Destiny's Child

Chapter Eight

Goa'uld Alkesh

Orbiting Tollana

The two Jaffa sat intently at the controls of an Alkesh as it hung cloaked and so far undetected beneath the alien warship that had so easily bested a fleet of Shalkra-class motherships, killing one of their gods and slaughtering thousands of there fellow Jaffa.

If they looked out the Alkesh's view ports all they would see was the Resolution filled space above them, looking sleek, powerful and at this close a range very intimidating. Quietly they probed the alien warship with the Alkesh's passive sensors – they didn't dare do an active scan since that could show through the cloak and give away there position. And if that happened the first they would know of it was when there sensors picked up an energy spike from the Resolution right before a blast from one of her beam weapons blew them out of space.

"Report Jaffa" Osiris's voice commanded from behind them. "Have the sensors revealed any information."

Osiris's voice commanded from behind them.

"Very little my lord" the most senior of the two Jaffa said respectfully. "We know the ships full size and baseline energy output but that is all so far."

"What is causing the delay. The longer we remain here the greater the risk of detection becomes."

"Our scans are being partially blocked my lord."

"How"

"The Federation ship is constantly generating a low level energy field of some kind that is partially scattering our scans. Those scan signals that do get through are being blocked by the ships hull."

"Recalibrate sensors to compensate."

"We are attempting do so my lord."

"For your sake you had better succeed" Osiris said in a quiet dangerous tone of voice that made both Jaffa shudder in fear. Neither fancied feeling the wrath of a god so they moved about their task with renewed urgency.

U.S.S Resolution

Captain Darien Parker led his guests into the engine room of the Resolution. His guests had been very impressed with what he had shown them of his ship so far. He had taken them to only a few places including the bridge and some of the labs. Though he hadn't taken them to astrometrics as that would have disturbed Lieutenant Rakan.

"Wow" Samantha Carter said as she looked around the huge engineering room. Everything seemed to have its proper place and function. Status displays adorned many of the walls and a strange table like console seemed to be a prominent feature. Off to the side was a huge schematic of the vessel showing various moving streams of light. Looking at them she couldn't help but wonder what it signified. Did it show the power distribution throughout the ship? Or did they signify something else?

Before she could ask however her attention was grabbed by the most dominant feature of the room that seemed to transcend multiple levels. It was a massive cylinder that glowed and pulsed softly with a strange blue-white light. Two smaller cylinders branched off from halfway up its length and disappeared into slots in the bulkheads, the smaller cylinders glowed and pulsed with same blue-white light as the central cylinder. Clearly it was a power generator of somekind.

"What is it" she whispered in awe. Her teammates looked on quietly amused at the sight of Samantha Carter looking so awed. Looking to his left at the Tollan Colonel Jack O'Neill noticed that even they seemed to be impressed by the technology around them. Technology that seemed to be more advanced than the Tollan's own.

Watching them all Darien was quietly amused. They had been impressed by everything he had shown them of this ship so far, and now that they could see her heart and they all looked suitably awed.

"It's a warp core" Darien said at last. "It's the primary source of main power for the whole ship. Its not our only power source but it is the main one providing a total output of three thousand two hundred and thirty terawatts per minute. Though the current output is no where near that as we are not using any really power hungry systems at this point in time."

"That's an awful lot of power" Daniel Jackson commented.

"Indeed" Travell agreed. "Captain Parker what kind of generator is this warp core? A naquada enhanced fusion generator of somekind"

"No" a female voice said in answer. "It's a matter/antimatter reactor."

The sound of the woman's voice came like a jolt of electricity to the soul of Daniel Jackson. He turned in direction the voice had come from to see a beautiful, fit looking young woman in Starfleet uniform approaching. A woman who looked just like his beloved late wife Sha're.

"Sha're" he breathed in amazement even though intellectually he knew that the woman before him wasn't the woman whom he had loved with all his heart who had been taken from him by Apophis.

"Who is Sha're" the woman asked inclining her head slightly to look at Daniel. Daniel felt a stab of pain at the questioning look she was giving him. Sha're had looked at him in exactly the same way whenever she wondered what he was doing. Seeing the look in his friend's eyes Jack O'Neill put a comforting hand on his friend's arm. Teal'c and Sam looked on but left the support to O'Neill for although they were Daniel's friends it was O'Neill who had the closest bond to Daniel. It had been O'Neill who'd comforted him when he'd cried after Sha're – under the control of the Goa'uld Ammounet – had been killed by Teal'c to save Daniel's life. The three of them knew what would probably happen later back at the SGC. Daniel would probably go to his room on base, where he would almost certainly break down and cry.

"This is my chief engineer Lieutenant Jennifer Barrett" Darien said in introduction.

"I am pleased to meet you" Barrett said still a little uncomfortable at being called the chief engineer. The title still felt uncomfortable to her especially so soon after Lieutenant Commander T'Lar's death. She glanced at the man who was still watching her but not seeing – she could tell that he was seeing someone else, someone who'd looked like her, who'd he obviously cared a great deal about judging by the look of remembered pain in his eyes. She had to admit he was quite handsome though he was wearing these funny glass lenses over his eyes – glasses she thought they were called. Her grandfather had worn them during his old age to read since he was allergic to the drugs that would have restored his vision to normal.

"Lieutenant you said that this was a matter-antimatter reactor" Travell questioned drawing everyone back into the here and now. She could see the nuances going on between SG-1 even though she didn't really know where they came from.

"That is correct" Lieutenant Barrett answered.

"I am curious how do you manage to control the reaction" Travell questioned. "My people have been trying to perfect antimatter reactor technology for centuries. But every time we try the reaction spirals out of control and results in an explosion."

"We use a crystalline element called dilithium to modulate the reaction. Most planets have small amounts of it in the crust and mantle. Larger deposits are not as common place but that's not important now. When dilithium is processed and purified it has the unique property of being able to control and harness the power of matter-antimatter mutual annihilation by converting the energy release into high energy plasma which we use as an energy source."

"Fascinating" Travell commented. "What about the radiation released during the reaction."

"The gamma and theta radiation released by the reaction is simply absorbed by devices we call radiometric converters. They transform the harmful radiation straight into electrical current which like the plasma is them fed into the ships EPS system."

"EPS system" Narim questioned.

"Electro plasma system. Basically energy is transferred around the ship in the form of a super-energised plasma its much more efficient than using cables to transfer power. And before you ask how the plasma is contained each conduit is made of a magnetic matrix material that creates a magnetic field bottle inside the conduit."

"Like a tokamak" Sam Carter said.

"Exactly. Like a tokamak in a fusion reactor."

"I am not familiar with the term tokamak Major Carter" Teal'c said before Narim or Travell could ask the same question.

"It's Russian" Daniel Jackson responded. "Literal translation is magnetic bottle."

"Captain Parker you said that this was your main source of power you have others" Travell asked.

"Yes. Some of our smaller ship classes mainly Defiant, Akira, Sabre, Nova, Prometheus and Intrepid rely almost entirely on their warp cores for main power" Darien answered. "But with a ship the size of the Resolution indeed any ship above Excelsior-class it's just not feasible to rely entirely on the warp core. No matter how advanced the generator is a matter/antimatter reaction can only produce so much power.

"To supplement our power generation there are four fusion generators on deck twelve each one on its own produces a hundred terawatts of power" Darien continued. "In addition there are also microfusion generators on each deck designed to serve as a source of emergency power in addition to the reserve banks."

"You have an immense energy reserve available to you then."

"Yes."

"What's it all used for" Sam Carter asked. "Your weapon systems, armour and shields"

"No" Lieutenant Barrett replied emphatically.

"As I said to Thor earlier the Resolution is not primarily a warship. Though its true we do carry enough firepower to pulverise a planet" Darien told his guests. "The Federation is an organisation that is dedicated to peace not war. This ships primary mission – as with most Starfleet ships – is to seek our new worlds and to explore space. We desire above all else contact with new civilisations to expand upon our knowledge of the galaxy and the diversity of life that exists within it. We view war as a tragic waste of the most precious thing in the universe – intelligent life and that it is something to be avoided wherever possible. Sadly we learned long ago that many races are not so enlightened and seek dominion over others."

"Sadly that is often the case" Travell agreed. "What is this Federation you speak of"

"The United Federation of Planets. It is the most extraordinary galactic union ever formed. A hundred and fifty-one races joined together for mutual cultural, social, scientific and defensive benefits. The Federation was founded three hundred years ago during the legendary journeys of Captain Archer and the first Enterprise. It was begun by Humans and Vulcans but that does not mean either of us hold any special influence over the Federation council. Our voices like that of all the other races are equal. No one group has any special influence over another. For example a few years ago a relatively unadvanced civilisation joined the Federation – the only conditions we set on Federation entry are you must be capable of individual interstellar flight and must accept that all sentient races are equal – they are given equal voice with even the oldest member races. A uniform system of laws is enforced across Federation space to ensure fairness and justice and no member race may keep an individual military force to threaten others – they may have a home defence force but nothing more. The only real military force in the Federation is Starfleet and our duties extend far beyond simply keeping the peace."

For a few moments SG-1 and the Tollan were silent. The Federation sounded like a paradise – a dream of harmony, tolerance and unity that was worth aspiring to. A society that embraced difference that welcomed others regardless of what they looked like or what they believed.

"You are right the Federation does sound extraordinary" Travell said after a few moments. "Like a paradise."

"The Federation is a paradise. But not a perfect one. Nothing is ever perfect."

"How very true" Jack agreed.

"Shall we move on from here" Darien asked. SG-1 and the Tollan delegation looked at each other then nodded. "Then come with m…"

"Astrometrics to Captain Parker" Lieutenant Rakan's voice said over the intercom interrupting him. Darien sighed. Now what. He tapped his combadge.

"Yes lieutenant."

"Sorry to disturb you captain but I was running a tachyon sweep of the surrounding space and I've found something. A small vessel is shadowing us using a cloaking device similar to those the Klingons employed on the old D7-class battlecruisers."

"Can you identify it"

"It's definitely Goa'uld around the same size as a cargo ship. But it's armed."

"Sounds like an Alkesh" Jack said. Darien threw him a curious glance.

"Alkesh are midrange bombers" Teal'c explained. "They are frequently used as scout ships and watch ships by the Goa'uld. It appears Tanneth's master has decided to try and keep an eye on you. Possibly to determine your weaknesses. You've been directly responsible for the destruction of three motherships and partially responsible for the destruction of two more. He will not rest until he destroys you in turn."

"Lieutenant do they know that we have detected them" Darien asked.

"Negative sir. They're not moving to escape or anything."

"Feed the coordinates to tactical."

"Aye sir." Darien sighed off then called the bridge.

"Beech here sir" the voice of the tactical/security officer responded.

"Commander theirs a small cloaked vessel shadowing us. Are our tractor beams capable of carrying an energy dissipater pulse"

"Yes sir."

"Lock a tractor beam onto that vessel and disable it. Beam to occupants directly to the brig. Bring the ship into the main shuttle bay for examination."

"Aye sir. Engaging now."

Goa'uld Alkesh

Osiris was getting very impatient for the Jaffa to finish recalilbrating there sensors to try and scan the Resolution more thoroughly without the crew of the Federation warship detecting and summarily destroying them.

"Status report Jaffa" Osiris demanded

Before either of the two Jaffa could answer a light grew between them and the Resolution and abruptly the Alkesh jerked violently.

"My lord the Resolution's locked onto us with somekind of tractor beam" the senior Jaffa reported.

"I can see that break us free immediately," Osiris ordered. Before either Jaffa could carry out Osiris' command a light seemed to come through the hull sending crackling arcs of somekind of energy all over the interior of the Alkesh. Immediately the main lights went dead, as did all the controls. "Report."

"I don't know my lord. Somehow the Federation ship is dampening and disrupting all our power." Osiris frowned but before he could issue an order a strange tingling sensation filled his host body and the world faded away in a haze of silver white light.

And then turned into a grey walled room aside from a single open space. And beyond it stood a group of the Federation humans and a human like alien with pointed ears pointing weapons at him. And suddenly Osiris understood what had happened. The Federation had the same transporter technology as the Asgard.

"You dare to capture a god" Osiris thundered at them. Eyes glowing in anger Osiris started to walk forward.

Only to slam into a force field that sent his female host body flying backward into the bed in this small grey walled room.

"Release me at once" Osiris thundered. "And I might let you die relatively painlessly."

"Logically you are in no position to threaten anyone" the pointed eared alien said in a cool emotionless voice

"Insolence. Release me now." Enraged Osiris started to raise his hand device and tried to activate it.

Nothing happened.

"What"

"You're technology has been disabled you can't hurt us" one of the humans said.

"You will die a thousand painful deaths for this."

"Oh shut up" one of the human security officers said and fired at her the beam passing through the force field as if it weren't there. The beam struck Osiris who flew backwards and then crumpled unconscious from the phaser hit.

Main Engineering

Moments Earlier

"We have the ship sir. The occupants are safely secured in the brig" Lieutenant Commander Beech's voice said over Darien's combadge.

"Excellent commander thank you." Beech signed off. Darien turned to Lieutenant Barrett who was still hanging around. "Lieutenant take a team to the main shuttle bay and examine that craft."

"Aye sir." Darien turned to his guests who'd been watching quietly.

"Well shall we go and meet our new guests"