Destiny's Child
Chapter Seven
U.S.S Resolution
Red alert klaxons screamed throughout the ship sending personnel hurrying to their battle stations.
Up on the bridge Captain Darien Parker kept his eyes focused on the tactical display as the Goa'uld fleet appeared from subspace.
"The lead mothership is hailing us sir," Lieutenant Wu reported.
"On screen," Darien ordered. Somehow he wasn't surprised when Tanneth appeared on the view screen.
[I told you that I would be back Captain Parker,] he said. [You should have destroyed me when you had the chance. Now I offer you a choice. Surrender your ship to me or I will take it. And kill every last member of your crew while you watch. And I wouldn't count on the Asgard ship being able to help you.]
"Sir two of the Goa'uld motherships are breaking away and moving towards the Asgard ship. All five are launching fighter vessels. The other three motherships are targeting us," Lieutenant Commander Beech reported. Darien nodded in acknowledgement.
"Return the favour target them. And Mr Beech ready the transphasic torpedoes." Darien turned back to Tanneth. "If I were you Tanneth I would get my facts straight before you go around threatening people. I do not need the Asgard ship to protect me. I have weapons designed to destroy ships that are a lot bigger and nastier than your ships. If you want to live you will leave now. Or we will destroy your ships." Tanneth laughed.
[Your weaponry is impressive,] the Goa'uld admitted. [But you are no match for five Shalkra-class motherships. Since you are unwilling to surrender then you shall feel our wrath.]
"Fire one shot Tanneth and I guarantee you that it will be your last," Darien warned. Tanneth laughed.
[You are a fool captain. Now you shall feel my wrath. Jaffa kree.] Tanneth broke the connection.
Immediately the three Goa'uld motherships facing the Resolution opened fire with every pulse phaser cannon that they could bring to bear. Simultaneously the other two fired upon the Valkastner. The Resolution's shields flashed brightly under the combined onslaught of the three motherships and the ship shuddered violently.
"Shields holding," Beech reported.
"Target the ship to starboard of Tanneth's ship," Darien ordered as the ship shook again as another massive volley of pulse phaser fire ripped into the shields to be harmlessly dissipated back out into space. "Fire transphasic torpedoes."
"Aye sir."
With a hollow thump a transphasic torpedo shot out from one of the forward torpedo tubes and sailed unerringly towards the mothership to starboard of Tanneth's ship. The torpedo sliced through the Goa'uld shields as if they weren't there and then the mothership was gone - blown to fiery dust. For a second the other two motherships paused as if stunned by the power they'd just witnessed. Then they opened fire again with combined volley of pulse phasers and plasma torpedoes. Resolution shuddered violently beneath the assault.
"Shields at ninety percent," Beech reported. A squadron of gliders came in strafing the ship but doing no damage.
"Mr Beech use the phasers to take out those fighters," Darien ordered. "Target transphasic torpedoes on the mothership to port. Fire."
The Resolution's phaser arrays cut lose in a massive co-ordinated salvo. Each and every beam impacted and destroyed a glider. Within a second the glider squadron was gone. Simultaneously another transphasic torpedo shot out from the Resolution to destroy the second supporting mothership leaving Tanneth facing the Resolution alone. His other two motherships were still exchanging fire with the Valkastner and taking a beating in return.
"Mr Wu send a message to Tanneth. Tell him to surrender or be destroyed," Darien ordered.
"Aye sir." Tanneth's answer came almost instantly in the form of more pulse phaser fire and another volley of plasma torpedoes.
"Captain enough is enough," Commander Urlet said. "It's obvious that Tanneth is not going to see reason."
"You're right," Darien admitted reluctantly. He had hoped that by destroying Tanneth's supporting motherships he could convince the Goa'uld to retreat and avoid a whole sale loss of life. "Mr Beech target Tanneth's ship and destroy it."
"Aye sir." A third transphasic torpedo launched from the Resolution's forward torpedo banks. Tanneth's mothership exploded in a powerful blast of plasma flame and energy.
"How's the Asgard ship doing," Darien asked.
"Their shields are holding sir," Beech reported. "Both Goa'uld motherships are severely damaged but are continuing to fight." The deck suddenly shivered under them as several squadrons of gliders from the destroyed motherships came in firing in outrage at the death of their god. "Shall I return fire sir?" Beech asked.
"By all means Mr Beech." Phaser beams lashed out again blasting glider after glider apart. After the first volley the remaining gliders veered off to rethink their strategy. Unfortunately they turned in the wrong direction and ran straight into a wall of ion cannon fire from the Tollan's planetary defence net. Most were destroyed outright. The rest scattered clawing for the relative safety of distance.
"Helm move us towards the Valkastner. Mr Beech lock phasers on the closest mothership and fire."
"Aye sir."
The Resolution turned and accelerated towards the two motherships that were engaged in a viscous firefight with the Asgard battlecruiser. As she closed on the two Goa'uld one mothership abruptly lost it shields. An Asgard disintegrator beam struck the unshielded ship, which glowed brightly then simply disintegrated into a cloud of dust.
"What the hell was that?" Darien demanded. The energy beams the Asgard ship was firing certainly weren't phasers, disruptors or any other energy weapon they were familiar with.
"Sir according to our scans the Asgard weapons appear to work by breaking down the atomic structure of matter into its component elements," Lieutenant Rakan reported. "Extremely powerful and very efficient. Basically they're a highly sophisticated form of molecular disintegrator." At that moment the forward phasers fired upon the remaining mothership punching its shields well into the red and partially penetrating causing serious damage to the vessel. Before the mothership could react to the assault its damaged shields went down to another blast from the Asgard. In less than a second it suffered the same fate as its partner did. Smaller disintegrator beams shot out from the Asgard ship slaughtering the remaining gliders. In less than a second it was all over.
"Stand down from red alert," Darien ordered. "Any damage Mr Wu?"
"Negative sir." The operations console chirped. "Sir the Asgard ship is hailing us."
"On screen." Thor appeared on the screen. A thin haze of smoke was visible in the air behind him but other than that he seemed all right. "Commander Thor are you alright?"
"Perfectly captain. Our damage is minor. Automatic systems are already repairing it. Your weapons are extremely powerful captain I don't believe I have seen the like of those torpedoes before. What are they?"
"Transphasic torpedoes Thor," Darien replied. "They're our heaviest calibre of torpedo. No material this side of carbon neutronium can withstand being struck by them. And I wouldn't like to bet on neutronium surviving a full salvo either. As I said to Tanneth their designed to destroy ships and space stations that are allot bigger and carry nastier weapons than any Goa'uld mothership. Compared to our phaser and plasma weapons Goa'uld pulse phasers and plasma torpedoes are primitive."
"Yes I did notice. It is a pity that we do not have time for an exchange of technologies. I imagine that we could learn much from each other. I have called our cargo ships back. They will be here in a minute. We will have to proceed with the relief supply transfer with as much speed as possible."
"We could give each other a copy of our respective databases," Darien suggested. Thor seemed to consider.
"Indeed we could," the Asgard agreed. "It will at least give us a good framework of trust for our future interactions."
"I will have my operations officer set up a datalink between us."
"I will have mine do the same," Thor agreed. "The transfer can take place while we are in the process of transferring the relief supplies agreed?"
"Agreed."
"I look forward to our future meetings captain," Thor said finally.
"As do I Thor." The Asgard nodded then his image disappeared. "Lieutenant Wu set up a datalink between us as the Valkastner. Transfer a complete copy of our database to the Asgard and prepare to receive a copy of theirs."
"Aye sir."
"Sir those Goa'uld cargo ships are decloaking now. The lead ship is hailing us they want to talk about delivery of supplies," Beech reported.
"Patch it through to my station Mr Beech," Commander Urlet ordered.
"Aye sir."
"Captain the two Asgard cargo ships are back," Wu reported. "Datalink with the Valkastner's main computer has been established. Beginning data exchange."
"Are SG-1 ready for transport over?"
"Yes sir."
"Transfer the co-ordinates to transporter room two. I'll go down and meet them."
"Aye, sir. Sir we are being hailed by the surface. High Chancellor Travell is asking if it would be possible to come aboard for a tour and diplomatic discussion."
"Of course. We'll bring her aboard just after we bring SG-1 aboard."
"Aye sir I will advise her."
"Sir transfer of supplies from the Asgard ships to cargo bays one and two is beginning. Supplies being transferred from the Goa'uld cargo ships is being transferred into cargo bays three and four," Commander Urlet reported. "Sir one of the things the Asgard have transported over is a large metal ring. Metal element unknown. A smaller device has been transported over also."
"That must be the Stargate they were on about. Lieutenant Rakan get as many detailed scans of it as you can prior to its transport down to the surface of Tollana."
"Aye sir."
"You have the bridge commander. I'll be in transporter room two."
"Aye sir."
*****
Transporter Room Two
Chief petty officer Reiger looked up as the doors to the transporter room opened. Then stiffened slightly as Captain Parker came through.
"I have the transport co-ordinates for both SG-1 and High Chancellor Travell's party sir," she reported.
"Good bring SG-1 aboard first. The Asgard ships are empty of supplies now and are anxious to leave."
"Aye sir energising."
Four of the transporter pads lit up and SG-1 appeared in a shimmering of silver-white light. Darien studied them as they appeared. They were an interesting bunch. He recognised Colonel O'Neill immediately but the rest he didn't know their names. One was slightly shorter than O'Neill wearing spectacles and had a distinct academic air around him - despite his dress it was obvious that he wasn't a soldier. The female of the group was quiet attractive with blond hair and an air of great intelligence about her - she was around the same height as Colonel O'Neill. The forth member of the group was a very tall dark skinned man who was just as big as he was. He was bald had a serious expression on his face and a strange gold snake symbol on his forehead.
"Colonel O'Neill," Darien said stepping forward and holding out his hand hoping that Humans in this universe did handshakes. "Welcome aboard the Federation starship Resolution. I'm Captain Parker."
"Jack O'Neill," Jack replied shaking the younger mans hand all the while sizing him up. He was young yes but there was hardness in him that you would only find in a combat veteran. Yet in his grey eyes there was tenderness and a kindness that you wouldn't normally see in a combat veteran. It was an intriguing contradiction. He was also a big man to. The same size as Teal'c and probably just as strong judging by the feel of the muscles in the mans forearm. They were far harder than he would expect even on a guy who weight trained as often as this guy obviously did. "This is the rest of my team. Doctor Daniel Jackson. Major Samantha Carter and Teal'c." Darien shook each of their hands in turn.
"Can you step down from the transporter pad now please. We have another few guests to beam aboard." SG-1 did as they were told all the while wondering who these other guests were. "Ms Reiger energsie."
"Aye sir." All six transporter pads activated and six gleamind streams of matter started to take shape. "Sir four of the High Chancellor's entourage are carrying weapons. I'm disabling them now. Resuming transport."
The transport resumed and High Chancellor Travell, Narim and four Tollan security guards appeared on the pads. Both Travell and Narim blinked startled when they saw SG-1.
"High Chancellor Travell," Darien said stepped forward and giving the slight formal bow that the Tollan tended to use instead of handshakes. "Welcome aboard the Federation starship Resolution."
"It is good to meet you in person at last captain. Thank you for agreeing to my request to come aboard."
"It is no trouble," Darien assured her. "I was expecting your request ages ago. But you should have told me your guards were going to bring weapons. I would have told you to leave the weapons behind. As it is you're weapons have now been disabled." He turned to SG-1. "The same is true of your weapons Colonel O'Neill." Both Travell and Colonel O'Neill nodded in understanding. Travell turned to Colonel O'Neill.
"Colonel O'Neill," she said. "I am glad to see you again. I hope you can forgive my behaviour at our last meeting."
"We can forgive you your eminence," Daniel Jackson said. "You've already paid the price for dealing with the devil. Us being angry at you serves no purpose except to cause more misery and pain to the Tollan people. Had we wished your people harm we would have not brought you the relief supplies or asked the Asgard and Tok'ra for assistance." Travell bowed her head slightly.
"The Currier thanks you for your understanding. We are going to need your help in the months to come. Especially for food with winter coming. Our hydroponic facilities are gone. It will take months to restart them. And without the weather control grid its going to get very cold on Tollana."
"We can help their High Chancellor," Darien said. "We have an industrial replicator on board."
"Replicators," Jack said. "You don't mean the little mechanical bugs that run around devouring ships and making Asgard lives a misery."
"No. When I say replicator or replicators I mean machines that can manufacture just about anything from clothing to food and weapons. As I was saying High Chancellor we can manufacture replacement hydroponics parts for you. Just give us the specs you want and we'll manufacture them. We can have your hydroponic plants back up and running in a week or two. I can't help with the weather control grid we don't have the proper materials on hand for that. Replicators do have some limitations."
"That would be very generous of you. It would help allot."
"It is no problem High Chancellor. Helping people in need is part of Starfleets charter. That's why we helped you when Tanneth was attacking your planet the first time."
"Speaking of Tanneth I owe you a debt of honour," Teal'c said. "For killing Tanneth. If there is anything I can ever do for you do not hesitate to ask."
"I'll remember that Teal'c," Darien said. "Now let's begin our tour shall we?"