Chapter 4

'The ties that bind'

"On the plus side we aren't dead." Garibaldi coughed. "At least I hope not, because otherwise the after life sucks."

Sheridan stood from his chair, feeling the burning in his legs as the muscles relaxed after straining against the G forces of the journey. "I thought you didn't believe in all that spiritual stuff?"

Garibaldi picked himself up from the floor and shrugged, at least the floor was pristinely clean. "Any port in a storm. So where are we?"

"Earth." Lieutenant Cross on sensors reported. "Well, the solar system at least close to the Asteroid belt."

"Exactly the same location we were at a minute ago?" Garibaldi frowned.

"Well, almost sir." The officer replied. "We nothing on sensors."

"Nothing?" Sheridan grimaced, he had a bad feeling about this. "No defence grid, no fleet, no colony on Mars or the Belt Alliance stations?"

"Wait," Cross spoke up. "Single ship rounding an Asteroid, its small but doesn't match anything on record."

"Check what its hull is made of." Sheridan said. "Then cross reference with the readings we had on Daedalus."

"Perfect match sir, a combination of known and unknown metals."

Sheridan and Garibaldi exchanged glances, it seemed now obvious what had happened. "Okay, fine." Garibaldi sighed grumpily. "Maybe they were telling the truth."

"Signal coming in Mr President." Cross said. "Its on a radio frequency."

"Sounds like twenty first century tech." Sheridan muttered to Garibaldi before answering. "Lets hear it."

The bridge crew halted their duties, each one fascinated and more than a little nervous about the unfolding situation. They were crewing the most advanced ship to leave a spacedock, but they were still isolated in what looked a lot like an alternate reality with unknown dangers to threaten them.

"Unknown vessel, this is the United States Airforce vessel Prometheus. Identify yourselves and your reason for being here." An American accented voice said in plain English. "Please." He added as an after thought.

"Open up a channel, same frequency." Sheridan said, a nod from Cross indicating it was ready. "Prometheus this is the Starship Excalibur, we come in peace."

"Nice and original." Garibaldi smiled. "Ask them to take us to their leader."

"Excalibur," the voice replied. "Would you like us to take you to our leader?"

Sheridan noted Garibaldi's eyes widen in surprise and a little amusement. "I think that would be helpful. My name is John Sheridan, commander of the Interstellar…" he paused, best not give away too much yet. "…Interstellar fleet command."

"John Sheridan?" the voice replied with bemusement. "Sounds like a human name. Where did you come from?"

"Long story, but I can tell you we met the Daedalus, she one of yours?"

"Daedalus?" the commander of the other ship sounded much more alert now. "Where is she? Is she safe?"

"Perfectly safe, that's also kind of a long story." Sheridan admitted. "I invite you aboard, Captain…?"

"O'Neill, General actually, and I humbly accept your invitation. We'll send over a shuttle."

The transmission ended, leaving the bridge quietly surprised.

"Did I mention this is turning into a very weird experience?" Sheridan raised the question.

"Yeah, once or twice." Garibaldi nodded. "I'll go roll out the welcome wagon."

0000000000

"Do you think it's bigger than an O'Neill?" wondered the General concerning his namesake.

"Well we never got any accurate data on the Asgard O'Neill class." Carter shrugged. "Ironic really considering the name."

"Hmm" Jack nodded. "I think its smaller. Certainly not as cool looking."

"It looks a lot bigger to me." Daniel Jackson squinted. "Way, way bigger."

They were leaning forward to stare through the shuttles forward window as Carter piloted the small triangular vehicle towards the hamger bay resting under the newly arrived ships hull like an open maw.

"Anyone remember what happened to Jonah?" O'Neill commented as the shuttle began the final approach.

"Well, it was kind of a happy ending." Jackson said. "He made it home."

"Oh yeah." The general nodded. "Plus he rescued his puppet who came to life."

"Err, wrong 'swallowed by a Whale' story Jack. But yeah, happy ending on both counts."

"You notice the writing on the side?" Carter interjected. "it was in English."

"Plus they spoke English without needing translators." Jackson added.

"Please, the whole galaxy speaks English, in fact more than one galaxy." O'Neill snorted.

The shuttle touched down, passing a magnetic field which kept the ships atmosphere within the hanger and gently settles in the middle of the deck.

"More English writing." Carter pointed out. "And take a look over there, looks like a fighter."

O'Neill examined the craft, it was notably larger than an F-302 with four engines mounted on the wingtips and an oversized gun embedded in its nose. "Now that's mean looking." He said. "Note to Area 51 Carter, bigger guns on our fighters next time."

"Yes General." She smiled. "take a look, our welcome party."

"A bald guy." O'Neill chirped. "If his eyes glow we are in so much trouble."

He dropped open the ramp, and in company with Carter and Jackson he followed in Colonel Caldwells footsteps and walked out onto the clean hanger deck. General Jack O'Neill." He said formally. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Carter and Doctor Jackson."

"My name is Michael Garibaldi, head of Edgars-Garibaldi industries." He reached out his hand. "Welcome to the Excalibur"

"Glad to be aboard." O'Neill took his hand. "So, what the hell is going on?"

"If you'll come with me it'll all be explained." Garibaldi nodded.

"That'll be a welcome change." O'Neill glanced at his comrades, the numbers of scientific or archaeological lectures he'd heard over the last eight years could have filled an encyclopaedia.

A few minutes later they were on the transit car heading for the ships bridge section.

"The ship has its own subway." O'Neill shook his head in wonder. "You see Carter, nobody walks on spaceships except us!"

"General sir, you know the BC-303 programme was based on practicality." Carter said indulgently. "A subway and turbolifts weren't necessary."

The car stopped and Garibaldi directed them down another corridor towards the ships lift shaft. "We still need to go up a few dozen decks to reach the bridge." Garibaldi explained. "You know my Company built this thing?"

"So where are you from exactly?" Jackson asked.

"Exactly?" Garibaldi smiled. "The Bronx."

"New York city?" Carter gasped in surprise. "But how did you…"

"Like I said, we've got a long story for you." Garibaldi smiled. "Here's the transport tube."

"Transport tube?" O'Neill piped up. "Like a giant hoover that sucks us up through the ship?"

"More like an elevator." Garibaldi suppressed a chuckle. "Come on, nearly there."

The lift took them up to the bridge level, depositing them close to the ships conference room where Sheridan was once again waiting to greet representatives from the SGC.

"So how long did it take to build this thing?" Carter asked examining the wall panels.

"Three Years for the two prototypes." Garibaldi answered. "From the President telling us what he wanted to the first combat mission."

"Wait," Carter physically stopped, halting the small group. "You're telling me you went from concept to prototype in just three years?"

"Well yeah, it would have been quicker but we had all sorts of problems incorporating the new technologies." Garibaldi said. "Oh, and my project manager was a traitor, just one more reason why I'll be firing his ass when we get home."

"Well, we built the Prometheus in a similar amount of time from untested technology." Jackson pointed out.

"Yes Daniel, but Prometheus lives in a hole under the desert," O'Neill commented. "This thing wouldn't fit in the desert."

"The conference room is just here." Garibaldi pressed a control and the doors opened with a swish.

"They have Star Trek doors!" O'Neill exclaimed. "Damn it Carter, I want…"

"Practicality General." She reminded him. "Maybe on the next generation designs."

"Damn straight." The general frowned, then stepped through the door under Garibaldi's bemused look, giving him a quick grin on the way in. Sheridan was waiting for them to enter and rose in greeting welcoming in the three visitors and Garibaldi who shut the door behind them.

"Welcome aboard, I'm John Sheridan please sit down."

The four other people pulled up seats and tried to make themselves comfortable, with Carter examining the display panel opposite her in great detail.

"Alright Captain Sheridan." O'Neill began. "First I want to know about Daedalus."

"She's safe." Sheridan said. "And now that you're here you should know I'm not the Captain of this ship, I'm President of the Alliance that built it to fight a war back home. The Daedalus got caught up in that war, now don't worry, she's unharmed. In fact this will probably answer most of your questions." He activated the display Carter was studying. "Computer, play back ships log beginning from when we jumped into Earth space before the Drakh."

O'Neill watched in fascination at the collection of video images and data readouts paraded before him, he'd seen a few spacebattles, and he'd caused a couple too, but this was something far beyond what he'd reasonably expected to see. He paid particular attention to the green beam weapons and the constant rain of pulses fired from the Excalibur to try and get a feel for how tough this ship was, and the amount of fire it sustained without any visible shields gave him something to think about. As the battle seemed to reach a decisive point the Daedalus arrived, he recognized Colonel Caldwell's voice on the ships communication logs and kept a close eye as the small ship engaged the terrifyingly named 'Death Cloud' with its nuclear payload. While the cloud was destroyed the Drakh still unleashed a final trick on Earth, poisoning its atmosphere.

"So there's the story so far." Garibaldi said. "Your guys helped us out, and when we came to investigate this thing that brought them over it sucked us in and dropped us out here."

"It'd make a pretty good movie." O'Neill allowed. "So you think this thing is a dimensional gate?"

"Its pretty hard to believe." Sheridan shrugged. "But Caldwell thought so too, and we've come across something similar before."

"Another dimensional gate?" Carter said excitedly. "What happened? Did you activate it?"

"Yeah, it drove everyone crazy and then an advanced alien fleet tried to come through and wipe out all life." Sheridan stated simply.

"See Carter," O'Neill chided. "Sometimes it is best just to leave things alone. What happened?"

"I nuked it." Sheridan smiled.

"Solid call." O'Neill grinned. "Can't beat a couple of megatons in a crisis."

Sheridan gave a short laugh. "Abso-fragging-lutely!"

"Well, now that we've found some common ground, with the blowing things up," Jackson said in his slightly embarrassed intonation he often reverted to after one of O'Neill's more forthright comments. "Perhaps we can clarify whom we represent?"

"I'll go first." O'Neill raised his hand. "I represent the United States Government and the People of Earth in general. Welcome to our humble solar system." He bowed his head with a little theatrical flourish. "Our mission is to seek out new worlds and civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before, steal big honking space guns, kick evil ass and protect Earth from huge warships that show up in our space."

"And I represent the Interstellar Alliance, an economic union of a few dozen worlds sharing technology and trade." Sheridan followed on. "We're a democracy and aim to improve life and aim to grant basic freedoms to every living being in the galaxy, plus we protect our citizens from threats like the Drakh."

"And you have no record of races like the Goa'uld or Asgard?" Jackson queried.

"Not a hint of them." Sheridan shrugged. "I guess evolution took a different path where we come from."

"Well we haven't seen any of the races on your video logs." Carter looked at a frozen image of a large curving blue ship.

"We'd be interested in a description of some of these new races." Jackson enthused. "Its fascinating to se such varied…"

He was interrupted by an incoming message. "Mr President, we're reading an energy spike in the portal."

"Move us away fast." Sheridan replied "And patch through an image to this room." He added.

The display screen showed the image of the ring, it shifted a little as the Excalibur moved away and then stabilised, the large device beginning to light up as the energy coursed through it.

"Your ship is right beside us." Sheridan assured O'Neill. "We're much further away than last time."

"What triggered it?" Jackson wondered. "We didn't do anything."

"It might be something coming from the other side." Carter suggested. "One of your ships maybe Mr President."

The room fixed their attention an the device, its centre flashing and filling with the same rippling veneer of a conventional stargate. For a moment nothing happened, and then from within a single small shape emerged.

"The Daedalus." Carter smiled in recognition. "They made it back."

"Mind if I have a word?" O'Neill looked to Sheridan.

"Of course, bridge?" Sheridan tapped the intercom. "Open a channel to Daedalus, route it to the conference room."

The screen remained the same showing the SGC cruiser moving closer, the gate shutting off behind it, but the speakers crackled into life.

"Daedalus to Prometheus, reporting all systems safe and normal, consider the large vessel that preceded us friendly, I repeat, friendly. Just wait uait until you see our report." Caldwells familiar voice announced.

"Colonel, this is General O'Neill. I hear you've had some adventures without informing me."

"Sorry General, it all kind of took us by surprise."

"I'm on the Excalibur with your new friend President Sheridan, he tells me you've been blowing up some really big stuff. Good work, now take a shuttle over here and give me a full report."

After an hour Caldwell had arrived on the Excalibur, greeted O'Neill and Sheridan and then made his report. It confirmed the images shown from the Excalibur's records and highlighted just how much danger Earth had been in, and the reality of the Drakh Plague which was infecting their twin world.

"Hermiod has sent his data to the Asgard council, and we have a copy to take home ourselves." Caldwell concluded the report. "It is my recommendation that we provide what assistance we can to fight the Plague and help our fellow people."

O'Neill rested back in his seat, his face deeply thoughtful and betraying his serious side. To the SGC O'Neill had a reputation as a joker, someone who would try and find humour in every situation. But for his closest friends there was another side, the part of him that looked out for those under his responsibility and was able to make hard decisions quickly and confidently. The Airforce did not promote its officers based on their ability to make people laugh and O'Neill was no exception.

"Carter, what can you do with the information we have?" he asked.

"Not much sir." She shook her head. "its far beyond anything we've seen before, we have some experience with alien viruses but not on this scale."

"But we can try and help?" O'Neill stated. "Then that's good enough for now. We'll talk to the Atlantis team and see if they know anything more than us."

"Before we commit full resources we'll need to get backing from President Hayes, and for this kind of expenditure it's going to be hard." Carter grimaced.

"The President's a politician, he'll do whatever is in his best interest." Jackson said, then quickly remembered Sheridan. "No offence Mr President."

"None taken." Sheridan nodded. "We need as much help as we can get, if we have your people on it as well as ours it'll make the job happen faster. What would it take to make your President help us?"

"As far as bribes go his threshold is pretty high." O'Neill shrugged. "But he's got a soft spot for space guns…" O'Neill tailed of with an innocent look around at the ship he was on.

"You want weapons technology?" Sheridan said bluntly.

"Well you know, it wouldn't hurt." The General smiled. "Well, wouldn't hurt us."

"How about laser based weapons, heavy particle cannons, a full planetary defence grid and lightweight engines for fighters and missiles?" Sheridan rattled off. "Would that convince him?"

"Well," O'Neill blinked a couple of times. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Your government will just give us this stuff?" Carter asked in surprise. "I mean the defence grid alone, I guess you mean those satellite weapons platforms right? That's got to be trillions of dollars worth of firepower!"

"We will give you two hundred of those platforms, and if we have a deal the means to build more." Sheridan said firmly. "Make no mistake, the survival of my home has no price."

"Just one thing." Jackson spoke up. "An orbital ring of satellites is going to be pretty obvious and it wouldn't take a genius to work out we didn't put them there."

"So?" Sheridan frowned. "Its got to be worth it?"

"There's this whole thing where nobody knows about aliens." O'Neill shrugged. "Our entire lives are secret, even these ships are unknown to anyone outside the highest world leaders."

"And suddenly putting huge cannons in orbit would probably tip the game." Carter said with clear disappointment.

"Maybe I can talk to Thor, see if he can spare some cloaking generators." O'Neill shrugged. "I mean would the Asgard really miss a couple of hundred?" he got some unconvinced looks from his team. "Really? I mean he totally owes us."

"Well in any case the defence grid is a long term offer." Sheridan commented. "It'll take a while to build them, but the other stuff should be easy. You can download the theory for laser and pulse weapons before you leave."

"With permission General," Colonel Caldwell raised his voice. "How about interceptors? During the battle we saw Earth ships neutralising energy weapons, we think we could use the same system to stop Goa'uld cannons."

"Interceptors?" Sheridan said thoughtfully. "Earth force is a bit touchy about who it gives those to. But I think they will if that's your price."

"Mr President, if it were up to me I'd help for nothing." O'Neill sighed. "But I figure you understand how politicians work, if we offer him this technology he'll have no choice but to help."

"If we can work together on this it could herald a very useful agreement between our two groups, we both have assets that the other needs."

"Yeah," Garibaldi added his thoughts. "I know a couple of ship wrights on Mars who'd love to check out one of your ships."

"Same here." O'Neill smiled. "Well, they aren't on Mars."

Sheridan rose from his chair, glancing at each person assembled together. "Well now you know where we stand, and I know where you stand. We aren't a threat to each other and share a birthplace. Our blood is the same, yours, mine and the ten billion people trapped and doomed by this plague. I'd like to take my time with this, I'm sure we all would. But we can't. We need help right now, and in return we will help you in your times of need because we are the same. We share the same ties that bind humanity into one species, and I find that remarkable."

O'Neill stood up also, the rest of SG 1 following along. "Well Mr President, I happen to agree with you. Like they say blood is thicker than water. I'll make a report to my superiors and recommend helping find a cure and give them your offer of technology. Even if I have to do this behind the Presidents back you will get help, that's a promise."

"I want you to take Mr Garibaldi with you." Sheridan added. "He can give your leaders details of our offer and negotiate on behalf of the ISA."

There was a surprised cough from the table as Garibaldi inhaled a mouthful of water. "Excuse me? What did you say?"

"Stay here Michael and handle things for us, then when you come up with a package head on back." Sheridan said plainly. "I need someone I can trust here, you're the only one for the job, nobody else can be so damn stubborn in a crisis!"

"Well thanks, I think." Garibaldi frowned. "A gesture of trust huh? Did I mention I don't trust people I don't know?"

"You don't trust people you do know!" Sheridan chuckled. "Which is another reason you're the best choice. Besides, keep you out of trouble for a while."

"Alright." Garibaldi surrendered. "But if we end up at war with General O'Neill's people I told you so."

"It'll be cool." O'Neill assured. "People will think you're Bruce Willis, you'll fit right in."

"Who?" The former intelligence chief frowned.

"Don't worry about it." Carter smiled. "You get used to the Generals personality after a while."

"Eight years following him on alien worlds, doesn't really give you a choice." Jackson sighed. "Not that I mind." He added after catching O'Neill's eye.

"Alright then, sounds like a plan." Sheridan grinned. "I have to be heading back, as President I have to be ready to deal with the aftermath of the attack."

"Of course." O'Neill nodded. "So how do you get back?"

"As far as I know only the integrated Asgard scanners on my ship can trigger the device." Caldwell interjected. "Until we figure out exactly what frequency triggers it Daedalus has the only key to the gate."

"Fair enough Colonel," O'Neill said. "Lets head on home and open the gate for the President, then we better go see the President. I mean the other President. Lets just go."

SG 1 and a slightly reluctant Garibaldi began to head out for the hanger bay. O'Neill paused at the door and turned to Sheridan. "Good luck back home. When I get an answer I'll come back through the gate and tell you personally."

"Thank you General." Sheridan nodded. "We'll be waiting, all ten billion of us."

The gate opened in a dazzle of lights allowing the Excalibur to return to its home dimension. From the Prometheus Garibaldi watched it go and the portal home flicker shut behind it.

"It's a fine ship." Colonel Pendergast said from the command chair.

"You kidding?" O'Neill turned from the window. "It was frickin awesome! It had its own subway! And Star Trek doors! I want the Oddesey refitted with conveyor belts in its corridors. Make a note of that Carter."

"They had conveyer belts in their corridors?" Prendergast asked in disbelief.

"No, that's why I want them." O'Neill replied as if it were the most normal order in the galaxy. "to have something cool that they don't. take care of it Carter."

"Yes General." She smiled. "You're resources must be amazing back home." She addressed Garibaldi.

"When we mobilise it can be impressive to look at, you saw the ships we gathered for the battle." He answered. "But all the ships in the galaxy won't mean anything if that plague takes hold. We've got to do something about it today."

"And we will." O'Neill said with deep feeling. "When I say I'll break orders to help I mean it, this is bigger than me and Colonel Caldwell is right there with me, I can guarantee the whole SGC will be too. One way or another you'll have our help."

"Permission to return home General?" Prendergast asked.

"By all means." O'Neill nodded. "Mark this location on the charts and monitor it in case someone else uses the gate, then take us back to Nellis."

The Prometheus and Daedalus came about and began the long trek home with their guest onboard. As far as first contacts went it had been a success with no fatalities or embarrassing blunders which was a relief for all involved. It had also opened up an opportunity for both sides, for the SGC to jump a couple of centuries ahead in weapons and basic starship technology to integrate with their limited Asgard systems, that alone would have made the entire Stargate programme pay for itself a million times over. But more importantly it had created new hope for those suffering from the Drakh plague, and while nobody knew if a cure would arrive there was at the bottom of that despair one tiny morsel of comfort, that one way or another, in one place or another, Earth would go on.