Teal'c and his wingman USMC Captain Heather Redman, dispatched one each of the three Ori fighters, with gunfire. The third craft was being flown perhaps by a better pilot and managed to elude the four 307's in pursuit of it. Vala and Flt. Lt John Toralev gave chase but this fellow was proving to be quite good; using every avoidance technique in the handbook. Finally though, wether the pilot was tiring, or by good fortune, Vala managed to damage the enemy's port tail wing, which made the craft slew right into Toralev's gunsight. He fired two quick bursts and it was over, the fighter breaking in two pieces.

Sam and the rest of the squadrons did not have such an easy time of though. Once the Ori had disengaged themselves from the tangle Mac and Cam had provided for them, they dispatched the drones, but not before the Dreadnaught's fighters were onto them. A few of the enemy, who were the better of that lot, brought a bit of cohesion into their ranks and gave the 307's a battle large. Sam's 307 receiving a couple small hits across the top of the fuselage; her wingman losing one engine and the other failing, she sent him back to the carrier.

"Break, break, break." Sam ordered her flight. "Blue four and six cover the XO. The rest of you, disperse that lot on red seven's tail." Blue squadron broke off from their present battle, the enemy in that sector mostly accounted for, or trying to limp back to their Mother ship; which at this point had not made any movement from their orbit above Ganymede. Teal'c, Vala and Cam, with the two wingmen, now made a five ship group, bearing directly for the large Ori ships.

At this point it seemed strange that with the battle going on not too far from them, and a very powerful Tauri warship seemingly poised to engage with them soon, the Mother ships made no change in their attitude. They alone with their powerful and broad ranging weaponry, could have destroyed a number of the 307's and with four of them, done a lot of damage to the Dreadnaught. What was the purpose of them being here, it was obvious now that, apparently they may not have been waiting for the Victory at all and, there was some other unknown element involved. Cam and the other 307's veered away slightly from their heading, Vala spoke first. "Cameron how are you? Miss us?"

"Vala, Teal'c I am surprised. What brings you all to my party?" He said almost laughing.

"Colonel Mitchell, Commodore MacGregor, are you alright?" Teal'c inquired.

"Yeah we're fine Teal'c. Thanks for coming. We think we might have had a small problem to deal with just before you arrived though." MacGregor replied.

"Indeed."

"What are those Mother ships doing do you think?" The sight intrigued Vala.

"Ah I'm not sure Vala; but a little while ago, one of them was using transport rings down to Ganymedes surface...the commodore thinks we should check it out. Switching to cloak."

All five ships did so and in a tight formation, banked and adjusted their heading back toward the four large ships. The moment they did so, the two outer Ori ships broke from position, moving toward the Dreadnaught's sector, launching about twenty fighters each, as they did so.

"Ah hell, that's put the weasel up the rabbit's backside. Vala, Teal'c you'd better get back to the Dread, Cam n' I'll do the recon. Break now!" MacGregor ordered them.

The other four broke formation, uncloaked and returned at speed to protect the carrier. The first fighter battle now over, with those who still could fight taking position around the Dreadnaught; some few others returning and hopefully getting a new 307 to rejoin the oncoming combat. An AC401 was dispatched to recover any of those adrift in their 307 escape modules. (Note: On ejection, the entire 307 cockpit assembly will separate from the craft, much like an F111.) The scout ship's pilot would have to be quick though, if he was to avoid being a casualty himself.

Onboard the Dreadnaught, the crew moved with purpose; every member knowing their duties explicitly. In the hangars, maintenance personnel helped incoming pilots with damaged craft, into new birds and had them launch in rapid succession. Bridge crew anxiously awaited the coming tide, each at their designated station. Colonel Suschenko addressed the ships company. "This is Suschenko. It seems the Ori Mother ships have decided to enter the fray, we don't know why they waited so long and we don't care. It's on now, so in our first real combat, I ask only for you to do your jobs well and we'll survive this to toast our success. Good luck to you all...all hands, set battle condition one, secure all compartments, all weapon stations on line."

The enemy fighters split into four box formations for maximum penetration of the Dreadnaught's 307 defence screen. Sam and the XO had now only fifteen craft in their ranks; superior platforms yes, but outnumbered more than two to one. The two incoming Mother ships overbalanced that ratio well in the Ori favour. The 310's additional weaponry would have to help tip the balance. Teal'c and Vala, with their two companions coming from behind might provide an element of surprise, although they were only four. Well as Jack would say, "We've been in worse situations, haven't we Carter?"

In the cockpit of the Tornado, the familiar figure of Colonel Paul Davis, hauled back on the control yoke. Having recovered six 307 pilots and surprising even himself, compassion made him pick up four Ori pilots as well. Though they faired somewhat worse for their experience, not having modules to protect them, only their flight suits. They might live. Now he had to wait, on the outer edges of the battle space; the time it took for him and his two crewman to find and retrieve the survivors of the first engagement, meant he could not safely return to the carrier. At least he could transmit a message to the SGC. But would it do any good?