Chapter Seven
USS Resolution
Red alert klaxons wailed and status panels pulsed blood red throughout the ship sending crewmembers hurrying to battle stations.
On the bridge Captain Darian Parker hid his nervousness as he sat in the command chair. They had counted five Goa'uld motherships inbound and while the Resolution had easily handled one of them he wasn't sure how she would handle all five if they all attacked her at once. True the Resolution had stronger shields and more powerful weapons than any ship currently in service in Starfleet – though that would change when the Enterprise's repair/refit was completed in a month and her latest sister ship the Hood was launched in six months – but she was only one ship and thus could be worn down by superior numbers.
He didn't really want to destroy the Goa'uld ships he'd only engaged Tanneth earlier because the Goa'uld had been firing on Tollana killing hundreds with every volley. A situation that no Federation captain could in good conscience permit to continue. But he would destroy the Goa'uld if they left him no choice. He hoped they would listen to reason but from what he'd learned of the Goa'uld so far they wouldn't know reason if it walked up and kicked them in the backside.
He kept his eyes on the view screen which was focused on the point where the Goa'uld task force was projected to come out of subspace. The patch of sky suddenly pulsed and distorted into a glowing anomaly, which quickly ejected the five massive motherships.
"Sir sensors are reading something strange about the Goa'uld ships," Lieutenant Commander Beech reported as the Goa'uld ships formed up and moved forward with arrogant confidence.
"What is it?" Commander Urlet asked right before Darian could voice the same questions.
"The sensors scans of these motherships do not match the one we defeated earlier," Beech reported. "There shields are a projected eighty percent stronger than Tanneth's and share many of the same characteristics as type seven and eight deflector shields."
"What about there weapons systems," Darian asked.
"Main weapons are phased energy cannons just like before but the readings are consistent with a simple form of disruptor cannon similar to the disruptors the Romulans used around the time of the Earth/Romulan war but energy levels are considerably greater. Torpedoes are the same plasma torpedoes as before. Though estimated blast yield per warhead is about ten percent greater than the warheads of the ones Tanneth fired at us. One on one they still wouldn't stand a chance against us our shields would still easily withstand their fire and our own weapons would quickly eat away their shields. But if they attack us in a group they could cause considerable damage to us." Beech's sensors bleeped for attention. "Sir there launching fighters."
Lieutenant Wu's console chirped at the same time.
"Sir the lead mothership is hailing us," Wu reported.
"On screen," Darian ordered guessing what was coming. Somehow he wasn't surprised when the face of Tanneth appeared on the view screen. The Goa'uld commander looking more confident and arrogant than he had at there last meeting if that was even possible.
"I told you that I would be back Captain Parker," Tanneth said in a gloating tone. "You should have destroyed me when you had the chance. Now I offer you a choice. Surrender your ship to me or I will take it. And kill every last member of your crew while you watch. And I wouldn't count on the Asgard ship being able to help you."
"Sir two of the Goa'uld motherships are breaking away and moving towards the Asgard ship. All five are launching fighter vessels. The other three motherships are targeting us," Lieutenant Commander Beech reported. Darien nodded in acknowledgement.
"Return the favour Mr Beech target them," he ordered. "Oh and Mr Beech lock onto Tanneth's ship first." Darian turned back to the view screen and the arrogant looking Goa'uld. Standing up from his command chair he moved towards the view screen.
"If I were you Tanneth I would get your facts straight before you go around threatening people," he said conversationally to the Goa'uld. "I do not need assistance from the Asgard to defend my ship. You haven't felt anywhere near our full firepower. I have weapons designed to destroy ships that are a lot bigger and a lot nastier then yours. Because I am a nice guy I'm going to give you one last chance. You can either turn your ships around and leave now or you can stay and be destroyed. The choice is yours."
As Darien spoke he saw a momentarily flicker of uncertainty pass across Tanneth's face as the Goa'uld took in the calmly spoken words. Then the Goa'uld's arrogance returned full force.
"I will not deny that your weapons are powerful," Tanneth answered. "But even with them you are no match for a fleet of enhanced Shalkra-class motherships. Surrender Captain Parker or face my wrath."
"Fire one shot Tanneth and I guarantee you it will be the last thing you ever do," Darien answered. Tanneth shook his head.
"You are a fool to defy me captain. Now you shall take the consequences. Kree Jaffa." Tanneth's face disappeared from the view screen. Darian sighed to himself saddened slightly by what was coming but knowing he'd done all he could to avoid it. Tanneth's foolishness and arrogance was about to get him killed.
He moved back to his command chair and sat down as the three motherships entered weapons range.
Tanneth fired first sending a stream of bright gold disruptor blasts from one of his ships main cannons streaking across space towards the Resolution. The blasts impacted the forward shields, which glowed a soft blue around the points of impact hardly bothered by the assault. The ship shuddered slightly.
The other two motherships fired in unison with each other sending streams of there own into the Resolution's shields lighting up sections of the outermost layer of the shields and shaking the ship but doing no damage.
Meanwhile the two motherships that had broken away towards the Valkastner opened fire on the Asgard battlecruiser sending streams of disruptor fire and volleys of plasma torpedoes into its shields. The Asgard ship returned fire immediately sending whitish blue energy beams into the Goa'uld shields.
As the Resolution shuddered under the assault from Tanneth Darian spoke in a calm collected voice. The battle hardened warrior in him coming to the fore.
"Ensign Mills put us on course for Tanneth's mothership full impulse. Mr Beech do you have a target lock on Tanneth's ship."
"Yes sir."
"Then open fire."
"Aye sir."
The Resolution burst into motion heading straight for Tanneth's ship. The three Goa'uld ships began firing volley after volley from the main and secondary cannons lighting up her shields as she closed but doing no damage. Then the Resolution fired back. A full power phaser blast streaked from one of the forward phaser strips to smash into Tanneth's ship. The shields around Tanneth's vessel lit up a bright blue as they absorbed the phasers fury and the mothership visibly shuddered. A second phaser blast followed immediately and the shields shaded into the red area of the spectrum as they struggled against beams power. A salvo of three photon torpedoes followed. The first two demolished what was left of the shields on Tanneth's ship. The third slammed into the hull to demolish a large section of the ships outer ring.
Beech didn't let up even as Tanneth's ship staggered back in space from the force of the blast gas and debris spewing from the massive burning hole in its side. A full power phaser beam tore into the mothership ripping straight through the armour and intervening decks to shoot out the other side of the ship. The doomed mothership seemed to collapse in upon itself for a moment before a forth phaser beam slammed into it and the mothership blew apart vanishing in a tremendous explosion of plasma and energy.
The Resolution flew right through the cloud her shields effortlessly punting away the few small pieces of debris from the destroyed mothership. As she passed between the two remaining ships her port and starboard phasers fired repeatedly sending powerful but short bursts into the shields of the two ships making them light up like miniature nova's as they struggled to withstand the assault. Some beams even partially penetrated to slice deep burning gashes in the hulls of the vessels. But the Resolution didn't have it all her own way. Both motherships fired repeated disruptor shots at her from both primary and secondary guns as she flew past lighting up her shields and as she pulled away from them one sent a pair of plasma torpedoes slamming into her aft shield.
"Damage report," Darian ordered as the deck shuddered under him.
"Shields are holding at ninety percent regeneration in progress," Beech reported.
"No damage to ships systems captain," Wu added. The two motherships rounded in space and fired volleys of both disruptors and plasma torpedoes at the Resolution. Simultaneously a wing of gliders came in strafing them with twin streams of disruptor pulses. Both groups of Jaffa now firing in fury and outrage at the death of one of their gods.
The Resolution rocked violently under the impact.
"Shields at eighty percent," Beech reported.
"Attack pattern Alpha One. Mr Beech use the phasers to take out those fighters. Quantum torpedoes for the motherships."
"Aye sir."
The Resolution came around sharply to face the two motherships and the swarm of gliders. Phaser arrays opened up sending out multiple short bursts each one striking and destroying a glider. Simultaneously four quantum torpedoes streaked out from the launcher on the underside of the saucer section. Two torpedoes streaking towards each mothership.
The torpedoes impact the motherships almost instantly and the two warships disappeared completely in the blue white flashes of the massive zero point energy release created by the detonation of the torpedo warheads. When the glare faded all that was left of the two motherships was a plume of plasma and debris.
Darian observed the destruction of the two motherships with a faint hint of sadness. He hated having to kill like this but the Goa'uld hadn't given him a choice as something told him that even if he disabled there weapons they would just retreat and return later with more ships.
"How is the Asgard ship doing," he asked at last even as gliders continued to die beneath the terrible relentless fire of the Resolution's phasers. The few surviving gliders pulled back trying to break off and regroup their shattered formations. But they were still well within range of the Resolution's phasers and continued to know it as glider after glider was turned to plasma by even a light graze from one of the lethal orange beams.
"They appear to be holding their own sir," Wu reported. "The Asgard shields are holding and there hitting the Goa'uld back hard. Both motherships have taken heavy shield damage but are continuing to fight."
"Who are these Goa'uld that they'll fight to the end," Urlet asked of no one in particular.
"Fanatic's with a god complex I think," Darian answered. "And there is only one way to deal with a fanatic unfortunately. Ensign Mill's put us on course for the last two motherships."
"Aye, sir."
"Mr Beech destroy them as soon as we are within range."
"Aye sir."
The Resolution turned away from the decimated swarm of gliders and began advancing towards the two remaining motherships, which were engaged in a viscous firefight with the Valkastner. The few surviving gliders pursued their Jaffa pilots charging towards the Federation vessel with fanatical determination to destroy her. But the Resolution was way too fast for them and the gap between them got ever wider.
As the Resolution closed on the two remaining motherships one ship took another blast from the Valkastner and its shields collapsed. An instant later a beam from the Asgard ship struck the unshielded vessel and the ship literally began glowing brilliantly before dissolving into a plume of plasma and dust.
"What was that," Darian asked observing the destruction in surprise. The blue-white beams the Asgard ship was firing didn't look like anything he'd ever seen before. Certainly they weren't phasers or disruptors or any beam weapon he was familiar with.
"The Asgard weapons appear to be a form of subatomic disintegration beam. Anything the beam hits simply dissolves into its component elements," Wu reported. "Very powerful and efficient."
As Wu spoke they reached phaser range and Beech opened fire on the remaining mothership. The phaser beams ripped into the mothership almost completely ignoring its weakened shields to blast away massive chunks of the vessel. One beam went right through the top of the central pyramid destroying the bridge area. The second beam also hit the pyramid and blasted almost completely through only the fact that the ships shields absorbed part of the beam powers preventing it going right through the ship. Its bridge gone the Goa'uld warship veered wildly out of control right before a blast from the Asgard tore into it ignoring the collapsing shields. In an instant the mothership suffered the same fate as its predecessor.
The Asgard warship turned away from the dispersing clouds of dust and moved towards the Resolution before firing over the top of her destroying the last five Goa'uld death gliders.
"Stand down from red alert," Darien ordered. "Any damage Mr Wu?"
"Negative sir." The operations console chirped. "Sir the Asgard ship is hailing us."
"On screen." Thor appeared on the screen. A thin haze of smoke was visible in the air behind him but other than that he seemed all right. "Commander Thor are you alright?"
"Perfectly captain. Our damage is minor. Automatic systems are already repairing it. Your ship is impressive captain a truly formidable vessel of war."
"I am quiet proud of her," Darien admitted. "But Thor this ship was not built strictly as a warship. Though we are heavily armed our primary mandate is exploration. Whenever possible we avoid combat as we respect sentient life regarding it as the most valuable thing in the universe. Though as you've just seen we can easily defend ourselves should the need arise."
"Avoiding unnecessary combat is a sign of great maturity," Thor replied. "As is respecting life in its many forms. It is a pity that we do not have time for a more thorough exchange of knowledge and philosophy. I imagine that we could learn much from each other. I have called our cargo ships back. They will be here in a minute. We will have to proceed with the relief supply transfer with as much speed as possible."
"We could give each other a copy of our respective databases," Darien suggested. Thor seemed to consider.
"Indeed we could," the Asgard agreed. "It will at least give us a good framework of trust for our future interactions."
"I will have my operations officer set up a data link between us."
"I will have mine do the same," Thor agreed. "The transfer can take place while we are in the process of transferring the relief supplies agreed?"
"Agreed."
"I look forward to our future meetings captain," Thor said finally.
"As do I Thor." The Asgard nodded then his image disappeared. "Lieutenant Wu set up a data link between us as the Valkastner. Transfer a complete copy of our database to the Asgard and prepare to receive a copy of theirs."
"Aye sir."
"Sir those Goa'uld cargo ships are decloaking now. The lead ship is hailing us they want to talk about delivery of supplies," Beech reported.
"Patch it through to my station Mr Beech," Commander Urlet ordered.
"Aye sir."
"Captain the two Asgard cargo ships are back," Wu reported. "Data link with the Valkastner's main computer has been established. Beginning data exchange."
"Are SG-1 ready for transport over?"
"Yes sir."
"Transfer the co-ordinates to transporter room two. I'll go down and meet them."
"Aye, sir. Sir we are being hailed by the surface. High Chancellor Travell is asking if it would be possible to come aboard for a tour and diplomatic discussion."
"Of course. We'll bring her aboard just after we bring SG-1 aboard."
"Aye sir I will advise her."
"Sir transfer of supplies from the Asgard ships to cargo bays one and two is beginning. Supplies being transferred from the Goa'uld cargo ships is being transferred into cargo bays three and four," Commander Urlet reported. "Sir one of the things the Asgard have transported over is a large metal ring. Metal element unknown. A smaller device has been transported over also."
"That must be the Stargate they were on about. Lieutenant Rakan get as many detailed scans of it as you can prior to its transport down to the surface of Tollana."
"Aye sir."
"You have the bridge commander. I'll be in transporter room two."
"Aye sir."
Transporter Room Two
Chief Petty Officer Reiger looked up as the doors to the transporter room opened. Then stiffened slightly as Captain Parker came through.
"I have the transport co-ordinates for both SG-1 and High Chancellor Travell's party sir," she reported.
"Good bring SG-1 aboard first. The Asgard ships are empty of supplies now and are anxious to leave."
"Aye sir energising."
Four of the transporter pads lit up and SG-1 appeared in a shimmering of silver-white light. Darien studied them as they appeared. They were an interesting bunch. He recognised Colonel O'Neill immediately but the rest he didn't know their names. One was slightly shorter than O'Neill wearing spectacles and had a distinct academic air around him - despite his dress it was obvious that he wasn't a soldier. The female of the group was quiet attractive with blond hair and an air of great intelligence about her - she was around the same height as Colonel O'Neill. The forth member of the group was a very tall dark skinned man who was just as big as he was. He was bald had a serious expression on his face and a strange gold snake symbol on his forehead.
"Colonel O'Neill," Darien said stepping forward and holding out his hand hoping that Humans in this universe did handshakes. "Welcome aboard the Federation starship Resolution. I'm Captain Parker."
"Colonel Jack O'Neill," Jack replied shaking the younger mans hand all the while sizing him up. His first thought when he saw Captain Parker up close was damn he's big. Easily as big as Teal'c, he obviously took physical exercise very seriously indeed. He was also young but there was hardness in him that you would only find in a combat veteran. Yet in his grey eyes there was tenderness and a kindness that you wouldn't normally see in a combat veteran. It was an intriguing contradiction. It matched the ship herself. A ship seemingly built for peaceful exploration purposes yet which had stronger defences and more powerful weapons than most dedicated warships. "This is the rest of my team. Doctor Daniel Jackson. Major Samantha Carter and Teal'c." Darien shook each of their hands in turn.
"Can you step down from the transporter pad now please. We have another few guests to beam aboard." SG-1 did as they were told all the while wondering who these other guests were. "Ms Reiger energise."
"Aye sir." All six transporter pads activated and six gleaming streams of matter started to take shape. "Sir four of the High Chancellor's entourage are carrying weapons. I'm disabling them now. Resuming transport."
The transport resumed and High Chancellor Travell, Narim and four Tollan security guards appeared on the pads. Both Travell and Narim blinked startled when they saw SG-1.
"High Chancellor Travell," Darien said stepped forward and giving the slight formal bow that the Tollan tended to use instead of handshakes. "Welcome aboard the Federation starship Resolution."
"It is good to meet you in person at last captain. Thank you for agreeing to my request to come aboard."
"It is no trouble," Darien assured her. "I was expecting your request ages ago. But you should have told me your guards were going to bring weapons. I would have told you to leave the weapons behind. As it is you're weapons have now been disabled." He turned to SG-1. "The same is true of your weapons Colonel O'Neill." Both Travell and Colonel O'Neill nodded in understanding. Travell turned to Colonel O'Neill.
"Colonel O'Neill," she said. "I am glad to see you again. I hope you can forgive my behaviour at our last meeting."
"We can forgive you your eminence," Daniel Jackson said. "You've already paid the price for dealing with the devil. Us being angry with you serves no purpose except to cause more misery and pain to the Tollan people. Had we wished your people harm we would have not brought you the relief supplies or asked the Asgard and Tok'ra for assistance." Travell bowed her head slightly.
"The Curia thanks you for your understanding. We are going to need your help in the months to come. Especially for food with winter coming. Our hydroponics facilities are gone. It will take months to restart them. And without the weather control grid it's going to get very cold on Tollana."
"We can help their High Chancellor," Darien said. "We have an industrial replicator on board."
"Replicators," Jack said. "You don't mean little mechanical bugs that run around devouring ships and making Asgard lives a misery."
"No. When I say replicator or replicators I mean machines that can manufacture just about anything from clothing to food and weapons. As I was saying High Chancellor we can manufacture replacement hydroponics parts for you. Just give us the specs you want and we'll manufacture them. We can have your hydroponics plants back up and running in a week or two. I can't help with the weather control grid we don't have the proper materials on hand for that. Replicators do have some limitations."
"That would be very generous of you. It would help allot."
"It is no problem High Chancellor. Helping people in need is part of Starfleet's charter. That's why we helped you when Tanneth was attacking your planet the first time."
"Speaking of Tanneth I owe you a debt of honour," Teal'c said. "For killing Tanneth. If there is anything I can ever do for you do not hesitate to ask."
"I'll remember that Teal'c," Darien said. "Now if you will all come with me please. I have much to show you."