At his seat at the conference table, Captain Jon Haida felt both worried and small. He was by far the youngest in the room, both the only minor and the only one under the age of thirty, most being well above that age. It didn't help that the way the seating was set up the seven other individuals where in a half crescent while he was alone opposite to the one in the center of the seating arrangement the others where in.
"Who did what, and how much trouble am I in?" Was the first thing he asked.
"What makes you think you're in trouble, son?" Director Jack O'neill asked.
"Well sir I've been brought into a meeting with the seven individuals who each lead one of the seven organizations which collectively represents Earth's defenses outside of what little remains of the national military system." He took a moment to pause as he eyes the man sitting in the right most seat. "There is even the man who does not exist from an organization which does not exist. And you're all here in person on top of that. I thought that was against official policy."
"There are exceptions to that policy." The British women who sat at the center of the group stated.
"That's what worries me." Jon replied.
"Well don't, you aren't in trouble." She replied.
A large holographic image of the planet earth formed, filling the center of the room. The British women nodded to Jack, it was his field.
"You and your two subordinates will not be needed for the foreseeable future with S.W.O.R.D. anymore. The first layer of defense has finally been finished." The image changed to show several dozen satellites as dots, their orbits as lines and their areas of effect as a light layer of color around them. "The first batch of mass production Avalons will be in service soon, they aren't enough to make up for our lost 304s but they'll shift the balance of air to air combat in our favor."
"I don't see what that has to do with me." Jon stated.
"It means you're going back to your old command." The eye-patched man next to Jack replied. "Strike Force is being put back together."
"With all due respect Directors, Commanders and Minister, I was under the impression that Strike Force was for situations that conventional means can't handle." Jon paused as he took a moment to reflect. "Wait, how big is the problem?"
"Potentially the destruction of all New York City." The eye-patched man stated flatly.
"Anything I need to know?"
"We have a file with everything we know about the attack." The man replied. "You are to assemble the Strike Force and lead it and the Initiative. Understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Dismissed."
After Jon left the room, the hologram of earth was replaced with that of a large space based weapon.
"Alright, on to the main business at hand." The British women declared.
Outside of the conference room, Jon walked towards the closest transporter room he knew about.
"You there." He called out, getting the attention of an NCO who had walked by.
"Sir?"
"Get a line open to the SGC, tell them to contact the Romeo site and to inform them we need Captain Rogers immediately. Then send out a general message to all Earth's bases telling them that the Initiative is a go and to assemble it and the Strike Force in New York City ASAP." Jon ordered.
"That's a pretty high order. Whose authority is this on?" The NCO was answered by a paper Jon pulled out from the document he had been given at the meeting.
"The authority of the council." As the NCO ran off as ordered, Jon smiled like an idiot as he practically ran to the transporter room.
Athoros Mining Station
Baltar's Lab
"This thing looks stupid." Kara stated as she looked over the weapon.
"It may look stupid, but it's a great deal more powerful than your sidearm, and it doesn't require bullets." Baltar replied. The item in question had once been a Ma'Tok staff, but had the rod removed leaving only the discharger and the power pack from each end. With the addition of a grip and repositioning of the trigger, the weapon resembled an oversized pistol, but with a distinct alien look to it.
"The changes I've made are more than cosmetic, the weapon now fires at a rate of eighty shots per minute. I've also increased the accuracy to within tolerance for a standard issue sidearm."Batlar added. "The only drawback is that the shots still are very visible to the eyes, making discretion impossible."
"Well there had to be a downside." Adama stated. He had been invited to the lab to see the work the doctor had accomplished. Kara, for her part, had to admit the weapon felt lighter then she expected given its bulky appearance, and the handgrip did give it a comfortable feel. "How long should it take to make enough of these for everyone?"
"We're already half done, the conversion proses isn't very long. By the lieutenant's next mission everyone on the exploration teams and the rapid response marine company should have one." Baltar replied, going back to work dissecting one of the staff cannons they had captured. "This one is a real beauty though. The principles are basically the same, but the power output is exponential instead of proportional. A few hundred of these on a battlestar and I doubt even the Earther vessels could survive."
"That's good to hear, but we'd need to learn how to make these for that to happen. We only have six as it is, five if you can't put that thing back together." Adama shot back.
"Unfortunately I don't think that will happen for some time." Baltar lamented. "The liquid tylium alone is an enigma, it's refined to a degree I thought impossible until I laid eyes on it. That and the converter which turns its energy discharge into plasma remains a mystery. If we can crack those, then there's nothing stopping us from making the whole fleet have plasma based weapons."
"Get on it, the Minister has ordered more missions to try and get more of these weapons and more of these materials at all cost." Adama ordered. "We'll need all those weapons you can manage, doctor, that and gods awful more."
"I've seen the reports, sir. I'm afraid with what I have to work with shields and invincible fighter craft are beyond my abilities."
The alarms started to go off.
"Unscheduled activation. Security teams to the gate room, security teams to the gate room."
"Duty calls." Kara stated, leaving the lab with the staff pistol in hand. She'd need it given her next mission.
First drone production line
Atlantis pier 3 lower decks
The small crowd at the end of the factory line where waiting in anticipation. For half an hour the machines of the quickly built assembly line had been at worked, manned by technicians from around the city who had been diverted from other projects. As the first object from the line appeared, Rodney and Woolsey quickly moved to pick it up and moved it to a table which had been set up next to the line.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the first Earth built Drone weapon." Woolsey announced. The dozen or so reporters took some pictures before moving to questions.
"Mister Woolsey, how long will it take to build a sufficient stockpile of these weapons for the new 305s?" One of the reporters asked.
"I can't say I know the specifics, but I have been assured that by the time the first batch of 305s are launched we will have not only have enough to fill them up, but to replenish all of Atlantis and the Antarctic outpost's stockpiles."
Another reporter moved forward, holding out a microphone. "Will these new weapons be implemented in the war with the Cyrannus system?"
"Yes."
"Is there any possibility of these weapons falling into the hands of other worlds?" Another asked.
"No, as it stands we have no plans to trade these weapons with anyone, and it's a moot point as they require an ancient chair being used by someone with the Ancient gene to operate." Woolsey took a moment to lock eyes with some of the cameras. "Which reminds me, we are always looking for more people who naturally have the gene. If you want to know if you have the gene all screenings are free of charge and include financial compensation."
"Does that mean we have developed a means of building control chairs?"
"I can neither confirm nor deny that we have the ability to build control chairs." The issue of control chairs had been a sour note for relations between Earth and its allies. Mistakenly viewed by many as the pinnacle of ancient technology, all worlds other than Earth either where incapable of using the machines, or did not have a significant enough compatible user base from their population which could. With only Earth and seemingly rare individuals outside of it being able to even control the device, the ability to use them alone made the balance of power an unfavorable one for the older members of the galactic scene. Earth's ability to make them was a thorn in the side of relations with most of Earth's allies.
The drones would be made very public though, both to Earth's people and that of the wider galaxy. For Earth citizens, it would be an assurance that even if something got through the lines of defense there would always be an ace in the hole. For everyone else, it was to give a good reason to keep their distance from them and their de facto colonies if they were uninvited.
Pegasus CIC
Scorpia orbit
"What do you mean you can't find in?" Cain asked with slight dismay.
"I mean exactly that admiral, long range Dradis isn't picking up the station at all." The Dradis operator repeated. "I'm also seeing a lot less traffic then there should be. There's also no debris field, so it couldn't have been…." His voice trailed off as he noticed the admiral walking to the communications officer.
"Get me a line to the closest military ship there is."
"Yes ma'am."
The line took a few moments to open, the distances causing a slight lag in communications between the naval cargo ship they had stopped and Pegasus.
"This Lamerian actual, how may I be of assistance?"
"Pegasus actual, we're in need of repairs and our Dradis seems to be malfunctioning. We can't seem to get a fix on Scorpia Shipyard of any ships in her vicinity." Cain explained.
"That's no Dradis malfunction, ma'am, the shipyard's gone."
"What!" Cain's yell caused everyone in the CIC to freeze. She would have bereted them for it, but she had other things on her mind. "What do you mean 'the shipyard's gone'?"
"Exactly that ma'am, it's gone. Official story is that the Aschen moved it for protection against Earth incursions, but we all know who really took it."
"Are you telling me the Earthers destroyed the biggest shipyard in the colonies?"
"No ma'am, I'm telling you they stole it."
Cain's grip on the phone tightened to the point where the plastic cover started to bend and crack.
"Well then, I guess we will need to fall back to Tauron for repairs."
"I don't know how long you've been out of the loop ma'am, but Tauron is a no go zone."
"Really?" Cain's voice was far too calm for what she was hearing. Instinctively all those who were not working at a console took a step away. "And why would that be?"
"Earth bastards took out most of the fleet in orbit and have been blockading the planet ever since. No one goes in, no one goes out. We've lost too many ships trying already."
"Thank you commander, sorry for taking up your time." Cain put the phone back in its place. "Helmsmen, take us to Picon. They're the ones with the biggest shipyard now. Comm., get a raptor in the air to Caprica, tell them it's an urgent message for the president himself on the war. Belzen, I want you on that raptor with everything we gathered on and since Galar. The president and intelligence need to know."
"Yes ma'am." With the orders out, Cain walked off the CIC, leaving the second officer in charge. It took her a few minutes to reach her destination, the direct path obstructed by crew and machines still doing emergency repairs the ship systems. As it stood a whole quarter of the main hull was inaccessible due to either exposure or risk of decompression.
When she reached her destination, the two guards at the door of their highest ranking special guest where visibly nervous.
"Mister Derhaven, I have a few more questions for you."
Task Force Hammond
Pegasus Galaxy
"General Carter, we've got a lock on it."
Major General Samantha Carter couldn't have been happier about the news. For months now her four ship taskforce had been on a search and destroy mission, hunting down the last two remaining Hive ships and the half dozen cruisers they carried between them.
"Alert all ships and get ready for battle. Prep all the nukes and take us out just outside their passive sensors."
"Yes ma'am." In unison the four ships entered hyperspace. With the speed and ease 304s readied for battle, most of the transit was simple stressful waiting for the inevitable. When they reached their destination, the four ships immediately cloaked after exiting hyperspace.
"Form up on the…." Carter's order was interrupted by the ship violently shacking, sparks flying form several consoles and thick, dense white smoke coming from one of the vents. "Shields up, shields up!"
"Ma'am, all ships reporting major damage to forward batteries."
"How the hell did they see us?" Carter asked herself. "Back us off, add some distance between us and the hives."
"Roger." The fleet turned around and made best possible speed away from the firing, their shields holding but much of the damage already done. "Ma'am, we're getting a ZPM level power output from both Hive ships."
"Oh hell. Helmsmen, put the engines to one twenty percent on a sustained burn towards those Super Hives. Weapons hot and maximize forward shields. Launch all 302s for tactical strikes."
"We won't last long with that type of power drain." The helmsmen informed her.
"I know, but we can't let those ships escape. If they're this close to the edge of the galaxy that can only mean one thing." The four ships started to overheat their engines as they charged towards the twin Super Hives, their six cruisers formed up in a blockade between the human and alien ships, physically blocking their path. Beam met armor and plasma met shield as the strain the two sides where under increased while the distance decreased. The four 304s concentrated on a single cruiser while the Wraith ships spread out their targeting between the fleet.
The cruiser they targeted went critical as one of the beams hit one of its weak points deep within its hull, opening up a path for them. The remaining cruisers didn't have time to reposition themselves as the four Earth warships quickly passed by, kinetic batteries still firing and doing a great deal of damage from the speed.
The two Super Hives had already started to open hyperspace windows, having begun their escapes the moment they had detected the Earth ships. The assembled Earth ships quickly fired on the closer of the two ships, moving to take out its engines to physically prevent it from escaping.
"Fire everything!" On Carter's order the four ships unleashed their full arsenals on the Super Hive's engines. Asgard beams, kinetic batteries, nuclear missiles and even anti-fighter point defenses slammed into the engines, bending, melting and otherwise destroying the two sets of four engines on the massive vessel. With its engines now out of commission, the remaining shots caused the massive ship to start spinning, slowly but uncontrolled. With the first Super Hive prevented from escape, the fleet turned its attention to stopping the second Super Hive.
With just enough time to see the end of its bulk enter hyperspace.
"Contact home, tell them we have a serious problem." As one of the bridge crew ran down to the room which held the Long-range communication stones, the ships went to the job of finishing off the Wraith vessels left behind.
Command Center
The Peak
Director Jack O'neill let out a sigh as he held the microphone in his hands. Across the large space station everyone who didn't have an absolutely critical job to the running of systems paused, listening for the announcement they knew was coming. Clearing his throat, Jack began.
"Ladies and gentlemen, moments ago we received word that a Wraith Super Hive is on its way to our galaxy. It is not, at present, believed they know where Earth is, however all branches of our worlds military have begun mobilizing in the fears that they do. We do not know with absolute certainly where the ship will enter our galaxy, but we have already begun deployment of a search and destroy mission to prevent them from forming a new power base in the Milky Way. Over the next week we will be contacting as many worlds to spread news of their impending arrival. Until this crisis is over, we are entering full mobilization and pulling forces from the Cyrannus conflict. We're at defcom one. Et supra terram defendendam."
"Et supra terram defendendam!" Echoed throughout the station, thousands of voices speaking as one.
Above and beyond in defense of Earth.
Author's Notes
Well, that was short and sweet. I've effectively written the Avalon pilots out of the story for the foreseeable future. The war with the Colonials hasn't been ended completely, but things are taking a de-escalation due to more pressing concerns. I know the Latin's probably wrong, but I figured it would be a fitting motto for an organization responsible for defending Earth.