Chapter 4: Thundersdawn
In the months since the gou'auld attack, Thundersdawn had changed enormously. The old pulse lasers had been removed, and the newer design added, they still didn't have the power to take on motherships but their rapid fire rate and high accuracy made them ferocious opponents to any fighter, and could now be used to intercept incoming missiles. Asguard designed shields and Gauss weaponry had been installed and tested as well as a ring transporter, which further rings set up at the now completed asteroid mining facility, ground control ST Athan and SGC.
Additional dry-docks had also been added, fuelling rumours of warship construction contracts from the SGC and Russia, and the fighter launch bay, designed into Thundersdawn from the very beginning, was finally being built in the exposed superstructure at the bottom of Thundersdawn's hull, where months before the Iwo Jima had docked.
Captain Peters looked out the window, and saw the glimmering navigation lights of a multitude of approaching craft; the Lancer class star fighters were now flight-testing in mars orbit before returning to earth. Peters had to admit, the Lancers had a savage beauty to them. The body of the craft was sharply defined, with few curves, tapering to a point at the front, before sweeping back past the high-mounted pilots cockpit straight to the two rectangular engines, attached directly to the side of the craft, with the small wings jutting of the side of the engine leading to a long-barrelled pulse laser. Fast, highly manoeuvrable, these craft outmatched all fighters known to the royals, including the USAF's, their only weakness being hostile capital ships.
"Captain, signal from ground control" The ensign passed over a clipboard, and Peters read the signal on the pink message paper within. Then blinked and read it again.
She looked up and turned to the ensign, "Get me intercom please"
"This is Captain Peters, as you no doubt know, Senator Kinsley was arrested several months ago, today, the secret service announced that Mr Kinsley was being charged with Treason, Conspiracy to commit treason, malicious sabotage of government projects, misuse of funding, and plotting to assassinate the President of the United States.
In better news, Queen Elizabeth the Second signed the papers today, reforming the British armed forces, All space going vessels and personnel, plus RAF ST Athan are now part of a new service, separate from the Army, Airforce and Navy, to be called the Royal Space Service.
That is all"
Peter's turned the intercom off, and turned to the ensign, "any news on the Prometheus Class construction contract yet?"
"Nothing has come through yet, Captain"