Vallejo, California
Earth
Milky Way
Rich. Full bodied. Flavorful. Each morning in the Ford household began with the assistance of coffee, but not just any coffee. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is renowned as one of the best in the world. At forty dollars a pound, it was also one of the most expensive. As a true coffee aficionado, Lara Ford gladly shouldered the expense, content in the knowledge the luxury was well worth the price of admission.
As she always did, Lara had risen early. This she did to jog, before making her grandparents breakfast. They were all the family she had left, and she cared for them as such. Today's breakfast consisted of waffles, fruit, and turkey bacon. Lara's grandfather, as he always did, grumbled about the bacon that was anything but bacon. Praise from the kindly old man always came for the coffee though.
Grabbing the coffee pot, Lara made her way from the kitchen to the breakfast nook. Without prompting, she refilled her grandparent's mugs with the steaming brew. As they always did each morning, the aging couple smiled gratefully in reply. Her mid-breakfast task complete, Lara made her way back into the kitchen. Once there, she refilled her own mug. Unlike her grandparents, she preferred her coffee without cream. When her cousin Aiden had been alive, she and he would always joke about how Lara preferred her coffee. Aiden had always said she preferred her coffee as he preferred his women. Bitter.
The memory of those times always brought tears to Lara's eyes. Sometimes, she could go weeks without thinking of her late cousin. Other times, her thoughts were filled with memories of him. Today was one of those days. The reason for that came from the small television sitting on the kitchen counter. Tuned, as it was each morning, to CNN, the screen was filled with a certain Senator from New York. Up in arms over casualty figures from the war on Tagrea, the Senator was animated and angry.
Since disclosure of the Stargate Program, Lara had often wondered if this was what her cousin had been involved. His absence before his disappearance, and the military's lack of explanation pointed to that, but she had no way to confirm her suspicions. Had her cousin fallen in some unknown battle on another planet? As much as she wished to know the answer to that question, she knew that the answers would almost certainly never come. A loud knock on the front door ended these thoughts.
Walking briskly through the kitchen, and across the living room, Lara made her way to the homes front door. Reaching the door, she first parted the white cloth curtain covering the doors window. Looking through the glass, Lara's breath caught for a moment at the sight of the individual standing on her doorstep. A military officer in dress uniform was a rarity at the front door. If he was here at so early an hour of the day, the news could not be good. Inhaling deeply, Lara opened the door, hoping her world was not about to crash down around her once again.
"Yes?" Lara asked.
"Good morning ma'am. I am Colonel Paul Davis, United States Air Force." Davis began.
"What can I help you with Colonel?" Lara inquired.
"Are you Ms. Lara Ford?" Davis questioned.
"I am." Lara responded.
"If you would be so kind as to invite me in, you and I need to speak." Davis urged.
"Where are my manners? Please Colonel, come in." Lara said in welcome as she ushered the visitor in.
Opening the front door fully, Davis was whisked inside the home. Lara's anxiety climbed rapidly as the sharply dressed officer entered her home. Ever the gracious host, she offered him a seat on the couch. Settling into his seat, Davis watched as Lara took a seat of her own in a chair facing him.
"Can I offer you a cup of coffee Colonel?" Lara asked.
"No thank you ma'am." Davis replied.
"You are clearly here for a reason, so please say what you've come to say." Lara prompted.
Before a word could be said, Lara's grandparents appeared in the living room. Taking stock of the new arrival, a tired look of sorrow came over the elderly couples face. As a retired service member, Mr. Ford was certain he knew what this visit meant. Quietly, the elderly couple took seats in around the coffee table.
"You are here about Aiden." Grandfather Ford said simply.
"Have you found him?" Grandmother Ford asked, hoping with all her might.
"I am here at the order of the President." Davis began.
"Have you found him or not?" Lara demanded.
"My orders are to collect all three of you, and deliver you to Andrews Air Force Base. I have transport standing by for that purpose." Davis stated.
"Colonel, you have not answered my question." Grandfather Ford said.
"All I can tell you is what I know. My assignment is to bring about your delivery to Andrews. At this time I can tell you nothing else." Davis answered.
"We have been down this path before Colonel. When Aiden went missing, no one could tell us anything. To this day, we have not been told where he was, what he was doing, and why he went missing. If he is dead, drop the secrecy and just tell us. This family has suffered enough for two lifetimes." Lara explained, fighting back tears.
"The answers you are seeking will be found at our destination." Davis replied.
"How long will we be gone?" Lara asked.
"My instructions are to ask that you pack for a week. If the stay is longer than that, arraignments will be made." Davis replied.
"We have waited years for the truth Colonel. If we go with you, will that truth finally be told?" Grandfather Ford demanded.
"Yes sir, I believe it will be." Davis replied.
"I am going to take you at your word. Ladies, we need to pack." Grandfather Ford announced.
Forty minutes later, the Ford family was packed and ready. Lara had expected a lesser ranking service member to collect their luggage for the drive to a nearby airfield. What she had not expected was Davis requesting that the Ford's stand beside their baggage. From his pants pocket, he removed a small device. This he brought to his lips.
"Four plus luggage ready to beam." Davis said into the device.
Arkos
Sol Solar System
Milky Way
Eighty five thousand kilometers from the Ancient designed and built shipyard of Arkos, a hyperspace window blossomed open. From this dimensional doorway, the imposing form of the Athena Class vessel Intrepid emerged. As she had done many times before, Intrepid returned home from another successful voyage to Pegasus and back. This time, she carried a passenger of note. Lieutenant Aiden Ford, the man thought lost for so long, was returning home.
At the urging of Intrepid's commanding officer, Ford stood on the observation deck. His expectation was that the sight of Earth would greet him. Instead of Earth filling his view, an icy planetoid stood before him. This sight perplexed Ford. Not falling into orbit of the planetoid as Ford expected, Intrepid powered on towards the celestial body. Unexpectedly, an energy screen came into view along the planetoids equator. Through this energy screen, Intrepid entered Arkos Station.
The sight filling Ford's eyes was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Ships of varying types and sizes stood proudly at dock. As Daedalus Class vessels sat amongst these, Ford assumed these ships belonged to Earth's now powerful fleet. One level below these vessels, fifteen Bilisknr Class vessels of Asgard design floated silently. Shifting his gaze top to bottom, Ford's eyes took in every sight before him. As he did, a part of him thought of the Death Star from Star Wars, but he dismissed those thoughts.
Maneuvering with a grace that belied her great size, Intrepid angled towards her docking space. Settling in amongst her sister ships sitting at rest, the warship came to a halt. Her voyage was now at an end. Extending from the pier, disembarkation ramps locked into place at four airlocks down the length of the ship. From the ship wide public address system, the announcement that crew could begin exiting the vessel could be heard.
Startling Ford, a figure appeared beside him as he stepped foot on the docking pier. The avatar of Arkos, tasked with getting the new arrival to his destination, gave Ford an abbreviated history of Arkos as the duo made their way down ten levels. At a comfortable observation area, the two stopped.
"I must ask that you wait here." Arkos instructed.
"Why?" Ford asked.
"Someone wishes to speak with you." Arkos answered.
"Who here would want to speak with me?" Ford asked in confusion.
"I would." A feminine voice announced.
The voice was one Ford knew well. Sadly, it was a voice he had not heard in many years. Turning on his heels, he came face to face with a valued friend.
"Teyla!" Ford exclaimed happily.
"It is good to see you once again. We have all missed you Aiden. I knew once day you would return to us." Teyla replied, while embracing her friend.
"What are you doing here?" Ford asked.
"I was on Earth, presenting my findings of the colony scouting effort. I also successfully negotiated farm equipment in return, I am happy to say." Teyla replied.
"You look good! I heard you had a son." Ford stated.
"That I did. Much changed in your absence." Teyla answered.
"Everyone keeps saying that. I just hope it is not too overwhelming a change." Ford said with a trace of apprehension.
"Do not worry. Everything changes, but who we are remains the same." Teyla said with feeling.
"Do you have a little time to talk?" Ford asked.
"I wish I did. My departure for Pegasus aboard Bunker Hill is only moments away. Soon, you and I will find the time to sit down and talk." Teyla swore.
"Promise?" Ford asked.
"Yes, you have my word. Goodbye for now Aiden. I will see you again very soon." Teyla promised as she again hugged her friend.
As Teyla strode away, Ford watched her. He was thankful for her friendship, but regretted missing years of that friendship with his absence. If only he had listened to Doctor Becket those many years ago, he might never have missed a moment of this life. It was too late to change that he realized, and pushed those thoughts out of his mind. The avatar of Arkos appearing beside him once again, pushed those thoughts to the recesses of his mind and out of thought.
The avatar as his guide, Ford was led to a Puddle Jumper bay on the other side of the large facility. As the two walked, Arkos answered the many questions welling up from Ford. In those few short minutes, Ford learned the true power and size of Earth's fleet. No longer was it diminutive in size, but instead vast and powerful. Things truly had changed on all levels.
Upon entry of the Jumper bay, Arkos bid Ford farewell. Waiting by their Jumper, the Air Force flight crew standing by took charge of their passenger. As Ford took his seat in the comfortable chair behind the flight crew, memories of Jumper trip past filled his mind. Closing the rear ramp, the small shuttle was readied for space flight. Engaging the antigravity drive while extending the drive pods, the flight crew slowly exited the bay. Emerging into the central docking area, the small shuttle darted past vessels many hundreds of times its size.
Passing through the protective energy screen, the Jumper freed itself from the confines of Arkos Station. Power surged into the extended drive pod, propelling the Jumper through space. Fully aware of just how boring the empty scenery of space could be, Ford shifted forward in his seat to speak with the flight crew.
"How long to Earth?" Ford asked.
"We will get you there, but we are making a stop along the way." The pilot replied.
"A stop? Where?" Ford asked.
"Mars." The copilot interjected.
"Mars? Why are we going to Mars?" Ford questioned.
"Someone wants to speak with you about a portion of your debrief on Atlantis." The pilot explained.
Running at the upper limit of its top speed, the Jumper crossed the distance between Arkos and Mars in just two hours. Instead of the red planet filling the shuttles view screen that Ford expected, a lush planet graced by crystal blue oceans welcomed him. What was once barren and lifeless was now filled with forests clearly visible from space. Shimmering in the distance, a large city was visible. More than he imagined had changed, that much was becoming more apparent with each passing moment.
"We built all of this?" Ford asked in shock.
"Not exactly." The pilot responded.
"It's quite a sight!" Ford exclaimed.
"You think this is something, wait until you see Earth." The pilot chuckled.
Slowing greatly, the Jumper sailed through the geosynchronous orbital plain of Mars. As it did, the small craft passed four Aurora Class vessels of the Replicator fleet. Inertial dampeners canceled out any buffeting and vibration that should have been present as the Jumper crossed into the planet's upper atmosphere easily. Landing instructions appeared on the view screen, which the pilots took immediate note of. The sprawling city grew each second as the jumper descended.
Though this cityscape was made up of towers of unimaginable height, they were not the centerpiece. At the city's center, a domed structure, which looked as if it was constructed of sapphire, stood. Surrounding this large structure were blazing beams of light, which shone into the sky above. The pilot informed Ford this was the Temple of Essence, where human form replicators came into being. In replicator culture, this Temple was the single most significant structure in existence.
Circling around the Temple complex, the Jumper descended. Coming in low over tree lined walkways, human form replicators walking in small groups along these walkways were clear to see. Fifty yards from the arched entryway of the Temple, the Jumper slowly settled to the ground. Upon landing, the rear loading ramp lowered. Within the Jumper, Ford rose from his seat to exit. As he took his first step onto the replicator home world, Ford took in the sight of everything around him. Hearing a female voice clear her throat brought Ford's attention back into focus.
"Somehow I knew you would turn up." The female voice said lightly.
"Doctor Weir!" Ford said in surprise.
"Were you expecting someone else?" Elizabeth asked.
"After running into Teyla a few hours ago, I would not be surprised if I ran into the President." Ford replied with a wry smile.
"General O'Neill asked that you and I have a talk, before you arrive on Earth. He felt it would be best to get this talk out of the way before you become occupied with other more pressing matters." Elizabeth explained.
"So they sent you to Mars for that?" Ford asked.
"My time is split between here and Shambhala." Elizabeth explained.
"So this is why you are no longer commanding Atlantis then?" Ford asked.
"Much has happened since you disappeared. I am the leader of the replicator civilization. Lets take a walk, and talk about your debrief." Elizabeth suggested.
Walking side by side, the two longtime acquaintances made their way inside the Temple of Essence. Ford was quick to note the level of respect the replicators within the Temple showed Weir. As they made their way to higher up in the Temple, the two began to walk along a balcony that circled the dome.
"Why do they look at you the way they do?" Ford asked.
"Because I am their leader." Weir relied simply.
"That does not explain the looks they give you." Ford argued.
"I am one of them Aiden; a replicator. They see me as the one responsible for humanity accepting them as equals." Weir replied.
"You are a replicator?" Ford asked in shock.
"Like I said, a lot has changed since you disappeared. Now, let's talk about your debrief." Weir urged.
"What would you like to know?" Ford asked.
"You mentioned a discovery you made during your time with the Vanir. Tell me about that." Weir ordered.
"The Vanir were well aware of the defeat of the Wraith. I was tasked with searching for uninhabited worlds the Vanir could establish a new home world upon. I must have explored three dozen worlds before my discovery." Ford explained.
"What did you discover?" Weir pressed.
"On a world that the Wraith culled all life from thousands of years ago, I stumbled across Wraith activity. As the entire galaxy believed the Wraith defeated and gone forever, this came as a surprise." Ford said with arched eyebrows.
"Wraith activity? It is entirely possible a Wraith outpost was present on the planet, abandoned before their demise." Weir argued.
"I thought that too, until I observed Wraith patrolling on foot and in the air with Darts." Ford countered.
"You mean to tell me Wraith are still present on a world within Pegasus?" Weir asked.
"That is exactly what I am telling you. Those patrolling were all commanders. Not a single drone was present that I saw. Why would dozens of commanders stand guard over a facility?" Ford asked rhetorically.
"That would only happen if the facility was extremely important. Why, after the destruction of their race, that facility would remain important is the question." Weir stated.
"A Vanir vessel, using a prototype cloaking system, conducted over flights of the area patrolled by Wraith. Though they discovered a facility of some sort inside a cliff, the interior was heavily shielded. The Vanir stated that never before had they seen sensor shielding used by the Wraith. That means this is important." Ford further explained.
"Having those sensor readings would be helpful." Weir mused.
From his pocket, Ford withdrew a data crystal. Looking at it carefully, he held it up for Weir to see. This, he laid in her hand.
"This is everything the Vanir could get. Will you share this with Earth?" Ford asked.
"The data on this crystal will arrive on Earth before you do." Weir assured him.
"If I had to guess, I would say that whatever this facility might be, it probably has something to do with rebuilding the Wraith as a race." Ford added.
"That is very possible. If I know the SGC, I suspect we will know that answer soon. You have a schedule to keep Lieutenant. Let's get you back to your Jumper." Weir suggested.
Open Space
Perseus Arm
Milky Way
From within the rapidly opening hyperspace window, an Asgard O'Neill Class vessel emerged. In command was Kvasir, one of Thor's most trusted ship commanders. His mission, as it had been for many months, was to chase the gravimetric anomalies detected within the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. This most recent reemergence from hyperspace was Kvasir's third of the day.
Long range sensors had detected a gravimetric anomaly from this area of space less than an hour before.
Powerful sensors aboard the Asgard vessel scanned space in all directions. Three seconds later, an audible chime announced detection of something. Running his hands over the control panel before him, Kvasir isolated the detected object, and attempted to enhance an image on his view screens. What he saw, was not what he expected. On his screen, an immense dull gray vessel sat.
Focusing all sensors on this vessel, Kvasir began to generate vast amounts of data on this vessel of unknown origin. Altering his own course track, Kvasir piloted his O'Neill closer. As the O'Neill inched closer, the image of the unknown vessel grew clearer. Though an O'Neill Class was a vessel of immense size, it was dwarfed by the vessel in the distance. At that moment, Kvasir realized that if he could detect this vessel, then it stood to reason that it could detect him as well.
Studying the sensor readings closely, the Asgard ship commander was surprised by the staggering number of life signs aboard. Energy levels aboard the triangular vessel were high, and climbing steadily. At that moment, things grew far more interesting. Along the sides of the triangular shaped vessel, energy in vast amounts began to flow through power conduits. An ethereal glow surrounded the ship.
At that moment, Kvasir realized the unknown vessel was powering weapons. To counter this, he quickly raised the powerful shields of his own ship. His weapons, he left unpowered. When the unknown vessel did not fire, Kvasir knew that leaving his own weapons suite powered down had averted a battle. Wordlessly, the two vessels stared at one another across a gulf of one hundred thousand kilometers. This continued for seven long minutes, until something began to happen.
From the top and bottom of the leviathan like triangular ship, fountains of magenta tinted energy erupted. Cascading waves of energy flowed across the dull gray iridium hull. Sensors aboard Kvasir's vessel detected amounts of energy flowing through and around the unknown vessel that were incredible, even to an Asgard. In the cold silence of open space, the unknown vessel began to move forward.
On the sensor display, Kvasir took note of a gravimetric anomaly forming. Space in front of the unknown vessel expanded forward, while space behind contracted. In an explosion of light, radiation, heat, and gravity the large vessel departed in a blink of an eye. This style of faster than light travel was unknown to the Asgard. Acting quickly, Kvasir transmitted his sensor and video data to the Asgard home world. As he did, he also transmitted a video message.
"This is Kvasir. I have found the source of the gravimetric anomaly. The problem is larger than we suspected."
Beyond Earth's moon
Sol Solar System
Milky Way
Running at near the maximum of its top sublight speed, the Puddle Jumper charged towards Earth. In the rear compartment of the small craft, Lieutenant Aiden Ford changed into his Marine Corps service uniform with jacket. It was a uniform he thought he would never wear again, and one that luckily had been stored away on Atlantis. Fully changed over, he once again took his seat behind the flight team piloting the Jumper.
As the shuttle passed Earth's lone moon, the Improved Daedalus Class vessel Sun Li Ren could be seen, departing on a mission of its own. Filling the Jumpers view screen was the most beautiful sight Ford could imagine. That sight was Earth, the planet of his birth. In Earth orbit, at a space docking station not present years before, Ford say several spacecraft docked; one Asgard, one Ori, and one Traveler.
High above Earth's surface, over Western Europe, the Puddle Jumper began to descend into the atmosphere. Heat and friction began to build on the small crafts shout outer hull. Inside the Jumper, Ford wore a smile from ear to ear. Finally, he was coming home. This marked the end of a journey began many years before. It was a closure of shorts, for this chapter of his life. What the next chapter would hold was unknown.
In times past, crossing the Atlantic had taken months in the age of sail, and hours during the jet age. The Jumper, moving at many times the speed of sound, crossed the Atlantic in minutes. As the shuttle and its passengers passed through seventy thousand feet of altitude, the eastern seaboard of the United States began to take shape in the windscreen. In a corner of the windscreen, landing instructions displayed as they were received.
Cleared all the way into Bolling Air Force Base, the Jumper continued it's decent. Washington D.C. and surrounding urban areas began to take shape. Having graduated from the Naval Academy, it was a part of the country Ford knew well. Oddly, this was not the D.C. of his memory.
Looking closely, Aiden was struck by the fact the towers climbing into the sky above looked eerily like those of Atlantis. As the Jumper continued to close, he also noticed the brick buildings D.C. was known for were nowhere in attendance.
As the Jumper swooped in over Bolling Air Force Base, the Washington Monument was visible in the distance. Were it not for that, Ford might never have believed that this was truly Earth. Slowly, the Jumper descended the final three hundred feet to the ground. There, on a pad once used exclusively for helicopters, the Jumper touched down. Seconds later, the rear ramp lowered once more.
Standing near a staff car, an Air Force Colonel watched as Ford exited the shuttle. As the Colonel was staring intently at Ford, this told the Lieutenant whom the Colonel was here for. Firing off a crisp salute, which the Colonel returned, the two officers began to speak.
"Lieutenant Ford?" The Colonel asked.
"Yes sir!" Ford replied formally.
"I am Colonel Davis. We met before your departure to Atlantis." Davis explained.
"Yes sir, I remember you." Ford replied.
"Welcome home. The car is behind me, follow me." Davis ordered.
Walking quickly to the staff car, Davis and Ford took their seats in the back. At the Colonel's order, the young enlisted driver started the vehicle and began to drive to the other side of the base. Looking out the window, it was clear to Ford that they were entering VIP quarters, normally reserved for visiting foreign officers. These quarters were stately homes, built long ago.
"Sir, may I ask you a question?" Ford asked.
"Sure, fire away." Davis invited.
"Am I here about reassignment?" Ford inquired.
"No, this is something different. The Marines have an exciting opportunity for you though, if you accept." Davis replied.
Bolling is far from a large base, so crossing it in the staff vehicle took little time. In front of a red brick two story home, with freshly painted green trim, the staff vehicle came to a stop. Davis instructed the driver to remain in the vehicle, before he and Ford exited. With Ford in tow, Davis walked up the brick walkway, and reached for the brass door handle of the front door. Before he could open it, an enlisted usher opened the front door and greeted both officers.
"Gentlemen, can I offer either of you a drink?" The usher asked.
"No thank you Sergeant. Where are your guests?" Davis asked.
"They are in the solarium sir." The usher responded.
"Follow me Lieutenant." Davis ordered.
In the solarium, Ford's grandparents and cousin sat. Since their arrival, they had been certain of the reason they here. Surely, the military was going to inform them Aiden was now confirmed dead. Those thoughts broke hearts long broken, even further.
"If he is gone, why can they not just come out and tell us?" Lara asked aloud.
As she uttered that question aloud, Lara noticed Colonel Davis appear in the solarium doorway. Her heart raced and her throat parched, as an icy ball formed in the pit of her stomach. This must be the decisive moment, she thought. Grandmother and Grandfather Ford turned in their seats to face the Colonel. Before accusations or statements could be made, their world turned upside down.
Stepping into the solarium, behind Colonel Davis, Lieutenant Aiden Ford took in the sight of his family for the first time in years. His grandparents had aged greatly since he last saw them. His cousin Lara, with shock written on her face, looked at him in numb acknowledgement. From Lara's hand, her drink tumbled to the floor. Grandmother Ford, seeing the boy she had raised after his parents died, broke into tears. Grandfather Ford jumped, as well as his arthritis allowed, to his feet. Crossing the distance to his grandson quickly, Grandfather Ford embraced Aiden as tightly as he could. Realizing his presence was not needed, Davis retreated from the solarium without a word.
"Where have you been?" Grandfather Ford asked as he held his grandson.
"You're alive! I held out hope for so long, even when everyone said I should not." Lara managed to say between sobs.
"Colonel Sheppard told us you would come home one day. I knew when he said it that it was true." Grandmother Ford said, holding back tears.
Closing in on Aiden and his grandfather, Lara and her grandmother embraced the two men. For minutes the Ford family stood there, holding one another, wracked with sobs. Aiden finally managed to get everyone seated, though his cousin and grandmother refused to not hold on to his hands.
"Where were you?" Lara asked softly.
"That is kind of a long story." Ford replied awkwardly.
"It wasn't on this planet, was it?" Lara pressed.
"It wasn't even in this galaxy, but let's not talk about that right now." Ford suggested.
For the remainder of the afternoon, and late into the evening, the Ford family sat in the solarium and talked. They talked of anything and everything. Family, events, and plans for the coming holidays were all made. Finally, after what seemed like a different life, Aiden Ford had come home.