With the briefing concluded, SG-24 went to the locker rooms to grab their gear. The base’s quartermasters had spent the morning preparing the team with all their gear. The team made final checks on all their gear.
Sister Helena kissed her scapular medal and silently prayed, “Use me.” She placed a rosary that had been blessed by the Prior General and touched to the relics of the saints and blesseds of the Order into a pocket of her uniform. Sister Helena then placed her new veil on her head. The seamstress had attached a piece of black fabric to an Alice band. She made sure that her habit was packed into her duffel bag along with the other volumes of her breviary. They were there, which reassured her.
Sister Helena attached her rucksack to her tactical vest, which contained her current breviary, notebooks and writing implements. She also carried the team’s first aid kit and medical scanner. While Sister Helena waited for Fairbairn to finish her preparations, she began to pray:
“Lord, guide me in the way I should go. How am I to balance my duties as a member of this SG Team and as a daughter of Carmel? Guide me, Lord, in the way I should minister to the people of P4X-987. Bless the members of my team and guard them: Oversersjant Bjornson, Squadron Leader Fairbairn, and Colonel Larkin. Especially Colonel Larkin. I don’t know what I’ve done to offend him, especially since we’ve just met. Give me the grace to help overcome the division between us. All these things I offer to the glory of your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.” As Sister Helena made the Sign of the Cross, Fairbairn gave her a light tap on the shoulder.
“Hey, are you ready?” Fairbairn asked.
“I guess so. I’m still worried about many things. About Colonel Larkin, my role as a member of SG-24 and my past. Why am I being called back to the Stargate again. It’s a part of my past life that I deeply regret ever having been a part of.
“I’m no psychologist and I’m not deeply religious either, but maybe you’re being allowed to use the Stargate for good this time. Perhaps this is a part of your healing process. Some to think about, Sister.”
“Thank you, Fairbairn.” Sister Helena sighed. “How I wish Sister Marie Evangeline was here!”
“You miss her?” Fairbairn asked.
“Yes! She was my ‘angel’—my guide in my early days at the monastery. She used to be in the Air Force as well, which is why we bonded so well. She was like a mother to me.”
“I’d imagine she understands. But keep her in your thoughts as happy thoughts. That’s what gets me through missions.”
“I see.”
“Well, I’m ready! Let’s do this!” exclaimed Fairbairn. The two women came out of the locker room and went to the Armory to retrieve their weapons and ammunition. Then they made their way to the control room where General Carter, Colonel Larkin and Oversersjant Bjornson were waiting for them.
“You’ve made it. Good,” said General Carter. To the Gate Technician, she said, “Sergeant, dial P4X-987.”
“Dialing, aye, General,” said the technician. The gate dialing klaxon was heard as the inner ring began to spin.
“Chevron One encoded!” announced the technician.
“We’ll send the MALP through first to check for viability and bandits. If all is well, you can go through,” said General Carter.
“Chevron Two encoded!” General Carter passed out four GDO’s to each of the team members. They strapped them to their wrists including Sister Helena who mimicked the rest of her teammates.
“Here are your GDO’s. Since you will be on a long-term mission, we will send you a new set of codes each month.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Understood, General,” said Colonel Larkin. She then gave Colonel Larkin the Control Ring and the Ancient Communication Stone to Sister Helena
“Chevron Three encoded!” announced the technician. Just then the dialing sequence was interrupted, and the general alert klaxon was heard. Red lights began to flash.
Someone was dialing in.
“Unscheduled offworld activation,” said the technician.
“Close the iris! Defense teams to the Gate Room on the double!” exclaimed General Carter. The iris whirled shut and defense teams scrambled to their posts, their weapons drawn. The Stargate kawooshed behind the iris.
“I’m receiving an IDC, ma’am…It’s SG-4!”
“SG-4? They’re supposed to be escorting Hallam to trial on Zulu Station! Open the iris!”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m receiving an audio message.
“Put it through,” said Carter.
“General Carter, This is Wing Commander Cate MacGregor.” Colonel Larkin’s ears perked up when he heard that familiar Australian accent. She was the CO of SG-4. Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Zulu Station is under attack from without and from within. Hallam has moles inside the station, and we’ve got a Ba’al class Ha’tak and a cloaked Al’kesh attacking us from space. We’re evacuating all civilians now.”
“Understood, Cate,” General Carter. To the technician she said, “Open the iris.” She spoke into the PA: “Medical Teams to the Gate Room on the Double!” Medical teams scrambled to the Gate Room and arrived as soon as the first group of evacuees stepped through the Stargate.
“Sam, the Invincible is barely holding Hallam’s forces off. Captain McFearson has all her fighter squadrons engaging the enemy. She also wants to know where the Chekov is and her status,” said MacGregor.
“Cate, I sent the Chekov to the Alpha Site along with the Auora to protect it. Evidently, they’ve come under fire from Hallam’s forces as well. I’ll try to re-route the Apollo to Zulu station. But it will take time. The Invincible will have to hold off Hallam’s forces until she arrives”
“Can you give me an estimate of when she’ll arrive?”
“If I can reach them, it will take an hour for them to arrive.”
“Understood. We could use some reinforcements here.”
“General, what’s going on?” Sr. Helena asked.
“SG-4 and several other SG teams have been on a mission for the last three days to capture a Rogue Lucien Alliance member named Hallam. We suspect him of being a Goa’uld. He escaped our grasp before. SG-4 captured him and took him to Zulu station to stand trial,” General Carter replied. Sister Helena nodded.
“General, I'd like to volunteer SG-24 to help SG-4. Cate and I served together on SG-11. We both saved each other's asses on many occasions. I feel I should return the favor,” said Colonel Larkin.
“I’d like to go too,” said Fairbairn. “For my fellow crewmates on the Auroa.”
“Include me as well,” said Bjornson. “I don’t want to see the Alpha Site turned to ash by Goa’uld scum.”
“But what about your mission to P4X-987?” General Carter asked.
“After we finished with assisting SG-4 we could continue to P4X-987 after the Invincible’s CMO checks us out. We could also do a debrief by video conference,” said Colonel Larkin.
“It would also be a good test for Sister Helena ATA abilities,” General Carter said. “Zulu station has an Ancient Control chair and if I'm not mistaken a full complement of drones.” General Carter paused for a moment. “All right, Colonel, you have a go on your altered mission as soon as the last of the evacuees arrive. Contact us when you get to P4X-987 and we'll send the rest of your gear and fresh ammo. Godspeed.” General Carter spoke on the radio. “Cate, SG-24 and SG-8 will be joining you.”
“SG-24? Is that Marcus Larkin’s new team?” Cate asked.
“The same. He's also got a team member with a high ATA gene rating. We can use her in the chair. Keep in mind she's just learned about her abilities, so you’ll need to help her.”
“Got it. What's her name?” Cate asked.
“Sister Helena of the Cross. She's a nun who used to be in the Air Force. I'll explain her whole story later.”
“Understood, Sam. MacGregor out.” By this time all the evacuees had safely made their way through the Stargate, and it deactivated.
After grabbing extra magazines and ammo from the Armory, SG-24 and SG-8, made their way to the Gate Room. The technician dialed Zulu Station. As he called out the Chevrons, Colonel Larkin exclaimed:
“Bjornson and Fairbairn take point. Sister Helena, you’ll go next, and I'll bring up the rear for our team. Major Braden, your team will go in after us. Understood?” All nods. The final chevron locked in the Stargate kawooshed. “Weapons in the high ready position!” cried Colonel Larkin. He turned to Sister Helena. “That includes you too, Sister.” Sister Helena pulled out her Zat, opened it, and assumed a high ready position.
“Let's roll, team!” exclaimed Colonel Larkin. Bjornson and Fairbairn went through first. Then it was Sister Helena’s turn. She had some nervousness as she approached the Stargate, which was a part of her past. But she reminded herself of what Fairbairn said to her: “You’re using the Stargate for good this time.” She closed her eyes and said to herself as she stepped through the puddle:
“The men of the East may spell the stars,
And times and triumphs mark,
But the men signed of the cross of Christ
Go gaily in the dark.”
