Sorry for the exceptionally long delay in posting this chapter, a was taking my finals and life got a bit mad but now I have graduated which is all good! I also have a huge apology to make even bigger than for not updating I have lost my Beta's email address when they deleted my uni email account (the cruelty of it) so 'FIZZIKS' if your out there get in touch – my old email will forward to my new one!

Chapter 7

The descent back through the atmosphere was uneventful if a little quiet. When they exited the denser atmosphere they radioed the Asgard again, this time they received a more welcoming reply, O'Neill might have called it friendly but wasn't sure if the Asgard could really sound friendly.

Following some very confusing responses to their inquires for co-ordinates and probably more by luck than inter-species communication they located the Asgard base and their next problem.

The base was a doomed structure covering a similar space to four average houses, but that wasn't the problem, the problem was its location, right at the base of a very high cliff that bent around it. Any flight path that could be drawn across it would be cut rather short by the wall of rock it would encounter once it crossed the base.

O'Neill and Carter surveyed the situation, flying high to get a better perspective.

"We could get it on the turn" O'Neill observed.

"It's not going to get close"

"We've got 40m to play with if you come in fast, bank hard?"

"We could do it; well maybe, it all depends on the force of the turn"

"Let's give it one run see if it's enough"

Again they radioed the Asgard with an update and the Asgard, who said they were monitoring for the impact of the missile.

"OK, we're running out of time Sir, are you ready?" Carter prompted.

"Yep, Finger is on the trigger and ready to push"

"OK, beginning run" From the reasonably steady circles they'd been flying above the base. Carter swung the craft faster and lower, she flew out and away from the target site before banking hard and coming in for the approach. Despite O'Neill's willingness to let Carter fly, despite his respect for her skill, he was worried, flying fast towards solid rock holding on to a switch and having no influence on the craft's path was not what he would have called fun. He wondered how Carter had stood it so politely; he was used to flying not being flown.

"Ready?" Carter voice broke into his negative thoughts and he focused 100 on the task at hand.

She banked sharply swinging the craft round beside the base and O'Neill fired just as the force of the turn peaked.

The release was smooth and the missile was flung out with more force than either of the crafts occupants had anticipated. It struck the roof of the base tip first and did not fall. As the 302 turned away an Asgard voice spoke sharply through the communicator.

"What have you done?"

O'Neill clicked the communicator to respond

"Um…we missed, sorry guys, we'll give it another shot."

"You have destabilised the power grid" The voice was hard and seemed almost scared.

"That important isn't it? Sorry we might have been going a little fast"

This time a different Asgard voice spoke, this one just seemed emotionless "The grid is impossible to replace, it maintains our internal environment without transport you have ensured our deaths."

"OK, that's bad. How long do we have to get you out?"

"We will perish within the next 12hrs, should you fail to retrieve us." the lack of emotion in the voice was cutting.

There was moment of heavy silence as the horror of what they'd just done set in.

"Sir, we can make another run now before we need to recharge"

"OK, take this one real easy"

"Sorry Sir, It was a lot lighter than I had anticipated, the…you want to try again we've only got a minute."

"Its OK give it another try, get it right and it won't matter at all."

The next run only helped by not making it any worse. As the turning force was insufficient to push the missile near to the base and it dropped to far away for the Asgard to reach it.

Carter's mind fumed as she realised what she had done.

"I'm sorry Sir, I slowed too much"

"No worries Carter, I was a little late on the trigger, we'll nail it next time, but now we'd better head up" O'Neill's response sounded calm enough but did little to ease the tension they were both feeling as he clicked the communicator.

"OK, Asgard just sit tight well be back."

"We can do nothing but remain here"

"We're going to come get you in a few minutes, just sit tight"

They rose once again through the atmosphere, Carter's mind desperately trying to work out what the missiles weighed since there modification and therefore what speed was needed. If she have known all the parameters the calculation would have taken a few minutes but with so many unknowns all she could do was work in circles.

By the time they exited the atmosphere the problem was really starting to annoy her.

"Sir, can you contact Thor and ask him what was removed…No don't worry I don't know the shells weigh or the atmospheric density and he must have taken everything out for it to fly that far but…"

"Carter"

"Yes, sorry Sir I'll shut up" she said realising she was babbling.

"Don't worry we'll get it right next time"

"Yes Sir" but she still fumed inside as she mentally ran though each shot again and again trying to process every variable, so next time it would work.

O'Neill sat having gone over the run a couple of times himself, he tried to be quiet but patience wasn't a talent that came to him naturally; he tried to think of something normal to say to distract Carter from a problem she couldn't solve for a few minutes yet, but after running through several ideas he just spoke, it seemed easier,

"So what plans got cut to go joy riding at the alpha site?"

But before she even got to open her mouth to answer the Asgard communicator relayed Thors voice into the cockpit,

"Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, we must abandon this effort the replicators have entered this region, it is possible the base will go undetected and we can return at a later date to attempt to retrieve them."

"Not an option Thor, we miss fired and have affected the base we need to get them out, today"

"It will be minutes before we are detected, there is insufficient time O'Neill, the scientists will leave nothing of value for the replicators."

"Sir, ask exactly how long" Carter's voice was sharp with urgency, and O'Neill relayed the question without hesitation.

"Around 5 minutes at our best estimation" was Thor's worrying reply.

"Sir, we can't just leave them there"

"I'll take any plan right now Carter"

"OK, your going to have to trust me, put Thor on so he can hear me"

"Done"

"Thor,"

"Yes Major Carter"

"We've got time for one last try; move your craft behind the planet, the radiation should shield you for a few extra minutes, we'll exit on that side and then all you'll need to do is return here, beam them out and jump to hyperspace"

"If we are detected we must retreat this ship is no match for the Replicator fleet."

"Thor, if you are detected, leave, but we will be there, just hold on"

"We will remain as long as possible."

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(MORE SOON and I actually mean soon)