SGC, 2002

Senator Kinsey blinked, lost for words: many times he had faced people who know he was lying, but never had someone started it so bluntly to his face.

Dylan smiled, "Relax Senator, I'm not a vindictive man: I have Beka and Tyr for that. I'm here because I was told that it was important, not to get even with you." His eyes narrowed, "But you mess with any of my crew, and there isn't a force in this universe that'll be able to stop me coming after you."

General Hammond stood behind his desk, "Gentlemen, this isn't getting us anywhere: we have a serious situation that needs to be attended to." He rested his hands palm down on his desk, "SG-9 was unable to contact the Asgard from K'tau, so it look's like we're on our own." He turned to Dylan, "Captain Hunt, I'd like to send SG-1, -2 and –3 to P4X-639 undetected. As Anubis is able to detect a cloaked Teltac, would it be possible for you to take them there onboard the Andromeda?"

Dylan nodded, "Of course. And I'm sure that they would welcome the additional firepower."

O'Neill nodded, "Oh hell yes!"

O'Neill was happy to find that there where plenty of seats onboard Andromeda, if you knew where to look for them.

SG's 1, 2 and 3 where being outfitted with weapons and armour from Andromeda's extensive magazines: Teal'c was most at home, especially after Tyr had shown him how a forcelance worked. O'Neill looked at the High Guard weapon of choice and shook his head, "Just how powerful can this thing be?"

Rommie lifted a P90 from the table and aimed at a target on the far wall of the firing range. She squeezed the trigger, sending a stream of fire at the very center of the target, denting it, but failing to brake through the tough composite plate. She turned to O'Neill, "That target is made of the same material as High Guard armour." She drew her forcelance and fired a single round at the next target along, putting a ragged hole in the center.

Carter sat on the gangway overlooking Andromeda's slipstream core, "What's the maximum energy output of that thing?"

Harper looked over her shoulder, "Let's just say they've been known to turn planets into asteroid fields." He smiled, "What to see something really cool?"

Harper unlocked the machine shop and turned the lights on, "Normally no one is allowed down here but Dylan, Rommie and me, but I think I can trust you." He led the way across the room, stopping before a two-meter high cylinder, "That, although it may not look it, is one of the most powerful weapons ever built: a Nova Bomb."

Carter looked at the weapon, "I take it from the name that it…"

"Upsets the gravitation forces inside a star, sending it Nova. Rommie used to have 40 of them, but they where used to escape a black hole. We acquired another from an old High Guard base, and tried to use it, but its effect was negated."

"How do you negate a supernova?

"Good question, and if you can answer that, maybe I can find a way to stop it happening again: we only have so much Voltarium to use in these things."

"What's Voltarium?"

"It's very similar to Naquadria, but a little more stable. The only problem is that, apart from making weapons of mass destruction, it has no known uses."

"Andromeda! Wait up!"

Rommie span round, "Mr Quinn, Jones, I have told you reputably to call me Rommie: it avoids confusion between this body and my ship-self. If you wanted to access the main AI, you could have done so from your quarters. Now, how can I help you?"

Jones smiled, "There is something we could use your help on: a while ago, back before my time, the SGC came into contact with an AI called Reese. Unfortunately, it was necessary to, well, shoot her. We tried to reactivate her, and even the Asgard had a look at her, but their experience with AI's is not as extensive as yours. We where kind of hoping that you could have a look at her."

Rommie sighed, "I'm not promising anything, but I'll have a look."

To Be Continued…