Chapter 19
Underground Bunker, O'Neill Farm, Blaine County, MT
October 8, 2010
Sitting at the command centre in the bunker Sam ran a last few diagnostic tests. The date of Operation Quarantine had been selected and all resistance members were working towards full execution.
The operation was divided into four phases.
Phase I would have all Aschen diplomats stationed on federated and allied planets recalled to Aschen Prime and would be implemented after Sam finished the last diagnostic. The call would be technically false, because it was actually ordered by Sam and her assisting computer geeks, but it would be made by the Aschen computer core so no Aschen would question it.
Phase II was the subjugation of the communications systems, governments, and if they still existed defence forces, of yellow and red planets and distribution of the Veritas file. On Earth that involved activating the already planted ground zones around the Reed Terminal and at Area 51, and on mission date deploying the aircraft in delivering the dead zones to the other shipping yards, and Veritas broadcast with Daniel acting as spokesperson for Earth.
Phase III was actually quarantine of Aschen Prime and would occur at the same time as Phase II. The spaceships involved in that phase were primarily supplied by the Jaffa, but a few ships were being supplied by other resistance planets that were not members of the Confederation. Confederated planets after all did not 'need' spaceships beyond the Aschen's harvesters and other transport ships.
Phase IV was more nebulous because once the Veritas file had been distributed, Phase IV would be the implemented judgement of Aschen Confederate members upon the Aschen. Various proposals had already been drafted with contributions by many different human ethic leaders, and most recently Daniel, but the one constant was that Aschen Prime and its natives would remain in quarantine until they could safely demonstrated they would play nice with the rest of the galaxy.
Finishing her diagnostics and getting the all clear from the results, Sam set Phase I into motion. Light years away the Aschen master computer core received the transmission and then began transmitting the recall orders. Over the next three days all off-world Aschen would begin returning to their homeworld and while there would be questions the Aschen government would not be able to give them answers.
"Phase I operational?" Jack quietly made his way into the command room.
Sam looked up from her computer monitor and nodded, her expression softening at the sight of her husband cradling their sleeping seven-day-old daughter against his chest.
Little Hope O'Neill had been a surprise to them considering Jack's track record of three sons and a history of only sons in the O'Neill family.
They had been expecting another boy and had not even considered girl names. It had been Matt who had shyly offered the name of Hope; saying that he had been hoping for a little sister. Thor upon visiting a day after her birth had approved of Matt's choice stating that it was appropriate for a future hope for Earth and the to carry that name.
Thus, the youngest O'Neill had been christened Hope.
Sam rose from her seat and moved easily towards them. Her good physical condition before and during her pregnancy paired with another short and easy labour had her well on the road to recovery from her daughter's birth.
Even a week later, Jack still did not like her exerting herself so he closed the distance between them. As they met Sam stepped close to her husband and raising a hand lightly ran her finger tips through the fuzz on Hope's head.
"I just finished talking with Alex about thirty minutes ago and gave him the heads up that Phase I was being implemented within the hour," Sam murmured her blue eyes still on her daughter's fey like features.
Jack made a face. There was no denying that Alex Colson of Colson Industries was a valuable member and technological contributor of the resistance, but Jack did not really like the man—mostly because of Colson's poorly concealed and persistent crush on his wife.
Colson's constant flirting, even during Sam's pregnancy, had had him constantly gritting his teeth and mentally devising ways of eviscerating the man. It was not that he did not believe in or trust Sam whole-heartedly, he did—he just did not trust Colson. He had not even trusted Colson to make him part of the resistance but unfortunate circumstances had led to that development.
He kept his mouth mostly shut though around Colson for now, especially as it was Colson Industries media enterprise and satellites that would be transmitting the Veritas broadcast around the globe.
"And everything else?" he inquired. Sam was the one responsible for coordinating and commanding Phase II on Earth. His responsibility was coordinating and commanding Phase III specifically while overseeing all Phase II operations. That meant that come mission day, he'd be onboard the Iðavöllr, the Asgärd battle command ship,which was on loan to him as an Asgärd citizen and would serve as the command vessel of Operation Quarantine.
Sam nodded as she looked from Hope's face to Jack's. "Yes, you already know that Major Davis has put the Washington zones in place and Colonel Maybourne just confirmed that all ground zones have been deployed along the perimeter of Area 51. And the teams that will drop zones into the other 'shipyards have all confirmed the zones have arrived."
"Good," Jack replied. "And the satellite zones?"
"Are all ready for deployment as well."
Jack nodded in acknowledgement and Hope began to make waking noises. Both parents turned their attention back to their daughter as she sleepily blinked baby blue eyes at them.
"Here, why don't you have a seat," Jack gestured with his chin to the chair Sam had just vacated, knowing that if his daughter was awake she would soon be looking for a meal.
Sam moved back into the seat and accepted an even more awake Hope from Jack and settled her daughter into the crook of her arm to nurse. As Hope hungrily settled into eating Sam looked up at her husband who was watching them with an expression of paternal contentment.
"Everything else ready?" Sam questioned, "The boys and Sally?"
"The boys are looking forward to having the run of the ship and Sally's arranged for Tiara to take over the gallery for the day and entire week if needed." Jack replied. "My only concern is with you and Hope being on Earth."
"We've already discussed this," Sam murmured sympathetic to her husband's worries. "I'm the only one that can command Phase II on Earth and because Hope's nursing she has to stay with me. I know you're worried about what Kinsey might attempt to do—if they even figure out where exactly we live in Montana."
Jack looked unhappy. He knew that Kinsey's administration knew that he and Sam were living in Montana as the gallery in Turner was leased under his name and it was that address that his pension was sent to. That Sam was his wife also could not be missed, as while they had been married on Othala, they had still had to notify the US of their marriage upon immigrating back, and per Montana legislation Sam had to have a blood test for rubella and the presence of naquadah had created quite a ruckus even seven years after Disclosure.
But their 640-acre farm was owned by Sam's company, Stjarna Industries. Stjarna had been registered on Othala to Sam in 2004, but how aware Earth was that a naturalised Asgärd citizen owned the company they were uncertain. They were fairly certain however, that no one outside of the Asgärds knew that the O'Neill family were citizens of the race.
Joshua had actually been the first citizen, by merit of birth on Othala, and Jack and Sam had been granted citizenship for their aid in defeating the replicators. Because they were citizens, Asgärd citizenship was automatically conveyed onto all their children.
"And the bunker is more secure than Fort Knox," Sam added. "And when in lockdown the only thing that's getting in or out is what I let in or out."
Jack still looked unhappy but had to accept things as they were. The bunker was actually more secure than Fort Knox or the SGC, or anything Area 51, the White House, or Pentagon could come up with. The bunker after all was shielded with technology created by a race that while SGC had encountered and interacted with, had no opportunity to study their advanced technology.
A race that had the best defence force shields ever devised—the Nox.
So yeah, the bunker was secured.