The followng is a fairly long A/N, which I normally try to keep short, but there are several topics to address to my wonderful readers.

Hey guys, Finally here's a new chapter. I know it's really late, but life got in the way. What can you do? I appreciate all of your reviews guys and I'm truly humbled by the praise, really. It means a lot. ^_^

KH-Junkie: I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm not really a fan of any of the off-shoot series following SG-1, nor am I a fan of SG-1 Seasons 9 and 10, but it's always a nice surprise when something that's not really your forte catches your interest. ^^ I see what you mean, but there is one thing that would cause Cloud to not know what certain items were, I believe the only 'telescope' he's ever seen was the large space dome that belongs to Nanaki's grandfather, but it wasn't called a telescope. I forget what it was called, but it had a different name. Cloud will know what it is once he see's it. ;)

Isame Kuroda: I think I've come up with something interesting for materia and I'm glad to be writing some action finally without Cloud being knocked around. Hmm, where did those bugs come from? Good question. Guess you'll just have to wait and find out. ;3

Yua-hime: There is no need to apologize. We all get busy. It's cool. ^^ Haha, who else in deed? Zack may be a puppy, but he's got the nose of a bloodhound. Besides, he'd never let Spiky out of his sights for long. xD I fully agree about the all-powerful bit. It just doesn't make for a good story to write for a show off, even if he doesn't really mean to show off. The guy may be enhanced with mako, but he's still human and all humans have their limits, no matter how strong they are.

RobotToxic: I know, I hate Simmons too. Thinking he can come in and do as he pleases. He needs to be careful, because he has no idea who he's dealing with. Sure hope he doesn't push the wrong button. Though, threatening to drag Cloud off to a lab was probably one of them...oops. His chances of getting out alive aren't looking too good. But seriously, thank you. That really means a lot to know I'm getting everybody right. I said it once before, but O'Neill is HARD! And trying to write a conversation between Cloud and Teal'c is also a challenge considering they're both like the strong, silent type. But I enjoy a good challenge. ^_^

anonymous1stClass: Oh no worries, some scenes on Gaia are in the works, but it may be a bit still before it really gets back into showing what's going on. I have a bad habit of keeping people in suspense. I've also been told I like to tease. Eh, heh, not something I do on purpose, I promise. But I'm glad you're enjoying it. It only makes me want to work harder to write the best story I can. ^^ I'm also glad that it helps with what you had worked on. I've left a few stories on my computer to die and it breaks my heart to see them sitting there, but I don't have the heart to delete them either, so I totally get it. Maybe one day you'll pick it back up and remake it into something awesome? I'd be happy to read it if you did. ^^

To all my other wonderfully amazing reviewers, know that even if I don't reply or address you personally here, know that I read every single review and take everything into account. Thank you, and to my readers, favs and followers as well. It's because of you that this story even made it past chapter four so, you guys are really awesome. Now that my longest A/N yet is out of the way...please enjoy this latest chapter. ^_^

Chapter Nine

Carter kept her back pressed against the wall as she led the way to the armory. Glancing over at Cloud she motioned with her eyes for him to see if he sensed any Reetou down the hall or around the corner. He inched closer to the edge and glanced around the corner, true his eyes would be useless trying to spot any foes, but it'd help him sense the creatures better. Looking back towards Carter he gave her a thumbs up indicating that there was nothing.

She nodded towards the other members of her chosen team and they made their way around the corner and down the hall. Once at the armory door, Carter slid her keycard and the light on the scanner blinked green. Opening the door, she waited for the others to go in first and followed Cloud who brought up the rear, keeping alert for any Reetou that may come from the way they had.

When the door closed behind him Cloud looked around the room and was impressed with what he saw. The room was filled with several different types of guns. He saw a few of the same kind of weapon that Jack had used along with several blocks of brown clay. Cloud picked one up and examined it.

"Careful, that's C-4. A marble-sized piece of it could blow your hand off," Carter warned him and he set the block back down carefully. Cloud looked over the rest of the closet-sized room and saw a few of the weapons the jaffa used. A couple of staff weapons he guessed were held back for Teal'c along with a dozen or so zat guns. That's when one of the other members picked up a strange device that was a bit bigger than a zat and handed one to Carter who showed it to him.

"This is a T.E.R. It emits a wave of energy that allows us to see the Reetou and it also launches a blast that can kill them."

"How effective are they?" asked Cloud.

Carter started passing them out to the other team members, "You'll find out soon enough."

Cloud shrugged and was about to head for the door since they had gotten the weapons they needed when he noticed something that put him in a sour mood. "It's not here," he replied.

"Are you sure?" asked Carter.

"It's a big sword, pretty hard to miss, so yeah, I'm sure."

"The engineers must not be finished with it," Carter surmised. "We'll keep a look out for it as we go. Most of the labs are on this side of the complex anyway."

Carter handed him a T.E.R. and made sure everyone was ready before heading for the exit. Cloud stepped out first, checking to make sure they were in the clear and with a thumbs up the team moved out.

...~*~S-SG-1~*~...

General Hammond was in his office trying to remind the Colonel of his place, but Simmons seemed determined to test his patience to the fullest extent.

"I don't think you realize the gift that's been thrown on our doorstep, General. If we could figure out how he repels a Goa'uld then we could save millions of lives."

Hammond was trying his best to hold his temper, but this man never made it easy. "We've been over this Colonel, whether he holds the key to Goa'uld immunity or not, I'm not willing to condemn him to become a specimen for science."

"Specimen?" repeated Simmons, "General, he'll be treated as a guest and made quite comfortable. But if he were to refuse then of course he'd be restrained, but we do that with everyone."

"So, you're saying he'd receive equal treatment?" asked the General.

"Of course, he is human, isn't he? Besides, it seems he's proving more useful as time goes on. Not only can he repel a Goa'uld, but he can also sense an invisible creature that so far only the jaffa can detect without the aid of a device? Something must be going on inside of that alien brain to grant him these gifts and we'd be fools to not explore it."

Hammond seemed to be considering the possibilities from Simmons' point of view, but the moment Simmons had his back turned the General couldn't hold back a look of hatred. For once Colonel O'Neill's wild accusations were dead on and the general shared Jack's pure disgust for the colonel.

...~*~S-SG-1~*~...

Jack aimed his T.E.R. around the corner and looked over at Daniel who was on the other side of the opening. "Anything?" he mouthed to him. Daniel shook his head and Jack double-checked with Teal'c before nodding to the others to move ahead. The colonel brought up the rear and spoke into his radio, "Corridor C-9 west secure."

As they continued checking and sealing off corridors Jack's patience was growing thinner by the minute. He was hoping to run into the bugs sooner so he could let off some steam. Simmons always got on his nerves whenever he came to visit and every time Jack had to resist the urge to shoot him. Now he was really thinking about doing it, but he'd settle for a few bugs instead. "Where are they?"

"I believe they are searching for the best places to plant a powerful explosive," Teal'c answered.

Jack sent a glare to his friend, but bit back a smart-mouthed retort, remembering who he was talking to, "Thank you, Teal'c. That narrows it down."

Daniel kept an eye on the space behind them as they sealed off yet another corridor. "How do you think they got here? I thought we set something up to prevent them from getting through undetected?"

"I don't know," Jack replied.

"Do you think they came back with us when we escaped Nut's fortress?" asked Daniel.

Both the Colonel and the jaffa shook their heads. "Nut and the other jaffa would have sensed their presence," Teal'c answered.

"Besides, there would have been too many people in the gate room to go undetected," Jack added.

"Perhaps they came through with another team," Teal'c suggested.

"Well, we'll figure that part out later. For now let's keep the chit chat to a minimum, huh?" With that Jack and the others checked a corner before rounding it and headed down another corridor.

...~*~S-SG-1~*~…

Carter's team were half-way down a hall when the lights went out and only emergency lighting remained.

"What's going on?" asked Cloud.

"It helps give the T.E.R.s a wider range," she cut off as she looked right at the blonde who gave her a look in return. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just... never mind." She didn't want to comment about his eyes which were glowing in the darkness. He already had enough reason to worry with Simmons trying to drag him away.

They had just reached the end of the hall when Cloud sensed a presence behind them. On instinct he pushed Carter around the corner and ducked low just as a blast of plasma energy came zipping through the air, striking where they had been just seconds before. Cloud then raised the weapon, which was difficult to wield and fired a shot. It focused on the creature and Cloud finally got a good look at the so-called bugs. He had fought countless hideous monsters back home, but this thing reached a new level of ugly. His aim hadn't been perfect and he only managed to wound it by striking one of its legs. Carter finished it off with a blast that struck it in the chest and it exploded before fading out of sight.

"The sooner I find my sword the better," he said as the other team members came around the corner.

Carter nodded before picking up her radio and looked at the camera mounted in the corner of the hall. "This section is clear. Colonel, I think we're getting close. We just encountered one of the creatures."

"Did ya get 'em?" he asked over the radio.

"Yes sir," she replied.

"Good work Carter."

...~*~S-SG-1~*~…

Aerith sat in a small patch of white flowers. It was one of her favorite places within the Lifestream. A place where she and Cloud spent often, mostly when he slept on the outside. But now she was sitting there alone. She plucked one of the flowers, knowing it wouldn't harm the plant in a place like this and stared at it as her mind roamed elsewhere. "Cloud,..."

Approaching footsteps made her look up, her spirit hoped for a minute, but was quickly dashed when she saw black hair instead of blonde, though she wasn't very disappointed. "Still no luck?" she asked.

Zack let out a frustrated sigh as he sat down. "I think...I'm pretty sure I almost reached him."

Aerith's eyes widened as she leaned closer to him. "So he's alive?"

"Of course he is," Zack replied in a grumpy tone. "If he wasn't he'd be here with us."

"That's true," she replied. "So, if you sensed him then why are you feeling so down?"

Zack glanced over at her before looking down at the flowers. "Because I think...I think he's in trouble. He was trying to reach out to me, but it was so faint, it's like he's miles away. I sensed him calling out, but right when I tried calling back something got in the way. It was closer to him, but it still felt threatening."

Zack's fist slammed down on the flowers. "Damn!"

Aerith wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "He'll be alright Zack. Remember, he has your skills."

The ex-SOLDIER nodded, "Yeah, I know...but, still."

Aerith smiled warmly at him, "Hehe, you're such a mother hen."

The two were being watched, the other Ancients weren't as confident as Aerith and Zack were and they had another problem on their hands. The gate was still unburied. They left to seek out the only other person who may be able to do what the world's champion could not.

I know this chapter wasn't very long, but this is the sixth time it's been rewritten and I've waited long enough to upload it. The next chapter will be longer and hopefully easier. I just wasn't going to make anyone wait any longer for an update. A year and a half is unacceptable and I can only ask for your forgiveness. I also decided to show a slight glimpse of what was going on back on Gaia, well the Lifestream of Gaia anyway. There will be more scenes involving Cloud's home later on. Thank you everyone who has stuck with this for so long and to all the new readers following along, I say, welcome to my crossover and thank you. :)