Aberrant: Stargate Universe - Joint training exercise leads to Conspiracy

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan looks to Caine. "Caine, Noah's better suited to patrol. He can go unseen and easily warn any of us before anyone else would know. That would be a better use of his talents."

"As for myslef I'll take advantage of my own and go aloft, much better visual range above the treeptops than through them."

He nods to Noah and the others, more sure of his own suggestion and takes to the skies beginning a circuit around the site about half a klick out, and just above the treetops.

[Adrian Moss]

Caine nods and goes, "Good suggestion. Noah, patrol. Vinny, you set the teams."

With that he went back to demonstrating how to cut green timber, because, after all, they weren't builing something that had a life expectancy of over two weeks. This would not be the Versailles.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia quietly grabbed as many of the tents as she could carry. Clearing the undergrowth had put her in a bad mood again, because she'd had no idea what she was doing, and she sure as hell didn't know how to operate a power tool. So she'd done what she could with one of the manual tools she found, unable to think of anything she could change into that would make the process easier.

She moved towards the ridge and began try to assemble the tents, though it was painfully obvious she'd never done any tent-assembling either. She muttered quietly under her breath as she worked.

"What, he thinks just cause I worked in a circus I know how to assemble a fuckin' tent? We had crews for this shit. I don't know how to do any of this crap."

[Mr Fox]

Cam called out, "Sorry Major, they didn't include the standard issue tents, I had em give us three GP-Mediums instead. ((Tents like in the tv series MASH.)) Figured it would be more comfortable for us and we can leave em up for the engineers when they take over on their arrival."

He moved over to where Aradia was grumbling and looking frustrated. Grinning he stooped to pick one of the big bundles up and was barely able to maneuver it over to it's spot. Tell you what Specialist, you unpack em and I'll set em up. Deal?"

Seeing her not quite mollified agreement he kicked it into high gear and had the tent set up in about two minutes flat. By the time he was done and looked over at Ari he was surprise she had barely started getting the second bundle opened. Cam looked confused for a second and was about to reprimand her when he noticed that everyone not out on patrol was staring at him, some of them with mouths agape. "What? Why is everyone staring?"

[Omar]

"It looks like we have found the person to put up our tents." Omar said to the Colonel with a sly grin on his face. "We could also use someone to plane the boards as well." Omar tried his best not to snicker as he ran the plane down the green wood.

[Adrian Moss]

Caine looks at Cam as he blindingly puts up the first tent.

"I think I found the guy who is going to be putting in the nails," he grins.

To Cam,

"Hey Quickdraw! Why didn't you tell me you had that little talent. I bet paperworks not a problem. Don't stand there looking confused. Get those other three tents up."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult's focus skipped a beat and the wedge that she was manipulating telekentically slipped, taking out an oversized sliver of wood from the log that she had been working on. She flipped a loose strand of pale blonde hair from her forehead and looked back at the ridge.

She had blinked and suddenly a tent had popped up on the slight ridge where Cam and Aradia were setting up.

"Mon Dieu! Who - How did a tent that big go up that fast? Cameron? That is a most fascinating skill." With only half a mind on planing the boards, she dwelt on the possiblities that Cam's new ability could be put to.

[Mr Fox]

This time around Cam checked his watch and timed himself. He only beat his previous time by about 15 seconds going flat out as fast as he possibly could, but he was pretty stunned when he saw the time when he completed it. No wonder the others were staring, he must have been literally been a blur of motion moving faster than any normal person could. Damn that was handy. He'd have to check when he had the chance if it worked with paperwork. "Nice."

Looking over to Caine, "I didn't know I had that talent actually, just surprised myself as much as you. This is the reason we really need some time like this to stretch ourselves."

The other two tents went up in equally impressive time and while everyone else was doing their jobs Cam moved about the site with lightning speed doing little things that needed to be done like clearing rocks and piling them up for use later in the building.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria applied herself with an inhuman perfectionism to her tasks, pulling up trees, stacking them (after stripping them), and then planing them as she was shown to. After that, though, she decided she was due for a break. She laughed as she watched her commander-for-the-day stretch himself out and learn how surprising being a nova could be.

*So Colonel, you actually going to let us have some fun, or are we just easy labor for the new site? I mean, we're on a world empty of baselines, as far as I can tell, and you want to see what novas can do when they stretch themselves. Putting up tents is all well and fine but it's hardly a challenge for us. And I think some of the people here could use letting off some steam.* Her eyes flicked over to the slightly-more-TK-than-needed Livy and the fuming Aradia. *I'm not talking training exercises, we get enough of those, but something just for fun where we don't have to worry about accidentally breaking the baselines....or the base.*

She had grabbed a water bottle while she sent her thoughts to the Colonel, her eufiber having switched from standard mission clothes to a much more comfortable cammo combination of tank top and shorts. She was leaning up against one of the larger trees that had been uprooted but not planed out yet, waiting for his response.

[Mr Fox]

Cam nearly tripped fell on his face at the unexpected thought in his head. He mentally sighed and replied in his thoughts. *Please don't do that... nearly freaked me the hell out. We're gonna have some lunch in a few minutes then I'll let everyone know the real purpose of coming out here. The brass back at the base only need to see what we've done here and will assume it took the entire time we were gone. The engineers will not even believe we were able to do it without bulldozers and modern equipment.*

[z028 Riley]

He could feel her mischievous amusement thrum along the line of communication she left open just long enough for that. From across the clearing he could hear her laugh and call out, "You airmen, no sense of adventure!"

Her comment was obviously a joke and directed at the Colonel.

[Yseult Sierra]

"You airmen, no sense of adventure!"

The clear, female voice drew Yseult's attention away from the monotony of planing logs, her eyes pulled to the more than humanly attractive Kyria. An unaccustomed current of sapphic desire ran through her before she could quash it. She is much too young and I am much to new to... this.

She shook her head to clear it, her eyes narrowing in speculation as she noticed Kyria's altered attire. The 'specialist' from a parallel dimension took her ease against one of the larger trees that Yseult had uprooted. Omar indicated that she to possesses this 'eufiber', perhaps she would be willing to let me study it or get a small sample, yes?

Collecting her composure, Yseult let the wedge she was using to guide her telekinetic might drop from her mental grasp, and made her way over to the young specialist.

"Pardonez me, Ms. Thea, but my I have a moment of your time?" Yseult asked. Kyria looked back at the blonde doctor, who only appeared to be several years older than her own young age, her gaze uncomfortably direct. After a long moment, when Kyria didn't seem inclined to say anything, Yseult continued.

"Some time ago, Omar Khudikias spoke to me of the material you call 'eufiber' and mentioned that you to have a suit made of it, which it seems you do." With a graceful hand, Yseult gestured at Kyria's current outfit. "When we get back to base, would it be possible to study it, or perhaps cull a small sample from it, if that will not compromise the integrity of the... colony?"

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan watch the others from the treetops, smiling all the while. He kept a ready eye out for anything that might approach but there was really nothing there.

Every now and then he'd turn his attention to the other specialists, watching them work. He saw Cam's dmonstration of speed and nodded. "Now that would be handy."

[z028 Riley]

She gave the pretty blonde woman an appraising once over, then shrugged. "Sure, we can try, but the colony doesn't seem to like this 'verse as well as it has others. I think maybe there's less ambient quantum here for it to thrive on, so I don't know how well a small sample of the colony will fare on its own. You could see if you could attune it to you, maybe take enough for a bracelet or something, and see if could thrive or grow attached to your quantumn signature."

She was quiet for a minute after that, watching the other woman with a somewhat unsettling direct gaze. "I don't think we've ever really been introduced. I'm Kyria Donnighal. Thea's actually my middle name." She smiled, taking any sting out of the correction and inviting Yseult to formally introduce herself back.

[Noah Weston]

Noah watched the others briefly from his position in the trees. He sighed inwardly as they joked and made light of the work. It was hard for him to relate to them. They were normal, well, as normal as super people could be anyways. He wasn't though. That dark ugliness inside him was starting to show through in his powers and it made it that much harder for him to relate to the others.

He shifted his position and stepped out onto a branch, his Cameleon field immediately and automatically adjusting as he moved. He'd noticed during his team training sessions that his body was somehow changing and adapting to physical situations; he'd become a physical prodigy, excelling at any physical activity he put him mind to. He slowly walked to the end of the branch and as it bowed toward the ground he stepped off on to another branch and took up his watch again. The branch behind him gently swaying back to it's original shape as if it were blowing in the wind.

[Yseult Sierra]

Though her expression didn't change, Yseult was sure she could feel her face reddening under Kyria's direct gaze and frank appraisal. "Oh, excusez moi. My name is Yseult Dionne-Langlois - well it is Sierra now - there was an incident that resulted in me... having to change identity."

Yseult wore a thoughtful frown as she processed what Kyria had told her about the eufiber. "You certainly know more of this eufiber than Omar Khudikias was able to tell me. If it is not too much trouble, I would like to see if I can 'attune' a sample of it. Perhaps having a sample on hand will give me a greater chance on figuring out how to synthesize or duplicate it."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria shrugged again, her eyes roaming over the new camp now. "Sure, but not right now. Let's talk about it later, okay? And I don't know if I know more about eufiber than Omar. Maybe. He's a lot older than me, but I don't know how much he studied it and how much he just used it. You should talk with Major Carter as well, she took some sample when I first got here and has been studying them. I heard she got transferred to someplace called Area 51, but you could call her."

She grabbed another bottle of water from her pack and tossed it to Yseult. "So, how do you like being a nova so far? I don't remember you from the first group of people we brought in that had been experimented on by that device. Were you there? Or did something else happen to you?"

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult's eyes followed Kyria's in surveying the new camp, a small smile coming to her lips. "I did not mean now Kyria. When we get back to Montagne Cheyenne will be soon enough, or perhaps sometime later." A look that managed to be both vexed and determine crossed Yseult's fine features. "I am coming close to a solution for another problem that has plagued me for years. And I will talk to Samantha as well, having access to preliminary research is always a benefit, yes?"

Yseult neatly caught the bottle of water that Kyria tossed her. As Kyria asked her about being a Nova, Yseult took a sip of water, a deep-rooted sorrow rising to the surface of her features. She let out a long sigh, then sat down beside the gorgeous, young Nova, leaning her head back against the uprooted tree, her inhuman eyes closed.

"Being a specialist, a 'nova', is merveilleux." Yseult's accented soprano was flat and toneless. "I am more healthy and more limber than ever I was before. I am thirty-four, yet physcially, I am no more than twenty-two or three. My mind, it works like a dream, making connections between ideas like never before. I now speak three new languages fluently, languages that I barely studied. And with just an effort of will, I can exert telekinetic force over a distance, fine enough for surgery, strong enough to lift hundreds of tonnes."

Yseult opened her inhuman eyes, turning her gaze to Kyria, the over-sized, vivid turquoise irises almost glowing in their intensity. "And I would trade it all, if I could go back to way I was before."

"This body I wear, it is not mine. Before being exposed to the Ascension Device, another was used on me. This other device, it switched my mind with the one that belonged to this body, so that the NID could infiltrate the SGC. I was detained before most of the others I believed. When you were rescueing the others, I too was breaking free, using my new abilities. Through the small window in the cell door, I saw the imposter wearing my body pass by." Yseult sighed again, and closed her eyes.

"I stopped her. As I opened the door, there was a burst of stray gunfire, the bullets unable to penetrated the telekinetic field I surrounded myself in. One bullet struck the body I held immobile, my true body, penetrating the occipital lobe, killing it instantly."

"With the shock, I do not fully remember how I got to the prometheus. While there, another detainee identified me as a NID agent. I was detained again, this time by the IOA and SGC, because they had no conclusive way to tell who I was. When they finally released me, I had to agree to weekly brain scans, and to accept a new identity, since my real body was dead."

Yseult's face hardened, the sorrow push down below once again. "Now, my family believes me dead. I can no longer hold my husband, or daughter, or son. And I have been forced into the military of a foreign goverment, when I all ever wanted to be was a researcher."

"Are these 'gifts' worth the price?" Yseult whispered, her voice barely audible.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria shrugged. "Well, if you want your family back, it's not like they could really stop you from going to them. Convincing them of who you are would be....difficult, although I could probably help with that, meld you and them together long enough for them to know it was you."

She sat down next to Yseult, "As for the body switching, that would be pretty weird I guess, but I think well worth it to become a nova. You've gained at least a century more of life, probably more, and well, you're a nova now. Nothing's really out of reach, you just have to figure out how to train your quantum to what you want it do to accomplish your goals."

"You shouldn't be kept from your family," the young telepath mused with a frown. "I mean, they could have just brought them to the SGC, explained the situation, and had them sign an NDO or something. Your children and spouse shouldn't have to grieve you when you're not dead. That's not right for anyone."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult looked at Kyria steadily. "You are a very strange young woman, Kyria Thea Donnighal." It was impossible to say if Yseult meant that as a good thing or a bad thing, even to herself.

"I fully intend to see my family again," she said, her jaw tightened in resolve. She gave Kyria a sharp nod. "I would very much appreciate your help, Kyria, in convincing them of who I am. As you say, they could not stop me, but the IOA, I know they are watching my family, and accidents can happen. I do not think they trust us, the IOA. I will go speak with them, give them a chance to change our agreement. After that, I will see what I actions I must take."

Yseult turned her gaze from Kyria, thinking about what she had said, that nothing was beyond a Nova. But all she could think was What was the point of being pushed ahead, if you leave everyone you love behind?

[z028 Riley]

She gave another small shrug, "If it were my family, I wouldn't give the IOA the chance to make hostages of them; then again, I've pretty much not heard anything good about the IOA."

She looked out over the start they were making here. "You could always see if they'd let you bring them here. Or to live on some other world, if they're so afraid of telling the baselines on Earth what's going on in their own backyard. This whole secrecy thing around the Stargate has always seemed odd to me, but I group up on an Earth that had acheived Unity since the '20's, so maybe it's just paranoia and distrust of other governments than of people in general."

"They're afraid of us, y'know," the young woman's face had gone pensive again, her voice pitched not to carry very far. "Not just of our potential or the raw power we possess, but because they have some inkling of what means about them. On my Earth, this change was natural, not the product of some device, but then end result is the same: part of humanity is changing, becoming. It changes everything and those already in authority know that that means they might be replaced, or even worse become entirely obsolete. So they'll try to control us. To keep us in the status quo of power somehow. So I'd be careful how much you let on that your family means to you until you have a way to make sure that they're safe and untouchable by those that would use them to control you. Make friends here; these people here are the future of humanity both on Earth and in this universe in general. Or at least one future. Here is where it begins and you and all the rest of us will have a major hand in deciding what that future looks like."

She lapsed into silence after that, memories and ghosts chasing through her thoughts.

[Rorx]

Gwyn was familiar with the type of field fortification that Caine wanted from his days of historical re-enactment, although he would have thought it more on the Roman style than that of the Renassaince (sp?) French Marshal Vauban.

Mentally shrugging he briefly watched Caine's demonstration to refresh his memory then grabbed some tools and got down to work. He looked up at the spectacle of Cam erecting the tents, I gotta get some of that, it would sure help with disarming a bomb for example.

As Kyria had predicted, they had some problems with tool survival until people had gotten used to tempering how much strength and/or speed they used to get the job done efficently. However, they soon got the work done.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult sat beside Kyria, her knees pulled up to her chest, sharing the silence, her own thoughts tumbling.

Every point Kyria had made concerning the IOA, she understood, even agreed with, at least intellectually. Emotionally, she was afraid to make a decision that could result in harm to her beloved family. Her family came first, the world second

Kyria's clearly drawn line between those with powers and those without, and Omar Khudikias' arrogance, perhaps well earned, lodged a tight ball of unease within her. She had said that her Earth was 'Unified'; what actions had been taken to made it so? Was there a place for individualism and descent in such a world, or only the appearance thereof? Omar Khudikias had claimed to change entire histories; who was he to impose his vision on the world, to negate what others had done? Would he do it to her own, based on his own judgement?

Kyria asserted that they were the future of humanity, but how could they be it's future when they were no longer human? The Goa'uld also asserted their right to rule based on superiority. Did the 'Novas' from Kyria's home also hold the same assertion, having enough power to make it fact? Perhaps, the Ascended way of non-interference was the best way; humanity should be allowed to make their own mistakes and follow their own path, instead of being forced down an imposed one.

The silence full of memories and thoughts and possibilties was deafening.

[Mr Fox]

Into the silence left by Kyria's speech to Yseult, Cam's voice called out to everyone, "Ok, folks lets gather around for some lunch and then I'll tell you why we're really out here half a galaxy away from home."

As everyone gathered around the meeting table in the shade of one of the newly set up tents Cam opened a cooler and started passing out foot long sub style sandwiches and drinks. "There's more where that came from if you need more food, and I know some of us can do without in the event we start running low before we're ready to head back home."

He could see that the specialists were very curious and while they dug into the food with a vengeance after their morning's exertion it didn't take long before the first ones lost patience and broke the silence.

Livy still looked annoyed about something but asked respectfully enough, "So why are we here Cam? There are other things going on that need attention, what's this all about?"

Cam pulled the Goa'uld data terminal out of his backpack and set it on the table after clearing some space.

"I've got some things to show you all that I've discovered. I'm sure some of you have noticed that there are only Specialists here, and that I've gone to some lengths to make sure this meeting is private and only between us. There's a reason for that. Some of what I am going to tell you might be a little uncomfortable and some of what I'm going to say could get me court marshaled if it were to be revealed back home. If you don't want to be invovled you've got two choices. You can walk away now and not hear anything and pretend nothing is going on, or you can stay and listen to what I've got to say and report me the minute you go back through the gate. If you choose to do that I'll take complete responsibility for my actions and most likely disappear into some dark government hole somewhere never to be heard of again and from some people's perspective I'll deserve what I get."

Cam waited to see what people would do.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult had barely taken more than a bite from her sandwich, though she was getting quite hungry, as she waited for Cameron to say why he had gathered all the specialists together. She had a definite suspicion why they were all here together.

"I helped you before, Cameron, and I am willing to listen to you now, as well." Yseult's unearthly eyes were sharp and penetrating. The IOA had to be dealt with, one way or another.

She would get her family back, and they would be safe.

[Omar]

"Information is only harmful if you choose to use it to harm others. It is not, by itself dangerous." Omar spoke from his heart, philosphising about the merits of open dialogue.

"Of course I will listen."

[Rorx]

Gwyn grabbed a sub and a drink then pulled over a chunk of cut off stump/root to sit on as Cam started his spiel. So far it was about what Gwyn had expected after helping Cam with the very data terminal that Cam had on his bag.

His mouth occupied with his sub Gwyn made a 'keep rolling' sign with his can.

[Adrian Moss]

Most people could barely spot it when Damien stopped to consider a matter, unless it was important. This matter was important - career important. It also showed Caine what the Colonel (and higher ranking respected officers opinions are important) thought his chances were if things went South. If he could be cashiered and imprisoned them maybe, maybe that was all the Specialist's fate. That was an uncomfortable consideration.

Special Forces don't cherry pick thier operations. They don't say 'No' because the missions dangerous. They go in and succeed because they are better than whatever they are up against. Caine came from that school.

The Major sat down next to Cam without a word (he paced when he ate when in the field). No appropriate joke came to mind. This didn't seem like the time for one anyway.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria didn't grab any of the food, per the Colonel's comment about running out before they went back to the SGC; she only ate for the pleasure of it. She listened attentively and shrugged when he paused for people's reactions. Her loyalty had always been to people first and organizations second; if he had something important to tell the novas that would upset the baselines then she was willing to listen and go from there.

She glanced around the group to see how they were taking the situation and had a moment of virtigo when she realized that this must have been something like how things began on her Earth as novas began erupting. The thought made her feel strange and kept her from actually saying anything.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia felt that creeping hand of Fate, the one she'd felt before that had never done anything good for her. She'd felt it when Bill came to see her new apartment; she'd felt it when Bill had invited over strange friends; she'd felt it when Jaltor had grabbed her.

She was getting really tired of Fate fucking with her. Hard eyes focused on Cam, waiting for him to continue.

[Mr Fox]

Cam waited a few more seconds but no one seemed to be inclined to leave. Fine. That mean they were all interested in staying or planned to turn him in when they got back to the SGC.

Here's where they would see what kind of future they could have. "When I said Court Marshal, I wasn't referring to Treason, I wouldn't betray my country. On the other hand, the IOA is a legally established oversight committee with the authority to make changes and suggestions and poke their noses in anywhere and anytime they wish. So technically and closely enough that it wouldn't make much difference to a judge. I tell you all that as warning to take this discussion very seriously."

He looked everyone in the eyes before continuing. "As some of you know the IOA has made some questionable decisions when it comes to the Specialists. In the case of Yseult, they decreed she had to pretend to be dead to her husband and children in the interest of security and secrecy. That's poor judgment as far as I'm concerned and something that should be appealed and fought."

"It gets worse. I won't go into details, but the IOA approached Olivia and asked her to become a spy for them. When she refused they used some very inappropriate leverage against her." He looked to Olivia, "I am sorry, I won't say more if you don't want me to speak of it. I found out about it as I investigated what they are doing."

"In their efforts to place a spy in the SGC they brought in a totally inappropriate individual, Sgt. Carl Hatchins, that had no business being in the SGC or even knowing of it's existence. That person is now AWOL and despite the fact that they were having their spy spied upon, he appears to have slipped their grasp and is missing. Instead of issuing an APB and starting a manhunt to bring him in, they are covering it up and even pressuring General Landry to keep it quiet within the military. From his time in the SGC he has seen things that could be very damaging." Cam's frown deepened, "Yet another poor choice."

"The very fact that I'm standing here is a result of the IOA scheming to create their own super soldiers. Some of you may not know my own story, but I was a 302 pilot in the battle against Anubis over Antarctica. I was shot down and spent the last 6+ months in a coma. I was near death and Olivia came up with the idea of using the ATA gene therapy in combination with the Ancient ascension device to bring me out of the coma and save my life. There was some debate as to the ethics of such a thing, but the IOA got invovled to push it through, not from some compassionate wish to save a dying soldier, but because they wanted to see if the procedure would work. I believe they were looking to use the process to create a group of super soldiers. I took my first action right after waking by locking out the artifact so that they can't do that. They should be discovering that the artifact won't work next week. They've already screened a squad of 10 soldiers through psyche exams and given them the ATA gene therapy. They are scheduled to arrive at Area 51 on Thursday next week."

"I don't know about all of you but I have a problem with that. A secret force of supermen, loyal first to them and outside all legal channels. Recipe for disaster."

"So I've taken action. I set up covert computer surveilence of the IOA to learn what they are up to. I've locked out the ancient Artifact to prevent them from taking that next step in secret. By the way, General O'Neill is away of the issue with the Artifact, I informed him before he transferred, so if something were to happen to me it could still be unlocked if the President ordered it, or there was a need."

"And last but not least, I've brought you all here to bring you into my little conspiracy if you want to be. You will be directly effected by the IOA and what they are doing so you have a right to know and participate if you chose."

"Oh, one final question." Cam looks around as if curious, "Where are Specialists, Lawerence, Taylor, Eckhart, Brayden, and the others that aren't here, but were rescued from the NID? Have you seen them around base recently? Funny that I haven't meet them eh? Interestingly when, I as commander of SG1, requested the files of all specialists created by the device there were no files on them. I only know of them from their IOA files that I broke into. Seems for one reason or another they all decided not to play ball so where "transferred". All of their military and civilian records have been completely wiped. It's like they don't exist anymore."

Cam's expression became deadly serious. "I don't intend to be disappeared. Right now they think I'm grateful to them for saving my life, they have a funny notion that because they used me as a human guinea pig I should owe them something. They think I can be trusted and plan to use me according to their files. I'm going to use them instead. I intend to see to it that we don't become slaves to their whim. They are using Planetary Security as a sledge hammer force people into giving them what they want regardless of whether it is a right thing to do or a moral thing, but only because they have the power and want more."

He looked to all the faces around him again, "Right now, all rank aside, we are just people. It is our lives these people are toying with, if you join with me to work against them you are putting yourselves at risk greater than you are in now. Right now you are slaves wearing invisible collars, but try to refuse to do what they ask and see how quickly that collar becomes real. I'm not suggesting we stop working for the SGC. I completely believe in the SGC and it's mission and would lay down my life to protect the people of Earth. What I am suggesting is that we combine our effort like we did here this morning and see what we can accomplish against the IOA. At the very least I want them brought back in line and returned to their mission of oversight for the purpose of keeping Earth safe, instead of using their positions to grab for more power. If you are with me say so, if you are not please head back to the stargate since I don't want anyone else here to take the fall for what I am instigating."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult stood up, her beautiful face almost cold in its composure.

"Will you be bringing anyone else into this... endeavor Cameron? It cannot be just 'specialists', otherwise the conflict between us and them will be unavoidable. We cannot let it degenerate to that, a war between specialists and non-specialists. The IOA would use that in their favour to point to us as the dangerous ones, that they were right to treat us as they have."

Her breathing was deep, but her eyes were steady. After speaking with Kyria, she knew this had to spoken.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan nodded once, "If you are tried then so too shall I be Colonel. Brayden and Lawrence and Taylor were freinds, comrades, and teammates. Marines never abandon their own."

Just like that The Leader of SG2-3 cast the first vote in favor of what Cam was planning. He nodded to the others of his team, trusting each of them to do what they thought was right.

He loooks to Yesult. "Right now it is Us "The Specialists" versus Them "The IOA." It may not seem like that but think about just how restricted we all are. We are not free. If they ever unlock the artifact, Do you think it would be long before we see more transfers and staunchly loyal "Tin Soldiers" showing up to fill in the ranks?

That's how it's done in the military, you weed out the detrimental or unstable or unpredictable elements of a unit and hone the rest into tool for war."

[Aradia McConnell]

So *that's* why he was here!! Gwyn must have known about this, that's why he tried to warn me off of him.

Aradia's face paled, and her fury flashed bright in her eyes. At least this guy, Colonel Cameron, had the guts to say what she'd known all along. "Invisible collars." That sounded just about right. What kind of sons of bitches brought in a woman's rapist to spy on her?! And making Yseult give up her family.. Aradia hadn't known about that. That was a double-bitch, and exactly the kind of thing she had been thinking about when she went to talk to Damien. He'd fed her a line then, but she'd known the truth. She had no doubt if she fucked something up, or refused to play ball, then her Dad.. or Markie.. or Livy.. or even Waki.. would never hear from her again. Her gut clenched a little tighter at that last one, because what she had with Waki was just starting, and it was the first time she'd dared to let herself even consider being with someone that way, or trusted herself enough to contemplate that kind of future.

And the hell if they're gonna take that chance away from me, the mother-fuckers.

Aradia spoke up, and her voice cut like a knife through all the murmurings and whispers. It was full of anger, and hate, and all the emotions Aradia had never bothered to learn to conceal in her life.

"As far as I'm concerned, the IOA can go fuck themselves five ways from Friday... Sir. And if I can help out in that regard.. count me in."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

This was going to get out of hand. Olivia knew that paranoia and isolation could build up within people and force them down darker roads. Yseult seemed to recognize that as well, though Olivia wasn't going to push the non-specialist envelope as much as she felt the need to keep them from closing themselves off.

"Yseult is right, and moreover, we need internal help against them," Olivia said. "Since none of us are members of the IOA, either someone among us needs to become a member, or we need to convince one of them to develop sympathies for us. And I have someone in mind for that."

She paused just a second to make sure that she had their attention. "Richard Woolsey comes around the SGC all the time, checking on the General." It still hurt to think of O'Neill leaving them, so she didn't dwell. "He's done things that our leadership has hated, yet I've heard that he also does what he thinks is the right thing. I would like us to check him out, to test him, and I think that if I approached him, on my personal matter, we could test to see how he reacts. If he seems to be incised by my story, then I think he'll help us." She paused and softly added, "I doubt that any moral being could think that what the IOA did to Yseult and myself was right."

[Rorx]

Swallowing, Gwyn nods then chips in, "I agree with both of you Cam, Olivia, but in addition I think we should also try to get the new General on-board as well. It can't hurt to have the head of the SGC wary about the motivation of factions within the IOA. Luckily I don't get the impression that the former members of SG-1 have a high opinion of the IOA either, and although they are now split up they are still respected within the organisation and in places of the administration. Another person it might be possible to get to keep an eye on things would be General Hammond."

[Adrian Moss]

Caine gave Aradia a guilty look then his blood began to boil. This was an internal threat to the United States. Secrecy concerning Yseult was one things, but what had happened to Olivia had been unconsunable. He had been working on his own black eye on the IOA, but Cam's proposal was on a totally different scale. His mind stopped racing and he began looking at the bigger picture.

"This is going to be an ugly fight, and in the shadows, People. We have to keep the SGC secret - that I still agree in. For those of us with close families, we should be prepared for the worst. If they aren't willing to let us go then they have to kill us and if they are willing to kill us, they are willing to stack a lot of bodies at our feet."

"My Dad is heading into a war zone. My step-Mom could have her carreer ruined. My step sister is entering the State Department as we speak. DC is a rough city. Car accidents happen all the time. If you get on board with this, are you prepared for the possible retaliation? Think hard."

"My Dad would kick my ass if he knew I was holding back because of him. My country is at risk and I took an oath. It seems I've lied to Aradia about what was going on here, and for that I'm truly sorry. The IOA doesn't want to make this America anymore and that I can not stand."

And then there is Declan. Jones is never seeing home again. They will never let Olivia's brain out.

"At the risk of sounding over dramatic, I would also point out that this is a fight for our freedom, as well as the freedom of those like us who may come along later. It is a thing worth fighting for."

"Those on my team who aren't in are free to transfer out if they want. I'll understand."

[Omar]

It is the same regardless of where we go. He had seen things like this before: The IOA's desire for power and his fellow teammate's reactions. All were simply expresssions of the dark side of the human spirit.

"If I may. Colonel." Omar rose to tell a history from another place and time.

"As most of you know, I come from an alternate timeline where nova's erupted naturally and randomly. Because of that, our existence was public. Many people were enamored with novas and we were idolized by millions. We were paid millions for our services. Nova scientists and engineers developed cures for diseases like AIDS and cancer and developed new technologies that made vehicles greener and more fuel efficient. Novas were icons in the entertainment industry, where they were worshipped by adoring fans. Others put their skills towards crime fighting, becoming protectors of a city or community. Global groups smashed the traditional criminal syndicates. One organization in particular even terraformed the deserts of Africa into lush and productive land. The United Nations declared us Homo sapiens novus and we were given the same rights as the rest of humanity.

"Sadly, we were also feared and hated by millions: Religous groups saw us a demons and wanted us exterminated. Other's experimented on us to extract chemicals, genetic material and organs in the hope of creating better soldiers or marketing drugs to increase human performance. Still others hired us out to wage their wars where we slaughtered eachother along side regular armies and in the process, turned tens of thousands of square miles into lifeless wastelands. Some governments controlled our movements because they feared that we could or would overthrow them. Organizations were created for the sole purpose of combatting any potential nova threat to national or international security. There was even a group that wad created to control our numbers through secretive mass sterilization programs because we were seen as a threat to humanity. Those who were immune to the sterilization drugs, or who those who discovered that novas were being sterilized, were hunted down by this group and killed.

"We ourselves were not immune to these feelings and desires. Novas were as greedy and hateful as their fellow humans. For astounding sums of money, novas hired themselves out as soldiers and mercinaries, killing other people and novas. Others used their enhanced intellect to develope those sterilization drugs. There were novas who used their beauty and charisma to start cults where they were worshipped as supreme beings. Some novas manipulated and controlled regular folks; turning some into slaves and others into killers. Nova's formed their own criminal organizations or hired themselves out to the surviving ones. Nova terrorist groups killed and intimidated people, governments and corporations for what they saw as righteous causes. There was even a group who said novas were no longer human and not subject to human laws: they advocated for nova rights and comitted acts of terror. Over time, this group grew in power as the numbers of nova sympathetic to their cause grew.

"With all these forces at work, it was only a matter of time before war between novas and human became a reality. Armies were thrown at groups of novas were they were crushed by battle hardened elites. Other novas however, were hunted down and killed by teams of professionals. This conflict, that we called the Aberrant War killed millions of regular people and several thousand nova. Continents were smashed or razed. Areas were depopulated by tained energies for thousands of years to come. In some cases, global nuclear war ensued because nova's refused to leave the planet. In these cases, 80% of the population was wiped out. Even worse, an alien civilization saw the threat we posed, and despite the outcome of the Aberrant War, they smashed a giant asteroid into earth, killing 99.99% of all the life on it.

Omar paused. "I am saying these things, because they are a reality. Whether knowledge of our existence is public or private, we will be seen as a threat eventually...or exploited because we represent a means to an end. This is what is happening in this case. The IOA is behaving withing human norms when faced with the reality of what we are and it will only get worse.

"Unfortunately, we do not have access to time travel and we can't go back to uncover the conspiracy before it happens. Nor can we go back and change the past in the hopes of altering human behavior and eliminating ignorance. This is something that we will need to take care of as soon as possible."

[Rorx]

Gwyn looked over at Olivia then turns back to Caine, "Well, with Dec under evaluation that only leaves the two of us Major, and I for one am in."

He then turns to Kyria, "Hey Kyria, you can do telepathy right? Is it limited to line of sight or could you do it without seeing the person you're trying to contact? And what sort of range do you reckon you have?"

[Yseult Sierra]

As Yseult listened to Omar Khudikias speak about what had happened on his Earth, she felt a tremor of terror build within her. What he described was exactly what she feared could happen. Worst, he apparently had no qualms about using time-travel to try to ameliorate mistakes that had been made, to render others' decisions obsolete and replace them with his own. His access to previous mission reports will have to be restricted, he cannot know that there are ways for time-travel here.

She turned to Major Caine. "There is more than just America to consider Damien, the IOA is an international committee. They can hide there activities in a number of countries. We definitely need an internal source of information, one with access."

"Speaking with Richard Woolsey, testing him, has very good merits, Olivie," Yseult said, turning her attention to the dark doctor. "I found him to be perhaps inflexible, but he has always seemed moral and did what he believed what was right. Hopefully, that will be enough." Yseult's grew softer as she added, "I wish it had been him that I had spoken to in isolation rather than that other one from the IOA."