O'NEILL & TEAL'C TO BETA SITE

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Whooosh!

Minutes later the StarGate splashed open and Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c came through to the Beta Site and made their way across the compound towards the Site Head Quarters.

Just as they entered the HQ building a Comms operator ran over to the Colonel from the Communications post on the other side of the compound.

Arriving breathless he straightened up and saluted. "As requested sir." The Comms officer delivered a message from Harlan on P3X 989, doubtless meant for Colonel O'Neill*, directly into the hand of Colonel O'Neill.

"I didn't request Sergeant."

"No Sir. Correct Sir. As ordered Sir. Your message."

Colonel O'Neill assumed the message had been forwarded to him from Earth.

The Airman wasn't moving, it seemed he had a question.

"What is it Sergeant, anything else?"

"Err Sir, you're Special Ops?"

"Sometimes."

"Are you undercover Sir?"

"Sometimes. Anything else Airman?" The Colonel was curt.

"No Sir. Thank You Sir."

The Colonel turned to Teal'c and enquired, "What was that about?"

Before Teal'c had a chance to comment or disclose that he didn't have the foggiest, a smiling voice concluded, "Young hopefuls Jack. Your reputation precedes you."

"So does your General. So does yours. How goes it Sir?"

"Almost done Jack." General Hammond was in the midst of wrapping up a briefing with some of his officers. He was preparing to return to The SGC.

"Sirs we're ready for you." One of the General's personal staff had fed the Colonel's AV message into a viewing console.

"Harlan on P3X 989." Teal'c observed.

"'Oh for crying out loud.' Tell me why, why is he requesting my help? What possible motive could he have this time. I thought I made it absolutely crystal clear, we're not a damn book and hire agency."

"Watch the show Jack."

General Hammond, Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c viewed the contents of the message. To say the least they were alarmed.

Harlan was near to hysterical. From his rantings and ramblings they deduced he was under attack from a Goa'uld who was trying to make him create an army of synthetics.

Harlan was begging the Colonel (Colonel*) to return to his planet with Teal'c (Teal'c*) and rescue him from the clutches of this madman. A Goa'uld called Ibnis.

The General seemed perplexed. "I don't understand how hes managed to get a message out. If as he says, hes alone and defenceless and surrounded by this Goa'uld and for all we know, his entire attack force, how on earth did he get a message out?"

"I don't know about that Sir. But I do know hes a resourceful little runt. And from what I can remember that plant is huge. Maybe he listened to what the Goa'uld had to say and then ran off and hid."

"Ran off and hid? Surrounded by an attack force?"

"Well theres really not much else he can do General."

"General Hammond, if the Goa'uld does have the resources of an attack force with him, why would Harlan request only the help of Colonel O'Neill and myself?"

"Yes, I'd like to know that too. Come to think of it, why would this Goa'uld, whats he called?"

"I believe Harlan called him Ibnis."

"Okay then, why would this Ibnis character want to coerce Harlan into making him an army of robots if he already had an army of Jaffa. The Goa'uld, is there no end to their greed!"

"Indeed!"

"That's a very good point Jack. I think you've just succeeded in throwing light on this situation."

"Yes General. Its all perfectly clear to you. And just as soon as you illuminate us we'll decide the best way to handle it."

"Okay, what have we actually got here Jack?"

"Well Sir, from what I can gather it seems like one of Cronus's cronies are making a play for Harlan's technology. As to which one of them, we can't be sure. But there is one person I bet my bottom dollar that its not."

"Sindar."

"Spot on big fella."

"Jack he was Cronus's first prime wasn't he."

"Yes Sir. And we definitely capped that one off. Or more precisely Darian did. Let him have it with a crossbow straight through the heart. Theres no way he managed to slither away from that one Sir. No I can't think who it could be. Any ideas T?"

"I have none. The Jaffa that comprised Cronus's army accepted our offer of freedom. Many of the Jaffa who had been in the service of Cronus joined our cause. And a great many others returned to their homes and family. I have received no reports of any who have since taken up arms to fight on behalf of another Goa'uld."

"There you have it General. It's a mystery."

"Teal'c have you even heard of this Goa'uld Ibnis?"

"No General I have not."

"Care to take a guess at who hes working for."

"I would not O'Neill. It maybe that he is representing himself. It is not uncommon for minor Goa'ulds to seek ways in which to impress the System Lords and thereby elevate their own standing amongst them."

"What some felonious fluffy nuts out to impress his bosses."

"Do you think this could be the situation here?"

"I do General."

"This would make a heck of a lot more sense."

"And the attacking force?"

"Perhaps there isn't one. As Teal'c said, Harlan only requested the pair of you. Jack I'm going to need you to investigate this immediately. We can not allow the Goa'uld to get a hold of that type of technology. That would be simply unacceptable."

"Tell me about, General. Disastrous."

"First and foremost you need to secure the robot making equipment. Whatever it takes to defeat this Goa'uld threat Jack."

"I hear you General."

"You're going to have to negotiate with Harlan for either the proper secure storage or disposal of his equipment. We can not take the risk that some other Goa'uld may decide to try and acquire it for himself in the future."

"Right Sir. I will negotiate with him!"

"General Hammond, In the transmission Harlan warned of an ambush situation at the P3X 989 StarGate. Because of the positioning of the StarGate inside the plant and the amount of cover provided, it would not be a difficult task for the Goa'uld Ibnis to lay a trap for any incoming travellers."

"I won't allow for any measure of chance, in which case using the StarGate is out of the question."

"Sir as you know, we still have the Cargo ship parked in the northern sector of the outer compound."

"What do you need Jack?"

"Well Sir, Daniels still out with Pierce fixing up fences. I'd like to have Carter along and its probably best to take one of the combat units. P3X niner eight niner, its well inside a few hours ride so if need be we can always send for reinforcements."

"As soon as I return to Earth I'll have Major Carter join you. I need to make sure shes properly equipped with the stellar co-ordinates for P3X 989, the planet Altair. I'll have SG-3 geared up and ready to go within the hour."

"General, I understand Five are carrying out training exercises here in the compound. They're already geared up."

"Good idea Colonel. You have a go!"

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© Richard Dean Anderson all rights reserved June 2006