Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate or Mass Effect.
Stargate: Mass Effect
Chapter13: Machine War
October 11th 2007
Harvest System
In orbit above Pegasus Alpha Site
TSAS Daedalus
Conference Room
"We got our asses kicked," Sheppard said as he sat down.
"I am well aware of that Colonel," Caldwell countered. "If we stayed then they would have destroyed us; it was either abandon Babylon or die defending it."
"What are our options?" Weir asked the question.
"Our fleet wouldn't be able to take that kind of force on right now," Caldwell said simply. "Half the fleet is still damaged and needs to be repaired after the beating we took over Lantea."
"He's right," Sheppard added. "The fleet is pretty banged up and most of our ships have been forced to land so they can be repaired."
"Can the Daedalus relay a message to Earth?" Weir asked.
"If we stop in the void half way then we can relay messages to and from Earth," Rodney nodded.
"Do you have something in mind?" Caldwell asked curious.
"If we get reinforcements from Earth and repair our ships then we can hit Asuras. Hopefully by then we'll have located the Replicator homeworld...when is the soonest you can be ready?" Weir asked him.
"Three months," Caldwell answered grimly. "Their weapons bled through the shields and did quite a bit of damage to my ship. The other ships are even worse," he explained.
"Steven I want you to take your ship and relay a message to Earth...things are only going to get worse from now on," Weir said finally.
January 3rd 2008
Harvest System
Pegasus Alpha Site
Central Zone
Conference Room
Three months passed quickly as the war continued with the Asurans targeting human populations across the Pegasus Galaxy. Tens of thousands of humans disappeared daily and the Wraith were almost constantly being hunted and killed by the mechanical menace. With the recent losses at Lantea, coupled with the rising threat of the Lucian Alliance back in the Milky Way, the Terran Fleet was stretched rather thin these days.
"It's getting worse out there," Larrin told them. "Another eight human worlds have gone silent...they're all gone."
"That makes thirty-seven," Sheppard said grimly.
"How many?" Caldwell asked.
"Roughly two million people," Larrin answered.
"We need to go right now," Sheppard spoke up. "If we wait any longer then more people are going to die...we need to stop them now."
"I still haven't located the Replicator homeworld yet," Rodney spoke up. "I think they wiped it from the black box we recovered."
"Doctor Weir?" Zelenka asked through the comm.
"Go ahead," Weir responded.
"Can you please come to the command center? We have visitors," Zelenka said somewhat nervous.
"A single Wraith Hive-ship holding position just outside of our weapon's range," Zelenka explained.
"How did they find us?" Sheppard asked.
"It doesn't matter," Rodney responded. "We're receiving a transmission...should I patch it through?"
"Do it," Weir gave the order and the screen flickered on displaying the image of a male Wraith with a tattoo-like pattern on his face.
"So you are the humans we have been hearing so much about lately," the Wraith spoke. "Interesting...your ships in orbit are clearly based on Lantean technology...though half of their systems seem to be of a different design."
"What do you want?" Weir asked, getting straight to the point.
"As you may know...the Wraith are at war...entire hive fleets are being destroyed across the galaxy. Human worlds are being culled but not by us...I believe you refer to our enemy as the...Replicators? We know they attacked the planet Lantea...your planet several months ago...we wish to form an alliance to destroy them once and for all," the Wraith explained.
"And why would we do that?" Weir inquired.
"Because...we have something you need," the Wraith seemed to smile. "The location of the Replicator homeworld."
January 4th 2008
Asuran System
In orbit above Asuras
TSAS Daedalus
Main Bridge
Dozens of hyperspace windows suddenly tore open above the planet and caught the Asuran Fleet by surprise as a fleet of eighteen Terran warships, seven Hive-ships and six Traveller ships jumped in. They opened fire before the Asurans could get their shields up and took out six Asuran battleships outright.
"Alright here we go people," Caldwell said to his crew. "Begin scanning the planet for any sign of a central control node so we can beam Colonel Sheppard's team down."
"I've located what seemed to be an Atlantis-class City-Ship," Marks spoke up. "According to my scan their shields are still down, we can beam them into the power control room now."
"Do it and fire the Anti-replicator weapon at that city. That should keep the Replicators off of them until they're done," Caldwell ordered.
"Colonel there is something you should know," the ship's new AI, Rebecca spoke up.
"What is it Rebecca?" Caldwell asked as the hologram, that of a teenage girl appeared to the side of his chair.
"I am detecting a Reaper under construction in orbit of the planet along with a large station," Rebecca replied as an image of it appeared on the screen to the side. "It matches the design of the Citadel back in the Milky Way."
"...Why would they build a Citadel?" Caldwell questioned.
"We know that the Reapers are trying to reach the Milky Way however they use Mass Effect technology to move faster-than-light. Based on the data I currently have available I would hypothesis that the Reapers are planning to use the Pegasus Citadel to travel here and install Hyperdrives on their ships. That would allow them to reach Earth," Rebecca explained.
"Sir...the Reaper is giving off some strange readings," Marks informed. "According to the scans it should be operational however I am detecting a Hyperdrive installed in its systems. Its weapons are coming online now and it's broken off from the Replicator Citadel."
"Fire the Anti-Replicator weapon at the city on the surface and then take us right at it."
January 4th 2008
Asuran System
Asuras
Elysium
ZPM Room
The members of AR1 suddenly appeared in columns of light and immediately disintegrated the human-form Replicators in the room. Several more appeared from the hallway however Ford quickly aimed and fired his anti-replicator rifle at them.
"Hurry it up McKay! We can't do this all day!" Sheppard shouted over his shoulder as he fired at another human form.
"Don't rush me!" Rodney shouted back as he hooked up his pad to the console. Suddenly a large wave of energy washed over them and the human form Replicators down the hallway disintegrated.
"What was that?" Ford asked after a moment.
"Anti-Replicator weapon," Rodney answered. "That should buy us some time...crap."
"Rodney?" Sheppard asked.
"I have access to the ZPM controls but the city's shields just came online," Rodney replied with a worried smile. "I can overload them but we can't beam out with the shields up."
"...Okay then what about the city?" Sheppard asked.
"What about the city?" Rodney asked curious.
"It's just like Atlantis and Babylon right? It's designed to fly right?" Sheppard questioned.
"Yeah," Rodney nodded catching onto what he was planning.
"Ford you stay here and guard him. McKay, overload the ZPMs outside of the city shield while I head to the chair room," Sheppard said before he raised his rifle and took off down the corridor.
"Easy for you to say," Rodney muttered with a sigh before continuing his work.
January 4th 2008
Asuran System
In orbit above Asuras
TSAS Daedalus
Main Bridge
"Sir one of the city-ships is taking off from the ground," Marks reported. "It's also giving off a friendly IFF...it's the city we beamed Colonel Sheppard and his team down to."
"There are massive destabilizations in the Zero-Point Modules on the surface...thermonuclear detonations confirmed across the board. The planet is becoming unstable," Rebecca added.
"Open a channel," Caldwell ordered.
"It's open," Rebecca said a second later.
"Colonel Sheppard, what are you doing?" Caldwell asked.
"Spoils of War, Colonel," came the response.
Caldwell sighed and shook his head. "Warn me next time," he spoke into the comm.
"I'll do that," Sheppard responded and the channel closed.
"Sir...the Reaper," Marks spoke up.
The newly constructed Reaper turned and fired a barrage from its tentacle-cannons at the city-ship launching from the surface. Elysium returned fire with a salvo of plasma drones which cut through the three escort cruisers around the Reaper. Two Asuran battleships launched a swarm of drones at the city-ship a moment later only for the powerful shields of the ship to shrug off the barrage.
"Have the Orion and the Ares intercept those ships," Caldwell ordered.
"What about that Reaper?" Rebecca asked.
"We'll deal with that thing ourselves," Caldwell said clearly. "Come about and ready the Asgard cannons."
The Orion and the Ares quickly entered the fray between Elysium and the two Asuran battleships. Space between the four Aurora-class warships lit up as drones from both sides collided and tried to strike at their targets. The Daedalus descended on the Reaper even as blasts from its tentacle-cannons struck the shields of the BC-304. The Condorcet and Torsa, both frigates flanked the battlecruiser and supplied cover fire against the Asuran cruisers near the Reaper as the Daedalus brought its guns to bear.
"We have locked weapons," Marks informed.
"Take it out," Caldwell gave the order.
Blue beams of superheated plasma lanced out from the gun-ports of the Daedalus and tore into the shields of the Reaper. The Reaper staggered under the assault as another barrage of beams struck its shields and eventually tore through them. Two final beams of blue plasma melted through the hull of Reaper's central frame and secondary explosions riddled it legs.
"Switch to Thanix cannons now!" Caldwell ordered. "Throw everything we've got at this thing!"
The other gun-ports on the battlecruiser opened and everything in this ship's arsenal fired at the single wounded Reaper. The blasts from the Thanix cannons struck first, tearing into the Reaper's dorsal cone while disruptor torpedoes and naquadah-enhanced nuclear missiles exploded against the Reaper, consuming it in light.
The battlefield froze as the sound of a deafening screech filled the communication channels and broadcast to everyone and everything in range. The Reaper almost appeared to wale as its Mass Effect core destabilized and tore what was left of the Reaper apart. It shattered a moment later with a massive shockwave, blowing away several ships leaving destruction its wake.
"Status?" Caldwell questioned.
"Half of the fleet has been destroyed or damaged and Elysium has jumped out. The Reaper has been destroyed," Rebecca reported.
"Colonel, the Citadel just went active," Marks informed.
"Now what?" Caldwell muttered as he looked out the viewport at the Citadel. The massive ring around was starting to spin and its arms were opening wider, almost to allow entrance for something.
"They're activating the station's Mass Relay," Rebecca stated.
"Damn it," Caldwell grunted as he saw the Citadel seemingly come alive.
"The planet's core is destabilizing, it must have been the ZPMs," Rebecca reported. "The whole planet will be destroyed in a few minutes and so will we if we stay here much longer."
"Tell all ships to head to the Alpha Site now!" Caldwell ordered.
Almost as one the allied fleet broke off the engagement with the Asuran fleet and fled into hyperspace as the planet tore itself apart. The Citadel Mass Relay activated just as the planet exploded and consumed both the Asuran fleet and the Citadel in one of the most powerful things in all creation. The Battle of Asuras was finally over...
However, as one last act of defiance the Asurans sent out a single transmission before their destruction. This transmission would travel through subspace and reach all the way to the Milky Way...months later this would mark the final battle of the Second Reaper War...
Author's Notes:
Here's chapter thirteen and though he wasn't named the Wraith in this chapter was Todd. For the record there is no SGU and that show has actually been cancelled. The Wraith aren't a major enemy in this fic since the main bad guys are the Reapers and the rest are mostly servants like the Asurans and the Collectors.
I remember someone mentioning how I'm not making alliances in this fic and the next chapter will show you why. It's been a long time coming and it seems fitting that the 'Second' Reaper War ends next chapter.
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