Daedalus and Icarus

Eventually, Daedalus flew.

Those who flew with him had grown bold. Finally escaping from the labyrinth of Earth, turning their backs on those who would bind them. No more would Daedalus be confined. No longer would he worry about the needs of those on the world he once called home. The universe was his for the taking. And if 1.6 billion dollars was required to make this possible, to ensure that terrestrial matters were currently shunted to one side, so be it.

Thus Daedalus flew to Icarus.

The starship was not the first to reach the world on which Icarus resided. Lonely, deserted and located twenty-one light years from Earth, it had nonetheless been graced by those who flew before Daedalus. The Ancients, the Gate Builders, the anquietas in their own language…It was they who had granted the gift of flight, to soar among suns and stars, to open gates of Heaven. Icarus, ever modest, was but a minor part of the network which they created.

Daedalus however, was different. Young, impulsive, arrogant…he sought to catch up to Icarus, regardless of cost. He would not be eclipsed by the one who was so close to him in family, yet so far in distance. And even when Daedalus reached Icarus, when those who rode with him sought to use the ninth chevron of Heaven's gate, he wanted more. But that would take time. And with the passing of time, Daedalus grew careless. He may have flown close to the sun, but that did not hide him from the gaze of those who wished him ill. Those who went by the name of Lucian…

When Lucian attacked, Daedalus fought, as did Icarus. But the son of Daedalus was too far from his father. He had fallen, as had Talos. In the end, all Daedalus could do was flee from the wrath, abandoning Icarus to his fate. Abandoning him to Destiny. And thus Icarus was consumed by a new sun, a manifestation of risk that Daedalus had deemed acceptable.

And in the end, all that the Daedalus-class warship George Hammond could do was return to Earth's labyrinth.

A/N

I doubt it was intentional on the part of the producers of Stargate Universe, but I couldn't help but notice similarity to Greek mythology in part 1 of Air. We have the George Hammond, a Daedalus-class warship orbiting Icarus Base, only for the latter to be consumed in fire in an attempt to use the ninth chevron. Pride of the Tau'ri perhaps? Probably not. Still, Rush could be a proverbial Icarus in a sense, considering that he might have anticipated Destiny refueling in the sun...