Tython and Sam Carter

Chapter 1: A Matter of Time

On July 27, 2001, the sterile hum of fluorescent lights filled the Stargate Command console room, a stark contrast to the wonders Major Samantha Carter glimpsed through the iris every mission. Deep beneath Cheyenne Mountain, in the heart of the most secure complex on Earth, Carter meticulously serviced the colossal Stargate. Sweat beaded on her brow despite the mountain's chill as she spent hours meticulously calibrating the computers. Today's task: replacing the Dial Home Device, or DHD. Unlike the intricate alien versions found on other planets, Earth's DHD was a crude, cobbled-together device, a testament to human ingenuity in the face of superior technology.

Of course, it was Carter who designed it. Years ago, before the fateful mission to Abydos that had brought Dr. Daniel Jackson into their lives, she and her team had built the entire Stargate console. It was a constant source of frustration that she hadn't been on that first trip through the gate. Now, however, she was an integral part of SG-1, the first line of defense venturing through the Stargate nearly every day.

SG-1 was a well-oiled machine. Colonel Jack O'Neill, the gruff but brilliant leader, provided the tactical expertise. Dr. Daniel Jackson, the brilliant but unorthodox archaeologist, brought his knowledge of ancient cultures to the table. Carter, the intellectual powerhouse and astrophysicist, was the team's scientific backbone. And finally, Teal'c, the Jaffa warrior rescued on Carter's first off-world mission (not counting Abydos), provided invaluable insight into Goa'uld technology and tactics.

As Carter neared the final stage of the DHD replacement, a familiar figure glided into the console room. Dr. Daniel Jackson, with his quiet demeanor and insatiable curiosity, approached her workstation. "How's it going, Sam?" he inquired softly.

"I'm about done, Daniel, but I first want to run a few tests. After all the Jaffas ramming against the IRIS, I want to make sure it was working perfectly."

Looking confused, he asked, "I thought if the IRIS was before the event horizon, they could not get in?"

Carter said reassuringly, "That's true, but having attacks from so many."

Teal'c was already in the room and hiding in the shadows. He stated, "I see why they sent so many. They thought they could smash through somehow."

Carter replied, "I doubt that, but it's an interesting theory of yours, Teal'c. I simply want to run all the tests I can — just to make sure... no damage was done."

Before she had the chance, an incoming wormhole came to them. Right before she closed the IRIS, she mumbled a curse. "A scientist's job..."

Moments after the connection to their Stargate, something happened she did not expect — an insignia appeared dead center of the IRIS, like some holographic projection — this was not the first time to get such holographic images. The Goa'uld had done this a few times. This image is of a Phoenix Squadron logo. It depicts a stylized bird, similar to a hawk or falcon, inside a hexagon rather than a circle. The bird's wings are pointed and spread out, and it has a long tail feather. The bird and the hexagon are both white.

While similar to the Rebel Alliance logo, the Phoenix Squadron logo has a more geometric shape and lacks the outer circle. The Phoenix Squadron is a group of rebel pilots who are part of a larger rebellion against the Galactic Empire.

The klaxon ripped through Stargate Command, a jarring shriek that echoed through the metallic corridors. Red emergency lights strobed to life, bathing the once-sterile hallways in an ominous crimson glow. The rhythmic whine of the alarm cut through conversations and sent personnel scrambling to their designated stations. In the Gate Room, the colossal Stargate pulsed with an alien energy, the chevrons momentarily locked in a hostile pattern.