Ring of Salvation
by AJ Marks
Part 3
Apollo shielded his eyes having a feeling he knew what he would see when he opened them up again. Blinking again he wasn’t surprised to see John standing there in the room but wondered why he was here his time. Did he know something about all of this as well and never bothered to tell them?
“Who are you and how did you get on my ship?” Adama asked.
“John,” Apollo said speaking up before his father did something everyone might regret.
“Commander, I apologize for my sudden appearance,” John said looking at everyone gathered there. “But you have questions that need answering, and I can provide some answers, at least why there are no stargates, aside from this one, in our galaxy.”
“You’re not human,” Sam said.
“Very perceptive, but what we would expected considering you’ve met such other races, like the ones you call the ancients and Asgard,” John said shocking everyone. “Oh yes, we are aware of them, but we don’t like to speak to others very often and we have a policy of not getting involved. But that doesn’t mean we’ll allow outside races to interfere with our galaxy.”
Adama had a feeling he would be told something else when Sam spoke up.
“You prevented the Ancients from seeding more worlds with the stargate,” she said.
“The stargate was part of the peace treaty between us,” John said.
“Whoa, you were at war with the Ancients,” Mitchell said causing John to look uncomfortable for a few seconds.
“They were extremely arrogant, thinking they knew everything,” John said.
“Yeah, I can understand that one,” Mitchell said. “They are arrogant from what I’ve heard.”
“They were also brilliant,” Sam said.
“It was that brilliance which led to the conflict, they wanted one thing, we wanted another. It was decided to have one stargate, here to allow diplomats to speak to each other. However it hasn’t been used in several millennia. Since then we’ve both outgrown such petty differences, and there are other ways to communicate,” John said. “They took the thirteenth tribe with them to their galaxy as part of the agreement. What happens beyond this point, we will not get involved.”
With that John disappeared before anyone else could ask any questions.
“Sounds just like a being who is ascended,” Mitchell said.
“I’m not sure they are ascended, but they do have some traits like an ascended,” Sam said.
“They’ve helped us out a few times,” Apollo said.
Everyone was quiet for several minutes before Adama finally spoke up.
“Your planet is Earth,” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s what we call it,” Mitchell said.
“This information is fascinating,” Sam said. “We’ve always thought the Gao’uld and Ancients spread humanity from Earth, but they brought us there, it would rewrite everything we know.”
“Daniel would love all of this,” Mitchell said.
“Is there any way to talk to your superiors?” Adama asked and Apollo wondered where his father was going.
“Well, they are going to contact us shortly,” Mitchell replied. “Standard procedure and to see if we are able to dial back.”
“Dial back?” Apollo asked.
“Yes, when dialing another galaxy the stargate requires more energy and normal gates require a boost they don’t normally have,” Sam replied.
“I see,” Adama said. “So, going there and talking to them is probably not very realistic.”
“It’s a possibility,” Samantha said. “I didn’t look to see how much power the ZPM has.”
“I’m hoping enough to power a gate back home,” Mitchell said.
“How far away is your galaxy?” Apollo asked.
“There is the Pegasus galaxy between ours,” Sam replied.
“And we didn’t have the best of luck there,” Mitchell said.
“Enemies?” Adama asked.
“More like a difference in religion,” Mitchell said.
Apollo wondered what options they might have with this latest knowledge. They had found the thirteenth tribe only to discover they were probably several million light years away.
*****
Jollly went about his patrol but wanted to know more about what was going on with the planet. The last he heard they had discovered a building on the surface who they didn’t know who built it. Instead of having Boomer as his wingmate he had Greenbean today as Boomer was needed on the planet.
“Jolly,” he heard Greenbean say.
“Yeah,” Jolly replied.
“Um, I’ve got something on my scanner here,” Greenbean said.
Jolly looked down at his own scanner and waited a few seconds until he also saw something. Quickly he activated the computer waiting for an identification hoping that it wouldn’t come back with anything. His hope was dashed by what appeared on the screen.
“Better inform the Galactica, they’ll want to know about this,” Jolly said, switching over to contact the Galactica and inform them of what they had encountered.
*****
Mitchell took a sip of water which had been offered. So far there had been a lot of information exchanged and things which were unexpected, like the appearance of this John person. He mentioned that his race and the ancients had disagreed which was why this galaxy had no stargates aside from this one.
Sam had found out some things by talking to Wilker but there was still a lot to learn, but if he had heard correctly they were not going to be staying at the planet due to an enemy called the Cylons. This new enemy appeared to only want one thing, the destruction of all humanity. He briefly wondered what they would think if they realized how far spread humanity was.
He glanced at the time and realized he needed to check in with Teal’c and Daniel.
“Is there a way we can contact out team on the planet’s surface?” Mitchell asked.
“Well, it’s unwise for such communications,” Apollo said, “we don’t know where the Cylons are.”
“It’s approaching time for us to check in,” Mitchell said even as another person walked into the room and went straight towards Adama.
“Sorry, but Jolly’s patrol has encountered a Cylon basestar,” the man said.
Mitchell noticed the tension in the room increased.
“They’ve found us!” Apollo said.
“We don’t know that yet, but this isn’t good news,” Adama said. “Where?”
“In front of us,” the man replied.
“I take it this isn’t good news,” Mitchell said.
“Some of the worst news we could receive,” Adama said but before anyone else could elaborate another man walked in.
“Omega, I left you in command of the bridge,” the other man said.
“Sorry, but two other patrols have encountered Cylon basestars, we’re almost surrounded,” Omega said.
“Go ahead with your message,” Adama said.
“Is that wise?” Apollo asked.
“They know where we are, and perhaps they might be able to help us somehow,” Adama said.
That left Mitchell at a loss. They had no way to bring anything over here to help out. Perhaps some bombs or something, supplies, guns on the planet’s surface. They stood and headed to the bridge, which was full of activity as people went about their duties and Adama went over to a bank of screens and looked something over.
“Right here, you can contact your team with this,” Omega said.
“Thanks,” Mitchell said, pressing the mic. “Daniel, come in.”
“Mitchell, that you?” Daniel asked.
“Yeah, look, something’s come up with them, their enemy has found them, we’re going to try and get back to the planet fast, but is there anything which Landry could do to help them out?” Mitchell asked back.
“Um, militarily, nothing comes to mind,” Daniel stated. “Our closest ships wouldn’t get here for weeks,” Daniel said.
“I know,” Mitchell said.
“Can we dial back to Earth?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, that wouldn’t be a problem,” Daniel said hesitantly. “How bad is for them?”
“If you go by attitudes, not good at all,” Mitchell said. “They have a couple hundred ships and if what I heard is correct, one warship and they are surrounded.”
“Um, well I have an idea,” Daniel said. “Hold on, the gate’s activating.”
“Be careful,” Mitchell said. “We don’t know if these Cylons know about the gates.”
“Cylons?”
“Their enemy,” Mitchell said.
“Right,” Daniel said and went quiet for a few seconds. “Its Landry wanting an update.”
“Tell him we’ll be back the moment we get back to the planet,” Mitchell said.
“How many people?” Daniel asked.
Mitchell had no idea and looked over at the young woman at the control.
“Around forty thousand,” she said.
“Probably around forty thousands, why?” Mitchell asked.
“Daniel, if you’re thinking what I think you are, it won’t work,” she said.
“Why not, we have power,” Daniel said.
“The SGC can’t handle so many people,” Sam said as Mitchell caught on finally.
“Not there but another planet,” Daniel said.
“I’m not sure they could organize such an operation,” Mitchell said.
“What operation?” Omega asked.
“My friend is thinking of using the stargate to evacuate your people to our galaxy,” Mitchell said.
“Commander,” Omega said much to Mitchell’s dismay.
“Yes,” Adama said making his way over. “Can your friends help?”
“My friend thinks we can use the stargate to evacuate your people to our galaxy,” Mitchell said. “But that’s too much of an organizational problem.”
“It might be our only chance,” Adama said. “Tigh, contact all captains, inform them of some new orders.”
“You can’t be serious,” Sam said.
“We’re surrounded, the Cylons are going to probably be in position very soon to make their attack. They are pushing towards this planet, I’ll do what they want, and I can send ships ahead.”
“Shuttling so many down to the planet’s surface, that’s going to be almost impossible,” Mitchell said.
“No, the ships can land on the surface,” Adama said. “Do we have a place we can go?”
“Daniel, they think they can do it, but the SGC can’t handle that many,” Mitchell said.
“I know, but we have another planet in mind, it currently houses a Jaffa base, but Landry thinks it would work for short term,” Daniel said.
“The Jaffa would be most hospitable to such people,” Teal’c said.
“How many can we get through the gate at a time?” Mitchell asked.
“Well, at 30 minutes to hold the gate open, everyone goes though in an orderly fashion, we might get over a thousand per trip, perhaps more if everything goes smoothly,” Sam said.
“We’ll do what we can then, tell Landry to get it ready,” Mitchell said.
“Already done, he’ll call back when he’s contacted them,” Daniel said.
“Tigh, inform all ships, make for the planet, and let’s get operations on to fill up as many ships as possible to land,” Adama said.
“We’re going to be burning a lot of fuel,” Tigh replied back to him.
“It’s okay, we won’t be coming back,” Adama said. “I’ll inform the council of the decision.”
Mitchell had the impression that wouldn’t go well as he followed Adama off the bridge hoping to provide some support leaving Sam on the bridge to coordinate with Daniel on the evacuation process.
Mitchell found himself in a room with several older men all of whom were looking at Adama then at Mitchell.
“Who is this?’ one asked.
“Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell, Earth,” he said watching their reaction not surprised when they all were shocked.
“We don’t have much time,” Adama said. “The Cylons have found us and are laying a trap.”
“Can Earth help?”
“Earth is actually several million light years away,” Michell said. “In another galaxy.”
“Then how are you here?”
“That’s part of what is going on,” Adama said. “He came here though a device called a stargate, it allows them to travel vast distances almost instantly. We are going to use that to leave this galaxy behind.”
“What?” several said along with other cries.
“We have no other choice, the Galactica cannot fight this battle and win,” Adama said. “We have been offered sanctuary in their galaxy where humans are numerous.”
“Forty thousand people?” another one asked.
“It can’t be done!”
“It will have to be, or we will die here,” Adama said. “They have at least four basestars, at best the Galactica could take on two, perhaps three but not four.”
Mitchell noticed the words had an effect.
“We just can’t up and abandon everything we’ve worked for,” one said finally after a few seconds.
“Councilman, I would love to hear an alternative, but I don’t have one and we are almost out of time and we have no reinforcements coming,” Adama said.
The council went quiet.
End part 3