Chapter 96

The White House

Within the confines of the oval office sat Lt. Colonel Paul Davis, General Jack O'Neill, General Francis Maynard the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and President Henry Hayes. All eyes were fixed on the large plasma flat screen display. Playing out on the display was video of Allina describing Genii actions towards her, photographic intelligence collected by Apollo, and gun camera footage from Broadsword flight.

"Francis, what's your stance on this" asked Hayes.

"This isn't so much an incursion as it's an invasion. Photographic intelligence points to manpower and vehicle strength approaching two of our armored divisions and rising. Men and material were transiting through the gate even as these photos were being collected. The Dagan's are a preindustrial farming society at best. Our estimates are that they lack the technological resources and military ability to form an effective resistance to Genii forces. Essentially the Genii have conquered the planet already" stated General Maynard.

"General O'Neill, anything to add" asked Hayes.

"I concur with General Maynard. These people don't have the ability to fight back with much more than pitchforks. The video shows us these are bad guys not afraid to put the blade to the weak as it were" added O'Neill.

"I'm really sick of hearing about the Genii. They've attacked us a number of times, used us to restructure their own political landscape, continually attacked the helpless, and even after the last episode here they are again. Clearly the Coalition didn't teach them enough of a lesson. Gentlemen, let me be clear; I hate bullies. The Genii stomp around the schoolyard like they own the place. It's not because they are the toughest kid on the schoolyard. It's because no one has ever punched them solidly in the nose and taught them to behave. They don't want to learn from the last episode? Fine by me, but it ends here. I'm authorizing any and all actions necessary to put an end to their ability to make war. What are our options" asked Hayes.

"As you know we reequipped the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment for situations just like this. Although they haven't had much time to acquaint themselves with the new systems to my liking they have been training with them nonstop. From what I'm seeing on the video the Genii lack the ability to stand up to what the 3rd ACR is capable of throwing at them in terms of ground and air power. I would feel more comfortable though if they could operate with 302's assigned to the vessels of the Pegasus Group in a ground support role" stated Maynard.

"We have more than enough 302's aboard the Athena class sh.i.p.s in Pegasus to provide continuous air cover. We will need to move air to ground munitions though, but that can be done via Midway station" added O'Neill.

"Let's get this moving then. I want them there ASAP" replied Hayes.

"Mr. President, the prepositioning sh.i.p.s carrying the regimental sets of equipment have not yet been moved to Pegasus. The sh.i.p.s don't have nearly the speed of the Athena's, so I asked Colonel Davis to call the Asgard" stated O'Neill.

"I spoke with Thor at the November Site, explained the situation, and inquired if they could assist. They agreed without hesitation. Using their vessels they will tow the prepositioning sh.i.p.s to Pegasus. That means we can have them there in a day instead of eighteen days. The Asgard have further pledged to send a number of sh.i.p.s along to cover the patrol sectors of any sh.i.p.s we divert to Dagan" said Davis.

"Always good to have friends. Any other concerns" asked Hayes.

"During the last situation with the Genii we removed the components needed for them to produce further nuclear weapons. The unknown variable is did any get away. It is possible that they do have nuclear weapons and based on their past deployment of these weapons I feel it a certainty they would not hesitate to use them against our forces on the ground" stated Maynard.

"I really thought the days of mutually assured destruction ended with the cold war. This is a sad state of affairs gentlemen. Should they deploy weapons of mass destruction against any Earth forces in the Pegasus galaxy we will respond with wmd's of our own. It's time we play ball by their rules. If they nuke a primitive society I authorize deployment of ours in kind on their home world. Is that clear enough for you" asked Hayes.

"Crystal clear Mr. President" responded Maynard.

"I hate to cut this short but I've got a one o'clock photo op with a Boy Scout troop from West V.i.r.g.i.nia. Go win us war" finished the President.

Cheyenne Mountain SGC

Ninety minutes later the deployment plan went out to the Asgard. With the war machine of the United States kicking into gear things began to happen very quickly. Streams of trucks from Peterson Air Force Base began to arrive and disgorge a large amount of air to ground ordinance. Cl.u.s.ter bomb units, anti tank missiles, laser guided small diameter bombs, the list went on and on. These weapons went directly to Midway Station, and from there would find their way to Atlantis and Borealis for distribution among the participating vessels of the Pegasus Group. In twenty four hours the men of the 3rd ACR would begin arriving to gate to both Atlantis and Borealis. Once the equipment laden vessels under tow by the Asgard arrived deployment to Dagan would begin. The thought of fifty seven hundred cavalry troopers passing through his highly classified instillation didn't exactly please General Landry, but he reminded himself that he retired soon anyway. With the first load of ordinance passed through the intergalactic gate bridge Operation Steady Scorpion had begun.