"Commander?" Major Omega reported, "We're getting a subspace signal unlike any I've ever seen before."
"Are we able to receive it and use the usual security protocols?" inquired Athena.
"Yes ma'am" Omega replied, "And, ma'am, its Colonel Starbuck."
Athena smiled ferociously, thinking to herself, "I knew it! I knew that old gambler was still alive." Once again she tried to reach out with her mind and touch Starbuck's. She felt a very tenuous connection at the fringes of her awareness.
Pulling back and standing up she declared, "Major Omega, you have the Conn. Colonel Boomer you're with me. Major Omega, pipe it to my Office."
"Yes ma'am!" came the sharp response as Athena and Boomer strode to her office. Once inside Athena practically ran to communications console to Boomer's low chuckle. She blushed slightly as the flatscreen came to life showing Starbuck smiling his best rogue smile.
"Husband, you are gonna get it when you get home!" she joked.
Starbuck feigned surprise and exclaimed, "Hey, I can't help it if the enemy ships blow up so easily!"
"Yes," she countered completely serious, "I've read the report from the Seeker. We've been able to determine that they weren't Cylon, that much was obvious. Have you been able to ID them yet?"
"Well, funny you should mention that ... the enemy fighters were piloted by humans. Unfortunately, they are a slave race to a nasty alien species called the Goa'uld. See ... naw, its too involved. Its better if I tell you and Apollo face to face." Starbuck explained.
Her eyebrows knitted in concerned confusion as she asked, "Why? Is there something that my brother needs to know?"
"Yeah, uh ... Athena?" he asked haltingly, "Have you ever heard of something called the 'Stargate'? That is what these people have used to travel from their planet to this one."
Turning to Daniel he asked, "By the way. What is the name of your planet? You never did tell me."
Daniel glanced at Starbuck in short surprise. Then his expression cleared as he responded, "Oh, um, Earth. We're from the planet Earth. Except Teal'c, he's from Chulak."
Starbuck flashed Daniel a sharp smile and said, "Ya don't say?" Turning to face Athena he continued, "Did you hear that Athena? He said they're from Earth."
Starbuck's eyes widened as he realized what he had just said. Boomer, who had been hovering off to the side leaned forward and snorted, "That's my pal. So very quick on the uptake."
Starbuck turned and excitedly grabbed Daniel exclaiming, "You're really from Earth? Seriously? Do you know how many Yahren's we've been searching for you?!"
Daniel was at first surprised by Starbucks reaction. His eyes lit up with understanding as he responded, "You and your people have been looking for us? Really? Why?"
Jack cut in and stated, "We don't have the time to go into that for now. We have got to get to the gate! Tell you what Colonel Starbuck. You get back to your people and we'll get back to ours. It's too dangerous in this area for us to do a meet and greet right now. When we get back we'll contact the Tok'Ra again and ask them to help you find some safe routes to Earth."
Swinging to Jaxtra, "Think your bosses could help us on that score?" he skeptically questioned her.
"I can not make any promises Colonel O'neill" Jaxtra stated in her multi-timbered voice, "However, if these are the children of the Lost Lords of Kobol, I don't see any problem with assistance."
There were gasps of surprise all around as Jack said, "All ri-..." stopping himself he exclaimed in surprise, "wait-a-minute! What did you just say?"
Athena had been muttering to herself trying to remember something that she had read from the Books of the Lords of Kobol. Over and over she muttered the words Goa'uld and Stargate. Right after she heard Jack's exclamation of surprise she looked up sharply and her eyes lit up with a memory.
"The Lords of Kobol defied the sun god Ra and, with their followers, enter the Chappa'ai for a distant land. The followers of the Lords of Kobol named the new land after their Lords. The Lords of Kobol removed the Chappa'ai to one the two moons of the new land of Kobol. There the Chappa'ai remains ..." Athena intoned.
"That's ... all I can remember." she said as she looked up at Boomer. Her eyes widened with shock as a sudden realization hit her. She exclaimed to Starbuck as her eyes returned to the flatscreen, "Starbuck this changes everything we've ever thought, everything we ever knew about humanity!"
"Ya think?" he smirked.
Both Daniel and Jack exclaimed, "Hey, that's my line!"
Teal'c raised an eyebrow as Samantha smirked and snorted trying not to laugh out loud. Jaxtra blinked in slight confusion at their exchange.
Athena sobered and ordered, "Starbuck you hold tight. I am sending a rescue party to pick you up!" Spying Colonel O'Neill off to the side she stated, "I agree with your decision sir. Get your people to safety." Her eyes finding Jaxtra's she said, "We eagerly await your communique. If you can help us get to Earth, and safety, quickly we will forever be in your debt!"
Starbuck and Jaxtra nodded while Colonel O'Neil simply checked his P90. After Athena signed off and Jaxtra return her communication globe to the pouch on her belt they crept silently out of the cave. Following a circuitous route they found a spot where they could covertly view the Stargate. Jaxtra took out her communication globe and sent out a signal to the Tok'Ra.
"Looks like our friend in the robes is still there. Think he's waiting for us?" Jack asked sarcastically. Samantha rolled her eyes and asked Daniel, "By the way Daniel, what was that guy yelling when he was running away from us?"
Daniel looked up distractedly while checking his P90 and said, "Hmm? Uh, something about Daemons." He said, eyebrows scrunched up in concentration, "Yes, he was calling us Daemons."
"Well, we've been called worse." Samantha said, "Guess we should take that as a compliment."
Starbuck looked around at them and stated, "It really is just business as usual with you guys, isn't it."
They all looked thoughtful for a moment and then chorused, "Yeah ... uh huh ... sure is ..." Teal'c just simply grunted with an upraised eyebrow.
Starbuck just said, "Huh!" and let it drop as Jack whispered, "All right, as soon as the gate starts up the four of us rush it."
"Colonel Starbuck, you stay here with Jaxtra ... Channell, which ever of you is in charge at the moment. Speaking of which" He said to Jaxtra/Channell, "You should probably leave with Starbuck. I wouldn't be surprised if your cover IS blown."
"No need to worry about us, Colonel O'Neill." Jaxtra/Channell stated, "Our cover will not be 'blown' as you say."
"All right" Jack said as he held up his hand palm forward and looked away from her, "it was just a suggestion."
The gate activated at that moment and they all turned their attention to it. With a nod shared by the four members of SG-1 they broke cover firing as they went.
Once again with alarms blaring and red warning lights flashing they stepped out of the event horizon. The team consisted of three men and one woman. They were all quite relieved to be back to the base after such a grueling mission.
�Welcome back team. How did the mission go?� Asked the General at the foot of the gangplank.
�Just fine General. We should have some interesting tidbits for you in the debriefing. Right now my team and I would like a hot shower and some good food. Not necessarily in that order.� Responded the Colonel in charge.
�Very good." Major-General Hammond responded. "Debriefing will be in 2 hours then. Dismissed.�
Half an hour later the team was called up to the briefing room. The General, being a no-nonsense military man got right to the point.
�One of our teams is pinned down off-planet. A group of Jaffa are protecting the Gate on that world. Fortunately they do not have any heavy guns in place. You are the only ones that can get through the gate successfully in order to retrieve that team. However, there is a good chance that you will die on this mission.� He informed them.
�What? Again?� quipped the young blonde lieutenant.
The Colonel stated, �They�ve pulled our fat out of the fire often enough, General. Time to pay the piper. When do we leave?�
�Team, you have a go in 15 minutes.�
Fifteen minutes later he stood in the control booth wishing he could go with them. Shaking his head the General grabbed the microphone and declared, �Good luck and God speed SG-10. Bring SG-1 home safe and sound!�
Colonel Duncan MacLeod gave the time-honored thumbs up. Then he, Dr. Amanda LeFevre, Lt. Richard Ryan, and Captain Benjamin Adams picked up their sheilds and ran up the ramp and dove through the Star Gate with a terrific war cry!
The light show was amazing! Duncan concentrated on keeping focus. Suddenly the light of an alien planet washed over him and his teammates as SG-10 crashed through the gate. "Amanda! Four to the right." He barked. "I've got the other four on the left. Ritchie, Methos, Shields!"
Capt. Benjamin Adams and Lt. Ritchie Ryan squatted down, emplacing their shields onto the ground. From the cover they supplied Colonel Duncan 'Mac' MaCleod and Dr. Amanda LeFevre fired short, quick rounds into the enemy Jaffa .
Ritchie pressed the call button on his radio shouting out, "Anytime you would like to join the party SG-1!"
"On our way!" Came the response with a click and a beep. SG-1 flanked the Jaffa from the rear as the event horizon dissipated into the summer breeze.
Daniel started as beams of light spurted past him and he looked back to see Starbuck with them. "What are you doing?" he shouted at Starbuck as SG-10 fired upon the Jaffa from the Stargate.
"I just realized" Starbuck shouted back as he fired on a Jaffa guarding the gate, "that its probably better if I go with you. You know, to open relations with your people and what not."
"Yeah right" Daniel said sarcastically as he eyed Starbuck suspicously, "you just want to be the first of your people to see Earth!"
Flashing a guilty 'you-got-me' grin they returned their attention to the attack just a moment too late. A Jaffa got in a lucky shot and clipped Starbuck on his left shoulder. Daniel fired his P90 and peppered the Jaffa with bullets. As the Jaffa fell to get up no more, Daniel knelt beside Starbuck and checked his wound.
"No time for that!" Starbuck shouted as he struggled to get up, "Just help me up and let's get outta here!"
Soon the Jaffa were either dead or dying.
Daniel dialed the address for home with easy familiarity. With the gates patented "vroom, vroom" and a roar Starbuck watched in fear and fascination as the event horizon exploded from the center of the Stargate. It fell back upon itself just as it seemed it would spray all over the two teams. While Major Carter and Lieutenant Methos, of SG-10, activated their respective GDO�s, Colonel O'neill radiod ahead with a request for medcal support for the injured Starbuck.
Starbuck fidgited as SG-1 and SG-10 started filing through the gate. He wasn't all that sure now about his rash decision. Colonel O'Neil, standing by the gate and keeping a look-out for a resurgence of enemy Jaffa, peered at Starbuck in understanding.
"C'mon," he said to Starbuck, "that shoulder's gotta be really smartin' by now. Let's go get it looked at, ok?"
"Yeah ... yeah, good idea." Starbuck said softly. In a slight daze he shuffled forward and said, "I don't know, this is such a momentus occasion. I feel like I should say something. You know?"
"What? Something like 'One small step for Man, One giant leap for Mankind'?" Jack quipped.
"Hey, that's good! Can I use that sometime?" Starbuck asked looking at Jack.
Jack just grimaced as he gave Starbuck a gentle push through the gate. Starbuck gasped in surprise as he stumbled into the gate's event horizon. His mind froze, watching the light display of the artificial wormhole and then he was through to the other side.
Starbuck was on Earth!
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