In Milky Way
"SGC, this is Macara. We have engaged a group of Lucian alliance. They were at the suspected area, but in much greater numbers, and as soon as the gate became active they must have headed towards it." Macara called through the subspace array.
"Well, get back to the gate major!" Landry replied, almost irritated by the event.
"Would if we could sir, but they are between us and the gate." Macara's voice was calm.
"Do you require assistance?"
The notion seemed to offend Macara. "No, sir. I was simply informing you we may be late for dinner, and to make sure and keep some for us."
The last sound Macara heard before Landry ended the comm was the general's laughter in the gate control room.
"Well, boys, that's grub sorted. Let's finish this lot and get home."
The Para's machine guns chattered, and the Lucian troops were pushed back...
*Queue Gate sequence*
"Well, major?" Landry asked patiently.
"Twenty dead, maybe double that wounded. Full retreat."
"Not them. Your lot." Landry tried not to laugh.
"Oh, us. Four injured, none serious. I think we won." Macara replied.
"Very good, major. Get the men debriefed. They've saved you lot some steak pie. Very British"
"Thank you, sir, though I must say I prefer a nice curry," Macara smiled. He saluted sharply and formally, and when it was returned, he barked at the men to clean up and report to the mess.
He finished off with what they all needed to hear, but couldn't expect very often.
"You boys did well today. Easy day tomorrow. Range practise and gate assault."
The men gave a weak cheer and moved away.
So far, Macara thought, they were doing pretty well. But he couldn't wait to get back to Pegasus.
Major Macara was about to leave as Landry's phone rang, he speaks briefly and hangs up. "Ah Major, you might want to hold off that pie for a bit, we just got word from Admiral MacGregor, he says to tell you, it's finished, they'd like you and some of my teams to check it out, you leave for Adelaide in an hour."Apollo. Grateful for the ride, the moment they beam down, a smiling Sam Carter and a Aussie Admiral greet them.
Sam makes a quick introduction, "Major Macara, this is Admiral William MacGregor of the RAN, he will be under orders of the IOA and the SGC, overall fleet commander."
The two men shook hands after the traditional salutes.
"Well, Major, Sam, let's go and have a look at our new bird shall we!"
As Macara and his team follow Sam and the Admiral, they make a left hand turn around a hangar that has obscured their vision, there sitting on the open grassy field, adjacent to the P3 Orion flight line, Macara beheld a most beautiful site. The fleets first escort cruiser. He was somewhat surprised to see the name on the vessels side, 'CG 340 Janet Fraiser'.
"Jesus Christ" Was all he could manage to say.
Somewhat of a size to the 303, perhaps a little smaller, it was nonetheless, nothing more than a weapons platform. It simply bristled with armaments, two hangar bays, and no nonsense shape, that said "You can't touch me!"
"Well Major, what do you think?" The admiral asks.
Macara is not usually overwhelmed, but there was a definite tear in his eye, he had read all the SGC files he was allowed, he well knew who Janet Fraiser was, "Very fitting" He thought, the Heroine class of ships, will boost our ability to fight back, now the BC's can be fully protected.
"Hold on a second son" The Admiral grabbed his arm. "Sam, want to show him the rest?"
"Of course sir, Major if you would follow me."
"Finished, now, Christ, have they already done the work up trials, General?"
"It appears so, Colonel Carter is already there, she's taken temporary leave of Atlantis to get the ship into service."
Macara and a small international team arrive at Edinburgh Air base just north of Adelaide, via the
Colonel Carter led Macara and his team into the hangar they were standing near. Inside, he did not have to guess what it was, as he himself had a hand in its design. He just stood there and stared at the 4 AC401's lined up before him, "Bloody Christmas already" And he laughed heartily, the first time he remembered doing so for a long time.
Standing next to the nearest 401, a diminutive USAF Captain waved them over, Sam once again made an introduction.
"Major Macara, I'd like you to meet Captain Jennifer Hailey, she will be your 401 Squadron commander. Jen, this is Major Macara, your new boss, when he calls for support, otherwise you'll still be under Stewart. Oh, and the Admiral of course."
Sam smiled at her protégé', somewhat very pleased on how the sassy young woman turned out, and cast a wary eye at MacGregor. (Little did the others know, William MacGregor was Sam's uncle by marriage, Jacob Carter's younger sister being MacGregor's wife, herself a Naval reserve Captain/Surgeon, posted also to the SGC)
"Sir's, we have a comm," a young Australian sailor came running over with a data-pad.
MacGregor took it and quickly scanned it.
"Ah, Major, looks like you will be heading back to the SGC quicker than I thought. the next Marine detachment for Atlantis has arrived and are awaiting gate travel. We can have you back in about ten minutes," the admiral said.
"Thank you, sir," Macara said. He and Carter saluted sharply, Macara putting a lot more effort and pride into the action than he had in recent months.
"Apollo, bring us aboard," Carter radioed. Ellis muttered and acknowledgment, and something about being a taxi, and Carter vanished.
Macara still stood in the hangar.
"Sir?" Macara asked, genuinely confused.
"Sorry, major. We jammed your beam up for a moment. I'd like to say a few things; firstly, I know the tensions running between SGC and GTF. You want your autonomy in reward the blood spilled fighting the Ori. They want control of all space craft. The Chinese are scarily isolated, and now the IOA has its own stealth ship. My appointment was an IOA compromise; Australia is just getting involved in the Stargate program and we don't have the same vested interests as many of the other nations involved. The States don't mind us having space craft, as we have designed some bloody good ones for their use. But you want your very own. The 305 sent them into a spin. The new AAS(Amphibious Assault Ship) has just about driven them mad, and only because you designed them for everyone's use and built one for the yanks, has stopped a complete meltdown. My being in command stops any internal bickering. Hopefully. But I would like to think I have your full support."
Macara looked the admiral up and down. There was no doubting he had a commanding presence, and that authority came easily to him. It also seemed he was totally genuine. The major could sense no deception.
"You will, sir. I'm sure the admiralty will get over Australian superiority far quicker than American."
MacGregor smiled. "Just remember, major, the US was defending Earth for eight years before we turned up."
"They wouldn't have had to stand alone, sir." Macara finished.
"What is keeping Macara? We can't get a lock!" Ellis' voice bleated through Macara's vox.
"Beam now, colonel," MacGregor said sharply. The Scottish Major saluted again, and just as the aura of beam transport appeared, MacGregor said
"Watch yourself major. They don't like the idea of the 305"
"Gate activation!" Chuck shouted.
"Stand down! It's the scheduled dial in from Midway," Sheppard told the security teams.
As the puddle formed, Sheppard shook hands with Captain Rai of the Gurkha contingent, and the British major of the same regiment who had taken command in Macara's absence.
"Thanks for the help, captain,"
The small man gave one of his ready grins, and then the British soldiers formed ranks to welcome their replacements.
Twenty security men appeared through the gate first, reporting directly to major Sheppard. Sam was with them. She whispered a few words in his ear, then took a place at his side. The security teams moved to take their new billets; the gateroom was becoming crowded.
The next figures stepped through; unassuming men in DPMs, dark green berets worn proudly. Behind them a couple of sections of men with Red berets.
The gate shut down, and Chuck began the dialing sequence back the other way.
"Here we go," Muttered Sheppard, "All pomp and ceremony."
Macara's men formed their own ranks, the gate room truly mobbed now. The wormhole opened again, and the major walked over to his Army counterpart.
"Major Hamilton-Smith, you stand relieved." he snapped a crisp salute. The army officer returned the salute. "Thank you major. The post is yours,"
The Marines, at a command from Quincannon, slid apart and faced inward. Rai and his Gurkha's marched proudly and smartly through the gate, heading home. Behind them, the rotated security teams followed, looking less organised but no less pride in their bearing.
After a few minutes, they were gone and the gate shut down.
"Permission to come aboard, ma'am?" Macara saluted Sam.
"No need for that major. As you were."
Macara's shoulders slumped visibly as he relaxed.
"Welcome back!" Sheppard said genuinely. "I never thought I would be pleased to see you."
Macara smiled back warily. "You too, colonel. Mind if we get settled in before I'm briefed?"
"Go ahead." Sam said. Macara nodded to Quincannon.
"NCO's! Get your men to their billets! Have all the new stores taken to our armoury and get settled in! Dismissed!" the roar was heard three levels down.
Macara walked off at the head of his men, passing Ronon and Teyla who had been watching the martial display. The Satedan nodded to Macara, who reciprocated.
As Macara headed to the nearest transporter, he sighed contentedly. He was back
Macara and his men had been at their leisure for the day, catching up on friends met, and generally getting their kit in order. At 1630 hrs a call came to his billet from Chuck, in the control room.
"Ah major, you might want to come up here."
"What is it, I was about to hit the rack."
"Colonel Carter said we have some visitors, your attendance is required."
"Oh, alright then, I'll be there in a moment." Damnit, he swore under his breath."I just got my birthday and Christmas all at once."
When he arrived, Sam and Sheppard, along with Teyla and Ronon, were already up on the control platform, on the large vid screen Chuck indicated a vessel heading for Atlantis.
Macara approached them. "So how does this concern, is it a Wraith ship?"
Sam smiled." No major, it dropped out of hyper space not two minutes ago, we received a hail, it's the Fraiser; she left right after we did."
"Bloody fast then isn't she." Macara muttered.
"Yes, the first of four to be assigned to escort duties here in Atlantis." Sam replied.
"Ah, colonels, major, we're receiving another hail, 4 smaller craft have just left the Fraiser and are heading for us at speed." Chuck called over to the assembled officers.
"Put it on speaker Chuck." Sheppard said.
There was a brief crackle, then a young, female voice came over the comm.
"Atlantis, this is Squadron Leader, Captain Jennifer Hailey, permission to land, over."
Sam and Macara exchanged a knowing glance at one another, Sheppard looked puzzled.
"They look too big for puddle jumpers. What are they?" Sheppard asked in genuine confusion.
"You'll see John." Sam almost winked at him. Macara looked like a little boy at Christmas, opening up his gifts. That was not something that anyone was used to seeing from the relatively cold Major.
"Here they come, we'll see them in a moment" Chuck told them.
As a group, they filed out to the North East balcony, the pier on that side in full view. Looking up they saw the four fat shapes coming at speed, in formation, the dark gray AC401's did a sub sonic fly past, before wheeling around and vertically landing on the pier. Moments later the pilots and crews could be seen disembarking, with more troops exiting the rear cargo doors of the craft.
"They're ours?" Sheppard asked?
"Of course, and they'll do and carry a lot more than our jumpers as well." Macara replied.
Minutes later, a young USAF Captain, with a man in his early 30's, dressed in Auscam, a Warrant officer, exit from the transporter.
Jennifer Hailey and the WO salute the senior staff, they all welcome the new comers, Hailey introduces the WO. "Colonels, Major, this is Warrant Officer Warwick Spencer, formally of the Australian SASR, now assigned to Major Macara."
Macara and Spencer shook hands, and Hailey filled the rest in on the details of the Fraiser's attachment. Spencer informed them they now have an extra 80 billets to find, as he tells them of the Australian/ New Zealand deployment.
"Oh, ah…Colonel Carter, ma'am, we brought along the other team you requested as well." Spencer says.
"Other team?" Sheppard asked.
"Yes, deep strike specialists, an Australian Navy combat dive team. They are to assist in missions where we need intel behind the lines so to speak."
Macara smiles to himself.
some time later
Macara stood on his balcony looking out at the sea. He loved it here on Atlantis. The planet may be different, but the view seemed the same. It had a few more moons, though, but apart from that...
Recently though, his newly adopted home was becoming crowded. There was the Security forces, the US marines, the Australian units who kept coming and going aboard the Fraiser, and of course the British garrison. Tensions were running high, and for once, it wasn't even his fault.
At first, the abundance of Commonwealth troops had been a great laugh. Brits and Aussies joked and drank off duty, even many Americans joining in. They didn't care about the politics back home.
But, eventually, things went wrong. The Brits and The Yanks had some fallings out; the British were "arrogant, snobby limeys" and the Yanks were "incompetent, gung ho and trigger happy". Sheppard had had to break up one particularly nasty fight using the security forces and wraith stunners. Three Royal Marines were disciplined, fined and restricted to quarters for a week. Two US servicemen were let off with a warning, the other three recovering in the infirmary.
"God damn," Macara breathed the curse to a religion he didn't even believe in.
Macara had, much to Sheppard's grudging delight, request the withdrawal of the UK fighter groups from Atlantis, leaving fewer personnel to fight it out.
The Australian forces had, reluctantly, decided to remain off base for the time being, until things calmed down. They would travel in the Fraiser, going about missions, helping Atlantis and stopping by for joint exercises. But the mix of so many fighting men and women trapped in a location where authority and autonomy weren't mixing well was definitely having a bad effect.
Macara sighed once more, and then returned to his room to grab his gear before heading to the armoury. He wondered what Trang would say about all this when he got back.
Energy blobs flew through the gate, closely followed by the Australian fire team.
"Jesus," the captained groaned. "That was close. Place was crawling with the buggers!"
His men hunched over, catching breath.
More and more recently, they were making contact with the Wraith. It seemed that since the defeat of the replicators, the Wraith had emerged from the proverbial woodwork.
"How many, captain?" Carter asked.
"Must have been at least fifty. One of the lads thought he could see a base or something, through the trees."
"Looks like P5X-556 is a no go, for the moment." Sheppard replied, looking at Rodney whose face fell at the thought of being unable to investigate the Ancient ruins there. Carter nodded.
"For the moment. Ah, major." she quickly changed subject as Macara turned up with his section. "I take it you heard?"
Macara nodded, but said nothing more on the subject. He walked slowly over to the officers, just out of earshot of the troops. "Permission to head out, colonel?"
"Since when did you ask permission to use the gate?" Sheppard said, only half joking.
Macara gave him a withering look. "Since our troops started beating lumps out of each other. I want to get this in hand, and if that means I have to show respect to your authority, in order to get my men to, then I will."
Sheppard nodded, pleasantly surprised.
"You could just order them to work together," McKay said.
"No, he can't Rodney. You can't order men to respect each other. Has to be earned. Very well, major. Permission to gate out granted" Carter said.
Chuck began the dialing sequence.
"Okay, move to the gate! Stand ready." Macara called out. The 'kwawoosh' flared for a moment, and then Macara started towards the gate, closely followed by his men.
The small gathering of officers and McKay dispersed as the gate closed.
Graham Stewart sat in the British officers mess with a few of his senior officers. They were currently restocking the ship's freshwater supplies and letting the crew grab some shore time.
"What do you think of these Aussie ships, then, sir?" his commander, Hesk, asked.
"They are solid little ships. I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of them. I can't say I'm happy with the yanks getting their hands on another type of space craft, especially something as powerful as these little destroyers." Stewart muttered.
"At least the Australians are manning the first couple produced, sir. better than having the Americans running round the galaxy with a full carrier group," lieutenant-commander Grant spoke up. Stewart snorted.
"They might as well be crewed by yanks. The Australians will do whatever the Americans want them to, as per usual, and we'll be stuck being the little kid who follows the bullies around, hoping to get a chance to beat something up." Stewart finished his drink. "I have reports to do, so I will leave you know, gentlemen. however, I would ask that we don't let the Ratings hear our
opinions. There has been too much fighting already. Believe what you want to, just don't let them hear you."
The other stood as Stewart left, before returning to their drinks. The captain walked off, wondering how long it would be before he was called away to haul some Ratings away from some fight or other. How had it all gone wrong?
Macara and his men were about to enter the event horizon when the gate was suddenly shut down. He swung about and looked up to see Colonel Carter standing at the railing of the control platform.
"Stand down Major" She said simply.
Sheppard also looked somewhat surprised and cast a suspicious glance toward Sam.
"A problem Colonel, ma'am?" Macara asked?
"We have just been summoned. Major your presence is required elsewhere, you as well John, and get Majors Trang and Lorne as well, thank you."
Both men noticed the stern look on Carter's face.
"Oh ah, Colonel?" Macara called back.
"Yes?"
"What about the recon?"
"Warrant Officer Spencer can handle it Major, now please do as I ask and get Trang and Lorne up here now!"
Macara and Sheppard just stood there looking at each other, though he had not known Sam Carter a long time, Macara usually found her quite calm, something was bothering her.Lorcan her first AC401's."
"Ah I see." Sam said with a slight question in her tone. " I wonder what Will is up to" She thought to herself
Assembled in front of the gate, were Colonels Carter and Sheppard, Majors Lorne, Macara and Trang, and two of Atlantis' International Security Force commanders, Lt. Col. Gustav Haab from Austria and Major Susanna Valenski from Poland. All of them except Sam, were as puzzled as the next, Valenski leaned close to Macara (she had been close to him on a couple of overnight missions).
"Any idea what zis is about darlink?" Macara just shrugged, and tried to push the image of the over muscled blonde woman into another compartment of his mind.
"Stand by, ok then Chuck, tell them we're ready" Sam called to her gate technician. The familiar hum of the Asgard transport beam was heard for a moment and all the officers assembled disappeared from the gate area.
Milliseconds later they were standing on the bridge of an unfamiliar ship, clearly Australian crews looked at them briefly and carried on with their duties. Though not all of them were Australian, the captain was an American, she approached them and embraced Sam Carter obviously a friend. Sam began the introductions. "This is Captain Sarah Connolly USN, commander of the UNS Janet Fraiser (editors note, UNS= United Nations Ship),the first of our cruiser escorts. Sam then introduced the names of the other officers and asked Connolly. "So Sarah are we all here?"
"I believe the Admiral and Captain Stewart will be here in a moment Sam, the Admiral wanted to collect the Captain personally, and deliver the
