1: Dawn Of Thunder
Third Edition
Author: chaoseternus
When Earth is threatened, the USA and the UK join forces to protect our world…with help from an old friend.
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Chapter 14
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Thundersdawn
"Is it just me or did that Goa'uld just do exactly what we wanted them to?"
"It's not you, Captain."
"Hmm, All hear this! All hear this! We have bogies inbound, ETA 2 minutes, we are now running weapons free."
"Diagnostics confirm, all weapons batteries green"
"All airtight doors are sealed, Captain."
"The Asgard vessel has engaged both Ha'tak's!"
"Weapon's locked! Contacts will enter long range in 5 seconds!"
"Captain, engineering confirms all generators on line."
"Bogies in Long range!"
"Commence Firing!" Peters shouted. The response was instantaneous.
Thundersdawn began shuddering as volleys of laser light left the jury-rigged Pulse Laser cannons. Most missed, at that range it was inevitable, but the Jaffa in their fighters came on relentless, despite the stabbing bursts of energy seeking to atomise their craft, despite the occasional blaze of light as a direct hit was scored.
" Medium Range ! Re-setting Lasers!"
The lasers stopped for a second, then restarted anew, the closer range meaning less energy was lost before reaching the Gliders and so Thundersdawns cannons could fire faster and with greater accuracy. It showed. More gliders were destroyed every second, every meter closer they got. It wasn't enough, the Jaffa were too many…
"Short range!"
The pulse cannons reset again, at this short range they were able to fire almost continuously, but then, so could the Goa'uld.
Thundersdawn rumbled almost continuously as the Gliders fired repeatedly into her armoured hull. Half of the gliders were gone now, but those that were left we causing significant damage. One enterprising glider pilot had found a blind spot in the pulse laser coverage and had stopped dead in space firing at the same piece of armour again, and again, and again. It gave. Peters was thrown of her seat as Thundersdawn gave an almighty groan and shifted in space, blown backwards by the force of air escaping from her hull.
" Hull breach! Corridor 34E and Hold 1 are open to vacuum."
The glider pilot grinned; satisfied by the damage he had caused, and moved to a new section. Thundersdawn had yet to stop her uncontrolled movements however, and the Jaffa got a temporary reprieve as the targeting computers failed to lock onto their targets, thrown off by the wild movements of the station as the largest compartment in Thundersdawn, Hold 1, vented its atmosphere to space.
Thundersdawn shuddered again, and with a bang of escaping energy the environmental control console behind Peters exploded, the body of the operator smashing into Peters, forcing her to the ground. She crawled out from underneath the man, and checked his pulse. Nothing, she cursed and got back to her feet, she had a station to look after.
"Jesus!"
The softly spoken moan from the damage control console grabbed Peters attention.
"Report!"
"A Glider just hit Dry-dock 4, Captain, it's gone, it's broken off totally"
The Captain stood stunned for a moment, but Thundersdawn shuddered again bringing her to her senses.
"Control, get working on those thrusters, we need to stop this venting now"
"Venting is about done Captain, we should regain control momentarily."
"Sensors just picked up a big explosion captain, someone just died but sensors are to damaged to tell who"
"That had better be the Ha'tak's."
'Either that' the Captain thought to herself 'or we're dead.'
Static filled the bridge as the overloaded intercom burst into life;
"Engineering to command, we just lost pulse laser batteries 4 and 9, they're slagged, total loss, we need to shut down the rest now!"
"We still have about 20 gliders out there; we can't afford to stop firing, you'll just have to keep those lasers going a little longer" Peters shouted back through the microphone.
"No guarantees captain!" The intercom clicked off.
"Captain, signal from the Asgard, Scratch one, must of been that explosion tactical couldn't identify"
"Captain! The gliders!"
Peters turned to the sensor officer, surprised by the jubilation in his voice.
"They're leaving!"
"Why?" the question was out before she could suppress it.
"Looks like a retreat Captain, as far as sensors can tell they are not regrouping."
Peters nodded, relieved.
"Cease firing!"
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