The SGC created Icarus base on a remote planet whose Stargate is powered by large naquadria deposits throughout the core. The team, led by Dr. Nicholas Rush, postulate that the power from that core could allow them to use a 9-chevron address to “dial” into the Stargate, allowing them access to locations far remote from their galaxy, but lack the means to translate the writing of the Ancients to understand how to dial this properly. Dr. Rush designs a video game used across Earth to find brilliant minds to interpret the puzzle, which Eli Wallace, a young mathematics genius, is able to solve. Although Eli is reluctant, he is brought to Icarus base along with a contingent of guests of honor aboard the Hammond, a Daedalus-class starship battlecruiser; the guests include Senator Armstrong, who funds the Icarus Project, and his daughter Chloe. They are introduced to the base’s military staff, led by Colonel Everett Young, Colonel David Telford, First Lieutenants Matthew Scott and Tamara Johansen, and Master Sergeant Ronald Greer.
Dr. Rush and Eli work together to discover the means to dial the ninth chevron, just as the base is attacked by members of the Lucian Alliance. Colonel Telford aids in the defence with F-302 fighters with Colonel Samantha Carter in command of the George Hammond, while the base starts dialing Earth into the Stargate, finding that the planet’s power core is about to explode. Dr. Rush realizes that the explosion would follow them through the base back to Earth, and instead redials the Stargate with the ninth chevron, successfully opening a wormhole. The surviving Icarus Base members flee through the wormhole before the planet explodes. They find themselves aboard an old abandoned spacecraft made by the Ancients, which Dr. Rush finds was named Destiny. Around eighty survivors begin to assure the safety of their team, Senator Armstrong injured and realizing he might not have long, sacrifices himself to seal an air leak in one of Destiny’s shuttles.
As the rest of the team works to make the ship hospitable, Dr. Rush, Eli, and other scientific members of Icarus Base start to understand the function of Destiny; they are not able to directly control the ship, and find that it will drop out of faster-than-light travel to allow its Stargate to connect to a number of nearby worlds for a fixed period of time before it continues; it fuels itself by diving into the outermost layer of a nearby star and collecting energy from it; the first time the Destiny did that, the crew feared the worst, until they understood why it happened. The crew is able to remain in contact with Earth via the Ancient communication stones that Dr. Rush brought, and are told to continue the Stargate mission of exploring that galaxy, while searching for a way to return home.
| 1.01 Air: Part 1 | Air Date: October 2, 2009 |
When Icarus Base is attacked, its inhabitants are forced to flee through the Stargate. The base was created on a distant planet to take advantage of a powerful energy supply located there. Their goal is to try to determine the purpose of the mysterious ninth symbol of the Stargate, which they’ve never been able to lock in. In going through the Stargate, they are transported not to Earth, but to a very old apparently uninhabited spacecraft. With the group’s commander injured, Lt. Scott and the chief scientist – Dr. Nicholas Rush – lead the exploration of the craft. Several areas of the ship have been damaged but it is basically functional. They are able to learn that they are, in fact, billions of light years from Earth.
| 1.19 Incursion: Part 1 | Air Date: June 4, 2010 |
Having extracted a confession from Col. Telford, Col. Young and his troops prepare for the expected attack from the Lucian Alliance. Hotly pursued by Col. Samantha Carter, the Lucian Alliance’s Commander Kiva orders everyone through their gate and directly onto the Destiny. Young anticipated their plan and was intent on letting them get control of the gate room but then cut off life support to them. He has to change his strategy when he realizes that Col. Telford has jumped with them. In the ensuing skirmishes, several of Young’s personnel, including TJ and Lt. Scott are taken prisoner and Commander Kiva is quite prepared to kill them all if need be.
