Episode 8: An Awakening [EARTH]

[Jason Conway]

1500hrs Zulu
Stargate Command
Earth

General Jason Conway stepped through the Stargate alone. It shut off behind him and he stood in silence, in full dress uniform at the top of the ramp. Jason observed his surroundings, the armed gate team at the bottom of the ramp, Sergeant Siler and his control room staff visible through the first floor window. The cold steel walls of the former missile silo echoed the coldness of his thoughts as he paced slowly down the metal ramp, his boot steps chiming as he approached the man waiting for him at the bottom.

"Jason. What brings you here announced and... unaccompanied?" General Hank Landry, commander of the SGC asked his fellow top brass officer.
"I need to speak to the president." Jason announced flatly, not bothering to look Hank in the eyes. "I'm not leaving until I do."
There. He'd played his gamble, he'd made his move on the grand political chessboard and a brave move it was, now it was up to the IOA to call his bluff. A lot was riding on this strategy, a lot more than just Conway's career, but the lives of everyone back in the Triangulum Galaxy and potentially the lives of everyone on Earth as well. He needed to open their eyes, to make them realize that the enemy was coming one way or another and that Meropis was their only hope of stopping it. Hank nodded and without saying another word, marched off up to the control room. Jason's eyes followed him with a cold, fixed gaze as he appeared behind the glass and picked up a telephone. Jason watched as he spoke into it, and glanced down at the Triangulum Project commanding officer with a nervous look on his face. Jason simply stood, his hands at his sides curled into fists, his jaw clenched and his gaze unfaltering.

Forty minutes later, Jason was being escorted topside into a waiting Humvee. The Humvee would take him to Peterson airbase where a chartered helicopter would take him to Washington. By 1800 hours, Brigadier General Jason Conway was sat on a comfortable chair waiting outside the oval office.

<tag John Callaghan to bring in Mr. Vice President>

[John Callaghan]

Various times
The White House
Earth

The Vice President of the United States sat in the back of the armoured Chevrolet Suburban for a drive to the White House. While he would rather have stayed in his office at Number One Observatory Circle, which also functioned as his home while he was serving in his current function, he still had one thing to do today.

The President was done with the Stargate Programme, and refused to speak to any members of the command and therefore relegated that task to him. Little did the President know, however, that his Veep was entirely for the continuance of the programme. And he'd have to subtly convince his boss of its merits before it was too late.

That was the reason he was heading where he was, however. The Commanding Officer of the Meropis Expedition -the one hit hardest by the President's recent decision- had come home to defend his mission. While the President refused to see the General privately, the VP would play the role of devil's advocate. He would first meet the General privately, however.

Suddenly his phone rang. He answered it and said "Callaghan" to let the caller know it was him. He listened to what the caller had to say, before they said goodbye. It wasn't a long conversation, but it told him that the General had arrived in Washington, and that he would be getting on the Air Force's car soon. That gave the VP enough time to get a small room set up so they could talk.

Some time later, the VP walked through the white house, stopping by the entrance to the oval office where he found the General. "General Conway, if you'll follow me please?" he asked the man, even though it wasn't really a request.

[Jason Conway]

The White House
Earth

General Jason Conway's brow furrowed as the Vice President of the United States of America had asked him to follow. He rose uncertainly to his feet, having immediately recognised the suited and booted man in front of him as Major John Callaghan's own father. That HAD to make a supporter of the entire Stargate Program's existence right? They stepped into a side room further down the hall, with Callaghan nodding to the two servicemen that took up a position outside of the room allowing the pair some privacy. For a few moments after Callaghan had closed the door, neither said anything. Conway didn't even break his gaze and stood planted in the middle of the room, in full dress outfit, the very image of a typical Air Force General.

As soon as Callaghan looked up and opened his mouth to speak, he was cut off by a knock at the door. A serviceman opened the door a crack and poked his head in,
"Sir, there's somebody else here to see y-" The serviceman was cut off as said visitor shoved him out of the way and entered the room. And there stood Lt. Col. John Shepherd. He was the picture of cool as usual, wearing a flannel shirt with jeans and aviator sunglasses that he was just in the process of ripping off his face in mild anger. His I.D badge clipped to his waist band and his hair styled in his signature image.
"Mr. Vice President, SIR. I need to talk about you NOT shutting down the Atlantis Expedition." Shepherd said.

Conway was impressed. The president himself had managed to upset both major expeditions with what seemed like a snap and irrational decision. Upset them enough that John Shepherd himself, whom Conway had last seen piloting Atlantis itself to save Meropis, had managed to find his way home and all the way from Colorado to Washington just after Conway had. He walked over to the door, nodding a silent thanks to the stunned servicemen and gently pushed it closed with a slight click.
"Luke. If I may," Conway started, boldly using the man's first name in a bit of a gamble to break the ice, "it seems like the three of us need to sit down and talk. Shall we?" He asked, gesturing toward the chairs set up in the middle of the room and glancing toward the Pegasus Galaxy hothead.

<John Callaghan>

[John Callaghan]

The White House
Earth

The General followed Callaghan, and entered the room after him. He was about to offer the man a chair when the door opened. Another man, one he recognized as Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard. At once, the man went on to plead not to abandon the Atlantis expedition. Luke looked him in the eyes and waited for him to finish. When he did, he cleared his throat. "First of all, gentlemen. Can I offer you a drink? Water, or something stronger?" he asked, before grabbing three glasses from a small cabinet. He then proceeded to take a glass decanter containing a gold-brown liquid before pouring some into each glass. 

Luke set the glasses down on the table one by one, and then spoke again. "Now, sit down please." After everyone sat down, Callaghan moved to stand behind his chair. "Now, let me assure you of one thing. Homeworld Command and the Stargate programme, including the Atlantis and Meropis expeditions, as well as the Destiny expedition if and when they come out of stasis, will go on. I have no intention to let the President follow through on this plan." he said, before taking a small sip from his whisky. 

"Now, despite my urging them to reconsider, Congress is moving to impeach the President." He didn't need to state what would happen if they proceeded. He had no particular aspirations for the job, but if that was what is required of him, he would do it. Just as he had never wanted the Vice Presidency, and just as he was doing now. "Please, if you have anything to say, do it." He then said. 

[Jason Conway]

The White House
Earth

Jason gratefully received the glass of whisky, taking a sip and enjoying the flavours of the sort of vintage the Vice President of the United States could afford. John took the glass but didn't take a sip, he stood and eyed V.P Callaghan cautiously as the man spoke,
"Now, let me assure you of one thing. Homeworld Command and the Stargate programme, including the Atlantis and Meropis expeditions, as well as the Destiny expedition if and when they come out of stasis, will go on. I have no intention to let the President follow through on this plan. Now, despite my urging them to reconsider, Congress is moving to impeach the President."
"Impeach?" Jason's eyebrows raised at that last statement, "Have things really gotten that bad?" He asked. Jason knew of certain rumblings back home, certain decisions the president had made that seemed borderline hostile let alone out of character. He was on a self-destruct path and the decision to scrap all efforts in relation to the safety and defence of Earth seemed a wild one to say the least. Many had speculated the president had become compromised although standard homeworld command scanning procedures revealed no Goa'uld presence inside the White House.
"And what about the proposed rescue of the crew of the Destiny by my expedition? Is our... Arrangement, still to your liking?" Jason asked.

He knew full well that Luke had contacted him in secret and arranged an idea where a team lead by his son, Major John Callaghan, would board the Destiny. Dr. Black had come up with the idea a while ago of sacrificing one of the Meropis half-depleted ZPM's and writing it off as having expired, taking it to the Destiny and using it to establish a wormhole back to Earth. They would send the crew through in their stasis pods before gating back to Meropis minus the ZPM, and congress would be none-the-wiser. Truth be told, Jason didn't know why they were so reluctant to sanction a rescue mission. It wasn't as if Meropis was going to need the ZPM to fly anywhere soon, being half buried in the Earth and all.

"So the President wants Atlantis shut down," Shepherd pitched in, "But congress are moving to impeach him which would cancel out those orders. Wouldn't that make YOU the commander in chief. MISTER Vice President Sir? Can't help but feel a little career aspirations shining through here." He brazenly asked, it was clear the Atlantis veteran was still sceptical of the entire situation.

[John Callaghan]

"I'm afraid they have, General. It hasn't been just regarding the programme. He's been making erratic decisions about more things. I won't give examples. You'll see for yourself in a few minutes." Callaghan stated. He took another sip from his whisky and set the empty glass down on the table.

Then Conway asked about the arrangement regarding Destiny's rescue. "It is, General. Though I have a few alterations and suggestions you will receive in writing before you return to Meropis." he said. One of the things he wanted to change was to try and get Destiny on a course to Earth. Even though it would take longer to be able to get a rescue in action, Humanity could learn a lot from the ship.

"Feel as you will, Colonel. If it were up to me, I would still be enjoying my retirement with my wife. However, when the President asks you can only refuse so many times..." Callaghan said. After a long career he had chosen retirement over doing one last tour. To this day he still had no political aspirations. "I am doing everything in my power to find alternatives, but Congress wants it over with quick and easy." he added. Shepherd could believe and feel however he pleased, and with age Callaghan had earned the right not to care about that too much.

Suddenly, Callaghan took two little boxes from his pocket. "I have one last thing, gentlemen. If you will stand" he said. Then he took a piece of paper out of the same pocket. He started reading it aloud. "The Secretary of the Air Force reposes special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valour, and pofessional excellence of Jason Conway, and John Shepherd. In view of these qualities, their demonstrated leadership abilities, and their dedicated service to the United States Air Force, they are therefore respectively promoted to the rank of Major General and Colonel as of this day, the sixteenth of March, two-thousand and eleven." he walked over first to Conway, and replaced the man's rank insignia on his shoulder boards. Then he shook the General's hand, before moving to Shepherd. He shook Shepherd's hand and handed him the box with the eagles of a full Colonel since the young man wasn't in uniform.

"Oh, and Colonel. I'll need you to pick a few additions to the Atlantis expedition in case we can't get anyone there for a while. Also, both of you. Your next monthly shipment of supplies will be larger than normal. Food, water, ammo. Everything you'll need for the same reason. This is just contingency planning, but preparation is key. That was all, gentlemen. It's time we met with the President."

[Jason Conway]

Major General Jason Conway. He paused for a moment, in a stunned silence as he took in what had just happened. Stood there in the office to full attention, Jason exchanged a sideways glance at Sheppard before allowing a grin to break out across his complexion. For a moment the General's mouth moved as he struggled to form a sentence but no words would come, after a few seconds he could just about manage,
"Thank you Mr. Vice President."
"Oh, and Colonel. I'll need you to pick a few additions to the Atlantis expedition in case we can't get anyone there for a while. Also, both of you. Your next monthly shipment of supplies will be larger than normal. Food, water, ammo. Everything you'll need for the same reason. This is just contingency planning, but preparation is key. That was all, gentlemen. It's time we met with the President." Luke said, addressing Sheppard first and then Jason.
Jason nodded, reading between the lines he knew what Luke was suggesting to them both. At least the fight would go on for now, it was good to have allies in high places. Jason had arrived here with the intention of keeping the war front as far away from Earth as possible, he felt he had achieved a small victory today.

As the three of them exited the room, headed toward the Oval Office to meet the President. They were pushed back by a group of secret servicemen urgently jogging past them in the same direction. Jason frowned as another secret service duo approached the Vice President.
"Sir, we need to get you down to the situation room. We've got an unknown hostile contact in stationary orbit." The servicemen briefed the trio, the urgency clear as day in his voice.
"What contact?" Sheppard immediately asked, slipping his new full flight Colonel wings into his pocket for now.
"Sirs..." The serviceman said, glancing at the I.D badges of Sheppard and Conway which suggested an extremely high clearance level, "I think you'd all better come with me."

<tag John Callaghan to take us to the situation room and meet the President!>

[John Callaghan]

The White House
Earth

The senior Callaghan led the two officers in the direction of the oval office. Before they could make it there, however, two Secret Service Agents intercepted them. He recognised one of them as Mike Brenner, who was on his protection detail. There was an unidentified contact in orbit. How about that. He heard the Colonel ask about it, before Mike told them all to come with him. "Alright, Mike. Let's go." he said, instantly following the Agents as they turned around and led the way to the situation room. 

The Vice President never really did like the situation room. It was a great room, sure, but the dimmed red light everywhere always bothered him. And it had bothered him since he had first been in here, several years ago. Luke couldn't see the President anywhere. That was a little bit strange, but it didn't mean anything per se. For all he knew, the man was in the washroom, needing to take a leak. Something trivial as that would explain it, he was sure. Meanwhile, he turned to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs --Admiral Ryan, who had replaced him when he retired. "Admiral, what've we got?" he asked. 

"Well, Sir. That's the thing. We don't rightly know. We've cross-referenced its signature against everything we have on file, and it doesn't match. Not Goa'uld, Ori, Alliance, not even anything from the Pegasus." the Admiral said. Luke could see in the man's expression that he and his staff really had done everything they could in trying to identify it. 

"Could it be from the Triangulum?" Callaghan mused. Instantly, the Admiral replied. "If it is, Sir, it's not anything any of us have seen before, no offence to General Conway and Colonel Riley." the man stated. Callaghan nodded, before he began searching for a Secret Service Agent. He found one, and called him over. "Mr. Archer, go look for the President, please." he asked. Though, in this case it might well have been a direct order.