My apologies for the lack of updates. I have hit a writers block with this story but I am trying to push through it. This chapter is short, but hopefully the next two chapters will not be.
X. To Go Beyond…
Sam boarded the EC4567 Horizon quickly. She walked down the hall, crew members saluting to her. She nodded to them and entered the elevator, waiting for it to reach the bridge. Sam stepped onto the bridge and the rest of the team stood at attention, saluting. She nodded to them as well and sat in her chair.
"In coming message from Thor." spoke Bruce Green, one of the men on the bridge. He pressed a button and Thor appeared on the communicating screen. There were three in all: one for communicating, one for navigational, and another for ship functions. Sam smiled at him.
"Things seem to be in order, Thor." Sam answered. Thor nodded.
The ship then began to move. Everyone grabbed onto something close as the large mechanics outside the ship moved it to the launching bay. The ship stopped for a moment as the mechanics let loose. Thor appeared on the screen once again.
"Now, move your thrusters to full capacity for lift off." Thor instructed. Sam sensed the nervousness of her pilots, but she nodded to them. The pilots placed their hands on the Asgard like control board and moved their fingers around. The ship gave a slight shake as the thrusters turned on.
The ship hovered from the ground then went to a forty five degree angle, zooming from the ground. The navigational screen shifted to the view of the Asgard buildings becoming smaller. The ship then met resistance as it exited the atmosphere. Suddenly the ship seemed to stop, almost like floating.
"Ship status!" Sam called out.
Cadet Amy Ling turned on the ship functions, scanning the screen. "Everything appears to be in order, Colonel. I'll know within a few moments if there are any damages that need to be attended too."
Sam looked at Thor and smiled. "A fine ship, Thor, congratulations. You all should be proud of it."
"The EC4567 Horizon is one of our most advanced ships along with the O'Neill." Thor explained. "Now, Colonel." The navigational screen came alive. "The last word we heard of from Odin was on the planet PC57621. However we have a mission we would like you to do." Sam nodded. A small light began to blink on the navigational screen. "In light of the new Goa'uld filling the shoes of Anubis, Ba'al has been taking what remains of the fleet of Anubis. The System Lords have met with Earth and refuse to make a treaty, and thus we wish you and your command to go to them on behalf of us."
Sam sat back in her seat.
"We are no position as of now to fight against the Goa'uld. Thus we ask that you do as we would see fit when speaking with these System Lords." Thor said. "Their coordinates have been sent to the computer of your ship. You are being expected to arrive within three days. Good luck Colonel."
"Thanks, Thor." Sam sighed and shook her head once Thor's line had been disconnected. "Cadet Green, set the course to the coordinates that Thor sent us."
"Yes ma'am."
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"So what do you all think of this assignment?" Sam asked, looking at her crew in the meeting room. Jennifer was at her right, with Cassandra next to her. To her left were the engineer coordinator and also the food coordinator. She could sense the uncertainty in the room. "Well?"
"You already know my opinion, Colonel." Jennifer said. "You know I don't mind doing things for the Asgard, and I really don't mind doing this assignment…but you know that I don't like the Goa'uld. Even if there is a piece of paper protecting us from them, that doesn't mean they won't try something."
"Like when they sent that meteor to Earth, trying to make it look like a natural occurrence." said Joseph Barns the engineer coordinator. "We could say one thing and piss off the System Lords like Wier did."
"Well we are all very aware of the….treaty techniques of Dr. Wier." Sam agreed. "And that is a good thing to be aware of, good point."
"Colonel." Cassandra said. "I'm not really sure if all the weaponry of the ship is up yet….so if the System Lords were to attack us after we tried to help them we may have an over run hospital wing."
"Perhaps…" the food coordinator, Larry Shounen spoke. "Since they know the ship is Asgard built they wouldn't try that…after all, the Asgard do put them in their place."
"But they also may not know we don't know how to control it that well…just like with Earth and the Ancient Weapon." Jennifer said. "I mean they aren't stupid. Sure the old Chinese one is getting a bit senile, but that doesn't mean they are morons."
"It seems like we have a fifty-fifty change every way we look at it." Sam said. "We have a chance of them fearing us because of the Asgard, and yet we have a chance of them attacking us due to our history of naivety with our space attempts." Everyone gave an equal shudder at the reminder of the incident they had learned about of Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill in deep space. "Either way, we have three days to figure out how to advance on this."
"They don't know we found Atlantis!" Joseph spoke. "Maybe we could use it as a threat…after all, with them seeing us with Asgard technology they wouldn't know what we are supplied with."
"We are there to make a treaty, Barns, not to make a death wish." Jennifer rolled her eyes.
"I believe it would be wise not to mention Atlantis at all." Cassandra said. "After all, they could find a way to examine our ships data and then take the 'gate coordinates to get to there. It's better that they still think that we haven't found Atlantis."
"Well noted. That's been settled." Sam agreed. "For the rest of it, I think we will just have to sit back and watch. The System Lords will tell us what they want us to do, and we will try to build off of that."
"We should stay away from being their attack dog." Larry said. "If we give them too much of our help they will expect us to go and save every single one of their establishments. Personally, I'd like to see the Goa'uld race down to just a scrape of snakes left."
"We all feel that way in some way or another, Mr. Shounen." Sam leaned on the table. "Yet they are part of the treaty and we are acting on behalf of this treaty. Therefore we can't do anything that the Asgard…"
"Lieutenant Colonel Carter and Captain Hailey to the bridge. Repeat, Lieutenant Colonel Carter and Captain Hailey to the bridge."
Sam dismissed the meeting. She and Jennifer hurried to the elevator, taking it to the bridge. They stepped onto it, Sam taking her seat. "What is it?"
"Incoming message from the System Lords." Bruce Green said. "It is an unidentified System Lord."
"Place audio through." Sam said, and heard a beep. "This is Lt. Colonel Carter of the EC4567 Horizon; your signal has been identified as a System Lord. We will not make visual contact until you identify yourself."
"I am Amaterasu." The female Goa'uld spoke. Sam nodded and they made visual contact. They found the Asian Goa'uld standing there with her silk kimono on, not looking to fond of the situation. "Colonel, we had asked the Asgard to come, not you. We have already disapproved the wishes of Earth."
"We are working as of the Asgard, not Earth." Sam explained. "The Asgard are rebuilding from the attacks of the Replicators, so they are unavailable." She saw the Goa'uld flinch at the mention of the bugs. "We will be at your ship within the next day or so, Amaterasu."
"You had better, be Tau'ri." The Goa'uld hissed and the transmission ended. Sam sighed and looked at Jennifer, who sighed as well.