Through the Gate
Posted on Tue Dec 2nd, 2025 @ 7:42pm by Lieutenant Colonel Jonathon Raynor & Scarlett Hayes Dr. & Chief Petty Officer Marisa Harlan & Commander Aaron Wander & Captain Jason Tahana & Major Amy Ludd & Pilot Officer Aisling Quinn
Mission:
Echoes of the Fallen
Location: Gate Room - Stargate Command / Abydos
Timeline: 1000 Hrs - Mission Day 1
3204 words - 6.4 OF Standard Post Measure
Raynor stepped out of the mission prep room, gear clinking softly against his vest. The P90 hung across his chest in ready position, while the desert-pattern BDUs matched the rucksack clipped neatly to his tactical rig. A pair of black sunglasses dangled from his fingers, catching the light as he gave them a casual spin before tucking them into place on his collar.
He slowed his pace as he entered the broad chamber, the hum of power from the Stargate always present, always just under the surface. From this angle, standing off to the side of the Gate Room floor, he could take in the whole view, massive stone ring poised upright like a monument, cables and scaffolding spread in quiet readiness.
Above, the conference room’s windows loomed like a watchtower, the faint silhouettes of officers and techs moving behind the glass as they observed. He exhaled, steadying himself with the moment. The mission was close now, no more planning, no more theory. Just action.
Adjusting the straps on his vest, Raynor flexed his shoulders and let a faint grin tug at his mouth. Whatever waited on the other side, his team would be ready.
"Colonel Raynor," Aaron greeted as he saw the man taking in the view of the gate room. "Doing a final inspection?"
Aaron stopped next to his SG1 counterpart and admired the view as well. His gaze fell to the gate, the jewel of the program. The stories and mission reports made it sound like traveling to another world was akin to walking into freezing rain. He'd also been told the anecdotes about making sure to exhale as you crossed the threshold. It was very seldom a report got you ready for experiencing something first hand.
"So formal, Commander," Raynor gave Aaron a quick look, eyes flicking over his gear. "Yeah final inspection, of the final inspection. Looks like you’ve got your kit sorted. That’s one less thing to worry about,” he said, the corner of his mouth tugging into a faint grin. “Guess you did pay attention to the packing list after all."
"Of course, It was nice getting out of the thermal underwear too." Aaron replied with a grin of his own.
Raynor let out a short laugh, shaking his head as he adjusted his gear. “Yeah, no kidding,” he said with a grin. “Nice change not dressing like we’re headed for a snowstorm in Siberia.”
Aisling stepped through the side door, boots clicking sharp against the metal decking. Her tactical vest looked regulation enough, but the rucksack cinched to her frame was clearly fighting for space. Pouches bulged with coils of cable, a spare aerial stuck like a mismatched quill, and a toolkit case was clipped in at an awkward angle. She’d convinced herself everything was essential — until the strap dug into her shoulder and one of the smaller kits slipped loose.
The clatter of metal on metal echoed across the Gate Room. Ash froze for a beat, cheeks colouring, before she crouched quickly to scoop it up.
The metallic clatter of Aisling’s kit cut through the chamber, and Raynor’s gaze drifted her way. He arched a brow as she scrambled to scoop the loose gear back up. “And glad someone’s testing the room’s acoustics before we leave. Real thoughtful of you.”
“Over-prepared is still prepared,” she muttered under her breath, tucking the kit back in with a little more determination than finesse. Straightening again, she adjusted her vest, drew her shoulders back, and forced a small, steadying breath.
Eyes forward, she caught sight of the two senior officers by the ramp and gave a quick nod of acknowledgment. New team, first mission, too much kit — she wasn’t about to make more of a scene. Still, the corner of her mouth twitched in a hint of humour at her own expense as she settled back into line, rucksack clinking softly with every move.
Scarlett stood ready to go, but couldn’t help but feel odd wearing all the same gear as everyone else. She’d been putting in the training time at the base range, brushing up on her weapons firing and accuracy skills just to be ready for this. She was excited yet scared all at the same time.
Jason walked in carrying a Maximi LMG with a large backpack and a 9 mm strapped to his hip. Wearing the US desert camo felt a little strange to him, but he figured ‘when in Rome’. Heading over to join the group, Jason knelt down to perform one last check on his weapon.
"Quinn, off load some of that kit to Tahana and myself." Aaron said as he reached over. "Many hands make a lighter load."
Aisling blinked at the instruction, caught halfway through adjusting her straps. “Aye, sir,” she said quickly, already unbuckling one of the heavier kits from her vest.
She handed the small toolkit toward Jason first—nothing critical, just her bench set with crimps, connectors, and a coil of cable she’d been hoarding since training. “Try not to lose that one; it actually works,” she said with a faint grin, trying to keep it light.
Next came a slimmer pouch of spares, which she passed across to Tahana. “And that’s for when the first thing inevitably doesn’t.”
With the load redistributed, she rolled her shoulders, the weight immediately easier. “Better,” she admitted, tone a touch sheepish. “I suppose there’s such a thing as too prepared.”
Her expression softened as she straightened up, gaze flicking briefly between them. “Appreciate the help. I’ll make sure it’s worth carrying.”
Jason smiled, “many hands and all that” he said, adjusting his new load to a more comfortable position.
Marisa had arrived just in time to see the passing of equipment from one person to the other. She said not a word but watched having a slightly amused smile. Aisling certainly was prepared for whatever the SG2 team might come into contact with.
Marisa hoped that for the SG1 team she had prepared enough as well. Ever since the last mission, Marisa took care to update her equipment
Major Amy Ludd made the final checks on her equipment and clipped her rifle to the combat harness. This wouldn't be her first trip through the gate, but it would be the first mission. She was still an observer but she was happy to be finally contributing to the SGC. Her inclusion was lack minute and this, she hopped meant that she would soon be assigned to a team.
Glancing around she saw that several teams were present, it was going to be a larger operation by SGC standards. Though she had been here for a while now, 2 months in fact; she had yet to really get to know anyone. She was here at the request of her governments request to evaluate the SGC, from her understanding they were considering funding a team as well as providing funding for operational costs. A partner with the US and the other nations who were already helping to foot the cost.
She was looking forward to this and hopped she had some role to play. Her skills did not lay in paper work and she was starting to resent being here and not being able to do anything. The paper pushes back home were dragging their feet!
The low thrum of the Gate Room deepened suddenly as warning lights began to flash amber along the bulkhead. Techs in the control room above moved with purpose, voices rising over comms as the first chevron locked in with a heavy metallic clunk.
The inner ring of the Stargate began to rotate, its motion smooth but weighted, symbols passing in a blur of alien script. One by one, the chevrons lit up in sequence, each locking with a mechanical roar that vibrated through the floor. The sound was enough to pull everyone’s attention forward, conversation dropping off into focused silence.
Raynor looked toward the massive ring, that familiar pulse of energy stirring a mix of anticipation and awe. Even after years in the program, the moment the gate powered up never lost its edge. They hadn't used the stargate but a hand full of times as they worked through rebuilding their society, and reverse engineering all the downed ships. But this was still an adrenaline rush. He shifted his stance slightly, resting a hand on his weapon strap, a faint grin playing at the corner of his mouth as he caught the glow flickering across Aaron’s face and the others.
Then came the final chevron.
With a surge of energy and a deep, resonant hum, the gate burst to life. A wave of blue energy rushing outward before snapping back into the circular pool of shimmering light. The air crackled with static, the familiar whump echoing through the chamber.
From the speakers above, the General Lockhart’s voice cut through the sound, calm but commanding.
"M.A.L.P. shows that the surrounding area of the gate, on the other side, is clear. As a reminder of your objectives: Secure the local area around the stargate, see if you can contact the local population, and see if you can't find any information on the current status of the Goa'uld system lords. Most of all, I expect full adherence to mission protocol and that you all return home in one piece. The Iris has been installed to the stargate, and will not open with out the proper code from your GDOs.”
The brief pause that followed carried weight.
"SG's One and Two, you have a go. God Speed."
Raynor gave a short nod up toward the observation deck, then turned to his team. “You heard the man,” he said, tone low but confident. “Let’s get this show on a road.”
He adjusted his sunglasses one last time, squared his shoulders, and stepped closer to the ramp, the shimmering blue light reflecting in his eyes as the hum of the active gate filled the air.
“Oh wow!” Scarlett smiled in awe as she moved up closer, this was going to be one hell of an experience.
“Gives a whole new meaning to ‘one small step’ hey” Jason commented, watching the event horizon shimmer.
Aaron touched the earpiece and heard the low beep as it activated. "SG2, move out." He held his rifle close to his chest as he motioned with his right hand to follow his lead.
Aisling tightened the strap across her shoulder, feeling the familiar buzz of static from the gate pulse through the soles of her boots. The noise, the lights—the whole spectacle—was something she’d read about a hundred times in reports, but seeing it in person stole her breath in a way no briefing ever could.
For a heartbeat she just stood there, eyes tracing the blue shimmer of the event horizon, the sound of it filling every space in her head. 'So this is it,' she thought. 'All the theories, the training, the long nights soldering circuits together—and it comes down to walking through a puddle that isn’t a puddle.'
Jason’s comment drew a short grin from her. “Aye,” she said, voice quiet but carrying the lilt of a laugh. “Let’s hope it’s a small step and not a short drop.”
She shifted her grip on her rifle, doing one last check out of habit—comms sync light steady, repeater pucks secure, everything in its place. When Aaron gave the signal, she fell in behind him, gaze forward, pulse thrumming in time with the hum of the gate.
For all her preparation, she knew nothing could truly ready someone for their first step through. But she’d learned to trust the work—and the people beside her.
“Here we go,” she murmured under her breath, and followed SG-2 up the ramp toward the light.
It felt like when he'd done polar bear dips in his youth. Aaron fought the instinct to inhale as he walked through the event horizon and the sensation of his body freezing as it was pulled along through the cosmos. It was a strange second of time in his mind as he knew physically he wasn't seeing anything, but yet there were flashes of light around him. And then the air was different.
It was dry and warm, instantly replacing the icy feeling from traveling through the Stargate. It even felt as if the dim light inside the room was a different shade than what was expected. Aaron quickly did a check of his equipment to make sure it had all made it through intact before spreading out from the gate and checking for anything they had missed from the MALP video.
“Oh boy that was weird” Scarlett stood getting her balance again, the ride through had left her feeling a little queasy but nothing a few deep breaths wouldn’t cure. She waited until the sensation passed then stepped a little further from the gate to check the DHD was good, as well as study their surroundings.
Aisling stepped through after the others and the world snapped from ice-bite to dry heat. The air felt thin and warm against her face, dust tasting faintly like old stone. For a heartbeat she just rode the wobble in her knees—first time jitters—then let it drain off with a slow breath.
She slid to the side of the ramp, giving the gate its space, and thumbed a quick self-check: radio live, earpiece snug, boosters where they were meant to be. The acoustics were different here—sound landing softer, swallowed by the room—so she pitched her voice low and clean. “SG-2 comms, up.”
Her eyes tracked the chamber the MALP had shown them: worked stone, pillars, the DHD off to the right just where the footage had promised. Scarlett was already angling toward it, so Ash kept her focus on their end—listening for any flutter on the net, watching for anything the camera might have missed. A thread of sand skittered across the floor in a little runnel near the wall; she filed it away, heat and air movement, nothing dramatic.
Raynor followed a few paces behind the others, boots striking the ramp with a steady rhythm as he moved toward the shimmering event horizon. The familiar hum filled his ears, deep and resonant, a sound that always managed to stir something between anticipation and unease. He took one last glance back at the Gate Room, the concrete walls, the control deck above, and the faint silhouettes of Lockhart, leaders, and the tech crew behind the glass.
Then he stepped through.
The rush hit instantly. That familiar pull, that instant of disorientation where the world seemed to stretch and twist before reality snapped back into focus. His boots met stone again, dry, warm air rushing against his face.
He blinked, adjusting to the dim golden light filtering through the cracks of the pyramid’s walls. The air was warmer, thinner, thick with dust and age. He drew in a breath, scanning the chamber. Smooth stone columns lined the space, inscriptions worn down by centuries but still faintly legible under the flicker of their tactical lights.
The Stargate loomed behind them, the inner ring still glowing faintly as the last ripples of the event horizon faded into stillness. Around it, the teams fanned out. The SG members already sweeping the perimeter while Scarlett and Aisling ran checks near the DHD. The colonel noticing that Jason kept his weapon ready, eyes moving with methodical care over the shadowed corners of the chamber.
Raynor let his gaze wander upward for a moment, to the ceiling’s faint carvings and the ancient scaffolding that seemed to vanish into shadow. The sound of movement echoed softly, boots and gear clinking in controlled rhythm.
He touched two fingers to his earpiece, voice steady and clear.
“Sierra-Golf-Charlie, this is Sierra-Golf-One-9er. Both teams have arrived safely on-site. Area appears secure. Beginning primary objective sweep and local recon. Will report findings as they develop.”
There was a short pause, a faint crackle of static before General Lockhart’s voice came through the channel.
“Roger that, Colonel. Sierra-Golf-Charlie confirms receipt. Maintain comms discipline and report back in four hours. Lockhart out.”
Raynor gave a short nod to no one in particular, lowering his hand as the channel clicked silent as the stargate behind them cut, causing the whole area to darken quickly, with only glimmers of light breaking through from the small cracks and hall way before them. He flicked his light, which was mounted on the P90, and scanned the room once more.
“Alright, boys and girls,” he said, glancing toward the teams. “Let’s get this show on the road. SG-2, keep eyes on the DHD and secure the local area. Last thing we need is this place coming down on us. SG-1, with me. We’ll start a sweep outside and get an idea of what all we have to work with.”
He adjusted his grip on the P90, the faint grin tugging at his mouth again as he looked toward the towering stone archway ahead.
The chamber, she had looked at it before, the gate silent, looking majestic in the large cavernous room where it was contained. Hearing the conversation from the others then the sudden silence as the sound of the last chevron thunking into place. Marisa could feel her heart rate speed up, as she saw it activate the watery looking aperture. The signal was given and each person stepped through, Marisa took a deep breath before she stepped inside. The suddenness of the travel, being pulled through, icy chills ran up and down her body. When she came out on the other side, Marisa shivered slightly then felt the warmth of the room chase away the chill.
Ludd stepped through the gate and looked around at their surroundings, she had stepped through the gate with her L119A2 rifle to her shoulder but pointed down. She was ready to fight but as she scanned the massive room she saw little in the way of danger.
Her one comment before she stepped close to Raynor was. "Ooh what a rush!"
Scarlett formed up with the rest of SG-1. “DHD is good, all checks say it’ll work when we need it. As much as this is fascinating I don’t think I’d want to be a permanent resident.” She offered a wry smile.
"Well I'm looking forward to seeing what is out there. Just need to see if the air is breathable." Marisa commented. She looked out towards the others, new people to learn about. That though will have to wait until they all are done with looking around.
Richard Lockhart, Maj. General
Commander, SGC
(SPNC)
&
Jonathon Raynor, Lt. Colonel
SG-1 Leader
&
Aaron Wander, Commander
SG-2 Leader
&
Aisling Quinn, Pilot Officer
SG-2 Member
&
Scarlett Hayes, Dr.
SG-1 Member / Chief Archaeologist
&
Chief Petty Officer Marisa Harlan
SG-1 Member
&
Sterre Forster, Dr.
SG-1 Member / Archaeologist
&
Jason Tahana, Captain
SG-2 Member
&
Amy Ludd, Major
Off World Diplomatic Liaison
