Chapter Three
Tollan Control Room Tollana
High Chancellor Travell held on grimly to the nearest console as the control room shook again and again. Tanneths bombardment was moving back towards the capital now. Their few remaining ion cannons were still firing constantly upon his mothership but their weapons were not getting through his new shields though scans had shown that Tanneths shields were starting to weaken under the sustained bombardment – unfortunately Tanneth had recognised his danger and was now concentrating all of his fire on the cannons and secondary defensive weapons leaving his gliders and Alkesh to bomb and strafe the cities.
The Stargate had been hit already so their was no chance of escaping to Earth through it – if the Humans would let them come considering that Travell had made a deal with Tanneth to produce phase shift weapons for the Goa'uld one of whom had been targeted at Earth before a horrified, outraged Narim used one of the ion cannons to destroy the building where the weapons were being stored.
Travell was actually relieved that the weapons had been destroyed even though it had precipitated this genocidal assault. No civilisation would face the horror those weapons had been capable of inflicting – she'd been blind and desperate to save her people from Tanneth and his mysterious master that she hadn't really stopped to think about the implications of what she'd done when she'd made that deal with Tanneth. It was only when Tanneth had ordered that one of the phase shift weapons be readied to send through the Stargate to Earth that the full horror of what she had done had dawned upon her. There were six billion people on the Human planet and all of them would have been wiped out by that weapon and its fallout and their blood would have been on her hands. And it wouldn't have been just them it would have been hundreds of other worlds where the Goa'uld no longer had control.
"High Chancellor our defences are almost gone. Our people are dying by the thousands. We must evacuate the planet before Tanneth turns his main guns back on the cities." Travell sighed. She had hoped that through some miracle someone – like the Asgard – would come to help them so she could avoid having to abandon Tollana as they'd been forced by increasing geological instability to abandon Tollan. It was why she'd sent that distress call.
"Give the evacuation order," Travell said softly.
"Yes your eminence." Before the controller could do as ordered the Goa'uld bombardment suddenly stopped.
"High Chancellor a large ship has just entered orbit," another controller called. "Tanneth is moving to intercept them."
*****
OrbitThe U.S.S Resolution dropped out of warp shields up, armour deployed and weapons systems at full readiness. Resolution glided into orbit on a direct interception course with the Goa'uld mothership, which was just starting to react to the surprise arrival.
On the bridge of the Resolution everything was calm and orderly as the crew went about their duties during a red alert with competent efficiency. Captain Darien Parker sitting in his chair kept both eyes peeled on the view screen as the ship glided into orbit. The planet was beautiful – like most M-class planets. But right now its beauty was marred by the thick smoke plumes he could see rising into the atmosphere from the fires burning in the planets cities.
The ship most responsible for the destruction was sitting in orbit. It was a big ship too, Darien noticed, about twice the size of a Galaxy-class starship and had a very bizarre design. The main body of the ship appeared to be a massive pyramid structure. A large double-hulled ring surrounded the pyramid taking up the central third of the ship and held to the base and hull by massive struts that no doubt contained connecting corridors, power conduits and other things important to the function of a starship.
"Tactical analysis Mr Beech," he ordered calmly.
"The alien warship is heavily armed and protected by a class-six deflector shield. Main weapons appear to be a primitive form of pulse phaser. The ship is also armed with torpedo-style weapons analogous to early Romulan plasma torpedoes. They pose little threat to this ship sir. Our weapons and defences are vastly superior to theirs," Beech reported. His console bleeped. "Sir the alien ship is targeting us."
"Return the favour target them," Darien ordered. "Mr Wu hail them." The young Chinese lieutenant who'd succeeded Ensign Q'rra as operations officer complied.
"Channel open sir."
"Alien vessel this is Captain Darien Parker of the Federation starship Resolution. Break off your attack on the planet and leave this system in peace immediately or we will be forced to engage you."
"Sir they're responding." A handsome Human dressed in lavishly decorated robes appeared on the screen.
[This does not concern you Human,] the man said in a distorted voice that was Human yet wasn't. His eyes glowed briefly as he spoke. [If you know what is good for you, you will leave this system now while I am feeling merciful.]
"I've scanned your vessel," Darien responded. "Your firepower is no match for mine. Leave now or I will blow you out of the stars." The man - Goa'uld - laughed.
[You cannot stop a god. I have offered you the chance to live but you have refused me. Now you shall feel my wrath.] The alien commander vanished from the screen.
Instantly the attack came. A stream of bright gold energy pulses shot out from the Goa'uld ship towards the Resolution. The forward shield glowed a soft blue as the bolts impacted hardly bothered by the assault. The ship only shuddered slightly.
"Return fire," Darien ordered calmly. A bright orange beam of phased energy shot out from the upper forward phaser strip. The beam streaked across the starlit darkness to impact the enemy ships shields, punching them well into the red and making the ship shudder noticeably.
"Direct hit heavy damage to their forward shields. Minor damage to their outer hull," Beech reported. "They are firing again." Several streams of pulse phaser fire shot out from the motherships gun ports. Again the Resolution's shields deflected the attack with no trouble.
"This guy cannot take a hint," Darien said as the deck vibrated under him for a moment. A salvo of plasma torpedoes – of a kind not used in their universe in a hundred years – burst against the forward shields, shaking the ship but doing no damage. "Mr Beech disable their shields and weapons."
"Aye sir." A single photon torpedo launched from one of the forward tubes. It impacted the Goa'uld shields and detonated knocking them flat and causing a breach in the motherships hull. Phaser beams shot out from the Resolution's phaser banks, each beam struck a cannon on the Goa'uld ship with casual accuracy. Had the beams been at full power the Goa'uld mothership would have been blown away instantly. But fortunately for the Goa'uld the beams were reduced to barely ten percent of their normal power – just enough to demolish the motherships cannons and torpedo launchers.
"Their weapons have been destroyed," Beech reported as small explosions tore across the mothership.
"Hail them again Mr Wu," Darien ordered.
"Aye sir." The alien commander reappeared on the screen he spoke immediately.
[I will make you will suffer for this insolence Human,] he snarled waving a hand at the thick smoke filling his bridge.
"Oh really," Darien replied with a laugh. "And how do you plan to do that? You're ship is defenceless. Your shields are gone and your weapons systems are destroyed. I could destroy you in an instant. But I do not want you dead. If I had wanted that you would not be talking to me now. I could have had you blown you out of space with my first shot. Now I will ask you one more time. Withdraw from this system."
[Or you'll what?] Darien merely smiled and looked over at his tactical officer.
"Mr Beech lock a spread of photon torpedoes onto the Goa'uld ship and prepare to fire on my command. Target their main power core."
"Aye sir torpedoes locked on target." On the screen they heard a voice call out in an alien language no doubt informing the Goa'uld of the lock on. A look of pure hatred crossed the Goa'uld's face as he realised how dangerously close to dying he was. He knew that if the Resolution fired his ship and everyone on board would be reduced to a few stray atoms nothing more.
[This isn't over Human,] the Goa'uld snarled after a moment. [You will die a thousand painful deaths for this insolence. I will hunt you to ends of the galaxy.]
"I wouldn't if I were you," Darien replied. "If I encounter you or your kind again I will not hesitate to blow you out of space. Attack me again and you will die."
[We shall see about that. You shall feel the wrath of the Goa'uld this I swear.] The transmission ended as the Goa'uld stopped transmitting.
The image of the mothership reappeared on the main screen. It was turning away from the planet and moving out into open space trailing glowing wreckage and burning plasma behind it. Around half a dozen small craft came up from the planet dodging bright blue-white energy bolts shooting at them from the surface, about three didn't make it and disappeared in balls of superheated plasma. The survivors hurriedly caught up with the bigger ship and nestled in close to it. A moment later the badly damaged Goa'uld mothership went into hyperspeed taking its remaining gliders and Alkesh with it.
"Stand down from red alert," Darien ordered. "Keep a sensor lock on that ship until it leaves our range. I don't want them sneaking back on us. And Mr Beech if they do return destroy them."
"Aye sir."
"Captain we are being hailed by the surface," Lieutenant Wu reported. "It's High Chancellor Travell."
"On screen." The image of the stately middle aged woman who was the leader of the Tollan people appeared on the view screen. The air around her was still thick with smoke but it was obviously slowly thinning. In the background they could here cheering.
"I don't who you are," Travell said. "But on behalf of the Tollan people I thank you. You have just saved allot of lives had he been permitted to continue his bombardment Tanneth would have slaughtered everyone."
"High Chancellor Travell my name is Captain Darien Parker of the Federation starship Resolution you are very welcome." Travell looked confused.
"I know of no Federation," she responded. "And your name and your ships name is Human. You are from Earth correct?"
"In a manner of speaking High Chancellor," Darien replied. "We're from an alternate Earth in a different quantum reality to this one." On the screen Travell was nodding it was apparent immediately that she had a very good knowledge of one of the quirkier aspects of quantum physics.
"That explains it then," she said. "In this universe Earth is technologically primitive. Its inhabitants don't have starships and can only get to other planets through the gate system."
"Gate system?"
"Yes the Stargate network. You have no idea what I am talking about do you?"
"No I'm afraid not we will have to discuss it at a later date. In the meantime my sensors show that you have sustained massive damage and heavy casualties. I have emergency medical teams and medical supplies ready to beam down to assist you."
"Captain Parker any assistance you provide would be most welcome."
"Then the medical teams will begin beaming down immediately."
"Beaming? Do
you mean matter-energy transport?"
"Yes."
"Fascinating. We will be ready to receive your personnel and supplies. But I fear they will not be enough. Our Stargate and subspace transmitters have been destroyed. Would you mind if one of my people came aboard your ship to call our allies for some additional help?"
"No of course not. When he or she is ready to come aboard just hail us and give us the coordinates."
"Thank you captain. We will contact you again shortly. Travell out." Travell's image disappeared from the screen. Darien turned to Commander Urlet.
"Commander tell Doctor Tarses to begin transporting his emergency relief teams and medical supplies to the surface of Tollana. And commander I want you to coordinate the relief effort."
"Aye sir."
*****
A Short Time Later
Narim stood in the central courtyard of what remained of the complex that had been home to the entire Currier. The bulk of the structure had been destroyed when a Goa'uld plasma bomb dropped by an Alkesh had destroyed the Stargate.
From his position he could see the rest of the capital Tosal or at least what was left of it. A large number of the buildings had been raised to the ground and many of those that still stood were burning. Tosal and the second city Runala had borne the brunt of Tanneths assault for it was from the two main cities that the planetary defence net was controlled. Did I do the right thing, he thought looking over the burning city and the unknown numbers of dead and wounded. He was the one who'd provoked this attack by destroying those phase shift weapons to save Earth and many other worlds from destruction. But in securing their safety - as his late friend Councillor Omoc had wanted - he had brought horrendous suffering upon his own people.
"Narim," Travell's voice said from behind him. Narim turned to see to High Chancellor standing behind him. There were no security guards with her so it was highly unlikely that he was about to be taken into custody.
"Yes High Chancellor?" Travell didn't answer straight away but instead came to stand beside him and looked out over the burning city. She shuddered at the sight of so much destruction.
"By all accounts I should have you arrested for bringing this down upon us," she said looking over the skyline that had once been so beautiful but was now marred by dark columns of thick smoke and the orange glow of fire. "But you did the right thing in destroying those weapons and in standing up to Tanneth. You had the courage to do what I could not do. So I will not discipline you for acting on your conscience."
"So what do you intend to do eminence?" Narim asked surprised that Travell was not going to punish him in anyway. Travell turned and met his eyes.
"I have a task for you," she said. "You know of the alien warship that saved us from Tanneth?"
"Yes I saw it on the shelter monitors."
"The ship is named the Resolution. Her commanding officer a Captain Darien Parker is sending down medical supplies and relief parties. But his help as generous as it is will not be enough. All of our subspace communication stations have been destroyed so he has agreed to allow one of us to go aboard his ship and use there's."
"For what purpose?"
"To call for additional assistance from our allies. We are going to need all the help we can get to recover from this tragic sequence of events. I want you to be the one to go aboard the Resolution. Call all of our allies Narim, the Tok'ra, the Nox even the Humans. They may not have spacefaring technology but they have the kind of resources we will need in vast quantities. Maybe the Tok'ra could help them to bring those resources here. Or they may very well call the Asgard for assistance."
"I understand. How do I get aboard the Resolution?"
"Easy," Travell replied and manipulated a device on her wrist. "I have just sent you're exact coordinates to the Resolution. Do not move." Narim frowned then the strangest sensation passed through him.
It was a strange tingly sensation that although very strange was not unpleasant. The world blurred and for a heartbeat became nothing but a strange shimmering silver-white light surrounding him. Then the world reformed and the sensation vanished and he looked around in shock.
He was no longer on the surface of Tollana looking out over the smouldering capital city. Instead he was standing on a raised platform in a room that was obviously on a starship. Facing him was a tall muscular Human in his early thirties. He was wearing a jumpsuit that was mainly black but with a bar of grey over the upper chest and shoulders. Beneath the jumpsuit he was wearing some kind of red top that came to halfway up his neck. Four gold pins were attached to it on the side. A red band ran around the wrists of the uniform. The man wore a strange insignia on the left hand side of his chest. Standing behind him at a raised console was a woman in a similar jumpsuit, with insignia but her top and wrist bands were gold and she had no pins on her collar instead she had a single metal strip.
"Welcome," the man said. "My name is Captain Darien Parker this is my ship the Resolution." He held out his hand in a gesture that Narim had only really seen Humans use.
"My name is Narim," Narim replied taking the man's hand and shaking it. "The Currier asked me to come here to contact our allies."
"Yes I know," Darien replied. "Come this way." Narim stepped down off the pad and followed the muscular younger man out of the room and into a brightly illuminated corridor.
"Captain Parker I am curious how did you bring me onboard?"
"Transporter beam."
"Ah I see. We've experimented into transporter technology for more than a century but have never been able to produce a working transporter."
"Developing transporters is tricky," Darien agreed. "We've had this technology for three hundred years and we are still making improvements even now." The stopped at a set of doors built into the bulkhead. The doors opened at their approach revealing a lift of unusual design. "Bridge," Darien ordered once they were inside. There was a confirming beep from the computer and the turbolift started moving.
Strangely Narim felt nothing. If it weren't for the lights moving behind translucent panels in the walls he wouldn't even know they were moving. Good motion compensators, he thought. After a moment the lift came to a stop. The doors opened and they stepped out onto a bridge that took Narim's breath away in its combination of aesthetics, spaciousness and efficiency. Consoles around the room and built into the bulkheads were covered with displays showing the status of every system on the ship as well as sensor readings and other things.
"Welcome to the bridge," Darien said. "Lieutenant Wu will show you how to operate our subspace communications array." He gestured at a young man sitting at one of the front consoles facing the far wall which was entirely view screen showing Tollana and its single moon Korada. Narim walked over. The lieutenant got up to allow him to sit in the seat. Narim found it comfortable but not comfortable enough to completely relax in – which he assumed was the chairs purpose.
"You can access the main communications array through this panel," Wu told Narim gesturing at a set of controls on one side of the console.
Standing over near the command chair Darien watched for a few moments and smiled. Before moving over to the science station to see if Rakan had made any progress in finding them away home, if there was away.