- "We're under attack. Don't know who, don't know why."
- — Everett Young
The Battle of Icarus Base was an event that occurred in 2381 between the Federation and the Lucian Alliance.
History[]
Prelude[]
Sometime in 2380, an undercover operative within the Lucian Alliance gave the location of P4X-351 to the Federation. Shortly after, the Federation attacked the mining camp on the planet and forced the occupants to evacuate, allowing the Federation to set up Icarus Base as a staging ground to dial the ninth chevron of the Stargate. After two years of failed attempts, Eli Wallace developed an equation which was believed to be the key to successfully dialing the ninth chevron. He was recruited by Lt. General Jack O'Neill and Dr. Nicholas Rush to view the results of his work. He was transported to the planet via the Daedalus, along with Senator Alan Armstrong and his daughter, Chloe Armstrong. His equation was put to the test but failed to achieve a lock. (SGU: "Air, Part 1")
The battle[]
- "Our shields are holding but we're not the target."
- — Steven Caldwell aboard the USS Daedalus
Shortly thereafter, Icarus Base was attacked by a force of three Ha'tak motherships, Death Gliders, and Troopships. They opened fire the moment they dropped out of hyperspace. This prompted an evacuation. In the ensuing battle, Colonel David Telford engaged the attacking forces in an F-302 fighter-interceptor. In desperation, Dr. Nicholas Rush, with the help of Eli Wallace, figured out how to dial the nine-chevron address and dialed it instead of Earth, forcing those who were still on the base to evacuate to the Ancient starship Destiny. Colonel Everett Young, the last to leave, was thrown through the wormhole by the explosion and badly injured.
The attacking Ha'tak vessels were destroyed, as were all their ground forces. The Daedalus escaped to warp, having managed to locate all but approximately 80 of the Icarus Base personnel and evacuate before departure. (SGU: "Air, Part 1")
Aftermath[]
Colonel Steven Caldwell, commander of the Daedalus, reported that the remaining personnel who could not be accounted for were inside the base and could not be beamed out; however, readings indicated that the transporter was active for six minutes so it was assumed they went somewhere. Captain Typhuss James Kira later reported to Homeworld Command from Destiny via the Long-range communication device, informing Lieutenant General Jack O'Neill of their situation.
Unbeknownst to the Federation, the Lucian Alliance was responsible for the attack. Having failed to recapture the planet, they instead devoted their efforts to recreating the conditions that allowed Icarus Base to dial Destiny, in the hopes of seizing it for themselves. Commander Kiva setup a research base on a planet similar to P4X-351, where they duplicated the Icarus project's research. However, they lacked the equation to regulate the power, thus stalling their progress. Eventually, they captured Rush in Colonel David Telford's body and forced him to help finish it before an attack by the George Hammond forced the Alliance to dial early, causing that planet to explode as well, but not before some of the Alliance forces finally made it to Destiny. (SGU: "Air, Part 1", "Air, Part 2", "Subversion", "Incursion, Part 1")
Trivia[]
- In the novelization of the series, the Lucian Alliance Ha'taks wear insignias of the Goa'uld System Lord Zipacna, which must had been his previous user.