Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Star Wars, or Stargate movies, TV shows, games, books, or comics. This story features elements inspired by Warhammer 40K. They all belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 21: The race towards Disclosure
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Part 1
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NATO members in Europe just announced they recalled military reservists and activated reserve units. As of yesterday, all active military forces of the alliance are confirmed to be fully staffed and on high alert.
BBC News
Over the past five hours, all State Governors announced they are activating the State National Guard units. Everyone serving in the National Guard has four days to report to their respective duty stations.
CNN
Does NATO intend to intervene in the Russian Civil War? News of unprecedented military mobilizations are rocking the world and increasing tensions. Rumors continue to surface, pointing out that the nuclear weapon used in the Takoma Terrorist Crisis are Russian in origin, acquired, then sold on the black market by oligarchs. If true, NATO intervention might be in the cards to prevent any more WMDs from falling into terrorist hands.
Washington Post
Snowstorms paralyze large parts of Russia, bringing the ongoing Civil War to a halt. Government and Oligarch League forces are consolidating and gearing up for a clash as soon as the weather clears.
Associated Press
The Kremlin just announced that it will use all tools at its disposal to safeguard the integrity and security of the Russian Federation. This statement came soon after the rise of persistent rumors claiming possible NATO intervention in the Russian Civil War.
BBC World News
NATO Naval Task Force seized the yacht of a Russian oligarch in the Aegean Sea shortly after it transited through the Bosporus.
CNN
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4 January 1997
Washington DC, The United States
Earth
Milky Way Galaxy
After a delay caused by a nasty snowstorm, Jack finally reached the capital a day later than expected. That delay, even if understandable, upset an already straining timetables of many people. O'Neill found himself in the back of an SUV when he got off the plane at Andrews so a State Department Protection Services detail could bring him to Hayes. He entered the Harry S. Truman building, finding the place packed with nervous people racing in every possible direction and more than a few who looked like they were flailing around in near panic.
"Did we come at the wrong time?" Jack inquired.
His only answer was a few long-suffered looks before he got bundled into an elevator that brought him high up in the building. The PS people marched him into a nearby office, where Jack found Henry slumped at his desk, looking like Voodo Zombie.
"Jack, you're a sight for sorry eyes," Henry perked up and gave him a once over. "You look well, given everything I've heard…" Hayes trailed off.
"Perun took a shine to me for some reason. I'm unsure how to feel about it, though waking without stiff joints feels great," Jack shrugged. "You, on the other hand, look like dead warmed twice over."
"I feel like it too. We have two weeks to be ready for Perun's arrival. Any day after that would be a bonus we can't count on," Hayes yawned tiredly. "What happened to you opened a whole new can of worms we lacked the context to consider or account for."
Jack closed his eyes and grimaced. Bringing people back from death, even if it was limited to those mostly intact and recently deceased…
"I can make an educated guess. A few of the people he brought back are ready to convert to his religion, whatever that is. Others are freaking out and still under suicide watch."
"Perun can shatter societies by simply offering access to that sarcophagus of his," Hayes' face twisted into a pained grimace. "That is not something we have a good answer to, Jack. You will be the one to personally greet him and act as his guide here on Earth. We need you to speak with him and offer him any concessions within reason so that he doesn't publicly offer access to the sarcophagus to whoever he deems worthy enough."
"Just the people our government deems worthy?" Jack raised an eyebrow.
"We would like access to that technology for reverse engineering," Hayes sighed. "And I know that Perun is doubtful to share it, no matter what we offer. We aren't able to make demands, and I don't think we have anything valuable enough for him to sell us that kind of technology."
"That capability is one thing that can make many people genuinely think he's a damn god, Henry. Of course, he won't be willing to just give it away," Jack grumbled. "You've read Captain Carter's report, right?"
"That Perun took a shine to Star Wars and is pretending to be a Sith now? That by itself will win him some fans. It is also making many governments even more concerned about his arrival. The Sith weren't the good guys."
"What if he isn't just playing around because he is a fan and has the technology to make emulating what he saw on screen useful?" Jack asked.
On his way out of the ship, he had seen what fighting through it had done to some of the corridors. That wasn't merely weapon's fire. There were sections of the ship twisted and wrapped around in a way Jack had only seen on TV after a train crash. That had to have a simple technological explanation, yet…
"Besides, does it matter if he's using technology or not if he can do everything we saw the Sith do in the movies?" Jack asked.
"It makes all the difference in the world. The last thing we need is to discover that Perun is a space wizard on top of everything else."
"Well, I can always ask him?" Jack suggested.
"If you do so, do it politely," Henry didn't even look offended at the idea. "Now, the reason why you are here."
"Yes?" Sadly, Jack knew he wasn't here for a vacation, so he could catch up on the Simpsons and eat all the jello he could.
"Ground rules first. You are right to wonder what you can and can't share with our allies and others when talking with them. You will first meet with diplomatic and military representatives of our allies who sent personnel on the expedition. As its commander, they will want to hear your first-hand account and ask questions that might not be answered by the reports they received. Next, you will meet with people from the other governments we disclosed the truth to, including the Russians," Hayes explained.
Jack groaned at that. Even with the Soviet Union gone for years and Russia being a basket case, it was hard not to think of them as the enemy he spent most of his career opposing. Today, Jack didn't know what the Russians were besides fucked by their civil war.
"You are cleared for full disclosure regarding our dealings with Perun and everything that happened during the expedition as far as our allies are concerned. At this time, you are not cleared to reveal the full extent of our deals with Perun to the governments that didn't participate in the expedition, though that might change. You can report what happened on Abydos and answer questions directly concerning the events there, their implications, your personal take on the situation, and such," Henry retrieved a keychain from a pocket and unlocked one of the drawers on his desk. "This is the official authorization. Read it, Jack."
"I do all my paperwork!" Jack protested. "Eventually anyway…"
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Part 2
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Within hours of each other, multiple heads of state announced a summit at the UN building in New York to discuss recent events. First to make the announcements were the governments that participated in the Vancouver Summit, shortly followed by all nuclear powers.
This news led to the emergence of new rumors and theories. Are we looking at new nuclear control and disarmament treaties? Perhaps a NATO intervention in Russia with the implicit support of the Russian government in Moscow?
BBC World News
During a closed-door meeting between the Prime Minister and the opposition's Shadow Cabinet, Shadow Cabinet Foreign Minister Dean Sheffield suffered a heart attack. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, where his condition remains critical.
The Prime Minister and the opposition leader refused to comment beyond voicing their hopes that Mr. Sheffield would fully recover.
BBC
Members of the Senate and Congress Committees overseeing the Armed Forces and Intelligence services attended closed sessions where they were briefed on ongoing events. So far, not a single member of those committees has issued a statement on the international situation or the reason for mobilizing the National Guard.
Meanwhile, Senators and Congressmen both are demanding answers from the President.
USA Today
Sources within the US government who wish to remain anonymous claim that the news revealed on January 18th before the United Nations would be literally earthshaking. They claim the reason for the mobilization of the National Guard is simple – they are meant to keep peace and order during and in the aftermath of the fast-approaching UN summit.
Inevitably, those claims stoked all kinds of speculations and conspiracy theories. One of the wildest ones is the various governments are about to announce the existence of aliens. Another idea gaining popularity is that a massive asteroid is headed for Earth, and we are about to be informed of the situation.
Washington Post
The Russian Civil War and ongoing mobilizations are doing the stock market no favors. Energy prices are spiking due to fears of gas and oil shortages hitting the EU's economies due to supply disruptions in Russia. One of the wildest conspiracy theories is that various governments are about to announce the existence of aliens.
The speculations about NATO intervention in Russia are further destabilizing stock prices. Investors are entering a waiting posture until the international situation stabilizes, further slowing down the economy.
At this point, a recession is virtually guaranteed. We might be looking at an economic crisis looming on the horizon.
The Financial Times
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6 January 1997
Washington DC, The United States
Earth
Milky Way Galaxy
Two days later, after too many meetings with foreign diplomats that Jack wanted to forget ever happened, he was back in Henry's office. If at all possible, Hayes looked even worse. He wasn't alone this time, either.
Captain Carter and Dr. Jackson sat alongside that diplomat in front of Henry's desk. What was it?
"Jack, good, you are on time. You did well, and you know the reward for that, don't you?"
"A nice relaxing suicide mission?" Jack asked hopefully.
"No such luck, sir," Carter quips needed some more work, O'Neill decided.
"You all were part of the mission to Abydos, Colonel," Weir explained. "Captain Carter has the science and engineering background to answer technical questions. Dr. Jackson is uniquely positioned in his field. You will all be present during the UN Summit and likely called forth to speak in front of the General Assembly."
"The whole world is going to be watching…" Carter summarized, looking sick.
"Can I volunteer for that suicide mission I just mentioned?" Jack asked hopefully. Charging Ra's Jaffa with a pocket knife sounded like the better option right now.
"Don't worry, we'll be throwing you at Perun as soon as he arrives," Hayes offered.
So Henry could be an utter bastard when he wanted, Jack decided.
"I am apparently the snake whisperer. That doesn't make me the UN whisperer!" Jack protested.
"It can't be worse than facing my peers and being laughed out of the conference," Daniel muttered and smiled nervously.
"You were right, Dr. Jackson. Your father was also right, and soon the whole world will know it," Weir said. "That fact and your experiences to date make you uniquely qualified to answer many of the questions that will come concerning our past and Goa'uld culture."
Well, at least one of them was happy with the circus they would have to participate in.
"There are ongoing efforts to disclose the truth to an increasing number of governments so they could prepare. The odds are good the secret won't keep until the eighteenth," Hayes continued. "This has two implications for the three of you. First, more of our allies might want a first-hand account of your encounters with the Goa'uld. Second, the time to prepare might be even more limited than the official timetable suggests. Dr. Weir will be preparing you to speak in front of the UN. You will also be a part of a group making briefing documents we will give the UN and, through it, every single government on Earth that didn't participate in the expedition."
"Holly Hannah," Carter whispered.
"And here I thought I would never get to be in the history books because if I ever told people what I do, I would have to shoot them," Jack shook his head in wonder. Or perhaps it was denial? Who thought it would be a good idea to put him, of all people, in front of the UN?!
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Stargate Command, Colorado
The United States, Earth
Milky Way Galaxy
General Hammond waited before the Stargate for Lady Lyda's return. One of the most essential things her return could offer was hopefully a concrete date for Perun's arrival on Earth. The other was her potential participation in talks leading to public disclosure of the truth about the galaxy at large and Earth's place in it. If they were lucky, Lady Lyda might help ease people on the idea of aliens with all that entailed before Perun parked a warship in orbit.
The Stargate engaged, startling a group of engineers busy setting shop beside it. After Abydos, efforts to set up better defenses intensified. The incomplete Iris system was here and about to be put in place. There was also a prototype made of ordinary steel sent for testing purposes. They needed to know if the Iris could be closed before an incoming wormhole formed. If so, George would feel much more secure. However, the odds weren't good from what they saw of Stargate's operations so far and a few tests with the energy blast that happened upon activation.
The last chevron locked in, and a mass of silver energy exploded forward before being sucked back in, forming the surface of the incoming wormhole.
"We have an incoming identification code. It is the Lady Lyda," Sergeant Harriman reported.
The Stargate's security detail relaxed slightly, though everyone remained ready for action.
Sure enough, Lyda lightly stepped out of the wormhole and landed lightly on her soft shoes.
"General Hammond, I bring orders. After Abydos, my Lord decided it would be best to station a unit of his Jaffa here. They will regularly report to Lord Perun so he is aware before you could begin another foolish adventure."
"When will they arrive?" Hammond asked. "My superiors won't be happy about this, Lady Lyda."
"My Lord is unhappy at the situation you forced him into, General. The galaxy will be at war soon enough. My Lord can afford to take no more chances with you," Lyda's eyes flashed. "And they will be arriving momentarily."
George's eyes widened. "Hold your fire!" He snapped at the security units just as the first armored alien stepped through the Stargate.
This wasn't going to fly with Washington, George thought before wincing. Perun wasn't likely to give a damn, and with disclosure so close, it was anyone's guess how people in the capital would jump. Hammond looked at the armored soldiers walking through – a ten-man unit with their commander in front. The Stargate deactivated mere seconds after the last of them went through.
If the aliens were impressed by all the weapons aimed at them, they didn't show it.
"Lady Lyda," One of them spoke. "what are your orders?"
George's Goa'uld was just good enough to understand it as long as people didn't speak too fast.
"I am certain the good General here will make the necessary arrangements for your stay here, Prime."
"I need to speak with Washington first, Lady Lyda. My superiors would also want to talk with you about the public disclosure in the works," Hammond rallied.
"Do speak with your superiors then. Do remind me that their decisions as of late have pushed my Lord's patience beyond its limits."