As everyone started returning inside from the balcony, Macara and the other British officers stood watching the mighty Dreadnaught leave the atmosphere.
"Could have used that a day ago," Stewart spat as well as his broken ribs would allow.
"Amen." Fisher replied. He was still reeling form the chastisement he had been given by McGregor.
"So, the Aussies get their 401's and their 340's as soon as they join the program. We have to send hundreds of ours to their deaths fighting the Ori, spending billions in support of the SG programme before they even allow us to independently use the gate!" Williams snarled. The lieutenants and captains there, men like the young Hardy, nodded agreement
"They would barely allow us to have a 304-size ship," Stewart reflected. "The fact we had two did not go down well in the Whitehouse, yet here the US and Australians have jointly developed that monster," the naval-captain waved his hand in the general direction that Dreadnaught had taken.
"Enough," Macara said quietly, but in a voice full of steel. His superiors and juniors alike turned to look at him.
"Sirs, we cannot allow our personal feelings to affect the Alliance right now. We just fought and died together to defeat the Wraith,"
"And who did most of the dying," Fisher muttered.
"Nate, since when were you on their side?" Stewart asked. "You were always against losing autonomy,"
Macara sighed. "I still am. But this isn't the time for in fighting. We have a traitor to find, not try to fight amongst ourselves."
Stewart nodded slightly. "I suppose your right, major. It's just the treatment the UKGTF has received from the US that rankles." The older man said.
Macara let out a sharp burst of laughter. "I've experienced a lot of it so far, sir. You're preaching to the choir. But there is nothing we can do about the US and their Aussie mates right now. You need to follow orders and keep things working out here."
The officers didn't look convinced, but Stewart nodded once again. "Okay, Nate, you make a good point. But what do you mean, 'you need to keep order'?"
"I'm going back to Earth," Macara stated bluntly.
"What?
"I'm going back. UKGTF have Okayed it. General Melchett wants me there, and major General Salmon wants a debrief."
"Has McGregor?" Stewart asked, grinning.
"No. Not a clue. Then again, he can't control British movement through the gate, so I don't really care!" Macara said happily.
Stewart leaned against the railing, resting his ribs slightly. "Well, I have nothing to do here," he gestured at his ship, sitting on pier 3 being repaired form the major engine damage. "I'll take operational command here, if that's okay with you, Nathan?"
"Of course sir. HQ said as much. Commander Fisher, you have to think about heading back soon. You weren't meant to be fighting when you get here."
The Irishman smiled wanly. "Can't help it. Need a good brawl once in a while."
The officers chuckled together, when a small figure came over timidly.
"Major, you're wanted in the infirmary." Lorrelle said.
"Not seen you for a while, Lorrelle, how are you fitting in?"
The small woman looked up shyly. "Quite well, thank you. But doctor Keller said you should come as soon as you were able."
Macara sighed and walked off. The other officers talked on.
"Okay, gentlemen. Williams, prepare your troops for the return journey to Midway and then home.
"Sir," Williams saluted and hurried off. "Commander, prepare your ship to leave within the day, please. The rest of you, take some down time. Lieutenant Hardy, you will take the major's section through the gate today,"
The lieutenant looked delighted, and dashed off to assemble the men.
Stewart smiled and turned to look at his damaged ship
"I'm…alright…Nate. " Trang wheezed. "I don't need to go."
Macara shook his head. "They can get you full attention back home. Here, you're not going to get back to operational fitness."
He tried not to look at the terrible burns that should through his friends bandages.
"But Nate, I'll…."
"Look, Vic, Lorrelle has done a great job, with what she has. But we have tech back home that can help. Besides, I'm going too, so you won't be on your own."
On a nearby bed, Hailey looked over. "What do you mean, your going to Earth? If your going after the insider, I want in!"
"You can be quiet and rest. You'll be out of here by tomorrow, no like the rest of your crew, so enjoy the rest." Keller reprimanded.
"Yes, ma'am." Hailey muttered.
"Jen, enjoy the down time." Macara coughed politely. "Vic, don't fret. You'll be up and about in no time."Macara said again to his friend.
"Okay, Nate, as long as your heading out as well. I just don't want anyone to know I was this easily talked into going home," Vic said, his eyes going to the other patients in the ward. He was slowly losing focus, drifting into a drug-induced sleep "It's shameful, losing my ship and then having them bring my friend in to tell me I'm being sent home. I feel like it's my fault." Gently taking the un-bandaged hand in a clasp, Macara waited with Trang until the Spec Ops major was out cold.
"Thank you, major." Keller said. "I couldn't convince him to…"
"Save it. I know how he feels. All I can say is thank you, to you and Lorrelle for stabilising him so well, but don't use a dirty trick like dragging me down here and then putting me on the spot again. If I had known why you wanted me here, I would have come when there was no one else around to embarrass the man like that." Macara said sternly. Keller just looked shocked.
The major walked from the infirmary to get ready.
Only two hours later, Macara stood ready to leave. He had his number two khaki suit, and his kit-bag. A team of RM's, all too injured for active duty, were waiting to go through, too. Trang was in a wheelchair, asleep, beside him.
"Are you sure you want to go?" Sam asked. Macara just looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You're causing me a whole lot of grief and trouble," she said.
"Why would that be?"
"I've had to restrain Ronon from going, and Colonel Sheppard is currently off world, because he would be trying o go too if he knew."
Macara smiled as the gate came alive.
"Good hunting, Major" Carter said finally.
The Scottish major turned and gave her a sharp, formal salute, palm out.
Sam returned it, equally formally, and Macara went through to Midway.
He had a traitor to find.
Only and hour and a half into the journey and the huge ship came to an almost dead stop. The tannoy burst into life. "Hands to stations, all pilots report to the ready room, command staff to the bridge please." "What the…." Jack looked across the table, but was out of his chair before he finished his sentence.
"I guess that includes us?" Cam said blithely
"It does!" The Admiral answered and followed Jack out of the wardroom, Hank close behind with SG1 on his six.
"What about me?" Woolsey inquired
Cam turns around abruptly. "Just stay here and do….whatever it is you do."
Although the bridge on the 301's were large compared to the 304's, it was getting crowded as three staff officers, SG1 and the Dreadnaught's command crew were all in place. Colonel Ellis, was talking rapidly with his comms officer, Lt. Allana Sutton and the moment he saw the others arrive he turned to them.
"Ah, sirs, good timing, we intercepted a bit of subspace chatter and stopped to investigate, perhaps it was fortunate we did."
"What do we have Abe?" Hank asked.
"The Britannia and Iwo Jima are engaged with a fleet of Lucien Alliance ships. The two cruisers were sent to investigate activities on PFQ 659, when they seemed to have come under attention from the Alliance forward fleet. I just received a request for aid from Colonel Davis and Commander Ivanovov."
"How far out are we Colonel?" MacGregor asked.
"Twenty minutes sir." Sutton replied for her commander.
"Fighter status Abe?" Jack looks toward the vastness of the star filled void before them.
"Half compliment of 302's, five 401's and three 307 trials birds general."
Will MacGregor turned away from the status screen. "Three? Are they operational Colonel?"
"They are sir, no missiles fitted but we can take care of that, but they're ready to go. But we have only one qualified pilot, we were supposed to be testing them in Pegasus, that was our mission sir, when the Generals came aboard sir."
"Good, we'll carry out live tests, Cam you and Teal'c get down to the 307 pilot, and get him to have you qualified in ten minutes!"
"Ah, sir, I don't know…"
Will just narrowed his eyebrows at the Colonel.
"Yes sir, we'll be there"
"Indeed" Teal'c answered in his usual demeanor.
"Anything else Colonel?"
"Ah, yes sir, we have some empty 302 seats if you have any spare pilots with you sir, and one of our 401's is in need of a pilot and gunner." Ellis looked at the three older men as if they had the required crews in their pockets.
Will did not hesitate for a second. "Right you have them. Jack and I will suit up, as will you Colonel, Hank will take your command for the time being. Vala, Jackson, feel like getting your feet wet?"
Vala and Daniel who up until this had been feeling quite useless, looked in surprise, as usual Vala missed the subtleties of English.
"We're going swimming Admiral?"
Daniel just thumped her in the ribs.
"Ah, well yes, I can pilot the 401, I have fifteen hours in my log, and I'm sure my Daniel can handle a big gun!" She answered with her typical innuendo.
"Sir we have about thirty percent of shields left, Iwo Jima reports about the same, we still have hyper-drive but the Jima's lost hers, do you think we should just get her crew over here and jump away." A frantic XO said to Colonel Paul Davis in between explosions.
"No we'll hold, we have to, keep sending the transmission Carl, the Dread knows where we are, she shouldn't be more than minutes away, in the meantime get the Jima to maneuver below us, we'll give her some protection and we can combine our fire on those last three Ha'taks, let the Dread take care of the Mothership"
"Sir, shields twenty percent."
"They don't want to destroy us, they want to board us, Major Fitzgibbon, ready to repel boarders!" Paul bellowed to his combat team CO."
"Aye sir." The burly Canadian replied. "Sweep teams by two, cover the hangars, they'll be on us as soon as the shields are down, relay order to Captain Li on the Jima. Sergeant Moore, get your fire teams to cover all the ring platforms, we don't want any surprises even if they are locked out."
"Sir"
The action on board the Dread was moving at an increased pace, pilots sat in their fighters and 401's ready to launch the moment the order was given. Anne MacGregor stood on the ladder next to her husband's fighter. "Why are you doing this Will?" She said with a degree of panic in her voice.
"Have to Anne, we're short of 302 jocks and my number came up." He lied poorly.
"You volunteered yourself, have you thought about your precious fleet, and your family if anything happens to you?"
"Honey, I'll be as safe as you will be here, and if it's any consolation, Jack's got my back and the rest of the squadrons as well, I'll just try and co-ordinate and hang back as much as I can.:
"Yeah, right. Well if you must, take care and remember to come back in one piece." She leaned over and kissed him, then stepped down from the ladder. As she moved away, Will smiled at her, and pulled his helmet on and gave her a cheerful wave. The cockpit canopy came down and a hiss was heard as it sealed.
"Shields are down sir, Jima reports borders sir."
"Standby, Fitzgibbon, Jima has boarders, do you copy over."
"Sir, we've just had a transport land here sir, starboard hangar,...one in port as well sir."
"Damn, where are my fighters, they should have stopped them." Davis blurted to anyone listening.
"Ah Colonel sir, our fighters and 401's are still engaging there's and the Mothership sir, so we've only lost two and one returned damaged 302's, and on 401 returned damaged sir, but they dare not disengage sir."
"Very well then, Major, have them re-group, the moment the Dread arrives. Anyone here not needed now, either grab a weapon and assist the combat teams, or go to damage control..." Another explosion was felt aft, and Britannia was almost dead in space.
John Fitzgibbon wasn't having an easy time of it as well. His fire teams on both sides had been pushed back to the storage bays, luckily they managed to keep the Alliance intruders from getting to the upper levels, but if something didn't happen soon, they would lose it. He himself had gone down three times, only to come back at his opponents with more ferocity.
Automatic weapons and staff blasts, took their toll on both sides, the Iwo Jima suffering no less. Only the assistance of aircrews managed to hold the tide, but it was a bloody affair. On the Britt, they had fallen back yet again to the service bay, but still on five deck. He elevators now being locked out, it was now or never for both ships.
Macara strode through the halls of SGC level 15. The area had been a storage level until 2005, when the UK forces were drafted in to fight the Ori. It then became the Barrack and Armoury location for UKGTF troops.
Currently it housed fifty seven soldiers and officers from the Grenadier Guards, nine injured Marines, fourteen SRR and SBS operators, ten Staff officers and the Brigadier himself, general Melchett.
Rounding the corner, Macara almost walked into a Grenadier captain.
"Watch it," the officer said sharply. Macara cocked an eyebrow and looked the man up and down.
"Your eyes working, captain?"
"What are you talking about?" the other man sighed, titling his head. Macara pointed at his officer-tab on the front of his C95 shirt. " I believe 'Watch it, sir' would be more appropriate."
"Why...yes, of course." the captain replied timidly. "Sorry, sir." and quickly walked away. Macara grimaced. "Bloody Guardsmen. Never liked them. Too cocky," he said to himself. It didn't help that Melchett was a Guardsman. The brigadier had the eternal Aura of being superior in every possible way.
Macara had had to report to him after arriving, and Melchett had asked him how he managed to let twenty-seven marines die. He then told the major he had done okay, and briefed Macara on the situation. Throughout the whole conversation, Macara could tell that Melchett was more than a little annoyed that Landry had left Reynolds in command of the SGC, especially when he was senior to Reynolds. He was left to stomp around his officer making soldier feel bad.
Of the known team members to have been captured and freed from the Wraith, two were in Atlantis where they would have had no opportunity to find out what vehicles were being sent from Earth, although they would have had the ability to contact the Wraith.
Four were on base, and restricted to quarters, the others were as yet unaccounted for. Macara had asked permission to begin the hunt, but was told in no gentle terms that he was not allowed to exercise any authority off base without Landry or O'neill's permission.
So the Major was stuck in the SGC until such times as the Dreadnaught arrived. And that was still ten days away.
Macara walked up to Melchett's door and knocked.
"Come," the voice snapped. Macara sighed and walked in.
"Yes, major?"
"I was wondering sir, if I could led a GTF team off world today. I need to get out of this base, and would gladly lend some experience to the Guardsmen."
Melchett looked at Macara. "You have only been back for a day and a half, major, have a break!"
Macara shook his head. "With respect, sir, I'm half a klick under ground. I wouldn't mind seeing some sky again, even if it is purple and gaseous and completely alien." Macara tried again.
Melchett looked like he didn't care either way.
"If you really want to, major. Team 3 is gearing up to go. Only one fire team is heading out, as this world, Pk5-104 is supposedly peaceful. Trained with the Arctic warfare cadre, didn't you? Well, this place is covered in arid grassland and some desert, so it will be nice and warm, at least. Feel free to tag along."
Macara saluted smartly, grinning. "Thank you, sir!"
Macara emerged from the armoury, heading to the lift in his No. 5 dress and his Green beret. He had forgone his Osprey armour, as he didn't want to frighten the locals, although the armoured vest was attached to his pack just in case. He had his L85A5, the GTF version of the standard issue rifle, and his side arm. He still hadn't replaced his dagger, as Hailey had so far refused to give it up.
As he reached the Gate room, the four Guardsmen waiting for the gate to open looked round in horror. Being led by a Marine officer? That was a fate worse than death to these tough soldiers.
The officer in charge was the young captain.
"Can we help you, sir?" he asked snidely.
"I'm going along, Captain, to lend you gentlemen my wonderful experience. I won't take over unless you do something stupid." Macara winked. "What's your name, captain?"
"Captain Jessop, sir. Sir, I have ordered my men to wear DPM bush-hats," the younger man said pointedly.
"And?" Macara said, hamming it up, knowing what the captain was referring to.
"Your...erm...never mind, sir." The captain abandoned his efforts.
Behind them, the gate kawooshed.
"Right, gentlemen, head out!" Macara said, chuckling away.
Macara strode through the gate with his rifle at a jaunty angle. the Guardsmen dashed through one by one, flustered and with half full magazines.
"What happened, major?" Reynolds voice came over the tannoy.
"The people were perfectly friendly, sir. The Lucien alliance, who have an underground ship bunker, weren't." Macara smiled.
"Damn." Reynolds sighed. "They're like rats, they get everywhere."
"No exactly like rats sir. At least the rodents are good eating," Macara joked.
"Come up to the briefing room, major, and your team," Reynolds finished speaking.
Macara nodded, and gestured to his team.
"So, captain, what was your first trip like?" Macara asked. He had found out after they went through that Jessop was the only member of the detachment at SGC to have never stepped through a gate. He had been off world on the Lorcan once, but had never gone through a gate.
"Well, I had hoped there would be less running and shooting and more exploring."
Macara just laughed, and went up the stairs.
"Here, and here, sir." Nathan pointed to the UAV map. "Nothing much we can do, sir, on foot, unless the idea of another ground assault is pleasing to the IOA?" Macara muttered.
"No, I'll see if the Apollo can sweep by on their next run and give them a head ache. Good work major, captain. You are dismissed, except you, Major. I have some intel you may wish to be appraised of."
The guardsmen got up, came to attention and left.
Reynolds waited until the last man had left before starting.
"The Dreadnaught has gone to engage Lucien forces who attacked the Iwo Jima and Britannia. There have been casualties, but with the Dreadnaught, it is expected that the Alliance ships will be easily handled. However, the Dreadnaught will remain with the ships, and it may be an extra twenty four hours before they return. Just thought you may wish to know. Also, we received this for you, from General Salmon." Reynolds handed over a data slate
Macara nodded, came to attention and left.
After dumping his gear, Nathan went to his quarters to check what the message was.
Major General Salmon, CO of the Royal Marines, was simply writing to give his commendations for the action. Salmon also gave permission for Macara to return to Earth to join in the investigation.
There was, however, a coded post script that required a password only a commando officer, trained at Lympstone, would know. The message read; "Major, we have noticed some problems with the Gate Alliance that are proving troublesome. The Australians and Americans are firmly united in their actions, the Russians and Chinese are in talks to start their own programme again, the Europeans are moaning and we are being sidelined as the political lines are drawn. As a company level officer, I would like you to keep your ears to the ground and see what's going on in the SGC. I would ask Melchett, but I have no faith in his ability to be subtle, the man doesn't realise the 21st Century. Also, you are family (ed note, as in unit, not related) so I can trust you. Andy Salmon"
Macara, in surprise, re-read the message before deleting the contents.
So, the politicking back home had begun again. Damn