Chapter 11

Chapter 11

'The Crucible'

Homeworld Security Command Centre

Nevada

Paul Davis looked up from the situation table at the rear of the Crucible's control room. Since the alert by the SGC about the Hive ships, the incomplete crucible had been fully staffed. Davis had been transferred from the Pentagon to the Executive officer's position at Homeworld Security's new command centre deep under the deserts of Nevada. His job was once again liaising between the SGC, the Pentagon and now the forth set of the combined armed forces. Homeworld Security had gone from a small but powerful office of the American Government to the most junior of the IOA's Armed forces.

His surprise at O'Neill's request had been palpable when it had come through. His position and clearance codes for the base had been temporary as he oversaw its construction. Once Jack had taken official command of the base he had immediately begun putting a senior staff into place, people he trusted and knew could do the jobs he chose them for. Davis had apparently been at the top of his list for reasons known only to O'Neill. Paul had been honoured to accept the position but had begun to argue that he was too junior a rank to continue in this position.

The full Eagles that had been thrown to him by O'Neill had shut him up almost immediately. He really wasn't looking for a second promotion in as many years. Jack had sat him down and in no uncertain words had persuaded Davis to continue on at HWS for a year to help with the integration and construction of the worldwide network that would feed and provide them for the foreseeable future.

Needless to say he had agreed to it.

He had been in effective command since the Crucible had been fully activated a few days beforehand. The engineer battalions had been reinforced by the Royal Engineers of the British Armed forces and a number of Russian construction teams were currently using the Asgard transporters and Tok'ra crystals to build the massive tunnel that would link the Daedalus class shipyards with the headquarters. The defences would be the last thing installed within the next week or so, shielding and self-destruct both. Meanwhile transfer of duties to the station had already begun with the fleet, the F- 302 squadrons, and the myriad shipyards worldwide, Stargate Command, and the intelligence units all answering directly to O'Neill and Davis.

The control of surveillance systems had been transferred from the SGC, NORAD and other IOA sites to the Crucible almost immediately after the activation. Hundreds of analysts and tech personnel had transferred to run the webs of scanners and probes controlled by earth's space forces. Currently every square mile of the solar system was under close scrutiny by the Goa'uld and Asgard based sensors. Three small 'stealth' probes had been picked up in close orbit of the moon, ostensibly dropped there by a colonial ship before the attack and possibly overlooked due to their size and low profiles and the fact that the Colonials were running for all they were worth.

Both had been left in position with false radio and visual signals being transmitted to them, massive but brief data bursts of a very low but still FTL speed were sent regularly one every three days towards the colonies. The misinformation may well be of little use considering the failure of the Colonial's earlier attempts but even a few threads could derail their next attack. The Earth's own intelligence network however had been set up shortly after the assault by the Colonial fleet. They would have to wait until a covert Colonial retrieval unit picked up the probes and returned them before the hidden programming could go into effect.

Three small probes had been set up in the outer depths of the colonial system, one each for the three suns allowing the SGC and now Homeworld Security to study the unusual system and to keep an eye on the movements of the Colonial fleet. The subspace-based communications and highly advanced cloaking device made the probes all but invisible to any known race outside of the Asgard and possibly the City of Atlantis.

Davis walked up to one of the side screens. A dozen personnel were scanning the readouts from the probes. Still pictures and visual feeds stretching over the weeks since the attack on the Picon Anchorage by the Odyssey were spread out over monitors and white boards.

"What's the latest Captain?" Davis asked.

"Well, the first pictures confirm that Picon is basically uninhabitable for at least several decades or centuries. When we blew the Anchorage and the surrounding area massive fallout entered the atmosphere. But massive amounts of debris survived re-entry and hit the surface. We've got earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanoes, pretty much anything that could happen has. But that's not the worst we've found."

"Go on."

"The planet is baking in radiation. Thousands of tons of nuclear contaminated debris are mixed in with the rest. When the Anchorage went up its magazine, main reactors, docked ships, anything carrying nuclear waste or weapons spilt their loads into the atmosphere or onto the ground. But there's something else as well. We've picked up a number of transmissions we've loosely translated. Here, listen to this."

The communications board crackled as signals gathered from the Colonial wavelengths were piped through the speakers on the desk, the Kobollian language easily translated through the Asgard designed computer systems.

"…should protect any of those whom have not contacted the disease yet……dealing with a completely new and unknown virus and there are no cures for virus related disease, the common cold being the perfect example."

"How long before it's ready to be distributed to the general population?"

"It'll be another two weeks before it will be available for everyone's use. The Picon plague as some are calling it has been a disaster of planetary proportions ……this disease didn't originate from Picon's biosphere..."

"A disease?" Davis asked

"Yes, Sir. Apparently they suffer from shivers, headaches, difficulty breathing, fluid in the lungs, sniffles, fevers, the lot."

"Flu? They've got the flu?"

"Apparently, Sir. It's airborne and infecting people at an almost geometric rate. Apparently they have no antibodies against it. We're still decoding some of their signals and translating as fast as we can. However they got it, its flu and by all account a pretty nasty strain. Makes the 1919 outbreak look like a sniffle. Their broadcasts are full of notices about people contracting it, quarantines, murders of the Piconese survivors whether they were on world or not and confirmed infection or death of almost a quarter of a billion people. Their secure medical records are being decoded as we speak."

"Shit, ok send the information to the SGC's medical department and the CDC. Find out if they can get anything out of it and what we might be looking at. If it is a version of flu I want to know how it's so virulent and how it could have been transmitted."

"Aye, Sir."

"What else?"

"We were right about their secondary fleets. We've got confirmed sightings of a half dozen scrap yards and what we're tentatively identifying as red lead fleet stations throughout the entire sector. A few dozen heavy warships about Battlestar-sized or bigger have been pulled out of those sites. Hundreds maybe thousands of smaller escorts are being prepped or taken apart for some reason or another, probably salvage. We've not really go the range or resolution to go into much more detail past that."

"What about their shipyards, anything there?"

"Twenty heavy capital ships have been launched in the last week; Battlestars, a Warstar and something even bigger that I don't really want to guess at. But if it's carrying anything like the Battlestars were then we won't be taking them down anytime soon." He manipulated some of the screens to show clouds forming around the inhabited planets, the range was much too far for their equipment to get even a reasonably clear estimate."

"Fighters?"

"Yes Sir and I'm guessing that the fighter wings we saw with the attack fleet was barely scratching the real numbers they can assemble," Wilson said. "If they have nearly the fighter contingents we have on Earth on each of their planets then we are going to be in serious need of better AA guns or improved fighters of our own. "But this is what I'm most wary about."

The screen changed as a blurred outline appeared at the very edges of the probe's range. The outline sharpened slightly as the image was enhanced by the computers. An unfamiliar sickle shaped object was sitting outside of nominal Colonial Radar range, a larger blocky shaped craft hanging back from the object. Two more images appeared from the other probes showing more curved images appearing one second only to disappear the next. They were telltale flashes of Colonial FTL preceding them.

"Shit, are those what I think they are?"

"Yes Sir, if the Colonials have any serious numbers of FTL capable fighters in their inventory then they can bypass out shields, our defences -everything that we send up will be useless," Wilson explained. "But I don't think that they are Colonial or at least not officially. Each of the fighters that have dropped in system has done so outside of Radar range. The only signals we've managed to catch have gone outside Colonial space. If I was to guess I'm believe that they are probably Cylons."

"Cylons?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Send the information to the SGC's medical department and the CDC. Find out if they can get anything out of it and what we might be looking at. If it is a version of flu I want to know how it's so virulent and how it could have been transmitted."

"Aye, Sir.

"Colonel Davis, we've got Atlantis online via the SGC." They were interrupted by a call across their headsets, "Major Lorne with their status report."

"Thank you Lt, keep on it. Captain I want a report on the movements of their entire armed forces for the past week." He told the officer, he walked back to the command consoles in the middle of the room. "Put them on my screen, Lt Norris."

"This is Lost City to Black Knight, come in please." Major Lorne's tired face appeared on the viewscreen. "Repeat, this is Lost City to Black Knight come in."

"This is Black Knight we receive you Lost City," Davis replied. "Report Major."

"Sir, we have an update on the Wraith ships."

"How bad is it, Evan?"

"Pretty bad Sir. The Wraith ships are being forced out of hyperspace every few days to decontaminate their ships, seems that hyperspace radiation is harmful to their organic ships. Doctor Zelenka is monitoring them from both Atlantis and the Orion, but even if the Orion were fully powered she wouldn't be able to move fast enough to catch up with the hives."

"They aren't in range of our scans yet, so we're guessing they are still close to a week out from the Milky Way."

"Likely, Sir. They are pretty far outside our own scan radius as well. We've got no clue where that are or what they are doing, we're readying the city and the Orion for possible sustained combat against the Wraith but for all intents Sir we're in a bad state here. We need reinforcements, more supplies to repair the ship enough to fight the Wraith, weapons, personnel, in short Sir we need the Daedalus and a lot of support."

"Understood Major, we don't have any starship support available right now. Everything we have is mobilising to meet the Wraith before they can make it to any inhabited world. The Prometheus and Korolev will only be ready as a back stop, the rest of the fleet will be doing what they can to stop the Wraith."

"Can we expect any ground assistance?"

"Without a ZPM we can't keep the stargate open long enough to send any substantial reinforcements. If we can stop the Wraith we'll do our best to send the Daedalus with some serious firepower for ground defences. We have a few other plans to try and get the Asgard to power the gate from one of their ships. Again it will depend on stopping these hive ships first."

"We understand Sir. We'll do our best to get the Orion up and running. We could do with the extra firepower on this side of the gate. One good bit of news Sir, Lt. Colonel Sheppard has managed to get some of the internal systems of the Orion working at full power. Some of the others are in pretty good condition as well."

"Good work, any news on McKay or Ronan?"

"They've been confirmed as on one of the hives. We don't know why they've been taken but considering Michael we can take a guess that it's not just as food or for fun. McKay knows a lot about our operations both here and at Atlantis. The security risk here is substantial even if they weren't on their way to the Milky Way."

Davis scrubbed his face with his hands as he continued to listen. McKay was responsible for half the new systems upgrades in the last year alone. The redesigns of the internal computer networks are based on his programming skills. "This isn't good."

"No Sir it isn't. We need them both back here. No one knows this city like McKay. We owe him a hell of a lot, Sir. Hell we own both of them."

"Alright Evan we'll do our best to get them back, but we won't risk Earth or the loss of any of our ships even for those two. If we have to take down the Hives first then we will, hostages or not."

Lorne deflated. "Yes Sir."

"We'll get them back Lorne, I'm not going to give up on them just yet."

"Thank you Sir." Lorne paused. "How bad is it over there?"

"Bad enough," he sighed. "The Hague is deliberating over O'Neill being indicted for war crimes and breaking the anti-nuke treaties. The surviving members of the Olympian religious sects are being hunted down like animals. More than a hundred made it to British, Canadian and American embassies to ask for asylum. All of the staff at those embassies has been briefed for immediate evac as necessary."

"They'd attack allied embassies?" Lorne exclaimed in disbelief before shaking his head. "Sir Doctor Weir and Colonel Sheppard have been inundated with transfer requests back home, mostly those from the Chinese and Mediterranean areas and I can't say that I blame them. Most of us want to get back to help out somehow, especially when we take the fight back to the Colonials."

"I understand that Evan," Paul sighed. "I'll talk to the General, he'll have to authorise a mass transfer either way to make up the shortfall. Anything else?"

"Negative, we're clear."

"We'll expect your usual report in two weeks."

"If nothing untoward happens yes Sir. Good luck with the Wraith Sir. We'll keep a candle burning. Lost City out."

The screen shut down returning to the spinning logo of Homeworld Security. Davis brought up the schematics they had on the Wraith Hives, massive bio-technical constructs of chitin, shell, internal organs, metallic compounds, living computers and some kind of unknown power generation. The Daedalus and Atlantis had faced down the Wraith a number of times, managing to take down more than half a dozen of the massive beasts through luck or cunning.

All four ships designated for the attack forces were undergoing final refit and supply as well as war gaming between the two groups of ships. Both Daedalus crews had been shocked at the martial abilities of the usually quiet and unassuming Asgard. In nine engagements the Asgard had lost one due to an unanticipated attack by the Daedalus and Odyssey. Since that point the twin Beliskners had consistently destroyed the Tau'ri Battlecruisers in every game with no losses in crew or ships.

"Contact the Battlecruiser fleet yards, security frequency thirty-four," he ordered the communications board. "General Callahan's office."

"Yes Sir," Lt O'Reilly said. "White Bishop this is Black Knight, communications scramble Alpha six."

"Alpha Six, Aye." The communications shifted into static as the audio signal scrambled and changed from basic radio to subspace communications. The short range receiver between the two stations was powerful enough and tightly streamed to keep all but direct interception from hearing the message. "This is White Bishop, Pawn to Queen Six."

Davis gave the countersign. "Queen Takes Knight. Check."

"Thank you Sir." The screen formed into a visual signal of the General's office at the SGC shipyards. Callahan sat behind his desk files pooled around him.

"Colonel Davis."

"Sir."

"How can I help you?"

"I'm just requesting an update on the fleet status for General O'Neill. Are any of the ships close to launch status?"

"With the exception of the Ajax no such luck. The Prometheus' main gun and reactors have had to be stripped out so we can rebuild and resettle the systems. I'm sending a report across to you and to Colonel Carter at the SGC, Doctor Zelenka at Atlantis and the Joint Chiefs." Callahan tapped on his keyboard, a half second later a file popped up on Davis' screen. "We might well have a problem with protracted engagements against the Colonials if the damage to the Prometheus and Korolev has anything to go by."

The file was concise to Davis eyes. The Prometheus had taken a massive number of hits from the nukes and main cannons of the Colonial Battlestars. The impacts while they were ineffective to the powerful energy fields had sent concussive damage through those same shields and into the generators. All across the ship those self same generators had been unseated by the massive kinetic impacts to the shields. The shock had then spread to some of the surrounding systems causing shorts and microscopic damages to crystals and circuit boards.

Damage to those systems had caused the overload and shut down of the reactors and the main Asgard cannon. Further exploration on all the ships had found fractures throughout the generator housings and the main railguns. All of it was easily repaired onboard by the Daedalus crews or the shipyards during resupply/refit, but it also meant that the Prometheus would be out of commission for several weeks while new systems were installed and hull parts fabricated.

"I see, Sir. Then we have a problem with the fleet expansion if all the Prometheus class suffer from the same affliction."

"We've replaced the housings with trinium/carbon/titanium alloys and the crystals and computer systems in the area are being rerouted through other junctions. There isn't much else we can do with the current ships we have, but the redesigns we've been putting together should absorb most if not all of the shock damage. But either way we'll still have to replace damaged crystals and housing after each combat."

"Does this explain how the Apollo was taken down?"

"No, the Apollo was taken down because her shields weren't complete nor was the reactor system. Combined with a mass twenty times her own, meant the shield popped like a bubble. None of our ships would survive that kind of impact intact. We were lucky with the Korolev, but that's about it. I'd be hesitant to say an Asgard ship could take that kind of beating and survive."

"What about the rest of our ships?"

"The Korolev has its hull resealed and the main reactor up and running but the shields housings are still missing and the rebuilt starboard bay is still separate from the main hull. We can have her in orbit within a week without the bay or railguns, ten days with railguns and shields at full. But I won't send her up until the last moment or if we're in that dire straits. Without the second bay she'll be awkward to turn and too slow to get away from the Wraith," Callahan said smiling grimly he continued with his report. "The good news is I can have two maybe three full squadrons of Apollos in space inside of two weeks. The teams off the Prometheus and the help we've received from the other IOA countries have sped up our construction significantly."

When it rained, it poured. Murphy must have been laughing his butt off. "That's the other reason for this call, Sir. We've had contact from Atlantis. The Wraith are closer than we thought," he finished. Atlantis lost contact with them a few hours ago. We've yet to pick them up this side either. We've got an estimate of two weeks before they enter the galaxy and another three days before they reach Earth. We're going to launch the fleet within ten days, try to hit them in the void before they can infest any planet with a gate."

"And if they get past the fleet that leaves the Ajax and the outpost between them and us, great." Callahan sighed. "Seventeen days before they reach us. Looks like I have some work to do then. We'll have your ships before then Colonel even if I have to strap SRBs to them, have the all the active secondary crews report to the shipyards as soon as possible we'll let you know when we're ready for action."

"Understood Sir, Black Knight out."

"White Bishop Out."

"Not too good is it, Colonel?"

Davis looked behind his shoulder at his Commanding officer. O'Neill frowned as he digested the news. In all he had less than a week to build up their defences, ready their ships for a long range assault and make sure enough personnel were left to keep the crews being trained with enough instructors to complete their basic and advanced training.

"No sir, things are going from bad to worse both here and at the Colonies. Some kind of infection is running throughout the Colonies, not to mention the damage done to Picon after the attack." Davis stood up, "Sir to be honest we weren't expecting anything on this scale, they've lost more than a hundred times what we have and that number will keep climbing."

"Feeling a little guilty Colonel."

"Yes Sir I am. I understand we had to hit back but I never thought it would be close to this kind of damage. Killing their fleets is one thing but wiping out an entire planetary population isn't something that we should be considering… especially now that the Horizon is almost complete."

"We will not be using that monstrosity against the Colonies Davis. It's the biggest nastiest weapon we can build right now and I refuse to drop it on any inhabited world as long as I'm head of Homeworld Security," O'Neill replied. "We'll do this by the numbers Colonel, civilians are a no go. Give me your report."

"Aye, Sir." Davis relaxed slightly. "We'll have a single capital ship fully operational and ready for active duty in Earth space when the fleet leaves. Maybe another twenty smaller barely combat capable warships before the Wraith make it to Earth. We'll be able to crew them all if we pull out the stops and risk losing the small pool of personnel we have trained for shipboard operations, past that we've got nothing at all."

"What happened to the prototype squadrons?"

"The Vipers are a capable craft Sir, two squadrons a piece were completed on time. The Snake Eaters' report is that we should forget the Vipers and stick with the 302s, none of the wargames had the Vipers get close enough to their targets to take them on. The best chance we would have is to arm them with nukes and send them in en masse with 302 escorts, even then we're looking at more than fifty percent losses against the Wraith or the Colonials."

"So no go for the battle?"

"No Sir, we could refit them to carry some Mk eights but not enough to get through the Wraith's defences."

"We'll use them to augment the secondary fleet if we need them, have a ready supply of Mk8s sent to the squadrons."

"Sir, permission to speak freely."

"Granted."

"To be blunt Sir, the Apollos are death traps against the Wraith. They've been built with the Colonial fighter squadrons in mind, not hive ships. If the Wraith get in range of that fleet we can say good bye to the entire lot, adding in the Vipers to that group would be tantamount to suicide killing pilots we can ill afford."

"The Wraith won't make it to Earth, Colonel. I'm going to make sure of that," O'Neill replied. Standing up he secured his cap under his arm. "Come on, Danny and T are waiting for us aboard the Odyssey. There's somewhere we can get some help from but I don't think we've got a hope in hell of them saying yes."

Colonial Prisoner Of War Camp

Guantanamo Bay

Cuba

Fifty Miles from United States Mainland

A flash of light brought the attention of hundreds of the Colonial prisoners. As it faded four people stood in what was formally empty space. Most of the Colonials had seen the technology in action but were still unnerved by the idea of an energy transmission transferring them between one place and another. The SGC had been forced to use shuttles, cargo ships and the colonial's own Raptors to move the hundreds of thousands of personnel from their vessels and fighters down to the island.

The United Nations and even a number of IOA countries themselves had demanded the fair and equal treatment of the Colonials as accorded the Human rights and Geneva conventions. Religions and belief structures belonging to the Colonials had had to be respected leading to a massive effort on both sides to evacuate the surviving people from the Colonial fleet.

Uproars at the efforts taken to bring what was seen as a force of evil to the surface were evident worldwide. As demonstrations and outright riots had rippled throughout the world none more than around the east coast of America and the island of Cuba itself. Castro himself had made a rare appearance condemning the actions of the United States for their actions in protecting the POWs.

The promise of money and supplies to the Cuban mainland in exchange for the tip of the island becoming a high security encampment had changed Castro's mind very quickly. Little had been heard from the communist government since but the country as a whole was enjoying the fruits of the bargain. Riots on the Florida mainland had exploded as families and survivors of the attack at Kentucky had cried for the heads of the Colonials. Other IOA stations had come under siege from the peoples of Kentucky, Tennessee, Washington, Nevada, London, Lincoln, Edinburgh, Moscow and almost a hundred other cities worldwide.

The United States Navy, Royal Navy and a number of allied forces had begun patrolling around Cuba, and several of the South American islands due to the increasing threat of retaliation against the IOA and the Colonial survivors. The Royal Navy had already forced two Argentinean registered 'privateer' ships away from the under construction shipyard at Mount Pleasant. The Argentineans had claimed total ignorance of the attack and had pulled their forces back to their country as a gesture of goodwill. Two carrier groups patrolling the seas around Cuba and the Eastern Seaboard had destroyed or forced away a number of rogue and supported attacks on the POW camp. Hundreds of lives had been lost on either side as submarines and cruisers took on carriers and Frigates. A single missile had made it into Cuban airspace only to be shot down by a well aimed hit from a defence post inland. The ship that fired the missile was then blasted from low orbit by a railgun bombardment from the Odyssey.

The Colonials were unable to see outside of the thick massive walls surrounding three of the four sides of the prison, the forth wall stretched out with a view of a massive beach stretching out into the Atlantic ocean the far off shapes of American and British frigates watching the area for any attempts at escape or attack.

"This is a bad idea, Jack."

"Well we've not exactly got a lot of choice Daniel. If this goes badly we'll end up with a lot more dead on this planet than in any other attack by any other country in history. Twenty thousand Wraith means twenty thousand dead a day or more. If we have to sacrifice a few necessities or make a few promises then so be it. Besides if we have to I have a few other plans."

"Sounds Ominous," Daniel replied.

"Indeed," Teal'c said. "I do not agree though that this is as you say a bad idea. The Colonials can be as formidable as can their ships. If we are as in need of vessels to fight the Wraith as you say then we would require the help of the Colonials."

"They won't exactly be friendly to us Teal'c. We wiped out hundred of their ships, killed almost half a million of their people and have been told in no uncertain terms that we are the closest thing to evil that they can imagine. I doubt they would be willing to help us."

"What about the Cylon prisoners," the Jaffa asked. "They have been co-operative and have been more than willing to assist us with our understanding of their technology and the societies of both the Colonies and Cylons."

"Not enough of them and most are pilots, deck crews, or engineers."

"So no one to fly 'em and no one to command em," Jack said. "Peachy."

"Makes perfect sense Jack," Daniel rejoined. "If they become too well known the chances of being discovered would be dangerous at least. Staying in the lower ranks or smaller jobs would allow you to go about your business without anybody else caring much. Three of the model sixes are blonde while another is brunette. The blondes are eye catching enough that the other would be able to run around without anybody realising they were the same person."

"So three playboy bunnies jump in your lap and you don't notice the cleaner until she's gone?"

"Something like that, Jack."

The entryway to the complex was guarded and sealed by a half dozen Special Forces soldiers and a portable shield borrowed from the Tok'ra. Other hidden defences were scattered all around the area giving the illusion of light security in the face of a concerted assault.

"Halt," the lead guard ordered. "This is a restricted area, identify yourselves."

"General O'Neill, Commanding Officer Homeworld Security and Party."

"Codeword, Sir."

"Word of the day is Hyperion."

"Clearance Codes."

"O'Neill Jonathan, password Alka-seltzer; clearance code Hotel Sierra One Nine Seven Seven Two Four Juliet."

"Davis, Paul, Password Henderson; clearance code Prometheus Kilo Nine Nine Seven Two Three Three Bravo."

"Jackson, Daniel, Password Frasier; clearance code Sierra Golf One Zero Zero Zero Seven Six Niner Four Bravo."

"Teal'c, Password Del Shakka Mel, clearance Code Sierra Golf One Zero Zero Three."

The guard's earpiece chattered quietly as the codes were confirmed. The rifles shifted their aim up and away from the group as the shield went down. The guards snapping a salute to the ranking officer and his entourage. O'Neill returned the salute and dropped his arm."

"Sorry Sir, just doing our jobs."

"No problem Sgt, because if you hadn't been you'd be at McMurdo within the day."

"Yes Sir. If you would please place your hands and eyes on the scanner, we'll see about letting you through."

The scanners were much like the optical and handprint versions at the SGC and HWS. Without pause each of the group were scanned and permitted entrance through the titanium/trinium doors making up the entrance into the security perimeter. Once through the shielding and doors snapped back on the guards returned to their positions.

"I'm just glad the Goa'uld aren't as capable of making prisoner camps." Jack smiled wistfully. "I don't think even Carter could figure a way out of this one."

"I am still uncertain as to why these forms of encampment were created O'Neill. I do understand that the people of Earth would return their enemies home once that battle was concluded. But the Colonials would not be so forgiving as to take prisoners and return them home."

"That's one of the things that makes us different, T.," Jack explained, "Most races that we've met have been fighting between themselves over massive areas of space or in service to the snakeheads. We fight on this planet we all have to survive alongside each other and simply killing everyone on the other side isn't a great idea. Besides POWs can be used as bargaining chips later on depends on which sides wins. If we simply killed them the Colonials if they won would make the people of Earth pay for it."

"Would that not also happen if the Colonials do not take prisoners?"

"Probably, I really wouldn't want to be in Adar's shoes if and when they decide to charge him for war crimes."

"From what we can understand there is no equivalent to the Geneva Convention in Colonial terms," Davis responded. "They have a form of human rights declaration, almost a cross between religious and political much like the rest of their civilisation. It's also possibly one of the reasons past the first contact disaster that has them coming after us right now."

Davis passed through the archway and directly next to a door. Typing in his IOA/HWS pass code he opened the massive metal door. Inside stood the main control room for the entire camp, fifteen to twenty guards and officers stood watching over the monitors. Colonial prisoners were bunking, playing games reading or studying information gathered about Earth freely given to them by the IOA.

"General O'Neill, Colonel Davis." A short heavyset man walked up to them and saluted. "Major Leonard Kelsey, Royal Canadian Armed Forces. I'm the Commandant of this camp."

"At ease Kelsey, where's their senior most officer?" O'Neill asked looking at the monitors.

"Already awaiting you, Sir. He's in one of the isolation rooms. He's been warned to watch himself in your presence Sir; you aren't the most popular person to the Colonial survivors. There's even a pool as to who and when your taken down Sir, a second one on whether the aliens in our midst will betray us, and of course how long before we bow down to their superior way of life."

"Sounds fun, maybe I'll enter. Never to all of them should do it," O'Neill smirked. "Have we got anything out of them that the debriefings didn't get?"

"A few things more about their 'gods', more about their society, families, technology. Some of their senior officers are putting together an escape committee, some are thinking about defecting, others are going on about how our hospitality is better than anything shipboard and want to stay just for the food."

"So pretty much a normal day."

"Strangely enough, yes, Sir."

"What about our people?"

"Two of the guards that managed to make it through the psyche test turned out to be slightly more unbalanced than we thought. Both are dead and six Colonials are in the hospital ward three more are dead," Major Kelsey responded." We've had two SG teams deployed to cover for us until a Za'tarc detector can be brought down to check everyone else over again."

"How the hell did they get through?" Davis asked.

"I don't know Sir, but we had to use lethal force to bring them down. Neither had families as far as their records showed but something sure as hell was going on. We've transferred the case over to the NID to look them over; orders from the JAG."

"Great, as if we didn't have enough of a problem," Daniel groaned. "Can we see this officer please?"

"Of course, right this way, gentlemen."

He led the way to a secured isolation room at the centre of the complex, a single door to either end were the only ways in or out, one of only four rooms in the camp that allowed egress between the security commander and the main prison itself. The room was all but impossible to escape or break through to the outside. A dozen safeguards were installed within the room to stop any attempted attack on the guards.

"There he is."

"Translators are on?"

"Yes, Sir I need to warn you, Commander Deacon is not as willing to listen as some of the others. He's been leading a group of the more religious fundies amongst the Colonial prisoners. I suggest you watch yourself with him. We've had to censure him a few times and separate him from the camp at large."

"Bad?"

"I've seen worse Sir, but this guy is convinced that he's in the right."

"Thank you, Major. We'll let you know when we're finished in there."

"As you say, Sir."

He saluted them and turned away back to his command centre.

"Let's get this over with."

O'Neill grimaced punching in the override code to open the door. The Colonial prisoner was dressed in his own uniform and shackled to the table that he was sitting at. Looking up he snarled slightly at the more than familiar men walking into the room. Composing himself, he leaned back in his chair.

"Commander James Deacon, I'm the senior surviving officer of the Colonial Fleet."

"Jack O'Neill, Commander of Earth's Homeworld defences."

"I'm well aware of who you are General. You and your people are pretty well known around the colonies for your actions."

"You're a religious man, Commander?"

"Oh yes General, I'm very much a religious man from my world. But even if I wasn't you are very well known for your attack on our people three years ago. I'll warn you now if any of your SG1 or the crew of your Prometheus were caught by our people every one of them will die without a trial as mass murderers and traitors to humanity."

"Colour me surprised. Just what did your President tell you about our little meeting?"

"I assume you brought me here for a reason, General," ignoring the question.

"Commander," Daniel spoke. "We're here to ask for your assistance."

"I'm listening."

"An attack force of ships is approaching this galaxy from outside. Within a few weeks they will reach the outer edges and then finally Earth itself," Daniel told him. "At that point if they aren't stopped every man, woman and child no matter their country, or planet origin will become nothing more than food in incubation for their kind. The Wraith are a kind of life-sucking vampire. They feed off humans by stealing their very life from the bodies. A twenty year old man can be reduced to a shrivelled hundred year old corpse within a few seconds."

"This has what to do with us exactly?" Deacon responded. Crossing his arms he leaned back against the chair he was secured to. "You have the ships and technology to take down an entire colonial armada, two ships should be cannon fodder to you."

"Believe it or not, there are races out there Commander that are far more powerful than anything we have on hand. The Wraith travel in hive ships, eleven kilometre-long monsters carrying a fleet in their own bays. After the attack by your forces, our defences are too badly damaged to take on those ships as they come in."

"I find that hard to believe, Doctor Jackson. Your Prometheus blew through our Battlestars like they were nothing. That kind of power should be able to take down anything that can threaten your planet."

"As I said there are races that are more advanced and a lot crueler than anything that you think we are capable of. The Wraith want to use Earth as a feeding ground and a launch point to feed on the other planets of this galaxy. There's more than just our thirteen worlds out here Commander and every one of them is in danger from the Wraith."

"When they get through with Earth they'll look through what's left of our race and our databases to find new food sources. Most other inhabited worlds are smaller in population than Earth or any of the colonies." Jack leaned over the chair back. "Once they are through with us what do you think will be the next on the menu, a few thousand people on a defenceless planet or a hundred billion in a single solar system?"

Deacon smirked. "They can try. But you wouldn't be here unless you thought that we could help you against these vampires. Your powerful ships are too small and too weakly armed to do any serious damage to your enemies so you want help from a bunch of 'savages' with big guns to fight your battles for you. Putting your trust in people that a few weeks ago would have gladly nuked your ships and subjugated your entire planet under our auspices? Something tells me that if the public learned that you were doing this that no one would be best pleased."

"You're right. They wouldn't but if they want to survive the Wraith they'll learn to deal with it," Jack snarled. He didn't like this guy. "The fact is we've got two weeks. In that time we could learn how to fire the guns, fly the ship and run it for at least a while. But we won't really be able to use them to fight, so that's where your people come in. We've begun repairs to two of the larger ships in your fleet. The remaining fuel that hasn't been screwed by the radiation is being loaded into those ships, so is the ammo. But we need your own people to repair them and run them, you know those things and you know their capabilities."

"And we should just up and help you?"

"Yes, you will help and you'll help for two reasons."

"And what might they be?"

"The first is anyone who volunteers and survives this will be repatriated to the Colonies aboard one of your ships. The second is that I won't simply hand over the co-ordinates of the Colonies to the Wraith in exchange for leaving Earth alone," O'Neill replied. "Hell, if they leave us alone, I'll throw in the rest of the POWs we have here as an appetiser."

"I can't say I'm surprised at all. Seems as if Adar might well be right about you, believing you have the right to do as you please to who you please, murdering tens of thousands of my people both here and back in the colonies. Firing against what you claim are your own rules of engagement, breaking our laws because you think you know better. Your people are nothing more than common thieves and murderers."

Tens of thousands? What were these people being fed?

"Hey," Jack yelled. "I don't know if you've noticed but you aren't exactly the good guys here, you're the ones that decided to come here and force yourselves on our people like a damn plague of locusts. You didn't take no for an answer so decided to try and bully us into submission. Didn't go too well for you did it?" He calmed down slightly. "Commander, each time that our people have met we've done our best to be courteous or simply to defend ourselves and each time because we've disagreed with your ways we've been attacked. To be honest I'm not sure who is really to blame here but I'm trying to save my world and by extension every human and alien in the galaxy."

"…In the process getting rid of some of the more difficult prisoners by letting your enemies use them for target practice." You know how to use our ships? Then use them and leave us out of this. You have the technology and you have the equipment use them and save your world on your own. We won't be party to helping people who would like nothing more to destroy OUR way of life."

'Yep. They've been fed some serious crap.'

"Do you think more of your career and your belief than your crew and those under your purview?" Teal'c rumbled from the back. "Would they all necessarily agree to your wish not to assist the people of this world because of your own short-sightedness once given the choice to return home? Or would they overrule your commands and fight to save not only themselves but their home worlds."

"They won't help you! No one will throw their lot in with heretics and dictators that allow their own people to die fighting their rightful brothers. And as the senior officer here, they will follow my orders to the letter."

"Well, we'll ask them." O'Neill pulled out a small radio. "Kelsey, did they get all that?"

"Yes Sir, the entire conversation was transmitted to throughout the camp. The entire population are starting to talk about it. Some really don't look happy about what's been said or they aren't happy about people agreeing that they should help us."

There was a moment's shock. We wasn't aware of any listening devices and to his embarrassment, he hadn't really thought that the conversation was being recorded, much less broadcasted. There was nothing around to indicat a presence of a microphone. "You expect me to believe that?" Deacon snorted.

"You believe what you want," O'Neill replied. "You'll go out there and have one hundred ten thousand survivors of the worst military action you've ever seen ask you why you didn't agree to let them go home by saving not only the Earth but the humans of more than ten thousand planets and the colonies themselves."

Deacon settled back into his chair and sighed. He hated these people with all his being. Their wholesale murder of the fleet and the unprovoked attack on the Colonials all those years ago had encouraged much of the Colonial population to push for an attack on the Tau'ri and their lapdogs. He couldn't trust them to keep their word in letting them go but he also couldn't risk that they were telling the truth, if they were two entire ships and their crews would return home complete with some badly needed Intel on their enemies.

The idea of aliens was again something new, even fantastic but if it were true...

If these Wraith truly existed then the Colonies would be a prime target for them or any other alien races that decided that the Colonies were a good source of food or slave labour. The Tau'ri were bad enough with their convictions, their perverse religions and ways of life. However, with the evidence the Tau'ri had been showing them about the non-human races out there, the Colonies would need to know it one way or the other.

"If we help you with this, I want amnesty for the crews that help you. The ships we crew to be allowed to return home unmolested and fully armed and operational and any crewmen lost in the battle to be replaced by any volunteers that couldn't be used on this mission. We'll also need to be re-equipped with those nuclear missiles that you used against our fleet and anything you have that will keep us alive."

"We can upgrade your ECM and give you a limited amount of our nukes, but any attempt to tamper with them or copy them in any way and the agreement will be null and void. Your people will be returned here and all further possible co-operation will be returned here and all further possible co-operation will be stopped. The lives of you and your crews will be forfeit." O'Neill glared at the prisoner of war. "Understand this Commander, you mess with us, you try to set us up for a fall or steal anything that we put aboard your ship and I will destroy those ships and everyone on them. You are still a prisoner and you are still beheld to the rules of conduct while a Prisoner, both yours and ours."

Deacon spat. "I am well aware of this 'General'. I have no intent on breaking the Colonial rules of Conduct when it comes to Prisoners of war. Your own however leave much to be desired, they are much too easy on your prisoners than they should be."

"That's another difference between us Commander." Jack loomed over the Colonial officer. "We treat our enemies as humans no matter their place of birth. We allow limited freedoms to move around and to act as they wish. Can you say that your people would ever have done the same?"

"If they aren't of the colonies and don't follow our laws then why should they be treated the same? As far as I and my brethren are concerned, none of you can truly call yourselves human let alone be treated as such. We will help you defeat these so called 'aliens' you're talking about but it won't be the last time we face each other O'Neill. Sooner or later we'll take you down and you will beg for our help and forgiveness."

"And on that day I'll nuke your home stars and take the entire Colonial race with me."

"I believe you would try. After all, conspiring to kill the rest if your race should be old hat to you."

"Oh, this again." Jack said. "Teal'c, you wanna try to explain?"

"Indeed. Commander Deacon, I believe you are aware of who I am. You believe me to be a traitor to the humans of Earth and of the Colonies. Is this correct?"

"I know you are a traitor to your kind."

"Then what you know Commander Deacon is quite wrong. I am not human, I am Jaffa."

"And that is?"

"A people that owe the Tau'ri their freedom."

"Enough that you will work with these Tau'ri to subjugate the peoples of Earth, holding them under your thumb..."

"The tales of the first people are legend among my race. Tales were told of a primitive world that the false gods of the Goa'uld discovered many millennia ago. Those taken from that world became slaves, hosts, and the most powerful of them became Jaffa the warriors dedicated to their gods through superstition and fear. I am Jaffa and I cast down my false god and fought for the freedoms of my people alongside those ancient humans," Teal'c rumbled. "There are no Tau'ri overlords Commander Deacon, the humans of Earth are the Tau'ri."

The Colonial officer stared at the dark skinned man and began clapping derisively. A sneer spread across his face.

"What do you think I am, an idiot?" he asked. "Aliens, false gods taking humans across the stars breeding them for what slavery, food?"

"No, Jaffa were engineered genetically to become the ideal incubation chambers for their young. In exchange we are able to survive any illness, survive injuries that would kill a human and live a protracted lifespan. I am over one hundred Earth years in age."

"Hold on, you're a genetically engineered human? What kind of person allows themselves to be changed from what is already the greatest of the gods' creations? I am disgusted to even look at you!"

"Well get used to it," O'Neill spoke up. "There are billions of Jaffa in the galaxy and they have so nicely volunteered to remove your carcasses and the rest of your people from Earth onto a planet we've chosen as a POW camp for the foreseeable future."

"You people are worse than the Cylons! Tell your Tau'ri overlords…"

"Oh Fucking enough already! Get this through your head, THERE ARE NO OVERLORDS!" Jack shouted. "The Tau'ri means the FIRST RACE, the people that existed on this planet first before any other human world. No Colonies, no Jaffa, no killer lizard people, no little Grey guys, simple humans on a single world!"

"Bullshit," the translator bleated. "The first world was Kobol. Our texts say it our history stretches back more than seven thousand years. The thirteen tribes spread out from Kobol to colonise the thirteen habitable worlds. The sooner you finally get over yourselves and admit that the easier it'll be for everyone."

"Christ why do we always have to get the religious psychos here?"

"You mean since Ra?" Daniel asked deadpanned. "Actually," he started. "We've got history reaching back about nine to ten thousand years and evolutionary evidence both on Earth and from other separate sources reaching back ten fifteen million. Our version of humanity isn't even the first…"

"Daniel."

"Sorry."

"I can't believe that you people think I'm nearly stupid enough to fall for this shit. We'll help you like I said but sooner or later you won't be able to keep the truth about who and what you are from the people of this world. When that happens whether I'm dead or alive I will be laughing at you, your people and anyone else that would betray humanity."

Pushing himself up from the table he spat at the floor in front of O'Neill. The sudden movement toward the three men triggered the hidden defences within the room. A single Zat discharged impacted the man's back sending him to the ground in immense pain before blacking out his diatribe dying on his lips.

"Idiot," O'Neill said. "Kelsey get this guy back to his people and start a count of Volunteers, we've got work to do."

Planet 'Helo'

Colonial Expansion Zone

Cyrannus Sector

"Touchdown in four, three, two, one…"

The Raptor shuddered as it hit the ground. All around the crashed vessel presumed to be Tau'ri in origin, dozens of armed and manned vessels appeared in flashes of light. Before the vessels had even cut their engines platoon after platoon of marines and special weapons squads emerged forming a perimeter around the derelict vessel.

Tripods supporting machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades and mortars scattered out across the perimeter. Half were pointing inwards towards the ship the rest outwards to ward off any possible attack that could come from the outside.

"I really don't like this. We're surrounded on all sides."

"They're trees Hoff, you think they'll end up crawling out of the ground and beating us to death with sticks?"

"Shut up, Mackenzie."

"Both of you shut up." A voice came from behind them. Colonel Grant leaned forward out of his Raptor. "You are elite operations act like it."

"Aye, Sir" They chimed.

Scowling at the lack of professionalism in his officers Grant turned back to his temporary command center, he had managed to get rid of those two troublemakers that had been fortunate enough to claim this planet as theirs. Sooner or later though he would have to get around to removing their claim permanently, the fact they had found the only habitable planet known outside of the thirteen colonies and not one of his own people had been bad luck on both parts.

"This is Phoenix Actual to second wave, LZ is secured send down the heavies." He said into the radio, "Primary drop of light mobile vehicles, fortifications second the rest can wait."

"This is Second Wave, we read you. Drop of first ships in thirty seconds."

"Understood out." Grant changed the frequency before grabbing the radio again, "All units this is Phoenix Actual we have incoming dropships, everyone to their assigned positions immediately."

Outside the Raptor he could see hundreds of troops clearing out from the outer edges of the perimeter congregating in groups covering the incoming ships from all angles, the first three drop ships already landing disgorging the soft topped personnel carriers and gun wagons. A dozen each spewing from the closely packed ranks within the Colonial vessels, almost as soon as they were cleared and manned the next wave began their run.

"Alright people, we are going in." He ordered, "Alpha squads take point, Beta squads hold the perimeter. Special weapons standby for orders, APCs begin recon of the area."

A chorus of affirmatives rippled throughout the massed armed force congregating around the Pyramid, the special weapons squads had already set up their heavy interlocking missile and machine gun positions. The massed groups of small armoured vehicles set up alongside their static brethren, closing the holes in the defences.

"Go Go."

The first six squads ran forward into the gaping hole in one side of the vessel, leapfrogging from one point to another until the first soldiers were flush against the hull. A half dozen flashbang and shrapnel grenades went in the hole first clearing out any possible enemy forces that may have seen them incoming. Three squads launched themselves through the hull and into the silent tomb like interior.

"Squad Delta, all clear. No signs of life, no discernable energy output."

"This is Phoenix Actual, continue into the main structure maintain communications at all times. You find something you report immediately. Out." The voice of Grant came across the radios.

"You heard him, set up repeater stations every hundred meters into the ship so we can keep contact we don't know what kind of interference we can expect from the construction of this ship." Captain Jenkins ordered, "Four me to a team and do not get separated if this is a Tau'ri ship we can expect a few problems."

Twenty four soldiers split up heading into the ship's main structure through the empty broken corridors, blackened metal and soot gave testament to how much the ship had suffered before its ignoble death as it impacted the planet's surface, shattered facades littered the corridors half burying bodies of dead crewmen their desiccated bodies lying in strange positions most evidently killed on impact.

"Human alright, dead maybe six years." One medic spoke up, "A few changes in the skeletal structure, some changes in the original density of the flesh…what the frak?"

"Corporal?"

"He's got a pouch Sir."

"A pouch?"

"Yes Sir, a pouch."

"Like a marsupial?"

"Yes Sir." The medic nodded, "it's natural whatever it is. Tied into the muscle and nervous systems, couple of other organs I don't recognise." He jumped as something fell out of the decomposing body, bringing his weapon up to his shoulder he pointed the barrel straight at the creature on the floor. "FRAK."

"Corporal?" Sgt Francis asked.

"There was some kind of creature in their Sir." He shuddered before poking it with his gun, "It's been dead a good few years by the looks of it, probably as long as the body has."

"A human carrying a snake in a pouch, what kind of people are these Tau'ri." One of the others whispered

"Frakked if I know." The Sgt replied, "Bag it and we'll take it back with us."

"Yes Sir." He grabbed the snake with the end of his combat knife and slipped it into a clear plastic bag.

"Sir we've got another one down here, He's not as badly decomposed as the rest." The last of their little group spoke up, "Oh you are not going to believe this sir."

"What now?"

"He's got a metallic pattern imbedded in his forehead." the Corporal said, scraping the flesh away from an intricate design. The desiccated flesh came away easily allowing for the metallic imprint to simply fall out into his hand, "Frak me, its Solid Gold."

"Your joking."

"No Sir, Solid Gold. It was imprinted in his head like a tattoo or something."

"Its not exactly the same but it's a lot like we saw when the Tau'ri sent their contact team." The Medic said. "I'm gonna guess that whoever this is, was probably in service in one way or another to them."

"Team Gamma to Phoenix Actual." The commander tapped his radio.

"This is Actual, go ahead Francis."

"We've found bodies Sir, about a half dozen so far including one with some kind of pattern welded into his forehead. We don't recognise the symbol but its in the same place as the Gold tattoo we say on one the Tau'ri."

"So we have confirmation that this is a Tau'ri ship." Grant replied, "Good, proceed with your inspection of the vessel. Once its secured I'll send in the containment teams, Phoenix Actual out."

"That guy likes the sound of his own voice." The medic said out loud, "Phoenix Actual? Ego bigger than a Battlestar that one"

"I hear that." Another trooper smirked, "Guy's got his head so far up his own arse he can see what he had for lunch."

"That's an image I could have done without." A third said tilting his head at the mummified bodies, "If there were any survivors off this ship why did they leave the bodies to rot?"

"Don't know, don't care." The second replied, "Lets get done and get gone, I've got plans tonight that don't include mummified aliens or massive… golden… uhh guys. Is this what I think it is."

Pointing his torch up a corridor the light bounced off of the walls sending a steady glow of golden light all around them, cracked friezes and shattered golden figurines lay scattered all around the deck. More bodies sat crushed under massive heavy statures or head from shrapnel damage where walls had broken under the pressure of the crash, the closest of the bodies had been cut almost in half by a massive chunk of metal.

Easing a half open door from its runners the soldiers slowly made their way into the devastated room, the Sgt crept up to the bisected crewman and pulled the metal piece from the skeletal remains bending the metal almost in half as they struggled to pull it out of the mummified remains. Running his torch across its length the piece of metal shone in the light the reflection sending yellow light across the room.

"Frak me." Francis whispered, "It's gold, solid gold."

"Your joking."

"No I'm not, its too soft to be any normal building material, but by the looks of it this entire rooms is covered in it. Who in their right minds builds inner corridors with solid Gold coverings, a single decent hit to the hull would shake the stuff loose and the shrapnel would kill everyone in the area."

"There's enough cubits in this lot to pay the entire Hepehstus crew for ten years. Gods know what else we'll find in here. What do we do now?"

"We call it in for a start. Mummified aliens and massive gold supplies; there's something here that doesn't add up, if this is a Tau'ri ship. And, I really don't want to be here if whoever it really belongs to decides to come and take it back from us."

"We have counted approximately two hundred and twenty soldiers and pilots deployed around the Ha'tak, a large number of armoured vehicles and projectile weaponry has been confirmed by the scouts." A voice whispered from the treeline. Well hidden within the bushes sans their usual armour a trio of Jaffa surveyed the human presence on the planet. "With ships that size they must also have a command ship in orbit.

"If the Tau'ri have arrived to capture our vessel that is more than likely, given their paucity in numbers and technology," The prime murmured. "We can not allow this to continue. Inform the rest of the Jaffa that we are to attack within the day. We must stop them from finding and desecrating the tomb of our god or removing the magic that allowed our ship to run. None are to be left alive."

"They have sent out small groups to patrol the area, several have been removed from the area by force. However two have been captured alive and are currently being held unconscious by the rearguard."

"We can not allow them to take our ship nor the bodies of our fallen. Take me to the Tau'ri patrol, I have questions for them."

The Great Encampment was hidden within the deep caves of the close by forests, forced to survive on what little they could salvage from the Ha'tak the Jaffa had begun constructing a new home until their gods came for them. The few hundred Jaffa and thousands of slaves that walked away from the crash had made their home in a massive above ground cave system. Hundreds of kilometres of tunnels and caves riddled the surrounding strata making them invisible to orbital scans.

The thick forests and foliage covered up several cave entrances allowing the Jaffa access to their quarters without being seen. A series of massive clearings now lay inside the depths of the forest allowing the newest denizens to hide if they were forced to. Their unwillingness to continue to hide had divided the survivors with half of the Jaffa building their great city with the help from the now freed slaves.

"Send out runners to all towns and the great city." The Prime said as he approached. "All Jaffa are to congregate at the Great Encampment within the next two days, the Tomb of the Gods is being desecrated and we will need every man to stop them. The Tau'ri will pay for their insolence and defiance."

"Yes, First Prime."

"You." He pointed at a guard. "Take me to the Tau'ri prisoners."

"At once."

Walking through the camouflaged entrances into the clearing the first prime ignored the dead Tau'ri thrown in a heap to one side. Approaching the cave entrances he stopped next to a number of tables. Equipment and clothing taken from the bodies of the Tau'ri soldiers were scattered across them, primitive radios, projectile weaponry so dangerous to their brothers no matter the god. Explosives that the Tau'ri called C4 or C5; whatever. Over to the side were the so-called 'grenades'.

Many of their brethren over the last decade had fallen to the Tau'ri's devious weapons and cowardly tactics, ambushes and long-ranged weapons allowing them to kill Jaffa without harm coming to them. Several times he had been injured by the Tau'ri in his service to his God before they had been forced down onto this world by the forces of a new arisen Apophis. The enemy projectiles had easily pierced his armour imbedding deeply into his torso and stomach.

He had survived his missions for his God and survived through the force of his own will and the gift of the Primta within his stomach, a true God that would do anything to help his favoured Jaffa to survive as it had always been. Other Jaffa had failed to survive the fire from the Tau'ri weapons. Those that were weak or did not have sufficient faith in their masters didn't deserve to survive.

Picking up a small pistol they had taken from the dead bodies he examined it carefully, the strange attachment to the underside of the weapon had a larger aperture than the barrel of the main weapons. Ammunition from those same weapons were laid carefully next to it. He had seen many weapons in use by the Tau'ri over the years but none had had such powerful projectiles in the smaller weapons.

"We killed the Tau'ri before they could get a shot off," One Jaffa spoke. "Those larger projectiles may be something more powerful, but we have not dared attempt to fire it at risk of alerting the Tau'ri to our presence here."

"A wise precaution," the first prime responded setting down the empty Tau'ri pistol. "We shall test their equipment and weapons once we have removed their stain from our soil. Their technology may be crude but it shall allow us to return to our people and report to them the passing of our God and await his resurrection as promised. Take me to the prisoner."

"Yes, First Prime."

One prisoner was chained to the wall of the outermost cave. Allowing him in any further could have led to problems with secrecy, and him being outside would have ended up with him dead at the hands of the younger Jaffa in their midst. He had been stripped down to a tunic and trousers much like that used underneath the Jaffa's own armour, they had not wanted to risk the trouble that the Tau'ri could get into with whatever they had on them.

His face was badly bruised and bloodied where he had been taken by force. A tear in his flesh flapped slightly in the wind bloody encrusted across the wound. He was incoherent as he lay delirious on the floor, mumbling his eyes focussed in and out as the first Prime walked towards the prisoner.

"Has anyone talked to him?"

"No, but when he was captured, he was speaking to his fellow Tau'ri in an older derivative of our own language, one not spoken for almost two thousand years."

"The humans of the Tau'ri do not speak the true language. They speak several forms of bastard languages." He watched as the prisoner looked up at his words. "You are not of the Tau'ri, are you?"

"You people disgust me, traitors and murderers all," the man snarled, "You and your Tau'ri masters will die. The great god Zeus will bring down his vengeance on all of you and you will die at the hands of his servants."

"Zeus lives?" one Jaffa asked. "Is that possible?"

"No. Zeus is dead, destroyed by his own kin," the Prime said. "What do you know of the Tau'ri?"

"As if you wouldn't know." The prisoner spat into the Jaffa's face blood and saliva splashing across his eyes. "If we had known you were here we would have nuked you from orbit and picked through the pieces."

Wiping the spittle from his face the First prime loomed over the tied human, with a pull he forced the soldier to his feet. "We are not of the Tau'ri humans. We are Jaffa and even though you carry weaponry of the Earth soldiers you are not one of them. Who are you and where are you from?" There was no answer, but he didn't expect any. 'Take him to one of the private areas, feed him, clean him, clothe him then bring him back to me."

"Yes First Prime."

"You and I have much to talk about human."

"I have nothing to say to you abominations."

"That may be but I have things I want to know and you will tell me. One way or another."

Colonial Command Station

Picon Orbit

Colonial Quarantine Zone

Command Station Acapellico sat in high orbit above the ravaged plant of Picon. The once lush and verdant jungle world sat silently rotating in space its surface covered by the fallout of millions of tons of dust and debris. What little of the surface could be seen was covered in debris or massive brown patches as the massive jungles died and rotted, destroyed cities and spilt radiation covered half of the surface whilst raging fires swallowed up much of what remained.

Major Derek Samson could only stare through the massive viewports out to his home world. Hundreds of ships and stations scattered around the planetary orbit flashed lights or recognition signals to each other. Flares of light appeared from time to time driving off attempts to drop onto the planet's surface for one reason or another. Another fleet tender jumped in a section of space station strapped to its massive frame.

"That's the sixth station, fourteen more to go." Samson heard the voice of his commanding officer from behind him. Turning he saw her approaching from the other end of the commander platform. "Another three Battlestars have requested jump co-ordinates. Adar's decided enough is enough."

"I thought he might have. The cruisers are shooting down anything that tried to land or take off," Samson replied. "Frak Alicia, there's still more than two billion people down there and Adar's going to let them die."

"He doesn't have a choice."

"Commander Hardy ?" Another Commander wearing the patch of the station's engineering contingent walked up. "The station is completed, bio-contamination suites have been rigged up as has the Quarantine area once we bring up the last of the staff from the bunkers."

"Good, thank you. Terry."

"Ma'am." He nodded to them both leaving the command centre.

"Major, contact the bunkers and inform them that the last of the personnel are cleared for lift off. All ships are to hold their fire until those ships are docked. They know the rest of the drill."

"Aye Ma'am," Samson replied as he donned his headset, "Communications, put me through to all ground based repeater stations. This is Acapellico Base to all Command and defence bunkers, repeat to all Command and Defence Bunkers, immediate withdrawal of personnel is authorised. All ships are to report to Command Stations once in orbit. Message ends."

"Now we wait," Hardy sighed. "How many left?"

"More than two billion are still down there. Most will be dead within three months. The rest might survive somehow but without any way of getting offworld. We barely managed to get a tenth of the surviving population off before Adar ordered the Quarantine. He's ordered full scale jamming of the planet to stop distress calls from disrupting the other colonies."

"Stupid arrogant son of a bitch. Is there anything he won't do to keep his head on his shoulders?"

"Apparently not."

"I don't see people letting this go. We can't keep an armed quarantine up here permanently, not with the war and the second we remove it people will be running from this world to the other colonies," she replied. "Things are going to get a frak of a lot worse before they get any better. I just hope they've got the virus under control before we all end up ill."

"I don't…."

"Multiple FTL events across the board. We have a breach of the Quarantine zone!" shouted one of the DRADIS officers. Capital ship and escort-sized targets, radiological weapons are confirmed in theatre."

Flashes of light appeared in the skies above Picon as dozens of vessels dove into existence as their FTL drives discharged. The sudden appearance of so many ships caused the vessels and stations of the Colonial defences to step up their alerts. Battlestars, cruisers, missile ships, battlestations all locked onto the unknown ships. Missile silos opening and cannons swivelling to target, the quarantine defences of Picon prepared to face down the enemy.

"All ships ready main weapons," Hardy ordered. "Launch ready fighters and…"

"Hold Fire, Hold Fire!" A junior officer shouted across the radio feed. "Colonial IFF signals detected, it's the survivor fleet."

"Hold fire, all ships." Samson concurred, "Get me a confirmation on that Ensign."

"Confirmed Sir, Colonial IFF and Theatre Command Codes. Sixty seven ships lead by the Battlestar Hammer," the ensign responded. "All weapons are offline and they are requesting docking instructions… for the anchorage," he gasped.

"What?"

"They want to know where the Anchorage is."

"Get me a line to the Hammer," she ordered. "And kill that alarm."

"Aye, Sir."

"Hammer, actual this is Acapellico. Actual Come in."

"This is Hammer Actual. What the frak is going on here?"

"Hammer Actual this is Commander Alicia Hardy of the Picon Medical Quarantine fleet. All of your ships are ordered to proceed to the incoming co-ordinates." She pointed to one of the crew members who began transfers of information across to the fleet. "Keep station until you are cleared for approach, this area is now restricted as a Quarantine Zone. Any ships that approach the surface or any station in orbit without permission will be fired upon and destroyed. Is this Understood?"

"Where the hell is the anchorage, Commander."

"Hammer Actual, as I am ranking officer in this area of space I do not have to deign to inform you of what has happened yet. However if you are that desperate to know, most of the anchorage is currently lying in radioactive fragments on the surface of Picon. Now move your ships to a new orbit or I will begin to remove them by force."

"What? This is ridiculous…"

"Fire a single flak round across his bow, Major."

"Aye, Sir," Samson replied.

"Wait! Orders are understood Commander. I do however request permission for my ship to dock with the station. I have information that needs to get to the Admiralty."

"Negative, this station is a quarantine zone. You will be debriefed and informed as to your destination once the Admiralty are informed as top your arrival. Now please continue on to the co-ordinates provided. Any Ship attempting to land or break the blockade will be shot down without warning."

"Understood, Hammer out."

The screen blanked out as the transmission cut off. The DRADIS screens pinged as the mass of ships began moving into a higher orbit well away from either the planet or the debris cloud that made up the area that had once been Picon Anchorage. Smaller escort ships from the Quarantine fleet buzzed around the newly arrived refugee fleet pointing the vessels towards the safe harbours high above the planet out of range of the firepower gathered around the world.

"Idiot junior officers," Hardy growled. "Do they think this is some kind of joke?"

"I don't think that they knew, Alicia," Samson replied. "There are messages from all the ships going out asking about what's going on here. I don't think that any one has informed the fleet about the attack."

"It's been months since they hit Picon. What are the Admiralty playing at?"

"I don't know but I'm going to find out. Contact the Admiralty and the Presidential offices inform them that the survivor fleet has reappeared and the ships are awaiting orders in high orbit of Picon," Hardy ordered. "We'll keep them here for now but I want to know why the frak no one told them and what the hell they expect us to do now?"

"This is going to get ugly, Sir."

"Ugly doesn't nearly cover this Major, not even close."