Chapter Thirty Six
Realm 2, Deep Space
Bre-tac sat in meditative silence, undergoing Kal Mar Re, while Zephyer sat in comparable silence. Silence, mentally preparing his report.
They had not been thrown into the brig, as the Lieutenant had originally assumed was going to happen. Instead, after a brief conversation with Karken and Sheeyal, they had been escorted to Zephyer's quarters onboard the Crusher, and asked to remain there. Neither one wanted to ruin the obvious beginnings of a fragile trust, so they had agreed.
The Telazian looked at the legendary Jaffa, envying his complete serenity in an unknown situation. Of course, the Jaffa was also a legend among both his own people and the Confederation. Against overwhelming odds, he had shown that he could overcome them time and time again. His victories and tactics were required reading at the Sunak Fleet Academy, to prepare them for the Goa'uld and their ever increasing strength. Superior technology alone was never enough, and his people were flexible. And secretly, many of them wanted to have the chance to face the legend in battle.
The door chimed, catching his attention, and focusing him back on the here and now. "Enter!" he barked, as Bre-tac emerged from meditation, standing up with little trouble.
One of the security guards entered, snapping to attention. "We have arrived at the capital," he reported. "Commander Karken has requested both of you to meet him in the hanger bay. The Praetor has agreed to meet with you."
Bre-tac bowed in thanks as both men started forward, making their way towards the turbolift. To be granted an audience with the supreme leader of the Confederation was an honor reserved for a select few. One did not keep such a man waiting.
The guards accompanied them all the way to the lift, before letting them go on alone. Of course, that was because they were being watched all the way to the hanger bay, but it was the thought that counted.
A second pair of guards met them at their destination, escorting them the rest of the way to where Karken was waiting. He gestured them onboard without a word. The two could understand. He was still going over everything he had been told by them, as well as everything he had seen in their observations. He still wasn't sure if he could trust their information, but he was listening. That was something.
The flight into the massive city was just as quiet, though for a completely different reason. For no matter how many times any Sunak citizen saw it, they were always in quiet amazement at the ship that stood as the space faring civilization's capital.
Bre-tac was in awe of the massive city as well. It was definitely an artificial structure, similar in design to a space station, but it was so huge that it could have easily have been a planet. The outer edges of the space city appeared to be the most recently added, gleaming with metals that hadn't been tarnished by the micro debris of space. The rest of it had apparently been there for years, even centuries, repaired and maintained with the same care as their fleet. He wondered what the center of the massive structure looked like.
He got his answer as they approached the landing pad closest to it. It was easily the smallest and most primitive part of the city. In fact, it looked like it had started off life as a transport vessel of some kind.
Karken looked at the central nexus of their capital, guessing what the Jaffa Master was thinking. "It was one of the five colony transports that were launched all those millennium ago," he explained, the first time he had spoken to them since the briefing. "It was decided that, after the home world's destruction, it would become the civilian flagship of our small fleet. Afterwards, when we found a planet with acceptable resources, as well as our colony worlds, we began building the first of the outer extensions to it, anchoring them there with Naquadah/ deuterium alloy supports. A hundred years later, the Confederation was born, and it became our capital city."
Bre-tac nodded. "Indeed." He leaned back. "Your people have done well. What I do not understand is how you did not become a full scale tyrannical power. The speed in which you developed your fleet would have given you immense power against even the Goa'uld."
"We were not interested in it," Zephyer replied, entering the conversation, while the commander punched in his landing code. "Most of the remnants of other species that we came across had been peaceful worlds, much like ours, who had been forced to flee when the Death Dealer came to their worlds. While we decided to remain in space, the worlds we had settled remained unscathed. We had sufficient resources to help them rebuild. As a result, we became a truly consolidated force. And we never forgot the core of what we once were. We were explorer's first, avengers second."
Karken nodded as he entered the docking port, landing his shuttle with great precision. "It wasn't always smooth sailing. We had a great many growing pains, quite a few corrupt rulers, and three civil wars. But we managed to endure, and grow from our mistakes. We haven't had an internal conflict in over five hundred years."
"Then you are indeed very fortunate. The System Lords have fought like scorpions since before the Tauri destroyed Ra. In fact, it had gotten worse… until this blasted alliance."
Now, that, the two Sunak officers could understand. Before the System Lords had come together as a unified force, they had been far easier to deal with. One Goa'uld didn't have the necessary firepower to stand against the Sunak or the Asgard. Now, not only did they have the firepower, they also had the will. Even after Sakar was destroyed, they were going to be in for a long, hard fight.
Sighing, Karken stood up, making his way to the hatch. "The Praetor will listen to reason," he said. "If Earth can be a valuable ally in this war, then we will rescind out invasion plans, and join them in the defense of their planet… but that is only if you can convince him."
Bre-tac nodded, standing up as well. "Then I shall attempt to be very persuasive," he replied, conviction in his tone. "Of that, you can be certain."
----
Earth, Tokyo
Wendy looked over the vast city, her eyes unwavering in their movement. From this viewpoint, the very top of the Tokyo Tower, she could see all of the damage that had been caused by the attack. From here, she could hear all the sound of many sirens screaming. At this point, she was glad that she wasn't tapping the Force.
She didn't think she could handle feeling the deaths of anyone else right now.
Neverland's destruction… had it really been only one day since to happened? Since Sakar destroyed everything they had fought so hard to protect? There had been no rest, no chance to mourn. They had left one battlefield and graveyard and flew right into another one. And there was still no time to grieve.
If she started to grieve, she wouldn't stop. And she needed to be ready for the next battle, because it was going to come. If it wasn't Galaxia, then it would be the Sunak, or the Goa'uld. They had too many enemies, and nowhere near enough resources to fight them all.
She hadn't seen Peter in a while, not since Aluminum Siren had been taken to Hope Island for interrogation. Which was all right. He needed the time to think. It was his home that had been destroyed. If nothing else, he needed to keep busy. When the battle was over, and if they had managed to survive, then he could let it all out.
But that didn't stop her, couldn't stop her, from thinking about it. About the waste of it all. In her opinion, an opinion that she shared with her family, the only thing war was good for was to keep the population down, and nothing else. Eventually, humanity was going to bring itself to near extinction, if not outright.
Of course, that's only if they survived the next few days.
As she floated there in midair, thinking dark thoughts that were, up until recently alien to her, the Force suddenly came to life once again, whispering a warning. Her eyes shifted slightly, staring off at a point only she could see. A split second later, they refocused, widening in real worry.
An extremely powerful being was entering the atmosphere. A being that sang with malice, unmatched evil, and strength enough to destroy the world. It was enough to send a wave of fear through her.
Letting the fear pass out of her, the young lady looked up, taking note of a golden streak of light. Her senses stretched out almost instinctively, trying to figure out just how dangerous it was.
What she saw was surprising.
The evil, the malice she had sensed before were there, dominant and all consuming… but there was something else within her. A spark of good that was completely at odds with the darkness it. Why should such a creature that destroyed entire civilizations have such a spark? 'Unless,' she thought, a sliver of realization going through her, 'it isn't her soul… but another entity entirely!' Suddenly, things were starting to come into perspective.
Sailor Galaxia hadn't been corrupted, she had been overrun.
Her revelation also brought with it a new sense of urgency, and quite the problem for her. She couldn't kill someone who was a victim herself. That went against everything that she was. The problem was that there was no way for them to do anything else but to kill her. She doubted even Sailor Moon could remove the evil.
Sighing in resignation, Wendy pinpointed Peter's exact location, and flew towards him, to break the bad news. The next battle was coming, and they were needed.
Besides, she had the beginnings of a plan percolating that might help the Golden Senshi be free once again.
----
The Golden streak slammed down almost ten miles from Tokyo, letting out a blinding flash that outshone every light in the city. Energy crackled all around, creating gouges in the ground surrounding it.
Galaxia emerged as the power dissipated, eyes focusing on her target. A smile curled her lips upward, malice coming to the surface. Energy throbbed from her very core, every ounce of power coming to the surface.
She could sense them, the Star Lights, and the Princess within the confines of the city. She could also sense one of the Planetary Senshi, as well as a great many other powerful beings. Her anticipation grew at this bit of information. She was definitely going to enjoy this little sojourn.
Evil grin in full force, she started walking towards Tokyo. No sense in wasting power with instantaneous transport.
Besides, this would allow them to prepare themselves. Victory was more fun when they thought they had a chance.
----
Stargate Command
Hammond sighed, leaning back in his seat. The reports just kept coming and coming with no end in sight. Due to the threat cause by the Sunak, and the inevitable Goa'uld assault afterwards, not to mention the enemies that were already on Earth, the SGC had been made the impromptu base of operations for the entire planet. Now he found himself coordinating quite possibly the largest and most ambitious defense plan ever conceived, and had only so much time to get it set up.
Of course, defending the planet was a made slightly simpler by the fleet of ships in orbit, not to mention the technical help of their Tok'ra and Jaffa allies. A Jaffa was even dropped off by Ma-Ti and Laura who had insider knowledge of the Goa'uld's invasion plans. If nothing else, they would ready for whatever the System Lords threw their way.
Unfortunately, the Sunak were still a problem they had to contend with. Zephyer's debriefing had proven informative on their present mind set, but not their fleet strength. He hadn't been privy to that information.
The General sighed, rubbing his eyes fretfully. He really wished SG-1 was here right now. He could use their input on this particular mess.
"Unauthorized Gate Activation!"
He was out of his seat in an instant, making his way into the Gate Room. "What do we have, Walter?" he demanded.
"We're receiving SG-1's IDC," Walter replied, placing his hand on the Iris Control Pad. "They say they are under attack by Goa'uld. They're requesting the Medical Bay be prepped for incoming wounded!"
"Open the Iris! Defense Team to the Gate Room! Prepare for hostiles! Medical teams, prepare to receive wounded!" If they needed the Medical Bay prepped for injuries, that meant they were also evacuating that M*A*S*H unit as well. Which meant they had had no time to bug out.
The Defense Team was in place, weapons aimed at the Stargate as the Iris folded into the Gate infrastructure, revealing the shimmering maw of the wormhole. Fingers were tense on the triggers, waiting for the command to fire.
Almost immediately, corpsmen in American uniforms from the 1950's began passing through the Gate, carrying men who had obviously been worked on recently on stretcher. There was apparently quite a few of them, as it seemed to be endless.
Next came the nurses and MP's, followed by the actual doctors, one of them obviously the commander of that unit. But no SG-1… or the young woman they had been sent to check up on.
Suddenly, stave blasts emerged from the event horizon, slamming into the far wall. The soldiers ducked their heads to avoid the blasts, grateful that the Gate was upraised slightly. Otherwise, they would have had a few less soldiers.
Suddenly, when Hammond was about to give the order to close the Iris, SG-1, one last army doctor, and Adria Mal Doran came through the Stargate, rushing down the ramp. "Boys, hostiles incoming!" O'Neill shouted as he, Teal'c and Sam got into formation with them, guns ready. "Open fire!"
Five Jaffa emerged from the Gate, already firing… only to be met by a hail of bullets. As the Iris closed behind them, they were taken out in rapid succession, without any hope of reinforcements.
O'Neill let out a sigh of relief as the Gate finally shut down. Obviously, the Jaffa weren't stupid. The Goa'uld knew about the Iris, and were unwilling to send their troops in. Still, that had been entirely too close for his liking.
Hawkeye looked around, taking in the incredibly large chamber around him, just as Adria stood up, brushing her jacket off. "Nice," was all he said.
Adria grinned, taking a look around. "Needs a coat of paint," she noted. "Something nice and cheery… like pink."
Daniel just looked at her for a second. "I don't think the Air Force would like the Gate Room turned into a Goth's worse nightmare, Adria."
A nonchalant shrug was the only answer he received, which instantly made him suspicious. Despite her apparent maturity, he was forcibly reminded that Adria wasn't even a year old yet. Apparently, she was channeling some of the repressed kid that she had.
Hammond entered the Gate Room as the Defense Team made their way out, eyeing each member of SG-1 for a second. "Is everybody all right?" he asked immediately.
O'Neill nodded. "We were barely able to get everyone out, but we did it," he replied. "We had to leave all of their equipment, but the wounded were evacuated." He gestured towards the only other two people still in the room with them. "General, may I present Captain Benjamin Pierce of the M*A*S*H 4077, and Adria Mal Doran, late of the Ori crusade front."
The General nodded, shaking each other their hands. "We'll debrief in one hour. I want to know how they were able to get close without anyone seeing them." He sighed. "It is a pleasure to meet both of you. I just wish it were under better circumstance."
Hawkeye nodded. "So do we, General." He started for the door. "Right now, I need to get to the Medical Bay. Doctor Fraiser is going to have her hands full, and some of those kids were in pretty bad shape before we were attacked."
"In the meantime," O'Neill stretched his arms out, working the kinks out of his body. "We're going to go grab showers. Nothing beats an actual shower with hot water."
"And I'm going to check on the progress made on the communications relay," Sam added, handing her gun over to one of the corporals. "We've only got a few days before hell breaks loose."
"Good idea." Hammond turned to Teal'c. "And before you ask, there has been no word from Bre-tac or Zephyer since they left."
Despite the stoic nature of the Jaffa, there was no mistaking the disappointment and worry in his eyes as he nodded. They hadn't been expecting any word for quite some time. It didn't make it any easier, though.
And on that somber note, they all left the Gate Room.
----
Tokyo
Tanks rumbled. Soldiers marched. Civilians streamed out in herds. Not that Archer saw any of it.
Presently, he, Janeway and Susan were at the command post that had been set up in the heart of Tokyo, discussing a plan of attack with the General and James concerning a sufficient defense against Galaxia. So far, their plan had quite a few holes in it.
The Potters were an obvious choice for the first line. Their power easily surpassed the Golden Senshi, even with the fact that she was a Trainee to boot. Of course, they would be backed by both mortals and gods. MACOS and UN troops were already setting up a defense perimeter at the edge of the city, for all the good they would do. The sentinels were patrolling the skies, watching for any sign of the Golden Senshi. Their objective was to capture and contain Galaxia if possible.
The second line of defense would encompass Planet, Gaia, Wendy, Neptune, Peter and the three Starlights, as well as Japan's own marine force, a security team from Voyager, and another squadron of sentinels. If the first line was to contain, the second line was to seriously hurt her without killing her.
The final line, the safety bunker where Princess Kakyuu had been stashed, contained Sailor Moon, Aluminum Siren, Urd, Belldandy, and the rest of Athena's network. If Galaxia managed to break through all of the way, they were charged with,
A; Getting Kakyuu out of there.
B; Stopping Galaxia by whatever means necessary.
Now all that remained was to see whether or not those three lines would be effective.
Susan set her radio down, relaxing slightly. "First line is in position," she said. "Helicopters are preparing to give air cover in case of retreat, and the Potters have set up a mystical barrier of some kind."
Archer nodded in acceptance, looking at the map before him. "If worse comes to worse, we can still evacuate Kakyuu out through the emergency hatch in the bunker," he said. "But we're going to be cutting it close. Our transporters won't be able to get a lock on her until she's about ten feet from the surface, away from the majority of the heavy metals."
"Voyager's can," Janeway stated. "They're significantly more powerful, and considerably more sophisticated. They might be able to…"
"You'll need to redo your math." Susan interrupted, staring at her. "The mystical emanations surrounding the Princess are more than enough to disrupt any form of scanning equipment. I doubt your sensors are immune to that."
As Janeway made to check that, Archer moved in closer. "What about you?" he asked. "You're obviously very powerful, but that power isn't exactly offensive."
She nodded, before stroking her bow affectionately. "My power doesn't have to be," she replied. "Each arrow is coated with a material that allows them to penetrate any mystical defense, no matter how powerful. I can also transfer some of my magic into my arrows to increase their strength. If nothing else, they'll prove to be distracting." She smirked. "There's also the little fact that I can't be killed by any weapon or power in this universe."
"Lucky you." His gaze shifted to the General. "Are your troops in position?"
The General nodded. "All units are standing by."
He nodded. "Then the only thing left to do… is wait."
Janeway rejoined a few seconds later, shaking her head. "You were right," she said. "We can't get a transporter lock on her. We'll have to wait until she's closer to the surface."
Susan nodded, sighing. "Why couldn't I be wrong for once?"
----
Sailor Moon was presently sitting near the Princess of Kinmoku, trying not to fidget with impatience. Although the plan Captain Archer had developed was sound, and her deployment as a last line of defense was the best use for her abilities, she was still chafing. She had saved the Golden Senshi once before, and she was so much more powerful now. Why couldn't they put her on the first line with the two Guardians?
She already knew the answer, of course. They wanted to weaken her first. They were hoping that the two Guardians and the Starlights would be enough to contain her, but they weren't putting all of their eggs into one basket. If one line failed, then the other two would have to be ready to pick up the slack. And every fight Galaxia had to be involved in would inevitably weaken her. They had to make sure that they could stop her, before she killed them all. She knew that.
She just didn't have to like it.
Belldandy took note of the Moon Princess's rather tense form, but didn't know how to help her. She was someone quite literally out of her time, and forced into the middle of something she hadn't expected to find. Not only that, she knew how to free Galaxia, and here they were, hoping to kill her.
Siren looked up, observing Kakyuu for a moment, before sighing. "Princess?" she asked quietly.
Kakyuu looked at her for a moment, a gentle smile gracing her face. "Yes, Aluminum Siren?" she asked.
"Actually, it's just Siren, now." She took a moment to collect herself. "I just want to say that I'm sorry… for what happened to your planet. I…"
"You have no reason to feel remorse for actions beyond your own control," the Princess interrupted. "Chaos has been known to trick stronger willed warriors than you into joining its cause. The only sin you are guilty of is letting it rule you." She laid a comforting hand on the Senshi's shoulder. "You need to forgive yourself, if you wish to do the right thing. Only then can you find your own redemption… and truly help stop Armageddon."
Siren stared at her for a moment, before nodding, showing that she understood. She turned her attention back to the reinforced steel doors, doors she knew wouldn't hold if Galaxia managed to get past the first two lines. She had a lot to think about, and even more to worry about.
Foremost on her thoughts was Lead Crow. Would she try to come and get her? Or would she remain with Galaxia until she died in battle? What would happen to her when Chaos finally had all of the Senshi Star Seeds?
Would they ever be together again?
The mighty soldier knew that thinking about the future at this critical moment would be nothing more than a death sentence, so she banished the thoughts from her mind. Emotion and thoughts of the future were distractions that impeded people from the true focus of war.
The point of war was to win.
----
Deep Space
It never ceased to amaze Karken.
When he had first come to the capital ship, back when he had been just a fledgling, he had been in awe at the extremely massive design, as well as the incredibly intricate inner design of the oldest parts. He had often wondered what it would have looked like without all of the additions, though he had seen pictures of it. He had also been amazed by how long it, and the other four major colony ships, had lasted.
Even now, thirty five years into his career, and commander of one of the five oldest vessels of the fleet, the capital could hold him in awe, even when he was there for the most urgent of business.
And as he walked along the corridors, Zephyer and Bre-tac following close behind, he knew that he wasn't the only one. Neither one had said a word since they had come here. Then again, Bre-tac was not someone who spoke unless he actually had something to say. Useless banter was not part of the Jaffa training. It apparently wasn't in Zephyer's training either. Not once had he ever participated in small talk.
Karken made a mental note to have a word with him after this was all over.
They arrived in front of the Praetor's office, undergoing the security inspection. The security guard was thrown by the sight of the legendary Jaffa warrior before him, but that lasted only a moment. He merely requested any weapons on Bre-tac's person be handed over, before ushering them in. Obviously, Shar-Ti was waiting for them, and had been for some time.
Unlike his private offices, which were extremely opulent and held at least seven of his harem within, the public office of the Praetor was more utilitarian, designed to remind the people of their past. It was also larger than the private one, considering the fact that it used to be the bridge of the ship. The only place larger was the engineering section, which had been transformed into the Senate Hall.
Karken and Zephyer stood at parade rest, the former bracing himself as he usually did. Even after all of this time, it was still something of a surprise every time he was in the presence of the supreme leader of the Confederation.
Bre-tac took note of the Commander's muscles tensing, and was somewhat confused by it. Why would someone who commanded one of the oldest ships in the fleet, who had the ears of the Praetor, be preparing himself to face him? When he was First Prime of Apophis, he had never shown such worry for simply facing the being.
But then, as the chair holding the man swung around, He understood immediately.
The leader of the entire Sunak Confederation was a human, a member of the very species they sought to destroy.
The Praetor observed them for a second, before standing up, bowing in a show of respect. "Master Bre-tac," he said in Goa'uld, "former First Prime to Apophis, the Snake God. Welcome to Hartras. I am Shar-Ti, Praetor of the Sunak Confederation."
Bre-tac returned the bow, though he stuck with English. "Praetor," he returned in greeting. "I come with greetings from the Tauri… and their spirits of Life and Destruction."
The Praetor stared at him for a moment, coming to a decision, before nodding, gesturing for them all to sit. Bre-tac and Zephyer did so, while the Commander moved to stand beside Shar-Ti. "Considering the fact that they released Lieutenant Zephyer here makes me a little more inclined to listen to whatever pleas they have."
"They do not plead, Sir. In fact, I have come because I have information concerning the Death Dealer that may be of use to you."
"The spirits of their world have been fighting the Death Dealer for nearly a thousand years," Zephyer began. "It appears that their holding action has been most successful. In fact, it has enabled humans who have the power to truly challenge him to arise."
Shar-Ti and Karken traded a look of surprise at this, before looking at them again. "You are joking," Karken stated in disbelief. "Humans are unable to process the power needed to battle Sakar. No species can."
"These two can." Bre-tac shifted slightly. The chair was a little stiffer than he was used to, and he wasn't a young man. "They have the potential to become Guardians."
Now the disbelief turned to shock. They hadn't been expecting that. Of course, none of them knew how a Guardian was chosen, or even what they were. Only that they were very powerful.
Now they knew that they were also human.
Karken kept himself from collapsing, but only with great difficulty. He had sworn that Captain Archer would die the next time they met in battle. Now it seemed that his oath was rather foolhardy.
Shar-Ti, on the other hand, was almost immobile as he processed everything he had learned today. It seemed that the world of which was his birthright was full of surprises. If what Bre-tac said was true, then destroying Earth would do nothing more than focus the Guardian's attention onto the Confederation. And a group of extremely powerful immortal beings were not an enemy one wanted.
Zephyer and Bre-tac remained silent, letting him come to his own conclusions. But they both knew they couldn't wait forever. There were only three days left until the invasion went underway. If they couldn't convince them not cancel it, then nothing would really mattered anymore.
Finally, the Praetor returned his attention to them, observing them shrewdly. "This decision cannot be made lightly," he said slowly, tasting each word in his mouth as he did so. "You will have to speak to Fleet Admiral Dardos. He is the one who assembled the fleet, and set up the strategy of attack. You will also have to speak to the Senate. They are in Emergency Session right now, concerning this very matter. You may be able to convince them that attacking the Earth would not be in their best interests."
Bre-tac nodded. "We shall try then."
"Where is the Admiral?" Zephyer asked.
Karken frowned, thinking hard. "I have no idea," he finally replied. "No one has heard from him since the plan was finalized and preparations made. Perhaps he is onboard the Scimitar."
The Lieutenant nodded to himself. Of course there was a very good chance that he was onboard his personal warship, the most advanced ship in the fleet. From there, he had an almost omnipotent view of the entire fleet. Every commander, including Karken, was answerable to him. He decided whether or not someone was promoted, or was removed from the fleet. Only the Praetor had more authority and power than him.
The Scimitar remained at the capital city for the most part, so the Admiral could access the subspace communication grid that linked the entire Confederation together. It made giving orders to the various vessels out there commands.
It also made finding him all that much easier.
----
"Are you sure this is wise?" Karken asked Shar-Ti, after the guards had escorted Zephyer and Bre-tac from the office. "We have seen such gestures of friendships from other species. Most of them had been ruses set up by the Death Dealer to have us lower our guard."
Shar-Ti nodded, frowning thoughtfully. "For some reason, I believe this is genuine," he replied. "Bre-tac is not someone who makes an offer of friendship unless it is real. And Zephyer is not known to endorse anything unless there was truth behind it. The world of my birth is obviously in dire need of help, and we are on the verge of destroying it, just because it has two all powerful spirits." His gaze lowered. "If there are two people there with the power to become Guardians, then we have to give them that chance."
"It is not just that." The Commander sank down in one of the chairs, rubbing his eyes. "The Admiral is going to want to meet one of the humans, like Captain Archer. And I have sworn to destroy the man."
The Praetor smiled humorlessly. "Then you shall have to break that vow."
----
Earth, Tokyo
"Here she comes!"
That one single warning, spoken with considerable fear and determination, was more than enough send a surge of adrenaline through both Guardians bodies. Despite all of their preparation, despite everything that had happened to them personally, the thought of facing the possessed daughter of a legendary warrior was enough to worry them. She would already know that Guardians were waiting for her. What was more, they knew what she was capable of. Chaos's power would be mixed up with her joint Senshi/ Trainee abilities, enabling Galaxia to hurt them. Which meant they had to hurt her first, and quickly.
Of course, that was only if the woman would approach them at a speed much faster than walking. She obviously thought that it would be a walk in the park. They had to dissuade her on that thinking.
The Golden Senshi stopped just short of the barrier the Potters had erected, cocking her head curiously. Then, as they all watched, she merely brought her fist back, and smashed the barrier as if it was a piece of paper.
Potter tightened her grip on her staff, bringing it up. "Open fire!" she shouted.
The MACO's and UN soldiers quickly did so. Bullets and plasma blasts flew through the air, slamming into Galaxia's armored hide. Lightning strikes from the sentinels rained down from the sky.
Galaxia smirked as the barrage hit her, amused by their pitiful defiance. She started moving faster, until she was finally at a run, charging at them with the singular purpose of destroying them in one shot.
The Potter's attacked as one, meeting her half way with a powerful blast that halted her in her tracks, throwing her back twenty feet. They went right at her, weapons raised.
Galaxia's sword emerged out of nowhere, hilt as black as sin, swinging upward to deflect the bat'leth strike from James. Smirking a bit at the look of surprise on the Guardian's face, she kicked him in the gut, sending him skyward. Leaping to her feet, she whirled, giving a tremendous roundhouse kick to his wife. She flew back, slamming into the defense line with considerable force. The Golden Senshi leapt to her feet, sword raised in front of her in a defensive posture.
James had already righted himself, and charged forward, weapon curving forward in a vicious slice. As bullets showered both combatants, Galaxia blocked, before retaliating. The Guardian was able to stand his ground this time, though still surprised by the sheer amount of power she was utilizing. Obviously, Chaos had been busy learning every nuance it could about the dual nature of Galia Hall, and using it to its advantage.
His wife got back up, took note of the battle raging before her, and charged back into the fray. An energy sword took form in her hand, and she swung it downward as she entered the fray once again.
Galaxia sensed her approach, and quickly forced James away, deflecting the downward swoop with some degree of difficulty. As much as she wanted to kill the two Guardians, her powers still had limits. She needed to end this quickly. Fortunately, she knew how to.
Potter quickly pressed her advantage, blade and staff whipping out like vipers. All she had to do was tire the possessed Trainee/ Senshi out, before locking a set of energy cuffs onto her. It was that simple. Too simple, in fact.
Unfortunately, despite the eons of knowledge running through her and James's heads, all the tactical stratagem and intelligence of thousands upon thousands of Potters that were at their beck and call, they were still inexperienced as Guardians. Galaxia, despite not being a Guardian, despite not even being in control, had five thousand years of combat experience under her belt. One doesn't reach even a hundred years without picking up a few tricks when dealing with superior foes.
So, letting the two warriors believe that they had the upper hand, she prepared her trap.
James noted how the Golden Senshi was retreating, taking leaps back, seemingly putting all of her power into defending herself, and knew that they were on the verge of defeating her. Silently signaling his wife through their bond, he suddenly disengaged, pulling away so his wife could strike the final blow.
Suddenly, Galaxia surged forward, forcing him to block her furious counter offensive while she kicked the Guardian in the crotch. It was a low blow, but highly effective. As he suddenly doubled over, blinded by the intense pain, she bodily picked him up, throwing him into his wife. Energy collected at the tips of her fingers, reaching their peak. "Galaxy Guardian Strike!" she bellowed.
The attack, which was a combination of Senshi and Trainee magic, was rumored to have the strength to hurt even Gods. Galia Hall was the only person to ever successfully merge the two powers, which was supposed to be impossible in on itself. That alone was enough to ensure the Trainee's position in history.
The impossible blending of energy seemed to have survived Chaos's infestation, as it slammed into the two Guardians with the force of a nuclear blast.
----
Wendy staggered back as a powerful energy wave surged through the Force, nearly blinding her with its intensity. It was an intensity that rivaled the sudden skyward blast of energy in the distance. "Bloody Hell," she whispered, blinking furiously. "I think the Potters failed to stop her."
Peter looked at her. "Why do you say that?" he asked.
"You mean, besides the light show? Because I can sense it. They're stunned, in pain. I can also feel the others in the first line. They're dazed, like they had just witnessed some sort of small scale trauma." She shook her head. "I can't sense the sentinels."
Fighter blinked, surprised by this report. "But how?" she asked. "How did she beat two Guardians?"
"Obviously, with the one two things she has abundance of," Maker replied. "Her experience, and her unique blending of magic."
Peter nodded in understanding and sorrow. "Well, we knew that some of us weren't going to make it. It's a part of war." His attention shifted. "And our part is fast approaching. Everyone get ready!"
Wendy's sky blue blade shot out as the silhouette of a rather tall woman approached, breathing in to try and center herself. This battle was definitely going to make everything that came before look like practice.
It made her wonder what the battle with Sakar was going to be like when he returned.
----
Stargate Command
The Infirmary was in a form of controlled chaos.
Doctor Fraiser was barking orders to her staff, having them get the most critically wounded into the Operating Room. Colonel Potter and Hawkeye were making sure that the procession of wounded went smoothly. The other doctors and nurses were busy checking the wounded that came through the Gate, making sure that they hadn't aggravated their wounds.
Adria watched this as they made their way through slowly, knowing that she had made the right choice in coming to them for help. And that she had made the right choice in helping them.
Of course, this wasn't the SGC that she had heard about. This was one from an earlier time and, unless she was mistaken, had been activated a great earlier than its counterpart. Still, Stargate Command was Stargate Command, no matter how you slice it. They could help her get her mother and her friends back.
And she could help them stop this new threat they were facing.
BJ walked up to her, watching her as she watched the controlled pandemonium within the Infirmary. He grinned a little at the rather intense look of concentration on her face. "You look like you've been thinking," he said in greeting. "One year olds aren't supposed to think about anything except breakfast, lunch, dinner, and getting the attention of their parents. They also have to have their diapers changed periodically."
"Most one year olds aren't the child of an Ori," Adria replied, smirking as she turned around. "They also don't have to worry about whether or not fire is going to shoot out of their eyes."
"Good point."
Her gaze shifted back to the Infirmary. "How's everyone doing?" she asked.
He rubbed his face, the weariness that came from seeing so much death coming over him. "We got lucky. Your throwing that shield up around the complex kept the majority of the blasts away. If it hadn't been for you… we would have lost a lot of people."
"You have Doctor Fraiser to thank for that, too. Apparently, Trainee and Ori powers can complement each other."
"I'll remember to thank her, then." His gaze shifted towards the woman in question, watching her effortlessly issue orders to the people around her. "Why aren't you helping? I figured that someone with healing powers could take care of the most seriously injured."
"I did, at first. Unfortunately, my powers have limits, and I was really reaching deep. She finally told me to stop and get some rest. Hence, here I am, watching."
Now that, he could understand. "Well, as much as I would love to stand here and watch with you, I need to get back to work." Putting his mask back on, he entered the room in question, moving towards a patient.
The Orici pushed herself off the edge of the door, making her way down the hallway. If nothing else, she could get something to eat. She hadn't eaten since the attack, and she was starving.
She took two steps… and suddenly felt something shoot across her mind. Something powerful… something different. Something that she had never felt before in her life.
And they were on Earth right now, fighting half a planet away.
----
Potter slowly managed to climb to her feet, feeling like she had just been sucker punched by an Olympian God. She had had no idea that Galaxia's ultimate attack could hurt so much, but the fact she had two different sources of magic at her disposal should have been a dead giveaway.
James also got to his feet, pushing a dead sentinel off of him. "Man, I should have listened to the tactical briefing on her a little more closely," he said, groaning in agony. There were definite signs of damage to his body. His armor was cracked and smoking on his left side, and the unmistakable smell of something burning was in the air. It was most likely coming from the nearly blackened left hand he now had.
Lily was sure that she didn't look much better. The whole left side of her face felt like it had roasted over an open fire. Tentatively touching it, she recoiled almost immediately at the overwhelming pain. She was healing, but very slowly. "Bloody Hell," she gasped, almost falling down. Hearing about it and experiencing it were two entirely different things. Obviously, Chaos had spent quite a bit of time learning everything she could of her new host.
A resounding explosion caught her attention. Whirling around, wincing at the sensation of burnt flesh moving, she caught sight of golden energy lashing out into the sky. "Looks like Galaxia had collided with the second line of defense."
"Well, we're no good to them until we regain at least our full mobility." James cradled his burnt hand to his chest. Already, the black was slowly giving way to new formed flesh and skin. "I don't know about you, but I really don't want to face off against her with only one good hand."
On that, she had no argument for him. Instead, she took a look around the battlefield, noting the number of soldiers struggling to get to their feet, and was overwhelmed with sadness. They had gotten lucky. Only two MACOS weren't getting up, but they were still breathing, at the very least.
Whether or not the second line would fare just as well was up for debate.
----
Galaxia apparently decided not to take her time for this line. She was already charging full tilt at them, which was comparable to the speed of a cheetah. She covered half of the distance between them when the first burst of phaser fire hit her.
Peter and Wendy were already flying forward to meet her, blocking her first attack with relative difficulty. They quickly pushed back, before shooting off in two separate directions.
"Sailor Star Uterus!"
"Sailor Star Inferno!"
"Sailor Star Laser!"
"Neptune Deep Submerge!"
The four Senshi attacks, coupled with the attack force of Athena and her fellow Gods and Goddesses, slammed into Galaxia hard and fast. She staggered back a few feet, somewhat surprised by the ferocity of the assault. Plus, the light from the God's attacks were blinding. No matter how advanced the eyelid, sudden bright illumination could still overwhelm it.
But she didn't need her eyes to see her opponents. She could feel the air molecules shifting as they threw their hands forward, as the Jedi fledgling and her beloved friend swooped down again. She felt that all, and created a perfect picture as to what her next move would be.
Wendy was within a few feet of Galaxia, ready to engage her once again, when the Force literally screamed a warning at her. She was too close to dodge, and blocking wouldn't be possible. She quickly altered her trajectory, angling her blade as much as she dared.
Her own human instincts served her well, but only to a point. Galaxia's sword, which had been thrust forward, was deflected enough not to kill her. Unfortunately, Galaxia smashed her across the back of her head with her boot, sending her head first into the nearest wall. She slumped to the ground, dazed.
The three Starlights charged in as one, slamming into her from all three sides. Neptune tried to sneak up from behind, hoping to at least distract her while the heavy weights weakened her. She could already see Peter checking on Wendy, who was already shaking off the effects of a collision with a wall, and knew she would be all right.
Now if only she could say the same for the rest of them when this was over.
----
Upper atmosphere
A distortion began forming at a spot almost directly above the skies of Tokyo. Exotic particles that didn't exist in space were making themselves present to every ship in orbit, indicating that some sort of doorway was on the verge of opening. Considering what they had seen, and how two of those ships arrived in orbit of Earth, that wasn't surprising.
What was surprising was that it was a very small distortion, probably large enough for a single humanoid lifeform. But if that was the case, why was it forming in an area where there was no air to speak of?
The answer wouldn't become clear to them immediately, but it did come through in near spectacular fashion.
Shayera Hall exited the portal she had created between Zion and Realm 2, shooting straight down towards Earth. She had to get into the battle as quickly as possible... if there was still a battle going on, that is.
----
Star Fighter hit the ground, trying to shake off the effects of the powerful right hook she had just been subjected to. She saw Maker lying in a crumpled heap near some debris, caused by her being thrown into it by Galaxia.
Healer was presently getting her head beaten in, as the Golden Senshi launched a seemingly endless barrage of punches at her. Neptune was busy trying to struggle to her feet, having been dazed by a casual backhand. None of them were going to be in a position to do anything.
Peter and Wendy, on the other hand, were able to do something about that. Though Peter didn't possess superhuman powers like the Senshi, and Wendy was still a novice in the ways of the Force, they did have two things going for them.
They could fly… and they had the element of surprise.
Both were used to perfect effect in this instance, as they rocketed from out of nowhere, catching Galaxia in her blind spot. The Senshi was forced to drop her prisoner as she struggled to remain on her feet from an impact that was akin to a rampaging rhino. She had lost her grip on her sword a while ago during the Senshi gang up, and hadn't had time to retrieve it.
The two mortals continued their offensive, blades reappearing and slashing at the Golden Senshi. Said Senshi was forced to use her golden bracelets to block the sword, and had no alternative but to dodge the sky blue energy blade. Apparently, Chaos hadn't given the people living on Earth enough credit.
Energy began collecting once again in her hand. However, in this instance there wasn't a hint of Trainee energy in it. This was purely Senshi energy.
This was an attack that Galia had perfect during her all too brief tenure at the Academy. Powerful in its own right, but not a power one would use against Gods.
"Galaxia Inflation!"
From Galaxia's hand emerged a super dense energy string, a string that was only half as dense as the degenerate matter found in a Neutron Star. It was still dense enough to cause incredible destruction to whatever it hit. Only a Senshi transformed stood a chance at surviving such an attack.
Wendy immediately got in front of Peter, swinging her lightsaber down on the approaching string. At the same time, she used the Force for two entirely different objectives at once.
The first was to create a force field around herself. She had no idea if it was going to work, but to not do anything would be a death sentence for sure. And if there was one thing she wanted to do, it was live.
The second thing she did was use it to push everyone within range as far from them as possible. The soldiers would get the hint and regroup near the final defense point before the bunker. If that string reacted the way she thought it would react, then there was about to be a rather large hole in the middle of the street.
As it turned out, she was right. The moment her blade started slicing through the string, it literally detonated in spectacular fashion.
----
Archer's eyes widened as the street trembled underneath him. Looking up, he saw a gout of flame shooting up into the sky. That alone was enough to tell him that the second line had failed to hold her back.
Janeway, who had witnessed the Borg plow through an entire defense line, and who had seen species with technology that made their own seem insignificant, was stunned. "What…?" was all she was able to get out.
"They failed," Susan replied, starting forward. "Sailor Moon, Sailor Aluminum Siren, Belldandy. You all need to get into position. She has broken through the secondary line." She paused for a second. "Captains, General, I suggest you all get out of here as quickly as possible. Athena, you and your network get the Princess into Yggdrasil as quickly as you possibly can. I doubt we will be able to hold the line for long."
"Understood," Athena replied.
Archer and Janeway looked at each other, nodding as one in agreement, and started forward. They were going to help delay Galaxia.
The Queen stopped them both. "Listen, you two. If Galaxia manages to take you down, the when the invasion comes, we will be short two very experienced starship captains. The best thing you can do is return to your ships, and wait."
"For some reason, I don't think we're going to get that chance," Janeway replied, looking in the distance. "Because we have incoming!"
There, charging down the street liking a bull, was the Golden Senshi herself, still looking as pristine as ever. Her sword was back in hand, ready to be used.
Strangely, Susan was no longer so adamant that they leave.
And here it is. Chapter Thirty Six for your inspection. Please let me know what you think of it.
As promised, the next chapter will hold the battle between Galaxia and Shayera, so please stay tuned.