Continuing Stargate

[s09119]

Hehe... I can't wait!!

I don't want to pester; but any idea when we can expect another episode? Cos I really enjoyed "Sui Generis"; though I would like to see the Aschen's duplicity come back and bite them on the arse

Oh, and do you plan on starting the Atlantis continuation after you've completed SG-1? Any spoilers you'd care to give us?

Yeah sorry, the debate tournament and work have been keeping me busy, and then mid-way through I decided to go back and gut the beginning of "Dual," but it should be out soon.

I don't know what spoilers I can really give for Atlantis, since "Crossroads" really does a good job of setting the scene nicely. Let me just say this about it; nothing in Pegasus right now is as it appears.

[Dan93]

Yeah sorry, the debate tournament and work have been keeping me busy, and then mid-way through I decided to go back and gut the beginning of "Dual," but it should be out soon.

I don't know what spoilers I can really give for Atlantis, since "Crossroads" really does a good job of setting the scene nicely. Let me just say this about it; nothing in Pegasus right now is as it appears.

Cool; will we maybe see the aliens from "The Daedalus Variations", and you mentioned somewhere about rewriting 5x10 and 5x11?

[s09119]

16x17 "Dual"
Synopsis: Vala contemplates her future in the post-war galaxy as she prepares to reformat the operations of the Lucian Alliance, though a resurgent faction from the past threatens to end her dreams for good.

Spoiler:

((30 second recap of "Desperate Times" and "Sui Generis"))

In deep space, a hyperspace window opens to eject a scout ship that quickly speeds off to continue its flight. Onboard, Vala Mal Doran sits in a rear compartment while flipping through a handful of documents. She looks preoccupied and not all that interested in the task at hand, and she looks up suddenly when there's a knock at the compartment door. Standing and straightening her uncharacteristically plain but still flattering outfit, she keys open the panel and asks the Lucian Alliance officer standing there what's going on. He replies that they've nearly reached their destination, and Vala nods thankfully, telling him she'll be along in a minute. Setting down her work, she looks in a nearby mirror and tugs at her hair, sighing and muttering that she can't just put this off forever. She pulls a tight leather jacket on and leaves the room, sealing the doorway behind her.

Seeing as tel'tak aren't very large craft, it only takes her a minute or two to arrive at the cockpit, where two other humanoids are expertly piloting the vessel around a large asteroid. One of them turns and nods respectfully before returning to his work, noting that they've picked "it" up on their scanners. Vala lowers herself into a nearby seat and asks if everyone she's summoned will be in attendance, but the officer who summoned her has some bad news. Only a little more than half of their summons seem to have been heeded, and that could significantly complicate Vala's position if she intends to continue with her policy agenda. But she doesn't seem too discouraged--more resigned than anything else--and says that they'll just haveto wait and see what happens.

The scout ship clears another rock and emerges in a cleared area where dozens upon dozens of ships have gathered; ha'tak motherships, al'kesh, and a host of other ships of Goa'uld or alien origin. Countless death gliders patrol the area, shattering any rogue asteroids that come too close and checking for any sign of intruders. In the middle of the cluster, an expansive space station that's little more than a massive docking nexus connects all the arrivals. There's not much to the complex besides docking terminals and connecting pathways, but a relatively large central hub looks to be where the event itself will take place. Vala stands and watches somewhat nervously while her transport aligns with an airlock and seals into the superstructure, sighing with relief when their side beeps in confirmation.

While the ship's crew relax from the journey and head to the rear to find refreshments, Vala opens the airlock and finds a rather handsome man in his late 30s already waiting for her. This would be Jeong Talesan, one of the administrative councilors called Seconds within the Lucian Alliance. Each Second manages a particular cell of the organization's operations, and Jeong has long managed tasks of particular interest to Vala. For the few years that she's been de facto head of the former smuggling ring, he's been her personal representative and confidant, and the relationship has served them both well. Until now, at least, with such serious concern that the former's long relationship with Earth is about to compromise her leadership. Many Seconds see Vala's loyalties as too divided to do what is truly best for their goals, and if she can't allay their concerns at this gathering, it's more than likely that she'll lose control.

Passing her a datapad, Jeong guesses that the low attendance now is just those firmly against her leadership sending a message. They'd be weakening their own position amongst the Seconds by not arriving, and he expects that the full council will be present in a day's time. But when they are, Vala should be prepared to defend her priorities if she wants any chance of making sure they're followed through on. The Lucian Alliance has come a long way under her, but there are those who feel as though they're becoming little more than an official arm of the bureaucracy on Heliopolis. Vala may have good intentions in terms of what's best for the galaxy, but many Seconds are wondering why everything they do has to benefit her greater good. And even Jeong has to admit he sees some of where they're coming from; he recognizes the good that the Alliance of Great Races has done, but he has no interest in working entirely on its behalf. One day soon, she may have to choose between her loyalties to Earth causes and her duty here. Their argument is interrupted before a reply, though, as another officer radios from across the station to report that they have a situation on their hands. Concerned, Vala tables the discussion and heads for the nearest ring platform.

The two of them arrive at the control center as a trio of Seconds stand whispering at the other end of the room. They immediately grow quiet when they notice Vala, standing at attention but giving no other response. Irritated by the continuing show of the organization's splintering, the target of their ire ignores them completely, stepping up to the communications console and asking the attending tech what's happening. Looking over the data, Jeong grimaces and reads for her; that rogue element they were talking about, the one that has long produced figures like Garrin and Kiva? They're attacking a key outpost on the edge of the galaxy, a complex that Vala has sunk considerable time, resources, and political capital into establishing.

The Sons of Lucia, as they chose to call themselves, have been quiet for over a year, coming out of hiding only briefly to defend kassa fields from encroaching Der'kal warlords or Free Jaffa patrols. Many beleived the group had simply collapsed without clear direction or adversaries, but obviously there was more going on than met the eye. And the reports coming in suggest that all that apparent inactivity went toward retrofitting old System Lord-era ships with more modern weapons and shielding systems; the outpost's token defense force was quickly and soundly destroyed. The last vessel to go down was barely able to transmit a brief readout of a few Sons ships and their activities, and it isn't looking good. The rogues have already ringed down into the complex and are in the process of taking control from the remaining Lucian Alliance personnel. Given that the outpost still has a few weeks before it will come online, there are barely enough soldiers there to make any sort of stand, and they'll be overwhelmed within hours, probably less.

Shocked, Vala turns to Jeong and tells him to take stock of how many ha'tak they have docked here at the station that are ready to depart. They're going to hit back and do it hard, and hopefully this will be a last gasp for the Sons that they can't recover from. But the group of Seconds across the pel'tak step forward, informing their leader that their ships will be put to no such use. They didn't endorse the outpost's construction when it was announced and they don't feel its worth the risk to their forces now. Incredulous, Vala asks if they're really going to let the Sons just steal a valuable and strategically-located complex without a fight. Equally annoyed, the Seconds insist that it's not worth restarting an old war. The inter-Alliance fighting between them and the likes of Garrin and Kiva cost them thousands of lives and dozens of ships. That's not a part of history they're willing to go back to, and they assure her that a majority of the council of Seconds will agree.

Glancing between them, Vala punches the communications console in frustration and tells them that this isn't over. Pulling rank in one of the few ways left to her, she orders the Seconds and technicians out of the command center. Watching them go, one of them sneering at her in the process, she sinks into a nearby chair and asks Jeong if it was really so wrong to try and turn their organization into something more than a petty smuggling ring. She could always contact Earth or Heliopolis for assitance, but that would only serve to confirm the accusations of the Seconds that she's acting on outside interests. Staring out the window, Jeong admits that while he may disagree with some of Vala's decisions as leader, he agrees that they can't simply allow the facility to fall to the Sons of Lucia. Its location and investment aside, there's enough sensitive data stored there to cause headaches for them for years. He sees what the other Seconds are doing, using this attack for political games, but either way they need to find a way around their stalling. Vala nods, picking herself up, and affirms that this isn't over; if the Sons and Seconds want a fight, they're going to get one.

A short time later, the Second that had sneered at them, Killik, is walking in front of Vala, Jeong, and a dozen or so Lucian soldiers as they make their way hurriedly down the hall. He insists that she can't be serious about single-handedly trying to take back the outpost, but is continually pushed aside as the group makes its way into the space station's gate room. Shouldering a standard issue rifle, itself far less sleek and compact than the Earth variety, Vala answers that if they're not going to send reinforcements to save their own people because of some petty political disagreements, she'll do it herself. She nods at Jeong to dial the stargate, then turns to the Seconds and informs them that she expects them to come to their senses eventually, but the people in that complex can't afford to wait for that to happen.

Behind them, the stargate activates and the wormhole stabilizes, casting a pale blue glow over the arguing parties. Defiant as always, Vala promises that she'll return--alive and in victory or not at all. Killik doesn't seem to believe her, but he won't stand in her way if she's so determined to get herself killed. Stepping aside, he motions for her to proceed, snickering that when her corpse is returned to them by the Sons, he'll step up to be the strength they need that she was not. Without another word, Vala signals Jeong, and together they disappear through the gate.

The wormhole deposits them at the Rim Outpost a second later, where alarm klaxons are blaring throughout the base. Emergency lighting is a stark red, and is pulses every few moments as generator power tries to keep multiple critical systems online. Looking around, Vala directs her men to take up defensive positions at the doorways, ordering them to hold fire as someone rushes inside to see who's arrived. The young woman freezes in place at the sight of so many gunsights, caught between going for her sidearm or radio and putting up her arms. She relaxes at the sight of Vala, however, and breathes a sigh of relief. This would be Osana, the operative handpicked to command the facility and who is now amongst the few survivors. Grateful as Jeong tells the soldiers to lower their weapons, she says that she was beginning to think word hadn't got back to the rest of the Alliance. She and her security forces were preparing to make a suicide run on an enemy position when they got the incoming wormhole alert, and she can hardly believe that help's finally here. But then she counts the men before her and realizes that no one else is coming, and asks what's going on that only a handful would accompany Vala Mal Doran herself.

(Beginning of "Dual," see next two posts for more.)

[s09119]

(More of "Dual," see previous post for beginning and next post for end.)

Spoiler:

Grimacing, Vala says that it's a long story, one that can wait until after they've taken back the Rim base from the Sons of Lucia. She pulls Osana behind the line of her men and asks for a frank and honest assessment of the situation and what the tactical overhead looks like for them and the enemy. The commander laughs humorlessly and mutters that she wishes she had a holo-display to make this easier, but promises to do her best with hand gestures. They detected a fleet exiting hyperspace overhead three hours ago, and they barely had time to get their own ships' shields up before a devastating bombardment began. The battle was quick and extremely one-sided; they didn't stand a chance, and their remaining al'kesh and death gliders have fled beyond the second moon where they've so far been left alone. In the meantime, the Sons began firing down on the outpost, which, as Vala knows, is built partially inside a mountain like most Tau'ri offworld bases. At first, Osana wasn't able to understand the tactic, as their shield generator has enough power to sustain several hours of prolonged fire. But she realized too late that they were concentrating their fire on specific areas to enable ring transmissions right through the energy barrier. By the time she caught on, they already had enermy platoons inside, and now the enemy has control of two generator stations, allowing them to raise and lower a section of shield at will.

Inside, things are a little less pitched. The Sons have gained control of key auxiliary control rooms, but they lack a central command center to override basic protocols and security measures. Random probing of their lines suggest over a hundred personnel in the base divided into roughly ten squads, three of which have portable staff cannons. Osana, on the other hand, has some fifty soldiers left, but they're dealing with a small enough series of chokepoints now that it's not as big of a disadvantage. They still hold the power generator, a majority of shied generators, and the control room, but they only have one out of three ring platforms. They have their sole surviving staff cannon trained on it at all times, ready to blow any enemy infiltrators away, but the Sons have only tried that once. Essentially, she's saying they have a stalemate, though the longer they wait, the more advantage goes to the enemy as they bring in more reinforcements.

Nodding, Vala muses over her options and decides to try good old fashioned negotiating first. She grabs her radio and tunes into the cross-frequency channel, announcing her presence as the leader of the Lucian Alliance and asking for her counterpart on the other side to respond. After a moment, an older man answers, giving his name and rank as Commander Fennis and indicating that unless there's going to be an offer of surrender, he's not interested in talking. Rolling her eyes, Vala points out that diplomacy's supposed to be a little more open, asking what sort of endgame the Sons of Lucia are looking for here. Across the complex, Fennis replies that they want control of the Rim Outpost, nothing more and nothing less. The only way this will end without bloodshed is for the Alliance loyalists to withdraw through the stargate and disable the security lockdown keeping them from accessing more systems. And before she can suggest that she brought a small army with her, Fennis says that if she wants to try brute force, she can let him see her men for himself. Otherwise, he'll assume the lack of a fleet confirms his suspicions that there are only minor reinforcing troops, and things will continue as usual. Clicking off his radio, he lets Vala make the next move.

Obviously that wasn't quite how Vala had wanted the conversation to go, and Jeong notes that Fennis sounds smarter than your average gun-toting mercenary that the Sons are known for. And he seemed to guess at the internal divisions plaguing their own logistical shortfalls, meaning he's either very intuitive--and he certainly seems to be--or there's something else going on here. Vala agrees, but again presses that they can work out the hows and whys later. Right now they need to reorganize and strike back if they want any hope of salvaging this operation. She's worked too long and too hard to get this place up and running to let it all go down the drain now. Then gunshots are heard down the hall, and she signals Jeong, Osana, and three others to join her and sprints off.

She arrives just in time to see a contingent of Sons trying to force their way through a set of double doors that Osana had her men fortify with supplies from the gate room armory. Taking aim and knocking down one of the enemies, Jeong suggests that Fennis decided to test Vala's mettle immediately. He no doubt wants to force her to show her hand immediately so he can better assess the situation, but she has no intention of doing so. In fact, she has everyone but Jeong and Osana hang out of sight so as not to give anyone unrecognizable as command staff away, then steadily drives back the attackers. With deadly precision, the three of them assist the Lucian Alliance militia in retaking the chokepoint and then some, clearing a further two rooms and forcing the Sons to retreat down an adjacent hall. They didn't gain any new assets, but it will at least send a message back to Fennis that this isn't a game he can toy with.

And sure enough, Vala's radio crackles a few minutes later, with Fennis noting that he may have underestimated his adversaries. Offering to parley, he points out that he and the loyalist forces control one side apiece of the medical lab. It's inherently a neutral location, and he's willing to meet face-to-face to discuss options. Vala accepts, on the condition that the infirmary be open for basic medical treatment of combatants on both sides for as long as this conflict drags on. It's a condition that Fennis is willing to accept, as well, and he says that he'll be there in roughly ten minutes. But he warns that if he even suspects a double-cross, he'll launch a renewed assault on all fronts irrespective of the consequences.

After stripping down to the bare essentials in terms of combat gear, another condition of the meet, the three leaders head down a corridor in the direction of the med station. Seizing the opportunity to talk, Jeong asks what, exactly, Vala is so interested in this project for. He's supported it in front of the other Seconds for months out of loyalty, but he honestly never got a briefing on what the long-term objective is. Vala tries to wave him off, but he keeps pushing, reminding his friend that while he would fight any battle for her, this may very well end in his death. He'd like to know what he's dying for.

Osana offers to fill him in, but Vala says she'll do this herself, as she should. Thinking back, she explains that the Rim Outpost was conceived when she brought the Lucian Alliance into the Der'kal war on the side of the Milky Way forces. It was a failure to properly monitor extragalactic space that led to their having no idea what was coming; had a true sensor network been set up, the Tok'ra would have detected the inbound armada up to a year in advance instead of hours. With the advanced equipment they have here, they could prevent something like that from happening again. But, more central to their own goals, it's the only permanent station this far from civilization. As they map more unexplored space and open up new trade routes, Rim Outpost will serve as a vital link back to home.

Lastly, and perhaps selfishly, Vala admits that it's being prepped as a staging ground for expeditions out beyond the edge of known space. Not to find new resources to sell in interstellar markets, but to try and locate one specific galaxy out of thousands. Ever since the supergate was destroyed ("Desperate Times"), she's been trying to find a way to reestablish contact with the Ori followers. Partially out of a realization that their galaxy provides an untapped economy and a trove of Ancient technology, but mostly because she can't let go of her husband, Tomin. She realized she wanted him more than anyone else the moment it was too late, when the Der'kal vaporized the one and only link they had. The outpost here could allow them to maybe one day bridge the gap again, and she's certain that Tomin is having his own people search for them, too.

Jeong doesn't seem to know what to say, although he's clearly angry to some extent that they were asked to risk their lives because Vala's having some relationship regrets. Fuming, he says that maybe the other Seconds were right about her not being capable of making the hard choices about what's best for the Alliance, and she pleads with him to understand. Repeating her words in a mocking tone, he tells her that they can discuss it later, but right now they have a job to do. He's not entirely sure how much he's willing to put into it now that he has the full story, but he's not going to let good men and women die all the same. Of course, they wouldn't be here at all had Vala not started this mess, but he's willing to drop that for now. While he marches off ahead, trying to calm down, Osana suggests they refocus on strategy for when this meeting inevitably ends in continued fighting. Sighing, her leader agrees, and they walk after Jeong.

They arrive at the infirmary soon after, where several Lucian Alliance soldiers stand with guns at the doorway with their weapons drawn and aimed. A number of Sons stand across from them, likewise readied for battle. In between, though, medical staff does their best to patch up men from both sides, though they're disarmed before entering and treated only on the condition that they remain out of the conflict to rest. Entering from the other side is Fennis, who is apparently a man in his mid-50s of African descent. Dressed in businesslike but rugged clothing, he calls out for Vala to join him, opening his duster to reveal that he's carrying no weapons of his own. Stepping up, Vala unholsters her pistol and hands it to Jeong, pausing a moment to ask for his blessing. He gives it at length, though he notes again that this discussion isn't over.

Meeting in the middle, the opposing leaders examine one another closely. Fennis seems impressed at Vala's physique and admiring of her features, while Vala studies him carefully for any hidden blades or other weapons. When they're both assured, the Sons commander thanks her for coming, but stresses again that he's only interested if she retreats from the outpost and yields control to his forces. But Vala wants to talk about something else, and asks, rather pointedly, how he came to guess that she only had a token force with her on arrival. Surprised at the line of questioning, he says it made sense given their lack of ships, but that doesn't make sense. He knows that it would take many, many hours--if not a day or more--with their antiquated hyperdrives to get out here, so stargate travel was the only logical option. That means that he had other reason to suspect that the leader of the Lucian Alliance, someone who should have relatively unlimited resources at her disposal, had a relatively minor force with her. Looking a little frustrated, Fennis tries to change the topic, but Vala won't have it. Pressing her momentum, she supposes that the reason the Sons of Lucia have come out of hiding for this attack has nothing to do with some need to show their former compatriots who's stronger, since the Sons clearly aren't. No, she's going to guess that a particular group of Seconds contacted them and paid them a substantial fee to do this and to make it appear entirely the former and none of the latter.

[s09119]

(End of "Dual," see previous two posts for beginning.)

Spoiler:

Fennis is growing outraged now, shouting that the Sons of Lucia would never conspire with traitors to the cause like Killik and his faction, then recognizes that he's given himself away. Vala, after all, had never mentioned the group's leader by name, and her sly smile is all he needs to know he's lost the verbal battle. He goes to grab her by the throat, but in one smooth motion, Vala wrenches his arm around and shoves him toward his own men, preventing them from opening fire without wounding him. She shouts to Osana and Jeong to get back, then runs back toward their side of the medical lab and dives through the door just as bullets begin plinking around her.

Helping her to her feet, Jeong asks if she's alright, and a quick once-over shows that she is. Shaking his head, he apologizes for being so obstinate before; he still feels as though he's owed a deeper explanation, but there's no doubt in his mind that he has the one meant to lead the Alliance here in front of them. Smirking, Osana says she's glad they got that out of their systems, but they need to make a move and fast. Fennis will be out for blood now that his deal with the Seconds has been revealed, and he'll need to move fast lest the truth is exposed back at the gathering. There are still enough Seconds either loyal to Vala or undecided on the matter that would turn on Killik upon hearing he's working with the Sons, but they don't have time to go back, assemble everyone, and have it out. The outpost would be overrun, its databanks scoured, and destroyed by then, so they need a plan.

There's no time to think it through now, however, and the back-and-forth fighting continues for almost two hours. With no small measure of luck, Vala and her soldiers manage to hold the line and even gain some ground, though they get only as far as the enemy plasma cannons before they're forced to fall back. At length, and after the death of a dozen more men, Osana decides that it's getting too risky to keep throwing themselves into the fray. If they can't come up with something outside the box, they're as good as dead.

Thinking about what they talked about in the infirmary, Jeong points out that the Sons only have two surviving ha'tak in orbit. They came with with three and lost one to the loyalist defenses, and that may provide an opening for them. Their organization never had many numbers compared to the true Alliance, and though Garrin's reign of terror rallied thousands more to his cause, his downfall and the subsequent death of his lieutenant Kiva were losses that were never recovered. He wouldn't be at all surprised if the motherships' crews had all ringed down to take part in the attack, meaning that there's probably less than a dozen personnel manning the bridges in orbit. Understanding what he means, Osana says that if they and a few of their men were to ring aboard, they could probably take one or both ships without a fight, then ransom their way to a win. Smiling, Vala claps them both on the back and tells them to grab what they need and meet her at the ring room. She thinks that this is just crazy enough to work.

A short time later, she, Osana, and Jeong are in the loyalist ring room with two dozen soldiers, ready to get down to storming the ha'tak. Tapping her radio on a secure channel, the base commander tells the hiding al'kesh and gliders to slip out from behind the moon and launch an attack run on the less damaged mothership. They just need to weaken one section of shields enough to slip a ring transmission through, and then it should be easy to blast the second one's own shields down, ring in troops to take control, and tell Fennis that he's lost. But they won't be sure until they're up there, and everyone sucks in a breath as the remaining space forces begin their attack. Arcing out from behind the second moon, Osana's gliders close in on the closest ship and fire away, blasting apart surprised enemy fighters while the al'kesh drop bomb after bomb. It only takes a few runs for a weak spot to appear, and Jeong punches in the transmission code to get them into the fighting.

Ringing right outside the pel'tak, the Lucian Alliance soldiers kill the waiting Sons guards, then bypass the lockdown on the bridge and clear the way for the officers. For once glad to see some old technology, Vala notes that they're lucky the Sons aren't getting many of the advances the rest of the galaxy is--like, for example, the ability to lock out ring platforms. But nevertheless, she wastes no time in running to the weapons console and powering the main cannons, targeting all their turrets on one spot and letting loose. She tells Osana and the soldiers to transport over the second they can get a lock and let she and Jeong handle this ship, and they're quick to oblige. Within seconds, they've vanished from the ring platform, and the two officers begin shooting down Sons fighters and bombers while simultaneously positioning directly over Rim Outpost.

Firing a warning blast into the side of the mountain, Vala opens a channel to the outpost and broadcasts a call for the immediate and unconditional surrender of the Sons of Lucia forces. When all she gets is static, she fires closer to the complex, knocking a group of massive boulders off their perch. She warns that she and her men have control of both motherships and have already implemented the necessary command subroutines to prevent any of the ring platforms on the Sons side from making a connection. If she doesn't receive confirmation of surrender within the next few minutes, she's more than willing to have her people ring out and start bombarding the enemy-held positions until there's no one left to give up. Jeong waits, scanning the channels for a reply, and for a moment it looks as though Vala will have to follow through on her threat. But then, thankfully, Fennis replies bitterly that he and his men will stand down and assemble on the outside landing platform. He knows his position is untenable, and if it's going to be life or death, he knows which one he wants. This deal with the conspiring Seconds simply isn't worth the alternative.

Sighing happily, Vala collapses into a nearby chair and allows herself a laugh. Against all odds, they actually did it without any significant help from the Lucian Alliance at large. Jeong steps away from his own console and extends a hand her way, smirking and wishing her congratulations on, as always, finding a way to do the impossible. Vala grins back and shakes it, then freezes as a gunshot rings out and Jeong's expression suddenly goes blank. Looking just behind him, she sees a Sons crewman crouched in the doorway, a pistol in hand, already trying to get up and escape. The man scrambles away toward the nearby ring room, and nearly manages to key in the activation code before a zat blast strikes him from behind, knocking him to the floor. Standing in the hall, Vala pauses a minute to make sure he's no longer a threat, then runs back to where her trusted ally lies unmoving on the pel'tak floor.

Hours later, the stargate at the Lucian Alliance station comes online. It's completely surrounded by Killik and the other Seconds, all finally assembled, waiting to see whether their leader will be returning as a hero or a corpse. Apprehension rises when Fennis is the first to arrive, but it quickly dissipates when Vala steps through directly behind him, a pistol held to his head. The others follow one by one, with Osana bringing up the rear to help an injured Jeong through the puddle. Medics immediately run up to him and get him onto a stretcher for transit, though Vala makes a point of coming over and clutching his arm in friendship before he's moved away. Then comes the hard part; facing up to Killik and his cohorts.

After a few minutes of talk, Osana asks in a whisper why Vala's not revealing Killiks part in launching the assault in the first place, citing the edge it would give her in any deliberation about her role. She answers that, as far as it's come, the Alliance is still a body of smugglers and thieves, and they have their own notions of honor. She'd rather not oust the man from his post and make him a martyr to his cause, not when she can turn his attempts against him in other ways. Eyeing her suspiciously, Killik says that he's glad everything worked out for the best, then, but turns to the others and affirms that they still need to make a decision. The leadership of Vala Mal Doran remains contested, though in her absence and in light of her triumphant return, the council of Seconds has an offer to make her. She can remain head of the organization, but her role will come at a price, one she may not be willing to pay.

In the infirmary some time later, Jeong comes to on a bed with a series of stitches running along his back and chest. Groaning, he clutches at his wound and reaches for a glass of water, only to have Vala pull it away teasingly before handing it over. She asks how he's feeling, then grows serious and thanks him for coming with her to the enemy ha'tak despite his reservations about her policies. Had he not been there, she may very well have been the one to be shot, and she was wearing significantly less body armor. She is truly in his debt, and that's something she won't soon forget. Jeong waves it off, though, muttering that he wasn't trying to save anyone, just going to show respect to a friend and mentor. And on that note, he too becomes serious, admitting that he understands that the Rim complex represents more than just Vala's attachments to a lost lover. It really could be the starting point for something unprecedented that will give them true bargaining power with the Interstellar Alliance, and he appreciates her foresight. He let surface feelings cloud his emotions and nearly destroy their partnership, and he's glad that it's behind them.

That said, he was wheeled away before he had a chance to hear whether or not Vala would accept Killik's demands on leadership. From what he understands, only a bare majority approved his list of concessions, and even then he was forced to scale back the provisions in the face of popular Second opposition. He doesn't get an answer for a long beat, waiting patiently while his friend tries to make a final decision that could change her life forever.

Roughly a week afterwards, Vala arrives via stargate at the International Stargate Command, stripping off her Lucian Alliance-style blazer and tugging on a standard-issue ISGC one. Daniel Jacksons waiting to meet her, doing his best not to show how excited he is to have her back on the base after her extended trip away. They exchange pleasantries, but Vala doesnt seem to want to go any further, resisting all Daniels attempts at getting a feel for how her big congregation went. When he realizes that somethings bothering her, he offers to take her out to eat at a place Tealc recommended on Chulak, suggesting that they could make it a real date--and that finally spurs Vala to respond.

Taking his hands, gingerly, not in any romantic sort of way, she tells him that she's sorry. She can't be with him, not like that, and not on any grounds he'd probably accept as legitimate or valid. For reasons she can't get into, she's had to make a change in her life, and it has to start right here, right now. She's going to tell Dr. Talbot that as of the end of the year, she'll be resigning from SG-1, permanently, and leaving Earth. That's just how it has to be. That was the condition Killik was so sure would break her.

She steps away and heads up the stairs, leaving Daniel to stare after her in confusion and disappointment, his mouth hanging open in a mixture of shock and sadness. He calls after her, but she doesn't answer, merely wiping away a tear in her eye and doing her best not to let him see.

[s09119]

No fun preview post this time around, the delay was long enough that I wanted to just get it posted ASAP. Apologies.

[Commander Thor]

S09, I know you usually want critical evaluation sof immense posture. But all I fin dmyself able to say is "wow"... I thoroughly enjoyed that read, the ending tied in with a feelin gof loss (like the death of the Asgard did for me.) It was a good episode, with no "last minute saves" from an orbiting 304, few reinforcements. Brain ggames and action. This was oen of your best perices of work in my opinion. Cudos.

[Steelbox]

Outstanding, s09. Nearly closing an chapter in the Stargate fan fiction history with a gold key! Congratulations, And i hope your Atlantis and Universe continuations will be just as enjoyable as this past 6 seasons has been for me. Thank you and let it come!

Are you planing a appearance by RDA(O'Neill) on the last episode? You can't have a last episode with out him!

Just a question, wasn't Kiva a Commander instead of Lieutenant?

[SG-18]

oh damn! Lucian alliance with Vala as the leader in full would be an awesome organization.

too bad for daniel, he always seems to have bad stuff happen to him like this, lol

great episode. glad there wasn't some sort of technology-edged victory here, but just straight-up good execution of tactics. I liked it.

[s09119]

Outstanding, s09. Nearly closing an chapter in the Stargate fan fiction history with a gold key! Congratulations, And i hope your Atlantis and Universe continuations will be just as enjoyable as this past 6 seasons has been for me. Thank you and let it come!

Are you planing a appearance by RDA(O'Neill) on the last episode? You can't have a last episode with out him!

Just a question, wasn't Kiva a Commander instead of Lieutenant?

Well Jack's dead, so I'm not sure about that one xD

And yes she was, but I meant it as she was a lieutenant of Garrin's. As in right hand woman, so to speak, not actual rank.

[s09119]

Well, so it begins. The final three episodes of Stargate SG-1. After sinking years into this story, all I can say is that it feels a little surreal to have it coming to an end. Anyway:

The Final Three:
16x18 "Forgotten"
16x19 "The Looking Glass"
16x20 "Epilogue"

[Steelbox]

Well Jack's dead, so I'm not sure about that one xD

And yes she was, but I meant it as she was a lieutenant of Garrin's. As in right hand woman, so to speak, not actual rank.

I don't remember well but, didn't he ascended after using the Pandoras box and dying? And remember Jackson before defeating Anubis, he was saved by Oma could Jack be in "limbo"? Not completelly ascended like in the ascended dinner in jackson's case?

[Choo1701]

Well, so it begins. The final three episodes of Stargate SG-1. After sinking years into this story, all I can say is that it feels a little surreal to have it coming to an end. Anyway:

The Final Three:
16x18 "Forgotten"
16x19 "The Looking Glass"
16x20 "Epilogue"

Oh, OH! you know what THIS means!!! THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!!

Loved the latest episode too. You gave Vala a lot to do, with good reasons and didn't make it too 'silly' just because it "it's Vala".

Although, with the ending of this episode i'm beginning to wonder if Epilogue will actually see the beginning of a 'different' SG1?

[s09119]

I don't remember well but, didn't he ascended after using the Pandoras box and dying? And remember Jackson before defeating Anubis, he was saved by Oma could Jack be in "limbo"? Not completelly ascended like in the ascended dinner in jackson's case?

I actually rewrote that; the only time so far I've gone back and actually changed part of an episode like that. Now the canonical ending is that Sam was thinking back over Jack's death and a wind blew past, similar to how Jack felt a breeze right after Daniel ascended. You can take from that what you want.

Although, with the ending of this episode i'm beginning to wonder if Epilogue will actually see the beginning of a 'different' SG1?

We shall see

[SG-18]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

BOOM!!!! This has been a fantastic ride!