thousands of years, however, there is no statute of limitations on such an event. We should therefore discuss these acts of rebellion for all of these worlds in this context, Earth and their colonies included. Our solutions may be different for the worlds in question but the end goal is the same, peace and reunification."

Not for the first time did Goesel want to quit his job and drown himself in a few mega liters of really good ambrosia for a few years. "Sire Garius, we appreciate your insight on the status of humanity in the galaxy. I have the utmost confidence in your understanding of the law and how it affects the Colonies and humanity in general. However there are facts that you are not aware of that this administration has hidden from the people."

"And what would that be, Mister President?" the lawyer asked calmly and with more than a bit of curiosity. "The Articles of Colonization are established from the time of the great journey. I cannot see anything that could possibly circumspect the articles as you seem to be implying. Furthermore, if there is something we the people of the United Colonies of kobol should know, why have you kept it from us?"

"Because the people were not ready to hear the truth," answered the President. "The situation has changed."

"And what truth is that?"

The President couldn't help it. His eyes darted in Cain's stone-faced direction and he suppressed his urge to smile. Cain always turned to stone when something momentous was about to happen. Both he and several other high ranking officials were aware that history was about to happen at this very moment. "What is about to be spoken here will not leave this room until after tomorrow's speech," he told them all. "In our studies of Earth's biology, their historical, and archeological evidence during the last year and a half, we have uncovered indisputable proof that Earth and its offshoot companion worlds are not the Thirteenth Colony as we know it. Furthermore, Kobol is not the birthplace of mankind."

"We are aware of the fact that Kobol is not the birthplace of mankind," a member of the Quorum present for the meeting testily grumbled. "Everyone knows the phrase that man began out there before we flourished at Kobol."

"Exactly," said Goesel. "The people of the Earth didn't originate from the Colonies, the people of the Colonies originated from Earth."

"Impossible! The scrolls clearly says mankind is derived from our ancestors living on Kobol until we fled that ruined world!"

"I know it's surprising and more than a bit unnerving," the President said. It was disturbing and he remembered how he felt when the evidence became overwhelming. "I struggled with this revelation myself. But the truth is the truth. We don't know how the people of Kobol came to Kobol. We don't yet know who brought our ancestors there or for what reason. But we now know that we are the offshoot of the Terrans, not they from us."

Silence.

"You have proof?"

Denial, gods help us. "I'm the President of the Colonies of Kobol. Of course I have proof and now so will you. Therefore in light of these new revelations I request that you cease attempting to bring Earth into the Colonies and start thinking about how we, the Colonies start to integrate ourselves to Earth. We are their children."

Cain began laughing while the dozen people in the secured room began turning various shades of purple with touches of green.

"You can't tell the people!" blurted out Livia. The Priestess had lost all sense of decorum. "They'll lose their trust in the gods! There will be riots in the streets. The masses will turn against you and your government may fall! I implore you Mister President, you must not do this, not now."

"If not now, when?" he asked her.

"Ten years, no less than fifteen. It'll give our Order time to properly prepare the people."

"High Priestess, our time is up. The doors are closing in on us and sealing themselves shut. Our time for reflection and self-delusion is over."

"The religious factions will never believe you," Livia countered.

"Even though you do, dear aunt?" Antonio countered. "You've known the truth for as long as I have, possibly much longer. Do you believe lying to the people is in their best interests? Do you believe that our people are so weak that they can't handle the truth in the long term?"

"The people need our guidance. They need to be brought into the truth gently over time. So many revelations so quickly will lead to anarchy and a vote of no confidence in your Presidency. The people will condemn you as a heretic."

"We'll see. Apparently, I have more faith in the truth and in the people than you do, High Priestess. But in light of this, what are we going to do with the Makaria territories and how will we present ourselves to the Terrans, or as galaxy call them, the 'First People', without humiliating ourselves more than we already have. I want to avoid territorial war if at all possible."

"We can't just dismiss what you've just alleged," Sire Garius implored. "This changes our laws, our very beliefs. And you're just going to announce this to the worlds tomorrow? Mister President, this places us in constitutional, not to mention, a spiritual crisis that will shake the very foundations of the Colonies!"

"We're not dismissing anything," Goesel said. "But we also have a guilt-edged priority to prevent a potential war we didn't even know existed two days ago." The revelation had come as a shock when Admiral Mettlar's priority one FTL message arrived at fleet command. New Picon had just declared itself an independent entity.

"How can they declare themselves independent?" Livia asked. "There's only eighty thousand people there, give or take. That's barely a decent town."

"Apparently, almost half the military is siding with New Picon. Iblison has convinced them that Earth is waiting to attack and take the planets from them and that Admirals Westergyne and Mettlar have secret deals to allow this. Supposedly, part of this is the deal returning the captive Race lizards to their people. In return for Earth helping to subdue New Picon."

Livia's mouth made a passable impression of a fish out water. "But..." for an instant the words failed her. "…Why would he possibly believe such a thing? It defies all logic and common sense. He knows what's at stake and that it will most certainly pull us into another disastrous conflict with Earth."

"You picked him," Goesel told her. "I gave him his authority because you recommended him for this mission when we tried to conquer the Lizardians." He looked on in disgust. That fiasco had come back to bite them in so many ways he had trouble counting them all. "And now as I think about it, it makes me suspect that we were directly involved in some way with the nuclear detonation on their home world. It looks bad either way. We've been denying it all of this time, however we need to look into this again. If we're responsible, we need to deal with it and Iblison."

"I don't understand," she said looking utterly confused. "I understand his feelings about the Apellai." She stopped and looked at a very hostile-looking president. "The Terrans," she corrected. "But I would never believe that a high priest would do such a thing as start an insurrection against his own people."

Nagala shook his head. "We had the reports of what he tried to do at Makaria when the Terrans first confronted the station. He almost started a war then."

"I'm sorry," interrupted Sire Garius. "Priest Iblison, the governor-General of New Picon attempted to start a conflict with the Terrans on Makaria?"

"No, sir. He nearly started an armed conflict at Makaria station. I know it is a bit confusing. The Makaria Star base is the Colonial outpost a few light years from the Terran Tollanian imposed twenty-five light year separation zone. The star base is located in what we have named the Makaria sector which consists of three claimed and recognized star systems and two more systems under exploration. Star base Makaria is located near a world that is named Makaria, after the star base."

The Sire resisted rolling his eyes. "Are the Terrans aware of this multi-fauceted use of the name?"

"We believe they do," Nagala answered. "I'll admit it is confusing but changing the names are not a priority at the moment, countering Iblison's posturing is."

"Iblison is making a play for power," Cain muttered as he tried to work his way through what he and the rest was told. "All of our reports have made it clear that Iblison has tried to start a conflict with the Terrans in one form or another."

"But there was no direct evidence and we don't have a motive," Goesel said "Does he want a war?" asked Goesel. "And if so, why?"

All eyes pointed at a shaken Livia Stoma. "I don't know."

"Options."

"Any real military support is months away with the convoys," a frustrated Nagala grumbled. "We need all of our remaining resources to protect from threats that might occur here."

"So you're recommending that we do nothing?" asked Goesel.

"I recommend that we keep the territories from shooting at one another by giving Iblison what he wants for the time being," Cain said. "We bid our time, consolidate our forces, make sure the convoys are diverted to the worlds of Pontu-Nika and Makaria and try to find a political answer to this. The twelve worlds are at greater threat than the territories. We have to prioritize. When we're secured, then we kill him as many times as we can and stuff what's left of his carcass into the nearest sewer."

"I perceive that you have some pent-up hostility towards him, High Admiral," noted a very dry sounding Livia."

"During times like this?" growled Cain.

"No talk about killing at this time, High Admiral," the President grumbled to a barely chastened Augustus Cain. "We're a democracy. Back to the subject at hand. Ambassador Adar and Vice-President Willius are safely on Earth," Goesel said. "Quorum representative Minas arrived on Earth two days ago."

Again, Livia looked shocked. "You believe that Iblison would attempt to use them as hostages!"

"They're not going back there by Presidential decree. Better safe than sorry," Goesel answered. "We need to inform Earth of the current situation. Given Iblison's actions, he could cause in incident that could well pull us into another war with Earth."

"Do you believe he might try such a thing?" asked the Sire.

No one spoke for as the President began pacing the room. "If he does, I will authorize to have him sanctioned. We've lost the luxury of time. I will not make Earth our enemy again. Now, we need to get back to the speech preparations. I want the riot police prepared and ready. I don't want a repeat of the teacher's riot."

Livia looked ill. Time for a house cleaning she thought.

Earth

Virgin Islands

"Thank you," Mitsos Anastos told the waiter hovering over him. "I'll have another long island iced tea."

"Yes, sir. I'll bring it to you right away," the waiter said as he rushed off to prepare the drink.

Smirking at a slightly tipsy Stella, he said, "I thought you were used to Earth drinks by now."

The engineer looked at him from her pool chair with slightly glazed eyes. "I am," she hiccupped. "I've only had four of these margaritas. They're not that strong," she said. "Is it hot out here?"

"Yes, my dear, it is. Why don't you go in the ocean water instead of the pool," he suggested. "Just get your feet wet so you can say that you dipped yourself in an Earth ocean."

"No!" she all but slurped. "All of these people swimming in that water. Earth people are crazy! Why do they like courting death?"

"What are you talking about?" he started laughing. He knew exactly what she was thinking. That movie 'Jaws' had a profound effect on both of them, just more on her after all he was a man and men didn't fear scary movies about real animals that could eat you in four or five chunks while ripping you apart as you drowned.

"I saw one of those things out there," she insisted.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "What kind of thing?"

"A thing thing!"

"I believe what you saw is called a porpoise or something like that. It wasn't a shark. I'm told they do have some in the water but they don't bother the people that much, maybe one in five hundred. "He knew he was smiling hysterically but he couldn't help it. "But, as I think about it, since we're not Earthers we might have a subtle taste they may be curious about. Maybe."

"I wish my husband Sherman was here," she said while taking inhaling another long gulp of drink. She started yawning. In a few minutes, as was her pattern, she'd fall asleep in her chair by the beach watching an ocean she was too afraid to dip her toes into. Yes, she was definitely a land person.

Mitsos turned from looking at her and faced the deep ocean. Part of it was a deep green and further out it turned blue. It was mesmerizing and that was why he came out to look at it every evening. He even dipped into it once or twice like everyone else. 'Jaws' was just a movie and that story had happened in another part of the planet after all. He looked over at a now sleeping Stella and praised the Earthers for their anti-sunburn lotions.

Two days after Chief Engineering Specialist Mitsos Anastos arrived on Earth with his fellow representatives, he began to really understand why the Earthers had such an interest in holding Seminars on their islands. Twelve of his compatriots were more or less blown away by the climate, the ocean and the sheer beauty of Virgin Island resort and conference area set up for the Interplanetary Aerospace and Technology Seminar. It was Earth's third such meeting but the first one that the Colonials were invited to. At first, he was disappointed the Tahiti resort he heard so much about wasn't where the conference was held, but this place worked out just fine. The resort was equal to anything he'd vacation on in the Colonies. Some places on Picon may have been better, but the exotic location at being on Earth made it all the more exciting. The slightly heavier gravity as well as huge moon gave this world a familiar yet alien feel to it. But he felt that he could get used to it very quickly. This wasn't the first time that Dr. Mitsos Anastos found himself wishing that this trip to Earth could have lasted longer than the two weeks, not in the least. He and his Colonial engineering associates were treated like royalty and they all were going to miss it when it came time to leave, even Stella, he thought.

The Hedonism V resort was a delight. He especially loved the beach area and the rolling mountainside. The fact that there was a long dormant volcano that visitors and tourist were allowed to climb was something that excited him to no end and in the evening when time permitted him and couple of his associates explored, taking in the sights Earth had to offer. It was only an island and only a small taste of Earth, but his small group loved it. And why they called place the Virgin Islands, he'd never understand.

But they weren't here merely sightseeing on some once mythical planet. They were here to learn and prepare the way to make their companies more profitable by introducing new technologies, prepare for the development of product that other worlds had to offer and introduce technologies that other world markets would have an interest in. But then this was just an introduction, a planting of seeds for future endeavors. Honestly, he was initially surprised that the Colonials were even invited in the first place given the cool relationship between the two governments.

However, Mitsos was glad that they had been invited and as such, he also resolved to treat this as a cross cultural learning experience. Since he'd arrived on Earth, his own attitude and assumptions had changed dramatically. He realized that the Earth people didn't really hate his people as much as mistrusted them. In the short time he was there, they were quickly opening up, not, in his personal opinion, because they needed to but because they chose to. They were confident and competent enough to survive and thrive without any input from the Colonies and this was the message that he was slapped with every second while on this world. The Colonial people could be accepted if they behaved or be left in the background by Earth and is allies. He didn't want that.

When Mitsos and the other representatives returned home to Picon in a few days to put into practice what he learned here, he expected he wouldn't get a moment's rest as his superiors would literally lock in some conference room and wring every last drop of information from him. The possibilities for profit were so high that the CEOs would act like deranged interrogators. If they tied him up in some conference room with microphones everywhere waiting to capture his every breath, he would not be the least bit surprised.

The term conference was a misnomer really, as it was more of an eight day meet and greet for the worlds of Earth, the Colonials, Langara, the Orban and strange as it seemed a species of actual intelligent and very uncomfortable looking Lizards. The Colonies knew of the Lizardian species existed but little else as the government had kept a tight lid on information, apparently not wanting to frighten the population, Mitsos assumed. They were a fascinating species from a desert climate. Initially, he went out of his way to speak to them, once again thanking the translation technology Earth had. Without it no one would have been able to communicate and this entire trip would have been a waste of time.

He discovered however, that the Lizardians or the Race as they preferred to be called, disliked and feared the Colonies and he didn't understand why until he spoke to them and the Terrans. The events of what his people did to their home world shocked Mitsos to his core. It explained so much and he felt ashamed. That shame and need for atonement forced him to attempt to forge some sort of friendship with one of the Lizardians, a scientist named Dezz. The male was expectedly skittish at first, and honestly so was Mitsos but it worked out better than expected. The male was confident and a touch arrogant but that was expected as it was a prerequisite for any good engineer. He and several of his associates discovered a commonality with the members of the Race that neither side really expected. Even Stella slowly warmed up to the Lizard after a few days. Apparently the both had a mutual fear of large bodies of waters with things swimming in it.

The Race's hydrogen technology was something that he knew that the Colonies could really use as a viable substitute for a host of tyllium products. Tyllium reserves were dwindling. By his estimation, clean hydrogen energy could replace tyllium use by an estimated forty percent in the first five years. These were technologies that the Colonies could certainly use because tried as he and his associates might, certain other technologies were off limits, planetary security and other such nonsense, however that didn't stop them from discussing such sciences.

Even though they were on a resort, there were small truths that constantly amazed him and challenged his preconceptions. Mitsos always believed that he was open-minded however he was surprised that the opposite was true. The Terran allies whom everyone at home, naturally or subconsciously assumed were colonies of Earth–weren't. It was hard to accept in his heart although his mind had acknowledged it long ago. Every single person he spoke to about the subject denied that they were colonies of Earth, as defined by the Colonial definition. None of them denied that their people originated came from Earth, just that they were not Earth colonies and had always existed as independent worlds free to do as they wished. It was a new concept to him, one that he quickly adjusted to and found that he had no problem with it.

As one of the Orban engineers had said in passing, "family shouldn't have to be forced to stay together."

"But wouldn't you be stronger united," Mitsos had asked. The Colonies hadn't always been a united government and still had challenges but the concept still surprised him much to his dismay.

"As I said, unity doesn't require unification," the woman told him again. It wasn't a rebuke, just an amused observation.

That statement had struck a chord with him. As for the seminar, all of his people including his young protégé Stella Heratos were very pleased at how things turned out. Four hundred participants listened as the speakers from all five worlds discussed topics ranging from electronics and avionics, gravity inertial dampening advancements in hyperspace environments, safety, durability, and reliability of hyperspace components, design engineering and styling, and human factors and ergonomics, and advances in telecommunications. What was not discussed, but still talked about was propulsion and power, crystalline electronics, non-Colonial hyperspace engine design, shielding and deflection, and of course, the famed and much desired mineral naquada and its effects on power dynamics.

"We can't have everything in the first meeting," he lamented.

The lecture notes, the ideas and most importantly, the contacts were worth their weights in gold. Orban and Langara were worlds with small populations. Langara was technologically behind Earth but catching up quickly. Their budding space force powerful and growing. The Orbanians were more advanced than Earth but much smaller in population. Their civilian and military space forces were smaller than the Langarans but their medical technology and understanding of physical sciences left him salivating. His people weren't stupid. Other than the politicians, even the village idiot could understand that they needed this sort of collaboration because the Colonies were stagnant in some areas. This was especially true in computer technology. Because of the Cylon menace his people had regressed on some of the newer technologies. If they hadn't then Colonial computer science would likely be ahead of Earth's by as much as much as twenty or thirty years. But Terran Knowledge of crystalline based computer technology, combined with several alien innovations and techniques had outstripped anything Mitsos' people had and were rapidly widening the gap at a rate that the Colonials couldn't hope to match on their own.

Those other worlds possessed new ideas that could energize science, medicine, and dare he say religion and cultural uniqueness among his own people. Of this he was certain, just as he was certain that many of the more religious and conservatives among his people would drop dead of old age before they could admit the truth looking them in the face. The President had to know the truth about Earth and Mitsos wondered if anyone in the Administration would ever admit it in his generation.

But that wasn't his problem he thought as he closed his eyes for a moment. He was here with the others to do his bit for his world and his company. Plus he wanted to enjoy himself while he was here. There was this woman, one of the European computer specialists also attending the seminar who caught his interest.

"Hello again, Mister Anastos." Opening his eyes he looked the small non-descripted man. It took him a second to realize that it was Jason Gray, the representative from AT&T, one of the super telecommunications giants of Earth. "Enjoying this wonderful weather?"

"Absolutely," he responded. "I'm glad to see you." His company wasn't on the restricted list and in fact, both all of the representative worlds including his own were preparing deals to introduce Earth's frighteningly powerful tele-communications systems to the various worlds. "Please sit down."

The man smiled and waved him off. "I am sorry. I can't right now. But later," he said softly enough that only Mitsos could hear. "I have a proposal that you and your company may find interesting. How much would your company pay for basic schematics of a hyperdrive and subspace communications?"

A minute earlier he was mildly drunk. Now, he was stone cold sober. "Is this some kind trick?" he whispered.

"No, it's not about trickery, it's about profit–and money."

Next: Beware the Phone Company