PART FIVE

Revise this section

As soon as they landed on Initti, they exited the ship through the double doors. The first thing Jack noticed was the inside of a cave. Go'nar had explained that the base and the Stargate were located on a very cold part of the planet, so it wasn't any surprise.

Two metal doors further inside the cave slid open, and SG-2 and SG-3 walked out. Walking beside them were more aliens dressed in blue and black robes.

Colonel Malcomb of SG-2 walked forward. He saluted Jack. "Colonel O'Neill. Good to see you again."

"Same here," Jack responded, giving him his special half-salute.

Go'nar and his team bowed before the new coming aliens. "Your highness, the mission was a success with zero casualties on our side," Go'nar reported.

"Good work, Go'nar. Take your men and get some sleep and something to eat. Hara," he nodded toward one of the women who came with him, "will make sure your ship's energy source is replenished."

"Thank you, sir." Go'nar and his team bowed again and then departed through the doors, disappearing further into the underground base.

The king turned to Jack, Sam, Teal'c, and Daniel. "Greetings. I am Larek, the king of Hellinar. Welcome to our Initti Base. Before I show you all to the Stargate, there are some things I was hoping to discuss with you. I have already spoken with SG-2 and SG-3," he told SG-1.

"It's okay, Colonel," Malcomb said.

Jack glanced back at Teal'c, Sam, and Daniel. Daniel shrugged. Sam said, "I don't see why not."

Jack turned back to Larek. "Sure."

"This way, please," Larek said. He nodded at another of his personal guard or whoever. "Yolan will show the other teams to the Stargate. They will wait for you there."

Larek turned and headed back toward the doors, leaving his own men behind to assist with directing the other teams and re-fueling Go'nar's ship. Jack O'Neill glanced at Sam, Teal'c, and Daniel before they followed him.

They walked into a hall that turned left and soon passed through some sort of a control room. It was similar to Go'nar's short-range fighter, only there were chairs in front of the purple crystal walls. "Status," Larek asked when they walked in.

"Your highness, the Antarian energy canon is still off-line due to a severe windstorm, but the others are fully operational again, sir," one of them answered.

"Good. Get that canon fixed as soon as that storm lets up. Let me know of any changes. We'll be in my briefing room."

"Yes, my Lord."

They passed on through the control room into another hall. They took a few tuns at intersections before they finally arrived at their destination.

They walked into the room and sat down in the first row of chairs set up in the room. Larek sat down with them. "I'm sure you must have a lot of questions, and I'll try my best to answer all of them."

"Go'nar told us that your race has been fighting against the Skins for some time," Daniel said, "but he didn't explain why."

"We were at peace once. But our relations became strained when Kivar came into power fifty years ago. He became obsessed with the granilith, a device that we used in emergencies for extra power. He became determined to get one for his people. So he attacked one of our outposts. Peace talks were immediately set in motion. He demanded that we hand over the granilith."

"King Zan, who was the ruler over all of the other races including my own, refused to give it to him. So Kivar raided his palace on Antar and killed his whole family, who were also referred to as the Royal Four. We've been at war with Kivar's army and his allies ever since then."

"If they were the Royal Four, why are the heirs to the throne also called the Royal Four?" Sam asked him.

"Well, they aren't exactly the heirs," Larek explained. "Before the Royal Four died, they created two sets of duplicates, or clones, as you like to call them. They sent both sets to Earth hoping that one set would live."

"It took them over forty years to hatch from their incubation pods."

O'Neill gave him a look. "Hatched?"

"When they came out, they looked like six-year-old human beings. They couldn't remember anything about their previous lives, but they found out about them eventually. They know they're aliens and are destined to be our rulers, but they can't remember much about what it used to be like. But they are capable of ruling our planets, and if they do, they can help us stop the war. What I need to know is will you help us if we send you back to Earth?"

"We don't really like aliens who try to ambush our world," Jack said. "We'll have to talk to our superiors, but I'm sure we can work something out."

"Yes, I heard that Apophis attacked your world."

"How is it that you know so much about us?" Daniel asked.

"I have been to Earth several times in the last year," Larek answered, "and a few of my agents have checked up on your governments. We knew you possessed knowledge about the Goa'uld, but until recently we didn't know you had managed to kill several of them, so now we hope you can be trusted."

"There is something else," Teal'c said. "There were strange crystals on PX9-114, which I believe you referred to as the planet of Trollinar."

"Yea, what were those buildings?" Jack asked.

"Those buildings had such a complex design," Sam commented. "I couldn't see a point to it until one of the Skins' ships landed on it."

Larek smiled. "The buildings were experimental. Trollinar was used for scientific research before the war. But it turned out to be a mistake. The crystals would have been harmless in the atmosphere of my and the Antarians' home planet, because there is no oxygen in them."

"No oxygen?" Sam asked, surprised.

Larek nodded. "No matter what environment we are introduced to, our bodies will adapt to it. My original form is much different than this one, but it is not ideal for a cold climate. Every Hellinarian on this base is breathing oxygen right now because our bodies shifted to keep us alive in this sort of atmosphere."

"Cool. But let's get back to the point, shall we? The crystals?" Jack asked.

Larek took in a deep breath. "The crystals were created to relieve minor injuries and pain, but when they are introduced to oxygen, they metamorphose into something else. They can enter a humanoid and take control of him, but only for short periods of time. The human will have control the rest of the time, but won't remember anything from when the crystal was in control."

"Sir," Carter addressed Jack, "In SG-4's report, Captain Whit reported feeling something crawl up his leg, but when he looked nothing was there." She looked at Larek. "Could he be infected by the crystal?"

"It's very possible."

"What exactly does the crystal do?" Teal'c asked Larek.

"It can grow very quickly and enter more human bodies easily, and it will keep doing that until it takes over all of the humans on Earth. The human bodies will provide enough warmth and energy for the crystals to change into something bigger, like a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, and then they will break through from their hosts' bodies by tearing through their stomachs."

"We need to get back to the SGC right now," Daniel said. "We need to contain the crystals any way we can."

"The crystals will need oxygen to live," Larek told them. "Cut off their oxygen supply, and you'll kill them."

The door opened behind them and Go'nar appeared. "Your highness, three Skin long-range fighters are heading toward the base on Killar. The base is being evacuated right now, but they need help stalling the Skins. The Skins will pass Initti in fifty minutes."

"Do they know we're hear?" Larek stood up.

"Not as far as we know, your highness."

"We have to intercept them," Larek said.

"That will give away the position of our base, sir," Go'nar reminded him.

"Killar is controlled by one of our allies. If we want to stay friends with them, we have to help them."

"Yes, sir. I'll prepare the fighter ships for launch."

Larek turned to Carter, Teal'c, Daniel, and Jack O'Neill. "You must meet your friends at the Stargate immediately. One of my men will meet you in docking bay nine. He will talk to the Stargate." He stepped in front of O'Neill. "If you stop the Skins from capturing the Royal Four and stall them, I can get twelve of my ships to Earth in eleven days. That is as soon as I can get them there. But you must promise to help the Royal Four."

"Go'nar said you didn't have enough resources to spare for an ambush on the Skin ships heading toward Earth," Daniel commented.

"If our allies find out that you are protecting the Royal Four from death, they will be willing to help. Two of our ally's worlds and fleets are closer to Earth than mine are. They can help you. Now go."

SG-1 took off down the hall in the direction Larek pointed in. Not long after, they came across doors that led to several docking bays. They went passed each one until they can to Docking Bay Nine, then they opened the door and ran inside.

Sak'ra was waiting outside of a small ship. "In here," she told them before disappearing through a door. They followed her inside.

The door closed behind them, and a few minutes later, the docking bay doors slid open and they took off.

Ten minutes later, they landed a few meters away from the Stargate. SG-2 and SG-3 stood near it wearing coats. Sak'ra handed them coats before they walked out.

"I have to return to the base," she said. "Good luck."

A few minutes later, SG-1, 2, and 3 went through the gate.

(above scene in need of revising)

*****

"It's good to have you all back, SG-1." General Hammond smiled at them. He, Dr. Carter, Daniel, Teal'c, and Colonel O'Neill were seated around the briefing room table in the SGC.

"It's certainly good to be back, sir," Jack told him.

"I've already talked to SG-2 and 3, and they've informed me about what Larek told them. Now that you're all safe and sound, I see no reason why we should hand them over, unless these Royal Four are dangerous to Earth."

"I recommend sending a team to gather as much intelligence on them as possible, sir," Jack said.

"I've already done that. The operatives have been watching the people that matched the descriptions Kivar gave us for the last five hours. This is what they've found out."

He picked up the remote and turned on the television monitor. A picture of a normal-looking teenage boy and a profile filled the screen. "This is Max Evans. He is seventeen years old and attending Roswell High. He and another teenager were involved in a kidnapping case FBI Agent Duff and the Roswell Sheriff's Department worked on recently. They don't know what his involvement was, but it was enough to get the local Sheriff fired."

"What? Why?" Daniel asked.

"More information is in the report, Dr. Jackson," Hammond answered. He continued, "The other teenager they suspected was involved was Max's sister, Isabel, who is also one of the teens Kivar claims are the Royal Four. She is seventeen and in the eleventh grade at Roswell High, but according to her principle she plans to graduate early. Her record is pretty clean, except for the kidnapping case."

"The third one is Michael Guerin, who is seventeen but got his legal adult statis early. He lives alone and works at the Crashdown Café after school, although he doesn't always make it to school. He hasn't been involved in any crimes recently, but last year he was arrested on several occasions for petty thief, and he is a suspect in his foster father's murder."

"The other one is Tess Harding, who is also seventeen and attending Roswell High. She moved to Roswell with her foster father last year shortly before he disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Jack asked. "How does a guy just disappear?"

"We don't know," Hammond said. "And that's all we have to go on so far."

He turned the TV off and swiveled back to them. "I'm assigning SG-1 to go out there and see what you can find out."

*****

"Here we are," O'Neill announced from behind the wheel of the van. "Roswell, home of the 1947 crash."

"Or so some people believe," Daniel said.

They landed at the Las Cruces Air Force Base well over two hours ago, and after relieving the other surveillance team, were now heading down Main Street in the town of Roswell. Jack looked around at all the alien-themed businesses. A large banner told about a concert at UFOnics, some nightclub on another street. The largest building on this street seemed to be the UFO Center and Museum, where Hammond said Max Evans worked. Across from it was the Crashdown Café. The other team said Guerin and Max Evans would probably be in there right now talking to some of their friends.

His teammates in the back portion of the van paused in their conversation and got ready for the next stage of their mission.

"I have read many theories about the 1947 crash in what you call tabloids," Teal'c said. "I found many of them very amusing."

"Well, they would be. The people who believe the crash wasn't a weather balloon don't have any real proof to support their theories," Sam informed him.

"But why would four actual aliens be hiding out here?" Daniel wondered.

"Why not? Whenever something strange happens here most of the town's population blames it on alien experiments or something," Jack said, remembering all the Roswell newspapers that they read at the Cheyenne Mountain complex before their departure. "If they ever overheard the Royal Four talking about alien stuff, they wouldn't think twice about it. Perfect alibi."

"We don't even know if they are aliens, sir," Sam argued. "For all we know, Kivar could be deceiving us."

"He seemed to know a lot about them," Teal'c reminded her. "As did Larek."

Daniel asked, "If they aren't who Larek and Kivar say they are, who are they?"

"That's what we're hear to find out," Jack said, parking the van in front of the Crashdown Café. "I'll go. Sam, track down the Evans's, Harding's, and Guerin's addresses, then check 'em out. If anyone's home, don't go inside. Stay in the van and follow any of them if you see them."

With that, he stepped out of the van and into the café.

Liz finished wiping down Table Six and replaced the ketchup, tabasco, and mustard bottles and napkin holder. She couldn't stop thinking about those alien crystals. A few days had passed since Larek sent them that message. Max told them to stay on the lookout for anyone matching the profiles Alex found on the computer, but no one had shown up so far. She hoped the crystals hadn't done too much damage already, wherever they were right now. They barely fought off the infection last time.

She picked up the rage and cleaning detergent and walked back to stand behind the counter. "Liz, the guy at Table 9 needs to have his order taken," one of the other waitresses told her.

"Thanks." Liz took out a pad and a pen and looked over at the table, then almost dropped them.

Colonel Jack O'Neill of the United States Air Forces was seated at that table, looking over menus.

"You know, what, Natasha? I need to run to the bathroom. Could you get it?"

"Sure." Natasha walked over to the table.

Liz headed for the back. She needed to call Isabel or Michael and tell them what she saw.

The back door opened and Max stepped inside. "Hey, Liz. Brody let me off work early. What's up?"

Liz walked over to him. "Col. O'Neill and Major Carter are sitting at a table in the front room."

"What?" Max walked over to the door and peeked through the window. He turned back to Liz. "How long have they been there?"

"I don't know. Not long, I think. Do you think they're looking for you and the others?"

"I think I know how to find out," Max said. "Got your cell phone?"

*****

Jack ordered a drink and some Unidentified Frying Objects, known to the rest of the world as french-fries, and waited for Max Evans to finish eating and leave. He needed evidence that he and the other three were aliens and he doubted Max was dumb enough to do something in a public restaurant.

Finally, after thirty minutes, the teenager paid his bill and left the restaurant. Jack already paid his bill, so he got up and followed him.

*****

Tess and Michael waited in the Valenti's car until the colonel passed by. A few feet ahead of him was Max.

"He didn't notice us, right?" Michael asked again.

"Right," Tess said. "I made our car look empty. He shouldn't have seen us at all."

Michael stepped out of the car. "Let's follow him."

They walked a little ways down the sidewalk from the colonel. Max turned onto a side road and the colonel walked in after him, falling for the trap. He was cautious, however, and even looked behind him to see if he was being followed. Tess' heartbeat sped up when his gaze traveled over hers, even though she knew her mind warp kept them invisible to his eyes.

Hurriedly, they went in after him.

*****

Jack walked onto the street. There were fewer people on this street. He noticed that immediately. The only person besides him and Max was a guy working on a car. There weren't as many places to hide in case Max turned around, either.

Suddenly, Max stopped and turned around. "Why are you following me?" he asked.

Shit, O'Neill thought. He needed to go over the proper way to follow someone. "I'm new in town," he said, "and I was hoping you could help me find the Days Inn. I have some reservations there and I'm kind of lost."

"That's not why you were following him," a female voice said from behind him.

Jack whirled around to find Tess Harding and Michael Guerin standing there. "What the-? Where did you come from?"

"Why are you following me?" Max asked again, walking closer.

Jack's cell phone rang. Not now.

The guy working on the car stopped working. Jack looked up to see him walking straight them with his hand raised.

Max noticed his look and turned himself. He felt the power being charged in the air from the guy's hand and knew this wasn't good.

"Get down!" Jack said before hitting the ground.

Only seconds later, energy flowed from the stranger's hand. Max brought his hand up, making his green energy barrier come up. The energy crashed into it. Max staggered at the strain to fight back against it.

The guy finally relented and Max dropped the shield, drained.

"Max, look out!" Michael cried, raising his hand. He was ready to fire his own special alien energy blast at the guy.

A gun went off, and two bullets went through the guy's stomach. He dropped to the ground, lifeless.

Max got up and he, Tess, and Michael turned to Jack, who was getting up himself.

"Does anyone mind telling me who the hell that was?" Jack asked.

"Larek was right. They do know about us," Tess whispered to Michael and Max, worried and distrustful of the colonel.

The three alien teens exchanged a look. Max stepped forward. "Why are you here?"

O'Neill sighed. "Look, I have been through a lot in the past few days, and I don't really have the patience for small talk at this point. Now I'm guessing that the local authorities will get hear soon in their squad cars whenever someone reports the gunshots. We need to get out of here before they show up. How about we meet up someplace later today, like the Crashdown Café in an hour. Sound good?"

Max looked at the others. "We'll be there."

*****

"Max, do you really think this is such a good idea?" Isabel asked her brother. She wrapped her arms around herself, freaked. Alex, as understanding as ever, rubbed her arm. All of them, including Roswell's former sheriff, were waiting in the back room of the Crashdown for their military visitors, and all of them felt uneasy. Especially Max, because if this meeting went wrong, it would be his fault.

"I hope so," he told his sister, hoping he could give her something more, something a little more positive.

In the front room of the café, Liz looked up from wiping down the counter when she heard the door chime. There they were. Colonel Jack O'Neill and a man Liz remembered seeing in the files Alex had found, a Dr. Daniel Jackson, walked into the café, taking off their sunglasses as they glanced around at the tables.

This is it, Liz thought, nervous. She let out a deep breath.

She went to the break room's door and opened it. The others looked up at her, expectant. "They're here."

Max stood up and followed her back into the front room. They approached the newcomers.

"Evans." O'Neill nodded at him. "Why don't we sit down somewhere?"

"I have some friends with me," Max said. He nodded to Liz. "This is Liz. She's one of them. We're meeting in the back room." He nodded toward the door in the back of the restaurant.

"Okay, um, lead the way," Jackson said, ignoring the look O'Neill sent his way.

Liz nodded, then she and Max turned and led the two military personnel into the back room.

When they walked in, everyone already there stood up. "Woah," O'Neill remarked, "big group."

"Why are you here?" Max asked. He didn't introduce any of his friends, but the two members of SG-1 recognized them all. Besides Liz Parker and the three aliens Jack had met earlier, the forth alien, Isabel Evans, was present. So were Maria Deluca, Alex Gidman, Kyle Valenti, and even the fired town sheriff, Jim Valenti.

Jack and Daniel exchanged looks. They'd already gotten permission from General Hammond to tell them anything that they thought was necessary, but there were some problems. Everyone here was capable of telling the world everything they said in that room.

"What we are about to tell you is classified," Jack began. "That means you can not tell anyone what we are about to tell you."

"We know about the Goa'uld," Max said, "and the Stargate."

"Um, how exactly do you know all that?" Daniel asked, worried and as surprised as Jack was. I wonder if that Kivar guy is staying in touch with them or something? He wondered.

"Where did you take the crystal?" Michael asked, stepping forward. Jack knew this guy was dangerous, and thought of the gun hidden way in the small of his back.

"It's in a safe place," Daniel said.

"No where's safe with those crystals, Colonel-"

Max put out a hand to stop his friend. "Michael," he said. For once, Michael did as he was asked and stopped talking.

Max walked closer to Daniel and Jack. "Why are you here?" he asked.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. These guys were experts on making a person feel uncomfortable simply by staring at them. "First of all, nothing that's said in here today leaves this room. If you fail to cooperate, you will be arrested under the National Secrets Act. That includes everything you already know about the Goa'uld and the Stargate. Do I make myself clear?"

The Roswell locals exchanged looks. Some of them, O'Neill noted, were amused ones. He figured they thought that with the secrets they already kept everyday, one more wouldn't make much difference. Still, they weren't going to learn anything from him or Daniel unless they agreed.

After looking at everyone for their agreement, Max turned back to the colonel and the archeologist and nodded. "Understood," Max said.

Jack nodded at his companion. "Daniel."

Daniel took a deep breath. "Less than a week ago, we sent a team through the Stargate to a planet in another solar system. They found a green crystal growing inside the ruins of a building from an advanced civilization. The crystal was brought back to Earth-"

"What?!?" Tess Harding exclaimed, standing. Several others

to be continued

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