Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Star Wars, or Stargate movies, TV shows, games, books, or comics. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 12: Into the eye of the storm
=SBS=
Part 1
=SBS=
1 October 1996
Cheyenne Air Station
the United States
Milky Way galaxy
"Are we sure he's not, in fact, a Goa'uld, sir? You know, has a parasite hijacked him or something?" O'Neill whispered nowhere near quiet enough.
George wanted to slap down the Colonel for the outright disrespect at civilian authority, even if Kinsey wasn't directly in their chain of command yet, thank God! However, no matter how hard he tried, Hammond couldn't shake the feeling that O'Neill had the right idea. Kinsey felt like a particularly slimy snake-oil salesman.
The Senator's entourage didn't help. There were two more Senators from the brand-new Oversight Committee and a group of freshly recruited NID people. At this point, George wasn't sure if the organization went out of its way to gather troublemakers from the military or if the Pentagon was trying to infiltrate and subvert it.
O'Neill was vaguely familiar with Major Simmons, having met them during an operation while the Cold War was still ongoing. At least the two suited agents following the Major moved and acted similarly, just like Jack often did without even realizing it. George was sure that either Simmons or Maybourne brought in old colleagues of theirs. The rest of the NID group did look and feel like civilian bureaucrats, likely investigators, and analytics brought in from other branches of the government.
Kinsey looked with obvious disapproval at the engineers crawling all over the capacitor banks.
"Do I dare ask how expensive this setup is?" The Senator demanded.
"It's a major and inevitable one." Hammond finally intervened. "Without the capacitors or a much more powerful and stable power source, we can't control the length of a dialing window. That is something we would like to trade with Perun for; however, we're certain he would require something more valuable than just tractors and the like."
"The same goes for a portable dialing device and power source, right?" One of the other Senators, Johnson was it, asked.
"Yes, those would be invaluable, even if we have to slowly trickle charge such devices so they could power the Stargate. Then we'll need such a setup as only a backup, which would greatly cut maintenance costs. While we can build a better version, it requires a dedicated facility and clean and cold rooms. We can't move it easily. That's one of the major trade-offs."
"The Green Commission is already looking for an alternative site to move the project to." Kinsey butted in. "Many security specialists object to having the Stargate anywhere near a sensitive facility like NORAD, much less right below it."
"That's a concern, yes. While we have a self-destruct in place, initializing it in case we lose control of the facility will compromise NORAD." Hammond admitted.
"That's an issue too, Senators." The other snake joined the conversation. "Even a successful self-destruct halting a hostile incursion would still compromise our national defense. We'll also need to explain to the Canadians what might have happened to their personnel serving in NORAD." Maybourne pointed out. "It's the NID's opinion that the Stargate Program needs a dedicated base in a place where catastrophically losing it won't compromise national defense. Wyoming or Utah are options. Both states are lightly populated, and the government possesses large tracts of land there."
George didn't have a good argument against this. He was one of the people who had issues with the Stargate located below NORAD of all places. While there were projects in the work that might see the facility decommissioned and moved to another site, that would not happen for years, best case scenario. If it happened at all, with the budget changes caused by the Stargate, the only reason to justify moving NORAD would be to keep the facility away from potential alien incursions.
"Until we have an alternative operational base, we're stuck working from here or under the mountain. Practically speaking, we can hardly justify moving the gate back considering the ongoing trade and potential future deals." Hammond admitted.
"Security might be an issue, true. However, it would be an even greater one during transit, am I right, sir?" Simmons asked.
"That's it, Major. Unless we constantly move the Stargate with a heavy escort, we risk a potential incursion mid-route. Even putting it on its back during transport so that enemy infantry couldn't get out of the wormhole would be of marginal utility. That won't stop a vehicle incursion. From what we've seen and summarized about the Goa'uld, the position of the gate might hardly slow down a dedicated assault. The other option risks destroying equipment and infrastructure if anyone dials the gate while in transit, and it won't necessarily be an enemy doing it. Not to mention that people can notice if we constantly move heavy guarded cargo to and from the mountain. Frankly, it's a miracle we've been able to keep the project under wraps for so long."
"That's another concern we in the NID have. The more personnel becomes aware of the project, the more likely a leak becomes." Maybourne frowned. "Frankly, I don't have a good recommendation. All we know so far tells us that we need more people, especially scientists and engineers, involved. Suppose Perun's engineers manage to stabilize the castle on Heliopolis. In that case, we'll have to supply and run off-world research base on top of everything else. That would mean even more personnel involved."
"I don't like it either." Kinsey's expression soured. "However, no one has given me a credible suggestion on effectively utilizing this device without involving more personnel. We're establishing a Joint Committee to look at ways to mitigate and control the fallout of disclosure, especially if it comes through a leak." Kinsey shook his head in disgust. "Now, on more pressing matters. I understand that we have a single unexplored address beyond Heliopolis and Perun's domain?"
"That's correct, Senator," Hammond confirmed.
"Why haven't we explored it yet?" Kinsey demanded.
"After meeting Perun and learning what is out there, we're wary of making other Goa'uld aware of our existence. By all accounts, we're fortunate Perun found us first, instead another one of his kind." Hammond admitted. He pointedly didn't mention the Pentagon's request.
"We will keep trading with Perun and do our best to keep a good relationship with him." Kinsey stopped blustering. "That said, we need alternative sources of information to find out how much he's bullshitting us. Right now, this other address is our only viable alternative. Take all necessary precautions and prepare a mission plan for discussion and provisional approval. I'll bring it to the President personally if I have to. Now, before something else distracts me. Do we know if there are any of these Goa'uld operating on Earth? Are we certain that all of them left a few thousand years ago?"
"There is no way to be certain that they all left. Or that any survived this long if they were left behind." Hammond admitted.
"That simply wouldn't do!"
"The Death Glider's sensors. Can we use them to search for alien technology, metals, or equipment we know now exist?" Maybourne intervened.
"That isn't something we've tested for. So far, Colonel O'Neill seems to have the best aptitude to use the Death Glider's interface among those who tried it." Hammond looked at O'Neill. "I expect you'll have new orders the next time you visit Area 51, Colonel."
"That's all and good." O'Neill hummed. "However, how would we go scan all over Egypt? That was where itall began from what we know. If buried caches of alien technology are here on Earth, Egypt's deserts will be our best bet, sir. First, I'll try to locate the gate and whatever devices we bought from Perun. If I can find them, then we'll know the idea has merit."
"Let us worry about Egypt later, Colonel," Kinsey said with a condescending smile.
=SBS=
The NID came online surprisingly fast. The organization's core was operational less than two weeks after the President authorized its creation. By the beginning of October 1996, NID personnel was already busy at work overseeing the Stargate Program, offering advice and options while still fleshing out its various departments.
The NID's first success came through the suggestion to use Death Gliders' sensors to search for alien technology on Earth. The results would surprise everyone involved and foster closer cooperation between Earth and Perun's domain.
History of the NID: Earth's dagger in the dark, published by the United Nations Information Bureau
=SBS=
Part 2
=SBS=
4 October 1996
Stargate Command
the United States
Milky Way galaxy
"Sir, what do you mean we won't be part of the mission?" O'Neill exclaimed.
George silently congratulated himself for the foresight of holding this particular meeting behind closed doors in his office.
"We're employed by the United States Air Force the last time I checked, Colonel." Hammond pointed out. "The last time I checked, there was a law or two that complicated our deployment on US soil."
"We're talking about alien technology! Possibly someone hijacked by a snake!" O'Neill's points might be reasonable, yet his tone was anything but.
"That we don't know. For all we know, you found someone's collection. They might have no idea what they have on display or stashed in a safe. If it weren't the NID, it would be the FBI scouting and, if necessary, raiding the place." Hammond spoke in a long, suffered tone. "On the bright side, you'll be flying again soon, officially as a part of a training flight. You'll scout up to the arctic and then fly over Central and South America. The cover would be looking for cartel labs or being part of Enterprise's air wing on a training flight. If necessary, an instrument error will explain why you 'accidentally' flew into foreign air space."
"No Egypt?" O'Neill whined.
"We aren't exactly best friends, and the Death Glider is conspicuous. There are many eyes all over the region as well. Unless we can get the sensor system detached and fly it in the back of a transport plane, it's a no-go."
Sadly, even with folded wings, a Death Glider wouldn't fit in even the largest transport planes the US Air Force used. Now, in theory, just the fuselage might do it. However, they didn't yet know enough about the sensors and the alien craft to risk it. Powering up the Death Glider while partially disassembled might have unfortunate side effects. No one was ready to risk one of their two alien aerospace fighters beyond the minimum needed. If the Colonel didn't detect anything of use, flights over Canada, Mexico, and South America would be a no-go.
"Colonel, it's a moot point. An investigation team should be visiting the place as we speak, and if necessary, a NID strike team would be ready to storm it." Hammond hoped this would stop O'Neill's whining.
"General, please tell me that Maybourne isn't involved! He's bad news! Operations go south with him involved!"
"I have no idea, Colonel."
=SBS=
near Seth's compound
Washington State
the United States
Milky Way galaxy
Something prickled at Harry's back, and it wasn't the body-fitting black glove of his combat suit. It was nearly two hours since the investigators went into the compound. He would give the mission a go if they didn't return intact in a few more minutes.
The NID had two vans with fully kitted out teams inside, and a helicopter landed in a nearby field, just far enough to ensure no one out here could hear it. In that regard, it was a good thing that this place was out of the way in the woods.
The reason it was out here wasn't good. It was a cult compound run by a character calling himself Set. Harry didn't need a degree to figure out that they likely had an alien infestation at their hands. It was either that, or someone found working alien tech and decided to play a messiah instead of getting rich out of it.
If the circumstances were different, three teams might not be enough, even if they were all former or current special forces. However, they wanted only this Set character intact, alongside any alien tech. The poor bastards who thought they saw alien Jesus or something were expendable.
Harry was about to call Simmons and give the raid the green light when his radio cracked.
"Boss, it's Joshua. We've got the goods. We had to speak with Seth away from his followers and negotiate, then quietly search for other devices, just in case. He's been using a few toys to cosplay as a messiah and get laid. Getting laid is the operative word."
Harry relaxed at that. He could hear the investigator's car approach.
"We should have seen this one coming. At least we won't have to explain another Wacko…." Kelly, the driver, chuckled.
"Explaining this, if things got messy isn't our department, agent. We were to get in, secure the place, catch ourselves a snake, then get away with any alien tech."
The 'official' team's car approached, blinding them with long lights.
"The fuck taught Joshua to drive?" Kelly grumbled.
The prickling at Harry's shoulders got worse. Something was wrong; he could feel it. The car suddenly accelerated with a screech of burning tires and headed straight at them.
Harry had a brief moment to brace himself before the investigators rammed his van. The airbag slammed into his face moments before automatic fire rained upon the armored vehicles.
"We've been made! Hot contact!" Harry could hear Simmons shout into the comms.
Maybourne shoved the airbag aside, unclasped the safety belt, and opened the door. It was a lucky thing the compound was on the other side of the road, and they had parked so that the car rammed on the driver's side. Kelly looked dazed and was only alive because the bullet-resistant windows still held.
Bullets glanced off the armored door on Harry's side. His training finally kicked in in earnest, and he rolled into the shrubs. The fire was coming from the damn treeline beside the road too!
"Simmons, we've got hostiles in the woods as well! Call in reinforcements! The mission's a bust!"
Kelly got himself into gear as well, just before the front window shattered and bullets dented the armored wall separating the rear compartment. If it wasn't for the soft body armor of their suits, ricochets might have shredded the Sergeant. Instead, Kelly crawled over the passenger's seat, cursing like an old sailor.
Finally, the assault teams deployed into the treeline, wisely avoiding the open road, and returned fire. An orange ball of plasma came from the trees less than a hundred yards away and slammed in the front of the first van, shaking it. The explosion rang Harry's ears harder than the crash. He saw Kelly stumble out of the side door, trying to use it as a cover.
Two more plasma shots came from the woods and from much closer too! One finished off the engine or what was left of it. The other hit the door just as Kelly was about to dash away from the van. The resulting flash of light blinded Harry. The explosions nearly deafened him, yet he was close enough to hear Kelly's agonized wail.
"Get us some cover fire here, damn your souls!" Harry bellowed while blinking away stars.
He considered trying to get to Kelly and if it was feasible to do so without getting shredded. The hail of fire raining upon the vans and around them dissuaded him in a hurry. Whoever was out there was shooting as if their ammo was going out of fashion.
In contrast, the puffs of silenced weapons were inaudible against the noise of automatic fire. That should have given the assault teams an edge. Half the members of each team wore night vision goggles. That should have been a decisive advantage in a counter-attack after dusk.
Harry didn't dare move from his spot under the brush. Listen and watch.
"Team one, keep them focused on you! Team two, on me, we're flanking the bastards. Martinez, you've got NV's. You're on point!" Simmons tried his best.
Return fire struck the car, hopefully pinning down the compromised investigators and whoever else was with them. Harry felt like kicking himself. He could already see what had happened, even if it was too late. There was a snake or snakes present. They've smelled a rat, hijacked Joshua at least, and planned their ambush. Then he walked straight into it. All because they wanted to do this clean and quiet if at all possible!
If Harry lived through this, he swore that the next time, they would bring at least a platoon with heavy weapons support and, damn, doing things by the book!
The incoming fire's intensity finally decreased. The bastards were either out of ammo or couldn't find targets to shoot. Mayborne could recognize AK's and M16 variants. Both were quite distinct. He heard various SMGs as well.
It was the ammunition running out, he hoped. Harry very slowly moved, looking for Kelly. Due to the noise of combat, he didn't notice when the poor bastard stopped wailing. That wasn't necessarily a good thing. He saw what was left of the armored door, complete with a vast melted crater in the middle of it. The whole piece of the car was nearly unrecognizable. Harry was sure he would be wailing like a gut pig as well if this much molten metal splashed over him.
The shooting intensified.
"Get down!" Simmons barked.
"Man down!"
"The fuckers can see us! They have night vision as…." A plasma discharge, followed by a brief scream, silenced Petersen.
Harry finally got to Kelly and winced. He had seen many fucked up things, yet this easily made the top ten. The closest thing he had seen to this was a poor bastard back in Desert Storm. The Iraqi somehow managed to crawl out of a struck APC with half his face missing and his side seared by molten mental.
Kelly's shoulder was gone, replaced by a smoking hole. Harry was sure he could see bits of charred bone in there. As if that wasn't bad enough, parts of the metal door had rained all over his front and face, then burned through the Kevlar weave.
"Bastard's not going down!"
"Pull back! Team One, give us covering fire, then displace! There are Jaffa out here! We can't stop the bastards!"
Mayborne crawled away and nearly got lit up by Thompson, who was hiding in a nearby bush that was busy crawling up a tree. The former Delta operative sent a burst downrange, then aimed right between Harry's eyes. For an endless moment, he thought this was it. Instead, Thompson curtly nodded and kept firing into the night.
Harry kept his head down until he was behind the former soldier and finally dragged himself to his feet. The only good news was he could already hear the Black Hawk approaching. The bird had two mini guns with ammo and gunners – that was their insurance in case everything went to hell.
The following bad news was finding out about the rest of his team. Newman was on his knees, tending to two wounded who someone dragged into the tree line. With Kelly dead, almost half his team was down. Harry cursed quietly and turned around, looking for a good position. He still had his silenced MP-5, and it was high time he laid down the hurt.
The Black Hawk finally arrived, swinging over the road. The side gunner opened fire, shredding whoever was with Joshua.
"Up and at them! Don't let them regroup! Mark the Jaffa for the gunners!" Mayborne shouted.
Before anyone could react, long streaks of blue energy came from the woods on the other side of the road. Two of them hit the Black Hawk, then a third. The helicopter spun out of control just as the third team was about to deploy
Harry just stared as their salvation nearly fell on them before hitting the treeline and going down in an almighty crash.
"Friendlies coming!" Simmons shouted as he and two survivors from his team ran through the trees.
Mayborne could see a pair of Jaffa hot on their heels. The bastards had helmets shaped like snarling jackal heads and glowing eyes. Night vision, Harry's rattled brain supplied.
Frank came to a screeching halt beside Mayborne.
"Boss, we need to pull out and get heavy reinforcements. I emptied a whole magazine in one of those bastards, and it didn't even slow him down!"
Bullets and plasma whizzed through the trees, low above their heads.
"Pull back! All units, pull back!" Harry bitterly announced. He sent a parting burst at one of the approaching Jaffa. The bullets sparkled off the armor, not even leaving a visible dent. He had to duck to avoid a plasma blast that shattered the tree he used for cover and hissed as a wave of scorching air struck his back.
=SBB=
If you want to support my writing or discuss this story, google the following places:
Pat re on: Delkatar's writing corner
the space battles forums - this is where most discussion over my stories takes place
the sufficient velocity forums
archive of our own
the alternative history forums