Chapter 3, Brave New Worlds
USAF Daedalus
"Colonel sir, these are Hermiods findings." Doctor Novak handed the print outs to Caldwell personally. The grim faced officer read the details from his command chair, Major Foster giving her a nod of greeting but not opening conversation. The ship was still technically at combat readiness and any chit chat was strictly forbidden. The bridge was dimly lit as to provide minimal glare on the banks of video displays and screens showing a myriad of information, though for Novak the most impressive and disturbing sight was Earth visible through the bow windows, a dark veil still covering it from the Drakh attack.
"A nanite plague?" Caldwell looked up from the paper.
"Yes sir, he's still going over the scanners to get something more specific, but its apparently extremely advanced in origin."
"Has he worked out…" Caldwell paused, trying to find the appropriate words for this situation. "…what effect it will have on the planet?"
Novak nodded heavily. "He says its fatal, that the entire population will contract it and eventually die from it." Of course Hermiod had been less sympathetic when delivering the news, she chose to believe it was because the Asgard had no understanding of human emotions, rather than guess he just didn't care about the planets fate.
"This is unbelievable." Caldwell said with a hardness in his voice. "We stop a damn planet killer, and then they pull this crap? Tell me some good news doctor."
"there is one thing sir, from what we can tell the plague has to adapt to human biology, it's a perfect killing machine but it wasn't precisely programmed, Hermiod guesses these aliens weren't smart enough to do it, it wasn't their tech. Its going to take about five years before the Plague becomes truly fatal, which gives them time to find a cure."
"You mean us?" Caldwell corrected. "We've already thrown our hat into the ring, I think the SGC would support any initiative aimed at assisting these people in finding a cure, especially if they happen to be future versions of our own civilization."
"I understand Colonel, but there are some concerns with maintaining the timeline which…"
"Doctor, the decision is made." Caldwell stated firmly. "Now, we've been invited over to their flagship, I'm going over and I want you with me. Major Foster, you have the bridge, and in case of trouble make sure Hermiod as the transporter ready to beam us up."
"Yes sir Colonel." Foster said. "You want to beam over?"
"No, we'll take a shuttle, no need to show all our cards just yet in case they aren't as friendly as I hope." The Colonel stood from his chair. "Bring these documents Doctor Novak, I think our hosts will be interested in seeing them."
The Colonel set of for the hangar bays, and with a slight shiver of worry Novak followed along, she'd wanted to meet new civilizations and while this wasn't exactly what she expected she had to admit it was very intriguing, and just maybe they could do some more good here.
Excalibur
The relatively small shuttle nosed its way through the magnetic fields keeping the massive ships atmosphere on the right side of the hull. Novak had appreciated the ship was huge from the data the sensors had recorded, but exactly how big it was hadn't really occurred to her until they got closer. They came to a halt and grounded in the well lit bay, numerous empty alcoves filled the bay presumably for the ships own fighter wing which was currently missing.
"Lets go see what these people are like." Caldwell mused. He ordered the pilot to stay put, then he and Novak headed for the exit door. They were met outside by two armed marines and an officer in a blue uniform, all clearly human.
"Colonel Caldwell of…" he paused, not wanting to give away his true origins just yet. "Of the Daedalus. This is Doctor Novak."
"Welcome aboard." The officer said curtly. "If you'll follow me the President is waiting."
They were escorted quickly to what looked like a tiny subway car. They got in and began their journey through the ship. Caldwell noted the validity of this vehicle, getting around Daedalus could be hard work sometimes and it was a fraction the size of this battleship, a miniaturized transit system was by the far the best way to get around. It came to a stop and the group moved towards a more conventional looking elevator. After a second short journey and a quick walk down a corridor they arrived at a large room adjacent to the ships bridge, Caldwell having a quick glance as they passed and noting it wasn't all that dissimilar to his own ship.
"In here please." The officer gestured, and the two guests stepped into the meeting room occupied by a tall man with grey hair and a neat beard.
"Thank you Commander, you can leave us." He said with a clear American accent which gave Caldwell a moment of hope, it was the same voice as he heard on the communication grid and was apparently President Sheridan. The escort left, leaving Sheridan, Novak and Caldwell alone.
"Pull up a chair." Sheridan pointed to the self illuminating table in the centre of the room before doing so himself. "I can see this is going to be quite a talk, and I for one would rather be sat down."
Caldwell and Novak joined him, this was certainly turning out to be something.
"First of all how is your ship and crew?" Sheridan asked. "Did you take any casualties? Can we help in any way?"
"We took very light damage thank you Mr President." Caldwell said. "Nothing we can't handle."
"I'll guess we'll start then, do you recognize me?"
"I'm guessing you're President Sheridan, but before half an hour ago we'd never heard of you. We don't really understand ourselves how we came to be here but it looks like our timing was pretty good." The Colonel said. "My name is Steven Caldwell, I'm a Colonel in the United States Airforce attached to Stargate Command."
"United States?" Sheridan gasped. "There hasn't been a United States since the formation of the Alliance over a century ago."
"What Alliance?" Novak asked. "Sorry sir, My name is Lindsey Novak, also assigned to Stargate Command."
"The Earth Alliance of course," Sheridan frowned. "It took over from the individual nation states when we started heading into space."
"I see." Caldwell nodded, he had hoped for global unity after the true nature of Earth in the galaxy was disclosed to the public, but as a veteran soldier had doubted many nations would go along with it quietly. "Mr President, it is our belief that my ship was transported into the future by about two hundred and sixty years."
"You're from the past?" Sheridan frowned. "I don't understand, your ship seems far more advanced than anything from back then, hell its pretty damn impressive for now."
"Well, I'd guessed that with two and a half centuries head start you'd consider the Daedalus a museum piece."
"As far as I knew Colonel the only space craft we had back then could barely reach orbit, there's nothing in the history books about a ship like yours." Sheridan stated. "And what exactly is Stargate Command?"
Caldwell took a moment to consider Sheridans position, it sounded like this man who was President of a united Earth, or perhaps even an alliance of alien worlds too, simply had never heard of the Stargate programme. If it was active he should know about it, if it was turned off centuries ago it would have been declassified, probably after human starships were officially created and met alien races, and so should be in the history books. Even more confusingly was why the basic systems of the Daedalus had not been integrated into human ships at large even after all this time, during the battle he noticed some ships didn't have basic artificial gravity, something he took for granted on the Daedalus.
"I think this is more complicated than it looks." The Colonel said.
"It must be the device." Novak said. "We thought it threw us forward in time, but it might also have dropped us in an alternate universe."
"What device?" Sheridan asked.
"We were on exercise in the solar system," Caldwell explained. "We fond an Ancient device, similar to a Stargate in the asteroid field. Now a Stargate Mr President provides near instant travel across vast distances, a number of our people wondered if as well as personnel sized gates the Ancients had built larger ones to move ships and fleets. We investigated the device and somehow activated it, ending up here."
"This isn't unique sir." Novak chipped in, "According to old mission files Doctor Jackson found an unknown device which transported him to an alternate universe, though it wasn't in the future as such."
"You guys are from an alternate universe?" Sheridan asked specifically. "Really?"
"We can't say for certain without examining some historical records." Novak added a note of caution. "But it seems to make sense."
"Well that makes a few more pieces of the puzzle fit together." Sheridan said. "So how did you get a ship like that in your time?"
"Most of it is based on alien technology we've reverse engineered with a lot of outside help." Caldwell shrugged. "We've been fighting to keep our world safe for nearly ten years against a variety of threats mainly a race called the Goa'uld."
"We've never heard of them." Sheridan shook his head. "It seems there are a few differences between our universes."
"Probably a lot more, considering all the random interactions that take place to shape nature and society." Novak began to enthuse, but stopped herself.
"Right now though there is a more pressing concern." Caldwell nudged Novak. "This is data we recovered on the Plague those aliens left in Earths atmosphere."
Sheridan took the offered documents and looked at them with a grimace. "A lot of this is confirmed by our scans, but how do you know its nanotech?"
"We have certain additional sensors on our ship." Novak said.
"Gifts from an advanced race we are friends with." Caldwell quickly added.
"Mind if I keep these reports?" Sheridan asked.
"Of course, and we can provide more as our scanners take samples to analyse." Caldwell stated. "And if we get some to facilities back home we might be able to provide more active help."
"Do you have a way to return home?"
"Possibly, there's another gate in the asteroid belt here…" Novak began.
"Wait a minute, you're saying there's one of those things right here and we never noticed?" Sheridan interrupted.
"Its naturally very stealthy," Caldwell admitted. "We'd have flown right by if not for our borrowed sensors."
"Well I guess you're free to come and go as you please." Sheridan shrugged. "I don't think we have anything fast enough to chase you anyway!"
"Maybe not Mr President, but my crew and I want to do our part here." Caldwell said formally.
"You already earned our thanks and trust Colonel." Sheridan replied. "Your actions today have proven that, I am not too proud to admit you can help us here, my only concern right now is saving Earth."
"I agree with you there Mr President. Even though we are from different places, we are also from the same home, if you see what I mean."
"In a way." Sheridan nodded.
"I think I can convince my people at Stargate Command to help you Mr President, we have access to a lot of advanced systems provided by our allies, perhaps between our two worlds we can find a common cure before time runs out."
"I'll take whatever help you are offering." Sheridan said simply. "We all thank you for helping us out back there, it could have gone better, but it sure could have been a hell of a lot worse. At least we have a chance now to save Earth."
"It's a Chance." Caldwell agreed. "This is all happening real fast, but we're with you."
"Thank you Colonel." Sheridan managed a smile. "Damn this has been a weird day."
Sheridan shook their hands and bid them goodbye, smiling as the two humans left the room and headed back for their shuttle. For a minute he was alone, turning the ideas over in his head before the door chimed again.
"Come in." he called, and the door swished open to reveal his old friend and security chief Michael Garibaldi. "You hear all that?"
"Yeah." The heavy set bald man nodded. "Pretty tall tale."
"You believe them?"
"Not as far as I can throw them." Garibaldi said bluntly. "If they'd have said they were from the future, maybe, but their story is just too unbelievable."
"They did happen to destroy that planet killer though, at least it shows they aren't working for the Drakh, or anyone who wants Earth destroyed."
"Doesn't mean they're friendly." Garibaldi cautioned. "Clarks hangers on and the Psicorps didn't want Earth destroyed, doesn't mean we're all on the same side."
Sheridan felt the muscles in his jaw pulling taut, a subtle sign of discomfort. "They came and saved Earth, we have to be extremely careful how we handle this. Lies or not the media is going to turn them into heroes."
"Perfect way to get into our inner circle and take us down from within." Garibaldi nodded.
"Do you actually have normal thoughts like everyone else, or is everything a conspiracy with you?" Sheridan poked a little at his old Chief of security.
"Get shot in the back once or twice and you'll be the same." He smiled a little. "I'm telling you John, something doesn't add up."
There was a chime, and on a display screen a message popped up for the President.
"I had the ships scanners give them the once over," he referred to the visitors. "They're human, and look at this, the types of toxins in their blood and lungs match what you'd expect to see on a planet which used fossil fuels, like twentieth century Earth."
"Or Early twenty first century." Garibaldi added. "Could be faked."
"Maybe, but this ship uses the best scanners we have, if they can fool them it'll be quite a feat." Sheridan turned off the screen. "You also have to ask why they'd go to the trouble."
"Chaos, power, money. The usual reasons."
"We need to check out their story, if its true we can trust them, at least a little." Sheridan proposed.
"How do we check it out, I mean they… the device." He realised.
"The device." Sheridan grinned. "If we go out there and find something in the Asteroid field we'll know they're telling the truth, or at least part of the truth."
"Plus if we find it we can put a guard on it, just to be safe."
"Agreed, but we need their help to find this artefact or device or whatever." Sheridan stated, remembering none too fondly the last dimensional portal he had discovered leading to Thirdspace. "So play along, we'll let them think we're taking their word for it until we get our own proof. Ideally we should get a telepath in to see if they're hiding anything."
"Telepaths can be fooled." Garibaldi mentioned. "But if we get hard evidence, I'll be happier."
"Yeah, me too." Sheridan sighed, it had been a very long few days and showed no sign of easing off yet. "Remember when we just used to sit on a station and we only had to worry about getting stomped on by Shadows, Vorlons of our own government?"
"Happy days." Garibaldi grinned. "We're just getting old, I for one am looking forward to solving this mystery."
"Well if they can help us defeat the plague, I'd cut a deal with anyone for a cure to that thing." Sheridan had admitted. "We need to act on this very quickly."
"I'll have the Rangers start looking through the Asteroid belt. If they know what to look for…"
"It'll still take too long, no we'll have to try a more direct route and go ourselves." Sheridan concluded. "Okay Michael, stay on board for now, we're not done for the day yet."
USAF Daedalus
"I don't think they bought it." Novak said as they exited the hanger deck.
"I wouldn't have either." Colonel Caldwell confessed, "But it's the way it happened, we'll just have to convince them."
They stepped through a solid airtight door and began walking down towards engineering.
"Our main concern is getting home." Caldwell stated. "We can't leave our own home down a ship like Daedalus, especially with the developing situation out in the Pegasus galaxy. We did good here, but we should be doing good back home."
Novak nodded in agreement, absently noticing how spotless the ships corridors were as they made it into engineering.
"We'll they didn't shoot us or try to steal our ship, I'd call that a good first move towards diplomacy."
Caldwell grunted, possibly in mild amusement. "Stranger things have happened."
They found Hermiod still in engineering pouring over the displays of his sensor package examining the plague in Earths atmosphere.
"Anything new?" Caldwell asked by way of greeting.
"Actually yes." Hermiod said smugly. "I have made a major breakthrough."
"A breakthrough about the Plague?" Novak queried.
"No, this is more important."
Novak wasn't sure what could be more important then the lives of ten billion people, but she listened on. "What then?"
"Our location, I believe the Ancient device has…"
"Yeah, alternate universe." Caldwell interrupted. "We already figured that out. What about the plague?"
"You figured it out?" Hermiod gave the Asgard version of a frown. "How did your primitive equipment discover that?"
"Well we asked around." Caldwell was growing impatient. "The Plague?"
Hermiod muttered something, and then provided a report. "It is extremely advanced, a type of nanite is the core component but it displays signs of biological components, it is mechanical yet also on some level alive."
"Like the components of human type replicators?" Caldwell frowned.
"No Colonel, like animal life mixed with mechanics, we have records of similar attempts to do this by other races in our home dimension, but they never achieved this sophistication."
"This disease is going to kill everyone on Earth." Caldwell stated bluntly.
"Everyone on this version of Earth." Hermiod corrected.
"It's the same thing." The Colonel snapped. "I don't think they have the ability to crack this alone, but we might just be able to, with the Asgard knowledge and our access to the Ancients city of Atlantis we could provide the information they need."
"Colonel, this places the Asgard in a strange position." Hermiod sighed. "While Earth is technically a protected planet, that protection does not extend across dimensions. We do not have the same obligation as we do to your home."
"It isn't about obligations, its about saving ten billion lives." Caldwell spoke coldly. "When we get back, we will be petitioning the Asgard council for help."
"Then it is their decision." Hermiod said simply. "I will continue gathering data, if only out of curiousity."
The Colonel gave him a harsh look, then turned away. "Assist him Dr Novak, and make sure you retrieve all relevant data."
"I will sir." She nodded, like the Colonel she fully appreciated what was at stake.
A couple of minutes later Colonel Caldwell made it up to the bridge, Earth still dominating the forward view.
"I think you made a new friend sir," Major Foster grinned. "President Sheridan just sent a message, he'd like to investigate this ancient device and make sure it isn't a threat."
It made sense, it was pure luck the Daedalus had found this device, if it had been someone else like Anubis when he moved into the Solar system a year ago the story would have been a lot different. After seeing some of the technology in this universe Caldwell would be recommending a defence on his home side just like Sheridan seemed to be planning.
"Acknowledge that transmission, then give him the coordinates."
Caldwell had a number of issues weighing on his mind. Firstly despite orbiting Earth this was still technically a first contact situation and he had protocols to follow, the first of which was ensuring the safety of the SGC and the inhabitants of his homeworld. The next was to try and build trust with these people and try to create some sort of alliance or at least treaty to help strengthen his homeworld for the future, and finally he had standing orders to evaluate all technology he came across for application within the SGC. He had to face the possibility that these humans, despite sharing a similar planet to his own people, might not be trustworthy allies. After the reports on the Genii from the Atlantis expedition and his own history classes he was well aware that people often had hidden objectives.
He wanted to help, and was convinced it would be the right thing to do, but it would come down to President Hayes in the end and perhaps the Asgard council. He needed to get some information about the history of this planet to present to his government so they could get a real feel for whether President Sheridan was a democratic leader or a despot in disguise. Earth didn't deserve to die, even if it was populated by Neo-nazis, but allying with them was another question, as was allowing them into the SGC.
"We have confirmation from the Excalibur sir." Foster brought him out of his thoughts. "They'll make a quick jump and see us there."
"Very well, engage engines and head for the device, we could use some more information on it ourselves."
"Like whether or not it'll take us home?"
Caldwell smiled "That's exactly what I was thinking Major." If it couldn't he was going to need to do some radical adjustments in his day to day routine.
Minbar
Homeworld of the Minbari Federation.
The dark robed human strode through the crystal city exuding confidence, he had no fear of this place or the inhabitants. He ignored the dark looks of warriors as he passed them on the street and walked quickly through the elegantly pointed doorway of the Interstellar Alliance government building. Just a few short years ago a human walking the glimmering streets of Tuzenore would have been ridiculous, he'd have been lynched by warriors while the rest of the population looked on in surprise, but the last few years had changed everything on Minbar, and it had been the humans that had been the catalyst that in the view of most Minbari saved their civilization.
This human called Minbar his home, or at least as much of a home as he could have. He wasn't a diplomat or soldier, he was a Ranger, one of the Anla'shok which roughly translated as 'Application of Force' set up by Valen to lead the war against the Shadows. They were despised by some, revered by others but respected by all and their record of service was bordering on legendary. They were an elite force and it was a fool who tried to stand in their way, especially this particular human. He stopped only when he reached his destination, a large door which he knocked carefully on.
"Come in." a gentle voice replied from beyond the portal, and the Ranger carefully entered using a quiet grace seemingly at odds with his determined march of a few seconds ago.
"Entil'zha." He spoke softly. "We have news from Earth, President Sheridan is alive and well, and the Shadow weapon is destroyed."
For a moment the leader of his order seemed to physically shrinking, her already slender frame bowing in relief as it let go of the stresses harboured within. He and his order were sworn to fight for this woman, he would lay down his life without question if she willed it, she was Entil'zha, she was Delenn of the family Mir, she was the greatest leader of her race since Valen. She rapidly regained her composure, a calm certainty returning to her movements and expression.
"Thank you." She bowed, her hands steepled in the Religious caste greeting.
"There is more, Entil'zha." He said haltingly. He had fought many enemies, had stared death in the face and defied the gods of old, but stood before this epitome of calm resolve he faltered to complete his report. "The Drakh, before retreating… they left a poison in Earths atmosphere. A plague from the Shadows."
Delenn did not speak immediately, but fixed the Ranger with a strong stare.
"We are still trying to find out what its effects will be, but it seems the entire planetary population will be affected."
"And the Drakh?" Delenn spoke quietly, but that soft voice was hard and sharp as a sword.
"Many were killed, and many fled." He answered. "The Earth fleet and our own ships are tracking them back to their base."
"When you find their base." Delenn continued quietly. "You will inform me, we will assemble a fleet and then we will kill them."
"Yes Entil'zha." He nodded. Delenns strength and ruthless streak were also well known to the Rangers, she was as quiet and gentle a woman as had ever walked the streets of Minbar, but she had a determination and a strength of will which had literally shaped the galaxy. "There is something else, the ship which gave us victory, it wasn't one of ours."
"Then who's was it?"
Delenn listened carefully to the answer, it seemed her husband had not lost his ability to attract strange fate.
000000000
"This is more than a curiosity." Shai Alyt Kathenn mused over the report from Earth. "It represents a display of how far beyond our control things have fallen."
Kathenn was an old warrior and a famed one, feared and respected in equal measure as master of the ferocious Wind Swords clan of the Warrior caste. The Wind swords were well known within Minbari society as the most warlike of all warriors and the most stubborn and reactionary. They yearned for war as if it were oxygen, it was vital to their existence and when battle could not be found they would invent it. Everyone knew they were the strongest supporters of the war with Earth, and countless lesser conflicts before, and their role in the Minbari's internal leadership crisis was the subject of much scrutiny. It was the Wind swords who broke Valens first law, that Minbari do not kill Minbari, and it was Kathenn who had given those orders.
"Our warriors in the battle reports that the new vessel spoke the human language." His aide, a powerful female named Antai informed him. While the Wind swords would never send a ship to help Earth on principle, some of the vessels had their clan members onboard.
"Of course it did." Kathenn grunted. "Look at the design, only humans could build something so basic and ugly."
"It outran the Ranger ships without difficulty." Antai added. "We know little else about its capabilities, but the speeds it achieved are cause enough for concern."
"The humans have played the Grey council, tricked us into revealing our secrets for this 'Victory' project to built new warships for the alliance, ships that are Earth force in all but name, when all along they had the technology to build something like this." Kathenn grimaced. "I always said these humans were a menace, and I am proved right."
"Perhaps now the other warriors will heed you." His aide hoped.
"Perhaps, we have lived in smug complacency too long, we are so reliant on our technology we have forgotten what makes a true warrior." Kathenn stared at the image of the small ship. "One day soon, we must become warriors once again, and fight for the glory of our people."
Asteroid belt
Sol system.
The Excalibur dropped out of hyperspace in a blossom of blue light, its hull was still marked and scarred from the recent battle but the ship was still considered fully combat capable. To Garibaldi's surprise and mild annoyance the Daedalus was already waiting for them.
"Sensors, begin a scan of the location we've been given." Sheridan ordered tiredly, he was fighting fatigue and in no mood for a long search. Fortunately the coordinates were accurate, and a tiny return on the scans was recorded.
"Well at least we didn't waste our trip." Garibaldi shrugged. "We just gotta see if its real."
"Move us closer, and try to get a clear reading." Sheridan said, and the new warship glided gently closer but still maintained a safe distance.
"Whatever its made of sir its absorbing most of our scans." The sensor officer reported. "Only the Vorlon based systems are working."
"Makes it a pretty sophisticated piece of equipment then?" Sheridan asked. "Is it Vorlon in origin?"
"Hard to say, but I don't think so."
In one respect that was a relief, Vorlon dimensional gates didn't not usually herald fun and games, but Sheridan hadn't heard of any other race building similar devices. Whatever this was it was something totally new and never before recorded.
"We have a visual sir." He reported, and the station display altered to reveal the device.
"Shiny." Garibaldi commented. "Looks brand new."
The screen showed the bright oval shaped device, giving its size as miles in diameter, easily big enough to fit even the largest ship through. Sheridans attention was drawn by writing on its elegant structure, a faint script etched into the surface.
"This writing, I've never seen it before." Sheridan squinted. "Not Vorlon, not Shadow, not Minbari. IPX is going to love this."
"Mr President, Colonel Caldwell of the Daedalus for you."
Sheridan accepted the incoming transmission. "Colonel, can you tell us anything about this device?"
"Not much." He replied. "We tried a full scan when we encountered an identical piece back home, the scan triggered something and dropped us over here."
"You think scanning it again might send you home?"
"That's our theory, we were hoping to give it a try." Caldwell admitted. "We're in no rush to get home, but we need to know that the way is open for us."
"I understand Colonel, you want to try and open the portal?" Sheridan confirmed.
"We do, we'll keep our distance this time so we aren't dragged through, but we need to send a message probe through and make sure our superiors know we're intact and safe."
"And we can monitor the device functioning and give us a better idea how it works and why it ended up here." Sheridan agreed. "Very well Colonel, we'll keep our distance too and be ready for an activation."
He ended the transmission and gave Garibaldi a look. "What?"
"We've still only got their word on what it does." The bald man stated. "What if it activates and a fleet of unknown warships pour through? We're in no condition to fight off another attack."
Sheridan smiled thinly. "That's why I brought the Excalibur, if anything goes wrong we fire up the primary weapon and blast that gate to scrap."
"And hope its enough." Garibaldi commented.
"We're you always this paranoid?"
"For the tenth time, yeah." He smiled. "Comes with the job."
Their attention was drawn by the Daedalus as it moved back, and then began a series of powerful scans directed at the device, almost immediately a huge power surge began gathering.
"What sort of scanners are they?" Garibaldi asked as the Daedalus completed the sweep.
"Unknown sir," the Excalibur's own tech replied. "They operate on very different principles to our own."
"What about the device, getting anything more?" Sheridan questioned.
"I have no idea where it's getting all that power from." The officer replied. "Energy readings don't match anything we've seen before, and some of the minerals in the device are new to science."
"Pretty nifty." Garibaldi admitted. "Maybe it is from a new universe?"
"Mr President, the device just activated I guess a sort of tractor beam, its sweeping space in front of it." Sensors reported.
"Must be how the Daedalus got here." Sheridan said. "Are they moving yet?"
"Keeping their distance." Garibaldi answered, pointing through the bridge windows at the smaller ship.
"Watch when they send their probe or message buoy through the gateway." Sheridan ordered. "When it goes through I want to know…"
He was cut off by a violent shaking of the Excalibur. The ships bow turned noticeably and the scenery outside began moving.
"We're caught in the tractor beam!" the sensor officer yelled. "Its pulling us in!"
"Engines, full reverse!" Sheridan barked.
The huge warship diverted power to its drive systems, blue flame flaring from the forward thrusters but without a lot of effect, the wide device growing ever closer. The ship was shuddering violently enough so that Garibaldi lost his balance and fell to the floor beside Sheridan.
"It isn't working!" the female helm officer shouted. "Ten Kilometres to the device!"
"Sir, Daedalus is off our flank, they are scanning the device, maybe trying to shut it down."
"Can we get a message to them?" asked Sheridan rapidly.
"Communications jammed, all frequencies are flooded by this energy field!"
The ship rocked violently again as the beam intensified.
"We can't break free of this!" Helm called out.
"The main gun?" Garibaldi shouted. "Destroy it!"
"We're too close!" Sheridan yelled in reply. "Its too late, hold on!"
The Excalibur was dragged to the device, as it touched the hollow oval flashed with swirling blue energy like a rippling puddle which the ISA destroyer passed through like a diver. It was gone in an instant, leaving the device inactive and cooling down with the Daedalus stood by able to do nothing but watch.
"Well, that wasn't good sir." Major Foster gave voice to the entire bridge crews thoughts.
"No, no it wasn't" Caldwell said. "We better tell the fleet what happened to their President."
"Think they'll be pissed at us for bringing him here sir?"
Caldwell gave her a look. If the ship had gone back to his own universe it would be safe, but there was a possibility it had gone to a completely different reality, there was just no way of knowing. "We need to follow them."
