President Hayes was preparing to address a special session of the United Nations. It would be broadcast around the world in every language. This was the day he feared most would happen in his presidency. He knew he had to sell the Stargate program, and now the new resulting Atlantis Command.
Hayes walked out to the podium. The Special Assembly here grew quiet, they knew enough to know this was not a general Presidential speech.
Good day, to the world. Thank you to everyone who has gathered here today to listen to the story I have to tell. Those of you watching this broadcast, thank you for tuning in. I'm going to tell you a story today, one you may not believe when I learned of it, I didn't believe it either. Please keep an open mind. Keep in mind this is a short version of the story. Further details will come out in time.
In 1928 the Langford Expedition found a device in the Gaza Plateau of Egypt. At that time nobody knew what it was, as it was unlike anything seen before. In 1939 this device was brought to the United States. It was studied and with no success to identify what it was or how it worked it was put into storage. In 1994 this device was brought out of storage and studied once again. It was placed in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. At that time Catherine Langford, and U.S. Air Force Captain Samantha Carter were able to determine how to interact with the device. However, they were not able to use the device.
It wasn't until 1996 when Archeologist Daniel Jackson joined the project that he was able to decipher the meaning of a Cartouche that was found with the device. Folks let me tell you this is where it gets hard to believe. This device can create a stable wormhole between two places in the universe. Those of you like me this means you can enter the end of the wormhole on this end and exit a wormhole on the other end and step through it like a door. Now other's will get into the science of this with you, because it's over my head.
At this time we only had one address to travel to. This became known as Abydos, a planet not very far from Earth. We sent a team there to assess if there was any threat and it was discovered there was a threat. We were able to eliminate that threat, without any threat to Earth at that time. There was no further activity with the device now known as the Stargate. A year later an unknown force activated the Stargate and came to Earth. Through a series of missions, we learned that humans had been planted around the galaxy as slaves, to serve a race known as the Goa'uld.
We waged war with this alien race known as the Goa'uld. A war we would win. We lost a number of good men and women in the process. Everyone would do it again, as we freed from slavery thousands of planets very much like our own, and millions of people.
We learned of the Lost City of Atlantis, which was sunk below the ocean, just not an ocean in this galaxy. It was in the Pegasus Galaxy. We journeyed there. We found the humans in that galaxy were not enslaved, but farmed as food to a race known as the Wraith. We worked with friends we made there, and only recently we relocated every human from the Pegasus Galaxy to a couple of planets here in our own galaxy. We were able to defeat the Wraith and they are no longer a threat to any human life.
During this time we also encountered a race known as the Ori, and for lack of a better description who enslaved an entire galaxy to worship them. We defeated them with the help of other friends we made along the way.
During this time, we made many new friends.
We met the Nox, a peaceful race, however one that we have mutual respect and have helped us when needed, in their own way. Do not be alarmed this is Lya of the Nox.
Lya of the Nox was beamed on the chancel.
We also met Thor of the Asgard, and no he is not like Thor from the Marvel movies. Over the course of our history, we have learned much and have helped each other countless times. The Asgard are family. Let me introduce Thor of the Asgard.
Thor beamed in sitting in his command chair.
We made friends with the Tok'ra, a symbiote race akin to the Goa'uld but have an entirely different mindset and philosophy. Please meet Freya of the Tok'ra.
Freya beamed in and took a position next to Lya.
In that time we also learned of a race known in this galaxy as the Ancients, and in the Pegasus Galaxy as the Alterans. They planted the seeds of life here, and we have learned we humans are the second generation of our species. These Ancients were able to move from the physical world we know to a world of energy. Don't ask me to explain this any further, one of the experts in this area will discuss this much further with you. However, we are blessed to call them friends. They were not able to attend today.
Janus materialized behind Hayes and tapped him on the shoulder.
I stand corrected this is Janus, of the ancients.
Last but not least of our friends I am introducing are the Jaffa. They are an offshoot of humans, who were enslaved by the Goa'uld and used as warriors in their armies. We helped their revolution to break free of the Goa'uld and aided each other to defeat the Goa'uld.
At this Bra'tac beamed onto the chancel.
We have many other friends we have made. I could spend the entire day here talking about various friends we have made alliances with. These five races along with our selves make up the largest and most powerful races over five different galaxies.
We have shared and learned technology. This technology will be coming available in the very near future. This technology includes things such as new medical technology for curing things such as cancer, to a gunshot wound. New transportation technology, imaging beaming from San Francisco where you live, Madrid, Spain where you work each day instantaneously.
The United States has not acted alone. An Internation Oversight Advisory Committee was established by a number of countries around the world. Which brings me to what I am here to announce. See you all thought I was announcing the existence of alien life, travel between the stars, but there is something more.
Our friends here along with the I.O.A. have come to an agreement to form what will be known as the Atlantis Command. A new alliance of our six races, that will join together under one formal union to combat the next threat not only to humanity but to all people of this galaxy and others.
General Jack O'Neill will lead this alliance. Those you see here, along with Richard Woosley will make up an Advisory Committee to assist General O'Neill, not only in day to day operations but with the handling of each race. The weapons technology will remain under the scrutiny of the alliance, however, the defensive technology, energy, and other scientific resources will become available to everyone across the globe for each race.
More details will be forthcoming in the next few days. Ambassadors from the I.O.A. are here to meet with the ambassadors here to discuss things further. We will be making experts available over the next few days and weeks to share this technology.
Unfortunately, I must now turn matters to a grave concern. We have only recently learned that we are at war. A war we have apparently been in for several millennia. This war is not through any actions that have occurred through the Stargate program. Our friends among the Ancients, have shared this knowledge with us at great risk. Prior to any of our races, there was far older races. These races had reached the same point as the Ancients eventually did where they were able to shed their physical bodies and become beings of energy that exist on a different plane. They are called the "Old Ones." They like their existence as it is, they dominate others who join them in this existence. However, they have come to fear humans. We number seven billion, and according to the Ancients, many humans are reaching a point they will be able to ascend.
As they see it would significantly tilt the balance of power for them. It was their interference that caused the rise of the Goa'uld in this galaxy, and the Wraith in the Pegasus Galaxy. They caused a genetic mutation in the Asgard that nearly extinguished their race. Recently they have more of a direct involvement, in trying to find a way to penetrate our shields to destroy our main line of defense here.
The friends of ours who stand here with us today, stand here to help us fight them. To stand shoulder to shoulder with them, to prevent them from annihilating us as a species. You saw one of the first direct battles of this at Alcatraz. We rescued a number of our people who had been captured and were being tortured. We were able to destroy one of them that was present. We used a ship known as the Nemesis, that used it's primary weapon to destroy the Old One that was present.
We currently have three ships designated DN-1103's, the Nemesis, Ares, and Hades. These are the most powerful battle cruisers ever built for space combat.
On a screen behind Hayes, a picture of the Nemesis came into view.
We have the city of Atlantis located in the middle of the Pacific, it has returned from the Pegasus Galaxy to Earth. It is our central base of operations.
The Screen changed to an aerial photo of the Atlantis.
Then in orbit around the sun we have Pacifica, a sister to Atlantis, however, she was destroyed in a war with the Wraith and we along with help from the Asgard have rebuilt her into station designed for constructing ships.
A picture of the Pacifica appeared on the screen, in orbit of the sun.
Starting today, these three men will be running Atlantis Command, they will no longer be reporting to the U.S. Air Force or any part of the U.S. Government. They will report to the Atlantis Command Committee that you see here made up of the Asgard, Nox, Tok'ra, Jaffa, Ancient, and the Earth Representative. Supreme Atlantis Commander Jack O'Neill, Supreme Fleet Commander Stephen Caldwell, and Supreme Unit Commander Hank Landry.
O'Neill, Caldwell, and Landry beamed into the chancel.
The Earth will be represented by Earth Ambassador Richard Woosley.
Woosley beamed in.
"Mr. President, there is something that the Ancients would like to provide to the Atlantis Command," spoke Janus.
"I wasn't aware there was something more," replied Hayes.
"Mr. President, understand the gifts my people have left, we never thought a race would show not only the knowledge and character that we have witnessed, to deserve these gifts. In fact, you have surpassed us in several areas. Thor, please open the video link I asked you to prepare," spoke Janus.
Thor opened a video showing an aerial view of Antartica.
"This is the continent you know as Antartica. It was the original home to Atlantis before it was taken from here on Earth to the Pegasus galaxy. We didn't take everything," spoke Janus.
On the screen before them, a glow began to appear through the sheets of ice, and show around the continent. It grew in brightness, slowly the white of the snow began to fade. They glaciers, and snow were being melted away. After a few minutes, shapes started to appear.
"Your seeing for the first time in over four million years this continent clear of ice. We left the city of Altera behind, protected by and hidden by ice and snow," replied Janus.
"Where is the water going? If that is released into the oceans flooding will be massive," spoke Hayes.
"It is being siphoned into the city, Altera was a city built for water. There was a reason why Atlantis was on a water world," replied Janus.
On the screen where there once was snow and ice, now showed a lake, as the video zoomed in on a large city in the middle of it. In the center for those who knew the shape of Atlantis was a hole the exact size of Atlantis.
"Atlantis Command I give you Altera!" shouted Janus, "O'Neill the city will respond to you and you alone."
The following days, many from Atlantis found themselves giving interviews.
"Welcome America, to Inside Access, I'm Julia Donovan with Dr. Lee of the Stargate program. Dr. Lee, please explain to us how the Stargate works?" asked the Donovan.
"It's very similar to using two tin cans with a string tied between them. Only it's two Stargates and a wormhole between them. See the Stargate that initiates the connection, create a wormhole to the second Stargate. When matter enters the event horizon it is changed into energy and transmitted along the wormhole, to the receiving Stargate. Once there it is reassembled and is pushed out of the event horizon at that end," replied Lee.
"How safe is it?" asked Donovan.
"Now that we have a full Dial Home Device we have never had an accident. Prior to this, we did have a couple of accidents. However we were able to save the people involved in those accidents," replied Lee.
"Can you tell us about these accidents?" asked Donovan.
"Well for one, Teal'c a member of SG-1 stepped through the initiating gate, just as it was destroyed. Because we didn't have all the proper protocols in place his signal wasn't boosted and he was trapped inside the master control crystal as an energy pattern. We were able to override this and get him out. This wouldn't happen anymore, because we use the Atlantis Dialing Computer now, it is fully designed with every error code the Ancients who designed the Stargate Network ever came up with," replied Lee.
"Explain to us what Ascension is?" asked Donovan
"I've ascended twice," described Daniel, " think of it has your spirit the essence of yourself being separated from your physical body."
"Wait you have ascended twice?" asked Donovan.
"Yes, once I was dying of radiation poisoning. As ascended being known as Oma Desala helped me to ascend. I tried to stop a powerful Goa'uld named Anubis, from destroying Abydos, however, the other ascended stopped me and forced me back to human form," replied Daniel.
"And the second time?" asked Donovan.
"Oma Desla ascended me a second time when the replicators were torturing me. That time I came back on my own, but I was only able to bring back certain memories. They don't let you keep a lot in your mind from when you ascended," replied Daniel.
"How do you feel this effects religion?" asked Donovan, "Are these ascended beings God? or Angels?"
"Neither, we have seen the Goa'uld try to use religion to get many people to follow them as their god, they are certainly false Gods. We have seen other advanced civilizations such as the Asgard being considered gods as well, but there is a difference. The Asgard didn't go around saying they were gods, and in many instances left devices and clues that they were not for when a civilization was advanced enough to understand," replied Daniel.
"So are you saying Christianity, and Islam are just Goa'ulds trying to pose as our gods?" asked Donovan.
"Definitely not. In fact, we have come across most major religions that have ever existed on Earth on some planet. The exception to those are Christianity, and Islam, outside of one instance of a Christian village that was taken and being terrorized by a 'demon' nothing of either religion has been found off-world," explained Daniel.
"Col. Carter, I understand your one of the foremost experts on hyperspace. Can you explain to us what exactly hyperspace is?" asked Donovan.
"In normal space, the faster to the speed of light you travel, time slows down. However the closer to the speed of light you reach, the more energy it takes to travel. As you get closer and closer, the energy requirements become so great even all the energy in the universe wouldn't be enough. Hyperspace is a window into subspace, where the laws of physics are not the same as in normal space. Less energy is used to travel in subspace and without the effects of gravity you're able to travel vast distances in subspace, compared to normal space. Making is possible to exceed the speed of light. We are able to travel light years in seconds. And that's not all. We now have Wormhole drive. This allows us to open a wormhole between two points in space, without the aid of a Stargate and traverse billions of light years in seconds. That requires far more energy than standard hyperspace. However, with our new Interdimensional Energy Collector, we are able to generate almost unlimited energy. We are able to use these to power the wormhole drive. Imagine how much we can explore when we can travel around the universe like this?" replied Carter.
"Thank you for that lesson," replied Donovan.
"Dr. Miller, I understand you were brought in to help create new ways to generate energy, can you tell us about that?" asked Donovan.
"Well I just had this strange thought one day, and I wrote down this formula that I thought had no real use. I sent it off to a friend and well my brother Rodney Mckay shows up wanting to whisk me away to another galaxy. I get there and they are wanting to pull vacuum energy from an alternative universe. My formula was going to act like a faucet controlling the flow of that energy. We didn't want a repeat of when Rodney blew up a solar system," explained Dr. Miller.
"Wait your brother blew up a solar system?" asked Donovan.
"Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said that," replied Dr. Miller, "See he was working on an experiment the Ancients had left behind, trying to finish it. However, the system couldn't account for these exotic particles it caused an overload. Fortunately he and Col. Sheppard were able to escape," explained Dr. Miller, "Now my formula worked, however, we were able to successfully control the flow of energy and handle the exotic particles, however, the alternative universe we attached to, wasn't empty, we had to shut it down."
"The Asgard were able to find a way to detect empty alternative universes and control attaching to them, so we have now been able to create extremely powerful energy sources," explained Dr. Miller.
"Empty alternative universes?" asked Donovan.
"New alternative universes are being created all the time, with every possible decision it spawns a new alternative universe. Many of those universes are going to lead the annihilation of everything there. Those are the ones we are taping into," replied Dr. Miller.
"This is over my heads, I hope our viewers at home understand more than I do," replied Donovan.
"Today I would like to welcome Teal'c. He is a member of SG-1 and a Jaffa. Welcome to Inside Access, Teal'c," greeted Donovan.
"Indeed," replied Teal'c.
"I have been told you helped to free SG-1 when they were captured by Aphosis?" asked Donovan.
"Indeed," replied Teal'c.
Donovan waited for more, "You joined SG-1 because you felt they were the best chance to free the Jaffa from Goa'uld oppression?"
"Indeed," replied Teal'c.
"How do you feel now that the Jaffa are free from Goa'uld oppression, and sit as one of the leading races in this and several other galaxies?" asked Donovan.
"Indeed," replied Teal'c.
"That is Teal'c, a Jaffa of few words," stated Donovan.
"Col. Sheppard, you were the military commander of Atlantis when it was in the Pegasus galaxy, can you tell us about that?" asked Donovan.
"The first year we were there, was the hardest. We had no contact with Earth, no assistance of any kind. We made friends with everyone we could, for supplies. Then came the Wraith, and their siege on Atlantis. Thankfully Earth came through just in time to save Atlantis," replied Sheppard.
"Now as I understand you have what is called the Ancient Gene, can you tell us what that is?" asked Donovan.
"Well, a small percentage less than 1% of the population has what we call the Ancient Gene. It's a gene that can activate Ancient devices. It was a security measure the Ancients used to protect their technology from being used by the wrong people. With the advances, we have made and the access to their technology we have achieved we do not need it nearly as much as we did before," replied Sheppard.
"How many people in the Stargate Program have this gene?" asked Donovan.
"General O'Neill, I mean Supreme Commander O'Neill, Dr. Beckett and myself," replied Sheppard.
"That is a select group," replied Donovan.
"Dr. McKay welcome, you are one of the foremost scientist on the Ancients, can you explain just how far ahead of us they are or were in science?" asked Donovan.
"Every area of science. They have been traversing galaxies for more than fifty million years. Seeded life in at least two galaxies. Built a Stargate network that extends across thousands of galaxies. We don't even know how many gates exist in the universe right now. They zero point modules, for powering their cities. Now we have far exceeded what they were able to do power wise. Weapons technology we have been able to exceed what they had as well. Now working with the Asgard, we have taken it a step further. We have even been able to improve upon their shielding technology as well. Again with the Asgard, we took it another step further. Our understanding of hyperspace is on par with the Ancients. The area they exceed us on is the Stargate, we are still working to fully comprehend that technology and to see if we can extend on that technology further. One we have learned is that the Ancients and the Asgard, both do not think like we do. We have a way of looking at issues differently than either them. In some ways, you might say we are superior, or at least some of us are superior. Let me explain ..." spoke McKay.
"Ronon Dex, from the planet Sateda, in the Pegasus Galaxy. Your record shows your fighting skills are unmatched in fighting the Wraith, how did you learn to fight so well?" asked Donovan.
"Training," replied Ronon.
"Can you tell us about the Wraith?" asked Donovan.
"A Wraith will suck your life out of you," replied Ronon.
"How do you feel about the situation now on the Wraith? With them living on a planet not allowed to leave," asked Donovan.
"Next question," replied Ronon,
"Supreme Commander Jack O'Neill, it is good to have you finally on here," spoke Donovan.
"O'Neill, with 2 L's," replied O'Neill.
"How does it feel to be in charge of the most powerful military in what six galaxies?" asked Donovan.
"I'd rather be fishing at my cabin," replied O'Neill.
"What makes you qualified to be the Supreme Commander?" asked Donovan.
"Well, honestly I don't know. The Asgard, Nox, and Tok'ra trust me. The Jaffa know the type of leader I am having fought against many of them. You'd have to access the Ancients for their reason. They choose me, I didn't ask for this job," replied O'Neill.
"We're told we are at war. How do we see that?" asked Donovan.
"I hope you don't. If things go to my liking you won't see it, they won't get near the Earth," replied O'Neill.
Emmett Bregman voice could be heard voicing the documentary on national television,
Our armed forces have turned the tide of world wars. Young men and women from our great country's four corners have humbled history's worse times. We carve our thanks in stone. We stamp it into metals. We carefully tend to the vast fields where the men and women who gave their lives for our freedom now lay. More than ever in our history, we cannot fail to pass these stories of courage to the next generation. We must capture their imaginations while paying tribute to all those willing to die for the preservation of our way of life...