A/N We don't own any of the franchises referenced in this story. We are just fans.
Chapter 7
Two days later, Daniel Jackson, Jack O'Neill, Jack Carter, and Henry Deacon sat in the conference room at Global Dynamics. Two secret service agents stood by the door, one of which was Aiden Ford. He was now in charge of the contingent protecting Daniel Jackson.
Daniel had the floor for this meeting. "Ok, so what I'm going to tell you goes no further than this room. Much of it is going to become common knowledge soon, but until then, we want to limit damage control.
"It seems that Mark Gilmor has had a stroke. I've talked to his doctor and his wife. Neither one would let me talk to Mark at this point. However, they both tell me that Mark was really concerned about Disclosure. He knew it was necessary, but he was really dreading it because he knew it could either make or break him." What was left unsaid, but thought by all the people in the room was how the family of Gilmor would fare with Disclosure. The President was known to be a family man, and his kids would bear whatever reaction their father received. That would be a terrible burden for a man like Gilmor.
"His doctor is afraid that any more stress could kill him. He does know about the battle, but he does not know about Southern California, nor does he know about the other cities that were destroyed. Most importantly, he does not know about the bio-toxin.
"Because of all of these things, President Mark Gilmor is going to be taking some time off."
Daniel stood up and started pacing. He was an accomplished public speaker, but O'Neill could tell he was disturbed by what he was saying. He really didn't want the limelight, but he most certainly had it now. "As Vice President, I have the hotseat in this one. Basically, I've been told that I am in charge until further notice." He sat down and sighed heavily. "I've consulted the joint chiefs, and they recommend retaliation. As much as I hate to say it, I agree. But, this is home world security, not just home land. So it's in your purview, Jack." He looked at O'Neill. "What do you recommend?"
O'Neill briefly pondered the other three men in the room. He knew that Jackson could and would do what was necessary. He figured Carter would, too. The wildcard, however, was Dr. Deacon. He knew that his friend and brother-in-law thought very highly of Henry, and from what he had seen himself, that was well deserved. But he also knew that Henry was essentially, a pacifist. He wasn't someone who liked the military applications of Global's technology.
"I recommend retaliation as well, Mr. President," O'Neill said carefully.
Daniel had been looking at the floor until O'Neill used the title. His head snapped up and he looked sternly at his friend. Then he softened as he realized that the General was not teasing, as he first suspected, but showing respect. O'Neill almost never saluted, and he certainly wouldn't use a title where Jackson was concerned. "Come on, Jack. It's still Daniel to you three."
O'Neill nodded. Then he looked to Henry. "Dr. Deacon, Jack has told me that you aren't a person who is entirely comfortable with the military aspects of GD."
Henry nodded, but said. "General. Jack is right, but, I won't sit idly by and allow the human race to be destroyed, either. I understand that the Aschen will be back if we don't stop them, and to stop them, we'll have to make a show of force. You tell me what you need, and we'll make it. Remember, I'm still subject to the EWOCs on that, but I think under the circumstances, unless you want a doomsday machine, we'll be able to supply it." He paused, then looked O'Neill in the eye. "You understand, General. I don't like it, but it's necessary. I'm not blinded by my ideals."
O'Neill nodded, then turned to Carter.
"Disclosure has been made, Jack, but that doesn't end your job. As a matter of fact, the way I see it, your job just got alot harder. It's no longer a blanket, nothing gets out like in the past. Now there will be lots more filtering. How much do we want to let through to the public right now?
Carter was just a bit incredulous; "Well… I think people are going to notice that Southern California turned into a nuclear wasteland," he said harshly. "And one or two people will notice the disappearance of Tokyo and New York. Or Chicago. Or any of the other cities around the world that were destroyed." He calmed a bit and said, "I know, getting upset isn't the answer. Honestly, Jack, I'm thinking that this really isn't a case of what do we tell. It's what don't we tell, because things are pretty much out in the open right now."
Daniel nodded, then said, "What about the toxin? Does that need to get out?"
Henry shook his head. "If news of that toxin got out to the general public, we'd have a panic. Until we have an answer as to how people will be effected, that shouldn't be spread."
"Any news on what it does?" Daniel asked.
Carter nodded his head. "Duncan got here late last night, and he, Ally and Zoe spent the night talking. I listened until it got too technical for me. Then I tried to sleep. I ended up dreaming of DNA molecules being attacked by viroids and peptide chains with big teeth. It wasn't a good dream."
He drew in a deep breath, "The long and the short of it is, it's a virus that forces a person's white blood cells to attack their own body. They literally start to be dismantled from the inside out."
He shuddered. "Duncan brought a picture of a victim who drank some of the water from Lake Victoria. A person's body basically becomes one big infection, but it's faster than Staph or any other infection than we've ever seen here on Earth. The picture I saw was not something I'd like to see again." He turned to Henry. "Remember when the guy froze solid at the spa?" Henry nodded and looked decidedly uncomfortable, remembering the thawed version of the scientist in question. "It was worse."
Daniel saw Henry's face and decided not to ask too many questions. O'Neill asked however.
Jack answered. "He was frozen solid, Jack. He was brittle, and he was knocked over. He shattered, and Jo had to sweep up the remains. They thawed in Henry's garage. It was nasty."
"And this was worse?" O'Neill asked, eyes widening.
Jack just nodded.
"Ok. So the public definitely does not need to know about the toxin. Anything else?" O'Neill seemed to be happy to change the subject.
Henry cleared his throat. "I have something that I think would be detrimental if it got out."
O'Neill asked, "And that is?"
"Douglas Fargo and Walter Harriman went down to LA to investigate what happened there," Henry said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "Phoenix got caught in the explosion of an Aschen warship. There was a crack that had developed in her superstructure, allowing superheated gases from the explosion to enter her engine room. This caused the reactor to go critical almost instantly. Over ninety percent of the devastation was caused by the explosion of the naquadria reactor powering Phoenix. It was the same for the radioactive fallout. We know what happened, but the general public doesn't, nor do I think the facts would matter to most of them. In the state of mind they are in, they would probably just hear that the explosion of one of our own ships caused the death of millions."
Jack saw by the expression on O'Neill's face that Henry's surmise was accurate.
"You know," O'Neill said, somewhat bitterly. "This is not the way I hoped Disclosure would happen."
When the four grim faced men left the conference room, they found an equally grim faced Allison Carter waiting for them.
"Would you gentlemen head back into that room please?" she asked.
They complied. The door was shut, and Allison looked towards Aiden Ford, meaningfully.
"Oh man. Is it really that bad?" her husband asked, seeing her look.
Allison merely nodded.
O'Neill reassured her. "If we decide not to divulge anything you are about to say, Dr. Carter, it will never leave this room. Ford is a good man. He spent a lot of time on Atlantis, working with Sheppard."
"He'd better be," She turned toward Ford. "No offense, Mr. Ford."
"None taken, Ma'am," Ford replied.
"First off, I want you all to know that we're not going to stop looking for a cure for this toxin, but we've found something which will work, and work quite well. But there are some potential drawbacks."
"Tritonin," Daniel said.
"How did you know?" Allison asked.
"Well," Daniel replied, "Jack said the virus attacks the immune system, and you just said that there were drawbacks. I guessed."
"I'd say there are drawbacks!" O'Neill exploded. "Once you go on tritonin, you don't get off. That would be condemning the human race to drug addiction!"
"As I said, General, we're not stopping our research. I just want you to know that there is a viable option to death. Hopefully we can find something else, but if we can't, we can synthesize tritonin and at least keep our race alive." Allison's voice was ice.
O'Neill settled down at her words. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I realize you're working hard. All of you." He sat down and looked at the acting commander in chief. "Daniel, this is your call."
Daniel sat down heavily in the chair he had recently vacated. He reached up and yanked his tie off, then threw it across the room. "I need something heavier to throw," he said to no one in particular. "I didn't expect to be making this kind of decision this morning." He sighed and looked up at Allison. "How long will it take to synthesize enough tritonin, Dr. Carter?"
"We're not a production facility here, Sir," she told him. "Not for the scale needed for this." She paused for a few moments, crunching numbers in her head. "For us to make it, would take approximately three months."
"And that's almost three months too long for the first casualties," Daniel said glumly.
She nodded. "We'll have to get other manufacturers going. No matter what, we're going to lose more people. There's no way around it, even if we start manufacturing now."
Daniel looked over at O'Neill, then to Jack. "I don't see much of a choice here, do you?"
Both of the men shook their heads, then Daniel turned back to Allison. "Start manufacturing. Co-ordinate with Carter to decide which companies to use. This falls within his scope, because of the possibility of information getting out." He looked to Henry. "Henry, if you can come up with a way to manufacture suitable amounts of tritonin, I'd love to hear about it now."
Henry started for the door. "I'm on it, Mr. President." He stopped before leaving. "Can I…?" he asked, gesturing at the door.
Daniel nodded. "Yes. Get to it."
With that, Henry was gone.
"You know, Sir," Jack said to him, "If it can be done quicker, he'll find a way."
Daniel looked O'Neill in the eye, but replied to Carter. "I know, I just hope he can do it in time."
Later...
They were able to synthesize enough tritonin by converting three of the world's largest pharmaceutical manufacturers to production. As well, Henry was able to develop a system whereby a year's worth of doses would be delivered in one time released injection, but he couldn't speed the production any. Due to the severity of the situation on Earth, Daniel contacted the Pangarans, the original developers of tritonin. The Pangarans had a massive production capability for tritonin and were experts at creating it. The Pangarans agreed to manufacture tritonin and provide Earth with several experts to teach people to manufacture it.
Henry's time release for tritonin took a bit longer to manufacture than the standard variety, but the doctors really wanted to make sure that people weren't allergic to the drug before they gave it to them. Not that it really mattered. If they were allergic, they would die. As simple as that. Because there was no alternative, they began trying to push people through and get them acclimated to the drug. Some succeeded, but many more didn't.
There was a positive side to all of this that took people by surprise. Many previously terminally ill people were cured of their diseases, however, there was a massive public outcry from people that had lost loved ones to illnesses that the SGC obviously had been able to cure since the discovery of tritonin. The fact that the cure was addictive, was conveniently ignored.
Most people eventually came to terms with the fact that the government had not wanted to create an unending dependency to a drug for there was no good supply.
Another positive outgrowth of Tritonin was completely unforeseen. Because it was used when needed, and saved millions of people, the public started to see the current leadership as a benevolent friend. This actually helped people absorb the new facts of their existence.
They looked to the government for leadership like never before. Jack O'Neill became a worldwide hero, as did all of the Stargate teams. But SG1 became legendary. Those who had served on SG1 were placed on a pedestal because of O'Neill. It made no difference that some of SG1 had not served with O'Neill. They were still revered because of the name.
The governments of the world re-confirmed their support of O'Neill as head of home-world-security. As well, most of the world's governments decided that they needed to form a council to govern the world. To build moral, they sent ballots out to allow the people to elect their own high chancellor. On the ballot were the names of several people who would make a good chancellor, but the majority of the people rejected any suggestions from their governments. They wanted a hero and started a massive write-in campaign. O'Neill would have been wonderful, but it was recognized that he was needed in the capacity in which he was serving. So the name 'Daniel Jackson' was written on approximately eighty-nine percent of the ballots that were returned. Daniel was flattered, but tried to refuse - until Vala talked him into accepting, that is.
Of course, it was not due simply to tritonin that the world governments were cooperating with each other. There was also a strong desire to show alien cultures, such as the Asgard, that Earth was unified.
In thanks to the Jaffa for coming to Earth's aid during the attack, several of the Aschen Warships were given to the Free Jaffa Nation to study. Dr. Bill Lee wrote several manuals that were included. These would allow them to upgrade their ships to the standards of the Aschen's. The Jaffa were very pleased; especially when they learned that the Aschen were able to use this technology to force back three Ori motherships.
Once Earth completed its first worldwide election for High Chancellor, the Asgard and Nox contacted them. Earth was shocked as they both wanted to create diplomatic ties with the new government. The treaty was simple, yet elegant in its intention and the exact wording of the language prevented any loss of meaning. After reading through the treaty, Daniel Jackson, the first High Chancellor of Earth, signed it. This made Earth, officially, the Fifth Race in the Alliance of Great Races.
The new government was based in the cityship, Atlantis. It was decided to use it because no one nation owned it. The scientific expedition to Atlantis had been multinational, and it remained that way. As a result, a spot removed from the rest of the nations of the world was chosen for the city's permanent home. It was moved to a spot just north of the Midway Islands, in the Pacific. Many people thought it was wrong for the city to be placed in the Pacific Ocean, since according to legend, it was supposed to be in the Atlantic Ocean. However, High Chancellor Jackson pointed out that the city's actual home on Earth had been Antarctica, and while it was also multinational, he didn't think the government of Earth should be frozen.
The two remaining of the great races, other than Terrans, sent representatives to Earth to help with the settling of a government, and to be ambassadors. The Asgard considered sending Thor, as he had a good working relationship with Earth, but he was needed in his capacity as High Commander of the Asgard Fleet. Loki was considered as well, but it was decided that, considering his experiments on humans, this was not a good idea. Finally, another Asgard whose name was well known on Earth was chosen, although the older form of his name was preferred by him: Wodin.
The Nox sent Lya as ambassador to Earth. This gave pause to O'Neill, as he was sure she would oppose all of Earth's battles, and even the war with the Ori. "Any Nox will oppose them, Jack," Daniel pointed out to him. O'Neill had to admit that this was certainly true. Lya brought her husband, Anteaus, and son, Nefrayu with her to Earth, as she didn't want to be gone from them for very long. Certainly, she had the power to go home to Gaia anytime she wished, but she said that this took much power.
When the Free Jaffa Nation saw that others were sending ambassadors, they wanted to send one as well. They decided to send Rak'nor, who was a friend of Teal'c. When he arrived, Teal'c spent time showing his friend around Atlantis, and then they disappeared for a couple of days. It was rumored that they had toured some of the rougher neighborhoods in several of Earth's cities, observing and teaching, but this was never substantiated.
Finally, the last of the ambassadors arrived. This ambassador was from the Tok'ra, and O'Neill had misgivings. In his dealings with them, he had been less than impressed with their single minded approach to the fight with the Goa'uld. Now, however, he was about to meet a Tok'ra on his own turf.
In Atlantis...
"Incoming wormhole!"
They were standing in the gateroom, waiting a safe distance from the wormhole. O'Neill was in his dress uniform. Jackson and then Carter stood to the left side of him. They were both in suit and tie. Officially, Carter was still the sheriff of Eureka, but his sheriff's uniform was deemed not suitable for his current duties. His status as sheriff was about to change however. The current administration needed his specialties as liaison to the people of the world.
The shield was put up on the gate, just in case someone hijacked the signal and tried to send their own person through.
"We have an ID for the Tok'ra being received."
Richard Woolsey was standing slightly behind the three. At the confirmation of the ID, he turned and ordered the shields lowered.
The gate flashed into a stable wormhole, then a woman stepped through. She was a petite blonde woman, and O'Neill recognized her immediately. "Now I'm sorry I put on this monkey suit," he muttered. Jackson nudged him in the side with his elbow; "Knock it off, Jack," he said out of the side of his mouth. Jackson stepped forward. "Anise. Welcome to Earth."
She stepped forward and held out her hand in the Terran fashion. "Thank you, Chancellor. It's good to be here again."
He took her hand and led her forward. "Of course, you know General O'Neill." He turned to Carter. "And this is Jack Carter."
At his name, she started. "Not…."
Jack held out his hand. "I'm Samantha Carter's brother. Jacob was my father."
"Your father was a great man, Mr. Carter."
Jackson introduced Mr. Woolsey, then they left the control room. Mr. Woolsey showed her to her quarters, and after they had left her alone, Carter cornered O'Neill. "What was that about, Jack?"
"We've had several run-ins with Anise. She's very ethnocentric toward the Tok'ra. And she doesn't seem to give a care for any other race. In short, I don't like her." He started to walk away, then turned back. "At all." Then he turned away and stalked off.
The next day…
Jackson was in his office, working on the speech he was supposed to give at the treaty signing ceremony. He was having some trouble saying what he wanted to, and not for the first time, wondered how he had gotten roped into being the High Chancellor of Earth.
There was a knock on his door, and without looking up, he said, "Come."
The door opened and a man walked in. "Good morning, Chancellor," he said.
Jackson looked up. "Oh, hello Dr. Marten. Are you getting moved in ok?"
The man nodded, and motioned to a chair, inquiring if he could sit. Jackson nodded, and the man sat down. He had dark hair, immaculately smoothed straight back, and a ready laugh stemming from a wonderful sense of humor. He also had curiously tan eyes - so much so, that Jackson sometimes wondered if one of his ancestors had been albino. Whatever the cause, he liked him very much. "Please, Chancellor. Call me Eric." He sat very erect, hands lightly on the arms of the chair. "I am very happy with the accommodations that have been provided for me. It is a shame, however, because I was hoping to be able to spend some more time with my daughter, but I suppose I shall get used to it."
"I understand, Eric. It would have been nice to keep Atlantis in Lake Archimedes, but this is how it had to be. The Council demanded that the capital not be in any country, so, the middle of the Pacific it is." He smiled at Marten.
Marten laughed, and then asked, "What do you know of Douglas Fargo? Holly is set on marrying him, and I do not know an iota about him."
Jackson nodded again, then said, "I don't know a lot about him either Eric. But I do know his actions saved lots of people in the Aschen battle. And he's been partially responsible for the Terran hyperdrive. He's a brilliant scientist."
Marten turned serious. "I realize that, Chancellor. I have had several dialogues with him, and in each one, he has impressed me with his knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology. Basically, he is what every man would want for their daughter, as far as that goes. But what I would like to know is what his personality is like. Each time he talks to me, he seems to freeze. His mind shows through, but his personality does not. I do not know what I am doing to elicit that response in him, but for Holly's sake, I would like to put him at rest. I do not know how to do that, because I am unfamiliar with his personality."
Jackson thought about it for a bit. "You know what, Eric? You should talk to Jack Carter, his wife Allison, or even Henry Deacon. Someone who has lived in Eureka and knows Fargo. I'm certain one of them could help you get to know him." Jackson paused for a moment. He thought about what Marten had just said. The reaction Marten was getting from Fargo was not unlike the reaction Jackson was getting from Marten. It seemed to Daniel that Marten became somewhat wooden whenever they spoke. Daniel hoped it wasn't discomfort because of his position. He was depending on Eric Marten as his science advisor to the United States. Previously, Marten had held the position of science advisor for Mark Gilmor. Daniel had stolen him from Gilmor because he recognized the brilliance of the man. If only they could get past the discomfort Marten seemed to show whenever they talked.
Marten stood, and held out his hand. "Thank you, Chancellor. I will do that."
Jackson shook his hand warmly and said, "I'm glad I could help."
The council chambers...
The rooms used for the council chambers had been found in one of the towers, although what they were originally for was anyone's guess. They made a room very reminiscent of the United States Senate floor. What was different here, however, was the ability to make the wall behind the platform transparent, so the people in the chamber could see the sky beyond the tower. It was actually looking out of the city, as this tower was on the edge, so the view was magnificent. The wall was transparent now, and the setting sun could be seen through it.
On the platform was a lectern and a table. On the lectern was a white quill pen in a stand and a gavel. On the table were five identical pens, set beside each seat, which were, in themselves, very ornate.
Daniel Jackson stood in the council chambers of Atlantis. He was actually alone in the room, but it didn't seem that way. Each seat representative of a nation of Earth, had a person in it. Or rather, each seat had a holographic image of a person in it. There was a balcony set up for people observing the sessions that would go on in this room in the near future. Several people were finally allowed into it and sat down. As well, there were cameras which would broadcast his image around the globe. One minute before it was time for his speech to start, two people joined him on the platform. They were real people, not holograms. Jack O'Neil, and Jack Carter. As well, four people filed into the front of the room, facing the platform. They took the four seats that had been set up there. They were the four ambassadors from different planets. It was time.
Jackson walked to the podium and started speaking. "Since the birth of the United States, the President of that country has addressed his people at the beginning of his speeches as, 'My Fellow Americans.' It occurred to me, that we would need an address like that for our people. 'Earthlings', of course, sounds too sci-fi. 'Earthers' just doesn't have the right ring to it. The term Tau'ri is used for us around the galaxy, but it was created by the Goa'uld, and I don't see using a term created by our enemies as fitting. 'Humans'... Well. That would work, but I think 'Terrans' is the term we are looking for. It fits us as a planetary identity. So I would like to address 'My Fellow Terrans'.
"We are here in this first act of the Council of Earth, to ratify a treaty signed by the nations of our world, and another treaty, signed with four other races.
"The first of the two treaties being signed tonight will allow for the unification of our world, and will grant us the ability to act as one body. This is necessary as we no longer believe that we are alone in the universe. We have found that we are one world in a host of them, many of whom are populated by humans who have been removed from their original home for one reason or another, like the Jaffa. There are also races like the Nox, and the Asgard, and the Tok'ra. We need to take this step to unify, so we no longer bicker amongst ourselves. Today we are growing up and joining with these other worlds, and we cannot do it divided.
"As a united Earth, we will then sign the treaty with the Free Jaffa Nation, the Nox, the Asgard, and the Tok'ra.
"Long ago, there were the Four Great Races in our Universe. They were the Asgard, the Nox, the Furlings, and the Alterrans. Two of those races are gone, but in the races that have a vested interest in defeating the Ori, three more are replacing the Furlings and the Alterrans: The Terrans, the Free Jaffa, and the Tok'ra.
"These treaties are representative of our joining together for the purpose of making a united front against the Ori. This front is not to wage war, but to say, 'No Further will you come.' We are making the statement that if the Ori comes against one of us, they come against all of us.
"Most, if not all, of us know what an icon is. We see them on our computers daily. We see them representing businesses and sports teams. The definition of an icon is, 'a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something.' This treaty that we are signing, is iconic of the stand we are taking against the Ori. Therefore, this treaty will be known as the 'Treaty of Icon'.
"This is a day that will need to be remembered from now on into perpetuity. Our children and our children's children will hear and study about this day, because for the first time in the Terran's history, Earth is united."
With that, there was a thunder of applause in the auditorium. Great care had been taken to make sure that, even though the delegates were holograms, their realism was complete, so even the sound of their applause was as real as possible.
Jack Carter, who had recently accepted the office of Chief of Staff for Daniel Jackson, came to the lectern now. He held up a bundle of documents. "This treaty has been brought to each of you, and has been duly signed and witnessed in each of your countries." For the benefit of those in the audience and watching on television, who were not privy to the wording of the treaty, he explained further. "It pledges an end to war on this planet, and promises stiff penalties for those who engage in it. It allows each of our countries to maintain its sovereignty, while still allowing for the Federation of Earth Nations, which will continue to be housed here, in Atlantis. All that remains, is for Chancellor Jackson to sign it."
Daniel Jackson again moved to the lectern, took the old fashioned white quill pen which had been set in a holder at the front of it, and signed his name to the Federation of Earth Nations treaty.
Carter took the lectern again. "This treaty also allows the High Chancellor to sign the second treaty with the four representatives from other worlds, on your behalf." Carter was having fun, although he couldn't believe he was here, lecturing the leaders of the nations of Earth. He felt like adding a few choice phrases of his own, but he stuck to the speech he had memorized and fretted over as Ally helped him with his suit and tie earlier. "It allows him to speak for this world in all matters. Except in time of War, this will only be done with the approval of a majority from you, the Nations of Earth."
Jackson was watching the four in front, and at the mention of War, he saw Lya of the Nox, shudder. Carter went on. "Is there a majority vote for the Nations of Earth to sign the Treaty of Icon with the worlds represented here tonight? Signal with raised hand." This was just a formality done for the benefit of the cameras. Each delegate had already signed their name to an agreement saying that they wished the treaty. For something this important, a simple raising of hand would not be used. However, each delegate raised their hand, and the camera swept over the auditorium to show the people of Earth that, for the first time in Terran history, their leaders were in full agreement. Carter spoke up, and formally proclaimed, "Let the record show that High Chancellor Jackson is acting with the full approval of the Federation of Earth Nations as he signs the Treaty of Icon." With that, Daniel Jackson moved to a table to the right of the lectern, and the four ambassadors rose as one and also moved to the table. Each sat down, and starting with the Tok'ra, the treaty was signed and sealed by each representative, until it reached Jackson. He looked up at the delegates of Earth, and then up to the balcony. He caught Vala's eye, and saw her beaming at him. He smiled back, and then, took the quill pen, and signed "Daniel Jackson, High Chancellor, Earth" to the parchment of the treaty. Then, in an act designed to symbolize the importance of the occasion, he poured some sealing wax onto the parchment, and shoved the ring that had been provided him for just such an occasion into it.
As soon as Jackson placed the seal of the Federation of Earth Nations on the document, a signal was relayed to someone on the pier directly below the council chambers. A button was pressed, and several fuses were lit, sending fireworks into the now completely dark sky west of Atlantis. They arced out over the water and blossomed in line with the transparent wall behind Jackson as he stood and held up the signed treaty for all to see. The booms from the rockets were completely drowned out by the applause from both the delegates and balcony alike.