Chapter 18

Destiny

"Settle down people, I'm not done yet. This part you'll want to pay attention to as it does concern you and your descendents. We have been made aware that the people of Novus who hopped in their space sh.i.p.s for their rendition of the Oregon Trail are in the care of the Furling. They were intercepted and brought back to the obelisk planet you reported. These people will be further relocated to the New Heliopolis at the Furlings insistence. Their reasoning behind this was these people were never supposed to be so they are outside the scope of our responsibilities and will be mentored by the Alliance of five Great Races." finished O'Neill.

"Why is so much time needed to return Home General O'Neill?" demanded Camille Wray.

"You know these advanced races are never in a hurry to do anything. If I were you I would just nod my head and be happy that it's being done." responded Jack.

"What of Destiny's mission? Are we going to just abandon the reason this ship is out here? The knowledge we're walking away from could change our understanding of the universe and how it came to be!" proclaimed Rush.

"Oh come on!" cried Eli.

"Dr. Rush, I'm fairly certain the Ancients and Furlings have their reasons for ending this voyage now. For now just concentrate on going home and let us handle the rest." answered the General.

"General, we will continue on our current flight path. You've made a lot of people very happy with this. Thank you Sir." stated Col. Young.

They were going home! At so many times during their time aboard Destiny they people aboard had felt they would never make it home. The good news had been flowing in, but without ever admitting it even to each other those aboard secretly waited for the other shoe to drop.

White House

"Our people have been made aware that they are finally coming home?" asked President Hayes.

"Yes Mr. President, General O'Neill is aboard Destiny now making that known." responded Lt. Col. Davis.

Reclining in his office chair and looking over the Oval Office the President asked "What other matters are on the agenda for today Paul?"

"We still have the matter of team selection for the academics delegation we're to send to New Heliopolis. All those listed on the shortlist before you have already been vetted by the SGC. Furthermore, everyone listed has previously worked on off-world technology in the past without being fully briefed in on the program. We have five from MIT, three from Cal Poly, one from Boston College in addition to a further three from DARPA. The remaining four are from Oxford. This will make up our first class. The second class we will draw from all IOA nations. This would have been done in the first group but the time for background investigations was simply not there." answered Davis.

"Very good Paul. The understanding we gain here will unlock a mountain of technology. We can finally put it to use in our world and not just for its defense. We're laying the foundation for generations to come." extolled Hayes.

"That is correct Mr. President. In addition the Furling have promised several key pieces of technology. They assure me one of these devices in particular will reverse the environmental effects of pollution." informed Davies.

"Now what can you tell me about Pegasus Paul?" asked Hayes.

Bringing up a power point presentation on the LCD screen in the center of the room Davis went over known intelligence on Genii forces. Included in the presentation was a list of assets to be utilized in the upcoming operation.

"We're calling it Operation Reciprocity. Several of the key munitions and personnel key to the plan are even know being transported to Atlantis. This is an interdiction operation with a focus on tactical surprise, stealth, and speed of violence. Enemy lines of communication and supply have been severed with the removal of Stargate's from Genii worlds. The chance exists though that units of their armed forces were moved to secure locations on worlds we currently have no intelligence on before they initiated terrorist action. From the moment you give the go order offensive operations will commence within forty eight hours." said the Air Force officer.

"It's never an easy thing to send the young men and women of this nation and this world into harms way. however after what these animals have done, no other choice exists in the eyes of this government, nor in the eyes of the IOA. The Presidential authorization was signed five minutes before you walked in Paul. Send word to Atlantis that the op is a go." finished the President.