Week 13

Failed reconnaissance lets slip the SGK’s “secret.”

==Day 1 ==  Feeling that exploration into resources is necessary, the trio debate the best planet for recon. Ben proposes searching for notable minerals such as Trinium, however Mike wins the day by proposing to look for raw Naquadah. Mike further adds that recon to a current or former Goa’uld mine world will allow them to witness the mineral’s extraction first hand. It is decided to visit a former world of their first Goa’uld victim: Ra. == Day 2 ==  Gearing up, the trio send a probe then gate to the world (address found on the Abydos Cartouche) and quickly head to a tree line. Anthony notes coincidently that most worlds they visit have a similar climate to Canada. Mike, shutting him up, calls them over the edge of an open pit mine. The sight is hardly pleasant: Human slaves beaten and injuring themselves digging pale rock. The view distracts the trio from an approaching platoon of Jaffa perimeter guards.

 The Jaffa fire the first shot, which if it were not for Mike pulling Ben away, would have hit him square in the face. A fire fight ensues where the trio retreat to the gate, where Anthony dials the gate while Ben and Mike cover. Running to the gate as the Jaffa arrive, Anthony goes through first followed by Ben while Mike covers him, however as he runs to the gate, Mike is shot dead in the back and falls short. The gate disengages.

 At the SGK, Ben and Anthony quickly decide to redial and reconnect with the probe to “see” (Via the camera) what has happened. Seeing Mike being dragged off, the probe is shot. The two decide to return; Ben clears the guards using a charge thrown through the gate.

 Stealthily, the two amble through the forest after the Jaffa and Mike. When they enter a compound, Anthony activates his cloak over the two to follow, but to their horror, he is ringed away. Knowing he has gone to a Ha’tak, the duo retreats to the SGK, unable to do anything on the planet anymore. == Day 3  == <span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Mike awakens in a holding cell, unaware how he got there, but deducing he was revived with a Sarcophagus. He waits.

<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Ben and Anthony receive word from the Tok’ra that Mike is on Cronus’ personal Ha’tak, having tracked its location. Both gate to the SGK’s cloaked Ha’tak, without any sort of plan in mind. ==<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Day 4 - 5 == Cronus’ First Prime arrives and gets the guards to drag him before Cronus, who with a chuckle patronises him for being a “violent child.” Further revealing his knowledge of the SGK’s assassination of Ra and their attack on Chulak, he says that “although you should be punished for your attack on the gods, you must originate from somewhere – and that is of interest to the System Lords.” Producing a Rod of Anguish, the First Prime thrusts the device onto Mike’s bare torso. He screams in incomparable agony.

<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Anthony pilots the Ha’tak while he and Ben converse about recent events. Ben states that “it was a fluke we made it so far, and now Mike is probably being tortured or dead;” Anthony simply agrees and the two make plans for their arrival in the next day.

Day 6 - 7
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> Mike recovers in the corner of his cell having repeated the same interrogation again earlier, before having somehow slept. He knows that he must keep Earth’s location a secret. But, he also knows that he will not be able to last another jab of the rod.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> Anthony wakes the sleeping Ben and comments that he, too should learn to fly it so he could have gotten some sleep as well. Ben just hands him a cup of coffee, replying that he “found the kitchen:” a kettle, a selection of dried foods and water, and a propane stove. Anthony laughs, and warns him they will arrive soon.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> Dropping the ship out of hyperspace, as Anthony says, it will still take another hour with maximum sublight engine power. He explains that he wanted to avoid detection, and has activated the cloak and hopes Cronus’ Ha’tak has lowered shields. Ben asks him to come along, but he knows that Anthony must stay behind to avoid any ‘accidents.’ Ben gets ready to embark the enemy ship.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> Meanwhile, Mike is dragged once again to be interrogated. The process is repeated but this time the First Prime holds the device to Mike for longer until Mike blurts out “Earth” in a broken voice. Cronus, present at all interrogations, asks for more. Mike says nothing but the motion of the First Prime toward him makes him say the gate address. He passes out, and is returned to his cell.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> Arriving at the enemy ship is unprotected, and Ben rings aboard. Anthony guides Ben using a schematic of the Ha’tak via radio toward the cells. However during this conversation, Anthony lets the ship fall too close the planet below, and the heat as it hits the atmosphere alerts Cronus’ ship to their presence. Anthony narrowly avoids a staff cannon blast from the other ship, and it activates the shields to his dismay. Communication though, has not been hindered. Ben evades Jaffa as he opens the only closed cell to find a sluggish Mike on the floor. Standing him to his feet, Mike says only “I told him” as Ben walks him away. Also happy at hearing Mike is alive, Anthony must break the news to them that the shield generator must be destroyed if they ever want to escape.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> Once again Ben is directed by Anthony but alarms soon start sounding. Fortunately, only several guards (who are “dealt with”) appear on the duo’s journey to the bottom of the ship. Arriving, Ben prepares some of his homemade grenades to destroy the generator; Jaffa appear on both sides of the bridge over the generator where they lay. Ben roughly throws 5 grenades away into the bowels of the ship and starts firing like crazy as staff shots volley over his head. In the small position the two are in, it is hard to hit; Mike simply lies barely conscious. A small explosion stops the shots briefly before they resume and Ben shouts to Anthony “to just do something!”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> Anthony watches as the shields disappear on the enemy ship and decloaks and fires a shot to the bottom of the ship, where it kills all Jaffa on one exit, and intentionally damages the hyperdrive. Ben dragging Mike takes the chance and run toward the closest set of rings to ‘jump’ back via the ship’s internal set and external set. Anthony begins a battle with Cronus’ ship, but has a shield. Cronus hails a surrender (Unusually for a Goa’uld) which he replies “Go to hell” to, having faith in his friends. Shortly after, a ring stream activates to the planet and he watches helplessly as Cronus make his escape.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> The ship-bound duo makes their way to the last set of rings but is blocked by swarming Jaffa. Ben uses the last of his explosive clearing a path and the two call to deactivate the shields. Anthony replies they must wait, as weapon capability must be destroyed, but Ben can’t hold out that long. He asks him to aim straight for the pel’tac as he deactivates the shields and Ben activates the rings. Anthony replies that the risk is too great, but Ben has confidence in his friend. Anthony concedes, and fires. As the rings activate, the walls around Ben and Mike become a whole bright light. They reappear back in the SGK Ha’tak where Anthony (Having destroyed the ship) comes to aid Ben in moving Mike, murmuring it’s like moving a tired child. Mike speaks again, having heard him and gained some energy, punches him deservingly in the gut. “He seems fine,” replies a winded Anthony. At the pel’tac, he engages the hyperdrive, as Mike falls unconscious.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"> “Bastard,” Ben curses.