FIC: Road to Pegasus(1/?) (SGA/SV)
Title: Road to Pegasus - Part 1
Author: Lylip
Fandoms: Stargate: Atlantis, Smallville, Stargate: SG-1(bits)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Chloe in the Stargate universe.
Spoilers: SGA - starts with Rising, SV - S3 finale
Note1: This whole thing is a sort of episode by episode 'behind-the-scenes', but may change into an AU at some point. (Though I actually have stories in mind for each of the first 2 seasons episodes, and more coming with every new season 3 ep.)
Episode: Rising (1.01 & 1.02)
Prologue
One
(Pre-Series)
Eight Years Later
“Are you sure about this?” General George Hammond asked of his granddaughter over their weekly dinner. He’d always supported her decisions, but this latest one left him conflicted. She had agreed to join an expedition that ran a very high risk of being lost forever. He’d always known that another posting could potentially crop up, taking her out of his protective circle, but never in his wildest dreams had he imagined this scenario.
“I thought this through very carefully before making my decision.” Chloe told him seriously, wanting him to understand how important this mission was to her. “I know all the reasons I shouldn’t go, but I also know all the reasons I should go - I need to go.”
Looking him straight in the eyes, she tried to convey everything she was feeling to him. He’d done so much for her since that day in the hospital, that she felt indebted to him, so she paid him back by becoming the best at her job.
She had spent almost a year convalescing in Colorado with her Grandfather - her mother’s father - a Major General in the Air Force, who spent long hours in his office in Cheyenne Mountain. At the time he had been the commanding officer of the base, which studied Deep Space Telemetry. It hadn’t taken Chloe long to figure out that radio waves from space couldn’t be responsible for the stress that had him on the edge of an ulcer, but had kept her questions to herself. The undefinable urge to seek out the truth had vanished when a bomb had killed her father. A bomb meant for her.
“I never thought that when you were offered the position at the mountain, it would lead to this.” he told her, knowing that he would accept her decision, because he had never been able to deny her the things she truly wanted. Her current career path being one of them. She’d come to him after being released from the Air Force hospital, with a new plan for the future. It had seemed that all that time in a military environment had given her a new perspective, because she wanted to go to the Air Force Academy.
To say he’d been shocked would be an understatement. His wild and free granddaughter wanted to join the Air Force, and while it had filled him with no small amount of pride that at least one of his progeny wanted to follow in his footsteps, he had his reservations about the entire state of affairs. But Chloe had been adamant. She wanted to be able to take care of herself, have someplace to carry out a remotely normal life without having to watch every move she made in case Lionel Luthor found her again, and she wanted to be close to him. Going to the Academy, located close to Colorado Springs, provided her with all of these, as well as a future and a significant amount of inherent protection. If she was ever found, most people would think twice about coming after someone so heavily guarded by the United States Air Force, and a granddaughter of a decorated General, to boot. At least, she hoped so.
It wasn’t the best reasoning by a long shot, but it was enough for him to pull some strings to get her through the admissions process as she finished her final year of high school by way of private tutors. The physical aspect had been the hardest of all, as she pushed her body past any previous levels of fitness, all the while still recovering from some of her more severe injuries. The entrance requirements had given her a goal she otherwise wouldn’t of had, giving her a determination she hadn’t thought she was capable of. As she’d told him once, the Spring Break of her first year, the old Chloe Sullivan had died with her father, while a new one had been born the day he came for her in the hospital.
However, the new Chloe Sullivan - wasn’t. Technically, she was Chloe Gabriel, the new name necessary to make sure she wasn’t easily found. A lot of thought had gone into her new name, a task they had spent many hours on. They had argued about keeping her first name, Chloe winning in the end, saying it would be too hard to learn to respond to a new first name. The last name had been slightly easier. Sullivan was obviously out of the question, and while she’d debated on Hammond, after her Grandfather, they had both decided that it would be too recognizable at the Academy, and may make everything more difficult in the long run. He had suggested Gabriel, as a way to remember her father, and it had felt right.
So Chloe Gabriel had attended the Air Force Academy, and upon graduation, was offered a job at Cheyenne Mountain, where when finally briefed on the classified project, had turned to him and proclaimed ‘I knew it! ‘Deep space telemetry’, as if!’. She’d accepted, glad to have a chance to work near the General - if only for a few years. He’d been asked to head up Homeworld Security several months earlier, and a weight had lifted off her, as his stress level dropped considerably due to not dealing with deadly crises on a daily basis. It remained low, as Chloe’s position didn’t require her to ‘travel’.
‘Travel’ being a euphemism for ‘going to another planet’. Despite her outward acceptance of the initial briefing, it had taken her several days to completely grasp the reality of the Stargate. The existence of a device that could almost instantaneously transport you from this planet to another with a similar environment, was simply mind-boggling. The further revelation of a parasitical enemy known as the Goa’uld, who wanted to enslave the entire human race, and used the network of Stargates to do this, was almost too unbelievable. Luckily, she’d had the General on hand to answer any questions she may have had, which made the entire transition all the more easier.
Thinking about all the things she’d seen in the last three years, made her appreciate Smallville all the more, though she was loathe to admit it. Chloe knew she wouldn’t have been able to deal with what she saw on an almost daily basis, if she hadn’t dealt with a multitude of meteor freaks throughout her teenage years. In a way, Smallville and the weirdness surrounding it had prepared her in a way nothing else could have. Which was ultimately one of the pros for volunteering for this expedition.
“Does this have anything to do with Lionel Luthor’s upcoming parole?” he asked her, aware of how dissatisfied she was with the legal system as a whole. Though he had to agree with her - eight years was not nearly long enough for what he had done. But the man had been a model prisoner, and was eligible for parol, despite the further testimony of his granddaughter. She’d come out of hiding to testify again, but it was all for nothing, and Lionel Luthor would be set free within the coming weeks.
“I won’t lie and say it’s not a factor, but his continued existence has always had an influence on my life.” Chloe responded. “Every decision I make, every single thing I do, is always preceded by the question ‘Am I exposing myself?’. I’m tired of it. Going on this expedition with Dr. Weir will allow me the freedom to be myself again.”
“I’m a sentimental old man, and don’t want you to leave.”
“And I wish I could stay, but the opportunity is too much to pass up. It’s a chance to go where no human has gone before, to a place straight out of myth, and learn about our ancestors. Not to mention the new position and responsibilities. I can train my staff how I see fit, be head of the department . . . “ she explained, and Hammond had to smile at her enthusiasm. Chloe had always been organized, but the Air Force had cranked it up to another level entirely. Since the day she first started at StarGate Command, she’d been a force to be reckoned with. Several months in the Administration department had resulted in higher efficiency and less overtime, which had led to her transfer to Ordinance, where the same phenomenon had occurred, but in less time. The Air Force was very particular about their weapons, and not much overhauling was necessary. Her superiors had taken notice, and decided to use her where they were getting the most headaches, mainly the civilian researchers. Their labs were general messes, machines breaking down or being ‘redesigned’, constant demands for material and equipment that was promptly ordered and shipped, only to discover that there was plenty on base already. Chloe had attacked the problem with glee, energized by the new challenge, and had succeeded for the most part. This had led to her being offered a position on the Atlantis Expedition, as part of the military contingent. It was a great opportunity, if a little severe in the relocating department, but as she kept telling him, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she would be crazy to turn it down.
“When do you leave?” he asked, already knowing the answer, a small smile on his lips.
“Three weeks.”
“Not nearly long enough to say goodbye.” he told her, acutely aware that given the mission parameters, he may never see her again. She was joining a multi-faceted team, and going through the Stargate to the Pegasus galaxy, in hopes of finding the lost city of Atlantis. The great Lost City of the Ancients, builders of the Stargate. However, because of the power needed to reach the Lost City - if indeed it was Atlantis - the trip was most likely one way.
“Not even close.” Chloe agreed, knowing that these weekly dinners with her grandfather were what she would miss the most.
“We’ll just have to make the most of it.”
“Agreed.”
End Part One
Author: Lylip
Fandoms: Stargate: Atlantis, Smallville, Stargate: SG-1(bits)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Chloe in the Stargate universe.
Spoilers: SGA - starts with Rising, SV - S3 finale
Note1: This whole thing is a sort of episode by episode 'behind-the-scenes', but may change into an AU at some point. (Though I actually have stories in mind for each of the first 2 seasons episodes, and more coming with every new season 3 ep.)
Episode: Rising (1.01 & 1.02)
Prologue
One
(Pre-Series)
Eight Years Later
“Are you sure about this?” General George Hammond asked of his granddaughter over their weekly dinner. He’d always supported her decisions, but this latest one left him conflicted. She had agreed to join an expedition that ran a very high risk of being lost forever. He’d always known that another posting could potentially crop up, taking her out of his protective circle, but never in his wildest dreams had he imagined this scenario.
“I thought this through very carefully before making my decision.” Chloe told him seriously, wanting him to understand how important this mission was to her. “I know all the reasons I shouldn’t go, but I also know all the reasons I should go - I need to go.”
Looking him straight in the eyes, she tried to convey everything she was feeling to him. He’d done so much for her since that day in the hospital, that she felt indebted to him, so she paid him back by becoming the best at her job.
She had spent almost a year convalescing in Colorado with her Grandfather - her mother’s father - a Major General in the Air Force, who spent long hours in his office in Cheyenne Mountain. At the time he had been the commanding officer of the base, which studied Deep Space Telemetry. It hadn’t taken Chloe long to figure out that radio waves from space couldn’t be responsible for the stress that had him on the edge of an ulcer, but had kept her questions to herself. The undefinable urge to seek out the truth had vanished when a bomb had killed her father. A bomb meant for her.
“I never thought that when you were offered the position at the mountain, it would lead to this.” he told her, knowing that he would accept her decision, because he had never been able to deny her the things she truly wanted. Her current career path being one of them. She’d come to him after being released from the Air Force hospital, with a new plan for the future. It had seemed that all that time in a military environment had given her a new perspective, because she wanted to go to the Air Force Academy.
To say he’d been shocked would be an understatement. His wild and free granddaughter wanted to join the Air Force, and while it had filled him with no small amount of pride that at least one of his progeny wanted to follow in his footsteps, he had his reservations about the entire state of affairs. But Chloe had been adamant. She wanted to be able to take care of herself, have someplace to carry out a remotely normal life without having to watch every move she made in case Lionel Luthor found her again, and she wanted to be close to him. Going to the Academy, located close to Colorado Springs, provided her with all of these, as well as a future and a significant amount of inherent protection. If she was ever found, most people would think twice about coming after someone so heavily guarded by the United States Air Force, and a granddaughter of a decorated General, to boot. At least, she hoped so.
It wasn’t the best reasoning by a long shot, but it was enough for him to pull some strings to get her through the admissions process as she finished her final year of high school by way of private tutors. The physical aspect had been the hardest of all, as she pushed her body past any previous levels of fitness, all the while still recovering from some of her more severe injuries. The entrance requirements had given her a goal she otherwise wouldn’t of had, giving her a determination she hadn’t thought she was capable of. As she’d told him once, the Spring Break of her first year, the old Chloe Sullivan had died with her father, while a new one had been born the day he came for her in the hospital.
However, the new Chloe Sullivan - wasn’t. Technically, she was Chloe Gabriel, the new name necessary to make sure she wasn’t easily found. A lot of thought had gone into her new name, a task they had spent many hours on. They had argued about keeping her first name, Chloe winning in the end, saying it would be too hard to learn to respond to a new first name. The last name had been slightly easier. Sullivan was obviously out of the question, and while she’d debated on Hammond, after her Grandfather, they had both decided that it would be too recognizable at the Academy, and may make everything more difficult in the long run. He had suggested Gabriel, as a way to remember her father, and it had felt right.
So Chloe Gabriel had attended the Air Force Academy, and upon graduation, was offered a job at Cheyenne Mountain, where when finally briefed on the classified project, had turned to him and proclaimed ‘I knew it! ‘Deep space telemetry’, as if!’. She’d accepted, glad to have a chance to work near the General - if only for a few years. He’d been asked to head up Homeworld Security several months earlier, and a weight had lifted off her, as his stress level dropped considerably due to not dealing with deadly crises on a daily basis. It remained low, as Chloe’s position didn’t require her to ‘travel’.
‘Travel’ being a euphemism for ‘going to another planet’. Despite her outward acceptance of the initial briefing, it had taken her several days to completely grasp the reality of the Stargate. The existence of a device that could almost instantaneously transport you from this planet to another with a similar environment, was simply mind-boggling. The further revelation of a parasitical enemy known as the Goa’uld, who wanted to enslave the entire human race, and used the network of Stargates to do this, was almost too unbelievable. Luckily, she’d had the General on hand to answer any questions she may have had, which made the entire transition all the more easier.
Thinking about all the things she’d seen in the last three years, made her appreciate Smallville all the more, though she was loathe to admit it. Chloe knew she wouldn’t have been able to deal with what she saw on an almost daily basis, if she hadn’t dealt with a multitude of meteor freaks throughout her teenage years. In a way, Smallville and the weirdness surrounding it had prepared her in a way nothing else could have. Which was ultimately one of the pros for volunteering for this expedition.
“Does this have anything to do with Lionel Luthor’s upcoming parole?” he asked her, aware of how dissatisfied she was with the legal system as a whole. Though he had to agree with her - eight years was not nearly long enough for what he had done. But the man had been a model prisoner, and was eligible for parol, despite the further testimony of his granddaughter. She’d come out of hiding to testify again, but it was all for nothing, and Lionel Luthor would be set free within the coming weeks.
“I won’t lie and say it’s not a factor, but his continued existence has always had an influence on my life.” Chloe responded. “Every decision I make, every single thing I do, is always preceded by the question ‘Am I exposing myself?’. I’m tired of it. Going on this expedition with Dr. Weir will allow me the freedom to be myself again.”
“I’m a sentimental old man, and don’t want you to leave.”
“And I wish I could stay, but the opportunity is too much to pass up. It’s a chance to go where no human has gone before, to a place straight out of myth, and learn about our ancestors. Not to mention the new position and responsibilities. I can train my staff how I see fit, be head of the department . . . “ she explained, and Hammond had to smile at her enthusiasm. Chloe had always been organized, but the Air Force had cranked it up to another level entirely. Since the day she first started at StarGate Command, she’d been a force to be reckoned with. Several months in the Administration department had resulted in higher efficiency and less overtime, which had led to her transfer to Ordinance, where the same phenomenon had occurred, but in less time. The Air Force was very particular about their weapons, and not much overhauling was necessary. Her superiors had taken notice, and decided to use her where they were getting the most headaches, mainly the civilian researchers. Their labs were general messes, machines breaking down or being ‘redesigned’, constant demands for material and equipment that was promptly ordered and shipped, only to discover that there was plenty on base already. Chloe had attacked the problem with glee, energized by the new challenge, and had succeeded for the most part. This had led to her being offered a position on the Atlantis Expedition, as part of the military contingent. It was a great opportunity, if a little severe in the relocating department, but as she kept telling him, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she would be crazy to turn it down.
“When do you leave?” he asked, already knowing the answer, a small smile on his lips.
“Three weeks.”
“Not nearly long enough to say goodbye.” he told her, acutely aware that given the mission parameters, he may never see her again. She was joining a multi-faceted team, and going through the Stargate to the Pegasus galaxy, in hopes of finding the lost city of Atlantis. The great Lost City of the Ancients, builders of the Stargate. However, because of the power needed to reach the Lost City - if indeed it was Atlantis - the trip was most likely one way.
“Not even close.” Chloe agreed, knowing that these weekly dinners with her grandfather were what she would miss the most.
“We’ll just have to make the most of it.”
“Agreed.”
End Part One