Chapter 18

"It's Oh Six hundred and what does the Oh stand for OH MY GOD IT'S EARLY"

USAF Achilles

Omega Bay 6

One day post arrival Durani Station.

The remnants of the three ship groups finally made it back to Durani station a few hours after their return to hyperspace. The critically damaged units of the first and second task forces had been towed by the other ships left of the second fleet. The Achilles had also been towed through Hyperspace by a Nova class dreadnaught even as its primary power was restored.

The reinforcement fleet had taken up the slack of the damaged fleet ships from the survivors and had taken every ship under tow until they could get back to Durani Base. Space around the fleet yards was almost empty as the ships in the system had retreated back allowing the beat up survivors to stumble into the system assisted by their reinforcements.

The crews of the duty defensive units watched stoically as the damaged ships were brought into empty docks that were ready specifically for their repair. Ironically, the ships that had originally launched only days beforehand ended up in the same docks as they had been constructed in. The last ship of the fleet, the Achilles herself now under her own power drifted towards the Omega bay, alone. It seemed that the ship and its crew blamed themselves for the loss of so many ships in one day. All the work they had done to keep the shipyards and fleet together and intact had been for naught as many of the ships that had fought by them in battle had been destroyed by the Minbari only days after the battle that had defeated them once before. And all because the Achilles had been out there with them

Once docked the assigned technicians from the Alliance shipyards started to swarm over the outer areas of the ship checking for any form of damage on the hull, inside the USAF crew were assisted by still more of the technicians only stopping them from working on those systems that were off limits to the Alliance crews.

"How bad is it Chief?" asked the Colonel.

"Not as bad as we thought Sir. The shields are operational. A Couple of the breakers had to be rest and a few of the circuit boards and crystals had to be rewired or replaced. The entire system was badly strained but a day or so should have it working again. The weapons systems are completely intact and working. The problem is that our weapons stocks are badly depleted and without some assistance we'll be out of missiles by the end of the next battle we fight possibly two. Lastly the attempt to rewire the hyperdrive using the specs for a Goa'uld derivative as used by the Prometheus last year has come back negative. We just can't get this lady to hyperspeed."

"We should have expected that, anything else?"

"Well, the railguns need a quick check outside but the used rounds can be replaced by the Alliance shipyards. Colonel in the cargo bays we still have a couple hundred tons of partially refined Naquada."

"I know Chief, but I'm not sure allowing the Alliance access to that stuff is a good idea."

"I know Sir, but without some nukes and refined ore we're gonna be out of luck and damned soon."

"I'm not sure the use of the missiles will be of much use after today Chief, the Minbari know what the missiles are capable of. They can knock out our missiles without a problem."

"Maybe the Alliance can help I've been looking over their weapons specs their missiles may be of more use they are faster than our own, but not much different in size, they might be willing to help."

"But at what price Chief? They might ask for a hell of a lot and with the way things are going for the Alliance I'm not sure what they will do with it."

"I agree Colonel, but without help we're pretty much useless. No long range weapons and no hyperdrive, we're dead in the water for anyone that wants to come after us."

"Thanks Chief, anything else?"

"Just one thing Colonel, we've been over every inch of the secondary reactor system, and we can't find a thing wrong with it. There should have been no fall off in power during the battle."

"Enemy weapons fire?"

"Not that I know of, the shields can't feedback into the power system. The bleed off systems and shield generators would have taken the shield power and redirected it into the shields."

"What do we need?"

"We're going to have to strip her down and rebuild her completely. We can't risk a collapse of the reactor during combat again."

"How long?"

"Three weeks minimum."

"THREE WEEKS?"

"Sorry Colonel, the damn things the most complex pieces of Human hardware on this ship. The fact is if we find anything seriously wrong with the reactor we may have to strip all three down, we're stuffed either way."

The Colonel sat down on one of the consoles, her ship was in bad shape. Nearly three weeks of constant combat the systems were taking a pounding. They couldn't go on a full shut down and refit yet, not until Durani station was ready for combat with the new Scanners.

The fact that they had been on shakedown when they had been diverted here, wherever 'here' wa,s had been one of the problems. With a shakedown they would have returned to Earth. The ship's systems would have been repaired and updated and the ship pronounced combat worthy soon afterwards."

Now the ship was in bad condition; crew numbers were down by over a third, shields and weapons were damaged or at least needing refit and rearmed. They had lost three of their fighters to different means. The crew as well as the ship were on the verges of burnout and now in order to repair the ship they would have to move again and risk further combat with insufficient weapons loads.

"Dammit. Ok chief do what you need to do?"

"Aye, Sir."

"Can this be done while on the move at all?"

"I believe so Sir."

"Without it do you think the ship is operational enough a full move out of the system?"

"Yes Sir, the secondary can be taken offline. The primary is in working order even without the power from the secondary we're in battle condition. The secondary reactor will need to be removed totally though so as not to risk an explosive overload in any way."

"We won't need it for battle Chief. Apparently we've been offered a tow to the Solar System as soon as possible, and apparently we're to be congratulated and thanked for our help by the Alliance Senate. What's more we're being asked to go in order to protect us from any Minbari counterattacks that come in this way. Obviously they are aware of our system's problems."

"I'll believe that when I see it. A government that wants only what's good for the Military under their command. With this ship in the system they'll believe they are safe."

"I agree, it's a set up Chief, that's all."

"Well we're ready to go if we need to be."

"Two days Chief. Let's see if we can help out Durani station before we leave."

"Aye, Sir."

Earthdome

Senator's Offices

Same time.

The offices of the Senate of the Earth Alliance were in usual cases a serene and friendly place for those whom for whatever reason came into them. High security and a large contingent of guards made any attempt to force their way in impossible. The guards knew their jobs and did them well. Two such guards looked over the guest of one of the Senators and after declaring him clean admitted him and his bodyguards to the Senate offices.

The guest and guards made their way to one of the upper hierarchy of the senate. The offices of the Senator for Military readiness and expenditure looked relaxed as a man like he could be under the strain this man must be under.

"Ahh good Morning Lt. I hope you slept well."

"Very well, thank you."

"Oh I'm sorry please forgive me. My name is Santiago, Senator Luis Santiago."

"Lt Dennis Silverston, acting Commanding Officer of Alpha Squadron, USAF Achilles."

"Nice to meet you, Lt. Please have a Seat."

"Thank you .Sir."

"Please no formalities, its Luis or Senator if you prefer. I remember how it was."

"Thank you Senator."

"I must admit I was surprised to hear about your ship's appearance in Alliance Space those weeks ago. We've had problems with most first contacts we've had over the past thirty years or so believe me on that."

"As I've been told."

"We thought we were almost invincible when that war ended, shows how wrong we were especially after contact with the Minbari went sour."

"You were military, weren't you, Senator?"

"You got me Lt. Captain Luis Santiago, Wing Commander EA Avenger."

"Yes Sir, the way you mentioned the involvement in bad first contacts, I assumed you were in your Dilgar war."

"Indeed, we were part of the first and indeed final assaults on Dilgar territories. I understand from reports by Colonel Travmakov former CO of DSR4 that your own race's first non-terrestrial contact went quite badly with the parasite creatures."

"Yes, Sir. The Goa'uld are quite a problem for us. A few other races have also been against us from the beginning, the Replicators, Ashen, and others have all been a problem."

"But you have allies as well?"

"Yes, Sir. A few that are willing to help us against the enemies at the Gates, and I mean that literally, Sir."

"Yes, a Russian saying that goes well with your world's primary off world travelling method. We could do with someone like that here."

"Sir, all of this is in the reports from the Achilles. Why am I here?"

"No other reason than I wanted to meet you Lt. A Human from somewhere far away that helped to defend people he didn't even know and didn't have to care for. Few people would have willingly done what you and you ship did Lt it is an honour to know such people."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Come Lt, let's take a walk."

The two men left the room their guards clambering after them not quite expecting the fact that a meeting would so quickly turn into an impromptu 'walk about the gardens'. The Lt and the Senator walked in front and headed outside the offices into the massive garden built into the middle of Earthdome itself.

The domed roof sat over a half mile above their head keeping the inside of the Senate offices dry and comfortable. A massive storm had picked up above them and now the thick clouds moved slowly above them and rain hammered the thick plexiglass panels causing a slight and almost inaudible rumble to run through the construction. In all it was an amazing a quite comforting sight to the people inside.

"This is one of my favourite times inside Earthdome. When you're in space you forget just what a good thunderstorm is like. I always just sat outside my house whenever I was on leave and watched the weather."

"Our ships don't spend more than a few days or soon a patrol, but it always good to just come back and feel the real weather on your face and not the recycled oxygen supplies on a warship."

"It's worse on a fighter as well."

"Damn straight, even worse it you had Mexican food the night before."

"That's just wrong."

"To be honest I wasn't expecting to be called up for Recon duty for the Achilles. I was just on the list if a guy went down, appendicitis it was this time."

A thunderclap rumbled overhead as multitude of lightning bolts hit the dome cascading along the plexiglass and metal supports of the dome, the glass darkened slightly and a different rumble of machinery went running through the dome.

"Damn that was right on top."

"Yes, the dome is proofed against multiple strikes on its surface, it has to be at that height."

"Incredible."

"I understand I'm not the first to meet you since your arrival on Earth."

"Senator?"

"I know you've been working for Io Station R&D for the last week or so. I'm the one who had you transferred there instead of Proxima Command. However I also understand you talked to Senator Clark yesterday."

"Yes I received a request to come to EarthDome to meet him. He said pretty much the same as you. 'Thank you for helping us, etc', although he was more than slightly interested in out offensive and defensive technologies."

"Still, thank you for your assistance and the assistance of your people, without it many more people would be dead right about now."

"As I said to the other Senator, we couldn't just stand by and watch as helpless ships get butchered."

"Your ship destroyed multiple Minbari ships of the line. That is still very impressive. Your sensors were a gift from the gods in the end. The capability of seeing the Minbari in a one on one dual is something that can't be praised enough."

"It looks like your people needed it Senator. We were all too glad to help. Believe me we know about this type of warfare back home."

"Indeed. Well I won't lie to you Lt. Most of the Senators and the higher ups in the Military want those shields and especially those weapons you use. The nukes alone are incredible, but the energy weapon you used would be a godsend to our ships. The war is going badly Lt Silverston. The systems we've received from your ship and the possible technologies gathered from the Minbari ships the Achilles and your fighters disabled will help us immensely."

"I realise that Sir. But I'm not authorised to hand over any information not already available."

The two men sat on one of the many benches that were strewn around the gardens, the Senator unbuttoned his jacket and relaxed. Looking at the younger man he realised that he had the wrong end of the stick as it were.

"Oh dear me, I'm sorry you misunderstand. As a former pilot I remember taking orders that meant one thing or maybe another. More than that since I became a Senator I also know that treaties made with another country or power has nothing to do with anyone else not directly involved with it. These Agard…"

"Asgard Senator. The Asgard are the most powerful race in the known galaxies. Their assistance in the construction of some of our systems is strictly controlled and we won't break the treaty unless ordered to by the Asgard or the JCOS and the President."

"Good, that means your people are loyal and duty bound. I admire that. Still any other help you can give us is very much appreciated Lt by us all. With luck some of these systems will give us the edge we need to hold the Minbari back."

"We'll try, Senator."

"Good, it was nice to meet you son."

"You too, Sir."

"Watch your back with some of these Senators, son. They will do anything they can to get what they want, watch Clark he's the worst."

"Aye, Sir. we've a few like Clark, reminds me of Kinsey."

"Senator Robert Kinsey?"

"Yes Sir, but how…"

"We had a Kinsey in government in the early 21st century. He led the Anti-Alliance group that believed that national pride and identity would be lost and that the United States would be able to stand alone in the future."

"Sounds like ours as well."

"Ours was shot on his Inauguration day, turns out six snipers were set up in case any missed the shot. They didn't need the C4 charge found planted in the podium in the end, some people really wanted him dead."

The Lt laughed at the thought of Kinsey, the bane of the SGC and by and large the Three- Zero projects being put out of their misery forever. But this was the closest they would get without physically feeding the annoying Ex-Vice president, Ex Senator and all round Pain in the Arse to the snakeheads.

"I think it may be the same guy Senator, or at least a version of him."

"Still I do not understand if he exists here then we may be your future, however nothing else including your Stargate Command seems to exist here. If it had we would not have the problems we are now with the other races."

"I don't know Senator, but we will find out."

"Thank you for meeting me Lt. I will have orders cut having you returned to Io Station as soon as possible and it has been an interesting convocation to have. I rarely have the chance these days to confer with Pilots of any sort, so thank you for that."

"My pleasure Senator."

The two men separated, one back to his offices and the other back to his place of residence to pack his belongings for his transfer. Neither man noticed the very pale man running out of the garden his nose and eyes streaming blood.

Peterson Air Force Base

Space Command

Classified Hanger

Twelve hours after transition of Centauri Warship

The classified hanger at Peterson Air Force had at times been home to different types of classified vehicles, from the F117, the prototype F22, to the prototypes X302 and X303 of the SGC fleet. Recently it had become home to one of the SGC's growing fleet of Tel'Tac Cargo ships.

The Cargo ships had been a gift to the people of the Tau'ri and by extension the armed forces and the SGC itself. The Free Jaffa had gathered almost two dozen of the vessels and given them to the Tau'ri with their thanks for their assistance in freeing the Jaffa peoples.

One such vessel had been attached to the command staff of Stargate command and could be used for official and quite often 'unofficial' business that the SGC were well known for. That one vessel named 'Enterprise' as the General's sense of humour again came into play was now assigned use as the official conveyance of the SGC's negotiating and First contact teams.

The team in charge of the singular honour of guarding a team ready for first contact with an advanced species, were gathered outside the transport awaiting their civilian contingent. The scientists and diplomats had disagreed from the start with the fact that any armed force would be going with them into this situation. The following conversation with General O'Neill had explained to them in no uncertain and diplomatic terms that the Centauri were already surrounded by allied warships. Also members of the crews of the Prometheus and the Free Jaffa ships have been in contact with the Centauri since the first time they had been in contact through the rift.

Lastly they were diplomats and had no idea how to fly the cargo ship and he was sending those people who knew the most about the ship they were travelling on. Finally quite annoyed at the constant arguing of his orders he had just told them to deal with it or he would quite gladly tie them up put them in the rear of the cargo ship and then boot them out head first onto the hanger of the Prometheus when they got there. As was the reaction to anyone that got in O'Neill's face or on his last nerve, they shut up quickly and moved on without any further problems.

"What do you think Teal'c?"

"It seems that he may be thinking of combat DanielJackson. It would be in his best interests while the opponent is not aware that an enemy is watching their every move. Fortunately the antagonist has ammunition while the opponent does not."

"You know he'll lose."

"Of course, but it's the way he loses that will determine his further courses of action."

The two members of SG1 sat on several supply boxes next to the cargo ship, in Teal'c's hands a paperback copy of the best of Calvin and Hobbes was being read by the two men. Currently they were discussing the virtues of attacking an enemy with a snowball in the middle of summer.

"You two know how to overanalyse a comic strip way too much." Jack said as he approached, "It sucks the fun right out of it."

"Hey Jack, come to see us off."

"Nope. Change of plan, I'm coming with."

"O'Neill does your duties as Commanding officer of Stargate Command not preclude you from this meeting?"

"Nope as Commanding Officer of the SGC I'm within my rights to attend a first contact. Besides I'm going nuts in that office while you guys get to go out there and do stuff."

"Ok, we're still awaiting the contact team."

"Apparently not."

"Jack?"

"Well since I'm going it seems SG-1 as a whole is the contact team. It just the four of us going as the others were reassigned at the last moment, or we will do once Carter gets here. Why is it always the women who are late for these things?"

"She's already aboard Jack. She's checking out some of the systems we installed."

"Oh, let's go then."

"Jack."

"Danny."

"They were reassigned?"

"Yep."

"Bet the order had Brigadier General Jack O'Neill on the bottom though."

"Still orders Danny still orders."

On board the cargo ship boxes of supplies for the Prometheus filled the ship to the rafters. Much of it were medical supplies and food for the survivors of the Centauri ship. Some of it was to restock the Prometheus itself so it's crew could continue with S&R operations if necessary.

Lt Colonel Sam Carter was tucked underneath one of three consoles attached to the ship's systems. Each controlled a newly installed system to assist the crews of the cargo ships. This was the first and if they worked the way they were supposed to then more would be installed on the other ship's of their small cargo fleet.

"CARTER?"

"General, what are you doing here? Coming to send us off?"

"Nope, I'm coming as well. The contact team now consists of the four of us."

"Oh, well that's good. We've got the experience to do so., What happened to the rest of the contact team?

"They were transferred and given new orders, something to do with one of the new race's we met don't know which one."

"Old times, Jack."

"Old times, Sam."

"Well. we'll be ready, Sir."

"That's what I thought. So we ready to go?"

"Yes, Sir. Systems are ready and the supplies are aboard, when Teal'c's ready we can go."

"Good. T' you ready to go?"

"Indeed, O'neill."

"Then take us up and set course for the Prometheus."

The large Jaffa merely inclined his head and lifted the small cargo ship off of the hanger floor and out of the doors. The cargo ship lifted up into the air and out into space the spy satellites of the world powers tilted away from the ships escape vector. With a sharp burst of light the ship hit hyperspace and continued towards the Earth Warship. Behind Teal'c on the small dais that took up the centre of the control section the three other members of SG-1 went through the reports and photos they had gathered from the Centauri, and scans of the warship that they had brought through.

"Jack, this Centauri ship is huge."

"Yeah I noticed damn thing must be a mile long."

"Close, strange it looks almost Asgard in appearance just with spikes and angles instead of the curves of their ships. The scheme looks almost Goa'uld as well but apparently they've never head of them or the Asgard if the reports are right."

"The technology is impressive as well, their energy weapons are powerful and their computers are extremely advanced. However there's no sign of shielding or any kind of transport system."

"So big and dumb and with a glass jaw- sounds like that idiot I lost twenty bucks on last week."

"That's about it, Sir."

"Teal'c you ever hear of these Centauri or Minbari?"

"I have not," the reply came from the Jaffa piloting the vessel.

"So this rift is what a hole in space or something?" Danny asked.

"Well apparently these Centauri know of Humans and of a group called the Earth Alliance. A very powerful group of planets in their area of the Galaxy currently at war with an even more powerful race- remind you of anyone."

"So the future or something."

"Well to take a guess Sir, I'd say no otherwise they wouldn't be surprised at anything about our ships and the Centauri survivors seem to be trying to buy the technology from the crews of the S&R Squadron."

"So what… Oh no, not again, not after the trouble we had with that damn mirror."

"Jack?"

"The Quantum mirror Danny. If they aren't from the future and aren't from this area of the galaxy or anything else, they have to be from another universe AGAIN."

"That would explain a few things, possibly what happened to the Achilles as well."

"You think they might have gone through do you?" asked Sam.

"It's possible."

"So why wouldn't the Centauri have heard about the Achilles?" asked Jack

"They said Earth is in the middle of a war right?" Jack nodded. "Well if you had an ace in the hole wouldn't you keep it out of sight until it was time to use it? Hell, they could get technical information from a wreck.

If there were survivors they could get more information from them as well. As it is, only a few rumour about the Alliance destroying entire Minbari task forces has filtered through the channels to them."

"Asgard won't be happy 'bout that," said Jack.

"It's not our fault, Sir. The Achilles if they are over there, was pulled in by accident. There's no way we could have known. It would take an immense amount of time and technical know how to reverse engineer either the shields or the main weapon. The rest of the ship is based on our own technology and with a higher tech level it wouldn't be a problem."

"Ok Carter, see what you can make out from those scans of the Centauri ship. Find out if there's anything of use to us that we can trade for."

"I'll try, Sir. But from these scans, there's not much left intact. I'll be surprised if it ever gets underway again."