Destiny's Child
Chapter Six
SG-1 stood nervously in Thor's chambers, on board his new flagship the Valkastner as it glided through hyperspace on final approach to Tollana. They had absolutely no idea what they were going to see when the huge new O'Neill-class battlecruiser and the two cargo ships under her protection dropped out of hyperspace.
They knew Tollana would be in a mess, they'd seen planets that had been attacked by Goa'uld motherships before and had seen the devastation the Goa'uld could reek upon a planet. It was always distressing to see a place that had once been thriving reduced to rubble. Tollana would be a little different in that the Goa'uld had been forced by the alien ship whose name they knew to be the Resolution - a strange Earth-like name - to withdraw or face destruction. They were curious to see this ship that had such a Human sounding name. Thor himself had confessed the same curiosity.
Well they would soon see that ship. The Valkastner was dropping out of hyperspace along with both cargo ships. An Asgard transporter beam flashed behind SG-1 and Thor appeared in his chair.
"We have arrived," Thor said softly. A holographic screen appeared before them showing the planet with three small silhouettes of Asgard vessels approaching Tollana. The Resolution was also visible hanging motionless over Tollana's northern continent.
"Strange design," Sam Carter commented looking at the alien ship. It was an usual design compared to the ships they normally saw. A sleek beautiful alien design that seemed to incorporate beauty, elegance and predatory fierceness. The most curious feature of the ship were the two large nacelles held away from the main body of the ship by long pylons. Judging from the blue-white glow they were giving off they were obviously engines of somekind. On the front of each nacelle was a strange device that glowed with reddish light. The rest of the ship was divided up into two distinct sections. The forward part appeared to be a large oval shaped saucer that sat on top of the rest of the hull which was a strange shape that was hard to describe. Vaguely cylindrical but not quiet a cylinder. A circular dish at the front of the lower hull glowed with gold light.
"Indeed it is Major Carter," Thor agreed. "Attractive but strange." A glyph symbol flashed on the screen. "They are scanning us," Thor informed his guests. A side screen activated showing a member of the bridge crew. The crewman spoke briefing in Asgard and was answered in kind by Thor.
"What's going on," Jack O'Neill demanded.
"We are being hailed Colonel O'Neill," Thor answered. "We are responding in kind."
At that moment the schematic view of the system vanished to be replaced by the larger than life image of a Human face back dropped by glowing displays and other Humans and aliens moving around behind the man facing them.
"Alien vessel I am Captain Darien Parker of the Federation Starship Resolution. Please state your intentions." SG-1 traded looks of surprise. Darien Parker was an Earth name. Could this guy be from the future or from some alternate reality?
"Captain Parker I am Thor supreme commander of the Asgard fleet. Commanding the Asgard vessel Valkastner," Thor responded. "I assure you that we have no hostile intentions. Your scan should have revealed that our shields are down and that our weapons systems are not powered." Parker glanced over at another Human around the same age as him. The other man nodded back.
"Yes so I see. May I assume then that you are here to deliver relief supplies to the Tollan?"
"That is correct. We are here on a mission of mercy at the request of our allies on Earth."
"That would be us," Colonel O'Neill added coming to stand beside Thor.
"And you are?"
"Colonel Jack O'Neill commander of SG-1."
"I am afraid that I am not familiar with that unit. Then again the ranking systems of the old nation state militaries is not my thing. Especially when alternate dimensions are concerned."
"You are from another dimension?" Thor asked.
"From a time three hundred and seventy-seven years in the future and in a different quantum universe to be exact." Sam Carter's eyes went wide as she heard that and she swapped looks with her teammates and Thor. This was something that they had not expected.
"Then how did you come to be in this universe at this point in time?" Thor asked.
"That is very long story," Captain Parker admitted. "I will transfer you to my first officer shortly, she's co-ordinating the relief efforts on the planet below. On another note I would like to learn more about your people and culture. Seeking out and contacting new life forms is part of primary mandate. Perhaps you would like a tour of this vessel?"
"I would enjoy such a meeting if I had the time. Unfortunately captain events in my home galaxy require my return as soon as I have dropped off these relief supplies."
"Might I ask what these events are?"
"My people are currently at war with an artificial intelligence we call the Replicators. They are a highly intelligent, machine race."
"I see we have a similar race in our own universe. They are called the Borg. However in our case the Borg are part machine part organic."
"Cyborgs," Sam Carter queried.
"Yes. The Borg desire the assimilation of all races in the galaxy. They've tried to assimilate us many times and each time we have stopped them. A year ago one of our ships dealt the Collective a very serious blow. It will take them centuries to recover if they ever do. Until then they are no longer a threat."
"I wish the Replicators were so easy to deal with. They have become a plague upon our galaxy. Wiping out whole planets and consuming their resources to make more of themselves. So far we have not been able to really stop them."
"You have my sympathies for your losses."
"Thank you."
"I will transfer you to my first officer Commander Urlet now. It was a pleasure talking to you."
"And to you captain." With that Captain Parker disappeared to be replaced by a humanoid alien unlike anything Thor or SG-1 had ever seen before. She was human for the most part but her skin was a pale blue, her short was short chopped and white as snow and from her head protruded two small blue antennae.
"Greetings," the alien said in a cool professional voice. "I am Commander Urlet. You have relief supplies for the Tollan?"
"Yes," Thor responded. "I am not familiar with your species commander."
"I am an Andorian," she replied. "You have not heard of us because in this universe Andoria Prime our homeworld does not exist."
"Ah I see. Yes this ship and one of the two cargo ships with me carry relief supplies for the Tollan. The second cargo ship carries a new Stargate. If you will give us the coordinates for the area were you are storing the materials prior to distribution we will transport our cargos there."
"I will transmit the coordinates now."
"Commander in addition we would like transporter coordinates to come over to your ship," Jack O'Neill said. "My superiors would like us to make formal contact with you."
"Coordinates will not be necessary we've locked onto your lifesigns and will beam you over as soon as the transfer of relief supplies have been completed. I am sending the transport coordinates now." A side screen appeared showing coordinates.
"Coordinates received," Thor said. "We will begin transport immediately."
"Thank you. We will insure that those supplies reach those who most need them."
"I am sure that you will."
"Resolution out." Commander Urlet disappeared from the screen. Thor turned to Colonel O'Neill and SG-1.
"The transportation of the relief supplies will be completed shortly," Thor told his closest Human friends and his only Jaffa friend. "I have enjoyed seeing you all again."
"The same here Thor," Jack responded. At that moment an alarm began sounding throughout the Valkastner. "What's that?"
"A call to battle stations," Thor replied as the holoscreen reactivated showing an image of a bridge crewman who was speaking urgeantly. "Our long-range sensors have picked up a group of Goa'uld motherships approaching," Thor translated.
"How many?" Teal'c asked.
"Five Shalkra-class motherships." Teal'c did something that SG-1 had never seen him do before. He winced.
"What is it Teal'c?" Daniel Jackson asked.
"Shalkra-class motherships are among the most powerful the Goa'uld have," Teal'c said looking concerned. "Only the Rashka-class motherships like Apophis' destroyed flagship are stronger."
"Five Shalkra-class motherships are a serious threat even to us," Thor added. "I do not know how the Tollan will survive another assault."
"And if these ships belong to Tanneth's mysterious new master then they are going to be even more deadly than normal," Daniel said.
"Shit. How long till they get here?" Jack asked.
"Four minutes," Thor replied. Thor touched a communicator button on his chair and gave a set of orders in his native language. "I've ordered all weapons systems to be armed. Our transport ships have been ordered to retreat for now. I have ordered that we take up a defensive position over the planet."
"What's the Resolution doing?" Jack asked.
"They are powering weapons also and have raised a shi…."
"Thor?"
"Somekind of armour is deploying over the Resolution's hull. It's just appearing from key points along the length of the ship."
"What about the Tok'ra vessels?" Sam asked.
"They are dropping from hyperspace," Thor replied looking at the tactical hologram that had appeared. "And are cloaking themselves. Goa'uld ETA now three minutes twenty seconds."
SG-1 turned their attention to the hologram. Of all of them only Daniel could read Asgard but they didn't need to be able to understand the symbols being displayed to see what was going on. The hologram was showing a similation of five miniture red motherships travelling in hyperspace getting closer and closer to Tollana. They knew one thing.
This was not good.