Record keeping time:
Alejandro: The introduction of the Colonial-Earth war at the beginning of chapter one is a foretaste of things to come. See the timeline at the end of this chapter.
Shadowwriter01: I have ben speaking to Bob Regent on the subject of the Tok'ra. One of the things we strongly suspect is that the Children of Egeria may be in fact two factions. The Tok'ra are the faction we know. But there may well be a second faction, a group that has chosen not to fight on either side and are hiding somewhere away from both the Tok'ra and goa'uld afraid of being wiped out. This si something we may touch on in the future. The Tok'ra might have wanted to become the new goa'uld but a more benevolent one…we don't know. There are many possibilies.
Procyon1: Yes they have come a very long way to meet them. Further than you might believe.
Stalyon: Yes, this is a three-way crossover. Actually maybe a four- way as this is a WW/SG-1/B5/BSG2003 cross. Why this is will become clear as we continue in the chapters. The story is based in a WW-SG-1 universe. Some people may recognize why this is but I am not saying directly at this point.
Inquisiitor0: Beru will find out there is always a price for dealing with Shadows. And you've right about some of the Tok'ra. It is their fault that relations with the Terrans soured. But, they were afraid of new things namely the Tau'ri. It's hard to accept change.
Tweeky: I posted on SB first. I hope you have fun with this. It's opposite of the current WW series. That is one of relative peace. This one is not. Hope you're doing well.
Guy: This is in the correct section. All four series are involved here but this is a Worldwar-SG cross with BSG and B5. As I mentioned above the reasons will become clear in the immediate future.
Everyone, please enjoy.
Roads Paved in Shadow
Book I
CHAPTER TWO
Shang-La
Goa'uld seat of power
Shang-La, the home world of the eldest of the system lords, Yu the Great, also known as Yu-huang Shang Ti, was now the capital of the Ashtorath System Lords, the children of the now dead Lord Ba'al. Unlike the other Goa'uld, the four family members, biologically engineered, genetically modified clones created from material from his own Goa'uld, were unique and each one was given a special gift intended to make them whole in a way no other Goa'uld had ever been before. They were united and worked together instead of hoarding individual power and stabbing each other in the backs.
Between creating clones of himself, living on Earth and continually evading Stargate Command while attempting to create a small powerbase amongst the Tau'ri, he studied the people he was trying to destroy. One of the last, and some would say smartest of the System Lords, had time to read and observe a society not subjected to or influenced by the Goa'uld. Although contemptuous of Earth, he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the planet's positive attributes. His creation of several clones, although initially purposed to help save his own skin, served to focus his attention on family in ways he'd never considered before. Family units showed a solidarity that he understood to be very useful. Subservient clones were excellent tools but the diversity of family was more efficient. Ba'al created his vision of the perfect family: powerful, intelligent, interdependent, and compatible and supportive of each other with him established as the father figure. However, his young 'family' confident in themselves, had no use for him and his overbearing obsession to control them for his own purposes and they killed him.
Ba'al was the last survivor of the great System Lords. With him gone, the Ashtorath of Ba'al seized his remaining assets and together, took the reins of power. Together the new System Lords were reborn. Dozens of minor Goa'uld fell into line under the Ashtorath and the empire was reborn. Astartea, Anath, Ashtoreth, and her genetic twin Atargatis effectively controlled one third of the former Goa'uld Empire and it continued to expand. Using the examples and experiences that the genetic memory of their father's, some of which he gleaned from his life on Earth they were surprisingly successful. The reason for that success was attributed to their ability to negotiate with the same fervor that they made war on their enemies.
Many of the former Goa'uld worlds were struggling and leaderless. Thousands of years of being under Goa'uld control, now struggling for that elusive concept called freedom had left many of these worlds crippled, the people afraid of surviving in a future without strong leadership. Much of the brutality and viciousness of their former oppressors was forgotten when faced with the unknown. The presence of something familiar, something that offered freedoms that the former slaves never had before under their previous masters was a very tempting offer many worlds couldn't refuse. Consequently, there were dozens of worlds that willingly joined the Ashtorath. Despite their successes, many other worlds were not willing to return to the old ways. Having tasted freedom without Goa'uld domination, most were less willing to rejoin the Empire. Most the Lucian Alliance factions hadn't.
Ashtoreth and Atargatis, gods of the slain, were drowning Lucian Alliance combined worlds in blood for their defiance. While the Lucians were being crushed, Anath turned his eyes on the Free Jaffa. War hadn't broken out yet but it was inevitable that it would happen sooner rather than later, when the Empire's army were strong enough. Several of the largest independent Jaffa nations were protected for now by the size of their armies and the continued presence of the much hated Tau'ri, but for how long the stalemate would hold was debatable. The Shova could not be allowed to continue their defiance and they were required if the one true enemy was to be defeated utterly and crushed beneath the Empire's boots. Some of the nations chaffed at the Tau'ri's power, believing that they weren't worthy of the positions they obtained. Those nations wouldn't fight against the Earthers but they couldn't be relied on to help them either.
Yu-huang, named after its former owner, was the largest city on the capital world of Shang-La. Lord Yu was considered by many as one of the most civilized of the System Lords. Under his reign, limited reading and writing was allowed. Farming techniques and agriculture flourished and the people lived idyllic lives when compared to the world rule by Goa'uld such as Chronos, Zeus, Hathor, Heru'ur, and the abominations Sokar and Anubis. It was little wonder that the Ashtorath chose this modern city as their imperial base. It was Lord Astartea, widely acknowledged as the most diplomatic of the Goa'uld who sat on the high throne located in the golden pyramid in the very center of the city. The huge skyscraper-like structure was the tallest in the Empire and considered by all as the most beautiful. Inlaid with gold, silver and precious gems, the throne room was a masterpiece of art and science blended into one. It was designed by Lord Yu to impress and intimidate the other System Lords and their slaves. The Ashtorath did not see a reason to change the design other than to replace the official crest of Yu's with their own.
Lord Astartea, dressed in her finest splendor for the occasion, sat regally on her throne patiently listening to the pleas and request of her people. The very sheer and finely crafted purple and blue dress laced with gold threads, it shimmered, creating a glow that mesmerized those who saw her. Combined with her constantly glowing eyes, it gave her an aura of almost godlike radiance. It was exactly as Astartea intended when meeting with her subjects.
The memories of her dead father had taught her about being available to the masses, and it had served her and her family well. A hard line served no one's best interests all the time. That was a truth most of the older Goa'uld never understood or accepted. These open lines of communications between the Lords, and the independent worlds brought as much power to the Empire as outright conquest. The people of the imperial worlds were content and their loyalty, true loyalty was a dramatic improvement over the previous reigns. A little more food, a bit more unimportant freedoms and medical care did wonders for morale. Productivity across the empire improved. The servants were even paid a minimum wage. That small allowance did more to secure the loyalty to the Ashtorath than anything else. The revamped Goa'uld Empire continued its slow but constant expansion.
The competition between the Tau'ri and the empire for valuable and critical resources was fierce and everyone was certain that it would lead to war. Each world acquired was one less resource for the much hated Tau'ri whose technological advances were running rampant. The Tau'ri absorbed Asgard technology at a rapid rate and their threat grew every day. Ba'al once speculated that the Tau'ri had somehow gained knowledge of the mythical Ancients however there was no solid proof that this was nothing more than a rumor. If it were true the 'Humans of the First World' were keeping the secret very close to their rotten hearts. Technological treasures from the Ancients littered the galaxy but were hard to find–if they weren't stargates. If Earth had already discovered some treasure of knowledge then the Goa'uld might be doomed, or war would ignite before the Empire was ready.
To anyone who didn't know her Astartea gave the appearance of an attentive leader, but she was bored with all the tediousness of minor diplomacy, however today promised to be interesting as well as beneficial for the Goa'uld. Two new worlds had sent envoys requesting the terms and conditions required in joining the Empire of their own accord. Astartea was most pleased with their possibility of them joining as they were young worlds new to the Ashtorath. One of the worlds was a hidden one, controlled by a minor Goa'uld named Teha. No one knew her fate but everyone assumed she was dead. She was a jealous ruler and fearful that more powerful System Lords would discover her treasures and take her worlds by force, so she was very secretive. One of those worlds possessed significant amounts of naquada deposits, a mineral that was desperately needed if the Empire were to survive. The second world was the last of a group of three once controlled by the Goa'uld Nun.
Despite the sudden influx of riches for the Empire, the Astartea had to admit that most of the time, imperial duties were very boring. Boredom was a necessary evil that required it be endured for the greater good of the Empire and Astartea did her best. But sometimes it was good to be an absolute ruler which is why her human tay'skel did most of the talking while she sat on the throne looking regal. Myrana were far more than a simple Lotar, she was the genetic, identical twin to Astartea. Grown by Ba'al's scientists she was physically aged seven years. The age difference was ordered specifically by Ba'al. The Goa'uld worshipped youth and vigor in their hosts. Although beauty was especially prized in the females, it wouldn't do to have their tay'skel identical to their superiors in every way. The difference in age served to delineate between the two, but anyone with eyes could see the resemblance and connection between the two. The dark-haired beauty was the human counterpart to the engineered body used by the Goa'uld. Both were connected in mind and body. What one felt, the other knew. If one was bored so was the other.
The usual tediousness boredom changed in the late afternoon when this last representative, a woman presented herself into the empire. Astartea felt her instincts flared in warning. Immediately, the goa'uld in the room were on guard. The woman almost felt like Reetou but not quite. Screens located throughout the Imperial palace and the city designed to detect such intrusions by those foul creatures had not activated the alarms. The thought that the slightly out of phased creatures might have invaded was an irritation but were not considered a real threat to the new order, not with the anti-Reetou weapons systems in place throughout the palace. This woman however made her anxious in a way that almost made the System Lord order the Jaffa and servants to check the systems. Myrana, tay'skel to Astartea felt the increased anxiety coming from her counterpart.
The red-haired woman who approached was an older individual in her early fifties, very attractive but not quite beautiful, wearing a simple two-piece suit made of a material that looked like pure silk. The outfit was expensive, yet tasteful as opposed to the usual expensive gaudy styles of the usual guests and envoys trying to make an impression. Her outfit was designed to project confidence and power and in that it succeeded. At first glance the woman seemed unremarkable, however she exuded a presence that demanded one's attention. Her Jaffa escort appeared nervous around her and that was alarming in and of itself. Something else that immediately drew both Astartea's and Myrana's attention was the cut of woman's style of dress. The attire instantly set her apart and identified her for what she was.
Myrana maintained her calm demeanor but beneath she was a surprised as her sister-master. "Present yourself to Lord Astartea," she announced. There was a hint of hostility that the tay'skel couldn't quite suppress.
The stranger wasted no time and bowed. Then, in perfect Goa'uld, she started speaking. "Oh, honorable Lord Astartea of the Ashtorath Goa'uld Empire. My name is Anna. I…"
Before she could finish, Astartea was standing up, hostilely glaring at the woman. "Why is a Tau'ri presenting herself in this court?" she yelled, frightening the other visitors who were now backing away from the woman. "You are not welcomed here. Jaffa kree!"
Both escorts froze. Each of them towered over the woman but the Goa'uld larvae inside their pouches were almost panicking. The woman named Anne smiled, unconcerned of the danger threatening her.
"I am not Tau'ri," she before Myrana could order her shot. "My style may be similar in cut, but I certainly not one of them."
"Why are you here?" Myrana demanded. Like her counterpart, her instincts were screaming at her to beware. This woman was a threat.
It was impossible for Anna not to notice the anxiety emanating from the Goa'uld, but she didn't acknowledge it. "My Lord, I represent a group of associates that are new to this part of the galaxy. They have found is place most interesting."
"What is that to me? I should have you killed!" Astartea growled. The Goa'uld was afraid and wasn't sure as to why. "Leave now or die."
"I mean no disrespect," Anna said. She hadn't moved a step; her hands were folded in front of her and she appeared completely unconcerned by the other Jaffa guards now pointing their staff weapons at her. "I am here only as a representative so that we may introduce ourselves to the great Goa'uld Empire." The words were humbly said, but Astartea was having none of it.
"Jaffa!"
Sighing, Anna bowed. "You wish me to leave, then I will do so." She turned to leave but she stopped, shocking everyone with her audacity. "Apparently, you want the Tau'ri to destroy you. If that's what you want, then I will say goodbye." She resumed her walking.
Other than the quiet footsteps of Anne the silence in the great hall was deafening. Astartea glared at her counterpart, booth in silent communication with one another. Quickly, they came to a decision.
"Wait," ordered Myrana.
Anna immediately stopped and turned. Again, she bowed slightly deferring in the Goa'uld leader. Her face was still a blank mask and showed nothing of her feelings to those gaping at her. It unnerved both women.
"Who are you masters, these associates," Astartea practically hissed. "And why did they not come here themselves?"
Anna was silent for a moment and cocked her head as if she were listening to something. "The enemies of my associates were defeated and they became curious. Their curiosity lead us here."
"Which Goa'uld defeated your enemies?" demanded Myrana.
"It wasn't a system lord that defeated our enemies. It was the Asgard," informed Anna. "My associates want to know more about them."
For the first time Astartea actually smiled as she began putting things together. She decided to tell the stranger what she knew, to see wherever it would lead. "There was a great war and the Asgard race was destroyed defeating their enemies. Several worlds were destroyed. It was their war with your enemies that destroyed the Asgard?"
"We believe so. Are the Asgard are all dead?" asked Anna.
"Yes, the Asgard were wiped out destroying their–your enemies. They were very powerful and no Goa'uld could stand against them," Astartea told her. Whoever or whatever that enemy was, was strong enough to defy the Asgard. Both destroyed each other, the best of all possible outcomes with the exception that the Tau'ri had survived. But the Goa'uld needed to know exactly who the enemy had been. "No one knows who this enemy was. Tell us," she demanded.
"My associates will be pleased to know that the Asgard no longer live," the woman answered without answering Astartea's question directly. "The name of the enemy is considered a curse among my associates so I am not permitted to speak it. But I am tasked to ask you, 'what do you want'?"
Myrana laughed. "Your masters are asking a foolish question."
Anna shook her head. "On the contrary, this question will allow my associates to better understand you and your needs."
"Our needs would be for your associates to serve the Empire," Myrana said.
"My associates are interested in learning the answer," Anna said as she sidestepped the veiled threat. "Your answer will help us to serve you better if they decide to join the Empire."
"You dare!" Myrana rarely lost her temper in front of an audience and because she did, it set a tone of fear throughout the entire audience. She was not Goa'uld but she was power.
The woman was unperturbed. "My only responsibility is to serve my associates and to relay a message. What we are asking for is the answer to this one question," Anna responded. "If it is too difficult, then we thank you for your time and my associates will go somewhere else. There are others who will answer our question and engage our services."
Astartea cocked her head and viciously smiled at Anne. "Do you threaten us?"
"No, Lord Astartea, I don't." Anna stared at the goa'uld anticipating what the goa'uld was think. "Whether I live or die isn't important. Others will take my place. We will simply go elsewhere to have our question answered."
"You are either very brave or very stupid to come her alone into the heart of my empire," Astartea intoned as she watched her carefully for signs of fear of the precarious predicament she was in.
For an instant, the Goa'uld thought she saw the smallest hint of a smile. Other than that, Anna continued to look completely unconcerned. It wasn't what was being said by Anna that disturbed the Goa'uld, but what was implied.
The System Lords of old were not known for their patience. This Anna and her unidentified associates were unknowns and she would have been killed immediately. Whoever these associates were would be hunted down and killed. Astartea's instincts however were warning her not to do anything to this woman, or the consequences would be dire for her and the Empire. This frightened her. She didn't know how she knew, but trusting her instincts was something her dead father had programed into her and she would trust them now.
"What do you want?" asked Anna as she spread her arms wide. It was a small action that nearly caused one of the already cautious Jaffa to shoot her. She knew it. She didn't care. If anything happened to her, her associates would exact a terrible retribution.
Astartea looked at Myrana as she sat down heavily. Even for a god, this was taxing. The sooner this was over with the better. A quick nod to her counterpart gave her permission to answer.
"What does my Lord want?" an annoyed Myrana asked. She did not like this woman. "The Ashtorath Lords want to return the Goa'uld to their rightful place as the rulers of this galaxy. We want the complete destruction of the Tok'ra. For too long we have suffered their existence. We desire the complete and utter destruction of the Tau'ri, their allies, and their worlds. They have stolen what is rightfully Ours and killed Our servants. We want the blight of the Tau'ri extinguished forever. That is what we want," she all but snarled.
"There's such beauty in darkness," Anna whispered. "Thank you, Lord Astartea," she respectfully answered. "I will inform my associates of your answer."
"And what will your associates do with these answers?" demanded Myrana.
"They may be in a position to do something about the Tok'ra as a show of good faith," the strange woman answered before bowing and walking away. Not a single Jaffa dared stop her.
Astartea started to laugh at the foolishness of this woman. "And what about the Tau'ri?" she whispered. "Will you destroy their world and gain the favor of the Goa'uld?"
Anna Sheridan didn't turn around, pretending that she hadn't heard, but she knew what the System Lord was thinking and she whispered back. "She allowed herself the slightest hint of a smirk as she answered that unvoiced question in her mind.
The court was utterly silent as the woman walked through the gold-laden doors. The entire spectacle was unprecedented and the audience who witnessed the odd scene were worried. Goa'uld maintained the appearance of control over every situation. This audience was an exception, one that was usually never tolerated.
Between Astartea and Myrana there were no verbal commands, just barely a nod to one another. Myrana walked over to her assistant, an educated human, a survivor from Lord Yu's empire. The older man with a long gray beard barely moved as Myrana issued orders. The man bowed and quickly spoke into his communicator. Anna Sheridan was to be followed until she reached her ship. She was not to be impeded in any way. A Ha'tak was to follow her vessel to its destination. Astartea wanted to know exactly where she went and who her associates were.
If the woman knew that she was being followed as always, she gave no sign of it. She went directly to the space port and her shuttle. The small chemically powered vessel rose into orbit rendezvousing with a larger somewhat primitive looking pleasure cruiser. The shuttle docked and the larger ship slowly left orbit. The Ha'tak certain it would not be detected followed, preparing to jump into hyperspace when the ship opened a vortex unlike anything ever seen before. The ship accelerated and plunged into large gap in space time into a swirling vortex. The Goa'uld ship moved as quickly as it could and managed to follow its target through into the unusual vortex entrance an instant before it closed. The surprised Ha'tak crew found themselves in a dimension of space they had never conceived of.
They would never be seen or heard from again.
UCW Resolution
Edge of Goa'uld Territory
Space exploded as a Ha'tak vessel transition into normal space. The ship turned in a leisurely manner and vectored toward the Imperial home world unaware that its every movement was being tracked.
"Captain," said Lieutenant Commander Mason Blakeslee. "That is the third Nun Ha'tak sighting this week."
"So, noted," Captain Chandra answered. "Same vessel?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"They are playing cozy with the serpents, Commander. It is safe to say that the Nuns will likely join the Ashtorath. That makes all four of System Lord Nun's worlds joining without a shot being fired. Quite a coup. A pity Nun will never know his little empire is no more. Make sure we log it in. Earth command will certainly want to know."
Captain Idira Chandra was the second to command the British built United Coalition of Worlds Ship Resolution the first of five Prometheus stealth ships. After its first year long tour the Resolution was refitted to the Prometheus II standard. Although lightly armed, the ship possessed the latest in cloaking, stealth and countermeasures technology. It was a spy ship specifically designed to enter Goa'uld territory, gather intelligence, and insert and retrieve cloaked probes from sensitive or contested territories. The old System lords always suspected that the hated Tau'ri spying on them like their foes, the Tok'ra.
Idira cracked a ghost of a smile as she couldn't quite help enjoying thoughts of the discomfort of the Goa'uld. The serpents had accumulated quite a few 'much hated' enemies, but the Tau'ri held a special place in their hearts. The name Tau'ri was once a word used with contempt by most of the Goa'uld. Now, it was associated with hatred and fear. The Ashtorath were no different than Chronos, Apophis, or the rest of the lords other than he fact that they chose to talk first before attacking. The serpents were at war with the Terrans, as the humans of Earth preferred to be called, and their allies. It was just that the shooting hadn't started yet.
Seated in the Captain's chair, Chandra poured a bit of milk into her tea as she watched the main view screen. The Nun Ha'tak transport prepared to generate a hyperspace window and within a few seconds it was gone on the last leg of their journey.
The captain of the Resolution was taking a chance stationed so close to a main traffic hub of one of the most powerful Ashtorath. The idea of having all visiting ships stop at a designated way point was a great security measure. But the hub was also a weakness that the Terrans took advantage of. The Goa'uld was also aware of this weakness. Imperial Ha'tak warships, both visible and cloaked were diligent in their patrols as they knew that the Terrans couldn't resist spying on them and took measures to prevent that as much as possible.
The United Coalition of Worlds acknowledged that by all accounts, Astartea was the most powerful and unpredictable of the new system lords. Together, the Lords were doing away with the feudal system that had so limited the first Goa'uld, a system put into place by Ra and it was an effective method of keeping the Goa'uld from destroying themselves. But the Ashtorath were a new breed. Independent worlds were willingly investigating and joining the Goa'uld under this new leadership and Earth was more than concerned. The Nun, a group of four worlds once ruled by the minor lord Nun had sought out the Ashtorath serpents to join and were apparently being strongly considered. Lines were being drawn.
Captain Chandra was disgusted at the turn of events but she could not say that she wasn't surprised. People tended to gravitate back towards things they were comfortable with even if they knew that it would mean the loss of their newly found freedom. The Ashtorath had the ability to inspire others and several worlds were influenced by their speeches and what they were doing for the worlds they ruled.
"Give a few trinkets to the masses and they will come running to you," she murmured.
Commander Alden looked up. His short cropped blondish hair was barely visible underneath his cap. Quickly he began gazing somewhere else. His captain had the greenest eyes he'd ever seen. They were quite captivating really but he had no intentions of even hinting at what he thought about them. The short olive skinned officer was his superior and he didn't want to jeopardize his or her position onboard the ship or either of their careers.
"These people know that the Goa'uld will turn on them, but they keep coming as if their actions will change," she said.
"They are giving them food, some education and protection from the Lucian Alliance."
"Let's not forget a few freedoms. That's what happens when we allowed Ba'al to get his hands on the Evil Overlord's Handbook."
"That too," he amended. "We have a hit of that the unidentified vessel that left an hour ago. We are unsure of the precise origin of the ship but the type of FLT that it utilizes is unmistakable. It is the same type used by the enemy in the Asgard war."
Idira sipped her tea while she gathered her thoughts. The liquid was tepid now but she really didn't notice. "The war happened before I became a commander. I thought that was over and done with."
The confirmation of the type of FTL used was about to start a firestorm back at home. Assumptions that there was another invasion would be foremost in just about everyone's mind and that was certainly a concern. It was equally possible that some unknown race from home had developed the so-called jump space technology and until that was either confirmed or denied she'd add the observation to the logs and shunt it off in the next data packet in six hours. However, remote the possibility was, she had no intentions of endangering her ship by giving away their position to the Goa'uld patrol vessels that the Resolution continually played cat and mouse with.
"It was quite nasty," Commander Alden said. It was before his time as well. "Most of the details are still classified."
"Commander, please give me a report on the available information we have on their FTL system. I want to know if there is a way to track them. If we can, then we may find out the ship's place of origin. That would certainly be useful before we make any assumptions."
"Yes, ma'am. I've read that being immersed in that the strata is very chaotic. There are eddies and even storms that will rip you from your pathway. There are no points of reference and you can get lost forever. Navigation required beacons stationed at fixed positions in normal space to establish waypoints for safe travel."
"I remember that. I also recall large gravity wells in normal space can affect that under-layer. It's very bizarre, so much so that we shouldn't even call it hyperspace. It makes me glad that we don't use it."
"Captain, we have data on this FTL and jump space. I can attempt to re-calibrate the subspace sensors to see if I can scan the dimensional strata for vessels," Lieutenant Talia Greens said. "We do have the sensor recordings used by the Asgard to track enemy ships during the war. It should take twenty minutes. I recommend that we move away from Goa'uld territory to decrease the likelihood of detection once active scans are initiated.
"Feel free to begin recalibration," Lieutenant. "On my mark, deactivate the cloak. Active stealth mode, place shields on standby. Helm, take us three light years away from Ashtorath space, one hundred eight degrees. We'll remain there for a bit while the scan is performed."
"Coordinates imputed, Captain," Lieutenant Sama. "Ready to initiate hyperspace jump at your command."
"All systems mark."
The Resolution decloaked and passive shields went on standby. The stealth system activated making the ship barely almost undetectable by most ships. The stealth system was a very viable alternative to the cloak and many of the stealths used the system as SOP when scanning less technologically advanced territories and worlds where full cloaking wasn't warranted. The system was also useful for diminishing the hyperspace entry and exit signatures as the cloaking system didn't work in hyperspace or entering or exiting.
"We are green across the board, Ma'am."
"Move us to a safe distance. I want us two hundred thousand kilometers from the central hub before we jump into hyperspace. Be mindful of the ha'taks."
"Take us there," lieutenant Sama."
"Yes, Ma'am."
The Resolution crept away slowly gaining speed as they moved further away from the Goa'uld traffic lanes. As soon as they reached a safe zone, in a small flash of distortion, the ship accelerated and disappeared in a flash.
(())
Note One: Stargate: Continuum is canon and does explain Ba'al's final death. Try as I might I couldn't quite mesh it with this reality, so I won't try. But I did want people to know that I acknowledged that history. I could have tired the clone approach but again it would be hard for people to swallow, so sorry. Ba'al died in this reality by his 'children's hands.
March 2009: Two Earth ships escape from a human civilization engaged in a war with a ruthless enemy. The desperation the human civilization asks for Terran technology. They receive a small amount that balances the odds but the human civilization wants it all and tries to take it. General O'Neill threatens to nuke the human capital with a multi-gigaton bomb. He also ruins the plans of certain politicians. The politicians have very long memories.
-June 2009: Failed Wraith invasion of Earth.
July 2010: The Asgard engage an enemy with terrible consequences. Twelve inhabited worlds are destroyed including the new Asgard home world. Incensed the Asgard retaliate and the first of two-huge invasion fleet are wiped out. Earth is immediately pulled into the war as the invaders target Earth. Earth is targeted because they are held responsible for the rendering of the circle. After a fierce battle the second fleet is virtually exterminated. Broken, the enemy flees back to their territory.
Between the replicator and this last conflict, the Asgard have lost tens of millions of their people. Out of desperation the Asgard finally abandon their cloning experiments and use human DNA to reverse the degradation of their bodies. Many survivors are against this and would rather they die as a race rather than pollute their fast disintegrating genome.
Common sense prevails and Terran DNA is successfully combined with Asgard DNA. The result is a Asgard-Human hybrid body able to reproduce sexually. The Asgard bodies cannot retain the vast knowledge their clone brains could. However, they are refreshed and they can begin to start again down a new evolutionary path.
Having children and new physical bodies is psychological strain. The Asgard go into isolation. Most people believe they are dead. Only a select few people are aware that they are alive.
-May 2014. Disgraced Vice-President Robert Kinsey Sr. was declared missing and presumed dead
-July 2014: Prometheus inadvertently has first contact with the Colonials of Kobol. Doesn't go well. The Earth vessel escapes and the Colonials have no idea where Earth is located.
-August 2014: Due to the Prometheus proving that Earth exists, the Colonials go on a state of alert. They discover the Cylon infiltration software ruining the planned surprise Cylon attack. A state of cold war heats up. Small Cylon and Colonial ships violate each other's territory. War has not broken out but borders are jealously guarded.
-March 2018: The Race invades Earth territory and are immediately stopped by Earth forces. Terrified, by the Advance Terran warships and humbled by the fact that Earth or Tosev III natives found them another very hospitable planet. The Emperor instead of isolating Home and the Empire, listens to the state of the galaxy and immediately joins the United Coalition of Worlds. This stun the entirely of the Empire however they obey their leader and are now integrating with Earth and its allies.
-December 2020: The Colonials discover the location of Earth President Adar orders a small fleet to travel to Earth or as they know it the Thirteenth Colony with a peace offering, as an apology for their treatment of the Prometheus and crew. Many hard liners are horrified by this action but the Quorum agrees with his actions and the fleet heads on its year and a half long journey to Earth. Many people agree with the President's action however he is at the end of his second term. Antonius Goesel and hard liner cornel Minas become the leading contenders for the Presidency.
Naturally, the Cylons follow with a fleet of their own. They are afraid of Earth and its advance ship (Prometheus). Now, they are not sure whether they should initiate war or peace talks with Earth as two Cylon factions argue the merits and dangers of either actions. The lead Cavil wants to immediately attack and remove Earth from the equation. Other Cavils are not convinced that initiating a new front is wise and are more pragmatic in their views.
-March 2022: Terran and Race soldiers begin military games and training together. The Race begin building their own war and transport ships using the FTL drives. This is being achieved with the secret help of the Asgard. The Emperor and Thor have developed a very strong relationship. Everyone else assumes that the Asgard are dead. They are still recovering from the War.
-Current date April 2022.
Note 2: The Earth Colonial war begins in Book II. August 2022