Perfect Timing

MILKY WAY GALAXY

UNKNOWN PLANET NOT CONNECTED TO STARGATE NETWORK

Looking up from a golden table strewn with documents, the unforgettable face of Baal set his eyes upon his newest First Prime. A lot had happened in recent years thanks to the Tauri and in particular SG-1, so much so that despite all his plans to take ultimate control of the Galaxy or at least have the most power, he was now forced to go off the grid and hide from those he once controlled. But now, now would be different. "Achilles, I've been impulsive in the past…"turning from his first prime Baal clutched his hands behind his back as he thought of his mistakes, "Time and time again I've acted too rashly and too fast and time and time again I've lost more than I could afford. Now look at me, the last of the system lords forced to hide from those I should rule. It won't always be like this. You see I understand exactly where my predecessors and myself have went wrong in the past. We've always underestimated the Tauri, we see them with primitive weapons compared to ours and we laugh, we fail to take them seriously, and then they kill us. Well no more". Staring the ground, Baal looked up and then turned to Achilles, "I admire the Tauri you know, their tenacity, their intelligence, even their bravery. Give them a lump of wood and a rock and they'll somehow find a way to destroy a Hatak. It's time we took our cues from them. We'll let them think they destroyed the last of my clones and myself, let them get complacent while we stay here and build my strength. Well wait in the shadows watching and waiting, eventually someone is bound to attack Earth and we'll let them, well stay on the side-lines and then, then well act".

Earth, 3 years later (SGA: Enemy at the Gate)

A bright light lit up the super hive which had been repeatedly hammering Atlantis with bursts of plasma rounds, the light spread throughout the superstructure cracking the skin and exploding in a massive array of flame and gas as a nuclear bomb planted by Lt. Colonel John Sheppard exploded inside the Super Hive signalling its end. But Atlantis was in trouble since she had been forced deeper and deeper into Earth's atmosphere and gravity well by the awesome striking power of the plasma rounds against her shield. She was in trouble now as Doctor Becket struggled to safely turn Atlantis deadly plummet into a controlled descent, intense flames built up along the shield surface leaving an immense contrail behind the diving city and stress quickly spread throughout the entire structure as Atlantis was pushed well beyond her limits. But somehow, against all hope, the Ancient City of Atlantis hit the waters of the Pacific at a slow enough speed to ensure that she would survive although not without damage. Letting out a breath, the doctor let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as he deactivated the city shield and activated her cloak. It was another five minutes before Atlantis started to receive orders from Cheyenne Mountain.

Stargate Command, Cheyenne Mountain

15 minutes later

Returning to Stargate Command, the current head of Homeworld Command, Brigadier General O'Neill had a grin plastered across his face. To him this was just another day when Earth had been saved from total destruction without the average civilian being any the wiser. Just another day. But walking into the Operations Room it became quite clear to Jack just how close to defeat they had come, "…are down. We're trying to get Atlantis to get hers up and running but they've taken serious damage".

"Area 51 also reports they're having trouble dealing with major fires breaking out throughout…"

"We've got debris coming down across the Pacific seaboard".

"Tealc is sending a small fleet of Hataks in order to provide aid. ETA…"

No one seemed to take any notice of Oneill as he stood in the Operations room. Hard at work coordinating the allied efforts was the beautifully blonde visage of Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter who under the pressure being dished upon her was managing to pull everything together. Feeling like he should at least try to look like he's working, Jack approached her, "Sam, what have we got?"

Turning to him, Sam led the General towards the back of the room saying "It's bad. As you know Area 51 was hit during the battle, well we've now got out of control fires throughout several installations in the area. We're doing what we can to get them under control but it's likely going to be at least half an hour before they're all out. As you know we lost the drone chair there in the attack. We also lost long range sensors during the battle, were not sure how it happened yet but were currently concentrating on getting Atlantis up and running".

As Carter said this Oneill who had been doing the calculations said "So not only are we Defenceless without the drone chair were also blind".

"That about sums it up".

Thinking, Oneill questioned "What about Atlantis Drone Chair? Can we use it to fire the drones already here?"

Nodding Samantha replied "Yes. However Atlantis took some serious damage when they landed, just having the cloak running is taxing them right now. Raddek reported that McKay's doing everything he can to get their systems back up and running but it's likely to be several hours, maybe even days for the majority of them, they're doing everything they can to ensure we get Long range sensors back along with the drone chair".

"God dammit, you tell that lazy waste of space that we…"

"It's not his fault and McKay is doing everything he can to get us what he can when he can", it was rare that anyone defended McKay, but Carter knew he worked best under pressure and knowing your home was currently defenceless should be enough pressure. "But it gets worse. It's going to be at least 3 weeks before Daedalus gets back from Pegasus, and then we've got the Apollo and Sun Tzu. We can't leave Sun Tzu where she is without risking the Lucian Alliance getting their hands on her and the Apollo is in bad shape herself and needs to effect repairs before setting off back to us and towing Sun Tzu with her. However it's going to be at least a day before they're back". Seeing O'Neill was close to losing it, Samantha quickly added, "But we do have some good news. Tealc has managed to secure a number of Hataks and is currently en route. No word yet on the ETA but…"

Continuing for her "but, with it being T they should be here soon".

Nodding, Carter finished "In the meantime we've got units across the planet on high alert…"

Ten minutes later

O'Neill was still shaking his head in disgust at what he saw as the worst dregs of humanity as he thought of the IOA dignitaries who tried to escape the Wraith onslaught through the gate. He was actually glad for once that the enemy had jammed the gate preventing their escape so that now thanks to each of their countries leaders judgements, these men and women had been stripped of their status and arrested for dereliction of duty.

"Well Jack, another narrow escape" said a voice behind him.

Turning, Jack replied with arms open "Danny, sorry you had to cut your Cairo trip short".

Shrugging, Daniel Jackson replied, "What can you do. Anyway seen one Pyramid, seen them all".

Slapping him on the shoulder, O'Neill replied, "That's the spirit", and then turning serious said "Was a bloody close one, closer than I ever want us to come. If not for Atlantis…"O'Neill let the thought hang.

It was at that moment that Walter called out, "Multiple Hataks just exited hyperspace. 92 in total. They're currently splitting up and moving into guard positions around the planet".

Going over to join Walter, O'Neill said "About time T arrived. Open a channel".

Flicking at a number of keys, Walter said "There's no reply, sir".

Carter then announced, "I'm not reading transponders".

Daniel, starting to get a bad feeling in his stomach said "Err, Jack. I don't think that's T up there. If it was he'd reply". Jack had the same thoughts entirely.

"Walter keep trying, Sam have all units…" Jack was never able to finish.

"They're opening fire. Oh God, New Yorks been hit, so has Area 51 and Peterson…"a lieutenant called out. Immediately one name came to Jacks mind, The Lucian Alliance.

Command Hatak in orbit of Ceres with 24 reserve Hatak (in asteroid belt)

For three years Baal had waited for this moment. For three years he had built this fleet in secret (he already had 34 Hatak when he started). For three years he watched. And now it was finally here, the day when the Tauri would bow down before him and call him their leader, and if they didn't then this would be the day that they would feel his wrath. Either way this was a bad day to be a Tauri. But Baal refused to allow himself to become complacent; he knew that Tealc was currently on his way with 15 Hataks of the free Jaffa nation in order to reinforce Earth. He also knew that the Tauri forces had to be subdued as fast as possible and one major way to tie up the resources of the Tauri was confusion and chaos and what better ways of chaos were there than mass riots as a small number of Hataks, Alkesh and death gliders concentrated on major cities across the globe while the rest, the majority targeted the military bases and government buildings.

Baal watched the different feeds from afar as his fleet fired their heavy plasma rounds through the atmosphere and at their targets. He knew that if O'Neill or any of his enemies saw where he was, sticking out of the battle that they would think him a coward, but Baal was for once being wise, he knew with the Tauris track record that they would likely pull out some miraculous manoeuver and tip the scales of balance back in their favour and if they did Baal intended to be able to fight again another day. He settled down to watch as the Tauris F-302 squadrons, already heavily decimated by the wraith, moved to attack his Hataks by struggling past the thousands of death gliders he had launched.

Stargate Command

"Incoming Hataks. We have 3 inbound on Cheyenne Mountain" Walter called out as heavy tremors started to shake the underground control post as the incoming Hataks opened fire on the protected base. What defences they had were already firing everything they could at the enemy but to little effect.

Carter looking up from her computer said "These are upgraded Hatak, the shields look like they're twice as powerful as a standard Hatak, same with the weapons".

"Carter get me a nuclear targeting solution, Danny dial the Alpha site and get me Atlantis on the line. Walter have all SG teams and base personnel prepare for incoming Lucien Alliance".

Deep rumbles permeated the base as the ground topside was blasted by heavy plasma cannons. Concrete crumbled with every shifting boom, but the base was built to withstand much worse.

"Atlantis base" the voice of Richard Woolsey came through surprising Jack with the calmness he heard in it when he'd been expecting almost a repeat of when he was trapped with Woolsey on Atlantis when it was occupied by the Asurans.

"Woolsey, whats the status of your chair?"

It was a moment before Woolsey replied, "Inoperable, McKay reports that power is getting to the chair but it currently wont activate. Estimates are 5 minutes".

"That just isn't good enough, get his ass in order".

"Were currently launching our full complement of Puddle Jumpers, they're the best we can do right now but we bel…"an explosion in the Cheyenne complex rang out and suddenly the connection went dead.

Looking at Carter, about to ask her what had happened she said "The Hataks are jamming us…"

"What about landlines", Carter had already thought of that, picking up the phone she shook her head telling Walter to find out what was wrong and get them up and running again.

Daniel suddenly turned to O'Neill, a headset clamped to his head as he listened to reports of the base personnel holding in defensive positions at the entrance "It isn't Lucien Alliance…they're Jaffa in the servitude of Baal".

"Baal?" O'Neill found it hard to believe that Baal had managed to pull off an attack like this even as men and women were dieing as hundreds of heavily armoured Jaffa fought their way into the underground complex.

Atlantis

Every puddle jumper exited the invisible central tower of Atlantis, each cloaked jumper taking off in their own directions for separate Hataks. Sheppard, exiting the atmosphere and coming into range of a Hatak that was currently firing everything it could at the military bases in and around California and even targeting some of the larger cities felt pure rage in his gut. Decloaking, he fired every drone he had at the Hatak before cloaking again. As he took off in a separate direction he guided the drones through the Hataks shields and into its hanger bays causing multiple secondary explosions before ploughing them into the ship again and aiming for the core luckily destroying the Hatak before he set course for Atlantis in order to rearm.

In the Chair room, Rodney and Zelenka were bent over tablets and fibre optic cables as they struggled to get the chair to activate but even though it was getting power it just wouldn't work. Pulling off a panel on the chair zelenka saw the problem facing them, "Rodney…".

McKay looked up and then almost broke down as he saw the shattered mnemonic power distribution control crystal which now lay in a shattered heap in the base of the chair. The crystal was small, the size of a little finger but without it, without it the chair would receive power but wouldn't know how to distribute that around the brain. Too make matters worse they didn't know if they had any spares.

His head hung in defeat then snapped up just as suddenly as he realised exactly where he could get one. He quickly ran out of the room and down the corridor.

Baal's fleet Earth Orbit

Even as the F-302 squadrons attacking the Hataks and death gliders were now dropping like flies as they ran out of ammunition and were heavily outnumbered, the Hataks now spread across the length and breadth of the globe continued their bombardment wiping Washington DC, Melbourne, Beijing, Tokyo, Moscow and Paris from the map. Their golden plasma rounds bursting through the atmosphere as they tore into thousands of military bases and cities. Millions cowered in fear on the surface as they struggled against the rising tide of death, billions trying to run for the hills, fighting their neighbours for food and supplies as they struggled to escape the towns and cities. All of them were wondering why.

Exiting Hyperspace between the Earth and Moon, Tealc could only look on in horror as his closest allies came under attack by Baal's fleet. This wasn't what he was expecting, at most he suspected he might be mopping up any wraith darts still in the area, Darts which had long since been destroyed.

Taking command immediately, Tealc ordered the 15 ships of the Free Jaffa Nation into attack runs on the occupied forces of Baal. His ships never even made it a thousand miles before Hyperspace windows opened around his ships releasing 20 of Baal's Hataks which he had kept in reserve. As soon as they started to exit hyperspace these Hataks opened up with all their weapons on Tealcs ambushed forces destroying 4 Hataks before they knew what had hit them. It wasn't long before the Free Jaffa started returning fire as they tried to escape from the ambush but their shields were already significantly weakened and their returning fire was struggling to defeat the shields on Baal's upgraded Hataks. Nevertheless they were still able to destroy 3 off Baal's Hataks while his ships destroyed another 5 of theirs before Tealc was forced to retreat. The council had to be notified of this attack on their closest allies, maybe given time he could return with a much larger liberation fleet, it just felt like he was failing O'Neill as he jumped to Hyperspace.

Stargate Command, Cheyenne Mountain

Gunshots tore down the corridor at the same time that staff blasts were returned as the defenders of Stargate Command did their best to hold out against the ever increasing tide of Jaffa. Screams filled the air and the smell of blood mixed with the overpowering clouds of dust to thicken a persons lungs. Despite the many defences installed in the complex, the Jaffa somehow had devices which shut them down locally or they just battered their way through them with sheer might. Steadying himself, O'Neill quickly turned a corner, his right eye focusing down the sight of the RPG as he fired, the blast shaking him as the munition left the tube, as soon as he could he pulled himself back around the corner just when the missile exploded at the other end of the Corridor killing dozens of Jaffa, but it wasn't enough. Dropping the now spent weapon, he looked to his right at the assembled defenders, many of them SG teams knowing that whatever they did here today, they would lose. Earths ships were nowhere near, Atlantis was unable to defend Earth, by now he'd be surprised if any 302s were still flying and his men and women would be unable to stop the Jaffa from taking the complex. But he would never let those he commanded know just how screwed they were.

Turning the corner while pulling up his P90 and squeezing the trigger, O'Neill was rewarded by the staccato sound of the rounds clearing the corridor. Around him the other defenders moved into position laying down a heavy trail of fire. Sam moving to take position on ONeills right was suddenly hit by a staff blast, the shot throwing her to the ground. O'Neill firing with all the rage of hell struggled as he couldn't help her instead ordering a Marine to remove her body. A silver ball suddenly came rolling down the corridor.

Baal's Fleet Earth Orbit

Moving into position over their target, the ten Hataks of this formation started to lay down fire on a seemingly insignificant portion of the Earth neither hitting a city or military base, Instead their target was a massive rip in the Earths crust, the San Andreas faultline. It took a constant ten minutes worth of fire before a major earthquake started to tear across California. But the Hataks weren't going for an Earthquake, no their aim came next as the entire faultline split, cracking right along its length. Land broke off the continent crashing into the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco was torn asunder, the golden gate bridge waving and stretching before exploding under the sudden tension placed on it. Rising from the land which had crashed into the Pacific, a tidal wave destined to be larger than any in human history spread across the Pacific and towards Atlantis. McKay having just managed to fit a crystal scavenged from a Puddle Jumper looked on in horror as did the hundreds of residents of Atlantis as a Tidal wave a hundred foot high spread towards them. As close as they were to San Francisco there was no time to engage the shield as the wave suddenly crashed against the city engulfing much of it as it carried on. Thankfully the cloak carried on running. This tidal wave would continue to sweep round the globe until it hit Asia.

Stargate Command Cheyenne Mountain

With every second it seemed like O'Neill was having to pull back further and further to the gate room, all the time his men and women falling around him until he had just one corridor between him and the gate. By his side was his long time friend Daniel, both of them laying down constant covering fire as they fell back, SG teams coming with them. O'Neill shared a look with Daniel, "We have to evacuate. We cant hold out any longer".

Firing his P90 into the advancing chests of the Jaffa, a golden blast almost ripping his own face off as he pulled behind cover, Daniel shouted back "I Know!" Pulling a grenade from his belt, his last, Daniel pulled the pin mouthing "3" then tossed it around the corner. The grenade rolled down the corridor before exploding in the face of a Jaffa and throwing him backwards while killing half a dozen others. Using what time they could, Daniel, the SG teams and Jack started running for the gate room. Making sure the sg teams passed through before them and preparing to lay down cover fire, Daniel was surprised when O'Neill slammed the butt of his rifle into his stomach winding him before pushing him back into the gate room and slamming his palm on the emergency close button. O'Neill then sprinted for the control room which had already been evacuated. Going to a console, O'Neill brought up a certain program and started entering in his codes as Daneil asked through the intercom, "Why Jack? You don't have to do this".

Looking at him through the bullet proof glass while activating the programme, O'Neill said "We cant allow Baal to get access to the Asgard Core. I'm sorry Danny, you were a good friend. Tell her…just tell her. Now go".

Daniel was almost in tears as he backed up the ramp in time to see O'Neill firing his P90 at the advancing Jaffa, staff blasts being returned. Stepping back through the gate Daniel saw Jacks end. The Cheyenne mountain complex suddenly erupted in a distorted gueyser of Rock and mud as a nuclear bomb was detonated beneath it collapsing the mountain onto the gate and destroying the Asgard Core. Stargate Command was no more. And by the end of the day a free Earth was also no more as Baal's Command Hatak settled down Egypt.

Might do another one based on this storyline in the future showing a resistance movement develop on Earth maybe with Eli Wallace and SG-1. Reviews appreciated