Notes from the Author: No, you are not seeing things, I have returned! I simply walked away from this story because of exhaustion and I really doubted if I would ever finish this monster. However, a few devoted readers (you know who you are) bombarded me with emails which got me off my lazy ass to see this to the end. Unfortunately, the hard part was to find a new Beta Reader which wasn't easy. Lucky, I located a guy by the name of Michael Spivey who agreed to help. So, without further delay I give to you chapter 31…
Chapter Thirty-One: The Long Wait
Day 21
In the face of the chaotic situation, Jolinar was calm as she recited the ancient words. "I call upon the blessing for these two people who are committed to each others happiness and… oh no."
That didn't sound promising, Crichton thought, hoping they would be married before the baby was born. He held Aeryn's hand. "What's wrong?"
"Well at this part, a goat is supposed to be sacrificed," Jolinar suddenly remembered. "I can't continue this marriage without a goat."
Rose looked pale. "That's horrible!"
In full labor, Aeryn muttered in a deadly quiet voice that could split a hair. "Just marry us!"
"Well just cut out the goat part." Crichton urged the Tok'ra, trying to avoid the eruption of Aeryn's fury.
"But we're talking about centuries of tradition." Jolinar explained. "It would be wrong."
"Just marry us!" Aeryn repeated again, looking ready to choke a certain blonde and not the blonde one from England.
"Jolinar, the last time I checked we were fresh out of goats." Crichton informed her.
Rose's mind was still stuck on the entire goat sacrifice thing. "How can you kill a goat for a wedding?"
"It's cooked later for the feast. Nothing goes to waste…" Jolinar said calmly.
Aeryn now wished she had a third arm so could strangle all three of them at the same time. Didn't they know she was in labor!!!
She yelled at the top of her lungs. "Enough talk about livestock, I'm about to burst here! Marry us!"
"Very well but this feels wrong not following the proper rituals." Jolinar finally admitted.
Rose went back to work. "Jolinar, I'm delivering a baby. I think you can handle marrying two people. All you have to do is get them to say I do."
"Say I do?" Jolinar snorted. "Why don't I just tell them to kiss and run along?"
"That's getting pretty close to what we want." Crichton agreed.
"Please hurry." Aeryn urged, grunting in growing discomfort.
"I second that!" Rose added.
"Jolinar, stop worrying about perfection and just marry them," Carter's mind voice pleaded. "You were a god once, so just change the rules."
"You might be right but I have a thing for traditions and slow to change," Jolinar answered Carter quietly in her mind. "Can you help?"
"Just repeat what I say."
"Then let's begin Carter because Aeryn looks ready to kill one of us."
"Now repeat after me. Do you, John Crichton, take this woman…"
x-o-x
Apollo was still in a state of shock after their meeting with the Scarran Emperor in the hangar bay. The Emperor was initially furious over the destruction of the Cylon weapon but then the Doctor stepped in and gave him something else to be furious about. The Doctor was amazing in his vocal sparring against the Emperor and it left the towering Scarran speechless. The Doctor seemed to know much about them, and his claim that he visited their world long ago. And to how Staleek, the Scarran Emperor finally responded? He left and returned back to his fortress.
They were now in the main elevator, returning to the bridge and the TARDIS.
"Was it true," Apollo asked the Time Lord. "That you visited their world and saved their race?"
"I have done a lot of things. Good, bad and unspeakable and saving the Scarrans was one of the poorest choices I've done."
"Could you, you know," O'Neill gestured with his hands. "Undo what you did?"
"You know about time paradoxes constantly mentioned in sci-fi movies and TV shows on your world?" The Doctor said.
"Yeah."
"Well, they are real. Once I directly interact with a time period, I can't change it."
"He wants us dead."
Everyone in the elevator now looked towards Apollo. "I was hoping that Staleek would wait until the Cylons were defeated but that might not be the case. We better start paying more attention to our backs."
"I too sense that as well," Teal'c agreed. "Staleek is used to complete servitude and we have on more than one occasion stood up to him. He will seek revenge against us when the opportunity presents itself."
"Staleek is rebuilding his fleet at a record pace," Jacob said. "It'll probably be wise to keep finding new allies. Any word from Nebari Prime?"
"None," O'Neill answered. "We tried contacting them but got no reply and just as well, Chiana kept telling us it was a bad idea to get them involved."
"What about the Nox?" Jacob thought out loud.
"Are you kidding?" O'Neill almost laughed.
"Who are the Nox?" Apollo asked.
"A very technologically advance race of pacifist," O'Neill said before pointing to his head. "Not to mention, with a funny hair style. They won't get involved in a war."
"You should know better than to talk about people when they're not around," Doctor looked disapprovingly at O'Neill. "And I don't think their hair is amusing."
O'Neill stared back at him in surprise. "You know them?"
The Doctor gave a quick nod. "I visited their world time and again for personal reasons. We go way back."
"Could you talk to them?" Jacob suggested.
"O'Neill is right. They won't fight," The Doctor said. "But they weren't part of the Grand Alliance with the Ancients and the other races for nothing. I think I can persuade them to lend a hand if I catch them in a good mood but I can't ever recall a moment when the Nox weren't in a good mood. However, I could use some help in talking to them."
x-o-x
Their shuttle finally landed on the Tok'ra mothership and a Tok'ra crewmember was waiting for them to lead them directly to Aeryn.
As soon as they got out of the shuttle, Cassiopeia told the Tok'ra to lead the way. With Daniel, Starbuck and Chiana following, they hurried through one deck and up an elevator directly to the bridge and the TARDIS where Aeryn was having her baby.
When Cassiopeia followed the Tok'ra into the bridge, she finally saw the TARDIS. She heard plenty about it on the Galactica but to see it first hand was a surprise. That thing was supposed to be a time ship? To her, it looked like a mere booth constructed from wood with a coat of blue paint. To top it off, it was supposed to be considerably larger on the inside.
"Doctor?"
Cassiopeia looked to the Tok'ra who was standing next to the TARDIS, pointing to the opened door. "They're in there."
"Thank you," Cassiopeia said, realizing she was wasting time and hurried to the TARDIS and stepped inside.
The first thing that Cassiopeia noticed was that the interior was indeed amazingly huge and very alien to the point that the Colonial doctor felt like she didn't belong there. How could one make the interior bigger than the actually size of the ship itself?
When Daniel, Chiana and Starbuck followed her inside, Cassiopeia heard sounds of people just ahead.
"Do you, John Crichton take Aeryn Sun to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
That was Jolinar.
Then she heard Crichton responding. "I do."
"Do you Aeryn Sun take John Crichton to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do." Aeryn answered.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss."
Cassiopeia was moving through the main chamber of the Time Lord ship, walking past some sort of a central control console and following the voices when she heard a new one.
"Okay, kissing is over! Now push Aeryn!"
That got Cassiopeia to move even faster until she found them in the far corner of the chamber. Aeryn was up against the wall with Crichton supporting her and holding her hand. A small blond girl that Cassiopeia had never seen before was kneeling between Aeryn's legs, helping her deliver the baby. Jolinar was next to her with a blanket ready.
"One more time, Aeryn," Rose urged again. "Push!"
Aeryn let out a stifling scream as she pushed with all she had. Everyone was so preoccupied; they barely noticed Cassiopeia moving to join them until the doctor knelt down beside Rose. Behind them, Daniel, Chiana and Starbuck appeared but they hung back and out of the way.
Cassiopeia could see the baby was almost out and the young girl seemed to be doing a good job. When the girl looked over, the doctor merely nodded and encouraged her as she opened her medical bag.
"You're doing okay," She said to Rose before turning to Aeryn. "One more push."
"I'm all out of pushes," Aeryn was exhausted but she got some strength back when she glared at Cassiopeia. "You didn't warn me about the pain!"
"Aeryn now is not the time," Crichton quietly urged her. "It's almost over."
"Aeryn, you can hate me later," Cassiopeia said firmly, locking eyes with her. "Just push!"
"One more time Aeryn, I swear!" Rose begged.
With the last reserve of strength, Aeryn pushed and screamed through clinched teeth. Oh, frell! She would rather get shot by a pulse pistol than have another baby again. Just as thought she couldn't take or push anymore, Rose shouted the most beautiful words ever.
"It's out! And it's a boy!!!"
Jolinar immediately handed the blanket to Rose to wrap the baby, while Cassiopeia performed a quick check on the baby's vitals, cleaning its mouth and body before cutting the umbilical cord.
Aeryn collapsed back into Crichton's supporting arms, exhausted and wishing to stay there for a long while before even trying to move again. Then she heard a new and wondrous sound, it was their baby crying.
"He's a strong and healthy baby boy," Cassiopeia smiled to them.
Rose now wrapped the baby in the blanket carefully before handing him to Aeryn, whose face lit up in awe at the sight of him. Suddenly, everything she gone through was worth it.
Aeryn took him and held him lovingly in her arms. Crichton stared at him, speechless. He couldn't imagine a more beautiful sight of his new wife holding their son. Slowly, their baby cries settled down into little playful coo's.
Crichton looked up to the three women who helped them and was eternally grateful. "Thank you. To all three of you."
"Thank me?" Jolinar smirked, slapping Rose on the shoulder. "I only married you two. This young one did the hard work."
"And I can't take much credit from her either, I just barely showed up in time," Cassiopeia agreed. "Once you get some strength back Aeryn, I would like to take you back to the Galactica to check you out and the baby."
Aeryn nodded before looking to Rose as she continued to hold her baby. "I don't know how to thank you, Rose. If we had a girl, I would have felt compelled to have named her after you."
"That's all right," Rose smiled, still feeling an incredible high from doing something as amazing as to bring a new life into this world. "What are you going to name him?"
"We discussed it for awhile," Aeryn said, looking from their baby to her husband.
Crichton smiled, looking to his wife. "I want to name him Jack, after my dad."
"Your father will like that," Jolinar commented, then thought at to how much more confusing it would be to have so many Jacks around now.
Not far off, Daniel, Chiana and Starbuck continued to watch when O'Neill, Apollo, Jacob, the Doctor and Teal'c joined them.
"You guys missed the whole show," Chiana whispered to the newcomers, all the while she was secretly hoping delivery of her own baby would be less painful than Aeryn's.
Looking, Apollo was grateful to see that Cassiopeia made it. "Did she deliver the baby?"
"Cassiopeia just made it at the last minute," Starbuck said. "But that Rose girl did most of the work."
"Like I told you," The Doctor said like a proud teacher. "Very capable."
Teal'c watched for a moment and said to them. "Perhaps we should leave and give them some needed privacy."
"Teal'c is right," O'Neill agreed. "Let's leave them alone. Cassiopeia, Carter and Rose can look after them."
As they started to leave the TARDIS, O'Neill moved to Daniel's side to ask him. "Did they figure out a name for the little fellow?"
"They're going to call their baby Jack." Daniel informed the Colonel.
That bit of news delighted O'Neill. "Oh really?"
Daniel smiled at his friend. "They're naming him after Crichton's dad."
"Doh…" O'Neill frowned in disappointment. Oh well. It was good while it lasted.
Planet: P3C-117 – The Nox's Homeworld
Day 28…
The Nox was one of the oldest races still existing in this galaxy. Technology wise, they're at least on par with Asgard but they are also peaceful people with a very non-interventionist physiology. They'd rather seek a peaceful resolution between disputing parties than take sides. They were so against the use of violence that one would have to wonder if they would raise a hand to defend themselves even when directly threatened.
On their world, one of their greatest achievement was the construction of their massive floating cities, some the size of Manhattan that looked like a collection of silver spirals rising skyward. Another of their more notable abilities was their mental power of illusions, especially the power of invisibility that kept them hidden from the rest of the galaxy for so long. The Goa'uld even visited their world countless of times but never discovered them for centuries.
Today, in one of their major cloud cities, as the Nox population went about their daily routines, in the city square, hundreds of Nox gathered about a small platform. They and their leaders were waiting for an old friend and ally to show up.
Right on cue, the TARDIS started to appear up on the platform. Its engine throbbed loudly with power and it slowly decreased as the Time Lord's ship fully materialized before them.
After several moments of silence, the door to the booth clicked open and the Doctor exited. He first paused to take in a breath of fresh air and to admire the beauty of the Nox city high up in the clouds.
Behind him, Rose Tyler stepped out and looked about completely amazed at their city. "Wow… Why don't you take me to places like this more often?"
The Doctor glanced back with a grin. "You never asked."
Before a glaring Rose could come up with a colorful retort of her own, the Doctor walked down the short flight of steps to meet the waiting Nox.
"Anteaus," The Doctor said aloud with his arms held out wide and hands opened, a typical Nox greeting between friends. "It has been too long."
The Nox elder returned the greeting as the two men came face to face. "It seems like yesterday to us. You are always welcomed amongst the Nox, Doctor."
"You are kind," The Doctor said. "I wish things were different but we are in need and come here seeking your help."
Anteaus and the other Nox looked up to the TARDIS to see Rose stepping down to meet them, followed by John Crichton, Aeryn Sun who was cradling their baby. Just behind them was Daniel Jackson with a very pregnant Chiana.
x-o-x
In the Nox great hall, Anteaus and six other appointed leaders, including Lya were all seated on one side of a large modest wooden rectangular table. They listened to the Doctor and the others as they plead their cause seated across from them.
So far, it wasn't going good.
"We have known of this war for some time," Anteaus said. "We cannot take any part in it."
"I know," The Doctor replied seated on the other side of the table with the others. "And we can't expect you to fight but you can offer so much more."
Anteaus shook his head. "The galaxy is in chaos. There is little we can do than to offer our services to negotiate for a cease fire."
"The Cylons are not interested in a cease fire," Crichton spoke up. "They're machines fulfilling their final programming. That's to wipe everything out."
"Then we can't help you," One Nox said across the table from him.
"However," Lya added. "You also asked us to grant sanctuary to your friends," She gestured to Crichton and Aeryn who was cradling baby in her arms, then to Daniel and Chiana. "We can do that for you."
"Thank you, we all appreciate it," Daniel said, taking his turn to speak. "But during your time in your alliance with the other three great races, what was your part in all of it?"
"We helped to resolve conflicts through peaceful means." Anteaus said.
"Diplomats basically," Daniel said. "Getting the two sides to the table and talk things out."
Lya nodded. "Yes, and through our efforts we helped to end and even prevented many wars between the younger races."
"Yes, but is that all you did?" Daniel pressed on.
"We gave humanitarian aid to whoever needed it." Anteaus admitted.
"Why can't you do that now?" Daniel asked.
"Because the others are not here," Lya said. "The Asgard is preoccupied, the Ancients moved on, and the Furlings retreated to the far corner of the galaxy. Our power, although great is limited by the fact that we don't believe in violence and we counted on the other three races to defend us."
"No one needs to know that you are involved," The Doctor said. "You can supply aid through a third party. You could use the Earth or the Tok'ra. No one will find out and I will defend you."
"It is still too risky," Another Nox objected. "The chaos that is consuming the galaxy can still threaten us. It is more important than ever to maintain our isolation."
"Doctor," Anteaus said. "We the Nox know of your abilities and your honor when you give your word but the Earth is also under your protection and even you can't be there to defend it every time."
"You just can't shut out the outside world," Rose said. "Entire planets are being devastated and I've seen it with my own eyes. How can you do nothing?"
"We are not without feelings," Anteaus responded. "But the Cylons are a great threat to us. Our power of invisibility can't affect them which will leave us vulnerable."
"You're just scared," Aeryn observed. "We are all scared, either for ourselves or others but at least we're doing something."
"You are asking much of us," Lya looked to Aeryn. "Our people haven't been touched by violence for over two of your millenniums. If the Cylons were to come here it would be a slaughter for us."
"They won't," The Doctor assured them. "You have my word."
The Nox leadership looked at one another before Anteaus decided they'd heard enough. "Unless you have anything else to add, please wait outside. We'll let you know our decision shortly."
With nothing else they could think of, the Doctor and the others stood up to leave but Chiana who remained silent through the discussion finally decided to speak.
"I don't understand," She said gaining the Nox's attention. "I understand being afraid, okay, but you are an entire world. I mean, you were part of this great alliance which I've heard that did so much… You are so kind and friendly from the moment we showed up. I mean, what I'm trying say is, why can't you be that way again. We need you; we need more people like you out there more than ever. Please tell me there is something else other than survival of the fittest in this galaxy. That's all I knew before I met my friends. They showed it to me, not please, show you are capable of it too."
The Nox looked at Chiana for a long moment, some of their expressions were guarded but Daniel notice a few taking an interest in what she had said, especially Anteaus and Lya.
Later, they were outside in a small waiting area as the Nox voted on what action to take. The room was partially open to the outside with large windows which overlooked a park with towering trees and a circular fountain. Nox children could be seen playing in the ankle deep water.
Chiana sat on a bench next to Daniel as she muttered quietly. "I should have kept quiet. I was running my mouth off."
Daniel shook his head. "No, what you said made an impact. I think some of the Nox want to end their isolation and rejoin the galaxy. I saw it in Lya's and even Anteaus' eyes."
"Can't blame them for not wanting to risk what they have here. It's beautiful, almost a paradise."
"Chiana, would you like to stay here?"
She looked at her husband and thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think I would. Running for your life to avoid getting shot at is getting old."
Not far off, seated on another bench Aeryn slowly rocked a sleeping baby Jack in her arms while Crichton watched.
"You are a natural Aeryn." He commented happily to his wife.
"Didn't know I had it in me," She answered with a grin.
"I think we found the safest place in the universe to stay. Unlike the SGC or a Tok'ra base its completely hidden," He said, still marveling at the Nox floating city.
"Yes, it's nice." Aeryn uttered quietly.
Crichton instantly took notice at the change in tone of her voice. Something was eating at her and she was probably waiting for the right time to break it to him. He decided to offer her an opening to let it out.
"But?"
That was all she needed, she looked at him trying to find an easy way to say it but settled in being honest and direct. "I'm going back to the Pegasus and rejoining Sheba's squadron."
"You can't be…" Crichton started to say loudly before lowering his voice to avoid waking the baby. "You can't be serious. Jack needs you, I need you. I can't believe you want to go back out there on the firing line."
"Don't you think I know the risks involved? I might be a wife and mother now but the moment I sworn an oath I also became a Colonial Warrior. I feel like I'm abandoning Sheba and the others."
"What about him," Crichton pointed to little sleeping Jack in her arms. "What about us? Don't we add up to anything?"
"You do," Aeryn said softly. "I need to fight, not just for them but for Jack's future and yours. Why is it okay for all the men on your world to go out fighting but everyone has a problem when the woman wants to?"
"Aeryn, I don't what to raise him alone."
She heard the awful fear in his voice. "I have every intention of coming back." She promised.
"Believe me, Aeryn I understand where you are coming from but damn it, I can't stop myself from wanting to be selfish here for once."
"If you don't want me to go, then just say and I won't."
After a long moment, Crichton gently wrapped his arms around her and baby Jack. "I want you to stay but I love and respect you too much to do that to you."
"I will come back."
But Crichton was a little more pragmatic. "Don't promise something we all know that might be impossible to keep."
Rose was sitting up against the wall, occasionally glancing at Daniel and Chiana before shifting her attention to Crichton and Aeryn. She couldn't really hear what was being said but she could see one married couple was happy and the other was more poignant.
"Something is on you mind?"
Looking up, Rose watched as the Doctor sat down next to her. She shook her head absentmindedly. "I was thinking."
The Doctor became curious. "Of what?"
She frowned for a moment and looked sadly to him. "Are we going to win?" Then she gestured to the others. "Are their children going to have any future to speak of?"
"That, I don't have an answer for, Rose."
"But you must have some idea, Doctor. You're a time traveler."
The Time Lord smiled kindly to her. "It's not that easy as you might think, Rose. What I can tell you is that Humanity will survive this. Your species is very resilient, more than any Scarran, Hynerian or Luxan."
Rose shook her head sadly. "Somehow, I don't find that comforting. We should be able to do more and sometimes I few like a mere spectator."
"You won't be a spectator forever Rose," The Doctor whispered to her. "One day, your actions will help to shape the galaxy."
Rose's head snapped back towards him. "What did you say, Doctor?"
The Doctor suddenly looked confused. "About what?"
"That I will shape the galaxy or something like that?"
"Oh that," The Doctor merely shrugged his shoulders. "I was just trying to say you have control over your own destiny. Not me or anyone else can tell what you will become, Rose."
Rose was not convinced, he knew something about her future but what was it? She wanted him to tell her but before she could, the doors to the great hall opened and Lya stepped out and immediately, all of them got up to meet her.
"The Elders have rendered their discussion and it was not easy for many of us," Lya said to them. "But a majority is in an agreement. Our time of isolation must come to an end. We will grant humanitarian aid to any world that is in need as long it doesn't involve us fighting."
Daniel Jackson was visibly relieved as were the others. Weapons were always needed in war but you can't use them to feed starving civilian population devastated by battle. "Thank you Lya and you have my word that we'll do all we can to keep your people and location a secret."
Lya smiled warmly at him. "One thing about the young, they sometimes grow up very quickly."
Watching, Chiana became a little jealous at the way Lya was looking at Daniel. She tried to calm herself, not trying to see too much into it… But if this Nox tried anything funny with her Daniel, well she'd find out how much of a pacifist this Lya was.
The Doctor stepped towards Lya and bowed his head to her with his arms opened. "I thank you and what the Nox have done here today."
Lya returned his gesture of friendship. "You and your new friends are right. Our time of isolation is over and we must help those who cannot. Thank you for reminding us of that."
Then she moved closer, placing a hand on either side of his face before giving the Doctor a kiss. It was slow and gentle as her lips pressed against his but soon she broke the kiss, releasing him.
"I hope you will be staying for a while longer, Doctor." She told him before turning and strolled gracefully from the room.
The Doctor simply watched her leave as Rose walked up next to him. "So, is this why you like coming here, for personal reasons?"
The Doctor looked a little surprised and turned her, saying to his defense. "Rose, she is merely a very affectionate person and besides we're only good friends."
Chiana laughed, feeling less threatened by Lya. "She looked more like a real good friend to me."
Day 56…
The war continued on which had known to become known as the Second Cylon war. In its second month the alliance saw the Cylons finally being pushed from Scarran space. The cost of this victory was enormous as the Cylon fought the alliance forces for every system and sector of space.
Some thought this might be the end to the war with the Cylons forced from this corner of the galaxy but they couldn't have been further from the truth. It wasn't long before the Cylons launched strikes into Peacekeeper and Luxan space but quick reaction by the defenders and the return of Thor's battlecruiser. With its useful long range sensors gave enough warning for the alliance to turn the assault back in time before any colonies or bases were damaged. However, the loss of ships was high in beating back their basestars.
This war wasn't going to end anytime soon and some were beginning to realize the Cylons could slowly wear them down, even if it took another thousand years to do it. Facing this problem, Commander Cain and Apollo proposed a plan, to launch a deep strike of their own against the Cylon homeworld to put a quick end to the war.
Unfortunately, this plan wouldn't be easy. During the war between the Colonials and the Cylons long ago, the Humans made several assaults against the Cylon homeworld which always ended in failure. Their world was simply too well defended by heavy orbital battlestations and massive surface defenses.
When the two battlestar commanders brought their plan before the alliance leaders, many of them were skeptical of its chance of success. They asked if the Colonials at the height of their power couldn't do it, then what made them sure they could do it now. For one, the Cylon home world was simply too far to reach.
Cain and Apollo's response was that this time they have John Crichton to help them.
SCW (Second Cylon War): Day 58…
Nox Homeworld
In the middle of his new home in the Nox city, Crichton just stared at Cain and Apollo after their arrival on the planet via the Stargate. "You want me to make a wormhole weapon?"
"That's right," Cain agreed wholeheartedly. "You said this wormhole weapon can destroy an entire planet from a considerable range. With it we can end the war once and for all. Without their homeworld, the Cylon Empire will collapse or at least, throw them into complete chaos."
Crichton continued to look at them, his face showing little emotion. "I don't think I can."
"I don't understand," Cain said in disbelief. "A few months ago I thought you were onto something, what happened?"
"I was wrong."
"Wrong? My gods, we're in a middle of a war and being wrong is something we can ill afford. Lives are at risk!"
"Don't you think I know that?" Crichton shouted to Cain. "My wife is out there fighting right alongside your daughter!"
"What has change Crichton," A much calmer Apollo asked. "What has happened?"
Turning, Crichton took a seat on chair by the wall. "This weapon you are asking me to build, I found out that it could do more than destroy a planet. It could end the universe."
Upon hearing this, Cain suddenly looked like he had second thoughts about the wormhole weapon. "Are you sure?"
"Only if I screw up in biblical portions," Crichton said. "But that won't happen. What I'm concerned about is the wrong person getting it. I trust you but how many people do you know that won't hesitate to use it?"
"What can you give us?" Cain asked.
Crichton thought carefully. "I can plot a course through a wormhole to get you as close to the Cylon world as I can but I won't build you a wormhole weapon. I'm sorry."
SCW: Day 118
Battlestar Galactica – Port Landing Bay
Boomer walked around the strange craft, eyeing its sloped wing and stingray profile which reminded him too much of a Cylon Raider. He glanced towards Sheba, Aeryn and Starbuck who were thinking of the same thing, giving it doubtful stares.
"I sense disapproval from my unconvinced audience," O'Neill observed, standing next to his friends.
"Well, it looks like a vast improvement over Crichton's space module," Aeryn said, eyeing the curious craft
O'Neill couldn't believe his ears and stepped away from the others and alongside the X-302, gesturing to it, and saying in its defense. "This is no mere module. This is the end result of the best minds from Earth and the technical assistance from you folks, the Colonials. We even got a helping hand from our friends, the Luxans and the Hyperians to build it."
"Why does it look like a Cylon Raider?" Starbuck wondered aloud.
"Actually, the design is based on a Goa'uld Death Guider," O'Neill answered.
"Oh. That's even better!" Sheba couldn't help but snipe after being in the crosshairs of those Goa'uld attack fighters herself.
O'Neill wasn't deterred by the apparent critics facing him and went on saying. "Originally, the designers were planning to put three engines in her to allow her to fly in an atmosphere, another to get her into orbit and another for space flight. But now this craft is powered by only two reversed engineered turbo engines which you use in your own Vipers. Because we're using Earth technology and parts, they're 40 percent larger on the X-302 but now it can operate in space or in a planet's atmosphere with ease now just on those two engines. Also we were able to increase engine performance by nearly 22 percent. We accomplished that by using new harden alloys in its construction which is extremely heat resistant."
The Colonial warrior eyes widened to that bit of information.
"And how did you pull that one off," Boomer asked with keen interest. "Can we adapt what you did to our fighters?"
"I know you would like that," O'Neill smiled. "The new metal was one of the few things we discovered during a mission through the stargate years ago. Our engineers and your engineers worked on the possibility but it will be time consuming. Several components in your Viper's engines will have to be changed or rebuilt."
"A 22 percent jump in speed would be worth it," Aeryn commented. "Every edge we can get increases our own survival."
Starbuck nodded in agreement. "We'll have to replace the inertia dampeners with new ones to protect us from the extra G's we'll be pulling."
Suddenly as O'Neill watched, the Colonial warriors became more and more interested in the X-302.
"What other surprises does it have," Boomer asked. "What does it have for teeth?"
O'Neill circle to the front and pointed to the two wing mounted guns. "It packs two Luxan high-velocity auto cannons that fire the equivalent of 40MM projectiles supposedly near the speed of light. Under the wings, weapon racks can be added to fire 10 modified Slammer missiles or 4 Hyperian Long Lance torpedoes."
"That's a lot of firepower," Sheba said and the other warriors nodded in agreement. "Sounds like the making of a good flexible mission fighter, anything else it can do?"
"Well," O'Neill said slowly, wondering if he should tell them. "Thanks to the power generated by the engines, we tried to squeeze in a hyperspace engine."
"You're kidding," Boomer laughed with amazement at the idea of something of this size having a hyperspace engine. "Does it work?"
Sadly, O'Neill shrugged his shoulders. "The eggheads on Earth couldn't get it to work. Something about the jump point being too unstable to maintain and occasionally the hyperdrive ends up shorting out half the electrical systems. They're still hoping to get it to work and install it later."
Aeryn smiled wearily. "If I'm going to be flying one in the future, leave my out."
"Just how many can your world produce?" Starbuck asked.
"If we're lucky between my country, Britain, France, Russian and China we'll be able to turn out ten X-302 fighters."
"A day?" An astonished Boomer said.
O'Neill shook his head. "Try a month."
The Colonial warriors glanced at one another in disbelief and concern as to whether Earth will be able to help at all.
"How many do you have right now?" Aeryn finally dared to ask.
O'Neill knew they won't like the answer. "We only have three working prototypes. Two of them are back on Earth and the one behind me is out here for real life actual combat tests."
"You still don't know if it'll work?" Boomer nearly exclaimed. He knew that any untested craft could become a deathtrap. O'Neill has to be brave, foolish or very confident in to pilot it.
"We tested it endlessly in simulations and it out performed everything we could throw at it," O'Neill explained. "But as you know whatever happens on paper and in real life are two different beasts all together. That's why I'll be flying it with you guys to see how it holds up."
"And if it doesn't hold up?" Sheba asked.
O'Neill turned and looked at the X-302 and then back to her, saying rather frankly. "Then it was good knowing you all."
Next Chapter: The return of Talyn and the flight of the X-302!