Skirmish on Gaia was an event that took place in 2360 during the Federation-Goa'uld War.
Prelude[]
Battle[]
Apophis
Looking for technologies that could help them in their fight against the Goa'uld, SG-1 travel to the planet Gaia looking to capture a Fenri, believing it has the ability to become invisible and will thus give them an advantage over the Goa'uld if they can figure out how and replicate the effect for themselves. After the Stargate disappears, SG-1 begins a search for it, but locate an invisible Fenri instead. As Colonel Jack O'Neill is about to shoot it with a tranquilizer gun, it is scared off by a staff weapon blast and they find Apophis with three Jaffa also hunting the creature. Realizing they have the element of surprise and all that they can learn if they capture him, SG-1 decide to take out the Jaffa and capture Apophis. Waiting for a moment when the group is distracted, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Typhuss and Captain Samantha Carter start a firefight with the Jaffa while O'Neill goes after Apophis with his tranquilizer gun. However, while O'Neill is able to shoot at Apophis, he surprises him by using the personal shield attached to his kara kesh to block the dart and has one of his Jaffa toss him a staff weapon. After bullets also fail to penetrate Apophis' shield, O'Neill dives for cover, but Apophis shoots and kills him. When Carter goes to help O'Neill, Apophis kills her and then Jackson when he also tries to help. Typhuss manages to injure Shak'l, but his phaser beam also fails to penetrate Apophis' shield. Declaring "I die free," Typhuss prepares to die, but disappears before Apophis can shoot.
SG-1 and Shak'l are taken by the Nox who resurrect SG-1 and try and fail to help Shak'l but take away everyone's weapons. The Nox explain what they've done, but refuse to allow SG-1 to have their weapons back or to kill Shak'l who's Goa'uld can heal his injuries and place the Nox in danger when Apophis learns of their existence. SG-1 decides to try to take Shak'l back to Earth with them to keep him from telling Apophis about the Nox, but as it will be difficult to get past Apophis even if they can find the Stargate, they decide to learn about the Nox first. After O'Neill fires at a Fenri with a bow and arrow he makes to protect Nafrayu, he learns that its actually the Nox and not the Fenri that have the ability to become invisible. The Nox make the Fenri invisible to protect them from outsiders which makes them more of a target for the Goa'uld if they learn about the Nox's existence as Apophis will try to capture the Nox or will destroy them from orbit if he can't. While this makes SG-1 more determined than ever to take Shak'l with them to protect the Nox, the Nox refuse as they know SG-1 wants to harm him.
Colonel Jack O'Neill attempts to shoot Apophis with an arrow
However, Shak'l breaks free, injures Typhuss and kills Lya. The other Nox resurrect her, but both SG-1 and Shak'l learn that the Nox become visible during the ceremony, unable to shield themselves from view while performing a resurrection. Shak'l informs Apophis who kills Nafrayu when he comes to meet him, curious about the Goa'uld. Apophis then allows the Nox to collect the boy so he can wait until the Nox are vulnerable during the resurrection ceremony to attack. Despite the danger, the three adult Nox refuse to go to the other Nox for help or to let SG-1 fight. O'Neill pretends that the team is leaving them to their fate, but really comes up with a plan to attack at close-range with hand-to-hand combat to take down the Jaffa. O'Neill also figures out the weakness to Apophis' shield: while a fast moving object such as a staff weapon blast or a phaser beam can't get through, a slow-moving one such as a tossed staff weapon or an arrow can. After binding a tranquilizer dart the Nox missed to an arrow, SG-1 hides themselves and attack when Apophis and his Jaffa get close. Typhuss hits a Jaffa with a log and punches him out while Carter attacks a second Jaffa. Typhuss throws Jackson the Jaffa he took down's staff weapon and Jackson kills Shak'l and the Jaffa, Carter is fighting with it before that Jaffa can kill her. Apophis tries to flee with his personal shield engaged, but O'Neill confronts him and fires his arrow at him. However, while the arrow goes through the shield, before it can take Apophis out, the Nox make him disappear.
Anteaus reveals the Floating city
Returning to the Stargate, SG-1 find Anteaus with a resurrected Nafrayu. The two reveal the Nox have resurrected the dead Jaffa and sent them and Apophis back through the Stargate which they make reappear and promise to bury it once SG-1 is gone to keep anyone from coming back. Understanding that SG-1 worries for their safety, Anteaus reveals a giant technologically advanced Floating city, revealing that the Nox were in fact a lot more advanced than they appeared and will be safe from the Goa'uld. However, as a result of the skirmish and the Nox burying the Stargate after SG-1 leave, they can never return to Gaia.