Chapter Three
Unknown location – Ida Galaxy
Solid core planet
Center core
April 8, 2010
The stargate had just shut down and Daniel found himself in a dimly lit room with the exact width of the stargate and circular in formation. The room ended in a wall a few meters ahead, that seemed to have been formed by the event horizon burst of the stargate, but that appeared to be covered by a naquada-trinium-carbon metal. The same used on the O´Neills and on the Achilles and by looking at the residual ripples travelling along the surface, it was also shielded. Turning around he could see the stargate embedded to the back wall, with a transporter beam emitter in the center. The stargate started dialling immediately and Daniel knew he didn´t have any place to move to avoid the event horizon burst. Before panic struck, he was beamed away by the Asgard transporter emitter. The Stargate locked into the new address and Daniel was materialized into a new room.
"Welcome Daniel Jackson," said the holographic image of Thor
"Thanks Thor. What was that all about?"
"Security precautions. This installation is outside the Ida Galaxy and can only be dialled from the intermediary installation you just came from which we call Bifröst. It is located at the center core of a solid core planet, which makes it difficult for an orbital scan to detect it, and is also constantly protected by transporter beam dispersion emitters that are only brought down for a fraction of a second to allow the gate room emitter to work. If someone found out the stargate address of the installation and came through it, will be unable to dial out without being destroyed by the stargate itself. The replicators forced us to take such measures. I am sorry for the inconvenience."
"I understand."
"This Daniel Jackson is Niflheim, it is where all Asgard minds are stored. Before loosing our capability to continue cloning our bodies, it was here that an Asgard would have been reborn if lost to any kind of body failure. Please come this way." said Thor pointing to a circular structure in the floor that stood below a tube in the ceiling, to what could only be a lift of some kind.
"We really thought we had lost you and by you I mean all the Asgard."
The lift started to move upwards entering the tube with Daniel and Thor´s holographic image.
"It was necessary. There were many who thought that if someone found out that the Asgard depended on you people for a solution, it could have brought more enemies to your door step. Just to make sure that no Asgard will trouble them in the future. There are also many other reasons for faking our demise."
"I understand Thor, don´t worry."
"I am sorry to say Daniel Jackson, that releasing our repository to your people was not only meant as a legacy or something done for the sake of your future, but for many Asgard the only reason in doing that was for our future."
"Please, you don´t need to feel sorry. It is perfectly understandable and it has given us the means to defeat the Ori and keep the Wraith at bay. Without it, I think we would have already been defeated and if it happens to give you a chance for a future, well its perfectly find for me."
"I am glad you agree."
"Look Thor. The Asgard may have saved us in the past and we may have returned the favour by defeating the replicators. Your people may think that by giving us your repository. We would be in your debt and morally forced to help you in finding a solution to the cloning problem, but I can tell you now, without any hint of a doubt and make it very very clear, that you will have the friendship and support of my people no matter what. We are your allies and if we have to bleed and die to help you, we will."
Even thou Thor was currently an holographic image, it was clear that the computer was very well program to express even emotions. The surprise in his face, was only dim by the pride of his chest. He was like a father looking to a just graduated son.
"It is and honor to be your friends and allies Daniel Jackson."
"Likewise Thor," Daniel turned to see the wall of the lift and asked, "Where are we."
"The gate room is located below the station and connected to it through this lift. In case the replicators infiltrated this base through the gate, the entire structure will be detached and will enter hyperspace immediately. There are many security precautions. Niflheim is not only protected by its location, but it is the most powerful Asgard installation ever constructed."
"I see."
They reached the main station access room and Daniel was immediately beamed away to the main control center.
"This is Niflheim control center,"said Thor and in the middle of the room another holographic image appeared, this time of the space station. It was a very simple design, a large cylinder with a long and thin interconnection tube at its bottom that ended in a sphere, which Daniel guessed was the gate room. The main cylindrical station was divided in four levels, each with four arms extending to the north, south, east and west from the center of the station, for a total of twelve. Each arm had a total of 16 docking ports for star ships. All were occupied, and there were also a huge amount of vessels floating beyond the space station.
The 256 docking ports were clearly occupied by a same number of O`Neill class capital ships, but Daniel couldn't guess out the numbers of the ships beyond, and judging by the size of the O´Neills docked to it, Daniel guess the station to be around 12 km in length without counting the gate room umbilical, and 3 to 4 km in width.
"That´s a lot of ships Thor, how many are there?" asked Daniel
"Yes. The entire Asgard fleet is here. A total of three hundred and eleven O`Neills, fifty one Daniel Jacksons and two hundred and seventy nine Beliskners." answered Thor adding, "But there are also nearly eighty million Asgard minds stored here. A fraction of what we once were, but all there is now."
Thor paused for a moment, and continued speaking, "Daniel Jackson, in behalf of the entire Asgard race, we ask for your peoples help. There is little else we can do to research a solution. We understand that the task requested make take centuries or millennia to accomplish, but we have faith in your peoples abilities to find a solution. Niflheim is design to last indefinitely. Will you help us?"
Daniel was staring at the holographic station and turned to see Thor, "I think we already have a solution Thor, it's not a permanent one but it's a solution."
"What do you mean Daniel Jackson."
"We found Asgards in Pegasus, and their bodies seem to be in far better shape. They are a little aggressive and we don´t have diplomatic contact with them. We don´t even know were they are now, but rest assure that we´ll find them. Thor I'm not an expert in genetics, so if you could give me information of what we need to bring you in order to restore your cloning capability, it will certainly help the experts on Earth."
Thor was still stunned by the information and it took a few seconds to gather his thoughts and answer. "Asgard in Pegasus," he murmured and turn to see Daniel "This is an unexpected turn of events Daniel Jackson, there were many expeditions send to find a solution, but of those sent to Pegasus all came back,"
"I'm afraid that this group was not on official business Thor, they went there during the Ancient´s war with the Wraith to experiment on humans without anyone finding out, but after the Wraith defeated the Ancients, they engaged the Asgard and destroyed their intergalactic capable vessels, forcing them to hide."
"If what you say is correct Daniel Jackson, then I'm afraid we must decline. Our race is at stake, but we will not accept a solution that required the suffering or death of other people, no matter how desperate we are." said Thor lowering his head.
"I see your point Thor, but there is no proof of what they did. What we do know is that the technology you developed is helping defeat the Wraith and in consequence giving the people of Pegasus a ray of hope. It's not your responsibility of what others from your race did. But you can make it your responsibility to repay the legacy left by those sacrifices and help us and the people of Pegasus get rid of the Wraith. I can also promise you that those avenues of approach will no longer be necessary, because you can count on us. As long as your procedures are non intrusive. We'll fill our combine research with volunteers for you to gather genetic material and I will certainly be one of them."
Thor turned tu look up again and said, "You are most wise Daniel Jackson, we accept your help and we will repay our debt with the people of Pegasus by siding with you in the war against the Wraith."
"Thanks Thor. We welcome your support as well."
"Now, on the information you requested, we only need a chromosomal DNA sample."
"I'm not certain about chromosomal DNA Thor, but we acquired two exoskeletons from them, and from inside the suits, we were able to gather DNA from the wearers. Of that I'm certain."
Thor raised his holographic eyebrows and said, "While chromosomal DNA is preferable. Any DNA will at least allow us to momentarily regain our cloning capabilities Daniel Jackson."
"Then I´ll send what we have immediately, and if that's not good enough, we´ll go find them."
"I can not express the gratitude of our people Daniel Jackson."
"Neither can we Thor." said Daniel while smiling to Thor, who returned his gesture with a bow.
"Thor, I was wondering what happened to the thirty thousand year old Asgard body you found, was there something wrong with it?"
"No Nothing, But it is a less evolved Asgard and its brain is not good enough for what we need. It is stored here, and is definitely the cornerstone of our research. When we regain our bodies, our efforts will mostly focus on increasing brain capacity without degrading the body."
"That´s good news."
"Yes, but not as good as the one you delivered."
They continued talking for several minutes and then headed back to the gate room.
"You will be transported back to Bifröst and from there to Earth. It has been good to see Daniel Jackson."
"Sorry Thor, Earth no longer allows incoming wormholes from gates that don´t belong to its same tier level. I´ll explain that to you some other time, but if you need to contact us it will be better with subspace communications. I have to go through the Alfa site, and then to Earth via Starship."
"I see. There is no problem, I have the address of your Alpha site available. Thanks again Daniel Jackson."
"Thank you too Thor, see you next time."
Hyperspace - Milky Way Galaxy
Free Jaffa Nation Fleet - Heading 334 degrees from galactic core
7500 light years beyond Scutum-Centaurus Arm
April 16, 2010
Nearly four weeks ago, The Jaffa lost contact with Nakgora one of their farthest colonies. Every attempt to communicate with it via stargate or with subspace communications failed. The only message received before contact was lost, was a request for help and a report that the single Ha`tak protecting the colony had been destroyed. The FJN council had ordered and investigation and all ships near the colony that could be spared were gathered in what will be a reconnaissance in force operation. 17 Ha`taks, 42 Al`keshes and 3 Tel`taks plus the Ha`tak´s glider squadrons were approaching the colony and readying for transition to normal space.
"Master Rak`nor, all three Tel`taks had jump in the outskirts of the system and are proceeding to our colony under clock. We should have passive sensor readout in a few minutes."
Rak`nor stood from the command chair and approach the main console and stood besides Hai`rak the ship's operator, "We'll wait in hyperspace until we have determine what we are dealing with, How much time until we reach the system?"
"Twelve more minutes, Fleet Master."
"Good, order all glider squadrons ready. They launch as soon as we enter system."
"Yes, Master."
A few minutes later the scout ships started transmitting sensor telemetry. The images being received, showed a fleet of unknown ships in orbit above the colony, clearly in battle formation with their bows pointing towards space to the exact location of the approaching FJN Fleet.
"Well, the first thing we know about them, is that they have sufficiently advance sensors to detect our approach." said Rak`nor "What information do we have from passive scans."
"There is a very big ship in the middle of the formation Master, sensors are showing a length of one thousand nine hundred and sixty eight meters, nearly two kilometers Master. It is surrounded by twenty seven smaller vessels but still big at six hundred and fifty six meters. They are gather around the main vessel in a funnel like formation. There are eight at nearly sixty kilometers range at forty five degree angle in front of the main vessel and again forty five degree separation each from the center forming a perfect circle. From the first eight vessels but at a range of nearly one hundred and twenty kilometers and at twenty two point five degrees from them, there are another eight vessels, forming a second circle with the same forty five degrees separation from the center. From that second line but at a range of three hundred and sixty kilometers and at eleven point twenty five degrees from them, there is a third line with another eight vessels in the same circular formation with the same forty five degree separation from the center,"
"behind the main vessel, there are a total of three more escorts at nearly sixty kilometers and forty five degree angle, but forming a triangle."
"We are also reading a total of nine smaller vessels with a length of two hundred and eighteen meters. They are operating individually and are far away of the main fleet but still relatively close to the planet. I believe them to be scouts or something similar because of the sensor energy emissions emanating from them."
"Is there anything in our data crystals on the origin of those ships?" asked Rak`nor
"No, Master. The only thing we know is what the council told us. That the Goa`uld avoided the area beyond this colony. It seems they lost several ships and any information gathered was kept strictly to themselves. There are no records that we know of."
"Which one of the smallest vessels is farthest away from their fleet?"
"This one," said Hai`rak, showing a dot on the main screen, "It´s more than five hundred thousand kilometers away."
"Dispatch a Ha`tak to engage it, but prepare all the fleet to assist just in case."
"Master? shouldn't we concentrate on their fleet?"
"Our mission is to gather intelligence on the source of the attack on our colony and to retake it if possible. We now know the source and in order to retake our colony without heavy losses, we need to know their capabilities. That´s why I'm sending a single Ha`tak to engage their smallest vessel. If we are unable to defeat that unit, it would be unwise to engage their main fleet."
"I understand Master. I'm sending the order to the leading Ha`tak now."
A few seconds later a Ha`tak entered system 700 km from the designated target and opened fire immediately. A standard FJN Ha`tak carried 12 Heavy Staff Cannons with a maximum output of 5 PJ per bolt each and 48 Point Defence Staff Cannons with a maximum output of 78 TJ per bolt each. Eight of the Twelve main cannons were in line of sight of the target and were firing as if there was no tomorrow. The first bolts passed harmlessly to the sides of the heavily evasive flying relatively small craft. But the fire was so intense that the first bolt hit the vessel's shield, and a second one followed bringing the shields down. Three, four, five and the small alien craft was nothing more than dust.
"YESSS." shouted Hai`rak
"You just witness the destruction of a vessel that had maybe fifty times less mass than our Ha`tak, so don´t let your emotions jump to conclusions until we defeat their main fleet." Said Rak`nor seriously but with half a smile on his face.
"Yes Master."
"Order that Ha`tak to return to hyperspace and have it rejoin formation."
Hai`rak relay the order to the deployed Ha`tak and at the same time as the FJN vessel was leaving, the smallest alien vessels were heading to the security of their fleet.
"We jump at one hundred thousand kilometers from the enemy fleet and we´ll immediately deploy our gliders. Have them join formation with the Al`keshes and have both of them proceed in front of us but away from our firing arcs."
"Shouldn't we jump directly into firing positions Master?"
"Hmm," said Rak`nor taking a deep breath, "that´s a typical Goa`uld strategy which is good for some circumstances but not for every single one. Specially when there is little knowledge of our enemy´s capabilities. No. We´ll proceed with caution and learn from our enemy and if necessary we´ll retreat to fight another day. That is something I learned from our Tau`ri allies."
"But Master, We are warriors. We face our enemies head on. We are not sneaky as the Tau`ri." said Hai`rak with a lot of revulsion in his voice on the last phrase.
Rak`nor turned to see him face to face, "Yes, we are Warriors, but you are too young and inexperienced to understand that the Tau`ri are the best of them all. You didn´t fight alongside them and you certainly didn´t fight against them, or you wouldn't be speaking those words. We must not be the warriors the Goa`uld wanted us to be. We must learn to think for ourselves and to adapt to new circumstances."
"But Master, ..."
"ENOUGH!" said Rak`nor with a definite resolution in his voice, "Proceed with the attack!"
"As you command Fleet Master"
Space was momentarily lit by the 59 jumpoints from the FJN fleet deployment. All ships made their transition to normal space and immediately started taking positions to the flanks and front of Rak`nor´s Ha`tak. The Al`keshes made the same but on the top an bottom of the formation. Immediately a total of 816 Death Gliders started pouring from the 17 Jaffa motherships and headed for the two formations of Al`keshes to provide cover.
In front of the JFN Fleet, the alien vessels maintained their formation, but started launching en masse, what looked like a fighter/missile hybrid.
"Scan them!" said Rak`nor
Hai`rak didn´t need to be told twice, and almost immediately had projected the new contact on the main screen. The front was half a sphere and looked like a black dome of polarized glass, it was followed by a long tube that flatten in the back. They certainly looked like missiles, but their formation flying suggested fighters.
"Master, the vessel is seven meters in length and two meters in width. Full scans report a forward energy weapon, it is also equipped with a low yield fusion reactor which may suggest that the forward weapon is plasma based. The enemy fleet is launching them in hundreds and are headed our way."
"Order the fleet to change course one hundred and eighty degrees. We´ll engage those, whatever they are, away from their fleet."
The Ha`taks simply started moving in the other direction as their non Newtonian sublight drive allow them to move in every direction without changing the ship orientation. The Al`keshes and gliders however needed to turn their ships around to move away from the enemy's fleet. Three minutes later the aliens had finished launching an impressive number of fighters/missiles.
"Master, Sensors are detecting a total of thirty four thousand one hundred and twenty fighters. The enemy fleet and one third of their fighters are keeping station, but the rest of them are gaining in on our position. What are your orders?"
Rak`nor hesitated a moment before answering. The number of enemy fighters/missiles really blew away his confidence. "Order Al`keshes to form inside the fleet and the gliders... and the gliders pull them back. Order them to engage any fighter that enters the fleet perimeter." Seconds later, the big guns of the Ha`taks started firing into the enemy´s approaching formations, followed a little later by their secondary guns and those of the Al`keshes. The combined fire power of the Ha`taks and Al`keshes were sending close to eight hundred plasma bolts per second into the ranks of enemy fighters and even with the size of space and the heavy evasive flying of the enemy ships, many bolts were finding its mark. Some of them even disintegrating two or three at the same time.
The alien light craft responded in kind, only that this time there were more than twenty thousand bolts per second heading into the FJN Fleet. The number of alien fighters firing was staggering. Jaffa shields were blazing with the incoming fire, but little damage was being done. The only losses were inflicted when stray shots hit the unshielded gliders, which broke up falling out of formation.
"Master, enemy fire is extremely weak. Sensors detect energy buildup before firing of one hundred and eighty mega joules. Even if they concentrate all their fire into a single Al`kesh they will never be able to bring its shields down."
"Hmm. That´s strange. Still our gliders our unshielded and will suffer heavy casualties if we order them to engage. We´ll use this to our advantage. We´ll drain their numbers by attrition, they can´t hurt us. Keep the gliders back and lets..." He was unable to finish, when a bright flash of light, follow by another and another entered through the main window. The enemy hybrid fighter missiles had entered the perimeter and were no longer using their low power pulse cannons, but their internal fusion warhead. The alien drones were ramming Jaffa ships en masse. "Give me a reading! Fast!"
Before any response came from Hai`rak, he could see several Al`keshes being destroyed and the forward Ha`tak which could be seen directly in front of the Pel´tak´s observation window, had his shields shimmering brightly before collapsing completely. Without hesitation, hundreds of alien drones plunged into it and detonated their fusion warhead, some even bounced out after hitting and exploded in space, but the number of drones impacting the Ha`tak made that irrelevant. Soon it broke up and drones detonated inside it, completely obliterating the vessel.
"Order all gliders to engage, tell them to make a single pass and to rendezvous with us beyond that moon," Rak`nor said pointing to a moon in the main screen, "and order the fleet to enter Hyperspace."
Hundreds of Jaffa gliders forced their way into the enemy´s forward echelons. They passed close to their motherships and soon started firing their staff cannons against the drones. The forward advanced was momentarily halted by the sheer number of gliders joining the fray, while some ships from the fleet were already entering hyperspace. The enemy´s drones moved like a shoal of fish, they tried to reach the fleeing fleet, but the gliders had done their job and allow the last vessels to escape. They were already breaking the engagement in the middle of a horde of alien drones and were accelerating to escape velocity, when the unthinkable happened. All the drones that were inside the glider´s formation, which were numbered in the thousands, detonated in a single giant explosion.
In a blink of an eye, the FJN Fleet´s glider squadrons ceased to exist. The few fortunate ones that made it beyond the blast area were now headed for the rendezvous point.
"It can´t be, they sacrificed thousands of fighters to destroy our gliders!" said Hai`rak watching the main screen in shock.
Rak`nor turned to see him, "Sacrificed? Will you say that we sacrifice our plasma bolts to destroy the enemy. Those drones are weapons, and very effective ones. Their fleet is still unengaged and we have already lost eleven Al`keshes and one Ha`tak, plus nearly eight hundred gliders." He returned his sight to the main screen. "Have the fleet transition to normal space and send one of the Tel`taks under cloak to the planet. Have it scan to see if there are still some Jaffa alive."
"Yes, Master."
A few minutes later the FJN Fleet transition into normal space. The 34 surviving Gliders were still a few minutes away and increasing their distance from the thousands of drones following them.
The cloaked Tel`tak dispatch to the planet, was nearly 30,000 km from the planet, when the main enemy warship´s wings extended into what looked like two arms, from which emerged a pair of cannons. The enemy warship accelerated to attack speed and instantly turned to face the Tel`tak, and without any warning fired its two main cannons, vaporizing it.
"Master..."
"I saw it. It seems their sensors are better than we thought." He took a breath and said, "Have the gliders return to their ships. We´ll wait for those drones. We´ll take as many of them as we can before we retreat."
"Yes, Master." said Hai`rak while giving commands to his console and then adding, "I have a new count on enemy drones. There are a total of twenty nine thousand seven hundred and sixty five. They have expended more than four thousand."
"They have enough to destroy us several times over."
A few minutes later the last glider returned to its Mothership. The alien´s drones were approaching firing distance and the FJN Fleet was already moving fast in the other direction to force the drones to stay in weapons range for a longer time.
"This time as soon as they enter heavy weapons range, increase speed to match theirs. I don't care if you have to reroute energy going into the shields. We are not going to need them. We are going to slowly reduce their numbers, I don't care if it takes hours."
"Shouldn't we wait until they enter our light weapons range Master?"
"No, their range is too low and I don't want to risk it. We may have to react and may not have time to do it."
"Yes, Master."
The first bolt flew away from a Ha`tak closely followed by the entire fleet's heavy guns, and immediately the Ha`taks started matching the drones speed. Hundreds of bolt travelled the distance to the enemy's positions and soon started finding their marks. It didn't take long for the aliens to react, as their drones broke formation and started heading in eight different directions. The Jaffa fleet could see them going up, up-right, right, down-right, down, down-left, left and up-left.
"They think fast!" said Rak`nor "Stay with the upper arm."
"Arm? Master"
"The drones heading up Hai`rak."
"Yes, Master."
As soon as the Jaffa Fleet changed course to intercept the drones heading up. They moved away form them while the other drones closed in, forcing the Jaffa to move away or risk an engagement. The drones continued to slowly encircle the FJN vessels, while the Jaffa again increased their speed to get away from the trap. In orbit many drones were re-entering their mothership's launch tubes.
"Master, I have telemetry from one of the Tel`taks. Alien drones are returning to their ships."
"How many?"
"Thousands!"
"They will try to cut us out."
"Master?"
"Those drones Hai`rak. They are trying to encircle us, while keeping away from our weapons range. And that fleet is recalling its drones, but still leaving thousands to protect the planet. Guessed what they are doing yet?"
He saw Hai`rak's stunned face, so he added, "They are going to try to cut us off. They'll force us to engage. An engagement we are not prepare to fight. Signal the Fleet. Full retreat. Just leave the Tel`taks. Tell them they won't be relived for at least three weeks."
"But Master!"
"NOW Hai`rak, and set a course that doesn't lead directly to our nearest colony. Just in case their sensors are good enough to pinpoint our trajectory."
Soon the FJN Fleet entered hyperspace, and set a misleading course that will take them to their nearest colony in 17 days.
Dakara – Free Jaffa Nation Capitol
Council Meeting Hall
April 19, 2010
The Capitol of Dakara, had been rebuild to the best of the Jaffa's abilities, after the destruction suffered by the Ori attack. The government buildings were now operational, but housing for the garrison troops was still lacking so the view from above was that of the main government compound, surrounded by buildings in different stages of construction and again surrounded by many, many tents. A few kilometers away from the new Capitol, they were finishing construction of a shipyard that was bound to keep the fleet deploy there in optimal conditions, without the need to move the vessels to more industrialized worlds.
After the retreat of the Jaffa Fleet three days ago, the council had ordered an investigation into the identity of the attackers and to develop a strategy to engage and defeat them. The members of the council were now hearing the report from the Head of the commissioned research group, a Jaffa named Yat'kin.
"We still have no contact with the colony of Nakgora and our Tel`taks report the arrival of what looks like transport ships that landed on the planet." said Yat'kin
"Have you been able to identify the aliens? master Yat'kin." asked Ka'lel a female council member
"I'm afraid not Mistress Ka'lel. We have requested information from our allies the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri. The Tok'ra said that they have never seen those ships designs, but that they know that the Goa`uld have been avoiding that area of space for more than a hundred years."
"What about the Tau`ri?"
"Master Teal'c thinks he saw the alien's main capital ship several years ago with the Tau'ri,"
"Indeed!" added Teal'c "It seems similar to a vessel encountered by the Prometheus, but I am not certain as I was not present at the moment."
"Ambassador Woolsey is on its way with information concerning that event." said Yat'kin "He should be here within the hour."
"Master Yat'kin. Have you analyzed the information sent by Rak`nor? Do you have any recommendations?" asked Bra'tak
"Yes Master Bra'tak. Our sensors were able to get good intelligence on the capabilities of the alien's vessels and we have good combat data on their drones and small capital ships. We still require more information on their escorts and main vessel, but if we take into account their mass and compare it to their small ship's shield strength. We can say that their escorts are less powerful than our Ha`taks, but their main capital ship is considerably superior." he took a deep breath, showing a concerned face, "That is only comparing shield strength, which gives us a good indication of their power output. The problem is the enormous amount drones each ship carries."
"How many."
"Our sensors detected a consistent number of drones coming from their escort. They have fifty two drone launchers and nine hundred and thirty six drones each. Their main warship has a hundred and fifty eight drone launchers, but eight thousand eight hundred and forty eight drones. Considerably more drones per launcher than their escorts." He turned to see the floor and then looked up, "I'm afraid we have nothing that can engage those odds single handedly. One on one our Ha`taks are superior to their escorts, but not if we take their drones into account."
"What do you suggest."
"We need a new Mothership. A ship designed from the ground up for space combat. A ship able to hold a fight even against an Ori warship, but our experience in ship design is very limited, and designing, testing, and building one, will take a lot of time. I suggest we gain the experience necessary to design a new ship, by upgrading our existing Ha`tak design."
"Is it possible?" asked Ka'lel
"Yes Mistress. As you all know the Ha`tak has a great deal of space devoted for troop transport. A big enough hangar space for forty eight gliders and at least a couple of Al`keshes, both of which had proved useless against this new alien threat and even the Ori. I know the Ori are no longer in this Galaxy, but their ships are a measure of our vessels ineffectiveness."
"You intend to use the available space to make our Ha`taks better?" asked Bra'tak
"Yes Master."
"In what way."
"Our shield design allows a relation of one to twenty five. That means that for every unit of power output of the reactor, the shield's energy matrix can hold twenty five. It means that we need one point of energy constantly being feed into the grid to keep a twenty five point strong shield. The Ha`tak is designed with capacitors that can bring up the shields immediately, without having to wait for a full charge directly from the reactor. As you know, if we use the reactor to directly charge the shield, the more energy there is in the shield matrix the more energy required just to keep it up, so it extends the time required to reach full power. That's why we use capacitors. They put the energy directly into the shield matrix and then we use the reactors at full power just to keep them up."
"Your point Master?"
"Simple. If we want our shield's to charge immediately we need twenty five points of capacity in our capacitors per point of reactor output. Every increase in capacitors only, can't be sustained by our actual reactors, so they will only be able to be used as backup. Every increase in reactor capacity only, will require our shield to be charge by direct feed. The only place big enough to install new reactors, are our hangars. They have enough space for two more reactors. That will increase power output from fifty to one hundred and fifty Peta watts. We will require to convert nearly eighty percent of our troop carrying capabilities to house the capacitors required to charge the shields immediately. This will allow our Ha`taks to resist the impact of a single Ori beam. Beams that as you all know were able to destroy our vessels with a single shot. However, this upgrade will greatly increase its survival against small weapons fire. To give an example. Three standard Ha`taks will be required to bring the shields down of an upgraded Ha`tak. Two will be unable to overcome the upgraded shields recharge capabilities."
"And you have an upgrade for our weapons systems as well?"
"Yes Master. However, upgrading the shield system is relatively simple as we'll be using existing reactor and capacitor designs, the challenge will be integrating them into the ship. The real problem will come with the offensive weapons, as we need to design one from scratch. Our small defensive staff cannons, proved effective at intercepting and destroying their drones, but the numbers employed proved lacking. We have enough space to increase our point defence cannons from forty eight to one hundred and ninety two. A four fold increase. The Heavy cannons however, while very powerful, are still lacking sufficient strength to be a threat to an Ori Warship or the expected strength of the new aliens main capital ship. They also require greater internal space to accommodate so we just can't add more weapons, without a heavy and difficult modification of the current design."
"We have the intention of designing a new cannon. The goal is to produce a new heavy staff cannon to replace the ones we currently have. It will have eight times the reaction chamber volume and twice the diameter. We'll be able to install two per arm instead of the current four. But we'll be increasing the combined fire power by four. Each individual unit will have forty Peta Joules per bolt compared to the five of the current design, an eight times increase in strength. Bottom line, We'll be increasing the fire power of our Ha`taks by four and our shield matrix and recharge rate by three."
"When can we expect this new design to initiate construction? and is it possible to upgrade our current vessels?" asked Bra'tak
"Newly built ships, will be upgraded by batches. The first batch will have the new capacitors and point defence cannons installed, but will still have a single reactor and the actual heavy staff cannons. The second batch will add the two new reactors, while the third batch will receive the new Heavy cannons. Now, all vessels currently deployed will only be upgraded to a batch one configuration, as the second and third batch modifications will be too expensive to implement."
"So we'll be losing our glider capacity?"
"Yes Master. There will still be space for the two Al`keshes as their hangars are too small for modification. But with the current performance of our gliders in space combat, I will change glider capacity for reactor power and shield strength any day."
"Indeed." added Teal'c
"Is there anything else you want to add Master Yat'kin?" asked Bra'tak
"Only that we'll commence preliminary studies for a new type of Mothership to replace the Ha`tak. But it will take many years."
"We understand. Still the upgraded Ha`tak looks promising. You are to be commended. That'll be all."
"Yes Master." He turned to the rest of the assembly and added with a nod before leaving, "Masters! Mistress!"
After a second thought Bra'tak added, "Master Yat'kin, I think it will be better if you stay. Ambassador Woolsey may have some information useful for you. Please take a sit.", he said pointing to an empty chair.
"Yes Master."
After Yat'kin seated, Teal'c addressed the councillors.
"Fleet Master Rak`nor has requested several hundred Tel`taks to start reconnaissance operations of systems beyond Nakgora. He also requests as many Ha`taks and Al`keshes as we can spare to reinforce Tyl'mah and to prepare for a counter attack."
"Master Bra'tak. Excuse my lack of knowledge in the matter as it is not my area of responsibility, but yours. Could you tell me, what is the situation of our Fleet? Do we have enough ships to spare?" asked Ka'lel
"Of course!" he said with a bow "After the war with the Ori, our Fleet situation is not very good. We have control of three hundred and seventy three planets, and only Four hundred and eleven Ha`taks to protect them. We also have nine hundred and sixty two Al`keshes and more than three thousand six hundred Tel`taks. The distance between our colonies is great, complicating matters even further. We have ships, that if dispatched today, will take nearly two years to reach Tyl'mah at maximum speed. We can certainly reinforce Rak`nor with sufficient number of Tel`taks, but Ha`taks and Al`keshes will be difficult to spare without seriously compromising the defence of our other colonies."
"Can't we build more?"
"That's also a problem. We have industrial capacity to build more than a hundred Ha`taks per year, but we are currently building twenty seven. The Goa`uld had enough human slaves to mine for resources and build the ships. We do not. We estimate a total Jaffa population of a little more than seven hundred million. We are self-sufficient in food production, but our mining operations are not enough to feed our shipyards. And we are still seventy percent dependant on the Tau'ri for Tretonin. We still have a long way to go, and our shipbuilding capacity will still be limited by our mining operations. We also need to find out the alien's capabilities, but the Goa`uld would not have bypass them if they were weak, and I don't believe that twenty seven Ha`taks per year will be enough. Even if they are upgraded."
"What can we do?"
"My first choice will be to ask the Tau`ri for help..." said Bra'tak
"NO! We must do this ourselves!" said U'kin a traditionalist council member "One month ago, before the attack by the aliens. We were struggling to keep the Jaffa united. There were dozens of worlds seeking to grow apart from the Free Jaffa Nation. This conflict has united us as never before."
"We'll still have to fight them. I don't know the problem in having the Tau'ri doing that at our sides." said Ka'lel
"You are friends of the Tau'ri," he said looking at Ka'lel, Bra'tak and Teal'c "but a great deal of Jaffa are not. We are warriors, and the constant remainder that we needed the Tau'ri to help us through many difficult situations, have cause a huge amount of jealousy towards them. We don't need them to solve our problems. We need to show the Galaxy and specially our own people, that we are capable of taking care of ourselves. Having the Tau'ri help us again will cause a great deal of dissent. Something we can't have. Not now that our ties as brothers are severely weaken."
"We have lost the colony of Nakgora. We have no contact with our people on the surface. They could have been wiped out for what we know, and you want us to reject help. Help from our allies." said Ka'lel
"Yes." he paused before continuing, "I have no quarrel with the Tau'ri. They have shown to be trustworthy. But our Nation is in shambles and we must first consider its needs. For all we know, we have lost a colony, but if we allow the Tau'ri to help, the alternative could be losing our Nation. If that happens. We'll find ourselves fighting wars with different Jaffa factions. Factions that hold the Tau'ri in contempt. We have a new enemy at our doorsteps. We can fight them alone. It may take years to defeat them or at least to force a stalemate, but it's the best chance we have of a truly united Free Jaffa Nation."
"There maybe nothing we can do for the people of Nakgora, but what about Tyl'mah and the colonies close to it." asked Ka'lel
"We evacuate them via stargate and reinforce our military garrison and space forces to the best of our abilities. We must gain intelligence on our enemy, but we must abandon all hopes of recapturing Nakgora. At least for the moment. We prepare ourselves for a defensive war, while we rally our people and rebuild our space forces, then we hit them and we hit them hard."
"It could be a wise strategy, but only because of our social standing." added Bra'tak
"Indeed, but we must not turn down help from the Tau'ri or the Tok'ra, when we can mask their participation." added Teal'c "It may be unwise to ask for direct military assistance, but we could still ask for intelligence and raw materials."
"Raw materials? And how do you intend to pay them with. Even if they had those resources. We have nothing the Tau'ri wants, and I don't think they are going to give us the millions of tonnes per year required to max out our industrial capacity for free." said U'kin
"They do want planets." said Bra'tak
"Indeed."
"You intend to give away our planets?" asked U'kin
"There are some of our planets that are far away and with relatively low populations and strategic value. The few thousand that live there can be easily relocated to another. Those planets, we could sell without too much loss and for a lot of gain." answered Bra'tak
"Masters, if I may interrupt." said Yat'kin receiving a nod from Bra'tak "We could sell human planets. Planets we don't have under our control. There are many with a few thousand people living in them." He saw Ka'lel's face and added, "No Mistress. I don't mean that we take them by force. I meant we buy the planet. We can pay their people a fortune that they won't be able to reject, then we can sell the planet to the Tau'ri for an exorbitant amount of resources."
"If they find out what we are doing. They can offer the same to those people and bypass us completely." said U'kin
"They are already doing that. We had been informed that Earth is offering the people of planets with low populations, the ones they are in contact with, the possibility of living on Earth in exchange of being allow a research installation on their planets. They are not being as bold as buying the planet for them, but we can see where this is going. I can't think of any human that will reject living on Earth, and the more people that leaves to live there, the more likely that the remaining ones will be unable to create a stable society, and will be forced by the circumstances to leave for Earth too. Finally leaving the planet in control of the Tau'ri. I just propose doing the same but faster. We offer them a fortune, for them to live on another planet. Then we sell the planet to the Tau'ri. We can even keep it, if it's a better quality world, and sell the low quality ones to the Tau'ri."
"It's an interesting proposal." said U'kin
"Indeed, but it depends on the Tau'ri accepting it and paying the exorbitant amount of resources you are suggesting. We should work on this and Master Bra'tak's proposal and see if we can convinced the Tau'ri."
A Jaffa entered the room and stood firm to attention. Bra'tak glanced at him and with a gesture of his head, gave him permission to speak.
"Ambassador Woolsey of the Tau'ri is here."
"Tell him we are ready to receive him."
The Jaffa left and a few seconds later, entered the room with Ambassador Woolsey.
Woolsey approached the councillors and looking to Teal'c he said, "Am I interrupting?"
"Of course not Ambassador Woolsey. We were expecting you. Please, you may address the council." said Teal'c making a gesture with his hand for him to move to the center of the room, which he did.
"I'm honored to be back councillors," he said while bowing, "I've come with information on this new alien threat."
"You have information regarding this aliens Ambassador Woolsey?" asked Bra'tak
"A lot. I brought all the information we have on them." answered Woolsey while showing a data crystal. "We were able to identify one of the alien vessels. The one they were using as center piece of their fleet. The design is identical to a ship encountered by the Prometheus several years ago. All the information regarding this encounter is in the data crystal."
"Do you know who they are?" asked Ka'lel
"We can't confirmed it, but we are almost a hundred percent sure. A star nearly five hundred light years beyond your Nakgora colony, coincides with the stargate address of the Aschen Confederation's Home world."