ORI SATELLITE WEAPON

A Prior of the Ori visited the Rand Protectorate on Tegalus, and in exchange for embracing Origin, he offered designs for a satellite weapon that would grant total domination over the other major superpower of the planet, the Caledonian Federation. Rand built the weapon and performed a successful demonstration, vaporizing a Caledonian military outpost. Senator Jared Kane of Rand feared a return to global war and sought the help of SG-1 to destroy the weapon. Aboard Prometheus, SG-1 traveled to Tegalus intending to destroy the weapon if Daniel's attempts at negotiation failed.

The Prior had offered the schematics for the weapon in stages to control the information, and the incomplete schematics available to SG-1 suggested that the weapon was relatively inefficient. All commands to control the satellite originated from the main control facility in the underground bunker complex in Rand's capital city, and because of its huge power drain, it was activated only when a threat was detected. The weapon also appeared to be predominantly offensive, with sensors but no obvious defensive capabilities, and it required several minutes to recharge its capacitors before each firing. This information proved to be inaccurate, however. Instead, the weapon's sensors detected the arrival of the Prometheus, and it powered up, changed attitude, and targeted the ship. Prometheus fired two missiles, only to discover that the satellite did indeed have a powerful defensive shield. The weapon returned fire, its superior energy beam easily pierced Prometheus's Asgard shields, and Prometheus was destroyed.

Unable to breach the satellite's defenses, SG-1 attempted instead to sever the communication link from the bunker and eliminate satellite control, making it vulnerable to attack. Using the inertial dampener from an F-302 and rigging it to a Caledonian missile disguised by the 302's radar-jamming stealth technology, SG-1 created an electromagnetic pulse over Rand's capital, disrupting all communications and severing satellite control as an F-302 stood poised to destroy the vulnerable satellite. Instead, Rand offered a compromise. In exchange for leaving the satellite intact, Rand offered Caledonia the stargate and a limited cease-fire so that all Caledonians who did not wish to embrace Origin could seek refuge on another planet. Realizing that a destroyed weapon could be rebuilt, Minister Chaska of Caledonia reluctantly accepted the terms, but President Nadal of Rand prepared to fire the satellite at the Caledonian capital regardless of the agreement. Only when Commander Pernaux killed Nadal and took command of the government was the order given to shut down the weapon. However, shortly after negotiations between the two nations began, the talks broke down, Caledonia launched an attack, and Rand responded in kind. The stargate on Tegalus is presumed buried in the rubble.

Cross Reference: Caledonian Federation, Chaska, Electromagnetic Pulse, Jared Kane, Nadal, Ori, Goran Pernaux, Prometheus, Rand Protectorate, Tegalus

Episode Reference: Ethon