AN: This episode was hell to write but it's finally finished, enjoy :)

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The Apprentice: SG-1 Series

Chapter 26: Small Victories

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A WEEK LATER

I stepped down onto the ramp and sighed. Finally after a week of camping out on that damn planet we were finally able to come home. I could see Daniel and Hammond standing at the bottom of the ramp.

"Well it's about time!" Jack shouted.

"A week, a damn week! That's how long we've been stuck on that freaken planet. I hope somebody stopped over at my house to take care of Clover and Pongo," I shouted.

"Oh…it's great to see you guys too!" Daniel muttered sarcastically, "And yes Fraiser stopped by your house everyday to take care of the puppies."

I rolled my eyes and gave him a quick hug.

"I am pleased to see you well Daniel Jackson," Teal'c stated.

"Thank you Teal'c," Daniel replied.

"Well with your permission General I'm going home and taking a nice long warm shower and laying down in my nice comfy bed," I exclaimed. General Hammond nodded his head, and I started walking out of the room but paused and looked back at Skaara.

"You coming?" I asked. Skaara nodded and followed me out of the embarkation room.

ADOLFINA'S HOUSE {A SHORT TIME LATER}

"I swear to god I'm going to break that Phone. Every time I lay down to sleep, every single damn time that thing rings with some end of the worldcac tarbh and I'm tired of it!" I ranted, glaring at the phone.

Skaara laughed and reached over me and grabbed the phone. He sat there for a second listening to the person talking.

"We'll be right there," Skaara replied, hanging up the phone.

I groaned, and got up out of bed. We quickly pulled on some clothes and the two of us made our way back to the SGC.

SGC BRIEFING ROOM

The whole team, Hammond, Major Davis, and I were all sitting around the table looking at a bunch of reports.

"The Navy intercepted a mayday from the commander of the Foxtrot class attack submarine," Davis stated.

"That's Russian," Jack exclaimed.

"Yes. Code-named Blackbird. The crew was being attacked by a large mechanical spider," Davis explained. My head shot up at this and I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Just one?" Jack asked.

"We thought it was a joke at first. Then the transmission cut out. At approximately 1700 hours the sub was spotted by the aircraft off of Nimitz. It was already surfaced and none of the attempts to communicate were returned. It was boarded. The crew was found dead," Davis replied.

"All of them?" Sam questioned.

"They got the bodies off before they discovered how they died," Davis stated. I glanced down at the file in front of me, and picked up a photo. It showed a replicator, and I cringed. Damn mechanical bugs!

"That's them," Jack muttered.

"Sir, if this started with one bug it's already replicated," Sam exclaimed.

"The man that took the pictures fortunately made it out. But Nimitz reported that the Pentagon will advise the Navy to tow the sub in,"

"Do the Russians know that we have it?" Hammond asked.

"No, we're denying any knowledge but err…this is going to get sticky," Davis answered.

"We have to make sure that none of the replicators get out of that sub," Sam stated.

"It's under tight supervision. The harbor has been evacuated and the entire area cordoned off. Our cover story is a dangerous chemical spill," Davis said.

"Blow it up!" Jack suggested. Daniel glanced up at this, and I rolled my eyes.

"The Pentagon has requested that we take measures to preserve a number of specimens for study," Davis said. I groaned and had to restrain myself from face palming.

"The Asgard already tried that. These buggers are on the verge of wiping out their entire race," Jack stated.

"That's why I'm here. You people are the closest thing to experts we've got," Davis said.

"As an expert, I'm saying blow it up!" Jack replied frustratedly.

"Sir, conventional weapons might not do it. At least one of the replicators survived the destruction of Thor's ship," Sam countered.

"Fine, tow it back out to sea and nuke it!" Jack ground out.

"We've considered that," Davis replied.

"We're in a political mess right now, Colonel. The Russians picked up the Asgard ship's entry into the atmosphere," Hammond explained.

"So?" Jack asked.

"So, they're not buying our version of the story. They already think we're responsible for what happened to their sub. A nuclear explosion in international waters- It's kinda hard to cover up," Davis said. I groaned again, and Jack rubbed his hand over his face.

"I hate politics," I muttered.

"I don't think you realize how dangerous these things are," Sam exclaimed.

"Is there any other way we could neutralize these things, maybe some alien technologies you came across?" Davis asked.

"The replicators are impervious to Goa'uld technologies. They are however susceptible to human projectile weaponry," Teal'c stated. Davis glanced over at Teal'c in confusion.

"Guns," I supplied.

"Sir, if there are still a small enough number of replicators on board, a properly equipped team could possibly…"

"Save the world?" Jack interrupted Sam frustratedly.

"Again," I mumbled.

"Getting old for you, sir?" Sam asked.

"I'd better inform the Pentagon," Davis exclaimed, standing up and leaving. Suddenly the Klaxons went off. I groaned. What now?

"Unscheduled off world activation," A technician exclaimed over the intercom.

"There are no teams currently off world," Hammond stated. We all followed Hammond into the control room. The gate opened but the iris wasn't closed.

"Why isn't the iris closing?" Hammond questioned.

"I'm trying sir. It's not responding. We're showing an increasing loss of power in the base," The technician explained.

"What?" Asked Sam. Suddenly the power went off completely and I glanced around in alarm. I glanced back at the Stargate just as Thor stepped through.

"That's Thor!" Jack exclaimed, racing out of the room. I raced after him with the rest of the team and Hammond behind me.

"Stand down!" Jack shouted causing the guards to lower their weapons.

"Thor, It's good to see you up and around," Jack said.

"I owe you and your team a great debt of gratitude for saving my life," Thor stated.

"Well, here's timing!" Jack muttered.

"Not all of the replicators were destroyed when your ship exploded in the atmosphere," Sam explained.

"Maybe you could help us out?" Jack requested.

"I cannot," Thor replied.

"Why?" Jack asked.

"I have come by Stargate because there are no ships to spare. My home world is being threatened by the replicators. Thus far, all attempts to stop them have failed. I have come here to seek your help," Thor replied.

Suddenly the Gate shut down and the room was plunged into darkness before the power turned back on.

"We're back on line sir," The technician stated.

"Good," Hammond muttered.

"How can we help you?" Jack asked, turning back to Thor.

"Your projectile weapons proved effective in fatally damaging the replicators," Thor said.

"Some," Jack mumbled.

"Your technology and strategy for destroying the Beliskner was successful," Thor continued.

"Yeah, but you guys…"

"The Asgard have tried to stop them. You have demonstrated their weakness may be found from a less sophisticated approach. We are no longer capable of such thinking," Thor continued cutting Jack off.

"Wait a minute, you're actually saying that you need someone dumber than you are?" Daniel asked.

"You may have come to the right place," Jack said. I smirked and shook my head. Definitely came to the right place.

"Thor, with all due respect to your situation we need SG-1 here," Hammond replied.

"Adolfina, Skaara, and I could go, sir," Sam suggested.

"I don't know, Carter. You may not be dumb enough," Jack stated. I glanced over at Jack with raised eyebrows.

"Oh what and Skaara and I are dumb enough?!" I shrieked, placing my hands on my hips.

Jack's face went pale, and everyone else in the room laughed.

"That's ugh that's not what I was ugh..."

Luckily Sam decided to cut in at that moment and save his sorry but.

"I think we can handle it, sir."

"Permission granted," Hammond granted.

Thor activated a device and the Stargate opened instantaneously.

"We must leave immediately," Thor stated.

I followed Sam up onto the ramp with Skaara right by my side.

"Have fun!" Jack shouted.

"Ya sure, you betcha!" Sam muttered.

I shook my and and smiled. Skaara grabbed my hand and the two of us walked through the gate.

THOR'S NEW SHIP

The four of us materialized inside of Thor's new ship and I couldn't help but look around at all the advanced technology. Sam looked out of the view port at a very large ship.

"Wow! That's an impressive looking ship," Sam exclaimed. I nodded my head in agreement.

"The O'Neill was supposed to be our last great hope," Thor stated.

I glanced over at him with raised eyebrows then looked over at Skaara and mouth 'The O'Neill'. Skaara shrugged his shoulders a small smile on his face.

"Yes, it is the most advanced technological Asgard creation yet. It is the first Asgard vessel designed solely to fight in a war against the replicators," Thor explained.

"So, why are we not taking that?" Skaara questioned.

"It is not ready," Thor said.

"Err…where are we going exactly?" Sam asked.

"Five Asgard ships are currently engaging three ships controlled by the replicators, which are on their way here. We are going to join the battle and with your help stop them," Thor stated.

"Ok," Sam muttered.

"For the sake of the Asgard, we must not fail," Thor said.

"Well then no pressure at all what so ever!" I grumbled...

SOME TIME LATER

I stared at the screen in confusion. Thor had put up the schematic of the replicators on the screen, and was currently trying them to us. The thing was I had no clue at all about what he was saying and just from looking at Sam and Skaara I could tell they were having the same problem as me.

"Each individual building block is capable of exerting a reactive modulating monopolar energy field on other blocks allowing the replicators to assemble themselves into many forms. To our knowledge, the interior of each block contains the following; 2 million isolated keron pathways…" Thor explained.

"Wh…What's a keron?" Sam asked.

"In simplest terms it is an energy particle," Thor explained. Sam walked over to Thor.

"I've never even heard of it," Sam said.

"Yes, I am aware," Thor replied.

"Well, how am I supposed to help figure out how to defeat a keron-based technology if I don't even know what a keron is?" Sam asked.

"The Asgard would never invent a weapon that propels small weights of iron and carbon alloys by igniting a powder of potassium nitrate charcoal and sulfur," Thor said.

"Ok, I get your point," Sam muttered.

"We cannot think like you," Thor stated.

"Ok…let's forget about the kerons and try to put this in terms that I can understand. Each block is like its own individual computer, capable of communicating with the other blocks, now multiple blocks come together to form bugs and other things in order to perform various tasks, ultimately for the purpose of replicating," Sam started.

"Correct," Thor said.

"Err…I guess you don't keep any replicators around for study?" Questioned Sam.

"It is too dangerous," Thor responded.

"Of course, how stupid. Just out of curiosity, could say…oh I don't know, two of the individual blocks replicate?" Sam asked.

"It requires several blocks working together to make new blocks," Thor answered.

"Well that's nice to know," I muttered. Suddenly a 3-D virtual representation of a replicator appeared on a stand and the three of us walked over to it.

"It's virtual?" Sam asked.

"It looks real," Skaara murmured, reaching out to touch it. The virtual replicator moved as if to strike him, and Skaara pulled away.

"Wow!" Sam exclaimed.

"It will simulate any behavior we have observed," Thor stated.

For about twenty minutes or so the three of watched the virtual replicator, studying it's movements. My thoughts drifted off to Jack, Teal'c, and Daniel back on Earth dealing with another replicator problem.

"What is your current thinking process?" Thor questioned suddenly.

"Sorry, my mind was wandering for a second there," Sam muttered.

"You were thinking about the humans on your planet," Thor guessed.

"Yes," "Yup," Sam and I said at the same time, while Skaara just nodded his head.

"Colonel O'Neill is a very capable human," Thor said.

"Yes, I know…but these things are…"

"If we are able to stop the invasion of my world I promise we will do all we can to help yours," Thor stated, cutting Sam off.

"That's a pretty big if," Sam muttered.

"Would you like sustenance?" Thor asked.

"Yes, thank you. I'm starving," Sam replied.

I nodded my head, and suddenly a selection of different shaped... colored pellets appeared on a table a right next to us. I eyed the pellet things with suspicion.

"I like the yellow ones," Thor suggested.

Sam and I both picked up at yellow pellet while Skaara watched with raised eyebrows. I took a bite of the pellet and spit it back out. Oh my god that stuff is terrible!

"Oh my god…sorry!" Sam muttered.

I set the rest of my uneaten pellet back on the table. Suddenly the computer screen showed an image of another Asgard talking in another language, then it showed a view of space.

"What is it?" Sam asked. Thor closed his eyes for a second.

"We have lost contact with the rest of the Asgard ships engaging the replicators," Thor explained.

"Well, could it be a communication problem?" I questioned.

"No, the Asgard ships are not being detected," Thor replied.

The computer screen changed to show ships in space which were highlighted in red.

"So what are those?" Asked Sam.

"The replicators," Thor said.

"We're too late!" Skaara stated.

A LITTLE WHILE LATER

Sam was staring up at the computer, while I was just sitting down near Thor. I couldn't help but think of the Asgardian's we couldn't help. I sighed and shook my head. This hole thing is seriously messed up. I mean who in the hell invents mechanical spiders, aren't real spiders bad enough?! Suddenly Sam walked over to Thor.

"So, how long before the replicators reach your planet?" Sam asked.

"Two hours," Thor answered.

"Your ships can go much faster than light speed. I've seen you fly clear across the galaxy in no time," Sam stated.

"Yes," Thor confirmed.

"So why are the bug's ships traveling so slow?" I asked.

"In order to generate the subspace field required to travel at hyperspeed, full power of the generators is required. Presently they are using that power to replicate," Thor explained.

"So, if they did decide to go to hyperspeed it would also mean no shields or weapons," Sam guessed.

"Yes. But remember the replicators do not care about time as we do," Thor said.

"Right, they're not in a hurry. How did they get control of your ships in the first place?" Sam questioned.

"The replicators are capable of modifying our own weapon technology beyond our understanding," Thor said.

"But I thought they learned everything they know from you," Sam muttered.

"It is possible they have gathered knowledge from sources other than the Asgard," Thor guessed.

"The bottom line is, we can't touch them but they could easily take over the ship or blow it to smithereens if they wanted," Sam stated.

"Yes," Thor said.

"So why don't they?" Skaara asked.

"We have shown no signs of aggression and this ship's technology is less advanced than the ships they currently occupy," Thor explained. Sighed.

"I'm not really helping, am I?" Sam asked, moving over to the computer screens. It was several more minutes before anyone spoke again.

"You are tired," Thor stated.

I nodded my head, and rubbed my eyes. They were starting to get heavy. After this hole replicator mess I am going home and sleeping for the next two days.

"Yeah," Sam muttered.

"It is another advantage the replicators have over us. They do not require rest," Thor said. Sam held up a food pellet.

"But they do have to eat?" Sam questioned. I could see the gears turning in her head.

"Yes. In order to replicate," Thor confirmed.

"And they are what they eat, right? What's the strongest material you know of?" Sam asked.

"We have just developed an new alloy of naquada, trinium and carbon. It was used to create the hull of the O'Neill," Thor replied.

"Can that ship reach hyperspeed yet?" Sam asked. I glanced over at with a questioning look.

"Yes," Thor said.

"Can it be flown using autopilot or some sort of remote control?" Sam questioned.

Suddenly I got what she was trying to suggest. She wanted to us the O'Neill as bait.

"Why?" Thor asked.

"So we can get the replicators to chase after it," Sam explained.

"It is possible, however…"

"That ship is every thing they are looking for. It'll look like an all you can eat buffet," Sam stated, cutting off Thor.

"But it is not complete. They will capture it and consume its technology," Thor said.

"Not if you rig it to self-destruct," Sam replied.

"I do not understand," Thor questioned.

"You said that the bugs can't use shields or weapons in hyperspeed. If the O'Neill enters hyperspeed the bugs will have to in order to follow. When they do you blow the O'Neill and take the bugs with it," Sam explained.

"Major Carter. You are suggesting that we destroy the most advanced Asgard attack vessel ever created before it is even finished?" Thor replied sounding almost indignant.

"I know," Sam said.

"The O'Neill is our last hope of successfully attacking replicator-infested ships," Thor stated.

"It won't attack anything if the bugs get to your planet before it's finished. You said yourself, you didn't think the answer had to do with your own technology anymore," I cut in.

"If the replicators do not follow the O'Neill…"

"We have to believe that they will!" Sam cut Thor off.

"If the replicators are able to infest the O'Neill and disable the self- destruct…" Thor started.

"Then they will consume the ship and its technology and we will have created the most advanced version of the bugs yet. I know, it's a risk!" Sam finished.

"A risk we cannot take," Thor stated. Sam sighed and I groaned.

"The whole reason that we're here is because you want me to suggest a strategy that you would never think of. You keep trying to defeat them by building better technology and they keep absorbing it and becoming more advanced. You have to use that against them. We know that they'll go after the O'Neill because it's the most advanced ship that you have. They'll think that you're trying to keep that from them. They won't expect you to blow it up. It's a tactic that they've never seen before," Sam ranted.

"It is a tactic we would never consider," Thor replied.

"Exactly! Otherwise we just stand here and watch them invade your world. I'm sorry, maybe it's a really stupid idea, but isn't that why We're here?" Sam said.

"Then we should try it," Thor conceded. Thor was enveloped in a light and disappeared.

It took ten minutes but Thor finally rematerialized next to Sam and Skaara.

"The O'Neill has been launched," Thor stated. A readout on the computer showed the replicator controlled ships going after the O'Neill.

"They're chasing it!" Sam exclaimed.

"The O'Neill will now enter hyperspeed," Thor said.

The computer showed the replicator ships closing in on the O'Neill, and then suddenly it exploded taking out the three replicator-controlled ships.

"It worked!" Sam shouted.

"Sweet, now that's how you take out mechanical bugs!" I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around
Skaara in a celebratory hug.

"Yes!" Sam said, hugging a surprised Thor bending his head sideways slightly in the process.

"God! I'm sorry, I didn't hurt you, did I?" Sam asked, letting him go.

"I am fine," Thor replied.

"We did it!" Sam stated, smiling brightly.

"It was your stupid idea, Major Carter," Thor said. We all laughed at that.

"Now let's get back to Earth and see if we're needed," I suggested.

Thor nodded his head, and suddenly the ship moved forward. It took five minutes to get to Earth. Thor pressed a few buttons on his console and a bright light lit up the room, and suddenly Jack and Teal'c were lying on the floor in front of us.

"Now that's timing!" Jack shouted, pointing at Thor.

"We came as soon as we could, sir," Sam said. Jack stood up and moved over to be Teal'c.

"Teal'c, you all right?" He asked.

"I am, O'Neill," Teal'c replied.

"I take it things weren't going too well?" I questioned.

"No, we had things handled," Jack denied. I snort and shook my head.

"Sure," I muttered.

"So the bugs are all taken care of down there?" Sam asked.

"Pretty much. You?" Jack answered.

"We kicked their asses!" Sam replied.

"They had had asses?" Jack muttered. I giggled at that and Sam laughed while Skaara just shook his head and smiled.

"The Asgard had this big new ship. The O'Neill," Sam started.

"Oh yeah!" Jack asked surprised.

"…But we had to blow it up," Sam finished.

"Oh!" Jack mumbled disappointed. I smiled at the look on his face.

"The Asgard are most grateful. One day we shall repay you by helping to fight the Goa'uld," Thor said.

"One day?" Jack asked.

"Saving one Asgard planet was a small victory, O'Neill. The conflict with the replicators stretches across my galaxy. Major Carter's strategy worked this time, but the replicators are very intelligent. It may not work again," Thor explained. Jack looked over at Sam, Teal'c, Skaara, and I.

"I get it," Jack said.

"However, now there is hope where once there was none," Thor stated.

"Well if you ever need any more dumb ideas you know where to find me," Sam exclaimed.

"Sam here," I added.

"Until we meet again," Thor said.

"Yeah, hey listen drop by any time. In fact I'll take you fishing. I'd love to do that. There's this lake in northern Minnesota where the bass grow…" Jack opened his arms to show the size, "that big, well…"

Suddenly a bright white light enveloped us cutting Jack off, and we were back on Earth...