Author's note: Another chapter is up, and it took me much less than the usual six months. I'm improving in terms of timing, but don't get used to it and thoroughly enjoy this one. You never know how long it will be until the next chapter comes out. I'm also working on rewriting the previous two stories, but it's not as easy as one would think, even with today's tools. Certain AIs do a great job of removing grammar errors, but they also remove humor in one fell swoop as if it had never existed. So, it does not give the greatest results, and if you want the story to sound decent, a human must still do the lion's share of the work. These tools still help make it more readable and concise, which is excellent for people like me who are far from professional writers. Well, it is a work in progress, and hopefully, I'll finish it before the end of the whole story.
Thanks to my beta, and hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.
"Another day, another bunch of meetings to attend," Jack grumbled.
He knew he was exaggerating. Sure, some meetings were terrible, but there were a few he wouldn't get the urge to fall asleep. He would later have one with the Jaffa and always enjoyed catching up with Teal'c or Bra'tac. However, the topics up for discussion were far from pleasant. The war had left both stoic Jaffa bitter, angry, and disillusioned with their race. Jack couldn't blame them. Teal'c had been betrayed by those he considered friends, and it was maddening to see Jaffa still supporting the Jaffa Empire. Even the coalition of former Goa'uld slaves continued aiding the Empire despite knowing—or at least suspecting—the truth. Their unwavering support for the Jaffa Empire, even while blaming local governors for siding with the Goa'uld, was baffling. Therefore, while he looked forward to seeing his friends, the topics they'd discuss were anything but enjoyable, and he expected the Jaffa's mood to be at an all-time low.
Later, Jack had a meeting with the Colonials. This time, Nagala would be attending instead of someone from Kobol. Jack enjoyed talking to Nagala, but the discussions would again damper the mood. The Colonies had been going through a tough time recently. While they have managed to eradicate the virus with the Terrans' help, that was the only positive development. Their troubles with Sagittarion were escalating, with terrorist attacks and anti-Terran propaganda becoming daily occurrences. The one piece of good news was that people from Geminon were not siding with the Sagittarian fanatics. Rebuilding their devastated world would also take a lot of time and effort, not something done in a few years but a decade at the very least. However, with fusion from easy-to-obtain deuterium becoming the prevalent method of power generation, the shortage of tylium wasn't causing problems that might have crippled the Colonies.
Next up, he had a briefing with the two spies, which was always exciting. Then, they'd expand the meeting to include ambassadors from various human races, with Teal'c and Bra'tac present. That part promised to be the worst, as Jack never enjoyed being in a room with too many dignitaries. Frankly, he wasn't sure why he had to be present at every meeting. Still, given the importance of the topics, the presence of the High Councilor of the Terran Federation could help steer negotiations in the right direction. Whether that was true was anyone's guess. Still, the outcome was that he had a busy schedule today, filled with very few activities he enjoyed. And that didn't consider the several meetings he already had this morning.
"That's every day for me," Daniel complained, snapping him from his thoughts.
"But that's your job," Jack retorted.
"What, to be miserable?" Daniel replied.
Everyone thought Daniel was a diplomat, but he was an archeologist who loved spending days surrounded by ancient artifacts and books. He didn't mind meeting exciting people and discussing equally intriguing topics, but being a professional diplomat was far from his dream occupation. Weir was better suited to diplomacy and thrived in it, but she was on a mission a gazillion light-years from Earth. Stating that she was unreachable was putting it mildly.
"If someone heard you two, they'd think you were working sixteen hours a day in a sweatshop and barely getting paid," Sam remarked.
"Well, we often work sixteen hours a day," Jack said pointedly.
"And we aren't getting paid," Daniel added. They did receive compensation for when they would travel outside Terrania and where, unlike on the island, they'd have to pay for goods. But they were so busy lately that they never went anywhere, making the point moot. They were also well-known to the public, so strolling down city streets on Earth wasn't a great idea either.
"The credits in my account keep piling up, and I have no clue where to spend them," Jack said. He wasn't the type to indulge in extravagant purchases.
"Me neither. The few times I went to Earth, everything was organized and paid for," Daniel added.
"My credits don't increase that much," Sam admitted.
"How?" Daniel asked.
"Every time we girls get together, we go somewhere on Earth and shop to our heart's content," Sam said proudly.
'It must have been quite the shopping sprees for her credits not to accumulate,' Jack thought but decided not to point that out. He still had to comment at least a little, though. "I don't get why you go to Earth to shop. Your lab has a matter synth that can fabricate an interstellar missile in minutes. I think it could make you a pair of shoes."
"It's not the same thing," Sam protested.
The device in her lab could replicate any shoe down to the last molecule, allowing her to tweak them for better comfort before they materialized. Yet she insisted it wasn't the same as hours-long shopping sprees in various malls so confidently that Jack found it hard to retort. He still had an itching to say at least something.
"Don't go there," Daniel advised.
Jack thought about it for a moment and agreed. There was no point in starting a losing battle. They were discussing something else anyway. "The point I was trying to make is that we work sixteen hours a day, and Daniel smartly added that we aren't getting rich while doing it. The only positive is we aren't busting our asses inside a sweatshop."
Their conversation might have continued if Walter hadn't ushered their first guests into the conference room. Bra'tac and Teal'c sat around the large table with many empty chairs. Other people needed to come before his two Jaffa friends, but that was another instance that made it clear how plans rarely work out.
"Teal'c, Bra'tac, it's been a while," Jack said.
"Indeed, O'Neill," Teal'c replied first.
"Duties keep us busy, and travel between worlds is not as fast as it used to be," Bra'tac said. "I know it is an excuse; we should find a way to meet more often regardless of adversities."
Gathering on Earth was easier when the Stargate network was operational. Back then, traveling to Earth was as simple as walking to the nearest Stargate on whatever planet they were and dialing Earth. Now, with the gates no longer connecting so many worlds, the two Jaffa had to board a ship and travel for days to find a Terran jump station. The jump station would propel their ship to the outskirts of the Solar System, and then they'd spend over a day crawling at sublight speed until finally reaching Earth. And it was only possible because the Terrans had graciously provided the Jaffa with jump drives that the jump stations could recognize and initiate an assisted jump. Other races, like the Galarans and Optricans, usually opted to call the Terrans for a ride as the only viable option to reach Earth.
"We're planning to make the Stargates useful again," Jack said.
"How?" Bra'tac asked, curious.
"We need to build Stargate stations far from the interdiction zones. If you do the same, you will reduce travel time between planets to what it takes a ship to reach the station and then travel from the receiving gate to the planet," Jack explained.
The Terrans didn't need the Stargates as much. They had various types of travel, like fast hyperdrives and jump stations, which could easily propel any ship they had to any other planet or outpost in their Federation. They even had access to supergates that could take them to other galaxies.
However, other races didn't have such advanced methods, and the lack of fast communication could harm diplomatic relations. Jack never pushed for the idea since it made foreign dignitaries visit less often, which he considered a big plus. Unfortunately, the same limitations affected people he didn't mind having as guests, like the two people who just came.
"That might also be a good idea for our planets," Teal'c added.
The Free Jaffa Nation had fewer planets to worry about now than when all Jaffa were united, with hundreds of planets spread widely across the galaxy. Reaching any of their planets through hyperspace took no more than five days, but even that could be problematic, especially during times of war when practicality was paramount.
"If the FJN reaches an agreement with the various human races in the galaxy and you start interacting with them more, having operational Stargates could be a game-changer," Daniel said.
A Ha'tak ship needed six months to reach the Optrican homeworld from FJN's territory, making it almost impossible to maintain any decent diplomatic relationship. Other races were similarly distant, complicating alliances against the Jaffa Empire and the potential resurgence of the Goa'uld. Reducing travel time to mere days would make diplomatic relationships and commerce feasible.
"We're thinking of other ways to improve travel time, but nothing beats having a working Stargate nearby," Jack added.
"What other ways?" Teal'c asked.
"More on that later," Jack said, steering the conversation back on track. Travel technology shouldn't become the focus of today's discussion, even though it could improve diplomatic relations between the FJN and other races. "Let's focus on more important topics. How's the traitor problem going?"
"We believe we've caught all those in high enough positions to be of significant concern," Teal'c responded.
The FJN needed to plan without the Jaffa Empire learning about their strategies the same day. No attack plan could succeed if spies relayed information to the enemy as quickly as the FJN council devised it, as demonstrated during the Dakara incident. Surprisingly, the Jaffa Empire seemed less plagued by traitors than the FJN. The emperor must have had a great PR team that swayed many from the FJN.
With the most significant obstacle addressed, it was time for action. "If it's not a secret, what are your plans?"
Teal'c glanced at Bra'tac, who nodded. "The Battle at Dakara cost us dearly, and we are still recuperating. However, soon we will have enough assets to go on the offensive."
"What kind of offensive?" Jack asked, aware that Jaffa's plans could range from brilliant to disastrously reckless.
"We will not go for any elaborate plan. We will exploit the Jaffa Empire's greatest weakness instead," Teal'c said.
Jack considered Teal'c's words before responding, "Their large territory."
"Correct," Bra'tac confirmed. "With the right amount of misdirection through the spies we have deliberately left untouched, we can keep the Jaffa Empire off balance, allowing us to strike valuable targets too far for their fleet to reach in time."
It was based on exploiting two factors. The first one was the harsh reality of space wars: space was vast, and it was nearly impossible to prevent a fleet from entering deep into one's territory. Detecting ships was highly unlikely, especially for the Jaffa Empire, which had too many planets spread out over thousands of light-years.
The second factor involved misdirection through captured spies, forcing the Empire to divert ships to lightly targeted systems while the main force hit the real targets.
"I agree that right now, that's the smartest option, but there's a significant issue here," Jack pointed out.
"The distances involved are too vast, possibly tens of thousands of light-years from our current fleet's position," Teal'c admitted.
The plan was simple and involved less risk than the plan to take Dakara, but it would take time to execute. "With the speed of your ships, you'd need to send them months in advance to reach targets deep in the Empire. You'd also risk leaving them stranded and unable to return during emergencies," Jack noted.
"A drawback that would render this plan useless, we agree," Bra'tac said.
"So, what's the solution?" Jack asked.
Teal'c and Bra'tac exchanged glances. Bra'tac then spoke. "We are formally requesting the aid of the Terran Alliance."
"Finally!" Jack exclaimed. "What kind of aid do you need?"
"Does the Terran Federation have jump stations near the Jaffa Empire? Perhaps, in the farthest reaches of their domain?" Bra'tac asked.
"If we don't, we will before you need them," Jack assured them.
The Terrans had enough jump stations to relocate a few to precisely where the FJN needed them.
"That is good to hear," Teal'c said.
Jack was pleased to hear that the Jaffa were finally seeking help, even if it wasn't the direct involvement he would have preferred. With the Terrans' assistance in information gathering and fleet coordination, the FJN could bring the war to a close, possibly within a year. It could cause the Jaffa Empire to collapse unless a miracle gave them a significant advantage in space battles.
"The Jaffa Empire's vast number of planets will be its downfall," Daniel added, "even more so if we can convince other human races to join this war."
The second part of their discussion would involve the various races inside the Milky Way who wanted to prevent a resurgence of the Goa'uld. They would be eager to help prevent that from happening.
"We should call them in," Jack said, immediately sending a message to Walter. "They should be here soon."
"Does that mean your agents have collected valuable information?" Teal'c asked.
Due to security concerns, Teal'c hadn't received any updates on what the Terran spies were doing and could only get them by coming to Earth. Otherwise, the agents could be endangered if an Empire spy planted inside the FJN intercepted the communication. Teal'c had never come to Earth since the mission began, so he was uninformed. However, he must suspect they had gathered some valuable information.
"They did. You'll hear all about it now when the various human races join us," Jack said.
The door opened, and Walter ushered several diplomats from various human worlds. The Optrican, Galaran, and Lucian Republic representatives were the most crucial to convince, and they invited them first.
Two Terran agents trailed behind them, looking slightly out of place. One by one, they all took their seats around the large conference table.
"I'm Glad you could join us," Jack began, addressing the assembled representatives. "I know traveling to Earth is difficult, and I apologize for keeping you in the dark about today's topic until you arrived. However, I'm sure you'll understand our decision once you hear the sensitive nature of our discussion."
The room remained silent, everyone waiting for the critical part to begin. "I'll go straight to the point. By now, you should have reviewed the evidence we provided, and it should be enough to convince you the Jaffa Empire is colluding with the Goa'uld."
Once again, no one spoke, so Jack continued. "If you have questions, we have the two agents here who collected the evidence on the Jaffa Empire's homeworld."
Teal'c and Bra'tac seemed puzzled. It was understandable since they hadn't been given any evidence and entered the conference room immediately upon arrival. They didn't need convincing, but they were eager to learn what the Terrans had discovered. On the other hand, it was necessary for the human representatives to fully grasp the level of involvement between the Jaffa Empire and the Goa'uld before deciding to join the war.
The representative from Galar was the first to speak after clearing his throat. "The data you provided is… compelling."
The Optrican representative joined in immediately. "The data is frightening."
"That as well," the Galaran representative replied. "However, the same difficulty remains. How can we be certain the evidence you provided is real?"
"Unfortunately, the Galaran representative is right," the Optrican replied. "We trust the Terrans, but our people need certainty before joining such a significant war that could cost us dearly."
"It could cost us dearly if we don't join the war," the Lucian representative said unexpectedly.
For a moment, no one said anything. Jack thought it best to let them sort things out independently, as pushing for a hasty decision might backfire. However, on their own, the representative might have spent the entire day running in circles, and Jack didn't have that much time or willpower.
"Maybe it's best if you hear the whole story from those who were there and then decide," Jack suggested.
The Lucian representative agreed, "Experts can peruse data later to check for inconsistencies. Right now, I'd like to hear it from the people involved and judge the integrity of their recount myself."
The other two representatives silently agreed, prompting Jack to nod at the two agents to start.
David glanced at Joshua, who had no intention of starting the recount. "So, it will be me."
"I think it's best, yes," Jack nodded.
David took a deep breath before starting. "Our mission began with infiltrating the Jaffa Empire's homeworld to gather intelligence on their activities and look for any signs of Goa'uld involvement. We were deep undercover for over a month, and what we eventually found was alarming."
… several days earlier
The capital of the Jaffa Empire was a dismal place. It was spartan, neglected, and utterly lacking in entertainment. Despite a population of nearly two million, an impressive figure given the Empire's total population of under half a billion spread across numerous cities on hundreds of worlds, the city felt listless. Unlike the FJN, which invested heavily in improving its infrastructure, the Jaffa Empire made minimal efforts. Skyscrapers were absent, just like any building that was hard to construct, and as a result, the infrastructure struggled to support the dense population. This neglect was rooted in the Empire's cultural values: every Jaffa aspired to be a warrior, leaving city maintenance to the lowest caste of citizens, who were underpaid, underappreciated, and undereducated.
David, ever the realist, foresaw the Empire's eventual downfall. It was a frightening prospect because history had shown that people became their worst selves when things fell apart. Starving citizens would do anything to secure food, and the lure of neighbors' wealth would drive them to pillage other star systems. The disintegration of the Jaffa Empire would also mean a massive number of people seeking employment, and for those aspiring to be warriors, that usually meant mercenary work.
"There is no way half a billion people can find employment as mercenaries," David muttered, half-conscious he spoke out loud.
"What are you talking about?" Joshua asked, walking beside him down one of the many corridors of the Imperial Palace.
David quickly activated a sound suppression system, wary of eavesdroppers. "I'm thinking about what all these Jaffa in the Empire will do for a living after the war."
Joshua said, "The Jaffa in the FJN are doing fine mostly, even if they're not directly involved with the war."
The FJN wasn't a paradise, as transforming an entire race's mentality took time and effort. The government had to show their people that living as a worker, engineer, or farmer could be more advantageous than being a warrior seeking glory on the battlefield. Granted, it wasn't as glamorous, but with the right incentives, it was more lucrative even without risking one's life.
"They are, but they have a long way to go," David replied. "But I don't see a way out for the Jaffa in the Empire."
The notion of half a billion Jaffa turning to mercenary work was impractical. Even with ongoing wars across the galaxy, there were too many warriors to go around. Currently, most were spread between mercenary work and serving in the Empire's army, but peace would inevitably come, and they would need to find new sources of income in a field that already had enough of them.
Joshua said, "Let's deal with the current issue of ending the war and then think about how to help the Jaffa Empire."
The FJN had no desire to take them back. Their economy thrived without the hardliners and the burdensome planets they refused to relinquish. While some still longed for a strong, united Jaffa nation, most believed the current state was more beneficial, allowing the FJN to prosper in ways that unity would never allow.
"You're right," David conceded. "I just wish I knew what we are supposed to do here."
His voice was tinged with bitterness and not without reason. Over a month on this godforsaken planet had left them disillusioned with their mission. Gathering evidence and infiltrating the imperial palace felt futile. No human race in the Milky Way would consider what they had uncovered thus far sufficient evidence to go to war. Frankly, their findings were disappointingly sparse.
The situation was bleak, and the prospect of future findings was uncertain. Yet David and Joshua knew they had to continue, hoping their efforts would pan out somehow. "There should have been more clandestine communication between the Empire and the Goa'uld," Joshua said.
The two Terran spies had state-of-the-art technology at their disposal, and while they couldn't always decrypt subspace communications, they could at least detect them. "The Jaffa aren't building their ships and armaments on their own. They must be getting help from the Goa'uld. But we haven't seen any humans in high-security areas," David noted.
"And by humans, you mean Goa'uld," Joshua clarified.
David nodded. They were missing something crucial if there was no communication with the Goa'uld and no Goa'uld on-site, but somehow, they collaborated. "Could the Jaffa have learned to build ships as sophisticated as a Ha'til?"
"Even the Jaffa from the FJN, who have shown promise, had to go through extensive schooling to become engineers. Our people are helping them, but it will take years before they become autonomous. There's no way the Empire is doing better than the FJN," Joshua said.
"Well, we've seen the tools," David said.
They had often stumbled upon equipment clearly of Goa'uld design, some of which required Naquadah in their blood to operate. Yet, they hadn't seen a single Goa'uld around, leaving them puzzled. "The little evidence we've collected won't convince any human race to join the war. We need solid proof that the emperor is in cahoots with those snakeheads."
Disguised as the two Jaffa who had come to apprehend them, David and Joshua gained access to the Imperial Palace and learned much about the Empire's operations. However, the Jaffa they were impersonating didn't have the highest authorization level and knew nothing about any Goa'uld involvement. Using alien technology to connect to their minds revealed that the Jaffa were true believers, convinced that any evidence of Goa'uld involvement was just FJN propaganda.
"I understand why these Jaffa believe what they do. "There's no clear sign of Goa'uld involvement, and we can attribute the presence of Goa'uld equipment to old relics," David said.
"But only if you don't analyze them and find they're newer than they should be. Some are not even a month old," Joshua explained.
Initially, they thought the devices were old junk left behind by the Goa'uld. But a simple scan showed they were brand new. "Even ignoring these peculiar devices, shouldn't the Jaffa sense the same incongruities we are?"
How did the Jaffa Empire build its infrastructure and advanced spaceships without apparent expertise? A life spent wielding a staff weapon scarcely qualified a person to handle sophisticated equipment. While automation could handle a lot, a person was often required to troubleshoot complex repairs. Yet everything was running smoothly as if an unseen hand was fixing all the problems.
"I found very few repairs mentioned in the maintenance logs," Joshua said.
Systems break; it's unavoidable. Even with Terran technology, they still needed highly qualified people for maintenance, and building high-performance ships came with high maintenance costs.
"Did the Jaffa Empire discover a way to make things that last forever?" David joked.
"Of all the races in the galaxy, you couldn't pick a worse candidate to attribute such an achievement," Joshua retorted.
The palace they wandered through was far better off than the rest of the city. It had lavish decorations, many in an old Goa'uld style. "One would think they'd eliminate all the gold and Egyptian motifs from the Goa'uld golden age."
"Maybe they're trying to distance themselves from the FJN, which is working hard to shed all remnants of old traditions, even if it means keeping some tacky Goa'uld decorations. At least their ships don't have so much gold anymore," Joshua explained.
"That's probably only because the FJN redesigned those ships for better efficiency under our direct supervision. Modern Ha'taks don't waste space on gold decorations that add unnecessary mass," David replied. "But the Empire doesn't even know how to remodel them to suit their taste."
"Well, let's hope we find the answers we need today because we're running out of time and places to look," Joshua said.
The Jaffa they were impersonating had significant freedom within the compound but couldn't go everywhere. Several doors were closed to them, and they didn't even know who had access. Most of the time on the planet, they spent planning a way to infiltrate what they thought was the best place to find incriminating evidence: a high-security area near the emperor's quarters in the heart of the massive Imperial Palace. If evidence wasn't there to be seen, nothing of interest existed.
The two agents worked hard to gain entry into that secured area without raising the alarm. Their mission was to find solid proof of the Jaffa Empire's collaboration with the Goa'uld and escape before the Jaffa realized that two of their loyal soldiers were impostors.
Before the mission, they took every precaution they could think of. The first and most crucial step was taking the masking isotope that rendered them invisible to biosensors. Without it, the system would detect their bio signs and flag them as intruders when they turned into the next corridor.
Both deactivated their holo-projection as they approached the intersection, revealing their full gear. They activated their cloaks, rendering them invisible to the naked eye and to the cameras the Jaffa seemed to have become fond of. They had positioned one such camera just before the door leading to the secured section of the palace—another hurdle to overcome.
Disabling a camera might seem straightforward, but this new tech was unfamiliar to the Terran agents. They didn't know how it worked or what signals it sent, but the task remained the same. They needed to create a convincing loop of the corridor footage and fool the security guard watching the video into thinking everything was as usual. Understanding the device's workings was essential to hijack the signal correctly. Fortunately, they had spent more than a month on the planet, scanning numerous devices around the compound to figure out their operation and build the necessary tools to hack them.
Joshua carefully attached the device he had recently made with a portable matter synth they brought on the planet—a delicate task, as he had little room to move and couldn't risk jostling the camera. Once attached, the device took over, recording the corridor for a few seconds and then sending the fake signal to whoever was watching.
Confident the camera showed a fake feed of the corridor, they decloaked as they approached the heavy door.
"Here comes the risky part," David said.
Learning how the cameras worked was relatively easy; there were so many around that even a child could scan a few without getting caught. However, the door's mechanism and authorization process were unique and unfamiliar. They agreed the door likely had a robust security protocol that would trigger an alarm if they used brute force. Modern systems on Earth often employed multifactor authentication that forced a person to go through several hoops before gaining access, so it was reasonable to expect that this high-security system had something equally strong or more robust. Therefore, they had to find a different way to enter.
The real danger lay in using their bracelet's phase-shifting ability to pass through the heavy door. Unfortunately, the shifting tech didn't work with the cloak active, and they had no idea what awaited them on the other side. To minimize the risk of discovery, David used a micro camera on a stick to look through the door while phase-shifted.
"The corridor continues," David reported. "I don't see anyone or any cameras."
"The lack of cameras is stranger than the absence of guards," Joshua said.
"Maybe, but they probably thought a camera was needed before the door, not after," David replied. "It is odd that there aren't any guards."
Given that this was a high-security area, they should have stationed Jaffa at every corner, but their absence worked in the agents' favor. Since nothing on the other side could detect their approach, they slipped through the door and quickly cloaked again.
"Could it be that whatever is in here, they're hiding it from the Jaffa as well?" Joshua speculated.
David pondered the question. The Jaffa Empire was concealing its collaboration with the Goa'uld from the galaxy, but it also had to hide it from its people. The fewer the individuals in the know, the smaller the risk of betrayal. "It makes sense, but they should still have invested in at least a few super-loyal guards," David said.
"We're still in the corridor and haven't seen anything yet. There could be plenty of guards ahead," Joshua replied, his tone pessimistic.
But now they were cloaked, which gave them a significant advantage no matter how many guards they encountered.
Moving down the corridor, they turned a few corners before reaching a larger room. Here, people were busily working at various stations, performing tasks that were not immediately familiar to the two agents. However, David couldn't shake a sense of incongruity as he observed the scene.
"Am I the only one finding this bizarre?" David asked over the comm unit.
"No, this feels weird no matter how I look at it," Joshua added.
The people at the workstations were engaged in delicate work. Describing their activities as "science stuff" might suffice, but it was hard to believe since everyone in the room was a Jaffa.
"I'm seeing it, yet I don't believe it," David said.
"I just said they were probably hiding whatever they were doing here from the Jaffa, and now I see a ton of Jaffa right here!" Joshua exclaimed.
"Calibrating equipment, testing, coding," David enumerated as he watched the Jaffa performing those tasks. One was coding so fast that his fingers glided over the alien keyboard. "Did the Jaffa Empire enact some secret educational program?"
"Let's see what they're working on. That console over there is empty," Joshua pointed towards an unoccupied workstation.
"Accessing the system would be a good idea, especially since our job is not to be awed by the Jaffa's sudden interest in science but to find hard evidence that the Goa'uld are involved," David said as he moved toward the console. He quickly tried to activate it but found it unresponsive. "Why isn't it working?"
Joshua neared his wristband to the console, which immediately started to receive data. "The console is protected. Only a Goa'uld can access it."
"Is this our usual luck that we tried the only one with a lock? Or maybe it's why this is the only console no Jaffa is using," David remarked. "No matter. It's not like the Goa'uld make their security system impenetrable, at least if they haven't changed their policy."
The Goa'uld were notoriously lazy about security. Complex protocols involving data input, biometric scans, and authentication devices were too much trouble for them. They blocked access to anyone without Naquadah in their bloodstream and kept those around them ignorant enough not to know how to bypass the check. However, against opponents who knew their methods, this vulnerability was easy to exploit. It was easy to release a small amount of Naquadah from their bracelet, which the device would readily detect.
"And we're in," David said as the workstation granted him access.
"Wow, no password either. The Empire really keeps their security to a minimum," Joshua commented.
"The whole room is full of Jaffa accessing their workstations, likely without any security check. I don't see why this console needs protection in the first place, let alone multiple factors," David said.
"But that probably means it doesn't hold the incriminating data we're looking for," Joshua pointed out.
David didn't reply and kept scrolling through the main index, searching for something useful. "There isn't much here. It is just data related to whatever they're doing: equipment testing and repairs, bug fixes in the code—it looks like it's related to their shielding. Some research on faulty equipment on their Ha'tak, too. There is a lot but nothing useful to us."
Still, David's trained eye scanned the code, comparing it to what he had stored in his wristband. Since the Terrans had helped the Jaffa improve their ships, they had access to the complete schematics, and both spies had everything downloaded into their bracelets.
David wasn't proficient in coding, but his bracelet helped him identify changes to the source code. While looking at it, he recalled how Teal'c had won a battle against the emperor's son while commanding a ship half the enemy's size by exploiting a shielding vulnerability known to the FJN.
"Found something interesting?" Joshua asked.
"They're modifying their shields to remove vulnerabilities the FJN can exploit. They've steadily improved their shields for the past year. It won't help us prove the Goa'uld are involved, but it will greatly benefit the FJN if we give them the latest updates the empire is working on," David said.
"That should be proof enough that the Goa'uld are involved. There's no way the Jaffa could improve the shielding system on their own. I look at the people in this room and still can't believe what I'm seeing," Joshua said.
David couldn't believe it either. With effort and enough time, anyone could learn to code simple stuff. With current technology, it wasn't even a difficult job. He believed that even the Jaffa who had lived under the Goa'uld could learn it after putting in some effort, just like the Jaffa in the FJN had done. However, it was another story when the coding involved the composition of an incredibly sophisticated shielding system that even experts in the field found challenging to improve upon. With his extensive education, even David didn't know where to start with the advanced math needed to solve the equations he was currently looking at on the floating display. Some equations stretched for several pages, and he couldn't believe a Jaffa with zero formal education could have improved or understood them.
But then another thought struck him. "Why does this console have protection?"
"What do you mean?" Joshua asked.
"There aren't any other consoles in this room that the Jaffa can't use, and from what I'm seeing, this one doesn't look special," David explained.
"Now that you mention it, the only requirement is to touch the console, and if you have Naquadah in your blood, it grants you access to the same mainframe as all the other workstations. Since there's no authentication protocol, the system doesn't know who's at the console. It just provides full access to the local mainframe," Joshua explained, though his lengthy explanation didn't clarify much for David.
"I don't get where you are going with this, but I'm positive something's off," David said.
"Let's follow that Jaffa," Joshua suggested, pointing at a Jaffa who had just left his workstation.
"Do you know what's going on?" David asked, moving right behind Joshua. They trailed the Jaffa, who was heading somewhere unknown. Joshua seemed confident that following him would lead to answers.
They continued down another corridor, staying about ten feet behind their target. Their cloaks made them invisible, and their combat suits suppressed any noise they made. The Jaffa would only have known they were behind him if he had a sixth sense, which he did not possess.
David wasn't sure how long they would follow the Jaffa; the man might have been heading home after a long workday. Joshua appeared to be searching for something as he peered into every open door they passed. This time, however, he paused longer before quickly pulling out his gun and shooting the Jaffa in the back.
"What the f—" David began saying, shocked by Joshua's sudden action. But then he realized Joshua had used the stun setting and that, in fact, he did not commit cold-blooded murder.
"Help me drag him into that storage area," Joshua instructed, grabbing the Jaffa's leg.
David knew the best way to get answers was to comply and see where Joshua's actions led, so he helped drag the unconscious Jaffa into a small storage room.
"Good, this place doesn't seem frequented; close the door," Joshua said.
David shut the door. "There better be a good reason for this."
Joshua hovered above the Jaffa, still holding his gun and scrutinizing the unconscious man. He then pointed the gun again and fired another shot. They weren't using zat guns, so two shots didn't kill, and three wouldn't make a body disappear.
"What the f—" David repeated the sentence he was becoming fond of, still bewildered by Joshua's actions. He often found Joshua's methods incomprehensible, and this time was no different. The frightening part was that sometimes he didn't understand Joshua's decisions, even after receiving a detailed explanation. He feared this might be another such instance.
"I'm almost sure he won't wake up," Joshua said, his words only adding to the puzzle.
"That's usually the case after you shoot them the first time," David said, his tone slightly accusatory.
The Terrans had spent much time and effort refining their weapons, and the stun-setting on their handheld guns was no exception. Hence, the chances of a stun bolt failing to perform as intended were minuscule. Considering Joshua's propensity to modify and enhance their weapons every chance he got, usually by increasing their potency, David was more concerned about whether the man on the floor would ever open his eyes again.
"Usually, yes," Joshua replied, leaning closer over the unconscious man and scanning him. "When you mentioned how odd it was seeing those Jaffa working on consoles and doing advanced scientific tasks, I realized they weren't the only reason I felt a sense of off-ness."
"You did?" David asked. Joshua was building up to a big revelation, but his slow pace was exasperating.
"This massive Imperial Palace, the lavish decorations, and the behavior of the people we've encountered—none of it matched my expectations," Joshua continued, shaking his head. "It all came together when we saw those Jaffa working on those consoles in that room."
David's impatience grew. He was tempted to test their stun-setting on Joshua to see how much of its effect their combat suits would block. But he knew that doing that would only delay the explanation. "Go on."
"And this scan proves it," Joshua said, unnecessarily pausing. "This is a Jaffa and also a Goa'uld."
David was speechless, unsure of what he'd just heard. "No, but that's—"
"Yep," Joshua replied.
"That can't be," David insisted.
"But it is," Joshua confirmed.
"A Jaffa can't become—"
"Why not?" Joshua challenged.
"It's in their genes—a mechanism to prevent a Goa'uld symbiote from taking a Jaffa who nurtured them from infancy as a host. It was a way to control the number of Goa'uld from ballooning," David explained.
"That's true, but who made it that way?" Joshua asked.
"The Goa'uld genetically engineered the Jaffa to be like that," David said, but his tone had already shifted. Initially confused, he now spoke with a tinge of resignation.
"Exactly, the Goa'uld did," Joshua said, pausing unnecessarily for dramatic effect. "So why couldn't the Goa'uld change that?"
Finally, the big revelation hit David like a speeding truck. It made perfect sense. Why couldn't a race that had engineered humans into Jaffa further modify them to become suitable hosts for symbiotes? Overcrowding wasn't an issue for the Goa'uld anymore, so making the Jaffa 'hostable' was an excellent strategic move.
They found hundreds of millions of possible hosts, among which a small percentage still carried their offspring nearing adulthood. Once that happened, they could no longer reside inside the Jaffa's pouch. The Jaffa would then kill them off and switch to Tretonin. The Terran had also found a cure for newborn Jaffa, so new generations would never need a Goa'uld or the drug to survive, cutting their species' reliance on both forever.
All this meant the Goa'uld future seemed bleak. At best, circumstances would force them back into their swamps, hoping to stumble upon a suitable host by the time they turned seven. The Jaffa and Terrans didn't need to waste time hunting the Goa'uld down. Time was on their side, and within a few hundred years, the Goa'uld population would dwindle to insignificance, possibly even fewer in number than the Tok'ra, who still managed to find willing hosts in exchange for improved health and longevity.
"So, the Goa'uld found a way to fight back," David said, unease creeping into his voice. "And they did it with a vengeance."
"That's what happens when you corner someone," Joshua replied. "They could be hard to find if they've already infiltrated the Jaffa population. They must be using some method to mask the symbiote because my scanner barely picks it up even though I'm scanning from this close and specifically looking for it."
"Earth had a problem with the Goa'uld infiltrating the planet. Rooting them out when they're hiding within a large population is hard. The same could be happening within the Jaffa Empire on an even bigger scale," David said.
He couldn't gauge how much the Goa'uld had spread within the Empire or how extensive the modifications were needed to make Jaffa suitable hosts. The process might be slow and impractical to implement on a large scale, or it might be a matter of time before they could propagate the change widely. However, the fact that most Jaffa weren't Goa'uld yet suggested widespread infiltration hadn't occurred. Otherwise, they would have noticed it when they captured the first two Jaffa and connected to their minds. That would have been quite a surprise.
"We need to report this back to Earth immediately," Joshua said as the door opened.
Two Jaffa entered the storage room, reacting swiftly. Since Joshua had decloaked to scan the Jaffa/Goa'uld, he became the target of their fire. Joshua moved with feline agility, dodging energy bolts. Assisted by his combat suit, he evaded two shots but got hit by a third before activating his shield and returning fire. The skirmish ended abruptly as David, still cloaked, had a clear line of sight and neutralized the two Jaffa.
"Why would two Jaffa choose this moment to walk into a storage room? How often do you need to visit storage rooms? It's my bad luck flaring again?" Joshua grumbled.
David remembered Joshua checking several rooms before choosing this one as the best one—a small storage room unlikely to be frequented more than once a week, if that often.
An alarm blared throughout the compound, prompting David to sigh. "Time to leave this planet. Once again, while being chased by an angry mob."
There was nothing more they could gain. Now that guards were onto them, security would tighten, making access to sensitive areas nearly impossible. Plus, they had crucial information to deliver back to Earth. Whether the scans of the Jaffa/Goa'uld would convince the other humans to get involved in the war was still uncertain, but that didn't matter.
What mattered was getting the collected data to the Terran Council and letting them decide what to do with it.
… back in the conference room.
"And after that, we escaped the planet, but I won't bore you with the details," David recounted.
"Oh, yes! Let's not bore them with those details," Jack cut in, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let's skip over the part where you, yet again, turned a covert op that should've gone under the radar into a full-blown skirmish. We won't mention how you managed to blow up part of the Imperial Palace and unleash chaos across the city, ensuring stories about the 'two Terran demons' will be told for decades. And let's not bring up the aerial combat—taking down Gliders and an Al'kesh that crashed spectacularly on top of the palace. Didn't you also take a few shots at a Ha'tak in orbit? Since you were there, why not, right?"
David shrank into his chair, his uncomfortable expression almost comical. "Umm, yes, there were... difficulties during our escape."
"Difficulties? Of course, there were. It couldn't have gone any other way with you two involved. The only surprise here is that Joshua didn't get kidnapped!" Jack's smile was thin, lacking warmth. "We'll discuss this in more detail after the meeting, including the dent on my brand-new Corvette."
The two agents wisely kept their mouths shut.
Jack shifted gears, clapping his hands together as he turned to the dignitaries from the human worlds who seemed to have enjoyed the roasting of the two agents. "So," he began, "you've heard what happened on the Jaffa Empire's homeworld, and we've provided you with all the intel our agents managed to gather. That should give you a clear picture of the situation we're facing. Some might be skeptical, thinking we could've fabricated the data and these guys could be spinning tales. But let me remind you: the Terrans have never lied to you. We might withhold sensitive information sometimes, but we do not lie. And we're not about to start now."
He let his words hang in the air, giving the representatives time to digest.
The Lucian Republic's representative was the first to break the silence. "I believe them. When I read the documents, I was skeptical—it seemed too far-fetched, like a story meant to scare us into joining the war. But after hearing their account, I'll recommend to my leader that we join the war. We have little choice if we want to prevent a resurgence of the Goa'uld."
Jack nodded, unsurprised by the response. The Lucian Republic had reasons for joining the fight—mainly because of their trouble with Jaffa mercenaries. While technically unaffiliated, these freelancers still had ties to the Jaffa Empire, and no one wanted to risk angering the Empire. The ongoing war kept the Empire busy enough that they couldn't retaliate in full force but were not so busy that they wouldn't respond if provoked, and killing a bunch of Jaffa mercenaries might achieve precisely that.
"I'm glad to have you on board," Jack said, his gaze shifting to the other two representatives.
The Galaran representative cleared his throat. "The data you provided is compelling, and I see no reason to doubt your agents. However, before considering joining the war, we must discuss the technology the FJN owes us from the Aschen war. My people aren't prepared to wage war against the Jaffa Empire without at least equal technology at our disposal. As things stand, we'd be too disadvantaged."
Teal'c, who had been silent until now, spoke up with a level tone. "We are willing to provide the technology to upgrade your ships to the same level as ours. No conditions."
The representatives were visibly surprised, clearly having expected a tedious negotiation. But Jack, Teal'c, and Bra'tac had already discussed this matter privately. They had decided fulfilling their obligations was in the Jaffa's best interest. While there was concern about giving the more numerous human races in the Milky Way the same tech, the Jaffa leaders understood that empowering these races to reach parity with the Jaffa Empire would be good.
"And while we might not be ready to share our technology, that doesn't mean the Terrans can't provide resources," Jack said, driving this point home. He left the other representatives with even less room to argue against joining the war.
"And by resources, you mean what exactly?" the Galaran representative asked, leaning forward.
"Whatever raw materials you expend in this war, we'll cover half of it," Jack replied.
One might think they could cover everything, but there were two reasons for this decision. The first and most apparent was that the Terrans were already engaged in a brutal war against the Vargas, so they needed to conserve resources. However, the more subtle reason was strategic: people tend to go overboard when you offer to cover everything. By limiting it to half, the Terrans ensured their allies would remain prudent and invested in the right amount.
"That's quite a generous offer," the Optrican representative responded, raising an eyebrow.
Only a few representatives had been present at today's meeting, but the Terrans would extend the same offer to other human races in the galaxy. For now, these three races were crucial. If they agreed—especially with the tech from the Jaffa and the resources from the Terrans—every human civilization capable of space travel would have little choice but to join the war or risk other human races surpassing them.
This strategy also aimed to level the playing field among the galaxy's various races. However, the entire Terran Council, notably Jack, firmly believed that giving away technology enabling other races to build more powerful warships would eventually backfire. History has shown that such actions usually lead to more devastating conflicts, not peace. No one on the Council was naïve enough to think that the races of the Milky Way, with all their differences, would live harmoniously forever. Besides, it wasn't the Terrans' place to dictate how other civilizations handled their problems. They would need to resolve their disputes on their own.
"It is generous," Jack admitted, "and it does strain our resources to do so—especially since we're at war with a mighty race that seems omnipresent in the known universe. But with this latest intel, our Council decided we must deal with the Jaffa Empire before the situation spirals out of control. And we're also offering you a piece of technology to help you in the war and boost your economy."
The representatives were visibly pleased when Jack mentioned providing resources; they were practically salivating at the mention of Terran tech. Jack, however, was quick to temper their enthusiasm. "Don't get your hopes up too high; we're still prohibiting the sale of technology that could enhance your military's combat capabilities."
Their expressions soured instantly, the eagerness draining from their faces. It was as if they'd lost something, even though they'd never had it. The disappointment was palpable; they looked like children who had been promised candy only to be handed broccoli instead. Jack could almost see their thoughts: what good is any of this if it doesn't come with big, powerful space guns? In a way, he understood them very well.
He decided it was best to clarify and move forward. "What we're offering is a method to increase the speed of travel for your existing ships without needing to modify them."
"Without modifications?" the Optrican representative echoed, intrigued.
"Yes," Jack confirmed. "We've discovered a way to push a ship into a higher hyperspace band than originally designed. You can construct space stations capable of propelling ships from one star to another at such speeds."
"Between any two stars?" the Galaran representative asked, emphasizing "any."
"Not quite," Jack clarified. "The technology creates a quasi-tunnel between two stars, making reaching a higher hyperspace band easier. However, for safe travel, the tunnel must be in gravitational equilibrium. In simple terms, there can't be any celestial objects or phenomena with strong gravitational forces that would pull in any direction other than the one you're traveling."
The representatives seemed confused.
"In short, no tunnel bending allowed," Jack concluded, unsure if the explanation made complete sense.
"That makes sense," the Optrican representative said, nodding as the others exchanged bewildered looks. "We already know gravitational distortions are dangerous during hyperspace travel. A gravity wave can easily overload your hyperdrive, even under normal conditions. If your ship travels through a higher hyperspace band that you haven't designed it for, the risk of failure increases greatly."
Jack couldn't help but be impressed. "Exactly what he said," he agreed with a grin, relieved that someone had articulated the science behind it better than he could.
"How far apart can the two stars be?" the Galaran representative inquired.
"In theory, there's no limit," Jack replied, recalling when Sam had created a supernova that propelled them to another galaxy at a ridiculous speed. While that was a desperate and dangerous maneuver, they were now proposing a safer, more reliable system that races could implement across the entire galaxy and greatly benefit from. "It mostly depends on the station's power to provide the initial push, but once the ship is in hyperspace, it can keep going until it exits back into normal space."
"How much faster will our ships be able to travel?" the Lucian representative asked.
"It varies," Jack explained. "Your military vessels, which already push their engines to the limit, might be able to jump a single hyper-band higher. However, your slower transport ships should be able to jump two bands higher. Again, it all depends on the station's power and the quality of your ships' engines."
The Optrican representative leaned in. "Are you saying that a cargo ship that currently takes a hundred days to reach its destination could do it in just one day? That sounds impressive."
"It's possible," Daniel interjected, "but only if your ship's destination is directly along the path of the created tunnel. But even if it's not on the exact path, the speed increase alone would allow you to expand your mercantile fleet's reach across the galaxy. The shorter travel time to your existing holdings alone should be a decisive factor in adopting the technology we're offering—free of charge, I might add."
"And don't forget," Jack added, "your military vessels could travel up to ten times faster to their destination. With time, you might even improve upon that."
"This sounds too good to be true," the Lucian representative said skeptically. "Why are you doing this? The evidence of the Goa'uld taking over the Jaffa Empire and the FJN's promise to give us technology on par with theirs would have been enough to get us to join the war, no matter how much we protested beforehand."
They had a particular reason. The Terrans wanted the human races to establish predictable corridors in the galaxy and use them continually. It would minimize time spent wandering through space, as traveling outside the established network would be inefficient. The Terrans had stealthily encountered a few alien races capable of space travel, though they were far from the worlds the Ancients had colonized and the Goa'uld later seized. It would be best if no human race poked their nose where it didn't belong, especially now that they had other enemies to worry about. If humans did not make their presence known, it could be thousands of years before any of those races stumbled upon them, ensuring a prolonged period of peace the Milky Way deserved.
"Speedier redeployment and not having to worry about resources will undoubtedly help you in the war against the Jaffa Empire," Jack responded, careful not to reveal their true motive. "And now is the time to press hard before we get a fully reestablished Goa'uld Empire to contend with."
The Lucians were adept at sensing hidden agendas, likely because they always had one themselves. They'd be the first to venture into the unknown if they even suspected the Terrans had a different reason. Jack knew better than to tip his hand.
"You mentioned we can establish tunnels between any two stars. But what are the exact limitations?" the Optrican representative asked, clearly more interested in the technology than in the war they were about to join.
"A tunnel requires complete gravitational equilibrium to ensure your ship's safety, which limits the number of possible routes," Jack explained. "Initial findings have identified several systems in your region as potential candidates. We even discovered a cluster of star systems between the Lucian Republic and Galar that could support a dozen corridors, some leading to stars in the farthest corners of the galaxy. It's a remarkable discovery," he added, a hint of frustration slipping into his voice.
"And where exactly is this cluster of stars?" the Lucian and Galaran representatives asked simultaneously, their eagerness evident.
They were already eyeing the opportunity to extend their reach. Unfortunately for them, the stars were already under the control of another power. Jack doubted the current owner deserved such an incredible stroke of luck that had fallen straight into his lap.
"The Arkham Empire already controls the stars I mentioned," Jack admitted reluctantly.
He couldn't help but think that the man's luck should have run out after acquiring his fourth wife, but apparently, it hadn't, and there were no signs it would anytime soon. Even the researchers who made the discovery were astounded by how many tunnels those few stars could produce and even more so by how far they reached, significantly increasing their strategic value. Neighboring races would undoubtedly flock to the Arkham Empire to use the tunnels, paying a hefty price for the privilege.
And all that wealth would go straight into Maybourne's pockets. 'Lucky bastard,' Jack thought.
The two representatives' faces twisted as if they'd bitten into something unbearably sour. Their distaste for the Arkham Empire was well-known, and the sentiment was mutual. Emperor Arkham would undoubtedly demand payment in refined Naquadah—enough to fuel his entire merchant fleet—in exchange for access to the tunnels. Yet, the expansionist ambitions of these two races would force them to accept whatever lopsided deal Maybourne offered.
In a way, it was a strategic move. The Nexus of corridors would exert significant influence over the entire region, with the Terrans ensuring their man, Maybourne, held the reins. The Galarans, known for targeting less developed worlds in the area, would find their ambitions thwarted by the Arkham Empire's presence. One of the stipulations for using the corridors would inevitably be an end to those predatory practices.
However, there was a downside. The Arkham Empire was becoming stronger than the Terrans had ever anticipated. Maybourne's merchant fleet, already vast, would grow further with the new corridors, allowing for even faster expansion across the galaxy. Wealth would pour into his coffers, and Jack only hoped it wouldn't inflate Maybourne's ego and lead him to harbor dangerous ideas. After all, they were dealing with Maybourne.
"As you can see, we're offering a lot," Jack said, pausing to refocus the room on the real issue. "But we're also expecting a lot in return."
The Optrican representative was the first to respond. "What do you expect from us?"
"Commitment," Daniel interjected, taking the lead. "We're engaged in a distant war, and our resources are tied. We won't be able to actively participate in any conflict within the Milky Way. That's why we need you to fight alongside the FJN with the clear intention of ending the war and preventing a resurgence of the Goa'uld. We don't just need signatures on a document, even though that's also an important part. We need you to do everything you can to bring this war to a swift and painless conclusion."
Jack quickly added, "We also need you to rally other human races to join the fight. We'll work on that, but your efforts will be crucial. The Goa'uld return threatens all races in the galaxy, and everyone who can help should do so without reservation."
"The Free Jaffa Nation will still bear the brunt of the war effort," Teal'c said, drawing the representatives' attention. "Your role is to consolidate your forces and publicly declare war against the Jaffa Empire, citing the new evidence that the Goa'uld have infiltrated their highest ranks."
"But you want us to join the fight eventually," the Galaran representative asked, seeking clarification.
"That's correct," Jack affirmed. "However, the nature of your involvement is still evolving. Our primary goal is to demonstrate to the Union where the other human races stand, hopefully compelling them to distance themselves from the Jaffa Empire. If they don't, your mission will disrupt any aid they provide to the Empire, inevitably bringing conflict with the Jaffa Empire."
"I don't understand why the Big Whale is helping the Empire," the Optrican representative said, puzzled. "There are plenty of rumors of collusion with the Goa'uld. At the very least, they should cease all interaction until they've confirmed what's happening."
Jack couldn't disagree. Even if the Big Whale wasn't ready to declare war against the Jaffa Empire, they should at least have suspended their support until they were confident the Goa'uld weren't involved. If anyone had a reason to avoid the Goa'uld, it was their former slaves.
"It might be the same reason the Jaffa within the Empire remains so loyal," Jack suggested. "The two Jaffa our agents captured were brainwashed. It took us several days of deprogramming before they began to show any doubt. Even though their memories indicated they'd witnessed events suggesting Goa'uld involvement, like seeing Jaffa operating equipment that only a Goa'uld should be able to use, they didn't react. It should have raised alarm bells, but they just glossed over it as if it was normal."
"If the Goa'uld can brainwash the Jaffa, then it's only logical they'd do the same to key officials within the Big Whale," Daniel said, his voice tinged with worry.
They weren't just fighting an enemy; they were up against a master manipulator who could enslave minds and wield technology far beyond what most societies in the Milky Way could comprehend. If the Goa'uld weren't stopped, they could rebuild their empire, weaving their influence like a web through every corner of the galaxy. This time, with outside threats forcing unity among them, they'd be far more dangerous than when they quarreled.
"It would certainly explain why those planets on the Big Whale's borders are so chummy with the Jaffa Empire," the Galaran representative noted.
The Big Whale itself was a precarious alliance—a loose confederation of worlds that could crumble at any moment. Yet, keeping it together was necessary for Earth, even if it meant making uncomfortable compromises. A fragmented Big Whale, with its myriad semi-functioning governments, would be a nightmare. Even now, the confederation struggled to maintain any semblance of order, with its influence barely extending beyond its bureaucracy. Worse still, the border worlds were growing stronger through their alliance with the Jaffa, while the rest seemed content to let corruption fester, with bribes filling the pockets of officials who should have known better.
The Terran Peace Corps was on the ground, providing aid and trying to educate the populace about governance and the importance of staying vigilant. After centuries of Goa'uld oppression, the people were finally free, but the Peace Corps was there to make sure they didn't just end up under the thumb of another master. Progress was painfully slow, and there was always the fear that some power-hungry tyrant would seize control before they could make a difference.
But if brainwashing was in play, all their efforts might be for nothing.
Daniel broke the tense silence. "There's something off about those border planets."
"Back in the day, the Goa'uld were brazen—bold as brass—and prone to making mistakes," Jack said, his expression darkening. "Now, they're playing it smart, covering their tracks. We've got agents on those planets, but they haven't found anything solid. No Goa'uld, no clear signs of brainwashing. Just the usual bribes and corruption—hardly enough to explain their loyalty to the Jaffa Empire."
The planets within the Big Whale were poor, and corruption was almost a given. But it was hard to believe that so many officials would align with the Jaffa Empire, especially with the rumors of Goa'uld's involvement. On the planet where Joshua and David had uncovered a Goa'uld, the officials had to have known, yet they looked the other way. For former slaves to allow such a thing, there had to be something far more sinister than just money changing hands.
"If brainwashing is involved, even with other human races joining the fight, it won't shift their loyalty," the Optrican representative warned. "Are we prepared to launch a direct assault on those worlds?"
"It's a tough question," Daniel admitted, "and the current answer is no. We start with an embargo, cutting off all trade between the Big Whale and the Jaffa Empire, and then watch closely. My guess is the Jaffa will be the first to strike, and when they do, it gives you a legitimate reason to retaliate."
"So, we're not technically the first to fire a shot, only playing a concerned party, but it's pretty clear where this is heading," the Lucian representative said with a wry smile. "And now it makes sense why you're arming us and giving us faster ships. Redeploying to that sector won't be easy."
It was amusing how the Lucian representative had jumped to the wrong conclusion the Terrans had subtly nudged them toward. "Yes, that's precisely the reason," Daniel confirmed.
"At least you're upfront about it," the Galaran representative said.
"And you're still getting the tech and resources. Unless you're telling me that you don't want them anymore?" Jack asked, his tone dripping with smugness.
"We're not saying that," the Lucian representative quickly replied.
"Not saying that," the Galaran representative added hastily. "We'll gladly accept what you're offering. We're going to end up in this war no matter what."
"By cutting off the Big Whale's ties to the Jaffa Empire, they'll have to stretch their resources even thinner in that region," Teal'c said, drawing everyone's attention. "Meanwhile, we intensify our efforts and strike at targets deep within their territory, forcing the Jaffa Empire to overextend across their vast domain."
"Defending hundreds of worlds spread across tens of thousands of light years isn't going to be easy for them," Daniel added. "Especially if they have no idea where the next attack might come from."
"And what about the Goa'uld?" the Optrican representative asked abruptly.
Jack looked at him. "What about them?"
"They're out there, and they've had years to rebuild. I'd wager they've assembled a decent fleet by now," the Optrican representative continued.
"That's a potential problem," Jack admitted, his brow furrowing. "We know very little about their current strength. If they show up with more firepower than we've anticipated, it could turn the tide of this war. But remember, the Goa'uld fled this region, and we're confident they don't have any major bases of operation nearby."
"They could be lying low within the Jaffa Empire or the Big Whale, waiting for the perfect moment to strike," the Galaran representative suggested.
"As I said, we don't know for sure," Jack replied, frustration seeping into his voice. "They've become much more elusive, unlike the arrogant bunch they once were. Our intel suggests the Jaffa Empire has been helping them build ships within the Big Whale's territory, only for those to be moved out of the region as soon as completed. They're relocating to wherever they've set up shop after the war—at least 30,000 light years away. It is a year's journey, even at their top speed, and honestly, I don't think the Goa'uld bet everything on this war. They're more interested in causing chaos and gaining whatever they can without risking much than a full-out war."
The Goa'uld were cautious now. If they were fully committed to this war, they would have kept their assets in the region or even brought reinforcements from their new base of operations. However, their actions suggested a different strategy of calculated risk rather than blind ambition.
"Let's keep squeezing the Jaffa Empire from all sides and see what pops," Jack suggested. "There's no need to rush. This war might drag on for another year or two, even if everything goes according to plan. What matters is that we win it in the end, possibly with fewer casualties."
The slow approach was advantageous. Despite the growth during the Aschen war, the human races joining the fight against the Jaffa Empire required time to fully engage in battle. Jack hoped they wouldn't delay too much, though. They shouldn't just sign a formal agreement and let the war pass them. They needed to start contributing as soon as they were ready.
The FJN wasn't faring well. After the disaster at Dakara and several other defeats, it was clear the Jaffa Empire had infiltrated their ranks, reading their every move. There was even talk of halting all offensive operations and going entirely on the defensive—a move that would only encourage the Jaffa Empire to push deeper into FJN territory, secure in the knowledge that their rear was safe.
With the room growing quiet, Jack decided it was a good moment to wrap up this first meeting. Future discussions would likely involve the human races and the FJN without the need for Terran interference.
After all, the Terrans were only involved in this war in a supporting role.
"We've given you plenty to think about and take back to your leaders," Jack said. "I'm glad to see your positive attitude. Hopefully, your leaders will share it."
"We believe they will," the Optrican representative said first. No one wants to see the Goa'uld make a comeback."
"Our leader will certainly support my recommendation," the Lucian representative agreed.
"And mine as well," the Galaran representative added.
Jack pressed a button, and his assistant entered the room. Jack addressed the three representatives. "Dinner has been prepared for you. Walter will guide you to the dining area. Unfortunately, we can't join you; our schedule is rather packed."
The three representatives followed Walter out of the conference room, leaving only a handful of people behind.
"One meeting down, countless more to go in the following few days," Jack muttered, rubbing his temples. "The Colonials should be here soon."
"No, not that soon," Daniel corrected, glancing up from his tablet.
Jack frowned. "What do you mean?"
"While you were talking with the representatives, I checked their status," Daniel explained. "They're running late."
"How late?" Jack asked. He was bracing for bad news to drop.
"They're still crawling towards Earth. Should be here in half an hour," Daniel replied.
Jack groaned. "And with all the protocols, docking, and whatever else, we're looking at a two-hour delay, minimum."
"Don't be so pessimistic; it won't be that long," Daniel said, trying to keep the mood light. "I already notified our people to speed up procedures."
"I was hoping they could meet with Teal'c and Bra'tac to discuss expansion plans," Jack grumbled. It had been a minor miracle getting everyone on Earth at the same time, and now it felt like that rare alignment of schedules was slipping through his fingers. The Colonials needed to start thinking about spreading out into the galaxy, and the FJN backing them up seemed like a solid move, especially with the Jaffa Empire's border so close.
Daniel looked over at Teal'c and Bra'tac. "Do you think you can stick around another hour or two?"
Teal'c, ever composed, nodded. "Strangely enough, we have no pressing matters requiring immediate return. We can extend our stay."
Jack's face lit up. "Excellent! Then we're having dinner afterward," he said, already envisioning a much better use of time than endless meetings. "But what do we do while we wait for the Colonials to show up?"
"Liam's here," Daniel mentioned casually.
"Someone's late, someone's early. The perfect balance," Jack quipped, tapping his pad. He'd just contacted Liam's ship when a beam of light filled the room, cutting him off mid-thought. Blinking away the sudden brightness, Jack opened his eyes to find Liam standing before them.
"I see you've been improving your anti-beaming system. It took more effort than usual to get through," Liam noted with amusement.
Jack huffed, a mixture of frustration and resignation. The Terrans had put a lot of work into preventing people from beaming in and out whenever they pleased, mostly at Jack's insistence. He was tired of being yanked away from his meals—only to return and find his pie gone and the kitchen closed. No pie, no peace.
"And yet, here you are," Jack said, trying to hide his annoyance.
"It's the effort that counts," Liam said mockingly, then turned to greet the others. "Hello, everyone. It's good to see you all again after so long."
"Ancestor Liam, it is an honor to meet you again," Bra'tac said, bowing slightly. "I trust your health is well?"
"It is, thank you," Liam replied, his tone warm. "Most of my memories have returned, and my life is finally returning to normal. I need a little more time, and I'm confident even the details of what happened in Vargas territory will resurface."
Liam's memories had been slowly unraveling, like a tape being played until recently—recent but still not current. The events from his time inside Vargas's territory were fragmented, returning to him in flashes and often revealing how badly things had gone wrong.
"Take a seat, and let's get started," Jack said, then noticed the two spies—David and Joshua—sitting quietly and trying to avoid attention. They were probably still waiting for the inevitable grilling. "Not sure if you've met these two rascals yet."
"I haven't had the pleasure, but I've read plenty of reports about their... adventures," Liam said, smiling benevolently. "You two certainly know how to live interesting lives."
Under Liam's gaze, the two began to shrink. It was one thing to face the Terran Council's displeasure; they got used to it, but now they were also being chastised by an ancestor. It might be time to rethink the way they operate.
David cleared his throat, knowing that silence would only prolong the scrutiny. "It seems bad luck follows us wherever we go."
Liam's smile widened ever so slightly. "That's one way to look at it," he said, still with that infuriatingly calm demeanor. "Although, I've always believed that we make our luck."
With that single line, Liam had effectively sunk their ship. There was no witty comeback to salvage the situation. They could only nod and hope the conversation shifted in a different direction.
"What news do you bring?" Jack asked, shifting the conversation.
Liam settled into his chair, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Let's start with Alena. Her little stunt—serving as a vessel for all those surviving spirits—scared the hell out of a lot of people. For a while, it was touch-and-go, but things stabilized once our little project in the Haven system came to fruition. She'd need more time to recover fully, but she's conscious, and her health is overall good."
Jack already knew most of this. They had to release the spirits trapped inside Alena to save her, but that was easier said than done. The only way to do it without killing them was to create a new spirit world—a task that had turned into a massive joint operation, with even the ascended pitching in. The problem was that the one person who knew the most about making this spirit world was Alena, who was, unfortunately, unconscious. Hence, they had to find a way without her.
"I'm glad it all worked out in the end," Daniel said. "With the spirit world up and running, the Ulysseans can finally start rebuilding their lives. They've been through enough."
"That's putting it mildly," Liam said, a grim look crossing his face. "The Vargas hunted them for centuries. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
"And the big question remains," Jack cut in, eager to get to the point quickly. "Do we know where to go next?"
"We do," Liam replied, and the confidence in his voice was reassuring.
Jack leaned back, a grin spreading across his face. "That's what I like to hear. The thought of wandering the galaxy, aimlessly searching for the Vargas, didn't exactly thrill me." Space was vast—overwhelmingly so—and wandering it with only a vague sense of direction was a fool's errand. "Did the data the Ulysseans provided help?"
"It was a mix," Liam explained. "Alena's insights into the Vargas and their masters, the partial restoration of Williams' memory banks, and my mind finally stopping from coming up blank so often." He couldn't hide the frustration in his voice.
Jack could only imagine how aggravating that must have been for Liam, who had always prided himself on his flawless memory. Having an eidetic memory from birth, Liam often struggled to understand the concept of forgetfulness Jack was so fond of. Of course, Jack also gained the ability to perfectly recall when he turned into an Alterran—a curse, depending on how one looked at it. However, he also gained the ability to compartmentalize information and lock it behind mental firewalls. It was almost like forgetting, but intentional. He often did this with information he deemed unimportant or just plain dull, and Jack became so proficient at it that he was doing it on an almost subconscious level. When he tried explaining this to Liam, the man just stared at him, a mix of fear and irritation detectable in his eyes. Jack never entirely understood why, though. In his mind, it was a handy skill. Without it, information he would rather not have would clutter his mind, and he firmly believed that ninety percent of the information he was exposed to during a day belonged to that category.
Jack shook off the wandering thoughts and refocused on the conversation. "Is it far?"
Liam let out a chuckle tinged with disbelief. "Lately, I think my sense of distance has left me because I was about to say, 'not much,' even though it's 3.6 billion light-years away." He shook his head. "See, I even rounded the number by 40 million light-years as if that's just around the corner."
Jack nodded, understanding all too well. "I know what you mean. Ever since we traveled to the IC-1001 galaxy, a billion light-years away, or talk about Destiny that's even further out but think nothing of it, I've lost all sense of scale. A galaxy like the Milky Way, spanning nearly two hundred thousand light-years, feels like a trinket in comparison."
Most people had no real grasp of the vastness of space, and it wasn't even strange. From a young age, kids on Earth were taught about space in ways that made it easier to understand but regrettably far from accurate. Take, for example, the classic Earth and the Moon model—two spheres placed inches apart. In reality, the Moon should be 30 feet away from the Earth's globe to scale, something that wouldn't fit in most classrooms. The Sun, meanwhile, would need to be a sphere the size of a ten-story building and placed more than two miles away. And that's just the Solar system. The Sun, a mere eight light-minutes from Earth, was a walk in the park compared to the distances between stars and galaxies. They were so vast they were almost impossible to truly comprehend.
Today was one of those days when Jack's thoughts kept drifting in many directions, making it challenging to stay on topic. He blamed it on having too many meetings crammed into one day—this was the fifth in the last six hours.
Daniel broke the silence, his tone thoughtful. "With our current technology, it shouldn't take us long to pave a road to the Vargas stronghold."
"True," Liam acknowledged. "Setting up around a dozen Supergates in a straight line is straightforward enough, and with the Sphere, we could do it relatively quickly. But that's not the limiting factor." He paused, his expression serious. "Are we ready to enter the enemy's lair?"
Jack didn't hesitate. "Nope, not even close," he shot back. "We need to build more, consolidate our technology, and turn our people into veterans."
Liam nodded. "Exactly. We must do all that before thinking about encroaching on that place. We could face massive battles with tens of thousands of ships clashing head-on. If we're not careful and confident in our ships and staffed with crews that have been through many battles, even if only in countless simulations, we'd be walking into a slaughter."
Jack noticed how Liam said, 'that place,' the words dripping with disdain. "You remembered something?"
"Just flashes," Liam admitted, "but even that is enough to know you don't go in unless you're ready."
"So, what's the timetable before we are?" Daniel asked, looking between Jack and Liam.
"I think we should plan for five years," Liam said after a moment of thought. "We'll advance gradually, expecting encounters to become more frequent as we get closer to their stronghold."
"Rolling out the latest technologies should happen much sooner," Jack interjected. "With the expansion of our navies and the vast distances involved, we need to ensure all upgrades are completed well before five years. Our crews also need time to adapt to the changes in fleet performance."
Even minor upgrades could drastically alter a fleet's behavior. The recent implementation of BattleNet 2.0 has brought about a significant leap in fleet performance, especially in large-scale operations. But it has also forced crews to rethink their strategies, learn new tactics, and adjust their entire approach to warfare through endless simulations. If BattleNet 3.0 ever came out, it could undo all that progress, requiring them to start from scratch. They needed to solidify their technological advancements for at least a year before making deep incursions into enemy territory.
At that moment, a soft glow descended from the ceiling, taking on a humanoid shape as it neared the table. Simultaneously, Walter ushered a few Colonials into the room.
And then Thor beamed in as well.
"We really need a jamming system that works," Jack remarked dryly, barely batting an eye at the unexpected arrivals.
It had become almost routine for friendly aliens to beam into the Terran space station unannounced, much to the frustration of the station's operators. Whoever oversaw allowing or blocking beam-ins was probably regretting their life choices.
"I have noticed a slight improvement in the anti-beaming system onboard the station," Thor commented, his tone as neutral as ever.
If the scientists who had worked tirelessly on those improvements heard Thor's understated remark, they'd probably be ready to tear their hair out in utter frustration. Luckily, Sam, the only scientist in the room, wasn't part of that project.
"It's a work in progress," Jack replied, his voice laced with resigned indifference.
Meanwhile, the two Colonials took the chairs between Daniel and Joshua.
"Admiral," Joshua greeted Admiral Adama with a salute as if he were still his commanding officer. "Good to see you're in good health."
Adama smiled faintly. "I'm not much of an admiral these days, but I'm glad I could make the voyage and see you again."
"How did that happen?" Daniel asked, curiosity piqued. "I was under the impression that President Nagala and his wife Lira were to attend."
President Nagala responded, "My wife's not feeling well enough to travel—pregnancy and all—and I didn't want to come alone. I also didn't want to bring anyone from my cabinet—having any of them would have been a pain. That is why I asked your Captain Donovan to make a detour to Kobol and pick up Admiral Adama."
"My wife wasn't in the mood for travel as well, so that left the two of us old fogies to come on our own," Adama added with a chuckle.
"A guys-only outing. Nice," Jack quipped, catching the tail end of the conversation. "I'm planning a nice dinner on Earth after the meeting. You should join us."
The room had a distinctly testosterone-heavy vibe—except for Sam, the only woman present—and it looked like the evening would continue in that vein since Sam had plans with Vala, Adria, and Elizabeth. Jack had already made just-in-case arrangements for a relaxed evening at a few top-notch restaurants down on Earth, where they could eat, drink, and exchange stories from their respective worlds. But for him, the food was the real draw, and he'd ensured the steaks were among Earth's best.
"I don't have any plans," Adama said, open to the invitation.
"Neither do I," Nagala added, equally agreeable.
The individuals were all quite well-known and often featured in the news. However, he hoped they could blend in for an evening without drawing too much attention. On the other hand, it might be best to provide each of them with a mimicking device.
He then turned his gaze to the other person who had entered the room, who had been patiently waiting for the introductions and initial banter to wind down. Jack decided it was time to get to the point. "I suppose there's something important you need to tell us, or else you wouldn't have dropped into the mortal plane."
"Hello, everyone," Ilium greeted the group, glancing around before focusing on Jack. "Yes, I'm here to tell you your timetable is too long."
"What timetable?" Daniel asked, leaning forward slightly. "The five years we're planning before we engage the Vargas' in their home galaxy?"
"Yes, five years is too long," Ilium confirmed, his tone being a matter of fact.
Jack felt a twinge of anxiety. "I'm afraid to ask, but how long do you think it should be?"
"Two years," Ilium stated calmly.
Jack's mind went blank. He had expected Ilium to suggest trimming a year off the timeline, maybe eighteen months at most. But three years? That seemed impossible. They would have to accelerate everything, with little room for error, and their fleet and crews would be far from battle-ready. "That makes no sense," Jack said, struggling to process the information. "We can barely get there in that time, much less plan, scout the area, devise a strategy, and strike only when we have a clear opportunity."
"Jack's right," Liam added, his voice steady. "Knowing the enemy, going recklessly into battle is suicidal."
"Not doing it would be even more so," Ilium countered, his tone serious.
Jack frowned. "I don't understand what that means."
"I think he's about to tell us, and I doubt we'll like it," Liam said, glancing at Ilium.
Ilium's gaze swept the room. "Didn't you find it strange that your battles have been… easy so far? Do you know why that is?"
Silence fell over the room as everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Many had thought the same thing at some point—that their battles had been suspiciously manageable. The Vargas were a formidable force, spread throughout the universe, capable of overwhelming them with sheer numbers. If they had deployed even a fraction more ships during the campaign in the IC-1001 galaxy, the Terrans' advance might have stopped there.
"We haven't encountered a large Vargas fleet in any of the galaxies under their control," Liam said slowly.
"Correct," Ilium nodded. "Do you know why?"
"Isn't it because Liam went deep into Vargas territory?" Jack suggested, though he knew the argument was flimsy. Liam had been back for some time, and the Vargas hadn't increased the pressure.
"The reason the Vargas don't have tens of thousands of ships ready to pounce on you is because they're fighting against a massive offensive spread across the universe," Ilium revealed. "An offensive orchestrated by the Furlings."
"The Furlings?" Jack asked, his confusion growing.
Ilium nodded. "After the Furlings built the two Spheres, they took the smaller one on a 20,000-year journey around the universe, searching for allies. Their ability to see the future made them exceptionally good at finding the right ones. They've been biding their time, and ten years ago, they launched a massive campaign, forcing the Vargas to spread their forces thin."
Jack tried to grasp the enormity of what Ilium was saying. The Furlings, with their far-reaching vision, had managed to create countless battlefields across the universe, pushing the Vargas to their limits. It was a strategic masterpiece, but Jack still struggled to comprehend the sheer scale of it. How many races across the universe harbored deep grudges against the Vargas? The scope was too vast, too overwhelming to fully imagine.
"Why two years?" Liam asked, cutting to the heart of the matter. "What happens after that?"
"The Furlings and their allies will lose," Ilium stated bluntly. "And when they do, the Vargas will recall their fleets."
Jack's stomach sank. "So that's why it's suicidal to wait more than two years," he murmured. "But rushing in less than two years? That's not much better."
"The difference is night and day," Ilium said, his voice firm. "You have a chance if you reach them in under two years. If it takes longer, you have no chance at all."
Jack suddenly felt queasy. His earlier appetite for a juicy steak was now completely gone. Even if they managed to win, it was clear that the battle ahead would be unimaginably bloody.
"We did have it easy up until now, didn't we?" he asked, looking at Ilium, who nodded in confirmation.
The room fell into a heavy silence. Sam, always the problem-solver, was undoubtedly running through every possible invention or upgrade they could implement to boost their chances. Daniel, on the other hand, seemed resigned. His diplomatic instincts told him there was no peaceful solution—not with the Vargas. It would come down to a battle, and his role would primarily involve watching as events unfolded.
The two Colonials, new to this scale of conflict, looked shell-shocked. They barely knew of the war against the Vargas, let alone its staggering scale, but as seasoned warriors, they could read the somber mood in the room. They understood the stakes had skyrocketed, and the odds were stacked against the good guys.
With their knowledge of countless conflicts, the Jaffa grasped the gravity of the situation. They knew that things had just turned FUBAR on a cosmic level.
And the spies—well, their expressions didn't give anything away. Jack wasn't surprised; they were trained to maintain a poker face, even in dire circumstances.
Reading an Asgard was impossible, but Jack was sure of one thing: Thor would be at the front when the battle started in two years or tomorrow.
"Well," Jack finally broke the silence, "let's get there even sooner."
Liam glanced at him, considering the statement. "Two years is a long time. The Sphere can get us there in a fraction of that time, giving us plenty of room to scout the area."
"Recruitment and training are going smoothly," Daniel added. "We're steadily filling our ranks, and soon, we won't be able to say our crews are still green."
"There's no earthshattering technology ahead of us. We need to learn how best to utilize what we already have," Sam said.
"The Asgard have good news as well," Thor interjected. "We have made a recent discovery that will significantly reduce the time it takes to upgrade our ships. That is why I came—to share the technology."
"The Ulysseans are ready to share their weapon technology, too," Liam said.
"The one that uses their spirit energy in those big honking guns?" Jack asked, perking up at the mention. Liam's slight nod confirmed it. "Oh, that one gave the Vargas a headache. Their armor is practically useless against it."
The SGA wasn't alone anymore. They had allies—many races—united against a universally hated foe. Two years was a short window, far less time than they'd hoped for, but the Furlings had given them a decade of relative ease against an enemy that would otherwise have been unbeatable. They owed it to themselves and their allies to give everything they had in the time given.
"We will resolve the turmoil in the Milky Way galaxy so that you can fully focus on the Vargas," Bra'tac said with unwavering support.
Some might see the Milky Way's conflicts as inconsequential compared to the larger war, but they would be wrong. Bringing peace to their home galaxy without requiring Terran's involvement would allow them to focus entirely on the battle against the Vargas. It would stabilize the Milky Way, even after the dust settled and the victors stood as guardians.
They had many allies, both near and far. The Furlings had been invaluable, diverting the brunt of the Vargas forces. With the various technologies and support from other allies, Jack found it hard to envision a loss—except for the looming unknown enemy that stood above the Vargas, changing the odds.
"What did Alena say about the masters standing above the Vargas?" Jack asked, shifting his gaze from Liam to Ilium. "Have you ever encountered these masters?"
Ilium responded first. "With the enemy wielding a weapon capable of destroying an ascended being, we cannot enter their domain. We've never ventured close to your destination to witness these masters that the Ulysseans spoke of. We have accounts from other races, but they are few and lacking in detail."
"Alena described their battles," Liam added. "But gleaning insight into their mentality is difficult—they've never made contact or shown themselves."
"The weapon that disabled your ship suggests they are wary of the Vargas as well," Sam interjected, her analytical mind already piecing together the implications.
"I had a similar thought," Liam agreed. "A weapon capable of randomly overriding memory data crystals through subspace would be extremely effective against the Vargas. It could disrupt their thought patterns, rendering them useless quickly. And being omnidirectional, the weapon could disable even large fleets swiftly."
"That's what I thought," Sam nodded. "It's possible the masters are wary of their creation. Combine that with the weapon that burned through the energy-dispersive plating on your ship—a technology almost identical to the Vargas' armor—and it seems like the masters have specifically developed weapons to target the Vargas. It could mean they have vulnerabilities."
"You've put some thought into this," Liam acknowledged. "I've pondered the same possibilities. But don't be mistaken—those weapons, and likely many others, are incredibly effective against most opponents. The Ulysseans managed to hold their ground against the Vargas at a time when the Furlings didn't cause mayhem. But when this new menace appeared, they steadily lost ground until they had no choice but to flee. From near victory after a century, those standing above the Vargas defeated them within a matter of years."
"So, how did they lose?" Jack asked, his curiosity piqued. "The Ulysseans are powerful, even having their unique spirit energy to boost them."
"It wasn't just the weapons that decided the outcome," Liam explained. "Alena told me the enemy knew exactly where to strike to cause the most damage. They avoided strongholds and targeted weak points with precision. It was as if the enemy knew everything about them—every strategy, every tactic. They would anticipate even plans devised on the spur of the moment and neutralize them before they bore fruit."
Jack struggled to wrap his mind around it. Was it that the enemy could glimpse into the future? Or did they possess analytical capabilities that surpassed common sense? Liam didn't offer further explanation, likely because he had none. There was no point in pressing the matter.
"It's not wise to go against such an enemy unless we're fully prepared," Jack said, giving Ilium a pointed look. All he wanted was to enjoy a good steak with friends and some light-hearted conversation, but his mind was too burdened to take pleasure in it.
"It's better to savor every dinner you can with friends instead of mulling over things you won't find the answers to or can't change," Ilium said with a reassuring smile. "You have two years to prepare. In that time, you'll have our full support."
"Full support?" Jack echoed, noticing that he wasn't the only one surprised. Liam's jaw nearly dropped.
"So, you're saying you'll explain whatever we don't know? And whatever we need, you'll deliver?" Liam asked, his tone incredulous.
"Indeed," Ilium confirmed. "How quickly you can grasp the knowledge we give will depend on you. We also have a Shard that can provide even the most elusive materials. That should help you considerably."
It sounded promising, but Jack knew the real challenge was finding and training the people. Even with their assistance, it would be difficult for the Terrans to grow their military beyond ten percent of their population. However, it would solve many problems they were having.
The IC-1001 galaxy had become a bottomless pit, consuming resources with little progress to show for it. Many believed bypassing it might be wiser. Yet, with the Ascended help, they might avoid leaving a glaring weakness inside the Laniakea supercluster. Their support could be invaluable—if only they could provide better intelligence about the enemy's disposition. The memory of past frustrations, like the Anubis ordeal, lingered in Jack's mind, reminding him of times when the ascended intervention could have made all the difference.
"You're never quite satisfied, are you?" Ilium asked as if reading his mind.
"Do you think these are times when I should settle?" Jack shot back.
"Unfortunately, they are not," Ilium replied somberly. "If we could enter the enemy territory, we would gladly bring you news of what awaits, but none who ventured there ever returned."
So, they had tried and paid the price. With the Ascended, one never truly knew. Who were they? Just the Alterrans and Nox, or were there other races among them? How widespread were they? Could there be more Ascended just as dangerous, or worse, than the Ori? The thought gnawed at him. "If the enemy knew every move the Ulysseans were making, could there be Ascended on their side, too?"
"We do not believe that to be the case. The closer one gets to their territory, the more active the weapon becomes. No Ascended gets a light year in before it kills them," Ilium explained.
"And the weapon doesn't discriminate," Liam added.
"No point in siding with someone that kills you," Jack nodded. The Ascended likely had other reasons to believe no higher being was helping the Vargas.
"The enemy would have access to tech on par with ours if Ascended were helping them," Sam noted.
"That would've been bad," Daniel agreed.
They barely managed with superior technology, and the Furlings were doing the lion's share. The war would've been lost eons ago if the enemy had the same tech and a billion years to grow. Still, the inevitable final battle weighed heavily on Jack's mind—a battle he was sure would come with a heavy toll. Maybe the Terrans should have invested more heavily in automated vessels. That approach made sense for the Asgard and Guardians, who lacked numbers. Yet Jack still trusted a human crew more than a single AI, especially regarding the buttons controlling devastating weapons. Despite assurances that the BattleNet 2.0 was unjammable and impervious to manipulation, he preferred having a person at the helm.
"Any chance you can help us with our little singularity cannon to make the latest addition to our fleet useful?" Jack asked Ilium, half-joking.
"We will," Ilium replied. "We can't change the slow charging nature of the weapon, but we can greatly improve the fired singularity's velocity."
Jack nearly fell off his chair. He hadn't expected a positive response. "That's precisely what we need—to make its traveling velocity comparable to the other weapons in our arsenal."
"You're investing more than I ever believed you would," Liam remarked as he scrutinized Ilium's demeanor. "Is there something more behind this war we're unaware of?"
Jack hadn't expected that comment. Could there indeed be something even worse or more dangerous behind the Vargas, something that was pushing the Ascended to break their most sacred rules? Were there masters behind the masters? He couldn't imagine what it could be and didn't expect the Ascended to explain.
"We are nearing the point in time after which we cannot perceive any future," Ilium said, his tone unsettlingly calm. "The paths we can see have already greatly diminished."
Jack almost fell off his chair for a second time. Ascended beings giving coherent answers that humans could easily understand was unheard of. "So, you're saying you'll be in the same boat as the rest of us, unable to know what will happen from one minute to the next?"
"It is irrelevant whether we see the future or not," Ilium replied. "What troubles us is the change in the universe itself—the laws set at the dawn of time are altering."
"Does this have anything to do with the prophecy Lya spoke of?" Liam interjected before Jack could say anything.
It was Jack's first time hearing of any prophecy, though someone might've mentioned it before. He had a habit of compartmentalizing boring information into oblivion. "What's this about a prophecy?"
"There's a prophecy embedded in the universe itself, omnipresent and detectable as background noise," Liam explained, his voice tinged with awe at Jack's cluelessness.
"Oh, the background noise Destiny is recording as it travels through the universe," Jack responded, recalling the ship's mission.
"Three adjacent galaxies give the first clue, then you must find the same set three more times to decipher the second clue, and so on, until you traverse the entire universe to reveal all of it," Liam explained.
"Three, nine, twenty-seven… and the number grows fast," Jack said, starting to understand.
"We only know there are more than fifteen pieces to the prophecy, but to learn of the sixteenth, we would have to visit almost fifty million adjacent galaxies," Ilium said. "With the Vargas omnipresent, that's not possible."
"But even fifteen pieces should provide enough information," Liam countered. "I don't think there could be more than 25 pieces to the message."
"Why not?" Jack asked, curious.
"Because it would take nearly a trillion galaxies to get the twenty-fifth piece, and that's about the number of galaxies in the known universe," Liam explained, his gaze shifting back to Ilium, awaiting further answers.
"No one knows how many pieces there are or who's behind them. We know they speak of ascension to higher realms, warn of a great evil spanning the universe, a contender who will confront that evil, and the Omega Point—a time when no future paths can be perceived. The prophecy doesn't seem to discuss these things in any particular order as if the sequence of events isn't important," Ilium said, his expression briefly showing frustration. "If it weren't for the part about the battle between the evil and its contender, most wouldn't consider it a prophecy—just a random collection of information."
Two people in the room had just dumped a lot of information, and Jack struggled to process everything. It might have been easy for Ilium and Liam to keep the conversation going since they were familiar with the topic. Still, cluelessness was the predominant feeling for Jack—and probably everyone else in the room.
"The uncertainty principle states that one cannot fully know a particle's position and momentum simultaneously. That should preclude any possibility of predicting the distant future," Sam mused, almost to herself. As a scientist, this was her natural way of thinking.
"Why are you adding random stuff that doesn't help explain what these two discuss?" Jack asked, his frustration growing.
"Because we know that some people can perceive possible futures, and that doesn't just apply to ascended beings," Sam added as if this cryptic bit of information clarified anything. "That's why there must be something our current understanding of physics doesn't account for. Could it be subspace?"
Ilium smiled. "You're on the right track. Our universe is a closed system with a finite amount of information; hence, one could say that if you know everything, you can perceive future paths. However, that can only be true if a medium lets you know a particle's position and momentum without disturbing them—in other words, without interfering."
"You people keep talking, but I'm not hearing any explanations," Jack said, sounding half-resigned.
"Our current understanding allows for clairvoyance to exist because subspace permits the observation of events in our universe without influencing them," Liam added, ignoring Jack's complaints.
"That's what I thought," Sam said, connecting the dots. "So could it be that the reason you can't perceive future paths is—"
"It's only a possibility—there could be other reasons—but yes, your conjecture could be right," Ilium acknowledged.
"Oh, come on! I haven't heard Sam's answer, and you're already discussing other possibilities. I probably wouldn't understand it anyway, but still," Jack said, his frustration peaking. "And then people wonder why I zone out during conversations like this."
"It's a scary thought—subspace breaking down. What could cause such a thing?" Sam wondered aloud, indirectly giving Jack the answer he had been seeking.
"Wait! What?" Jack asked.
Liam turned to him, "If subspace is breaking down, it would explain why it is getting increasingly difficult to perceive future events."
"Isn't subspace breaking down bad?" Daniel asked. He, too, had a painful expression during the last five minutes, as if he needed to go to the bathroom badly. The other people in the room weren't looking any better. None of them was getting the conversation, much less the possible ramifications of subspace breaking down.
"Wouldn't subspace breaking down prevent us from traveling faster than light?" Adama said.
'Maybe some were paying attention after all,' Jack thought. "No, that's hyperspace."
"No, Admiral Adama is right," Liam said. "Hyperspace would be affected as well. Communication at a distance would also be crippled. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. There's no evidence suggesting subspace is breaking down."
"You mentioned other possibilities and spoke of the prophecy as if someone is behind it," Sam said.
"When did he say someone is behind the prophecy?" Jack said, but then rewound his memories of the last ten minutes until he found the answer. "Oh, he did imply that someone was behind it. Don't get why, though."
"Because of the Observer Effect," Ilium said.
"Sure, that explains everything," Jack said, taking a deep breath to calm down. "Does it have something to do with quantum—"
"No, it doesn't," Liam was the one to answer. "It is just that the way the pieces of the prophecies are omnipresent whenever one is listening, never deteriorating or changing locations, suggests that the signal is only played when someone is listening. And if that is true, then it means that someone intelligent is behind it."
"Let me get this straight, and keep in mind that I probably won't, but you're saying that we have some voyeurs who are peeping at what we are doing, and when we try to listen to the signal, they play a recording? No matter who or where we are in the universe?" Jack asked, almost sure he didn't get it right.
"Crude explanation but correct. That is what we believe based on the evidence we have collected. It is the only way for a signal not to deteriorate over billions of years or for it not to change place. Someone is simply playing a recording whenever we listen to the background noise. The other option would be for it to be constantly played everywhere in the universe, which would introduce an absurd amount of energy and information. It could have grave consequences if true," Liam explained the problem.
"And how does that have anything to do with not seeing the future?" Jack asked, just an inch from flipping completely. They were going in a roundabout way to say anything useful. Or was he the only one who was finding it difficult to follow the flow of the conversation?
"Well, that's obvious. It's the same reason why there are multiple paths instead of only one," Liam said without saying anything.
"I give up," Jack said, finally losing it.
"Me too," Daniel agreed.
"I have done so a long time ago," Teal'c spoke words of profound wisdom.
"Okay, I'll ask just because I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if I left it as is," Jack said, still unsure if the wisest thing wasn't to storm out of the room, never to be seen again. "Why is it the same reason, and why do we have multiple future paths?"
"Will you answer?" Liam asked, turning to Ilium.
"You're just as capable. Go ahead," Ilium replied nonchalantly.
"Honestly, I don't care who explains," Jack interjected, growing suspicious that they intentionally dragged this out. "Just start talking."
Sam took the lead, her voice calm yet tinged with the subject's weight. "If someone can see the future, they inevitably become an intrinsic part of it—they change it simply by being aware. With so many who can perceive the future, the act of observation itself alters the course of events. That's why the future is fluid; it's constantly being rewritten by those who glimpse it. But there's a more troubling aspect to consider—this suggests there's an external force, an observer, introducing new information into our universe."
"No matter how vast our universe is, its information is finite," Ilium continued, picking up where Sam left off. "If that information is finite, then it's possible to predict future events, assuming you have a medium like subspace to observe without interference. But suppose an external force—like whatever's behind this prophecy—injects new information every time someone listens to that background noise. In that case, it disrupts the natural flow, making it harder to perceive future paths because the amount of information changes."
Jack, clearly exasperated, tapped his notepad with growing frustration. "Now I know why people invented alcohol." With a wave of his hand, a beer materialized before him. He raised it in mock celebration. "Cheers!"
The Colonials and Jaffa exchanged painful looks, and Jack, always one to share the wealth, also materialized beers in front of them. Even Daniel got one, though he looked like he needed something stronger.
"The amount of information must be increasing if things are getting worse, and it isn't by a small amount either," Sam noted.
"Yes," Ilium confirmed. "We're facing the scenario I mentioned earlier—an influx of energy and information where there should be none. That could be more problematic than subspace breaking down, which we're not even sure is possible."
Thor, who had been silently contemplating, finally spoke up. "Even the alternative seems unlikely. How much information must be added to our universe to push us to the Omega Point? And if this prophecy is causing it, why would it include a warning about the very event it's creating?"
Jack couldn't ignore the silent pleas from those around the room—of those who did not get it. Their eyes begged him to find a way to end this conversation that had spiraled far beyond their understanding—or patience. But he knew well enough that once scientists got going on a topic they were passionate about, trying to stop them was a fool's errand.
That left only one solution. "How about we get an early start on that dinner back on Earth?"
Teal'c, ever the voice of practicality, nodded. "Our time would indeed be better spent that way."
Nagala, whose patience had worn thin, agreed. "The journey was long, and I am feeling quite hungry."
Everyone else nodded in eager agreement except for Daniel, who hesitated. "But what about the others?"
"They'll keep talking until they've exhausted every theory. That could take ten minutes or ten hours. Do you want to wait to find out how long it will take?" Jack asked.
"No," Daniel replied instantly, his tone echoing the sentiments of everyone in the room.
"Besides," Jack added, "Ilium will probably vanish into the higher plane immediately after. Sam's got other plans, and Thor isn't exactly a fan of steak. Liam will find me wherever I go, so no worries there."
"Then we're all in agreement," Admiral Adama said, his tone decisive.
"Let's beam to the Enterprise and pick our dinner spot from there," Jack suggested, tapping his datapad. "I've got a few venues in mind, but we can decide together on the final choice."
In an instant, those who had not been part of the ongoing debate suddenly found themselves whisked away, headed for an evening of good food, shared stories from distant places, and the kind of laughter that only comes when the burdens of the universe are temporarily forgotten.
As a final gesture, Jack sent Liam a picture of the steaks they were about to savor. It didn't take long before Liam joined them on Earth, his face reflecting a mix of feeling hurt for being left behind and eager anticipation for the upcoming good times.
After a time skip, the story will enter its final arc, which will conclude the story. I hope it won't take me years to write these; it is time for the story to end.
Thanks for reading my story. Feel free to leave a review if you'd like.
