Continuing Stargate

[Steelbox]

great episode cant wait for next

Ori are alterans i thought same race as ancients

Well yes, but if the Chart is about race/species then all humans should be in a single tier, but clearlly it is more of civilization since we have Genii, Hoffans, Athosians, etc separated and they are all humans also Tok'ra and Goa'uld are also separated. So since the Alterans split their civilization with the Ori before going ascended, i think it would be right to separate them.
Another point, the chart is about advancements in technologies of a civilization not species in specific.

[Steelbox]

Well in my own personal canon (and how I interpreted the show), the Alterans are the original unified race. The "Ancients" are the more scientifically-minded Alternas who fled to the Milky Way, and the Ori are the religious zealots who remained behind.

So you could add the Alterans (pre-split) as a intergalactic species TIER 2 and Ancients/Ori as TIER 1 ascended.

A question if you don't mind, are you planing in keeping the same "dark, edgier, more serious" tone of Universe in your Universe expansion/continuation? Or are you reverting back to the feel SG-1 and Atlantis has had previously

ps: sorry for the double post, somehow i cant copy/past the 2nd quote.

[s09119]

So you could add the Alterans (pre-split) as a intergalactic species TIER 2 and Ancients/Ori as TIER 1 ascended.

A question if you don't mind, are you planing in keeping the same "dark, edgier, more serious" tone of Universe in your Universe expansion/continuation? Or are you reverting back to the feel SG-1 and Atlantis has had previously

ps: sorry for the double post, somehow i cant copy/past the 2nd quote.

Well my continuation as a whole is fairly darker and more serious than the original shows as it is, but in terms of "edgier"... I mean, it's a continuation and not a reboot. I need to stick within what's been established (for the most part), and if that means Chloe and Scott still sleep together once in a while, so be it. I'm not going to be writing any graphic sex scenes or anything, so maybe a little a little toned down from what some people see as SGU, but I liked Universe. I won't mess with the existing formula much, just continue the plot as I see fit.

[Steelbox]

Good, i too like Universe the way it is. "Edgier", i was referring to the characteristic Brad and Joe gave to SGU before Universe had aired, a quote more or less, i didn't mean to say even more edgier than SGU already is. But thanks for answering.

[s09119]

On a side note, yes the next episode will be coming soon. Going back and forth about where I actually want to take this one, that's the reason for the slowdown.

[thekillman]

i think SGU is just as dark and edgy as SG1 and SGA. the difference is, is that SGU doesn't do it away with a dose of comedy. the SGC and Atlantis did some incredibly dark things, but did it away as "the right thing".

[s09119]

Oh wow, I really should get back to posting that episode xD My apologies, working at city hall through all these blizzards seems to have eaten up my life.

[AVFan]

Oh wow, I really should get back to posting that episode xD My apologies, working at city hall through all these blizzards seems to have eaten up my life.

Man, wherever you live must get a lot of blizzards to have taken THIS long to post an episode... jk. If we can wait 3-4 months without an update at all, we can definitely wait a couple weeks. Just take your time.

[SG-18]

indeed.

being in Hong Kong, I'm not sure I will be able to catch the second half of the season legally or on time. I might have to wait until I get back home.... this just dawned on me... China hate hulu... hahaa

[s09119]

16x14 "Original Sin"
Synopsis: Followers of Origin massacre an offworld Christian settlement, and Col. Mitchell struggles to separate his personal beliefs from the line of duty as the team works to discover what happened.

Spoiler:

Waiting in the gate room of the O'Neill Stargate Terminal, Jackson, Eaton, and Vala are all suited up and ready for their latest mission. Going over the dossier, Rebbecca raises her eyebrows in interest, reading the target planet as Il Vaticano, the Italian name for the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church here on Earth. Nodding, Daniel explains that the Pope authorized a colonization team less than a year after the public revelation of the stargate program ("Coming Clean"), eager to tap trillions of potential converts. The planet they chose is located near the galactic core and predates the settling of the Nueva colony ("Manifest Destiny") by a good six months. They lost contact during the evacuations of Earth and the subsequent occupation, and no one's had time to check in yet. And while the ISGC doesn't often host missions on behalf of private interests, the papacy is quite concerned about their colonists' fate in the wake of such incredible warfare.

Checking her watch, Vala asks what's keeping Mitchell, as they were supposed to depart ten minutes ago. Running up the stairs from the ready room, the Colonel himself apologizes while pulling on a combat vest. The mid-morning mass in the terminal's chapel ran a little late and he had some private business to discuss with the pastor. Vala frowns, still not understanding how Earth can have so many devoutly religious folk when their world has killed more false gods than any other. Sensing that this conversation could quickly get out of hand, Daniel steps between the two and motions for the gate technician to begin dialing for departure. But Cameron's more than willing to go a few rounds over the subject, and tells his teammate that just because the Goa'uld and Ori weren't gods doesn't mean that there isn't a being out there who is. Scoffing, Vala insists that if anyone was ever given a hand from above, it was more than likely the Ancients taking pity on a poor soul. Besides, there's even proof that Christian theology is nothing more than Ancient interference given name; they all remember how an ascended named Madonna gave Vala a second chance at life a few years ago ("The Higher Planes").

The stargate activates behind them, and Mitchell angrily sets his teeth, not wanting to discuss the issue any further. Pushing past Vala, he steps through the wormhole for Il Vaticano, a concerned Maj. Eaton hurrying after to try and calm him down. Sighing, Daniel begs Vala to try and cut Cameron some slack, reminding her that he's still their commanding officer and certainly a good man. But the one-time con artist insists that she's just trying to show a friend the light, and if he's allowed to preach his gospel, she should be given that right as well. Watching her go through the puddle ahead of him, Jackson just shakes his head, already dreading this mission, and follows behind her.

He emerges alongside his team on a stone platform that sits a ways away from what looks like it'd fit right in on the Ori holy world of Celestis. Staring with slack jaws, the team is stunned by how much detail and effort was put into this place, a stunning basilica rising from the forest. It's truly a sight to behold, and if the Pope wanted to create a place that could serve as a spiritual capital for Christian converts around the Milky Way, he certainly succeeded. The Vatican's colonization team couldn't have stumbled upon a more-beautiful and Christian-looking complex around which to call their converts. The stargate itself is ringed by lower but equally elegant Ori-inspired buildings that presumably hold the planet's equivalent to the ISGC, but there's no one around to greet them or document their arrival. And looking to the ground, it's easy to see why.

The corpses of Ori crusaders are everywhere, with an equal number of human bodies scattered about. Rushing over, Mitchell flips over the closest marine and immediately recognizes the colorful insignia of the Swiss Guard, centuries-old guards of the papacy. Some of their men must have been transferred along with the Vatican colonists for defense, and it looks like they put up quite a good fight before being overwhelmed. Judging from the pattern of bodies and trails of blood, Eaton, her weapon at the ready as she scans ahead, assumes they withdrew into the basilica plaza for better cover and suggests they do the same. The stargate's right out in the open and they can't afford to sit here waiting for enemies to show up. Gripping his gun in fury, Mitchell leads the way further into the compound, looking almost desperate for a target to present itself.

They pull open the iron gates to the square and cautiously move inside, watching the rooftops for any sign of movement. Plasma scorch marks adorn the walls, and more soldiers and crusaders lie slumped over everywhere. Judging by the fresh air still hanging around them, Daniel would guess the battle occurred only within the last 24 hours, and had they set out on this mission even a day earlier, they could have been among the deceased. Advancing a few feet into the empty plaza, the team doesn't get far before they hear the cocking of guns behind them and an order to identify themselves and drop their weapons. Turning, they see a half dozen members of the Swiss Guard soldiers standing in ragged combat gear, all looking warily at SG-1 despite the American and New Zealand flags on their shoulders. Mitchell introduces themselves and rattles off a number of code words used by the ISGC to prove units' identities, lowering his P90 as requested, and slowly seems to gain some trust.

Apologizing for the rude welcome, the head of the Guardsmen introduces himself as Lt. Col. Bryner, second-in-command of the Il Vaticano defense team. Their commander, Commandant Goehner, was killed in the initial assault on the stargate plaza, and he's taken command of the survivors ever since. Motioning for SG-1 to join him inside one of the buildings in the colonnade ellipse that stretches out from the basilica entrance. The room they've chosen to fortify appears to be stocked full of weaponry, and Bryner explains that it serves as the guard post for the main gate into the square. Since it's naturally loaded with guns, explosives, and ammo, not to mention its wide view of the area, he and his men have holed up in here for the time being. They were previously hiding in the upper levels of the basilica, but it proved too difficult a position to defend once the building had been breached from below. Here, at least, they can retreat in several different directions under the cover of the colonnade.

While Eaton joins some of the guards at the door to watch for hostiles, Mitchell, Vala, and Daniel take a seat with Bryner and his right hand man to talk over what happened. Putting down his weapon, the Lt. Col. explains that their expedition here started off with great success, thinking back into a flashback:

Start Flashback

The Vatican fully funded the colony and purchased a German BC-303, promptly renamed the Redemptor (as Daniel explains, Latin for "Redeemer," probably referring to Jesus Christ). The ship was loaded with building supplies, nearly 700 clergymen, devout followers, and Swiss Guards, and launched from a site in Eastern Europe without a hitch. The ISGC had reports on this planet from the middle of the Ori Crusade, but no one had ever really come to investigate further. The crusaders had built this place with the intent for it to be the center of a new empire of Origin. But since they were all defeated now, they saw no problem in re-purposing the planet as the eventual center of galactic Christendom. It was far easier than they thought to effect minor repairs and move in, and they used the vessel's long-range communications suite to keep in touch with Rome day by day.

When their setting up in main compound was finished, they began the work of spreading God's will to the people of the galaxy. The Pope had long since realized that the ISGC would never bow to let him send thousands of preachers out unattended, that's what got this whole project going in the first place. A Guardsman or two would accompany a priest offworld to a human or Jaffa world, and they would spend days and weeks gaining the trust of the people and converting many to the light of Christianity. In the wake of the Goa'uld and Ori, many people were desperate to hear of a higher power that only wanted to love them, not enslave them, and Il Vaticano quickly became a mecca for new converts. All until the day they received a transmission from Earth, the same one received on nearly every Alliance world across the galaxy.

The day Earth fell to the Der'kal was the darkest day the colonists here had ever known. Goehner must have dialed back to the ISGC every day for a month, but they never managed to make a connection. Cut off from home, they tried their best to stay positive and committed to their work, but a few months later they visited a world which Bryner wishes they'd never encountered. It was home to a group of followers of Origin, men and women who had settled in the Milky Way after the crusade had ended in an attempt to keep spreading their faith. At first, the clergymen tried to convert them, but that only turned the zealots hostile. And when they began preaching Jesus's word on planets the crusaders had spent years converting to Origin, things only got worse.

Ori soldiers began patrolling the worlds they visited, and so the priests began taking greater numbers of Swiss Guards with them. It was a recipe for disaster, and eventually a skirmish erupted in the middle of an independent Jaffa settlement. The lead Prior, now just an ordinary man with a handcarved staff and ornate robes, attempted to make peace with one of their pastors, but a misunderstanding led to a gunfight. One of the Guardsmen, remembering stories of telekinetic Prior attacks, fired prematurely and mortally wounded the man, and the crusaders flew into a bloodlust. It was a massacre, and soon there was fighting on multiple fronts that escalated into a miniature war. And unfortunately, after one such conflict the crusaders saw the address the Guards were retreating to, recognizing Il Vaticano as the Origin-held world it once was. They dialed in, proclaiming that they would take back what was theirs, and invaded...

End Flashback

Shocked, Vala asks how long they've lived under this Ori occupation, to which Bryner replies it's been several months now. That's why they were unable to call for help; the crusaders controlled the gate, their fighters patrolled the skies, and their ship has been under watch 24/7, rendering it inaccessible two clicks to the west. That doesn't explain the fresh corpses all around the stargate plaza, though, and Bryner confesses that it was yet another failed operation. The surviving Guardsmen had been hiding around the basilica waiting for a chance to make a run on the stargate, and they finally thought they had a good shot. But they lost, badly, and even now crusaders are making the journey to the colonist village to kill a few as examples to the rest.

(Beginning of "Original Sin," see next two posts for more)

[s09119]

(More of "Original Sin," see previous post for beginning and next post for end)

Spoiler:

Setting his teeth, Mitchell says that they're not just going to let them massacre even more people, and grabs his gun off the table. But Daniel pulls him back to his seat, cautioning that if they get into a fight around so many civilians, people are just going to get caught in the crossfire. They need to draw the crusaders into the open, preferably back here to the basilica, so they can deal with them safely. And who knows, maybe they can even force negotiations to peaceably end the conflict. Bryner is quick to warn that he and his men will not accept anything less of papal sovereignty over Il Vaticano, and he won't give his blessing or cooperation to any talks. He's certain the Ori followers will just insist they should have the planet for themselves, and that's unacceptable. Though Vala insists that they need to stay neutral and figure out who's really at fault, Cameron's already decided that the Christian colonists need to be protected at all costs, and Daniel worries that he's letting emotion get in his way.

Hissing at them from the doorway, Eaton tells them to deal with it later. They all freeze as a high-pitched whining sound grows louder in the distance, a tone Vala recognizes as an Ori starfighter. SG-1 rushes to take cover behind the columns of the ellipse, quickly followed by the Swiss Guardsmen. They watch, guns at the ready, as the fighter slows over the center of the square and drops a ring platform that had been affixed to the bottom. Curing, Cameron remembers this tactic from the crusade ("Line in the Sand"), and warns Bryner that they probably have a good few dozen hostiles about to arrive.

And sure enough, the platform activates almost immediately. Six crusaders are ringed in, presumably from another point on the planet, and start spreading out to secure the plaza. One of the Swiss Guards suggests they move now before more are ringed in, but Rebbecca's not sure they're in a truly defensible position. She begins to suggest they try and relocate before engaging, but Bryner suddenly seems to ignore the ISGC team, leading his men out of cover to attack the enemy directly. Shouting for him to stop, Mitchell has no choice but to commit SG-1 as well, and the dozen or so of them open fire on the crusaders as more arrive via the rings. More and more keep transporting in every few seconds, though, and it soon becomes obvious that this isn't a fight the humans are going to be able to win. But they don't have much a choice, and so they keep on going as their foes begin to close in around them.

Vala shouts as Ori fighters arrive from the north and pepper their position with fire, snapping one of the columns in half and killing one of the Guardsmen. Seeing that they have no chance of successfully repelling this many crusaders, Mitchell decides that they need to retreat or surrender, and he's not incredibly fond of either option. Once again, though, Bryner seems oblivious to his concerns with his brazen darting between cover to fire back at the crusaders. Looking on, Eaton mutters that she's seriously starting to wonder if the man's suicidal, but Mitchell doesn't intend on being any sort of sacrificial lamb. Ducking back into the armory, he tells his team that they're getting out of here to regroup and come up with a less deadly plan. A couple of the Guardsmen look as though they want to join, but their commander stays silent. Without any orders to the contrary, the surviving Swiss stay behind.

SG-1 heads back into the storage room to escape, Daniel smashing through one of the ornate windows with the butt of his P90. Mitchell helps Vala and Eaton through, lifting them over the shards and pushing them over the edge to the courtyard beyond. It looks like the Ori-esque buildings continue on for a ways, doubtless parts of the larger religious compound, but hopefully they can get into the forest beyond and disappear amongst the trees. Unless things have changed, the Redemptor should be right where the Guardsmen left it, two kilometers to the west of the basilica. If they can get there and fire it up, its railguns should be more than capable of knocking out the crusader fighters and forcing the ground troops to lay down their arms. Then there's a scream from the plaza, and Daniel and Cameron look to see plasma bolts rip through a few of the Guards, and one in particular fells Bryner. With no time to lose and no way to go back and help, the men of SG-1 dive through the window and sprint toward the treeline, looking up as enemy fighters soar overhead.

An hour later, they creep up a small hill in the forest, their weapons held at the ready to fire at a moment's notice. Rebbecca crawls up to the rise's crest and pulls out her binoculars, scanning the area ahead and sucking in a breath. Down the hillside, in a small valley clearing, sits the BC-303 Redemptor. And just as promised, Ori fighters soar overhead to keep a watchful eye on the captured ship, and crusaders seem to be going in and out to offload its remaining supplies. Grimacing and taking the binoculars for himself, Mitchell notes that there's enough technology on there to potentially give these guys a major boost. Even though, as a civilian-owned ship, it would have been stripped of things like beam weapons, Asgard transports, and nuclear warheads, it's still an Earth vessel. It has an excellent hyperdrive and shielding array, and while both may be sub-par to what's on military Tau'ri vessels, they're still more powerful than anything else these guys are likely to get their hands on. That is, of course, assuming they don't control one of the Ori motherships left in the galaxy since the war ended, a sobering thought indeed. Given that these crusaders have access to fightercraft, it's definitely a possibility.

Counting the number of enemy aircraft, Daniel looks over his P90 and points out that these weapons aren't built for surface-to-air duty, and Ori fighters have light shields anyway. That's what made them so effective against death gliders years ago, and it's definitely going to make them deadly against SG-1 now. Mitchell's ready to charge the 303 anyway, but Vala isn't going anywhere until they have a more solid plan. Once they get aboard the ship they can use its railguns to clear the skies, but piloting the thing's going to difficult since none of them are trained for it. Of course, Vala laughs and says she'd be more than happy to fly it for them, having some experience taking control of Prometheus-class vessels ("Prometheus Unbound"). She shouldn't have much trouble remembering how to handle simple maneuvers, and then they can swing around to the colonist settlement, scare off the enemy troops, and pick up any survivors from Earth. If, for whatever reason, they can't retake the stargate, they can just fly home and come back with reinforcements later. Either way, it looks like a win-win.

Daniel still has misgivings about this, but he admits that they don't really have any other options available. Following Cameron's lead, the team vaults over the top of the hill and descends, taking up positions at the bottom of the tree line and waiting for the patrolling fighters to turn away. Once they've peeled off toward the basilica, Eaton and Mitchell spin out of cover and strike at the closest crusaders, killing a few of them in the first few seconds. Daniel and Vala advance toward a stack of containers from the ship and provide covering fire for their soldier teammates to take a better position themselves. Leapfrogging like this, they slowly make their way toward the landed ship's boarding ramp, on which the remaining crusaders have gathered to use the higher ground to their advantage. The dozen or so of them pelt the ground around SG-1 with plasma fire, but their distance is keeping any really accurate shots at bay.

Glancing at her teammates, Rebbecca shouts that they can't let themselves get pinned down here. If they're still outside when the fighters return, they won't stand a chance. Vala says she'll try and fix that, grabbing a grenade off Mitchell's belt and darting closer to the Redemptor's boarding ramp. Pulling the pin, she takes aim and tosses it just above the enemy cluster, letting it roll right into them before it detonates. Crusaders are thrown everywhere, but there's an unintended side-effect from the explosion; one of the pylons holding the ramp extended was blown off, and it doesn't look like it's going to stay standing much longer. SG-1 darts out from their hiding places toward the opening, moving as fast as they can while the walkway begins to come unhinged. Clamoring into the bay, Daniel turns back and urges Mitchell and Eaton to hurry up. Vala pulls up the rear, mouthing off about what a good job she did, but the ramp gives out under her just as she reaches the top.

Before she can tumble down to the ground below, though, Daniel shoots his arm out and grabs her by the wrist, grunting while he pulls her up. He pointedly suggests she try eating more salad in the ISGC commissary, and Vala gives him a light slap as she crawls over the edge of the bay floor. Rolling his eyes, Mitchell suggests they get a room later, but right now they need to fire up the defenses and get this ship in the air. It's not going to do anyone any good if the enemy air support returns and blasts the bridge apart while they bicker. They just reach the closest lift when they feel the superstructure around them shake violently, and Vala pre-empts any wisecracks by insisting she didn't take that long to get up the ramp. Keying open the elevator and pulling the others inside, Cameron hits the button for the command deck.

While the entire ship continues to creak under the hail of plasma fire, SG-1 exits the lift and dashes down the empty corridors to the bridge. Sliding into the command chair, Mitchell toggles on primary power, directing Eaton to weapons, Daniel to communications, and lastly, Vala to flight controls. Firing up the sublights, she reminds the others that she did this from the auxiliary control room the last time around, then jerks the ship upward before leveling out. Daniel moans that they're never going to survive, but Vala manages to get a handle on the system and begins to lift above the treeline, Ori fighters taking potshots while they can before Rebbecca raises the shield.

Switching to targeting, Eaton takes direct control of two of the railguns and shoots away, blowing one of the enemy targets to bits and knocking another one off its attack run. She brings two additional guns online as three reinforcing fighters approach from the west, but quickly realizes that she can't track, target, and operate all five simultaneously. The weaker-than-average shields can't take too much more of this barrage, and Mitchell takes some of the pressure off by sliding into a secondary remote gunner terminal. With the duo coordinating, they're able to destroy two more craft and force the remaining ones to fall back toward the basilica. It's not much comfort, however, since the crusaders will doubtless begin fortifying the position for the Redemptor's eventual arrival at the stargate.

[s09119]

(End of "Original Sin," see previous two posts for beginning)

Spoiler:

For now, though, Cameron has another destination in mind, telling Vala to get them to the civilian settlement Bryner had mentioned. He's not about to let these monsters kill hundreds of innocent priests and attendants, no matter what. Checking the scanners, Daniel plots a course that should only take them a minute or two, and the 303 roars over the forest unopposed. As promised, it doesn't take them long to arrive, and Mitchell stands to look down from the bridge windows. But down below is anything like what he was expecting; there are definitely crusaders down there, but the situation isn't anything like what Bryner had told them. Instead of Ori troops circling helpless human colonists, things are the other way around, with Origin worshipers being pulled into the settlement square by human troops. This isn't right at all, and none of the SG-1 team like how this looks. Picking up his gun, Eaton suggests they go find out what's going on, but Daniel doesn't think setting down's a good idea when things are so confused.

It's an analysis that Vala agrees with, but she thinks she should give the driver's seat to someone else and be part of the trio that goes down. After all, she's something of a holy figure herself in Origin, and she may be able to get answers that the worshippers may otherwise be unwilling to part with. Mitchell protests that no one else really knows how to pilot the ship, but Eaton offers to take a crack at it, reminding her CO that she was a fighter pilot at the Beta Site before the refugee crisis ("Severed Dreams"). She takes Vala's position at the helm and the other three members head to the ring room, wishing they had beaming technology to make this so much easier.

A few minutes later, wary Swiss Guardsmen watch as an Ori ring platform in the middle of the settlement activates, transporting SG-1 to the surface while the Redemptor hangs directly overhead. The captured crusaders look on with mixed looks of distaste, insolence, and fear, and Daniel mutters that this all feels very, very wrong. Mitchell grabs the lead Guard and pulls him over, asking what's going on here and who's in charge. The young man replies that they're acting under orders from Lt. Col. Bryner, who took a squad in an attempt to secure the basilica while they locked down the living area. On that note, Vala asks why they're pulling Ori followers from the houses when Bryner had previously told the team that the crusaders were going to slaughter human colonists that lives here.

Before the Guardsman can respond, a flurry of blue plasma blasts fly in toward the humans, and everyone hits the deck before diving for cover. Looking over a rock outcropping, Daniel shouts that the crusader soldiers must have finished checking for more Tau'ri at the stargate and come down here to finish the job. Seeing their chance to escape, the rounded up settlers break and make for the hill where their guardians are perched, dodging plasma and bullets as a full-blown firefight erupts. From their positions, the Earth forces do a good job of holding off their attackers, but Cameron doesn't want any repeats of the slaughter back at the basilica. He taps his radio and tells Rebecca to target that hill with the 303's railguns and bring the rain, and the vessel slowly begins to reposition itself broadside to better blast the mound... but Eaton suddenly radios back and says that she sees something worth holding her fire for. At the same time, the crusaders, seemingly realizing that they need to do something drastic in the face of the mammoth Earth ship, cease fire and toss someone held behind them down the hill, slowly advancing after the figure.

Standing, Mitchell signals for SG-1 and the Guardsmen to hold up, then steps out from behind cover and lowers his weapon. The lead Ori soldier takes off his helmet and says that while this entire altercation has been a true show of savagery, he is willing to negotiate a peaceful resolution. Incredulous, Vala asks how he expects them to forgive an unwarranted attack on one of their colonies, but the worshipers don't seem to understand what she means. One of them asserts that this world belongs to them and that the humans attacked, and a heated argument breaks out between both sides. Afraid this will turn back to bloodshed, Daniel asks what exactly is going on here, and the crusader says that perhaps they should ask their "friend." He kicks the prone figure over so the face faces the team, and they realize with a shock that it's Bryner, still alive but badly injured.

Two of the Swiss go to tend to their commander, but Mitchell steps in their way and holds up his hand. Looking down at the battered Guardsman and bringing his P90 to aim at his head, Cameron asks what exactly is going on here, and gruffly advises that they're told the truth this time around. Coughing, the Lt. Col. pleads for this to wait until he's been given medical attention, but one poisonous look from SG-1 convinces him to just tell his piece and hope for the best:

Start Flashback

Most of what Bryner said before was true, with the Vatican funding an offworld colony using a German-built BC-303. The one major difference in the story is that the Origin basilica wasn't abandoned when they arrived; the Vatican was relying on intermediaries for confirmation of its intelligence since it has no offworld presence, and they were simply wrong. But with no other scouted planets that had such a prime combination of temperament and location, the colonists set down some thirty kilometers to the south and arranged for joint stargate usage. For a time, it was a peaceful and prosperous compromise, though some of the Ori faithful resented the intrusion on their sanctuary.

Following the conquest of Earth by the Der'kal, the settlers managed to adapt to life cut off from home. Commandant Goehner made routine overtures to the crusaders, sparking brisk trade and an exchange of ideas from the Bible and Book of Origin. For his part, Bryner looked upon his increasingly sympathetic leader as perverting the teachings of the Church, and feared that the Commandant was turning toward Origin. Unwilling to let this colony become an infidel commune, he led a coup against Goehner and deposed most of the senior staff. Only a few of the soldiers would follow him, but they were held in line by fear and daily sermons preaching the just cause they were engaged in that their commander had turned his back on. Word came that Earth had been liberated, but Bryner feared the Pope would not approve of their actions, and delayed sending word back for as long as possible. When it looked as though his subordinates would dial the ISGC against his orders, he ordered an invasion of the neighboring Ori colony.

The rushed attack had its faults, of course. The Redemptor rose to bombard the opposing village, but dozens of fightercraft responded quickly and with terrifying efficiency, forcing it down in the forest while Guardsmen stormed the basilica. The risk was worth it, and they slowly pushed the crusaders to the settlement. An unanticipated counterattack cut Bryner and his men off, and they has just managed to lose their pursuers when they heard the stargate activate, signalling SG-1's arrival on the scene. Thinking quickly, the Lt. Col. instructed the rest of his men to round up and execute the enemy survivors while he fooled SG-1 into helping them. It would have worked, too, and they could have returned home heroes of Christendom, ready to spread the word of the Lord to every corner of the Milky Way.

End Flashback

Standing slackjawed, Mitchell doesn't seem to know what to say. Sensing that things could go very, very badly for him, Bryner pleads with Cameron, reminding him that they're both servants of God. He was simply doing what his religion required of him, ensuring that the word of truth could never be stamped out. As a fellow man of faith, he insists that the Colonel should see that and forgive him for what he did, as he would surely do the same were their positions reversed. Staring with disgust, Mitchell pulls the trigger on his gun, firing a single shot.

Several hours later, SG-1 returns to the ISGC with most of the Swiss Guards from Il Vaticano in tow. A few of the most-junior soldiers returned to their encampment to watch the civilians and clergy while the senior offices explained the actions of themselves and their superiors to the United Nations and the Vatican. Watching as they're led out of the gate room, Daniel guesses that there's going to be one ugly hearing in Rome when the papacy learns about the bloodbath on their proposed offworld capital. Eaton admits that it's a tragedy that someone like Bryner let his fanaticism destroy what could have been a beautiful partnership for spirituality and self-discovery, though hopefully the colony can mend in the future. Unnoticed by his team, Mitchell, visibly shaken, leaves the gate room by a staircase descending into the underground portion of the facility. Noticing him just as he disappears, Vala frowns and goes after him, following at a discrete distance.

At length, Cameron arrives at the terminal's chapel, stepping inside and seeing that no one's around. Kneeling at the foot of the altar, he performs the sign of the cross and whispers, "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned." Slipping in quietly, Vala sits and watches the Colonel struggle with his emotional execution in the field, no doubt rethinking her earlier condemnation of those who cling to religion. She eventually walks to the altar and sinks beside Mitchell, imitating the cross as best she can and glancing at her CO for a long moment before putting an arm on his shoulder and closing her eyes in silent, if godless, prayer.

[s09119]

Okay, I'll admit it. I hated writing this episode, immensely even. My original idea was something I thought would be very interesting, to have Mitchell put in a bind because of his religion in a galaxy dominated by false gods. But I just couldn't take the plot where I wanted it to go, and I kept stalling and running out of steam because I just wasn't interested in the direction. I'm not at all happy with "Original Sin," and I may well go back and re-write it later, but I wanted to get it published so I can move on to better episodes and finish the season.

[Lt. Col. Mcoy]

I actually rather enjoyed it -- insofar as I can enjoy any attempt to address Christianity in what is an inherently hostile environment. The Stargate universe, as a Secondary World, is not properly fit to deal with most modern religions; it's dug itself quite a hole.

Still, I thought the story was handled tactfully and was generally well done.

[Steelbox]

I actually rather enjoyed it -- insofar as I can enjoy any attempt to address Christianity in what is an inherently hostile environment. The Stargate universe, as a Secondary World, is not properly fit to deal with most modern religions; it's dug itself quite a hole.

Still, I thought the story was handled tactfully and was generally well done.

I agree, and it's ironic that the Christian where doing the same thing the Ori did and not perceive it as wrong. And it also teaches that past wrong actions don't always teach how to do the right thing. First the christian crusade for the holy land than Spanish inquisition. Does those two teach anything to christians?