Fighting the Gods
A/N; I've had a lot of stick about mentioning Michael's feelings for Ryver in the last chapter. So much so in fact that I almost went back and removed the scene and then I realised that I didn't care about those few people bitching about it. I'm an author with an account full of slash stories so people really shouldn't be surprised. I will say however that I have no intention of giving Harry a partner in this story although there will be mentions of past lovers both male and female through Kel'ac. The detail about Michael and Ryver's relationship in this chapter is about as graphic and detailed as their relationship will get in this story.
That said I thank everyone who has given me their support for this story and have waited so patiently for this update and I can only say how sorry I am that it wasn't sooner.
Chapter 37; Anubis
Peldaniken Taous
Harry woke and gazed sideways at Michael who was wrapped up in the thick duvets. More of a comfort thing than because he was cold. Harry sighed, Michael was starting to miss Ryver but then again so was Harry. It had been a month since they'd returned to Peldaniken Taous after the situation with the Tollans and Melatai and they'd both gotten stuck into work and with daily reports coming in from the Kalona they knew that Ryver was safe and nothing too serious was happening at school. Ryver was still taking stick for his Parseltongue but had calmed down about it himself when Harry had shown he shared the same skill and the Kalona was now looking for snake signatures within Hogwarts but without any luck.
Back on Peldaniken Taous and with Michael missing Ryver more since Harry and Kel'ac had talked to him about his feelings for their brother he'd decided to spend more time with Michael. They worked together on most projects now and the labs in their new home were enormous and very well suited for their needs. The one hundred story building was mostly gardens and walkways but even with only forty of the floors actually internal that left then all with massive space especially between just the three of them. They had guest rooms of course but the only other person still in the Alteran section of the city was Daniel Jackson's grandfather and he lived in another building of his own choosing closer to the Furling section.
Harry stood from the bed and went for a shower and dressed before going out onto his balcony and the down the outside of the building to their private garden that was an entire open floor of the tower taking out an entire four story section of the tower with their rooms and communal area above them. It was such a large space it had a few streams and notably trees built throughout it and the view was immense. There was another open area above them but that was for the Quetzalcoatl, Kalona and Aevis.
He gazed out from the edge for a while knowing that Michael would be up soon and looked up at the glittering lights above him. Michael's new satellite net over the planet was almost complete and at night they merged with the stars but glittered as they held their positions but just after dawn and before sunset when the sky wasn't too bright they stood out. The control station, the four rings interwoven like a sphere hung visibly above the planet right above the city. It would be finished in another month or so and would be powered again by an Arcturus Generator that would feed its power into the entire grid making this system the most powerful planetary defence in the known Universe. Until then the Avaria control station would continue to monitor this region of space for their protection. But eventually the Avaria would hang within the large orbital satellite system.
The Praenuntius was structurally complete and was taking up most of Harry's spare time recently as they tested the systems and prepared to start her trials and the Avaria had already started work on the updated Guard Ships. They would be larger than the originals but Harry, Ryver and Michael liked the look of them because they spoke more to the Alteran legacy than the Constellation Class ships that had become the protection of the Alterans. They would be powered by Arcturus Generators again and rather than using drones for offence would have the latest in energy projectile weapons and an arsenal of the new phase-capable missiles for emergencies.
Harry currently had plans to build six of them over the next year to give him the number of ships that would allow him to respond to problems in this galaxy, especially if Anubis continued to cause problems with the Goa'uld and even told the Goa'uld of the truth behind the bluff.
Harry turned his head as Kel'ac's attention focused on Michael as he walked down vine-hidden spiral staircase from above them. Michael always walked from one place to another within their home and for the most part so did Harry, realising how nice it was to just take his time now and then. On any given day they could be transported a dozen times to different projects.
"A week and the Praenuntius will be ready for her trials." Michael commented as he stopped next to Harry and then hugged him as soon as Harry turned to smile at him. "I'm not reading your mind, it's just all you've been thinking about lately."
"I've been thinking about a lot of big projects actually." Harry smiled.
"Big like the Astari and Praenuntius?" Michael frowned. "Or the satellite guard?"
"No. Bigger really." Harry laughed. "Not my projects though."
"Oh you mean some of the experiments from the last generation of Alterans?" Michael nodded.
"It's not right to just ignore all their work." Harry shrugged. "The Constellation class were one of the last things they left in this galaxy. Those and the databases."
"That was when the plague was spreading right?" Michael guessed.
"The height of their power." Harry nodded. "About twelve thousand years ago. That's the oldest data we have from the databases alone."
"But the Asgard had the updated database right?" Michael looked at Harry, knowing this from their own research.
Harry nodded. "The latest Alteran science is just under ten thousand years old. When they brought the database back with them from the Pegasus Galaxy and passed it onto the Asgard before they either Ascended or joined the humans on the Tau'ri world. On Earth."
"Not including what you, me and Ryver have done in the last few years." Michael nodded happily.
"Last week I decided I wanted a bit of a change from using the combined database to make the best weapons and ships." Harry smiled at Michael. "Can I show you something downstairs?"
"You going to finally let me into your floor?" Michael grinned excitedly. It wasn't really Harry's floor but Harry had asked Michael's permission to reorganise the internal walls on one of the floors about five levels down from the garden and Michael had agreed and then also agreed to let Harry work alone on it.
Harry nodded and led Michael to an Alteran transport chamber which deposited them in the middle of the building on the forty-ninth floor. They walked out into a large open room with sleeping consoles designed so that Harry could bring Asgard, Nox and Furlings in to work in an emergency. The walls were solid black and belied the fact that the entire room could turn into a holographic display, removing all signs that they were in the building. Around the edge of the room were a dozen doors but only a number of them had plaques on the door.
"Welcome to the Repository of Lost Causes." Harry announced with a sarcastic flare.
"What is this place for exactly?" Michael asked.
"To try to connect to those 'lost causes' and study them. Learn from them in my free time and maybe see what can come of them."
"Atlantis?" Michael asked looking at the closest door to their right. The doors were set up to circle the room and as Michael walked to the door it swished open to show a reasonably sized room with wall to ceiling windows on the outside of the building. Harry followed him into the doorway.
"I've connected this room permanently to the three Asgard Satellites that they've spared to travel around the Pegasus Galaxy." Harry announced before tapping on the power switch for the room's sleeping consoles. They woke up with a hum and a holographic display appeared in the middle of the Pegasus Galaxy stretched out to cover half the room. Prominent worlds and territories were displayed as well as a green dot labelled Atlantis.
"You've got real time?" Michael asked.
"I have real time on the satellites." Harry nodded. "And the Asgard have designated thirty of the new range of satellites to be sent to Pegasus which will give us a more real time view of the Galaxy itself."
"And Atlantis?" Michael asked as he poked at the small green dot knowing it would react. The galaxy vanished even as the windows shaded a little to give them a better view. A world appeared in good quality but only a dot showed where Atlantis was. "You haven't been able to find the city." Michael stated rather than asked.
"That was its last known position." Harry sighed. "Compensating for the shift in the ocean bed it should be on the bottom of the ocean right there but there's too much water for these satellites to pick up anything."
"And if Atlantis is on the bottom her shields, along with the water, would hide her from all but the most intense close range scans." Michael nodded.
"Show Wraith." Harry requested the room and instantly the galaxy appeared and red dots flickered up all over the screen with small dates and times attached to each along with small courses to show where the satellites had seen them.
"Holy…" Michael gasped. "There are thousands of them."
"Hence why the Atlanteans, as they called themselves, sunk the city and abandoned it. The Guard Ships weren't strong enough against their numbers." Harry tapped on one of the real time images and the hologram vanished to show the location of the satellite as a blue line and dot and then a holographic image of two Wraith Hive Ships. "They have Hives like these and then smaller cruisers, transports and combat ships. They fight but rarely destroy each other but more of their ships replace them. Only about fifty Hives are ever active in Pegasus at any one time because the human population can't support anymore."
"That I read about." Michael sounded sick and Harry sympathised.
"The Alteran's greatest mistake." Harry sighed.
"One day we'll blast our way in there with a dozen ships and wipe them out." Michael declared. "One day."
"When our own galaxy isn't screaming for help." Harry sighed.
"After Anubis and the Goa'uld are gone." Michael nodded.
"And maybe not even then." Harry sighed. Michael and Ryver knew perfectly well that Harry felt in his gut that something even bigger lurked around the corner. It wasn't really Anubis that the Ascended warned him about.
Harry led the way back out of the room and to the next door. "This one is awesome." Harry told Michael as the door opened and he activated the sensors. "If I can find the damn thing."
Michael staggered in shock at the hologram that appeared. Galaxies beyond galaxies heading along in a line with the Milky Way on one end and a hundred or more along the line. "That's…"
"A long way." Harry nodded before moving to a console and bringing up a separate image. "This is Destiny." He announced as a sleek-looking ship appeared in place of the Galaxy chart. "She's only seven-hundred-forty-seven metres in length."
"That's old." Michael looked over the design. "But definitely Alteran."
"She's sixty million or more years old." Harry announced and Michael gaped at him in shock. "Alteran's go a long way back." Harry laughed. "They launched this when the Furlings were just finding their feet in space but the Nox and Asgard weren't even in a form we now recognise. She's so old that it took me months to gather all the relevant material on her."
"She's out there?" Michael asked. "Or is this a project to rebuild her model?"
"She's only a fraction of the Astari's size." Harry shook his head. "She's outdated but her purpose is truly something else."
"What?" Michael stared at the ship in wonder. Harry could see the cogs turning in his head, incorporating her design into his own schemes. Michael was their greatest advocate for recreating ships in the true Alteran fashion. To keep the Alteran legacy alive.
"They didn't launch her first." Harry announced. "Before her they launched thirty Seed ships."
"Seed ships…" Michael frowned. "Stargates!"
"The project was launched only fifty years after this galaxy was seeded by Stargates." Harry nodded. "The seed ships spread out along this path, scanning for viable planets and placing Stargates. They and the Destiny were all on autopilot, not a single living being on them. The Seed ships transmitted data on what they found back to the Destiny so that she could plot the most expedient course through the galaxies."
"Going somewhere in particular?" Michael asked.
"The Alterans of the day wanted to look out beyond the edge of the Universe." Harry told him simply. "The whole project was like a time capsule. So that one day their descendants could travel out to the Destiny and see what was out there. Could study her collected data of all of these Galaxies."
"One day?" Michael frowned before realising. "They had no way to breech the gap in the Galaxies by wormhole."
"They had only the power to travel by ship and to link gates within Galaxies." Harry nodded. "The Stargates in the Milky Way are actually generations newer than the originals. Much more powerful. The ones the Seed ships laid can only link up to about a fiftieth the span of a normal galaxy."
"So they were waiting for a future generation to build the technology to get out that far and to the Destiny." Michael nodded. "That's forward thinking. No hyperdrives?"
Harry laughed. "Not for tens of millions of years."
"Then what?" Michael frowned.
"Slipstreaming." Harry announced.
"I looked at that technology." Michael nodded. "Couldn't find a use for it."
"That's why I never built in the capability for the Astari or any of the new ships." Harry nodded. "The Destiny and the Seed ships are also powered by fusion collectors."
"Whoa in terms of Earth technology." Michael pointed out. "Serious whoa. Not much to stand up for against ZPM technology. So where is she now?"
"No idea." Harry shook his head and brought back up the multiple galaxies before centring on Earth. "The plotted course out of the Galaxy would have taken it through the Furling's home galaxy and then onwards but the technology of the day lost the Destiny half way to the Furling's home. That's all I knew when I opened the project."
"So the rest of this route?" Michael asked as Harry zoomed out and then highlighted an object five Galaxies out. "A Seed ship?"
"The only one I've found." Harry nodded. "It was disabled fifty-five million years ago. Pretty good going saying it was five million years old when it broke down. It has the ability to get power and transmit on its datalink to the Destiny and thus I could lock in on that signal and I have a five day relay with it."
"Five day relay?" He asked.
"What it tells me is already five days old." Harry explained. "That's the time it takes for my subspace technology to reach it."
"That's still impressive at this distance." Michael told him and Harry laughed at Michael trying to cheer him up. "Where did it last see the Destiny?"
"It had a lock on the Destiny for five million year give or take." Harry announced. "From the Destiny's launch and out past it after it broke down until it left the datalink's range. Normally if the seedships were to get out of range they'd slow to make sure they were in range of Destiny or another seedship. That way the network remained strong but with this one disabled they left it behind.
"How do you know all the rest of the route then?" Michael asked.
"I don't really but I know where the Seed ships were supposed to travel and the computer's been using our deep space telemetry to look at the composition of all the stars and try to plot the most likely course for the Destiny to navigate. Not easy to do but the Destiny isn't interested in the planets themselves like the seedships are. She'll just jump between the perfect type stars for refuelling and then go for the smallest gap between the galaxies. The computer's been running guesses at her speed to try to work out where she might have ended up but its guess work because of the varying time for refuelling, varying cool down times as she grew older and even reduction in speed as her Slipstream got older."
"Assuming she's still in one piece." Michael pointed out. "Even if old age hasn't taken her apart who knows what civilisations inhabit those galaxies."
"I've assumed she's still working." Harry shrugged. "No point looking at this project otherwise."
"True." Michael nodded. "And if you find her?"
"Next room." Harry announced and walked out of the room and straight across to a room on the opposite side of the central station. He walked inside and once again activated the room to show a new project he'd been working on.
"That's the Arcturus Generator." Michael frowned. "Why?"
"To push even further." Harry told him. "Why be satisfied with what we have just because it's the greatest ever made?"
"So this is making a power source greater than the Arcturus Generator?" Michael asked.
Harry accessed one of the control panels and the hologram of a basic Arcturus Generator vanished to be replaced by a Stargate. "Uh…?" Michael asked.
"Ye of no faith." Harry rolled his eyes and accessed the console again and put up the Astari for reference.
"Fucking hell!" Michael gasped at the sight of a stargate capable of allowing the Astari to pass through it. "And the Arcturus Generator can power this?"
"I've done the research. Using one Arcturus Generator and a second Stargate like this I could put the Astari across this Galaxy." Harry told him.
"Which the Vortex Drive can do on an off day." Michael turned to look at him. "And you'd be anchoring its destination too…"
Harry adjusted the view again and the Stargate changed shape. Eight long spires intersected the ring of the gate just like the spires of the Astari but all of the same length but about the length of the Astari's largest ones.
"Unanchored exit." Michael nodded and watched a simulation of the Astari passing into an open wormhole and emerging in open space just on the outside of the Galaxy. A bit further than their original test with the Vortex Drive on the Astari. "Lets you unanchor the destination but still…"
Harry grinned and Michael frowned. "What did you do?" Michael gave him a sceptical look.
Harry laughed and changed the design again. At the base of each of the eight spires a sphere formed and the hologram showed the Stargate device's design from the inside as it built on layers. The basic Stargate ring followed by eight Arcturus Generators evenly spread out around the Ring and then on the back of the ring Vortex Drive, Hyperdrive and main shield generators before the spires grew out in front and behind each Arcturus Generator adding the aiming systems for the Stargate's wormhole and its own Vortex Drive before weaponry began loading along the spires and finally a Stardrive built on the rear of the Spires. "Fucking hell, Harry."
"Why not go all out?" Harry asked. "If I'm building something that could open up eighteen Galaxies for near instantaneous travel for any ship then it needs to be well protected and we can't just assume it will always remain secret or escorted."
"Hang on, I see a flaw." Michael told him. "The Vortex Drive needs to be central."
"Ahah!" Harry grinned and changed the display again and as they watched the spires moved around the outside of the ring until four were around each side close together opposite the other four and then the ring cracked at the point they joined and the bottom and top folded forwards ninety degrees until they met in a semi-circle linking the two sets of spires together. The Vortex Drive, which had been placed at the bottom of the ring now sat perfectly central and the eight Arcturus Generators sat bunched up together. The display shifted a little and a simulation of the Astari came up under it, its own spires carefully navigating through until the ring of the folded Stargate docked with the Astari until the ship seemed a perfect whole.
"It's like Transformers." Michael laughed and Harry shot him a confused look. "Never mind." He grumbled. "But this is awesome! Why'd you keep it a surprise?"
"Because we can't start work on it until the first batch of guard ships are complete and I'll need to test the theory extensively first." Harry sighed. "I also need to wait for the Praenuntius to be complete so we can attach the two Arcturus Generators into the Vortex Drive of one or the other and see what happens."
"So with eight times the power how far could it put the Astari?" Michael asked.
Harry grinned and pulled up a galaxy chart, expanded it massively and overlayed a red circle for the distance. "Ryver will flip!" Michael laughed happily.
"If you think of any whacky ideas let me know. I've still got eight rooms in this complex to play with." Harry grinned at Michael who grinned back excitedly.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Three weeks later
"Michael showed me your latest plan for a toy." Ryver told him in a quiet moment as the Praenuntius started charging up her Arcturus Generator for the first time. Ryver was back for the weekend from school for the first tests of the Praenuntius and he'd spent the day yesterday with Michael exploring their new home and Harry had given the two some space in case things got more personal. Ryver hadn't mentioned anything about what Michael and Harry had talked about almost a month ago about his feelings for Ryver but Ryver was a private person when it came to Michael.
"You don't approve?" Harry mock frowned.
"If it distracts you from everything going wrong in this Galaxy then I'm all for it." Ryver shrugged. "Besides something that incredible will give the Goa'uld a serious reason to pause in attacking us. If they realise we can put any ship anywhere we like in this entire section of the Universe almost instantly they'd rethink it if they realise we don't have all that many ships."
"But you think I'm right in continuing the new Guard ships first?" Harry checked.
"We need more than two ships." Ryver nodded. "Even as incredible as they are. If the Goa'uld get into fights they need to see more than just the Astari and Praenuntius even if they become terrified of them. They'll realise we might be powerful but we're still limited. If Guard Ships start responding to the Goa'uld System Lords then it frees this ship and the Astari to deal with anything involving Anubis."
Harry watched with Ryver from back of the bridge as Michael took the lead in running up the Arcturus Generator and the testing of all the primary systems in turn. It was quicker this time after having used the exact same systems on the Astari. Michael was having the time of his life as he slowly brought this newest predator into existence.
"It'll be another four months before all of the Guard Ships are completed but conceivably I could start building the gateship, whatever we call it, in two months once some of the internal docks are freed up and the Guard Ships are docked in space for the mini-Arcturus Generators to go in. The Guard Ships still had all the same systems as the Astari and Praenuntius but as they were all smaller they didn't need the massive sized Arcturus Generator which would have required the Guard Ship to be doubled in size and they had already been redesigned to be twice the size they were originally.
"What's first?" Ryver asked.
"Getting the Council's go ahead." Harry shrugged.
"But the only new piece of equipment is the Gate itself and that's firmly Alteran technology." Ryver frowned.
"But Avaria is being used by all of the races and so far I've been dictating what it builds." Harry pointed out. "I'd feel better running it by them first. I've got a council session scheduled for introducing the ship after the Praenuntius is up and running."
"Instantaneous travel for the Asgard back to their home world in case of Replicator attack." Ryver pointed out making Harry jump in surprise. He hadn't thought of that but it did make a massive contribution to the Asgard. "They'd definitely not say no."
"And as the Nox would see it, it isn't a battleship as such." Harry mused. "Yeah it's got a massive arsenal but that's for protection. It's not designed to go into battles itself."
"There is that." Ryver nodded as both sensed the massive Stardrive under them burst into life. It was completely silent and they didn't actually feel the vibrations through the deck but they'd felt the surge of power through technology. Something Ryver was getting very good at.
"How is school?" Harry asked as the Praenuntius made its first move on its own away from the gravity field of the planet.
"It's been quiet since Colin Creevy was attacked by whatever snake it is in the Chamber." Ryver told him. "McGonagall just asked for those staying for Christmas. I told her I was going to stay with you for a while and she seemed happy with that."
"I'll drop a line to Graham so he can come up with an excuse if she drops in." Harry nodded. "I'm sure he wont mind."
"And the Kalona has had no luck finding any monster." Ryver told him.
"I expect it's protected by so much magic the sensors can't pick anything out." Harry nodded. "Otherwise the Wizards would have found it months ago."
"Really the only thing exciting was the few mishaps under Cheyenne Mountain that I monitored and told you about." Ryver told him. "They've learnt not to call you at every turn."
"They understand the position we're in with regards to helping them." Harry sighed. "Even from alien invasion." One of the few hostile alien races that had survived the Goa'uld had learnt of Earth when SG1 had stumbled onto one of their worlds but luckily the humans had gotten away unscathed. Then a malfunction with the Stargate had trapped Teal'c in the buffer. Ryver had taken the lead with that one and had had a plan in case the humans didn't work it out but luckily it hadn't been needed.
"How about lessons?" Harry asked.
"Don't really learn much useful in lessons anymore. Not anything that makes me think magic is the answer to anything we need." Ryver shook his head. "But I'm learning some cool stuff in the library in my spare time and magical meditation techniques are good for our Alteran and Ascended powers. I'll show you some over Christmas. And there's an awesome book on Animagus' that I stole from the Restricted Section with the Kalona's help."
Harry laughed and wrapped an arm around his twin's waist. "We miss you here."
"I know." Ryver smiled. "But Hogwarts is only a few years and I want to see it to the end."
"I know." Harry nodded. "Michael misses you too you know?"
"He's acting a little weird this weekend." Ryver told him quietly as Michael started prepping for a micro-hyperspace jump.
"How so?" Harry asked. "All I see is an overly hyperactive boy."
"You sound like Kel'ac." Ryver laughed. "But you realise he didn't try to hug me the instant I beamed down. I had to hug him and it took him a while to relax. Did he have a really bad nightmare or something just before I arrived?"
"Not sure." Harry shrugged even though he knew Michael had worked himself up about his crush on Ryver to the point he thought that any affection would show him up in front of his best friend.
"Ready for jump!" Michael called and looked back at the two of them. Harry grinned but he'd already told Michael to go for it with the tests knowing that if a big battle started he'd be on the Astari and Michael would be on the Praenuntius. Granted it was a joint-crewed ship just like the Astari but the Council were adamant that they were happy for one of the three of them to take the lead in their operation. In return the Guard Ships would see most of their action in the hands of Asgard and Furling crews.
The ship lurched only a little and suddenly they had gone from looking at open space on one side of the planet to looking at the south pole with its ice cap and large ocean. Harry grinned happily at the success and let Michael take her out away from the ship ready to test the Vortex Drive. They'd be jumping to the Nox Homeworld with the Vortex Drive this time and then Hyperdriving it back to Peldaniken Taous to test its cloak and phase shifting technology against the newly operating satellite net over the planet.
Then tomorrow after Ryver went back to Hogwarts they would test the Praenuntius' weaponry and the satellite net over the planet at the same time by firing increasingly powerful shots against the net and letting the satellites intercept them. If the shield didn't work the Astari would be lurking in low orbit under the satellites to intercept any energy shots. Drones weren't a problem if they got through because they were controlled all the way to detonation.
Then the Praenuntius would be ready to go to war if necessary and Harry could test out combining the two Arcturus Generators and then even wire in the satellite hub's generator to tie in the only three Arcturus Generators in existence.
Yet even with all of this happening and these powerful warships Harry was still well aware that their trouble with Anubis was only just starting.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A week later
Harry and Michael listened to the topics for discussion as they slowly moved on, covering everything they wanted to cover. By unspoken agreement they always left anything of Harry's to last on the agenda and Harry was partly glad otherwise he'd never sit through a whole Council meeting and would just do his bit and then run away but deep down he knew he needed to play his role in the Alliance otherwise it wasn't really the Great Races Alliance but merely the Nox, Furlings and Asgard making all the decisions and Harry and Michael playing with their experiments.
"I think you might be interested in the next topic, Harry." Lia commented as she stood to take control of the meeting. As there were so many more Nox on Peldaniken Taous now than any of the other races, even the Furlings, they ran quite a lot of the planet's systems and in particular the sensors so that those without an aversion to fighting could man defences and the ships. They still ran life support and such systems on the Astari and Praenuntius but were always massively outnumbered by the Asgard and Furlings on board.
Lia motioned with a negligent hand at the holographic display and a tactical sensor map appeared of the Galaxy with red dots. "These are the recent attacks on System Lord forces in recent days by what we believe to be Anubis' more advanced ships."
"What are the ratio of kills?" Kel'ac took control with a brief thought to Harry. It had been a while since Kel'ac had stretched their legs so to speak although Kel'ac enjoyed playing sports with Michael more than Harry did. Harry always lost but Kel'ac was very good at new games.
"So far Anubis has only lost one ship for every five that the System Lords have lost but he seems to accept battles of a ratio of three to one against his forces in order to ensure victory. He takes loses in those battles but comes out the clear victor." Lia told him.
"He's still a System Lord at heart then." Kel'ac grunted. "Victory regardless of the cost to his Jaffa and ships. Any reports of sightings of himself in battle?"
"Not as of yet." Lia shook her head. "The ships that attack the System Lords' fleets never declare their Master and only Ha'tak vessels have been involved, even against the System Lords' flagships."
"Have the Goa'uld lost any flagships?" Kel'ac asked. "They take that as a serious insult to themselves."
"Baal recently lost his flagship in a battle he was in command of." Lia told him.
"Baal…" Kel'ac nodded. He'd had run in's with him before.
"It is a shame we no longer have access to the intelligence from the Tok'ra." Thor admitted.
"That isn't Kel'ac's fault." Michael spoke up sharply and Thor merely bowed his head to acknowledge that.
"And Tok'ra encryption codes are unique in their power. They have so long had to hide their transmissions from the Goa'uld that they are strong even to us. We have not been able to break the newest encryption in order to access their transmissions." Kel'ac admitted. He hated being on the outside of the Tok'ra, his family. And he missed Lantash and Martouf greatly.
"We may not have been able to intercept the Tok'ra's plans but we do know of the Goa'uld's plans." Lia announced with a smile. "A Goa'uld has requested a System Lords Council meeting to be held on the Hasara Space Station."
"It is their impenetrable gathering place. Considered neutral. No Tok'ra has been able to gain entrance as restrictions on guests are highly controlled." Kel'ac nodded. "Normally only the System Lord is permitted to enter along with one human slave. Entry is by unarmed cargo ship and weapons are expressly forbidden."
"We assume they wish to discuss the recent attacks on the System Lords' fleets to determine a culprit." Lia announced.
"As of yet Anubis has made no move against any Protected Planets." Thor pointed out. "We can therefore not show our concern for Anubis' military by pressuring them into upholding their agreement with us in regards to rogue Goa'uld Lords."
"That said I'd very much like to be aware of what goes on at this meeting." Kel'ac told them all. "But I am not…"
Harry surged up wanting control and Kel'ac trailed off mid-sentence for him. Harry smirked. "Kel'ac was about to say that he is not one of the Great Races but that's just stupid. He should get an opinion in this Council."
"We do accept his judgement." Lia bowed her head. "Especially in matters pertaining to the Goa'uld."
"I was not alive at the time of Anubis' defeat and exile. No Tok'ra was. Only Yu was present." Kel'ac announced. "However that does give Yu a certain power in the System Lords Council over matters of Anubis, once they realise it is in fact Anubis."
"Something that the Tok'ra are not even aware of." Michael pointed out with a frown.
"Your earlier premise was in fact correct though." Lia nodded. "It occurs to the Nox that Anubis may use this meeting for his own ends and although adverse to violence we should have the ability to have a hand in its outcome once we know what it is."
"However impressive the Alia is to the Goa'uld System Lords it would not take long for Anubis to realise it is unarmed." Kel'ac pointed out. "We would have to send the Astari or Praenuntius. Or borrow an Asgard Cruiser if one is available. If we must we could even use the Aevis or Quetzalcotl to monitor but if we are forced to show ourselves to make a point an Asgard Cruiser, the Astari or Praenuntius might be worth taking."
"The Praenuntius would make the point to Anubis that the Astari isn't the only powerful ship we have." Michael pointed out. "But the show is really for the System Lords and the Astari is still the most impressive looking ship. The Praenuntius is just as powerful yes but is more understated."
"The meeting is in three days." Lia announced. "What does the Council wish to do?"
"We agree with Kel'ac and Michael's idea." Grenwae spoke up for the first time on this topic. "Take the Astari as close as possible under phase and monitor the summit."
"Michael and I will go." Harry nodded as he took over. "I need Kel'ac's expertise in how to deal with all of the System Lords together."
"And if we require the Praenuntius against Anubis while our attention is drawn by an obvious System Lords Council?" One of the Furlings from the third row pointed out.
"The summit coincides with Ryver's weekend on Earth." Harry pointed out. "He would be here and he knows the Praenuntius' design as well as Michael and I. He can remain here and react with the Praenuntius as necessary."
"And two of the Guard Ships are ready for action. We can test them in the next few days." Grenwae announced. "The Neptos and Evitos." Both named for the Alliance. Neptos was based on a Furling legend and Evitos was a Nox one. Ancient depictions of sea creatures.
"Then it is decided?" Lia asked and got no arguments. "Harry, the last topic of this agenda?"
Harry grinned and jumped up. "Just like when I announced the Praenuntius I have a new ship to present you with. In a few weeks the last of the internal docks on Avaria will open up for new tasking and I wish to start this."
"Another warship?" One of the Nox questioned.
"Armed and capable of a similar power to the Astari and Praenuntius." Harry nodded. "But not a warship I assure you. I'd never intend to take this into a battle as a warship but I want it heavily protected without having to sacrifice ships to escort it. The technology here is even more advanced that the Astari and Praenuntius and I don't want that being captured or used by Anubis."
"Show us then." The Nox bowed his head in agreement and Lia sat with a small smile. Harry linked his mind to the holographic display and uploaded the designs straight from his own projects suite and displayed the full shape of the design but in the folded travel position. The strange H type shape clearly a ship.
Everyone in the room stared at it for a while and Harry let them look at the design before focusing with his mind to manipulate each part as he described it. "Phase and stealth capability, directional and permanent shielding. Vortex Drive and Hyperdrive and of course Stardrive split onto the eight spires that contain all of the weaponry."
"And powered by an Arcturus Generator?" Thor asked.
"Eight." Harry announced simply and let the eight spheres in the design highlight the placement of the Generators and the massive protections for the ship.
"For what purpose could you require eight Arcturus Generators?" Grenwae asked. "And is this to do with your experiments with our three existing Arcturus Generators?"
"I wanted to test the theory and the expansion of the Vortex Drive's range using multiple Arcturus Drives."
"So this ship can travel eight times the distance of the Astari?" Grenwae asked.
"Actually tests show that the Vortex Drive's effects on the ship's structure means it is unsafe to link more than two together to advance the Vortex Drive's range for a single ship." Harry shook his head. "And the Generators must be hardwired together so you can't connect the Praenuntius to the Astari to jump just one of them twice the distance. We'd have to install a second Generator onto each ship. Easier to just double jump."
"So the purpose here?" One of the Nox asked.
Harry manipulated the hologram again and the ship began unfolding. The ring opened up into the familiar Stargate design and then the spires slid out to evenly space themselves around the hull. "By using those eight Arcturus Generators to power a Stargate and Vortex targeting to unanchor the other end from another Stargate this increases the range beyond any distance our races have ever travelled. He manipulated the hologram again to show the Astari sliding through the ring.
Muttering filled the room for all but the Nox and Alteran sides and that was only because there wasn't anyone but Harry and Michael in their seating and the Nox were talking telepathically to all of the others on the planet, sharing the plan and getting a consensus.
The room quieted. "This ship can put any number of ships under our control anywhere in this section of the Universe, anywhere in the Galaxies that our combined races explored over millions of years and even further." Harry announced. "It could move the entire Asgard fleet from orbit over Peldaniken Taous to their homeworld in only twenty minutes and then the gate could follow them with two simple jumps with its own Vortex Drive and be strong enough to defend itself if needed."
"You've outdone yourself again, Harry." Grenwae pointed out.
"We agree." Lia nodded. "And even armed as it is it serves a purpose other than war, even if it can bring war to any section of our near Universe."
"Not to mention the ring is larger than your floating cities." Michael pointed out. "In case Anubis finds them." Harry nodded his agreement.
"So can I start building in the internal docks?" Harry asked. "I'll need the external arms to construct the spires in time but most can be built in free orbit."
"How long would this take?" Thor asked.
"I need three months with the cradles to construct the spires but the ring itself will take ten months to construct in the internal docks and piece together in space. Twelve months in total for all the systems to be installed." Harry explained.
"You have our vote to continue." Thor nodded. "The opportunity to free up our military between these Galaxies could turn the tide of our struggles."
"The Furlings agree." Grenwae nodded. "We look forward to building this with you."
"More so that the Astari and the Praenuntius the Nox support your decision." Lia smiled at Harry happily.
"One day the universe can have these ships without the need for weapons." Harry told Lia softly. "I hope."
"I believe the ability to put any warship anywhere in the known galaxy without warning is something that will always have to be guarded." Lia sighed. "But understandably so."
"You have a name?" Thor asked.
Michael laughed at the coincidence there and Harry grinned. "The Asgard created the legend of Odin, the father of the Gods even though no Asgard shared the name. To create an entity even more powerful than themselves in the eyes of their followers." Harry explained to the Council. "So that no matter the power they witnessed their followers understood that even their gods were fallible and had to answer to a greater power. I respect this and request to use that name now."
"A higher power indeed." Thor nodded his head, giving his permission.
"This gate is to be called an Odin Gate." Harry announced. "The ship simply Odin."
"So be it." Grenwae nodded. "Start your work on Odin, Harry. And soon we'll remind the Ascended Ancients just what we're capable of if they continue to drop punishments on us like Anubis."
Harry bowed his head in agreement at that sentiment before he grinned and looked up at the ceiling. "Hear that?" Harry asked any Ascended Beings listening in. "Gits." He muttered and shocked a laugh out of Michael.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
That weekend
Rather than trouble themselves with lots of shifts and knowing that time was short before the Council started they did a test jump for the first time on the Friday evening on Earth. And they did it in style. Over Earth the Astari and Praenuntius jumped out of Hyperspace while coupled together using both of their Hyperdrives to retain their maximum speed. It had never really been tried before, even by the Melatai who were used to hyperspace convoys. The stresses involved were extreme at their coupling points so only the incredible finesse of their advanced Hyperspace Drives made it capable.
The Kalona was already in space with Ryver on board as the Astari and Praenuntius appeared out of Hyperspace and almost instantly phased out of normal existence and then the Kalona, under her full cloak as normal over Earth so that the Goa'uld didn't catch it monitoring the planet, let her encrypted beacon transmit to the Astari. Harry didn't need to say anything and the Furling Engineers on the Control Deck targeted the Kalona with the Phase Cannons and pulled the Kalona forcibly out of phase, pulling down her cloak in the process which had been tuned only to being in phase with the rest of the Galaxy. The Astari's phase generators could pick any phase they wanted so the Kalona had to match up perfectly in order to interact with them, there was a slight variation that was acceptable but it could cause problems if anything shifted.
The Kalona rolled on the spot before leaping up to full speed to close the gap. The crew of the Praenuntius opened the small dock near their cabins on their central hub and Ryver navigated through the ring of the Praenuntius and smoothly into the ship. It wasn't long before his face appeared on the screen in front of Harry and Michael.
"Hey guys." Ryver grinned.
"Hey." Michael smiled back warmly.
"You're not going to get bored this weekend are you?" Harry asked him, half cheekily and half in concern. "Michael could…"
"Nah, Michael should be there to help you with the summit." Ryver told him. "It'll be good for him to get some experience with the different Goa'uld System Lords for when I'm too busy to get away from school."
"You're sure?" Michael checked.
"Of course." Ryver nodded before turning his head off screen. "Begin decoupling."
"Supreme Commander, the Praenuntius is requesting decoupling." One of the Asgard prompted. Harry nodded to the Asgard rather unnecessarily and the Asgard released their own couplings.
"What are you going to do?" Harry asked Ryver.
"Going to spend a few days catching up on your projects." Ryver grinned as they watched the massive ring of the Praenuntius slide carefully forwards away from the Astari which held its position without fault. "Since you got permission to build Odin."
"The Nox, Asgard and Furlings on Avaria are pulling apart the designs if you want to join them up there this weekend for company." Harry told him. "Most of the designs are in Alteran so you might be a bit of a help too."
"Roger that." Ryver grinned. "See you both in a few days."
"Bye Ry." Michael smiled.
"Bye Michael." Ryver smiled lastly at Harry before the view vanished and almost instantly they detected the massive build up of energy within the Praenuntius before she slipped back into regular phase and then with a shattering circle of light she vanished into her wormhole.
"No obvious flashes of light." Harry shook his head sadly. "Plot us a course to the outer Hasara System, phase us as soon as we're clear of the window."
The crew went to work and the ship spun quickly and launched into a massive Hyperspace Window even as they were knocked back into phase. They could remain out of phase as they travelled through Hyperspace but it used up a lot of power so they'd placed automatic cut offs to knock them out of phase at the very last moment. The same went for the Vortex Drive. The sheer amount of energy of an open wormhole in space was obvious to even the System Lords sensors so they avoided dropping into Goa'uld territory using that technology but returning to Peldaniken was never a problem.
"Approaching the Hasara System, Supreme Commander." One of the Furlings reported.
"Anything on sensors?" He asked over his shoulder.
"The Hasara Space Station, seven Goa'uld cargo ships without weaponry as expected hard docked to the station." One of the Asgard announced. "Shield is powered to one hundred percent as expected."
They burst out of Hyperspace and instantly a shiver ran through the ship as it moved out of phase and they were safely hidden even from the most powerful of sensors. "Supreme Commander." The Asgard at sensors called his attention even as a red ring flashed onto the screen not far ahead of them. "A cloaked Goa'uld cargo ship is holding a stationary position five million miles outside of the station's shield. One million miles from our current position."
"Take us in under it." Harry announced and they slipped forwards through space quickly. He looked at Michael. "It's strange for a ship to lurk near the station like this. Especially during something this sensitive. It might be Tok'ra."
They slid up underneath the cargo ship even as the majority of the sensors focused on the surrounding solar system and the space station. "We have audio from inside the station, Supreme Commander." A furling at sensors announced.
"Hold it for now." Harry announced before looking at them. "Lifesigns on the cargo ship?"
"One lifesign detected. Blended human." One of the two Asgard at sensors announced.
"Tok'ra or Goa'uld though?" Michael muttered.
"Carry out a DNA scan and match against our database." Harry ordered.
"Such a scan will be detected by the cargo ship's sensors." The Asgard amongst the three sensor controllers reminded him.
"Still won't know where we are." Harry shrugged. "Just limit the scan from reaching the station."
"Scanning." The Asgard manipulated his console and instantly the right hand screen showed the intense information on the cloaked cargo ship as well as matched the name of the occupant. "DNA of human and symbiote matches that of Jacob Carter and Selmak."
"Daddy dearest." Michael grinned at him. "Or mother dearest. That's weird. You ever had a female host, Kel'ac?"
"No I have not." Kel'ac mock glared at Michael as he got permission from Harry to take over the situation, eager to talk to his family after so long. Eager too to show Selmak and his family the power he and Harry now had. "Target the cargo ship with the phase cannons and bring it into phase with us."
"Targeting, Commander." The Furlings on those controls accepted the ex-Tok'ra's orders and even as they did the cargo ship registered being bombarded with a powerful burst of complex energy and registered its cloak failing. It had been manoeuvring away from its position in response to being detected and scanned but now it seemed to stall its movements and Kel'ac and Harry could picture the shock on Jacob's face at the megalith of a ship it was only a few hundred metres away from. It was so small in comparison that Kel'ac could barely make it out.
It swung on the spot towards the rear of the Astari but it was like a ship landing on an asteroid, it would take it time to get clear of the ship and already the cargo ship's sensors would be going crazy as it found immense power and weapons readings even with the weapons not charged.
"Project my image." Kel'ac announced even as his ATU responded to Harry's directions and changed from his casual jeans and t-shirt and into heavy combat gear that almost looked armoured. He would have normally formed the uniform of the Tok'ra but decided against it at the last moment. Kel'ac moved into the projection circle and instantly the view around him was blocked and reformed into the inside of a standard cargo ship. The view out of the window was immense, the massive ridged upper hull of the Astari and in the far distance the spires launching out over the top of them, the Astari was literally encasing them.
Jacob was swearing to himself as he frantically worked at the sensors, trying to find some sort of solution before something else happened. His fingers were hovering over the cargo ship's shields in case of attack.
"Hello mother." Kel'ac couldn't resist making Selmak and Jacob jump and they twisted around and pulled a Zat off of the console between the seats. "Or rather Father."
"Kel'ac!" Jacob gasped in shock before standing. His eyes flared as Selmak took control. "Kel'ac. Is it really you?"
"It is." Kel'ac smiled. "Or at least this is a projection of me being transmitted onto this ship from my own control deck. Just as the last few times we spoke like this."
Selmak sighed and Kel'ac realised he'd gotten close to trying to hug him. "It is good to see that you are alive and well. Sam told us of the attack on the Melatai and Tollan homeworlds and of the…" Selmak suddenly turned back to the ship in the viewscreen. "This is the ship?"
"This is the Astari." Kel'ac introduced. "Wait here while I transport myself over to you."
"What of the space station's sensors. You disabled my cloak." Selmak sighed. "It is imperative that we are not detected."
"Do nothing." Kel'ac ordered before signalling to cut to the connection.
"You're going over?" Michael asked as soon as he looked around the Astari's control deck. Harry nodded. "I'll start monitoring the summit while you spend some time with Selmak. It would be best if we have the Tok'ra's thoughts on this as well."
Kel'ac nodded and looked to the Asgard beaming controls. "Put me down in the middle of the cargo ship's bridge."
In only a few seconds bright white light flared and he found himself standing in the much staler air of a Goa'uld cargo ship. "Selmak!" Kel'ac grinned at the waiting Selmak and moved to hug him instantly. Selmak hugged him back. He pulled back after a moment and smiled warmly. "My sensors say you're well."
"We are." Jacob said after Selmak bowed his head. "It's good to see you are doing well. You've grown."
"That's generally what happens to human boys who are twelve years old." Kel'ac grinned.
"Harry is well?" Jacob checked.
"He is doing well. He's pressing me to spend time talking to you. He knows I miss my family." Kel'ac smiled.
"There is the matter of my cloak, I still can't raise it." Jacob frowned. "As I said, it would doom this mission if I were spotted."
"You don't think the Astari, a twenty thousand metre long ship, would be spotted first?" Kel'ac told him in amusement. "Your cloak fell because it can't operate when your ship is in a reversed phase shift."
"Phase shifting?" Selmak surged into control in shock. "We are out of phase with the galaxy?"
"This ship and the Astari." Kel'ac nodded with a happy grin. "Cool yes?"
"Harry did this?" Selmak raised an eyebrow.
"Actually it's technology of a different alien race but I'm not really allowed to say. We're not allied to the Tok'ra and even if we were it would break our rules." Kel'ac shrugged moved the control consoles. "Suffice to say the Astari is the most powerful ship ever created in this Galaxy throughout time."
"More powerful than an Asgard Cruiser?" Selmak asked.
"Most definitely." Kel'ac laughed. "So tell me what you are doing here?"
"We have a plan to wipe out all of the System Lords in one blow. Daniel is merely waiting for the last of them to arrive and then he will use a toxin that the Tok'ra have devised that targets and kills symbiotes." Selmak explained.
"You can't!" Kel'ac gasped and fell back to let Harry take control. He ducked his head a little to denote the shift.
"Hello Selmak, Jacob." Harry smiled and gave him a little hug. "Can you call off the attack?"
Selmak dipped his head to show he was letting Jacob talk and Jacob shook his head. "Only if Daniel calls in. I can't risk his life by calling him."
"Is he due to call in beforehand?" Harry asked.
"He's just waiting for the last Goa'uld to show up." Jacob shook his head. "Why not go ahead? By removing all of the System Lords…"
"You would hand their entire fleets into Anubis' hands without a fight and he will turn that against the entire Galaxy, target all of the Protected Planets, Earth, the Tok'ra. Everyone." Harry told him.
"Anubis!" Gasped Selmak. "We heard a few rumours but we never believed it possible."
"It's happening. It was Anubis' ships that destroyed the Melatai and Tollans." Harry explained. "What's worse is that he knows that we don't have the sheer power to stop an all-out Goa'uld attack against the Protected Planets. We're relying on the System Lords fighting against him in order to tie up his forces until I have more ships ready to fend him off or the Asgard-Replicator war in the Ida Galaxy is brought to a close and frees up their ships."
"I understand but it may be too later." Selmak sighed. "If Daniel calls in…"
Harry had suddenly turned his head as the cargo ship alarmed at detecting another inbound cargo ship. Harry watched as their cargo ship tracked it right into the space station before his uplink chimed and he tilted his head as Michael spoke. "Harry, it was Osiris, alone."
"Thanks, Michael." Harry accepted before looking at Selmak. "Osiris."
"That will not mean well. Daniel is…"
"I know." Harry sighed. "There's nothing I can do without tipping my hand."
Harry slumped down into the co-pilot's seat and Selmak sat. "So, tell me about Jolinar, Anisen, Martouf and Lantash."
"They are well. Jolinar and Anisen are on a mission within Baal's army." Selmak told him. Martouf and Lantash are in the base on Revanna."
"I'm glad. Kel'ac has been worried about them. He hates not being with his family." Harry sighed and leaned his head back onto the high-backed chair. "It's like being the Tok'ra traitor all over again and it hurts. Me and him."
"You no longer have a kill-order on you." Selmak sighed. "Between myself, Jolinar and Lantash they decided that you are too important to the galaxy. It helped that SG1 threatened to sever ties with the Tok'ra if they tried to hurt you."
"The Tok'ra consider the Tau'ri that important?" Kel'ac asked as he took control.
"Recently yes." Selmak nodded. "The System Lords are becoming concerned over the growing power of the Tau'ri. Enough for the Tok'ra to respect their growing influence in this Galaxy."
"Selmak?" Daniel's voice suddenly came from the console. "You there?"
"Daniel, I'm here." Selmak informed him. "Have you released the toxin yet?"
"Uh… no, not yet." Daniel sounded rather guilty.
"That's a good thing, Daniel." Harry spoke up.
"Harry!" Daniel gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Spying on the Goa'uld's super secure council meeting." Harry shrugged even though Daniel couldn't see it. "We didn't think the Tok'ra would have the ability to attack and kill all of the System Lords though."
"Why's it a good thing I didn't?" Daniel asked.
"I know Osiris just arrived and I'm sorry but my hands are once more tied. I cannot provoke Anubis." Harry explained.
"You know about Anubis?" Daniel was obviously frowning.
"It was Anubis' ships we were fighting over Tollana." Harry told Daniel. "We're gearing up for full out war against him and we need the Goa'uld System Lords fighting him to tie up his forces to give us time."
"Well that might be a problem." Daniel sighed. "Except for Yu they all just voted him in as a System Lord again. With Osiris as his vote."
"Fuck." Harry grunted. "He knows we're not in a position to uphold the treaty with the System Lords."
"It's time to get you out of there, Daniel." Jacob told him. "Get to the cargo ship…"
"Not yet, Jacob." Daniel cut him off. "They haven't finished talking and I want to try to save Sarah."
"Don't wait too long." Harry warned just before the communications cut off before leaning forwards in his seat. "This is a problem but it may not last anyway. If Anubis attacks a Protected Planet we can still pressure the rest of the System Lords to fight him to stop him. That might trigger a war that will hold him up and the longer he does all this politics stuff the longer I have to build ships."
"How many do you have?" Selmak asked.
"Not including the Asgard ships I have four up and running. Another as powerful as this and two more capable of taking on only one fleet of Goa'uld ships." Harry mumbled.
"Oh, only one fleet." Selmak grumbled. "You sound a lot like my Tellmar."
"So Kel'ac tells me." Harry sighed. "I have a rather adaptive brain. I can recall more or less every moment of Tellmar's life because it's so clear in Kel'ac's memories."
They chatted about Martouf and Tellmar growing up as boys for a while before Michael's image appeared next to them even as Harry felt the massive power of the Astari bloom under them as she readied herself for something. "Harry!" Michael called to him and he turned to face him. "We just heard Osiris tell the other System Lords that Anubis is destroying all of the Tok'ra on Revanna!"
Harry lurched to his feet. "Transport me!" Harry demanded.
A flash of white light put him right beside Michael on the control deck. "Ryver?"
"We alerted him as soon as we heard." Michael announced. "Before we called you. He's already jumping to Revanna with the Praenuntius, Neptos and Evitos."
"If Anubis is hitting them like he hit Melatai Prime he's going to be swamped." Harry declared. "The Alia?" He asked a few of the Nox.
"On our homeworld." One of them told him. "We've called for them already. They are lifting off from the surface and will jump to Revanna to search for survivors."
"Harry." Michael prompted. "Selmak and Daniel?"
"We wait only long enough to get Daniel out. Lock onto him and as soon as he is alone beam him straight to the cargo ship." Harry ordered. "Then tractor them and put us through a Vortex jump straight into orbit over Revanna."
"Supreme Commander!" An Asgard agreed and they started working on battle preparations. Readying their combat drones and the Furling Battlesuits ready to go down onto the surface.
"Harry, calm down a little." Michael wrapped an arm around him. "What's the matter?"
"Martouf is down on Revanna, he might already be dead." Harry grumbled.
"We have transported Daniel Jackson onto the cargo ship and locked on with a tractor." One of the Asgard announced.
"Transmit to the cargo ship, audio only." Harry ordered. "Daniel, Selmak, Jacob." Harry announced. "We're going to lock you to a docking cradle and then jump to Revanna. Our fleet is already moving to attack but it'll be rough. Stay where you are. This jump is going to be weird for you."
"We may already be too late." Daniel told him.
Harry gestured to his crew who made the Astari leap into action. White light shot up in a disk from just in front of where the cargo ship was attached to one of the smaller docking cradles and Harry could only imagine what Selmak, Jacob and Daniel thought was happening to them.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Revanna Orbit
Eighteen Ha'tak hung over the planet as fifty or so Alkesh ferried troops down onto the ground. The attack on the surface, the bombardment, had already finished and troops were now infiltrating the tunnels looking for survivors to kill or interrogate.
Chaos erupted among the Ha'taks though as a blinding white light burst into existence like a second sun in the system and then ballooned out. Ha'taks retreated quickly before the light collapsed down to leave in its place a massive circular ship almost like a space station with a large outer ring connected to the central hub by four spokes. The Ha'taks instantly spread out into an offensive formation and charged weapons.
"I am Lord Zipacna!" The Goa'uld in command of the Goa'uld fleet announced arrogantly. "I claim this planet and the spoils of the destruction of the Tok'ra."
Even as he finished two smaller ships burst from Hyperspace windows on either side of the circular ship and their shields and weapons flew up into ready status, drawing the attention of the Ha'taks to the seemingly more dangerous foes.
"I am Commander Ryver of the Great Races Alliance." A voice responded, distorted enough to hide the age or race of the bearer. "This vessel is the Praenuntius, battleship of the Great Races. These two vessels are Alteran Guard Ships from a race tens of millions of years older than the Goa'uld. Withdraw your ground troops and attack craft and depart the orbit of this planet immediately or you will be annihilated."
"This is not a Protected Planet and the Tok'ra are none of your concern." Zipacna declared. "How we end the plague that is the Tok'ra is nothing to do with you."
"Your Master, Anubis, is not a System Lord." Ryver's voice responded curtly. "You have five seconds to begin your withdrawal or this vessel will charge its weaponry and you will be destroyed."
Five seconds ticked down even as Death Gliders launched in the hundreds from the Ha'taks which then opened fire. A surge of massive power built from the Praenuntius, growing so sharply as it fully charged the weaponry that the Ha'taks couldn't even prepare themselves for the strike. Light flared from the towers along the outer rim even as the vessel tilted sharply. Flares of bright light erupted from her in dozens of places, striking through the closest two ships. The two Guard ships arched low down under the battle, slicing through Alkesh and Death Gliders as they dropped towards the atmosphere.
The Ha'taks tried to concentrate fire on the Praenuntius to weaken her shields but couldn't even detect a weakening as the ship started a lazy spin and directional shields overlapped the main shields and spread the damage out over its large nexus of shielding generators. Then the sides tipped even further when another bright flash flared under the battle and the Astari exploded out of the bright white light. It's shields flared up to full power before it's weaponry charged and started picking out Ha'taks even as hundreds of flashes arced down through the atmosphere as it transported the battle down onto the surface even as the two Guard Ships settled down near the surface and started bombarding any Goa'uld target it could find.
Unaware of the situation on the surface Zipacna didn't even spot the fifth ship to arrive out of Hyperspace right into the atmosphere of the planet. Zipacna decided the battle was lost and a single Ha'tak escaped the weapons of the combined Astari and Praenuntius as it fled into Hyperspace.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
On the surface
"Colonel!" Lieutenant Kevin Elliot gasped from his place on his back on the stretcher being carried by Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill. Sam turned to look up at where he was pointing, at the massive array of bright flashes that they could see even from the surface.
"What the hell is that!" The Colonel demanded.
"I believe that is a space battle." Martouf frowned up at the sky. "Though I do not know who has come. Perhaps another System Lord attracted to the fleet in orbit."
Teal'c and Jack put the Lieutenant on the ground as they all stared up, trying to work out what was happening. Sam and Martouf stood side by side, shielding their eyes from the light and they all saw as a bright pinpoint of light appeared and then expanded before vanishing leaving the shape of a ship visible. "In high atmosphere?" Sam asked. "That's a ship right?"
"I believe it is the ship we witnessed on Tollana." Teal'c commented.
"And that's in very low orbit. In space." Martouf gasped suddenly. "Harry!"
"To the rescue again." Jack sighed. "What's that to the left of the long thin thing?"
"Thin?" Sam asked in astonishment. "That ship was a mile wide, sir."
"Yeah but that circle thing!" Jack prompted.
"That is another ship." Lantash announced as he took control. He was tired but capable of speech and the idea of Harry coming to rescue them gave him strength.
"It looks big too. I hope it's on our side." Jack commented.
Two streaks of fire flared across the sky coming straight down at them and seconds later a double sonic boom as ships entered the atmosphere. They roared down on an almost vertical descent and soon they were clear to see with trails reaching up above them. Weapons flared to life even before they came to a halt and the ground shook as more and more energy blasted the ground right below them.
Stabs of white light lanced down through the clouds and they traced them right up to the Astari high above them. "They're putting down those battle armours and war drones again!" Sam declared.
"Going all out." Jack commented.
"From orbit and with his technology I imagine Harry is already aware of the loss of life within our base." Martouf sighed. "He will be angry. Devastated."
"Twelve year old on a vengeance trip." Jack sighed.
"The loss of the Tok'ra like this could…" Sam started before they rocked back as a large purple and black hyperspace covered the sky and deposited a familiar silvery-green elegant looking ship with a boom of displaced air. Her shield flared against the atmosphere as they punched through. "The Alia! The Nox hospital ship."
"Well those two big ships down here aren't firing at her so they must be Harry's too." Jack sighed in relief. "But they're really not pulling any punches down on the surface."
A lance of white light struck the ground right in front of them and they all fell backwards in surprise and a little bit of fear. A high whine erupted even as the light faded and they all looked up at the shape of three colossal metal beings, two of the automated Alteran drones and the tall figure of a Furling-manned Battle Armour. The Battle Armour raised an arm and an energy weapon charged, aiming at Teal'c as the war drones launched into motion and straightened up.
"Identify!" The Battle Armour ordered sharply in distorted English.
"Major Samantha Carter!" Sam shouted. "This is Teal'c! Don't fire!"
"Scanning." The Battle Armour announced before it burst alive with a high frequency transmission to pass through atmosphere and presumably up into space. "Confirmed. Standby for transport."
"Is Harry there?" Martouf asked.
"Supreme Commander Harry has just finished with destroying the Goa'uld fleet in orbit over this planet." The Furling told them sharply. "You are being followed by Jaffa. Astari will deal with them in ten seconds. Take cover if you wish."
"What!" Jack gasped.
"Sir!" Elliot gasped from his place on the bed as a roaring erupted up high in the atmosphere, shaking the ground under them. A pillar of fire and smoke was reaching down from where they'd spotted the Astari in low orbit and as it emerged from the upper atmosphere that cleared and they saw the massive form of the ship rapidly descending. Another burst of fire lanced down next to it and that cleared so they could soon see a circular ship like a space station emerge from the distortion.
"Prepare yourselves. They have detected a large contingent one mile between us and the Goa'uld staging area." The Furling announced.
"Major!" Jack called to Sam. "Please don't tell me that means those ships are going to fire towards us."
"Cross your fingers I believe you say." Martouf was grinning just in time for light to blossom from both rapidly falling ships. The shots streaked straight towards them and slammed down into the ground only a mile away. The ground bucked under them and fire and smoke shot up into the sky. Heat washed over them and then debris but with shock they realised nothing was getting passed the three armoured beings in front of them and they looked up again to see a softly glowing blue shield spread out between them and the attack.
"Prepare to be transported to the site of the Tok'ra base." The Furling turned to them. "We will search and destroy any hostile forces. Your medical needs will be seen to by the Alia."
"Please, can you save any more of the Tok'ra?" Martouf begged.
"We are saving those that we can." The Furling announced just before white flooded their vision and they found themselves under a massive canopy of silvery green that they recognised as the Alia which was now sitting on the ground right over where the tunnels had been punched into. Nox were everywhere tending to prone Tok'ra lying on simple looking beds and on occasion an open panel on the ship above them would drop a small green light down to them.
Then a flash would deposit a body on a new bed in neat rows and the Tok'ra in the bed would gasp awake and a Nox would gently soothe them. Martouf collapsed to his knees with tears in his eyes as he watched more and more Tok'ra being rescued from the catacomb of graves below them.
"It's okay, brother." A voice made them all jump around to see Harry kneeling beside his brother. Harry hugged his brother around the shoulders and Martouf leaned against him. "We'll save everyone we can."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
End Chapter