(Homeworld Security – O’Neill’s Office – 2 September
2016, 0835)
“You did what !?” O’Neill yelled.
Vale was in the body of Airman Peter Collins, a redhead with green eyes. Colonel Mitchell was also there. The two of them were briefing the General on their encounter with the New Asurans and their short visit to Nova Roma. And like Vale had expected, the General was REALLY unhappy.
“You invited over a pair of Replicators !?”
“Well…” Mitchell began.
“…it was either that or start a shooting war with people who have never done anything to us.”
“They’re REP-LI-CAT-ORS !” O’Neill snapped. “They’re a threat ! Simply by existing….”
“Really, sir ? That’s your argument ? Because I seem to remember that not being enough for a certain Colonel. A Colonel who was sort of ordered to nuke a little planet called Abydos, but decided not to…. And then lied when he came back, to keep the innocent from being nuked…”
O’Neill made a face, but he was clearly no longer as angry as he had been before. Then he looked at Mitchell.
“And what do you think about this *fine* situation ?”
“I agree with Vale.” Mitchell began. “The New Asurans could have taken the shoot first, ask questions later approach. But they did not.” He looked at Vale. “And they probably have a whole fleet of Aurora-class ships, but they did not call for back-up. It could be arrogance, or it could be a sign that they are on the level.”
“Could be ? Seriously…”
“General, I’m just saying we wait and see.” Vale said. “Hailey is still crunching the numbers for the jump anyway. So, we use the time to find out if they really are as on the level as they appear to be. Maybe gather some extra intel on the Nakai…”
“And what, pray tell, do I tell the IOA ?”
“Nothing. Maybe there was a little hiccup and they don’t hear about this whole thing until after we’re back in hyperspace.” He bit his lower lip. “There have been misplaced memos before, sir.”
“Well, they are narrow minded, arrogant, Napoleonic….” Vale couldn’t help chuckling. “….bureaucratic asses. Do it.”
“Yes, sir.”
And with that, Vale turned and walked out of the General’s office. He just hoped that this would thing would not blow up in their faces. If it did, Colonel Young and Colonel Telford would have to wait a long time for reinforcements.
(NAS Defender – Cabin – 2 September 2016, 0840)
Gerhard had reported back to the Senate. Despite not sharing the brethren hatred of Humans, the New Asurans – especially the Senate – were more than a bit wary of the species. They had thrown objections and accusations at him. But he had stood his ground. He refused to let their paranoia and fear turn this into a shooting war. In fact, he felt it was time for them to develop diplomatic relations with Earth. So he got up and made his way to the bridge. When he got there, he opened a channel to Nova Roma. He had an idea or two about how to do this.
(Nova Roma – Puddle Jumper Bay – 2 September 2016, 0930)
Nikita Aranov leaned against Jumper One and wondered what they were doing. Colonel Vale had planned a morale boosting trip before the New Asurans had showed up. The trip was still happening. But now it was a joined mission with the New Asurans. Both ships would send their own ship to the moon. For Nova Roma, that would mean Jumper One. And the Defender would send a shuttle. Nikita would lead the team on Jumper One. So now he wondered what Vale was thinking. He understood that the Colonel was trying to build bridges. But there was no way to predict what they would find down on that desert moon.
His team walked into the Jumper Bay. Besides Nikita, the team had three more members. Grogan – who would do the flying – and Doctor Guskov – who was there as the team Medic – and finally Sergeant Mehra, who was the security part of the equation. The four of them walked into the Jumper. They sat down, with Grogan taking the controls. Nikita sat next to him.
“Take her up, Captain.”
“You got it, doc.” Grogan said, while working the controls. “So, am I the only one who thinks this could be a really big mistake ?” As he said so, the Jumper reached the ceiling and a section of it slid away. The Jumper flew into space. “This whole thing could blow up in our face.”
“He’s right.” Mehra said. “This is not the brightest idea. If you ask me, Mister Frozen Centurion lost a couple of braincells in that icebox.”
“That’s why nobody is asking you.” Guskov grumbled. “How long is the trip to the moon going to take ?”
“A bit under an hour.” Grogan said. “The New Asurans will meet us there.”
Jumper One pulled away from Nova Roma. And in the Control Room, Colson watched it go. While the teams explored the planet, he and Alison Porter would be going over to the Defender. Gerhard had offered to give two members of the crew a full tour of the vessel. He and Porter had volunteered. The two of them left the Control Room and made their way to the open area in front of the Stargate. Three seconds later, they were teleported out.
(Homeworld Security – Communications Room – 2 September 2016, 1045)
O’Neill had send Mitchell back to the Stargate Command. The Stargate was unplugged this week for upgrades to the dialing computer and the Control Room, which was why Mitchell had been planet-side today. But he wanted Landry and all the SG-teams briefed on what was happening with Colonel Vale and his crew. And Mitchell had drawn the short straw, so to speak. Besides, O’Neill wanted to see these New Asurans in-person, so to speak. And it would keep him out of reach should the IOA idiots show up.
Then – suddenly – there was an odd feeling and he was no longer in the Communications Room. Well, not the Homeworld Security Communication Room. He spotted a small mirror. The face of Victor Leyton looked back at him. O’Neill walked out of the room and made a beeline for the Control Room. Vale was in the Flight Control Chair. He was flying the tower towards a moon. O’Neill presumed that this was the moon Vale had talked about when he had told him about the trip he had planned.
“Colonel Mitchell ?” Vale said.
“Nope.” O’Neill began. “I decided I wanted to see some of this First Contact for myself.”
“Welcome aboard Nova Roma, General.”
“So, how is this powder keg going along ?” He still thought this whole thing was insane. “Gotten a bang yet ?”
“No.” He left the chair, which was taken by another member of the crew. “Colson and Porter are touring the Defender. Hailey is crunching the numbers on our second hyperspace jump. And the mission to the moon is has just started. We and the Defender are moving to get a closer look at the place from orbit.”
“And you think this is a good idea ? Trusting the mutated nanite robot people who can stick their hands into your forehead and probe your mind ?”
“Well, so far there hasn’t been any mind-probing.” Vale began. “And it’s not as if we don’t have enough problems. Between the Lucian Alliance and things happening in the Pegasus Galaxy, we do kind of have our hands full. That, and if things go pear-shaped, it might not hurt to have somebody friendly several galaxies closer than the Pegasus Galaxy.”
“There’s that.” O’Neill began. “So…”
“So, now we can get to the elephant in the room. The New Asurans claim they have tried to dial the ninth chevron, sir. And that it didn’t work. Which is another reason why we can’t get into a fight with them. We need to know if that claim is true, because if it is, this mission is O-V-E-R.” Vale sighed. “The New Asurans are just as smart and know just as much about the Stargate as the Ancients. If they couldn’t create a work-around, it can’t be done.”
“So, if they were being honest, we’re screwed ?”
“Pretty much, sir. And we need to find out before we jump and pass the point of no return.”
“You do know that there is no Plan B for this mission ?” O’Neill leaned against one of the control consoles. “If this mission goes down the drain, the IOA will put our efforts to rescue the crew of Destiny and Telford’s team on hiatus. Which is political talk for giving up. You’re the ranking officer, so YOU can’t let that happen.”
“I know.” Vale paused. “And I believe that if there is anybody in this universe who can help us come up with a Plan B, it’s these people. We need them. But if the IOA wrecks this first contact, that’s not going to happen. So you need to stay here, sir. Because as long as you keep the stones occupied, they can’t ask you questions and they can’t give me orders.”
“And here I thought you wanted to keep me around for my sunny disposition.”
“Nope.” Vale said with a smile, before turning serious. “I know I can’t give you orders, sir. But since you are here, could you man the communications console ? I want regular contact with our team on the surface.”
“You got it.”
O’Neill relieved the crewmember manning the Communications console, while Vale sat behind the Science console. This whole thing was a minefield. The IOA could interfere, the New Asurans could turn hostile, or something else – something unforeseen – could happen. But for now, it was a waiting game.
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