Stargate Hastings

Chapter Twenty: An alliance is born

New Atlantis, on route to Abydos.

Richard had not been pleased with Joseph Hammond's decision to detain James and San'kha, but he completely understood his stance. The only reason he had made a scene out of the matter, was because of Janus. He insisted that they needed both San'kha and James Elden to arrive by different means, with Joseph Hammond being the one to represent the earth and her people. There would not be a summit, only the Gau'auld would not know that until after everyone had arrived.

The last to arrive or to be more precise reveal their presence, would be the Tok'ra. Janus had convinced Egeria to become allied with earth, with New Atlantis having something to do with that certainly. They had picked up Egeria, Selmak and Garshaw before setting course for Abydos. Along with Jolinar who was also there, they were probably the most hated of all the Tok'ra. They had begun extracting operatives, with Janus telling them that the Asgard would retrieve those that were unreachable. The Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet in this galaxy, was right now being informed of his new order's.

Richard really enjoyed Joseph being amazed, the man always wore his heart on his sleeve. If he was upset it was easy to read on the man's face, equally so if he was pleased with something. Not really something you would want when choosing a military leader, except the finest he had met were exactly that. They genuinely cared for the men they sent to their death's, and would do all they could to prevent those men from dying. Unlike other leaders he had known, who cared only for their personal glory. They would see the men under their command as pawns to be sacrificed.

The Hastings family would still be the driving force behind the Stargate, but they would gradually pass over those duties to others. They would technically be telling the Gau'auld the truth, when they inform them that the Ancients have returned. Only they were also of the earth, and they had gotten its people into this war. The Hastings family would fight and die beside their fellow earthlings. Richard would join a HG team himself when back on his feet, but when it was time for the push into the Pegasus galaxy. That would be when they left humanity to make its own mistakes, but if those mistakes were to affect others, then they had the technology to stop them.

His family's goal of an educated population, would now become a reality. The jobs of the common man would go from coal mining, to prospecting and then mining other worlds. They could also gain education's, far superior to what even the most wealthy of the world receive now. The Tok'ra would now be the earths teachers but not the Hastings family, they were destined for greater knowledge still. When Janus had given them a tour of the flying city, and Joseph had been returned to his office beneath the Stamford estate.

They had let the others in on the fiction that had been played out for Joseph Hammond. Joseph did not know it yet, but he was the first person to be in a command position within the family, that was not a Hastings. He was not answerable to anybody, not even Robert Parker. He could be removed from his command, but only if he was deemed to be no longer fit to lead. That would be a long time from now, Richard was certain of that. He was not the only target for the lie, the two prisoners he had insisted on being detained and rightly so, had also been deceived.

Not for any nefarious reasons, more of a bonding process. Richard had played his part well, defending his friend as a man should. That was if your friend did not have one of your enemies inside of him and was not acting in no small way like a Gau'auld. He was not claiming to be a god or anything like that, but he was different more arrogant. It could simply be more confident, but until they knew for certain he would be kept under guard. Jacob would accompany them and would the one to take him down if needed. No one believed it would be, although they were not going to just assume he was not a potential threat.

His interactions with Ra and the other System Lords, would tell them more about his true loyalties. Even the Gau'auld could not lie to the technology Janus's people had, they were an incredible race. Larry was the culmination of all of their knowledge. He would say he had access to that knowledge and did not know it all as it would fry even his memory. Richard was not sure how that worked, you either knew something or you did not. He could read a book and learn something, he would then know it. Unless he just meant that the knowledge was that vast, that he could never access it all.

The Ancients civilisation was millions of years old, and the amount of knowledge they would have amassed would be endless. Unlike both Robert and Joseph. Richard had not been furious with Larry for lying to them, it only made him seem even more human. He had been seeing Larry as less of a machine, the more he got to know him. Not that he ever saw him as a machine, but he just looked like a small pyramid made of Naquadah, with an orange crystal pointing out of the top. The avatar that spoke to you was made of light and acted strangely but he was very human to him.

Once the Tok'ra were aboard New Atlantis, they set off for the Abydos system. They could be there in minutes if that were required, with the city's star drive being a match for the Asgard's technology. Only they had much to discuss with Egeria and the other Tok'ra present. They would arrive early to discuss with the Asgard what their role will be, but the terms of the alliance with the Tok'ra would have to be dealt with first. That alliance also involved the freed slaves and Jaffa, with Nebu and their king representing the Abydonians.

San'kha was not here but Kaar would represent him, as they were now brothers. Although San'kha no longer had a house or Jaffa family home, once his family were free Kaar would become a member of his. Jaffa would often adopt orphans of fallen comrades, with a ceremony and festivities making it official. San'kha needed his wife and son to witness, so it would not be official until after they were found. Essentially Kaar was now a Jaffa in waiting, and would represent them. San'kha looked around thirty years old, but he was closer to eighty. He was to Kaar as Robert Parker was to Nebu and had become a mentor to the still young man.

Rachael Hawthorn and Jolinar were representing earth in the talks, alongside her father, Richard and Marcus Hastings. They would live on earth because of Rachael's daughter, so they had decided that was their place. They were all sat around a circular table, that was slightly larger than required. Janus told them it was a part of the city used by his peoples governing council, and would have seated people from across the galaxy. Atlantis was how his people remained united, with the closest thing to a home world being earth. They had left that one after the plague, with Atlantis then becoming their new home world and also the centre of their civilisation; A very widespread galactic civilisation.

They were far apart from each other, but when they spoke in the tables direction, all could hear them and would hear a perfect translation. If they spoke to someone one at their side, only the people on that side of the table could hear them. Another incredible piece of technology, one that would be added to the earth's new cities when all was revealed. The Tok'ra were sat directly across from the earth's delegation, with Kaar facing his fellow Abydonians.

Janus had explained in far greater detail, what the Tok'ra's role would be in this war. Because of this Egeria was almost convinced, however her fellow Tok'ra may take more convincing. The news of Egeria's return was enough reason to recall their operatives, at least the agents they could safely do so. Some of them were too deep undercover, but if the Asgard could extract them, their entire people would soon be on the world that shared this city's name.

There were still a few matters of concern for Egeria, and her children would share those concerns. Janus had explained to her that the Hastings family were literally descended from the Ancients, and not their creation as the rest of humanity were. He had also revealed her species origins to her, and in the process eased the guilt she felt for their violent ways. Not completely, but enough to give her a better understanding of who they were. The need to dominate their Host had developed through a fear of being abandoned again and stripped from their Host. Even with the Tok'ra, they were still the dominant personality and could take control when they chose.

It was not like that with Medura; They were equals and shared everything. Eventually she would join on a greater level with her current Host, but for now she wished only to catch up with the past two millennia. Yosuf had revealed much to her, but she did not know everything. Whatever agreements were reached here today, would still have to be discussed by the Tok'ra as a collective. Egeria spawned them, she did not have dominion over them. They were loyal to her and would follow her to their death's, but they were free thinking individuals. She could speak for them, with Selmak and Garshaw here to give their agreement to any alliance, but the rest would be given a free choice in their involvement.

"This alliance you wish to form with the Tok'ra! Your own people may not even agree to it. I have spoken with Jolinar and Rachael of this, you only represent one nation among many on your world. What if these other nations are not as agreeable to this alliance as yours? Would the alliance you wish to build with them supersede this one?". Egeria asked the human delegation.

It was not a question Richard had not asked himself, and he believed he had a solution. "You are not entering an alliance with our world, that will come later if all goes to plan. You will join an alliance with my family, the free slaves and the free Jaffa. Janus explained that my family are his race, and we are separate from the earth's people. He may believe that but it is not entirely accurate. We are of the earth but when its people are ready, we will leave this galaxy. Before then we hope that you will meet with our world leaders, but your alliance is with us and only us until then". Richard explained.

Rachael Hawthorn then added. "If our world was to go to war with you, the Hastings family would honour our alliance. That was if they were the aggressor, if not we would try to broker a peace between you. Our world is dominated by empires that must grow or be seen as weak, if they do not the others would see it as a weakness, but eventually even growth is not enough. It becomes the very thing that causes their collapse, they overextend themselves. We have several empire's that are heading towards the point of total war, in that other universe a global conflict will occur within decades. We hope to end that cycle of empires with a single world commonwealth, that will have an equal representation of all our planet's people. If we can not end that cycle, we will not allow them to use technology discovered through the Stargate to continue their imperialistic ways". She said to all around the table.

Richard was not entirely sure if his cousin should be on the earth's side of the table, but she had not overstepped the mark. The Hastings family would not allow humanity to conquer the galaxy and beyond, because that is exactly what they would do in their current state as a society. They were not entirely motivated by greed, fear was the true motivator. Fear of being conquered and then losing it all, so greed played its part but it was a symptom, not the cause. They also kept the masses uneducated through fear. This fear manifested from what they would do to them if they knew the truth of the world's history, and not the romanticised version that they had been force fed.

Stories of holy crusaders that fought to take back the holy lands, in the name of a man who preached peace. That man had a vision of a world, where all cooperated and none would suffer or starve. Only for that vision to be twisted. So-called men of god condemning innocent people for sinful acts, whilst committing far worse crimes than those common folk. The wealthy being given a free pass to commit sins of their own, with the little people being scared into freely becoming slaves to their "betters". Even the religion that Christianity took its origins from, and gave the obviously now wrong genesis of the earth, had contradictions obvious to spot if studied from a logical angle. The original commandments that were given to gods chosen people, differed greatly from those in the Christian bible. They were given to slaves that had been freed from a tyrannical society, that had treated them worse than even these Gau'auld treat their slaves. Only these rules passed down to them by the creator of all men, spoke of how they should treat their own slaves. Why would this god instruct slave's to take slaves, but then again the victors write the history books even now!

That was why Richard Hastings had never considered himself a believer in god, although he considered himself a Christian. Not in the father, the son and the holy spirit. He believed in the message that Christianity gave to the world; He did not care what happened to his spirit when he died and would worry about that when it happened. He did not completely dismiss the concept of a deity, only one that would make him burn in hell for not doing what he was told. No, that part had been added by Man he was certain of that, which in his eyes meant it should all be considered unreliable information. Not false but unreliable!

That was the earth's problem, it was full of conditioned people who had willingly given up their free will. They had believed it was to a deity, but in truth it was to men who only wanted to control them. Even if those men believed in god themselves they had used religion for their own gain, not his glory. It would be the religious institution's that would push back against what was to come, even Queen Victoria was not immune from the church. With many other western countries being under control of the Vatican, that was without even considering the Islamic nation's.

He did not know as much about that faith as he should, but he knew that they would take offence at anything that disproved their religious texts. Those same peaceful religions and they were peaceful, had been used to build empire's across the world. Empire's full of people happy to be told something was true, as long it was the truth of God. Richard believed that nobody should just take someone at their word, unless that person had earned that trust. Even then you should study the subject yourself, and only then decide if what they tell you is the truth. Not necessarily dishonest, but whether it is factual.

He needed to get across the problem his world had, and the danger to the freed slaves and the Jaffa. He also needed to do it in a way that would not scare off their potential new ally or even allies. The Abydonians and even Kaar, who will let San'kha know all that is being said here. "My cousin is correct, we would honour any alliance with you. However, we must warn all of you!".

Richard looked around the table before continuing. "Our people are controlled by a god more powerful than any Gau'auld, a god that cannot even be seen. The message of the different religions that worship this god is a good one, and could be considered a morale guide in which to live your life by. Many on my world see it as exactly that, but there are those who have twisted it to control the masses. We can handle those institutions, but we need to educate our people or those same people will try to convert this galaxy to this god. We have no proof that he exists, but equally have no way of disproving his existence either. Until the population has been educated, and been given the choice to continue believing they will be condemned to hell or not, only a select few people will be involved with off-world activities. The last thing we want is for the galaxy to be controlled in the same way, although the religion's themselves are not the problem".

Egeria knew of this god he spoke of, but it was not a deity in the same sense that it must be now. When the Gau'auld first found the first world, its people believed in a creation myth, and a saviour that would one day be sent to save them from themselves. This saviour was not to be sent by this creator, he was meant to be the embodiment of the best of humanity. Not divine, but one who would raise humanity to the next level of understanding.

The Gau'auld dismissed it as superstitious nonsense and eradicated it quickly from the population's psyche. Their god-like technology made that task an easy one, but it would seem that the people had held on to their beliefs. Egeria was pleased that they had kept something of themselves, even if it had been twisted by the powerful. She was not alive when the Gau'auld were on earth but she carried that knowledge and spawned the Tok'ra resistance on that world. She did not live among the people of the earth; She had spent her time in long-buried Gau'auld structures that could still be reached via the transporter rings.

She had fled for her life with a small group of Jaffa, that Egeria and Medura had slowly taken into their confidence. There were sixteen of them and not enough to keep her children safe until they reached maturity. Her Jaffa had slowly captured an entire Legion of soldiers from the finest army on that world. When they had eventually learned their language. Egeria explained to them who the Gau'auld were, and her plan to take them down.

These men were not fools, they understood what would happen if the Gau'auld ever returned to earth. Those men volunteered to become the Jaffa for the Tok'ra movement, and also to have all memories of the earth erased from their minds, in case of their capture. Those five thousand men refused to carry the Primta of any other Gau'auld and died when their Symbiote matured. If Egeria had not been captured, they would have avoided that fate, but the women and children also captured safely by the Jaffa, were taken to a world far from the Gau'auld domain.

Many Tok'ra Hosts still came from those people, who had also chosen to have all memories of the earth erased to protect that world. They had not erased their culture though and were now a combination of the two people's that they were comprised. Roman's were the bulk of the soldiers taken, because of their regimental approach to warfare. However, her Jaffa also captured many of the native people of the land, that the Roman's were occupying. When their memories of earth were wiped from their minds, the former animosity between them was also erased.

The world they lived on was a thriving culture, with a population over ten million people now. Yosuf was from that world, but had no knowledge of its location. Only a very select few Tok'ra even knew of this world and was the only reason the Tok'ra were able to survive this long. It was as far from Gau'auld space as possible, and a secret few Tok'ra knew. Those who pledged themselves to Egeria's cause were taken off-world, those who did not were returned minus all memory of the encounter. Almost all the Roman's volunteered, with only a few of those who had large families and wished to return to them declining.

Those people intended to one day challenge the Gau'auld at the Tok'ra's side, but were far away from that level. They would most certainly want in on what was to come though, especially since the Hastings family originated from the same land they were recruited from, although Rome would have been just as good a place for that family's origin's. They named their world Rome, with the land in which they built their capital being named Britannia. The country's that were colonised in their unopposed expansion across that world, were named for famous leaders of those people, creating a new culture separate from the earths. The old Roman culture thrived on that world, but was free of the slavery that culture was built upon.

Not all the original Tok'ra were placed in Hosts on that world, most of them were taken into the Gau'auld empire to seek out willing Hosts. Even at the Gau'auld's current level of hyperspace technology, it would take years to reach that world from the closest part of Gau'auld controlled space. So she had instructed her new Jaffa to take her young there and only allow a select few to take Hosts from that world. The knowledge of its location was to be her children's most closely guarded secret. Only Egeria was captured and the true purpose of those people could never be realised until now.

They were to be the bridge between the Tok'ra, and the human population of the galaxy. They followed a religion that was based on the Gau'auld pantheon of gods, but had abandoned that faith upon learning of its origin's. They were now a society that saw the quest for knowledge as divine, with their greatest leaders being remembered for their intellect, rather than military deeds. They had no enemies on their world and were a united people, but they were skilled warriors.

They created a technology that would allow them to stage an annual contest called the war games, that included a variety of different categories and disciplines. The weapon's used were none lethal, but they were very painful. Painful enough to ensure that people would not wish to be killed in the games, with the shame of defeat adding extra incentive for victory. Garshaw was one of the Tok'ra who knew of this world and had caught her up on that world's current situation. She was pleased for the people that had freely volunteered for her mission to overthrow the Gau'auld; They were very brave people. They would also be a great help in dealing with the people of the first world, especially with their superstitions.

Egeria looked to the Tau'ri delegation and said. "With the technology that you possess, and the strategy you intend to use against the Gau'auld, I believe an alliance between our people is possible. The Tok'ra will indeed become teacher's for your race, but we will first introduce you to another group of humans, human,s you may very well share blood with. Your people do not even know of other races yet, and may react poorly to learning of the Tok'ra's true nature. Especially when they learn that we are the same species as the Gau'auld, their new enemy. Tell me Mr Hastings have you ever heard tales of the ninth legion on your world, their sudden disappearance should have been recorded in your history books?". She asked Richard directly and not the other members of his family.

It was Marcus Hastings who replied. "I have heard of them, but from what we know they were slowly reduced in number. Eventually they advanced in great number's into what is now Scotland, and were never seen again but they are just old tales. Are you saying they were taken to another world?". It would not surprise him, nothing did any longer and why would it? He was on a flying city hurtling through space, so alien's stealing human's from earth was nothing new to him, since he had learned of the Stargate.

Egeria smiled, then said. "Good I am pleased they were not forgotten, they left their homes to ensure the Gau'auld would one day fall. I am certain they will make excellent teacher's for your race, it was always my intention for them to teach the freed humans and Jaffa. That was if I had not been captured by Ra, I had left a part of myself with him and was captured trying to retrieve it. Otherwise their would be no reason for this alliance, I am certain the Gau'auld would have already been defeated by now. I have not yet been to their world, but I intend to soon and would welcome you accompanying me?". She looked to Marcus Hastings, as if to ask his name.

He then replied. "Marcus Hastings your highness, and I would very much like that your majesty". He gave a short bow as he said this.

"Please Marcus call me Egeria, I was once a goddess and did not care for it and I am not that kind of Queen, but tell me Marcus are you interested in the Roman culture?". She asked him.

"Yes Egeria indeed I am, but I am more interested in their architecture. Did they preserve their building methods?". Marcus asked, before adding. "I would very much like to see how those methods developed over nearly two millennia". It was the first time he had been even slightly interested in being here, since the novelty of the city had worn off. The city itself was incredible, but he was no politician or diplomat. He built things for those type of people, he did not know what happened in those buildings and did not care.

Egeria was pleased to see that this man had no interest in war, and was interested in something else other than the fight against the Gau'auld. They were a barbaric race when she had visited that world, even more so than when the Gau'auld had left. At that time they were slaves who feared their gods wrath, but when she was on that world they had become like their former gods. The Britain's or Celts as they referred to themselves, were slaves to the Roman soldiers leaders or they would have been when the Roman's conquered the north of that island. She had chosen to remove that part from their memories herself, but she was certain they would not have refused if given the choice.

Before Egeria could reply, Garshaw silently asked if he could answer him. When his Queen nodded to indicate he could, he then said. "These men and women were soldier's and common folk, but they have tried to replicate that architecture. I am certain you will find it interesting Mr. Hastings".

Egeria then said. "It was I who took them from the earth, but I can assure you that they left freely. They are the reason the Tok'ra were able to be born, and I will be eternally grateful to those people".

Aboard the Mjolnir, Abydos system.

The news had spread throughout the Asgardian populace, that the war with the Replicators was over. Not a difficult task when that race had the ability to communicate between galaxies. His brother was not surprised by this revelation, which made Modi very suspicious. His father would arrive soon with the new order's for his fleet, but something about all of this seemed wrong to Modi. If there had been a major offensive against the Replicators, why was his fleet not involved. More than this, Magni was terrible at keeping the truth from him, especially when Modi would confront him. He was certain Magni knew something.

Modi was testing his berserker suit, getting ready for the summit with the Gau'auld. There was no need, the suits were perfectly calibrated to his race and were like wearing a second skin; A very powerful second skin, that could receive extensive damage with no harm coming to the occupant. The real reason he was wearing it, was to go over the weapons that the suits were equipped with. There were three distinct weapons built into them, all lethal in their own way. Unlike the weapons they took inspiration from, they did not propel their ammunition by explosive means; Instead, a magnetic force was used to propel the metallic shots. This feature made them far more efficient and also reduced the noise and recoil created by the weapons.

The section of the Mjolnir that he was now in was like the holographic chamber used to communicate with humans, not yet ready to see the Asgard in their true form. There were inertia shields in this holographic chamber, that prevented ricochets; Although the suit could handle any stray bullets. The first weapon he tested was the shoulder mounted rapid fire cannons, that did not require his attention when in use. They would target any enemies of their own accord, allowing the wearer to utilise the suit's other weapons. They retracted back inside of the shoulder plates when the weapon was not armed, making them a nice surprise for any enemy he would face.

When a fist was made with either hand, and the correct neural command given; A barrel would appear from each fist, that propelled a grouping of far smaller shots, but unlike the weapon they took inspiration from; The magnetic means of firing them kept the shots more closely grouped, causing greater damage to the target and better range. He had gone over the data that had been gathered in the field, and this weapon had been the most effective against the Replicators. It was not the weapon that Modi had spent the most time mastering, that honour went to his personal favourite of the three.

The human's referred to this weapon as a revolver, but the Asgard design removed that feature from the weapon. Instead of six chambers that would revolve, they were replaced with six that were static, and were represented by lights. Those lights would grow dimmer as the energy that materialized the ammunition depleted; With the suit itself recharging the weapon when it was placed back into the internal holster. Those holsters were situated inside the top of each thigh, just below the hip and placed the weapon straight to hand if needed.

The suit could take care of aiming the weapon, but Modi did not trust such things to machines. Even Asgard technology was susceptible to glitches on occasionally, and Modi believed his race relied too much on their technology. He was not foolish and would use if required, but if his suit's targeting system was to malfunction, then he would be prepared. If that were ever to happen; He would probably stick to the fist-cannons, they were simple to aim.

It had been so long since his race became sterile, and his grandfather began the slow deterioration of their race. The body Modi had lost when that happened, looked identical to the one he now wore. It was a little smaller than this one, but in every way but size it was the same. The skin was a dark green in places, with a lighter shade of green on the face and cranium, not the shade of grey his race were now. The Asgard had once been a powerful race, with a strength that would match the Unas; Even when joined with a Gau'auld.

Now their Might! Was their technology wielded by Asgard like Modi and Thor, but the technology was so advanced they did very little. That was until the Replicators, they could not rely on their technology against them. Strategy was their greatest weapon, with the ability to adapt as quick as they could, being key in every engagement. He would miss the challenge, if not the threat to his people's existence.

The programme he was running, was a simulation in which a vessel has passed the point of being successfully cleared. The other Asgard aboard were simulated, and would follow his orders when necessary. He was yet to clear a vessel before the Replicators killed them all by setting the ship to self destruct, but getting to that point was very impressive. The more he ran through the different scenarios; The more he became one with the suit. He now walked in the same way he had before the cloning, only he was more imposing than even that form had been.

His race had been at war with several barbaric races in the Ida galaxy and had earned their reputation as a warrior race. They had never been an aggressor race, but they had gone to war over the treatment of other species by those races. Those races were peaceful now and were part of a galactic community; Those that had not been overrun by the Replicators were, many cultures were now scattered throughout that galaxy, Nomads without a home. Other species were on the verge of extinction, more would have followed them in the years to come.

He did not know how his father had managed it, but it must have something to do with him. Thor led from the front, he would have been at the final battle. Modi just could not figure out how they had done it so quickly, unless they had finally found a way to switch them off. Odin had theorised a signal that could disrupt the bonds of each block, making it impossible for them to reconnect but with no practical success. His father would be arrive soon, so he finished the simulation and reached further than he had previously before the ship exploded.

He would have to come up with a new strategy, he just did not like sending simulated soldiers to their deaths. If it ever became a real situation, he would want to be certain there was no other way first, and sending sims to their deaths would be a pointless exercise. He would remain in his suit when he greeted his father, perhaps he would remind him of who the Asgard were; A proud race that would take a stand for what is right. A race who the three greatest races known to ever exist, came together once more in order to form an alliance with. Then gave them the task of continuing to help other races become better than they were, an honour the Asgard were happy to accept.

The Furling's had long ago ascended, but there were still colonies out there in other galaxies. Not all of them wished to ascend, with many wanting to explore the universe and understand it further. It had been millennia since they returned to run the Gau'auld from the meeting place of the four great race's, a sacred place to them. Knowledge was the Furling's religion and had been since long before they encountered the Ancients, Heliopolis was the closest thing to a church they had. Even so, they had a barbaric past like everyone else.

It was the way of the universe, with a weak specie's not surviving long enough to evolve to the next level. It was the struggle that drove innovation, and through that innovation a greater understanding of the universe was gained. The Asgard had altered greatly upon learning of other races, but before that they were no better than any other race. Modi felt no shame over his species violent past, it was the way of the universe. He only hoped his new orders were to teach the Gau'auld a lesson, before heading to the Pegasus galaxy for the real fight.

If the Asgard were destined for extinction, then they would give their lives to liberate that galaxy from the Wraith. Die like the species they once were and reach the heaven they once believed in. Valhalla! To feast and fight, for all eternity. These human's reminded him of his race in their prime, fighting for what is right in the hope of freeing people they had never met. That was what defined the Asgard as a race, that was before they had become a race of scientists.

The warrior class had never been the leaders of their race, but they had once outnumbered all others in Asgard society. With the focus shifting to scientific advancement, after the Ida galaxy had become united. With these suits his race could go out on their feet, instead of sat in a chair letting their technology do all the work.

In his new form Modi preferred to walk from one place to another more now, whereas before he would be content to use the transporter technology. His crew all wore the suits now even his brother, who somehow looked uncomfortable wearing his. Good, his brother had been lying to him since he returned from his private meeting with the All father, he should feel uncomfortable! Magni had not told him that he could not tell him, he had just lied to him. They never lied to each other, they could not be more different, but they were brothers.

His inspection of his crew was cut short when the new second-in-command of the Mjolnir Ragnar, informed him that Supreme Commander Thor had arrived. He transported onto the bridge and was surprised to see that a human female was with him, only his suit was telling him she was a Replicator or she was sending out the same signals as they did. It was the signal Odin tried to discover a way to disrupt, but how could this woman be transmitting this signal? His instincts immediately kicked in, with his shoulder cannons suddenly appearing from out of their hidden slots.

He did not fire them but he was ready in case she was a threat, tracking her with his suit's sensors trying to discover what she was. When his suit gave him its analysis, he could not believe what he was seeing, she was comprised of tiny Replicator cells. They were not blocks like the insectoid machines; They were more like actual cells. Only they were far more efficient than biological matter, they were perfection! The look his father gave him, told him that he should stand down. It was even more convincing, because his father was not wearing his own berserker suit.

When Modi did not retract his cannons. Thor said. "Stand down Supreme Commander, this woman has just ended the war with the Replicators".

Modi could not listen to his father, she was one of them. "She is one of them father, how can you just trust her?". He asked Thor, dropping his father's rank; This went beyond that.

The woman smiled at him, then said. "My brethren enjoyed the games they played with you, you were one of their favourite's. That was why they were created, so they could play. They were just never taught the concept of consequences, I have enlightened them now and they wish to make amends". She then turned to Thor and said. "Sam Carter had a soft spot for you Thor, but I think I will get along better with Modi".

She then introduced herself. "Supreme Commander Modi; Congratulations on the promotion by the way. My name is Samantha Carter and I am from a different future, it is a pleasure to meet you". She held out her hand to shake in the human custom.

Modi's cannons retracted back into their slots, his father was not concerned about this Samantha Carter or the fact she referred to herself in the third person. The part about being from the future had caught his attention though, and also her brethren playing games with him. It had felt like a game at times, with Modi finding himself enjoying the contest. Until another world fell to them, and he was reminded they were at war with the mechanical creatures. He reached out his own mechanical hand in the human greeting, then asked. "A different future?". He gave her hand a squeeze to test the female's strength, but was greeted with an equal amount of pressure from her. He did not want to test if he could match her, he very much doubted that he could and withdrew his hand in a friendly manner.

Samantha Carter then replied. "Yes, this did not happen in my past, the future of this universe will be very different to mine. The Asgard defeated my brethren, with the help of my... Sister's people. Her name was Samantha Carter also, but her friends referred to me as Replicator Sam. I do not like that name, so her name is Sam and I am Samantha Carter. I was created from her memories but we are very different people. Sam was friends with your father in that universe, but I am not her!". She stressed the last part.

This was new, Modi thought to himself. Time travel was not thought possible by the Asgard, they knew of travel between the universe's though. They had discovered several different devices that allowed travel between realities, that seemed to work in the same way the Asgard communicated across great distances. Except there were not two devices, only one that existed in all of the universes both separate but the same. They were all similar in design but the different quantum mirrors the Asgard had found, were all slightly different in shape or size. Their people had theorised that not all of the quantum mirror's, were built in this universe and were the result of that universe tuning into this one.

The more different the mirror was to the others, the further away they are from each other or more different the universe's are from one another, that they originated from. The Asgard had not explored other universe's through the device and believed they were none of their concern, but it was interesting. Modi turned to Supreme Commander Thor and asked him. "Do you have my new order's Supreme Commander?".

Thor replied. "Samantha will let you know the Asgard's new purpose in this galaxy, I must return to the Ida galaxy there is much to prepare for. Samantha will remain aboard the Mjolnir until further notice, she has information you will need Supreme Commander Modi". Thor then turned to Samantha and said. "Thank you for what you have done for my race Samantha, I would very much like to continue our conversation in the future. For now I have duties to perform, farewell Samantha Carter". He then vanished in a flash of light.

Samantha looked to Modi and said. "So, where do I begin?".