November 13th, 1997
Stargate Command, Colorado Springs
"So, SG-10 is late in reporting back but there was a dial-in attempt six hours into their mission. Nothing came through, though, and so you want us to check on them? Should be simple enough," Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill said with a shrug.
"Report back every hour on the hour," General Hammond said. "You depart in 30 minutes. Dismissed."
"Looks like we're doing a rescue mission. What do you know about the planet we're headed to, Teal'c?" O'Neill asked.
"It is a world that has become notorious among the System Lords in recent years. It was a temple constructed by a forgotten race, and was controlled by the Supreme System Lord Ra for many millennia. Since Ra's death, however, all attempts to take control of the planet by stargate have failed, and the world is now protected from orbital attack by weapons of unfamiliar design."
"So whoever lives there now isn't a big fan of the Goa'uld, I take it?" Doctor Jackson asked.
"Indeed not, Daniel Jackson. There are tales told by the few survivors of a green-eyed demon, who turned their Ma'Tok staves against them and conjured ghostly flames with a wave of its hand, destroying all who remain. The only false god to survive an assault also claims that the two slaves he brought were left untouched by the fire's advance."
"Maybe we can convince this person to help us fight the Goa'uld, or at the very least study their people's technology, sir," Captain Samantha Carter said.
"SG-1 to the Gate room, I repeat, SG-1 to the Gate room."
"Looks like we're about to meet this 'demon,'" O'Neill said. "Might wanna cover that symbol, Teal'c, he may get the wrong idea."
"Chevron seven, locked."
The stargate activated, and SG-1 stepped through
- o -
Unknown Planet, 35 light-years from Earth
The first thing the extra-worldly tourists from Earth saw was the darkness cast by the tall trees. The beams of light from their hand-held electric torches quickly found the trail, and the four travelers advanced with caution. The last dark forest on a mission had not ended well at all. Jonathan O'Neill still had nightmares of the place, what it had done to him and his team.
As they emerged from the treeline, they saw with surprise that SG-10 seemed fine. When the flagship team of Earth's Stargate program hailed them down, an expression of sorrow crossed the other team's faces as they hurried to meet up. A quick exchange confirmed to SG-1 that the others were who they appeared to be, and the reason for the former team's mission took the foreground in their minds.
"What's with the radio silence?" O'Neill asked, not outright accusingly, but not quite his normal tone either.
"They don't work, sir. None of them, not even the MALP. Even... even the GDO is not functioning."
"What do you mean, they don't work? Mark checked them himself before you left, like he always does," Carter said, confused and alarmed.
"At first we thought it was something wrong with our radios. Then we tried the MALP. They're fried. Something about this place is destroying electronic devices, Colonel O'Neill, Captain Carter. Only the ones hardened against EMP are safe, and even they seem a bit glitchy after a while.
"So... there's some kind of interference in the atmosphere that is damaging electronic devices," O'Neill repeated.
"Yes, sir."
"Well, fuck. That's bad."
- o -
It had been two hours, and SGs 1 and 10 were still no closer to finding out how to fix their situation.
Immediately upon realizing their situation, they had dialed back in and thrown rocks in Morse code, spelling out their situation and warning to not send anyone after them. They had then set off to find shelter, as it was approaching the night, and to hear SG-10 tell it, the local wildlife made the Goa'uld seem cute and cuddly in comparison. And were exclusively nocturnal, when the seven stranded humans would not be able to see them coming. Joy.
"Hey, T, where's that temple you were tellin' us about back at base?"
"It is north of here, Colonel O'Neill, and is not far from the stargate. We may, indeed, reach it before nightfall."
"Well, that's good news," one of the marines proclaimed. SG-1 groaned. He had just taunted the Great God Murphy.
-o-
Just after sundown, SG-1's suspicions were proven correct. The other shoe had dropped, and dropped hard. First, the temple was in the forest, where even hours before dark it was as though it were night. Second, one of the beasts SG-10 had described was now chasing them. Third, the temple's doors were sealed shut, and they had no shelter to speak of.
The creature snarled as it stood over Colonel O'Neill, having already killed two marines and knocked Teal'c out of the fight. Captain Carter was sporting some rather nasty gashes from the curved talon on the monster's paw, and Doctor Jackson had a rather sizable bruise on his forehead. If they survived, a concussion was probable. As things stood, though, it looked like this was the end.
Suddenly beam of light struck the beast, and it yelped in alarm as it ran off. When he stood, O'Neill saw their savior. The doorway, previously shut, was now gaping wide. In the frame stood a young-looking man with vivid, almost glowing green eyes. In his hands rested a smooth staff, the color of platinum. Almost-familiar runes decorated the shaft, and a small opaque stone, glowing with a pale light, was nestled between two prongs. The man's hand rested on a handgrip two feet down the staff.
"Sorry about that. I was on the other end of the facility. I only just got here." The man seemed genuinely apologetic.
"S'alright," O'Neill said. "Can you help us out? My team seems to need medical attention, and I'm not feelin' too great myself."
"Sure," the other person said with a shrug. "Let's get them inside and I'll guide you to the medical bay."
- o -
"So, where are you from?" The man asked in the hall.
"A planet called Earth. Little place called the United States, to be specific," O'Neill said.
After a moment, O'Neill continued, "I hear you aren't the biggest fans of the snakeheads."
"Snakeheads?" The man asked, confused.
"Goa'uld," the older man explained.
"Ah. Yeah, no. I can't say I'm overly fond of them."
"Teal'c told us."
"The Jaffa over there?"
"How'd-?"
"I have my ways," He explained mysteriously. "I can also tell you that anyone who opposes the false gods is welcome here. He will come to no harm by my hand. Ah, we're here."
- o -
The sun rose over the Ancient city. With it awakened the members of SG-1, rejuvenated from their encounter with the night stalker they had met just six hours prior. The 'beds' that had appeared the night before disappeared back into the ceiling after releasing the five earthlings held in their confines. At the door, they were met by the grinning young man who had saved their collective rears the night before.
"So, O'Neill of the U.S. of A., care to properly introduce your team?" he asked.
"Well, this here," he said, indicating the former First Prime of Apophis, "is Teal'c. The blonde behind me is Captain Samantha Carter. Absolute genius, she is, she rigged a replacement DHD for Earth 'cause we didn't have one.
"The guy with glasses is Dr. Daniel Jackson, he's the guy who figured out how to reopen the Stargate.
"The last guy isn't actually a part of my team. The other members of his team were killed by that... thing. So, who're you?"
"My name is Harrison James Potter, I'm the... protector... of this place."
"Why was that task assigned to a child, Harrison James Potter?" Teal'c queried.
"Because there is no one else capable of doing so." At the confused looks from the others, he elaborated. "The technology here relies on a specific gene sequence in the DNA of the person attempting to use it. Without that gene, it won't even power on. Most of the stuff will remain usable once it's on, but the more dangerous stuff, like the defense systems, need the gene sequence to be operated."
"You're the only one with that gene sequence?" Captain Carter asked.
Harrison sighed. "I'm the only one, period."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I am the only one of my kind left in this portion of the galaxy."
- o -
After the revelation in the medical bay, SG-1 and their addition until they found a way home followed their host to a meeting area, where they got down to business.
"What brings you to this world?" They were asked.
"SG-10 was sent as part of a routine scouting mission. When they failed to check in for over a day, we, that is, SG-1, were sent to check up on them. Unfortunately, there seems to be something frying our non-hardened electrical equipment. Like our radios. So we can't go home."
"Why not?"
"Our stargate is protected from unwanted intruders by a metal barrier, only a few micrometers from the event horizon. Anything solid coming through while it is closed can't reform, effectively disintegrating it."
"So, since your radios don't work, you can't tell them you are you, so they won't know to take the shield down," Harry summarized succinctly. "Oops."
"Oops? Why oops? You didn't do anything."
"Actually, yeah, I did," he admitted. "I set up a field that would make small devices, like Goa'uld hand devices, melt so their personal shields don't activate. I might be able to send a message, if you like, once I deactivate the field so you can get home."
"That is much appreciated, Harrison," Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill proclaimed. "Hey, while we're at it, would it be possible to work out a trade deal? Our program's mandate is to acquire technologies and resources to defend our home planet from our enemies, namely the snakeheads."
"It is a worthy goal. I will consider a trade agreement. This is all moot, though, if we can't get you back home."
"Point. Let's get to it, then."
- o -
Stargate Command, Colorado Springs
"Unscheduled off-world activation!"
"What have we got, sergeant?" General Hammond asked.
"We're receiving a transmission, sir."
"Put it on speakers."
"-I repeat, this is Lieutenant Colonel Jack O'Neill, do you read me?"
"We read you, colonel. Let me be the first to say it is a relief to hear from you."
"Sorry for worrying you, sir, but our radios were fried by an energy field generated by a facility on the planet. We'd like to arrange a pick-up."
"Very well. Head to P5X-112. SG-8 and SG-9 will meet you there in four hours."
"Thank you, sir. Over and out."
- o -
Videum, Stargate Clearing
"So, kid, What're your plans for the next while?"
"I guess just stay here, watch, wait, and guard the legacy," Harry said with a shrug.
"Why not go somewhere else? Somewhere you can live a normal life?" O'Neill asked.
"I cannot leave the Legacy unguarded. If it were to fall into the wrong hands..."
"And only you can guard it?" the Tau'ri soldier asked dubiously.
"I am the only person known who possesses the ability to interface with the control chair to its fullest extent, so yes."
"Can't you hide it somehow? Move this 'legacy' to a place where it's not as easy to find?"
"It doesn't work that way," the young man said with a sad smile. "The only way to move it is to use it, and, due to its nature, that would be a certain death sentence for the user."
"So the answer is 'no,' then," O'Neill said with a sigh.
"Feel free to stop by every once in a while. As I said before, anyone who fights the Goa'uld is welcome here."
"We'll take you up on that. Goodbye, Harry."
"Goodbye."
Daniel Jackson entered the seven symbols of their destination, and SG-1 departed.
- o -
November 17th, 1997
Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Mountain Complex
"Let me get this straight," General Hammond said. "There was some kind of... field... that disrupted electronics around it, supposedly to destroy Goa'uld hand devices should they attack a facility on the planet, located somewhat near the stargate compared to most planets so far explored. You then met a person claiming to be the last survivor of an entire civilization, a teenager, who happens to be the 'green-eyed demon' of Jaffa urban legend? Forgive me if I am somewhat skeptical of all this."
"Sir, it may be hard to believe, but we do have proof, for at least some of it. Our old equipment was melted from inside, and all but one radio was left untampered with by the members of SG-1 or SG-10," Captain Carter said. "I'm certain that, if the devices are checked by a tech expert, they will conclude that they were destroyed by some kind of interference. On top of that, there's the 'souvenir' O'Neill brought back. Those orbs were given to us by Harrison for use in our infirmary, they're a highly advanced medical bed, with scanning technology far beyond anything we have here on Earth. The technology undeniably exists, sir. You have to admit that."
"That brings up another point of concern," Hammond said. "Why would a person just give us advanced technology, without asking for anything in exchange?"
"He said it was in the interests of future relations," Jack proclaimed. "And why not give us advanced medical technology? It's not like it's a weapon, and the ability to reproduce it is well beyond us."
"Indeed, it is as Colonel O'Neill states. A form of medical technology is a show of willingness to trade technology without risking it being misused, or used against the original owner. It will undoubtedly have many safeguards to prevent it from being abused."
Hammond took several moments to consider these arguments. Finally, he said, "Very well. I will authorize an attempt to contact this 'Harrison' again. But, I want a guarantee that it will not result in any more pieces of delicate equipment being destroyed. You are to only go through when he responds that the field is down, am I clear on this?"
"Yes, sir," Carter said.
"Try and find what he is willing to trade with us, and what he requests in return. Godspeed."