Atlantis.

This was the first time Ivanova had gotten a good look at the city since she had arrived a few hours ago. With the Wraith destroyed or driven away and the last resistance mopped up by the various fighter wings the skies were clear and quiet. The next stage of the operation was to gather on the city they had just saved and discuss future options, which from Ivanova's point of view meant who they had to go and kill next.
Her shuttle took the long route down, flying in a shallow circle around the city so she could see it in entirety. It was huge, much larger than she had expected and it positively glistened in the light, the waves and rippling ocean around it danced with light further adding to the effect.
"This jewel in a sea of silver." She remarked quietly.
"Captain?" her pilot quizzed.
"Just something a friend once said." She dismissed the question. It had been one of Marcus' poetic phrases he had a tendency to use, and those thoughts had no place in her mind while on duty.
The shuttle made a full loop before lining up on the landing pad, a trio of escorting Thunderbolts thundering past overhead to make especially sure nothing affected the Captain's arrival. A second shuttle from the Excalibur was already on the pad and close by a Minbari flyer bearing the leader of the Ranger delegation was making it's final approach. The craft from the Titans slid into a hover and dropped its landing gear, then eased itself down onto the shining deck.
"Atlantis." The pilot exhaled. "Who's have thought"
"Not me." Ivanova shook her head. "Keep the engines warm, I doubt this is going to take a whole lot of time"
"Yes Ma'am." The pilot said and set about flicking switches and dials as Ivanova moved to the exit.

She had to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight as she stepped off the shuttle, weeks of artificial lighting had made her more sensitive to the real thing and all the metallic surfaces around her really didn't help. She cursed beneath her breath about how even pleasant summer days now hated her and wanted her to suffer, then went to join the passengers from the other ships.
"Captain Ivanova." The other Earth Force officer stretched out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you in person"
"Captain Gideon." She returned the gesture. "That's a spiffy uniform"
The man smiled and looked down at his black and red ensemble. "Standard issue for officers on Explorer ships, which I guess is what we are meant to be. We just carry a bit more firepower than most explorers"
"There is a quote which sums up that belief." A figure stepped down from Gideons shuttle dressed in a long black coat. "Talk softly, but carry a big stick." The man had a bald head and the most piercing eyes Ivanova had ever seen. "It is our calling if you will, to negotiate if possible, and shall we say 'clobber around the head' if necessary"
"Captain, this is Galen." Gideon answered Ivanova's question before she asked it. "He's a technomage, a man who uses science to"
"I know technomages." Ivanova interrupted. "I met one or two on the station years ago, led by a man called Elric"
Almost imperceptibly Galen's smile slipped for a second before returning. "He was my Mentor"
"Was?" Ivanova picked the past tense phrase.
"He is no longer with us." Galen said sombrely. "And everyday I wish it was not so"
Ivanova stared intensely at him, she had a knack for cutting straight through the fake facades people put up to protect themselves and spot genuine emotion. In Galen she could see that he was sincere in his sense of loss, something that they had in common.
"Company." Gideon pointed out, noticing a small group of soldiers heading their way.

The small group was a mix of SGC and EA troops, led by a dark haired female officer who snapped a smart salute at the assembled dignitaries.
"Captain Jill Thorne, 509th Marine corps Regiment"
"Captain Susan Ivanova, EAS Titans." The Russian replied. "This is Captain Matthew Gideon, Ranger Gilmore, and Galen"
"If you'll care to follow me we'll get this meeting underway"
She turned and headed back the way she had come, the newly arrived guests following on.
"Are their still Wraith in the city?" Ranger Gilmore asked.
"We're not sure, there is a good chance." Thorne answered. "Very nasty bunch, you don't want to run into one without an armed escort"
As the Captain talked Ivanova had been examining her uniform. Two things had struck her, the first was the hated symbol of the Psi Corps on her sleeve. While the Corps was now defunct in the most literal of terms and telepaths were now free to join industry and the military they still had to wear that recognizable symbol. Failure to do so was considered a serious crime and would see the offender imprisoned. Whatever happened with the Corps the symbol was a reminder of it, and of what they had done to her mother. As far as Ivanova was concerned it was a stigma and she automatically distrusted anyone who had once served the Corps, no matter how unwillingly.
The second badge however had the opposite effect, it was the badge of Alpha Company of the 509th, Thorne's regiment. They were not known for accepting anything but the most determined and usually border line homicidal from the most vicious places they could find. If the regular army were Alsations, and the special forces were wolves, the 509th was the ugly junk yard dog who could rip them both to pieces in a gutter brawl.

The 509th had been formed fairly late on in EA history just before the Mars rebellion of 2212. Their first combat experience had been confused and messy, and the Regiment did not aquit itself well. For a long time the unit was used as garrison forces and ship guards, and so it stayed until twenty years later.
Thanks to proximity they were one of the first units into the Dilgar war landing on Tiree in Markab space on the fifth day of the war. With the initial landing zone secure the 509th was thrown into urban combat and found that it excelled in the close quarters fighting. The Dilgar were quickly stamped out and the 509th redeemed itself. The unit was one of the first on the ground at Balos, and in that nightmare campaign made a reputation for itself along side famous regiments like the 99th and 33rd. The 509th came out of that campaign with fewer losses than other EA regiments and a kill ration that had to be respected.
The Minbari war was their worst challenge, with Bravo company trapped on Cyrus in the first days of the attack. They retreated with the other defenders and civilian colonists into the extensive mines and waged a bitter war of attrition against the Minbari warriors sent to root them out. The campaign was scene to the most brutal fighting in EA history, the human defenders not giving an inch and the Minbari losing their technological edge in the deep tunnels. It lasted the entire war, from the first days to almost a month after the surrender on the Line as the messages failed to get to the soldiers on both sides. The survivors of that battle were called heroes, and the current Regimental Master Sergeant was the senior survivor of that hellish fight.
Alpha company had it's own adventure in the Minbari war. When Earth realized how badly they were outclassed they decided to try and capture a Minbari battlecruiser and so set up a number of ambushes using breaching pods hidden in debris. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but after the war significant Minbari wreckage was found in the area. It is believed that Alpha company actually made in onboard a Sharlin, and were on the brink of seizing the ship when the crew self destructed. Between those two companies the Regiments fame was assured.
After the war the regiment adopted a new badge, a Minbari skull on a black background, a fearsome sign of the units heritage. Some badges were modified, if a soldier had a confirmed Minbari kill they would have one dagger for every enemy they had shot, stabbed or in some cases beaten to death. It was rare to see them now, only a handful of veterans had served into this new Earth Force but one of the escorts had a skull with three daggers, and Ivanova knew the Master Sergeant had an awesome eighteen kills, though most thought he had double that number unconfirmed from the tunnel wars. Even with so few veterans the unit was still Earth Forces best urban combat regiment and the natural selection for fighting inside Atlantis.
But what had really caught Ivanova's eye was the fact Thorne had seven daggers on her badge stuck through the Minbari skull.
"Captain Thorne, did you serve in the Minbari war?" she asked, on the face of it Thorne seemed a little younger than herself.
"No Ma'am"
"Yet you have kills from the Minbarii on your badge"
"Yes Ma'am. I've killed Minbari"
"But you weren't old enough to serve in the war"
Thorne did not even break pace. "What makes you think I killed them in the war? Ma'am"
Ivanova decided to shut up.

They walked further through the city, sometimes passing evidence of gunfire or explosives marring the structure. Any bodies had since been cleared up, but the echoes of the violence were still clear.
"Looks like a hell of a fight." Gideon remarked.
"Yes sir, it was sir." Thorne answered. "Word is there are more on the way"
"That's what we're here to find out Captain." Gideon responded. "Right now we don't know one way or the other"
They crossed a wide walkway between two of the spires, again showing them how impressive the view was. Half way across they were met by another uniformed man.
"Captain Thorne." The man said. "We were wondering where you went"
"Major Shepherd." She saluted. "I am escorting the Earth Force officers to the meeting. I thought they would appreciate an officer from back home"
"Very thoughtful Captain." Shepherd smiled. "But as I remember you are supposed to be in the sick bay"
"I feel fine sir"
"Doctor Beckett has been wondering where you went. He was going to come out here, find you and escort you back to the sick bay with some very firm words. But he decided not to"
"Why is that sir"
Shepherd failed to hide a smirk. "Mainly because he's absolutely terrified of you. But your Colonel has given the same order, report to the sick bay Captain, and when you see Carson, at least try to act meekly and wounded"
Thorne saluted, then marched curtly away.
"Welcome to Atlantis." Shepherd stepped forward and took over. "I'm Major John Shepherd, I'm usually in charge of military operations here." He looked at the female in the group. "And I guess you are Captain Ivanova? That was quite a trick your ship pulled up there. Decoying a Wraith fleet was a major risk"
"Yeah, but it was worth it to see the looks on their faces when we killed them." She smiled. "Well, if we could actually have seen them it would be good. As it is I settle for a happy mental picture of their surprised and shocked faces"
"Well okay then." Shepherd quickly moved on. "Lets get going, it's not a short walk."

Captain Gideon had his attention split between looking in awe at the city and looking at his friend looking in awe at the city. It was rare he'd ever seen Galen look lost for words, or so enthralled by anything that it was a very new experience. Every corner brought a new passageway marked with script on the wall which Galen studied briefly as they passed.
"You look like a cop in a donut factory." Gideon eventually commented.
"I assume you are commenting on my child like wonder?" the Technomage replied. "It is one of the eternal joys of this universe that some things still pleasantly surprise me. And it's curse that some things still hold unpleasant surprises"
"So is this all entirely new"
"In fact it is several million years old, a similar age to the gate we arrived through and built on Earth." Galen explained. "It has weathered remarkably well wouldn't you say"
"Wait, wait wait." Gideon raised his hands '"Several Million years"
"Certainly." The mage smiled widely. "This is probably the oldest construction either of us has seen. Well, with one notable exception on my part"
"But that makes this place First one level technology"
"Possibly beyond." Galen remarked. "The high era of the people who built this place matches with the height of the greatest First ones back home, before the ruinations of war became too great"
Gideon let slip a small laugh. "So this is exactly what we were meant to find! Our mission was to locate technology as old as the plague that hit Earth. This is it"
"It may have information we can use, but this place has much more potential than that." Galen pointed to a wall. "The script there has links to Latin, Etruscan and Mayan languages. Long dead of course but once common on our own planet. If this language was the root of those words from antiquity, how did they come to be used across realities on our Earth"
Gideon blinked. "So you think we aren't the first to crossover"
"My dear Captain, that was obvious. The real question is what happened when they did."

"So you guys are from a different dimension?" Shepherd asked. "I mean that's cool. We've had aliens, soul sucking creatures, angelic beings, oh and bugs, don't forget bugs. But you are our first extra dimensional guests"
"Well to be technical it is a parallel reality." Galen informed. "Identical in most respects save for one or two points of divergence"
"Uh-uh." Shepherd nodded. "By the way, those were some cool ships. You got many of them back home"
"About fifteen." Ivanova replied. "Fifteen thousand"
Shepherd gazed at her slack jawed.
"Well most aren't that big, they're tiny things three or four hundred metres long"
"Oh, that tiny." Shepherd nodded, considering something bigger than a super carrier to be quite large really.
"And with war losses we're a little under strength." Gideon added. "But Earth Alliance prides itself on having one of the biggest fleets in the galaxy, and some of the fastest production yards"
"Let's hope the SGC can match that one day. Earth isn't the most popular place in the galaxy." Shepherd said. "Apparently we have plenty of enemies out here"
They entered the final corridor and stepped into the conference room, Weir was already there pacing with her arms folded while the bases two foremost scientists were busy working at computer stations.
"Aren't you supposed to be getting some sleep Rodney?" Shepherd gently chided.
He sat back and rolled his eyes. "I was trying to do just that until someone thought I should know the deep space sensors were up and running"
"Yes, and?" Weir asked.
"Wait, who are these people." Rodney interrupted. "They're Earth Force, the relief fleet." Shepherd cut in. "What did you find"
"Hive ships." His Czechoslovakian compatriot reported. "Thirty of them"
"And escorts." Rodney added. "They'll be here in, oh give or take thirty six hours"
"Well, that kinda sucks." Shepherd grunted.
"Those are steep odds, even with the resources at our disposal." Galen intoned.
"Who's Captain Obvious here?" Rodney asked sharply. "Nice outfit by the way"
"Thank you, it has well tailored lines." Galen smiled widely. "I was being sarcastic, something I happen to be known for"
"No, you were making a genuine compliment." Galen's smile did not waver. "I tend not to take chides and insults well"
Gideon nodded. "Yeah, really. I mean that guy on Io"
"Shall we just carry on?" Weir stepped in. "Rodney, get Colonel Caldwell down here, he'll want to hear this. Zelenka, I want a full report on our defences. Quickly people, the clock is ticking."

A few minutes later Caldwell collapsed back into his chair after hearing the news. "Thirty hiveships"
"And escort." Zelenka added.
"The cruiser that got away must have called for reinforcements." Shepherd grimaced.
"Our research shows there are at least sixty Hiveships in this part of the Galaxy." Rodney explained. "Who knows haw many more could be on the way"
"At least the shield is up and running." "Which only buys us time." McKay snapped "I like time." Shepherd emphasised.
"Me too." Added Galen. "Please continue"
"Look," Rodney sounded excasperated. "The first siege lasted for years. I mean with one functioning ZEDPM we can't hold on for that long"
"Can we submerge the city again?" Caldwell suggested.
"It's a city, not a yo-yo." McKay shot back. "I don't even know how they did it the first time"
"Can we fly it out of here, same way it arrived?" Gideon wondered.
"I doubt we have the power, let alone the know how." Zelenka answered.
"How long until they arrive"
"A little over a day." Weir offered.
Major Shepherd dropped his hand on the desk with frustration. "You know what? I'm sick of this"
"I'm Sorry?" Weir glared.
"I mean sitting around waiting for them to show up! I say we take the fight to them"
"We've got five ships Major." Caldwell said grimly. "They have five hundred"
We have a ship fitted out with Nukes and Asgard technology, and some of the biggest warships anyone has ever seen. We all know what the guns on the Earth Force ships can do. That evens the odds a lot"
"Thirty ships and escorts." Caldwell reminded him grimly.
"I'm telling you we gotta send these guys a message." Shepherd spoke with a passion. "We're not like the Ancients, we'r enot going to sit around and wait.If theydon't back off, we have the capacity and the will to go kick their asses for a change"
"Yeah, I'm with him." Ivanova raised her hand. "I've never been one to wait"
"So how do we fight a ship in hyperspace?" Caldwell asked.
"The Wraith drive system isn't as efficient as the one on the Daedalus." McKay set up a diagram on the main screen. "Not only are they slower, they have to travel in a series of jumps. SO if my calculations are correct they'll make one last stop here, fifty lightyears away before they make the final jump to Atlantis"
Caldwell looked to the slender woman in charge of the city. "Doctor Weir"
She nodded slowly. "It will feel good to have them on the defensive for a change"
"Alright then." Shepherd grinned. "Let's do this."

"There is one small problem." Gideon called the room to order. "Our ships aren't going to be able to join you, our drive system is unique and we can't navigate without a locked system of beacons. Plus fifty lightyears in half a day is stretching us a little far"
"We use a different type of Hyperspace travel." Ivanova clarified. "In some special circumstances we might be able to travel that fast, but a tenth of that is a more likely speed"
"The power grid on my ship was pushed to the limits getting us all here." Caldwell added. "Without the ZPM we won't be able to drag you along"
Galen stepped forward. "I think I can help. My ship can navigate hyperspace without beacons, and I can find some very favourable paths through the thicket." He smiled. "We will be there on time"
"Also Galen discovered some facts about this city on the way in, he deciphered some of the texts on the walls." Captain Gideon remarked. "If all goes well he might be able to help here"
"You deciphered Ancient text?" McKay exclaimed. "How"
"By looking at them." Galen replied with pure innocence. "How else"
Weir smiled. "Perhaps you could take a look at the data base a little later on"
"Charmed." He bowed to the female scientist. "Much of the technology here predates similar systems back home"
"You've seen other technology of a similar age?" Zelenka asked.
"Yes, and met those who built it." Galen smiled. "They were not great conversationalists"
McKay sat forward a little "So beneath that outfit you're an explorer or archaelogist, like Indiana Jones or one of those Nazi henchmen"
"I'm what is known as a Technomage." Galen indulged the Canadian. "I use science and technology to simulate magic. For example you are now surrounded in a careful holographic illusion affecting your appearance, but to the room it looks like you are wearing women's underwear"
Rodney scoffed. "Oh please, I'm too old to fall for that…." He stopped talking, based on the expressions of the rest of the room he guessed Galen was probably telling the truth. "Thank you, really, it's been a while since I was embarrassed like this, really"
"A parlour trick, easily removed." Galen cancelled the spell. "But you understand that the potential of altering the appearance of a person or object. This is one of my lesser abilities, pray we never find ourselves in a position where I have to use my greater skills"
"I have a question." Zelenka spoke. "Don't turn me into a naked man or anything, but why do you have these powers? What is the point"
Galen cocked his head. "Well lets just say my order was not started as tricksters and persons of wisdom. These are paths we have chosen, because our true purpose took us to a very, very bad place"
"I hate to rush everyone," Ivanova cut in, obviously not meaning it. "But enemy fleet"
"We should go." Caldwell stood. "Can I have Hermiod beam you to your vessels"
"Emphatically no." Ivanova replied. "I'll take all my molecules up in the same package they came down in thank you"
"Oh by the way," Wier added. "Internal sensors picked up an alien lifesign in the city that arrived about when you did, would you mind taking it back with you"
Gideon sighed. "Dureena"
"How do you hide on a crew shuttle?" Ivanova shrugged. "They're hardly big enough to stand in"
"She does have quite a talent." Galen mused. "If circumstances were different she'd make a good apprentice"
The group broke up and headed for their commands, a team of Marines once again joining the Earth Force officers as guides and escorts.
"We have to save this place Matthew." Galen said quietly. "It holds secrets that will help us all"
"In the data base"
"I suspect so." The mage answered. "I have a feeling about this place, the people who built it. They are not strangers to our world and others through the gate"
"If they visited our Earth why isn't there any trace of them?" Gideon asked.
"I really don't know, but I have a theory or two"
"And that's what you expect to find in the database, the right answer"
"No." Galen smiled. "The right question."

Deep space, later that day.
Daedalus

Black turned to white, a shimmering cascade of transdimensional energy flickering like a blossom in a storm as its petals unfurled. From the extravagant display emerged something dark and blocky, a stark contrast to the artistic entrance it had been given. It would be hard to call the BC 304 class ships pretty, they were build for practicality above all else, something they shared with the ships of their kin in the Earth Alliance. They could not afford to put ornaments on these weapons of war, it didn't matter what the ship looked like just so long as the ships around it looked like spinning debris.
"We've arrived exactly on location." Major Foster reported. "Estimate three minutes to Wraith arrival"
"Maintain battlestations." Caldwell ordered. "Hermiod, any indication our allies are here"
The Asgard engineer broke away from his work below decks to reply.
"There are elevated tachyon levels in this area, it is subtle but might indicate scans from beyond the dimensional barrier. I have only had a brief time to analyse their method of travel. It seems unnecessarily reckless"
"Well let's hope Galen was as good as his word, I don't want to take this fleet alone"
"Colonel, on that point." Hermiod continued. "I may have a way to even the odds. It is possible for me to alter the settings on the transporter system my people installed so we can deploy nuclear weapons"
Caldwell smiled. "I thought the Asgard didn't trust us with that capability"
"They do not, but the capability will be mine, not yours." He said curtly. "However if you will insist on attacking the Wraith fleet with me on board, it is in my best interest to make sure we win"
"Very well Hermiod, perhaps the Asgard and humanity aren't that different afterall"
"I find that remark insulting." The engineer replied, perhaps a little amused in his own unique way. "I will ready the devices"
"Make it quick, we're expecting company soon." Caldwell signed off.
"Was that Hermiod trying to be helpful?" Foster grinned.
"You know I think it was." Her commander replied with a chuckle. "In his own unhelpful way, I guess he was trying to make sure we all don't get killed"
"That's sweet." Foster remarked. "Remind me to get him a thank you card when we make it home"
The radio came on again. "Errr, sorry to interrupt sir." Novak said nervously. "But we have disturbances ahead, I'd say the Wraith are here."

With a similar but different coloured blaze of light the Wraith forces emerged from hyperspace. Ship after ship emerged in a wave, rolling forwards and breaking into different groups. The Hive ships were working together, setting aside their differences for this grand goal. They formed a wedge formation, hundreds of smaller escorts and thousands of darts massing around their flying cities, a huge sledgehammer and massive show of force.
Against them the Daedalus stood alone, one ship against the stark black background. It was dwarfed by even one hive ship, the massive fleet filling the sensor screens was just something altogether unreal.
"That's a lot of ships." Shepherd remarked from beside Caldwell.
Caldwell resisted the urge to say 'Duh' and just nodded. "Status"
"Shields fully operational, engines ready." Foster replied. "All stations report ready"
"Main batteries ready, rail guns and interceptors armed, missiles and heavy rail cannons ready." Lieutenant Miguel informed. "Enemy are targeting us"
"Hermiod"
"It will take a few minutes to apply the changes to the Asgard systems." The engineer reported. "I recommend you find an alternate way to keep the Wraith occupied until then"
"I'm sure we can think of something." Caldwell grinned. "Alright Major, all ahead flank and standby to fire at the closest hive ship."

The warships engines blazed into life, driving towards the hive ship at the front of the enemy force. Escorting cruisers broke away to intercept the Daedalus and dart fighters sung into position like mosquitoes. "Fighters on approach, entering range"
"Fire rail guns." Caldwell commanded. "Hold course and speed"
The yellow rounds began to fill the sky stitching the path in front of the incoming darts. Both sides were moving much faster than they had been at Atlantis and reaction times for the dart pilots could be measured in milliseconds. The solid slugs shredded the waves of fighters without difficulty, the first wave reduced to high speed wreckage by the point defences. The ship blazed past the carnage, a few pieces of metal bouncing off the shields with little effect.
Caldwell watched in satisfaction as the range closed. "Secondary guns, clear us a path through those cruisers, main batteries standby to engage the Hive ship"
The Earth cruiser rolled as the first return volleys raced past, narrowly missing the ships shields. The interceptor system activated and began knocking down the storm of heavy energy pulses from the Wraith cruisers, but of greater concern were the much heavier batteries on the Hive ship. They remained silent for now.
"Locked on!" Miguel called. "Firing"
The twin turrets either side of the Daedalus engaged with staggered pulse and laser fire. It was a popular Earth force tactic called 'Slash and burn' where the laser beams opened up an enemy hull and the pulse cannon rounds crashed through to cause heavy internal damage. It was a tactic created by Captain Sheridan during his time on the Agamemnon and was a favoured tactic for the modern EA ships with dual purpose guns. The Wraith cruisers answered in kind and began striking the shields where simple weight of fire began to bleed through the interceptor system, but the grid was at least stopping the majority of incoming fire and giving the shields some breathing room.
"Hold speed, don't stay and tangle with the cruisers!" Caldwell said. "Go for the Hive ship, fire as you bear!"

Foster raised the bow of the Daedalus slightly to line up the fixed rail cannons, pointing them directly at the belly of the hive ship. "That's it, take the shot"
Miguel fired the rail guns, the two heavy weapons shuddering the cruiser as they discharged. Again the twin rounds were flung outwards toward the enemy and almost instantly travelled the distance and smashed into the Wraith armour. A normal round would have passed clean through, but this salvo had been special.
The rounds had been tipped with Naquadah, and impacting the Wraith ship managed to trigger a cataclysmic reaction in their atomic structure. The mineral destabilised and exploded with terrific force, blasting away one of the spherical habitation points under the hive ships belly and sending a steam of fire through the ship and out its upper hull in a bright fireball.
The crew cheered, the Hive ship starting to turn away as secondary explosions wracked its hull, but despite the damage it was still in the fight. A score of massive blue energy bolts burst from the hive ship, three of them striking the Daedalus, and glowing brightly against the shields, shaking the vessel violently.
"Shields holding!" Foster reported.
"Get us closer!" Caldwell ordered. "Missile batteries ready for point blank fire"
The ship drove on, dodging past an escort cruiser that was slowly crumpling as its insides melted away and its reactors melted through the hull. One of the hive ship blasts punched into an escort, immolating several hundred feet worth of hull and sending it spiralling out of control. The Earth cruiser lined up again and swept past the Hive ship a few hundred metres from the hull.
"Snap shots, one and two!" Caldwell shouted.
"Missiles away!" Miguel responded and hit the controls.
From the upper deck a pair of enhanced nukes launched from their silos, travelling the short distance to the hive ship and burying themselves in the outer hull. The Daedalus broke away at full speed as several gigatons worth of explosive power detonated up against the Hive ship, covering it in blinding white light.
"Report Major"
"Sensors coming back," Foster said anxiously. "We got it! Enemy ship destroyed"
"Nice work Miguel!" Caldwell congratulated. "Just twenty nine more to go."

The Wraith ships were converging on the Daedalus, they were wary of the ship but must have noticed it's shields fluctuating with the hits from their deceased sister. If they hit the ship often enough and hard enough they were bound to win. Like a pack of animals they gathered, sending the weakest in first to absorb the ships sting and weaken it enough for the Hive ships to finish off.
"Enemy ships changing formation, this isn't going to be pretty." Foster winced.
"Colonel Caldwell." The curt voice of Hermiod suddenly broke onto the bridge speakers. "The transporter is ready"
"Hermiod, your timing is perfect." Caldwell sighed in relief. "Doctor Novak, ready a mark Eight bomb, five second delayed fuse"
"Yes sir, it'll be ready in a second"
Major Foster smiled. "They aren't going to know what hit them"
"I just hope we have enough nukes." Shepherd remarked.
"I think we'll manage." Foster confirmed. "Transporter active"
In the distance a ball of energy emerged from one of the Hive ships, blasting it into fragments.
"Oh yeah, that worked." Shepherd rubbed his hands together.
"Hermiod, hit another one." Caldwell ordered. "Fast as you can"
"I assure you I am not taking my time." The Asgard snorted.
Moments later another Hive ship detonated. The formation began to split up as debris thrown from the destroyed vessels stabbed into its neighbours.
"Wraith cruisers on their way." Miguel said. "Intercept course"
"Keep our distance." Caldwell said. "No need to engage them when we can pick off their fleet at range"
A third hive ship was reduced to scrap with no visible sign of attack, and then a forth. Blue pulses whizzed past grazing the shields or being caught by the interceptors. Just as everything seemed to be working perfectly, as was inevitable things went wrong.

"Colonel, the transporters are unable to gain a lock." Hermiod reported dispassionately.
"What?" Caldwell grunted.
"The Wraith have set up a jamming field, the transmissions are interfering with out transporters"
Shepherd looked at Caldwell with surprise. "How did they figure that out"
"Right now it doesn't matter." Caldwell was grimacing. "Fine, if we can't beam in nukes we'll just have to do it the long way. Spin up tubes three and four, standby to engage. Hermiod, try and break the jamming"
"As you wish Colonel, but I am not hopeful"
Major Foster angled the ships bow around and put it back on a direct course for the Wraith. The enemy was still in some confusion after the loss of some of their number and they were out of position. It would take them time to present a unified force again and with luck the Daedalus could keep them off balance and cause them a lot of problems.
"Missiles ready." Miguel stated.
"Launch!" The missiles popped gracefully from their silos, propelled by Earth Force magnetic launch rails. As soon as they were clear another Earth Alliance gift kicked in, highly efficient Ion propulsion drives gave the modified cruise missiles the boost they needed to travel quickly to their targets. Although they travelled much faster than normal SGC missiles the Wraith still had time to react to them, the Hive ship expending two darts to catch the missiles mid flight and destroy them.
"Get another strike ready, four missiles." Caldwell snapped. "Prepare rail guns"
"They've got more fighters than we've got missiles sir." Shepherd remarked. "We should get closer"
"Any closer and they'll be hitting us from all sides, even with shields we'll be dead in minutes." Caldwell stated. "We need to keep our distance at least until reinforcements arrive."

Daedalus looped around one of the Wraith cruisers peppering it with small rail gun rounds and bursts from its laser cannons, carving up the cruiser without pausing. The shields fluctuated as the cruiser hit back but they held together. Darts streamed in from all sides, many falling to the defences but so great where their numbers that most were able to survive the experience. Each hit shaved a fraction off the shields, and slowly those fractions were mounting up.
More missiles emerged from the upper launchers and disappeared in a cloud of ions towards the nearest Hive ship, which in turn responded with a wave of energy bolts. The missiles were quickly destroyed, but this time Caldwell had a second plan. While the Hive ship focused on the missiles he placed the ship in position to strike with rail cannons. Before the last missile was destroyed two more rounds were on their way to the target.
But the Wraith learned fast, and the rounds were caught by an escorting cruiser which placed itself in front of the hive ship. The naquadah tipped rounds completely destroyed the Wraith warship, but left the much larger hive ship intact behind it. In response the Earth ship was targeted by any vessel in range and was forced to break off.
"We didn't get through sir!" Miguel reported. "The Wraith ships are bunching together, cruisers putting themselves between us and the hive ships"
"We haven't got enough weapons to punch through sir." Foster said. "And if we try and get close they'll mass their fire and break our shields"
Caldwell grunted. "Any second now would be good for our back up"
For once the fates decided he was right.

The point of energy flashed and twisted like a spike stabbing across dimensions, splitting normal space in a torrent of tachyons and hyperspace energy. From the blue maw an Earth Force destroyer appeared, weapons armed and half it's fighter wing already active and covering the ships approach. EAS Titans arrived a few hundred miles from the Daedalus and took up station, immediately the Wraith escorts began to act more cautiously.
"Ivanova to Caldwell, respond please"
The tension on the Daedalus bridge lessened with the arrival of help, but they still faced a major uphill struggle.
"Captain, your timing is exceptional." Caldwell replied.
"You know Captain the Marines on Atlantis said the Navy is always late." Shepherd grinned. "I just lost ten bucks to Captain Thorne"
"Better late than burning debris." Ivanova replied. "we're going to try a missile barrage, then close the range and hit them hard. Real hard, you ready to escort us in"
"Well yes, but aren't we missing something?" Caldwell responded. "Like the rest of the fleet"
"They're almost ready." Ivanova said. "My ship uses an Earth force jump engine, its latest generation but it isn't perfect. We pick a place we want to jump from but the actual vortex could open ten miles away. The Excalibur and her escorts have a Minbari jump engine with Vorlon enhancements. What that means is basically they can open a jump point exactly where they want to arrive, within yards. I've just sent them location data for the Wraith fleet, thanks to your attack the hive ships and escorts are all bunched together in tightly packed task forces." They could here the evil smile in her voice. "Ever wondered what happens when a jump point opens inside an enemy fleet?"

They were going to get a chance to see first hand. With telemetry from Ivanova the rest of the ships could put their jump points in the middle of Wraith hive ships and their escorts. The same splitting energy lit up space, but this time the burst of gravitic and temporal energy was released in the middle of three closely packed formations of vessels. The Hive ships were at the epicentre and did not stand a chance, their mass was shifted into the alternate dimension, pushed out of reality by the unique nature of hyperspace while other sections of the hull were simply ripped to pieces. The surrounding escorts were caught in the backlash and were likewise torn apart.
The arriving ships were preceded by violent bursts of energy, clearing away any surviving cruisers from the path the allied vessels exited on. The Whitestars immediately broke away and swept into position beside the Excalibur as fighters launched from their racks, mainly Thunderbolts but also a squadron of older SA 23-G Starfuries armed with anti fighter missiles and from the Whitestars six Minbari Nial heavy interceptors.
The newly arrived warships were chewing into the Wraith left flank while the Deadalus and Titans faced them head on..

"Well, we didn't get lost in hyperspace and disappear like a ghost ship." Galen smiled. "As some people who shall remain nameless suggested"
"I just happen to think that there is a reason for the beacon network, and that it happens to be a damn good reason." Captain Gideon shrugged. "I suppose I should never have doubted you"
"Oh you can doubt me as much as you like." Galen replied. "Just don't be bitter when I gloat and bring up how wrong you were every time we meet"
"Captain," Matheson interrupted. "We've locked on to the next batch of enemy ships"
"Thankyou Lieutenant, weapons ready main gun"
From the corner of the bridge the very out of place looking frame of Dureena folded her arms across her chest. "Do you think it's smart to leave us unpowered in the middle of a hostile fleet"
"Not really." Gideon answered. "But the Wraith ships are bunched together, I can take out a score of them in one shot if we fire right now. We'll just have to rely on our escorts to keep us safe." "Main cannon ready." His XO reported.
"Order fighters to attack, then commence firing sequence"
Outside the wings of fighters broke away and cleared the firing arc of the big ship. The three Thunderbolt squadrons were armed with anti ship missiles and were tasked with hitting the Wraith directly. The Minbari fighters and regular furies would follow them in and keep the Wraith darts from interfering. At the other side of the battlefield the other two ships were preparing their fighter compliments to do the same thing.
The green and yellow tendrils crackled from the engine housings of the ship and merged in front of the bow, with a final push from the forward housings the beam blasted across space towards a cluster of Wraith vessels. It slammed through a dozen cruisers and a Hive ship, leaving them either completely destroyed or so heavily damaged as to be unsalvageable.
The Excalibur began the process of recharging it's capacitors and reopening the circuit breakers throughout the ship. To fire the weapon required a threshold charge, something to initiate the reaction and start the cascade and unfortunately that required a brief overload burst from the ships main reactor. Such a massive power surge then needed a minute to cool the reactor down, trying to start it early had been described as 'a bad idea' by Mr Garibaldi, and as the constructor he was acknowledged as been right. Especially when Galen had examined the power distribution systems with the look of an engineer inspecting a tower held up by string and cardboard. He had carefully avoided the words 'death trap' and made some comment about needing better reactors, then adding that the Technomages weren't the people to ask.

Daedalus

"Excalibur has fired, scratch another Hive ship." Foster remarked with pleasure. "But she's dead in space for one minute, Wraith ships are going to pounce on her as soon as they recover"
"Then it's our job to keep them occupied." Caldwell said. "Deploy fighters and press on, coordinate with Captain Ivanova and let's deal with this problem once and for all"
F-302 interceptors launched in rapid succession from the warship laden with missiles and ammunition. They took position ahead of the Thunderbolt fighters from the Earth Force ship and prepared to engage the Wraith fighter groups. The SGC fighters thanks to their alien technology had the advantage of greater acceleration that the Furies, they would range ahead and open a path for the larger craft to fly through and engage the Wraith capital ships with nuclear missiles. It wasn't going to be easy, especially with the numbers involved, but each pilot accepted this responsibility without hesitation and grimly prepared for the task at hand.
The Wraith darts flew forward in a great mass with no formation or tactic other than swamping their enemies. The Earth fighters accelerated to meet them, lining up in loose pairs and allowing the Wraith to compound their error. The enemy fighters were advancing in such large numbers they weren't going to be able to take evasive action without colliding with their neighbours.
Lock on signals chimed and the first wave of 302's launched their missiles. The streaked forward and took the Wraith head on, every one of them claiming a kill. Some of the 302's had been refitted with Starfury style pulse cannons, these now opened fire along with the traditionally armed high calibre guns in the unchanged fighters.
Explosions marked the front of the Wraith wings as fighter after fighter was destroyed. Their weak armour was utterly ineffective against the fighters old style guns, let alone missiles and pulse cannons. The four squadrons of Thunderbolts joined the carnage, the ridiculously large guns mounted under their noses carving through flights of enemy fighters in one volley. The two sides clashed and raced past each other, any surviving darts meeting the point defences of the parent warships as they tried to shoot the backs of the allied fighters.

Titans

"All systems ready Captain." Commander Morton reported.
"Time to make an impression then." Ivanova dropped into her chair. "Target the ships heading for Excalibur, full barrage, open fire"
The warship turned its bow slightly and then prepared a missile salvo, the armoured doors to the silos popping open with a silent rush of white gas. The vessel carried two types of missiles, fifty five metre long anti ship missiles with a high megaton yield penetrator warhead and eighty metre cluster missiles for area saturation, each packing several dozen smaller nuclear warheads. The smaller missiles were designed for speed, aiming to race past the point defences, spear an enemy ship and then explode internally. The larger ones were more for eradicating wings of fighters and corvettes or for wide scale planetary bombardment, a legacy of the Clark era.
The ripple fire sequence began. There was going to be zero chance of resupply out here and Ivanova had been saving the missiles for an appropriate moment, this certainly seemed to qualify. One after another the silver darts were pushed out of their housings with a burst of magnetic energy, and once clear their ion engines ignited with a blue flash, powering the weapons towards the Wraith fleet advancing on the Excalibur.
The Wraith responded quickly, scattering pulse cannon blasts into the path and sending darts to intercept the missiles the rather more direct way. Closer to the target the strategic missiles broke up in a shower of sub munitions that scattered in a cone amidst the swarms of darts before detonating in a blaze of hundreds of bright spheres. The Wraith fighter forces and a few cruisers ceased to exist and space was cleared for the anti ship missiles to make their final approach. Half the missiles were shot down, but the other half managed to strike their targets crippling a Hive ship and destroying four cruisers. More importantly it took some pressure off the Excalibur.

"Enemy vessels turning toward, they noticed that." Morton smiled despite himself. "Hive ship targeted"
"Bow guns, open fire"
The great ship shook as the Particle guns fired in unison, slicing into one of the massive Wraith flagships. The ships armour tore and melted, internal explosions blew out vast chunks of the hull and the ship began to lose control. The beams continued, moving as the Titans altered course slightly and widening the holes in the Hive Ships hull. Finally the guns managed to slice all the way through the vessel, cutting it into two halves.
"Outstanding Mr Singh." Ivanova grinned. "If we live through this I'll buy the gun crews a drink for that one"
"Yes Ma'am. Thank you Ma'am." The officer replied.
Ivanova took a brief look at sensors and saw the other Earth Force ship was by now coming back online. "Alright helm, All ahead full, take us into the thick of the enemy fleet. Guns, engage anything that's stupid enough to get in our way"
Six ion engines growled into life and began to push the massive warship forward, gradually building up momentum and through brute force hurling the destroyer towards the Wraith fleet. Beside it the Daedalus also began moving faster, keeping time with the grey giant and shooting at anything that strayed into range. A small force of Wraith cruisers took the bait and set an intercept course, firing with long range weapons against the allies. Interceptors responded, though a few rounds got through striking either armour or shield.
The return fire was heavier, at close range the Daedalus missiles became effective weapons and the nuclear tipped warheads were powerful ship killers. Likewise the massed batteries of guns on the Titans bludgeoned the Wraith ships out of the sky as both vessels pressed on closer to the main force.

Excalibur

"Main power restored Captain." Matheson reported.
"Let's get back into the fun then." Captain Gideon took on the challenge. "Ahead full, close the range hit them with all we have"
"We're still rather outnumbered." Galen pointed out. "Tell me, have you ever heard of General Custer"
Gideon shot him a glance. "If Custer had our kind of firepower I'm sure things would have gone a little different. Forward guns, fire"
Green energy beams cut into the Wraith ships, separating their hulls on a sun atomic level with a bombardment of Neutrons breaking up the molecular bonds of the metal holding the ship together. The cruisers had nothing that could stop such an attack and fell apart in a couple of seconds. Never the less they continued swarming into battle, firing a thick carpet of energy pulses the Excalibur had no choice but to fly into. The rapid fire interceptors performed well, but the thunk of weapons hitting the hull began to grow more frequent.
A pair of cruisers tried to drop in behind the Excalibur, unleashing a volley of rapid fire pulses. They were engaged by a squadron of fast moving fighters dodging past the storm of fire. Two of the Thunderbolts went down, but the rest managed to get close enough for a full missile strike, launching over eighty nuclear missiles into the sides of the two cruisers. The weapons were not large, but in such numbers they overwhelmed the enemy and left both ships gutted.
While the heavy ships picked off targets at will the two Whitestars broke away and weaved between the enemy ships, cutting into cruisers and Hive ships alike with their forward weapons. The two attack ships kept close to the enemy hulls, forcing the escorts to fire at their own ships in order to try and hit them, which the Wraith seemed quite eager to do. Pulses bounced on the shields, and while the adaptive system was optimised for Wraith weapons the damage was still accumulating.
They broke away, leaving a cruiser nothing but junk and lined up on a Hive ship, a storm of pulses filling the space between the two groups. The Whitestar guns answered, weapons designed to take on Shadow cruisers now found themselves employed against the less sophisticated Wraith vessel, carving through its hull without resistance. Unfortunately the pure size of the enemy vessel was keeping the Minbari Hybrids from doing critical damage instantly, and they were forced to press the attack, dodging as much fire as they could and trusting in their shields to take the rest.
A sudden massive volley hit the leading Whitestar, overwhelming its shields and shredding it's starboard engine assembly. The vessel spun out of control shedding molten debris as its comrade pulled up and tried to get a lock with it's tractor beam. It was of course far too late. The damaged ship ploughed into the front of the Hive ship, crumpling its bow and twisting it into an abstract contortion of its prior appearance. Jets of fire burned through the front of the ship as the attacker exploded gouging out vast swathes of corridors and facilities.
The surviving Whitestar looped over the Hive ship and performed a sharp back flip keeping its bow weapons on target for the duration of the run. Between the withering volley and the simple brutality of the impact the Wraith Hive ship just gave up and lost control, its reactors mirroring the demise of the smaller allied ship. The bright flash marking the end of both vessels in spectacular fashion.

Daedalus

Foster grimaced as the sensors fed up data from Hermiod's console in engineering. "Colonel, we just lost our lead Whitestar"
"Damn." Caldwell snapped. "Ranger Leader Gilmore wasn't it"
"Yes sir, we're also starting to lose fighters. Enemy forces and concentrating on our ships individually"
To emphasize the point the ships shook violently four times in quick succession. Miguel fired another batch of rail gun rounds and missiles but despite destroying a large number of Wraith ships things were not looking good. The damage was if anything increasing.
"Shields forty percent, interceptors are losing efficiency." The slightly panicked voice of Novak warned from engineering. "Colonel we're starting to see fluctuations in the power grid, I can't keep recharging the shields much longer"
Outside he could see the Titans duelling a hive ship, the two behemoths were broadside on exchanging fire at point blank range. The Earth force ship seemed to be winning but was taking a lot of damage in the process, its hull scarred and ruptured by the concentrated fire. Elsewhere sensors showed the Excalibur doing much the same thing, using its agility to try and avoid the escorts and go straight for the Hive ships. Unfortunately there were so many escorts it just wasn't working and that ship too was taking more and more damage.
"This isn't going to work." Caldwell said quietly. "Major, get me a channel to the other ship"
Foster turned some controls. "You're on"
"Caldwell to fleet, we're not getting through, we can't stop the Hive fleet"
"Doesn't matter!" Ivanova shouted, the entire bridge was filled with echoing impacts from the Wraith ships she was fighting. "We can still thin out the numbers"
"It won't make a difference Captain, we can't save Atlantis this way. We must withdraw"
"There's still more than half the Hive ships left!" Gideon answered this time. "Even with its shield it can't hold until more reinforcements arrive"
"If the ISA even has reinforcements!" Ivanova yelled over the din. "All our ships were hunting Drakh when we left"
"And staying until we are killed won't make a difference either, this battle is over." Caldwell said finally. "We must withdraw, regroup at Atlantis. We still have half a day to prepare, we might find something we can use"
"And we might not." Gideon said.
"It's a slim chance, but it's better than no chance because that's what we have here!" Caldwell stated. "We must withdraw, try again at Atlantis"
The Hive ship engaging Ivanova exploded, more than a third of its hull having being blown apart before then. The Warlock was showered by debris, its hull had barely been patched up since the fight with the Drakh and now it seemed the destroyer would be wanting yet another complete overhaul.
"Fine." Ivanova said. "But even with Galen I don't think we'll be back in time, it'll just be you there when they arrive"
"If Atlantis holds we can take them in the back." Gideon snarled. "Hit them while they're bombing the city"
"It's the only option we have." Caldwell sighed. "Recall fighters, standby to retreat to Atlantis."

The F-302's broke off from their dogfights and swept around, evading the thick clusters of debris from cruisers destroyed or crippled by strikes from the Titans Thunderbolt fighters. The Daedalus kept them covered with as much rail gun and interceptor fire as it could, but one fighter was still lost to a Wraith dart before the defences could stop them. The Thunderbolts were luckier, able to accelerate away and then spin around to fire on their pursuers as the continued to leave the battlefield.
Captain Gideon wasn't pleased about running out on this battle, but the odds were by now completely in the Wraiths favour.
"Lets make a big exit, op up the jump point on top of that Hive ship. Let them know we're not finished even if we are running"
The Excalibur turned hard about, it's turrets taking out one more cruiser before it began accelerating towards a hive ship.
"Jump engines active." Matheson reported. "Ready to jump"
Gideon nodded. "Do it"
The light flickered just in front of the Hive ship before opening into an orange shaded gateway, shredding the Wraith vessel unlucky enough to inhabit the same area of space. The damaged surviving Whitestar retreated through it and held position on the far side waiting for Galen's guidance, waves of Thunderbolts escaping the same way. The great warship itself raced for the portal, putting as much power as it could into the engines, but not quite enough.
From behind the wreck of a Hive ship one Wraith cruiser came from seemingly no where, it charged at full speed for the Excalibur ignoring it's defences. Neutron weapons tore through its hull and destroyed the ship as an effective fighting unit in seconds, but they couldn't stop several million tons of broken metal spinning wildly on an intercept course.
"Evasive action!" Gideon shouted. "Brace for impact"
Much of the wreckage missed, but a solid core of it based around the engine blocks struck the Excalibur on it's stern, bending and shattering the back of the ship. The vessel lurched out of control, power systems shorting out as fuses blew and emergency systems cut in to keep the crew alive. Gideon was pressed back in his chair and anyone not strapped down was thrown to the floor including Matheson. Only Galen seemed unaffected no doubt thanks to some magery.
"Jump engines off line!" the helm officer shouted as she steadied the ship. "The vortex is collapsing"
"Dammit!" Gideon yelled. "Time until we can open another one"
"I dunno, the engines have taken heavy damage!" The helm officer worked frantically. "I can't get them back online"
Galen cleared his throat. "You're not going to like this, but a Hive ship just entered range and is firing on us"
To prove the point the ship jolted as the first rounds hit.
"Aft interceptors are down, rear weapons also unpowered." Matheson coughed. "So either we turn and fight, and risk getting surrounded, or we run and get shot to hell." Gideon was grimacing, as far as choices go it wasn't much.
"Captain, message from Captain Ivanova, sir she's holding open her jump point for us"
Gideon veritable leapt from his chair. "Helm, can we make it"
"Yes sir, but with that Hive ship on our back I can't guarantee we'll be in one piece"
The Captain turned back and walked up beside the Technomage, shrouded in blackness and gloom on his bridge.
"If there is anything you can do, any trick or little piece of technology you can use to get us home safely, now would be the time"
"Captain, you don't know what you are asking of me." Galen replied equally quiet. "It is a path I did not wish to turn down again"
"I am asking you to save the lives of every body on this ship, including your own. I'm asking you to preserve Atlantis and it's knowledge. I am asking you to give us a chance to go forward and find a cure for the Drakh plague. I am not asking for the world, I am asking for a lot more and I know you can deliver"
"And the cost?" Galen said. "You must understand there is always a price to pay"
"Are you saying you won't do this because of what it might cost you"
"More along the lines of what it might cost you. After this I will not be the same person you know. Are you sure you want this"
Gideon did not blink. "More certain than anything else in my life"
The Mage nodded. "Then so shall it be."

The armour on the stern of the Excalibur was flaking away, it was able to refract a great deal of the incoming fire but the Hive ship was mounting such a vicious assault and with no interceptors to help the Earth ship was bearing the full brunt of the attack. "Launching countermeasures!" Matheson called. Out side a shower of crystal pieces made from the same material as the hull clouded behind the destroyer, the Wraith shots that struck it dispersing in a rainbow of colour. The commander of the Wraith vessel kept up the assault however, accelerating to drive through the countermeasures and finish the wounded ship.
"That bought us a few seconds." Gideon gestured to the sensor screen. "Do whatever it is you're going to do"
Galen sighed and closed his eyes, linking to the sensor grid in his tiny black pinnace stored in the Excalibur hangar deck. He could see the Hive ship, see the Excalibur, see the Titans trying to keep the Wraith back with broadsides and failing. He could feel the crew on the enemy vessel, sensing their life force through the fundamentals of his vessels sensor net, he could almost taste the deep hunger driving them onward. The ship turned virtually transparent, letting him examine it's internal workings, from reactors to weapons cores to central life support. He noted places of structural integrity and focused on one massive nest of load bearing structures in the centre of the ship, the vessels equivalent of a keel.
Abstractly he felt the attack begin again as the Hive ship passed the obstructions and lined up on the Excalibur once more, blasting a huge slab of metal from the upper drive fin. It spun slowly away exposing the ship's propulsion system to direct attack, something the Wraith were eager to pounce on. Galen could delay no longer, he was hesitating and trying to avoid doing what he knew he must. Focusing on the structural supports deep in the Hive ship he began to project the equations and calculations that created his spell.
A dark bubble formed at the Heart of the enemy vessel, a small sphere that turned from deep red to a shade of pure jet black. It was innocuous looking enough until it began to expand, swelling to encompass more and more of the room it was in, flowing around the structural supports and deck plates. It began to grow faster, expanding beyond the room and growing through the decks, finally drawing notice from the crew and spreading panic.
"Galen." Beside him his friend was frowning. "Are you going something"
The mage did not answer, but Matheson did. "Captain, something's wrong with the Wraith ship, I'm ready a lot of energy fluctuations and stresses throughout its hull"
"Get me a picture Lieutenant, on screen"
The Wraith ship had stopped accelerating and its weapons began to cease firing. Dart fighters streamed out of the ship as anyone who could gain access to a small craft fought tooth and claw to break out and flee whatever devilry was affected the tribe's mother ship. As Gideon watched the top of the Hive ship buckled and distorted, morphing as something pushed out of the hull. It looked like the top of a black Sphere.
"Sensors can't tell what that is sir." Matheson reported. "They can't penetrate it"
"It's Galen." The Captain shot a look at the completely absorbed mage stood on the bridge. "How close are we to the jump point"
"Few more seconds, Titans is holding position"
The Sphere that had consumed the central section of the Hive Ship stopped growing. I held there glimmering for a few moments, then incredible rapidly collapsed in on itself vanishing away to nothing in a heartbeat and leaving the hollowed out Wraith vessel behind as the only sign of its existence. As it disappeared Galen collapsed to floor gasping, sweat running down his bald head.
"Dr Chambers!" Gideon yelled into his link as he darted forward and slid to the floor beside his friend. "Emergency on the bridge, I need you up here now"
Galen grabbed the Captains arm. "Did it work"
"Lieutenant"
Matheson nodded. "Wraith ship is dead in space, and it looks like it's lost a third of its mass"
Gideon shook his head. "What was that? what did you do"
"I bought us time, at the cost of a great many lives. Use it wisely." The mage said quietly. "I need to return to my ship"
"Doctor Chambers is on her way"
"No!" Galen snapped, his face instantly changing from anger to regret. "No Captain, there is nothing the good Doctor can do, I need to rest on my ship. It will help me recover, nothing else can"
With a sigh Gideon agreed. "Fine, I'll have them wheel you to your ship, but if you die in there I warned you"
Galen managed a weak smile. "Yes sir."

The ruined Hive ship was expelling air at an incredible rate, its central void clouding with gas and debris, along with numerous Wraith crew. Fuel lines spayed reactant materials into space while power lines crackled with energy around their severed nodes, it was only a matter of time before something explosive happened.
Fire flashed in the hollow space, a shorted power line triggering one of the reactor feeds and sending a burst of destruction back down the fuel line. The ship exploded slowly from the inside out, its hull folding and bending without its strong central supports and the compartmentalization proving useless as everything around the sealed rooms fell apart and twisted under the force of secondary explosions. After a few seconds it like so many others was nothing but debris.
"We still have ships closing." Matheson looked at the sensor reports. "Those cruisers can move when they want to"
"But they won't stop us before we reach hyperspace." Gideon pointed out, still trying to decide exactly what Galen had done. "Problem is if they go straight to Atlantis they'll arrive before we do"
"It'll be up to the Daedalus to face them alone." His executive officer winced. "Not good odds"
"I hope they know what they are doing." Gideon said firmly. "I really hope they do"
The Excalibur streaked past the Titans and disappeared into Hyperspace, pulling away into the vortex and leaving the battlefield. Ivanova's ship fired one final volley, smashing a last Wraith cruiser trying to follow the Excalibur into the parallel dimension, then it too pushed its engines up to full power and vanished, the gateway closing behind it.
Behind them the fleet left a clutter of wrecked ships, friend and foe. It rated as one of the worst losses in Wraith history, whole tribes lost to the black of space in the space of a few minutes. But despite the cost they had won a victory and now had a clear run to their greatest prize, the city of Atlantis and the promise of a hunting ground that would sustain their people for generations.
The surviving ships paused briefly to retrieve their fighters and any stragglers that sought to join a new tribe, then entered hyperspace again and proceeded towards Atlantis without a second thought for their dead comrades.