So you failed the 10 review goal, I actually thought you've be able to manage that, but the quality was so high on the five that I got that I'm releasing this to you now.
The new goal is a bit lower to see if you can handle that at least, 7 reviews is what I'd like for this Episode.
Enjoy!
From the bridge the Aschen commander saw most of their fleet and his own flagship lose shields only seconds after the battle had begun and then the enemies fighters came and targeted their weapons and hyperdrive. In rage he sent forth the lighter ships on a collision course, but the hostile ships easily outmanoeuvred them and begun to pound on their sublight engines as well.
He knew then and there that the battle was lost, the enemy's ships were much more agile, they had stronger shields and their weapons only needed to grace their shields to take them out, their superiority in numbers didn't really matter anymore except for swarming the enemy with. So had did just that and sent forth all the other ships with orders to crash their ships into the enemy, to counter the hostile fighters he ordered the pilots to man the fighters on every ship of the fleet and then begin kamikaze runs on the enemies fighters.
"Hahahaha." Faxon laughed madly behind him. "You know I always believed that you would be stopped by SG-1 they always stop the bad guys."
"Shut up." The Aschen commander shouted back and sent a powerful shock through Faxon. "We will yet prevail."
"No you won't commander." Faxon said as he enjoyed the scene which he saw out the window. "But we will prevail and I will watch your world burn myself."
"I will give my life for the federation." The commander said.
"Good, because you will be giving it to us." Faxon said as he counted the ships. "So lets see, that's twenty of your ships destroyed and none of ours."
Tired of the mocking the commander ordered Faxon gagged but as he looked out across the battlefield he could see that the man was right no matter how much he hated him.
Back on the bridge of a 304 Sheppard was having some problems of his own.
"Shields down to thirty percent sir." An officer reported after an Aschen ship was deflected of their shields and was shattered.
"Break away from the battle." Sheppard ordered as he saw a second ship heading for them.
"Sorry sir, but there's no way to go." The pilot reported.
"Prepare for micro jump." Sheppard tried.
"To close to friendly vessel, we'll tear them apart." The pilot said.
"O'Neill, we need to stop that ship." Sheppard said into the communicator. "They'll rip us apart otherwise."
"I'm sorry but there's no way to reach that ship in time." Jack replied. "I suggest you abandon ship or destroy it yourselves."
"Yes sir, our targeting systems were destroyed in the first impact." Sheppard said before turning to the bridge crew. "If we can't save the ship then we'll save ourselves. Evacuate the ship, beam everyone to a 304 at the outskirts of the battle, have all 304s with functional beamers assist."
"Yes sir." The helmsman said and seconds later the crew of the bridge begun to disappear with Sheppard and the helmsman being the last to go.
"Take us away from the battle and circle around the enemy, I want to strike that command ship, see if we can beam over any to it." Sheppard ordered as soon as the crew relieved the replicators on the new 304.
"The enemies shields seems to have recharged sir, we can't beam to the at the moment." An officer reported as they banked right and avoided a ship which came hurdling towards them.
"Incapacitate that ship before we do a micro jump." Sheppard ordered and saw two Asgard beams slice through the aft section of the ship moments before they jumped.
The jump lasted only a fraction of a second but it took them in right behind the Aschen flagship which tried to turn around, but the 304 easily stayed behind it while it unleashed it's weapons into the ship, destroying both engines, shield generators and the few weapons which still worked. Then the 304 begun to fire at the back of the Aschen fleet while the soldiers on board and Sheppard made their way from the 304 to the Aschen ship.
Once they had reached the Aschen ship they placed and activated the breaching charges they had brought with them and watched as they got a nice clean cut straight through the hull and into the inside of the ship. As the inside of the ship was exposed to the vacuum of space a high pressure zone was created which pushed everything into space, including three crew members, but thanks to emergency airlocks the pressure was soon contained. After returning to a pressurised area they split into dozens of squads which each went its separate way to secure the ship. Sheppard of course lead his towards the bridge.
On the bridge the Aschen commander was getting more and more frustrated by the outcome, on monitors all around the bridge he could see as the hostile squads ran around his ship, shooting everyone the came across,
"Release the gas." He ordered and without any hesitation the Aschen in charge of the internal defences pressed the button which released the blue gas into large parts of the ship.
"Gas released commander, but the enemy shows no signs of slowing down." The man said as they all saw that the enemy simply kept moving on, now even faster when all the defenders had been gassed to death.
"Commander, we have incoming fighters." Another Aschen reported as they could see a wing of fighters coming at them, tearing away pieces of the hull as they flew by. Then they came to the bridge and for a moment everything rushed forward towards the view ports which exploded in a rain of crystals before emergency panels locked into place, sadly by the time they did so one of the crew members were almost outside the ship, only his foot still inside, creating a leak for around five seconds before a soldier blew his foot of, sending him tumbling out into space along with some of the dead.
"Deploy the bio-bombs, full speed, target Earth." The commander ordered as he now had to go by the monitors around the bridge to understand what happened outside.
"Bio-bombs launched and are heading for Earth." The Aschen said as he tracked the bombs on their way. "Hostile fighters have begun to target the bio-bombs, at this rate they will make it nowhere near Earth."
Just as this was said there was a knock on the door of the bridge followed by an earth-shattering blast which deafened everyone in the room and sent the two guards closest to the door flying. As the crew of the ship begun to regain their senses they found themselves at gun point from the Tau'ri soldiers.
"Well then commander." Sheppard said as his men begun to free Faxon from the chair. "Do you still think that you're going to show your supremacy here today?"
"You may kill me and my crew today, but more will come." He said as he pressed a small button hidden on his belt which rocketed the entire ship. "And we will take you with us."
"Beam us out." Sheppard ordered the pilot of the 304 who quickly complied.
"Nooooo." The commander screamed as he saw the soldiers disappear in a white light seconds before an inferno rushed into the bridge and evaporated everything in its path as Sheppard and the rest of the soldiers reformed on the bridge of the 304.
"Take us away from here now." Sheppard shouted as the flagship begun to rip itself apart.
Upon receiving the order the pilot angled the 304 away from the ship and put all power into the sublight engines which put the flagship far behind them in only a few seconds, but the shock wave which came from the exploding ship still caught up with them and shook them around as their shields caught the blast, but the Aschen ships which by now all had lost their shields suffered far worse as the blast caused chain reactions within the reactors of the ships and only a minute after the last of the Aschen ships tore itself to pieces.
On the 305 Daniel immediately contacted the others.
"I'm going to need a dozen or so engineers to repair the damage to the ship so I can return to Chrona or the build room." Janet said as soon as she came up on the forwards screen.
"I'll have some engineers beam aboard your ship as soon as I can." Daniel said as he saw Jack, Sam and Sheppard coming up on the forward screen.
"Did any of those green things make it through to Earth?" Sam asked.
"No, I took them out long before they could reach the atmosphere." Jack said.
"Good." Sam said. "Atlantis just relayed a report from the main fleet that they will soon be going through the supergate soon, heading straight to the Sol gate."
"Why aren't we using the Sol gate to go between the Ori galaxy and our galaxy normally?" Jack asked.
"Because the two gates might not be built to the same specifications so for safety we're trying to keep the connections Ori to Ori and ours to ours." Sam explained. "But it's really up to the person in charge."
"Well if they are on their way back there is no reason for us to be staying here." Daniel said as he activated the tractorbeams which grabbed a hold of Janet's Aurora. "I'll tow her back to the gate."
"I'll need to examine the wreckages and the data from the ships before we return the favour the Aschen gave us." Sam said. "So I'll hurry back to Atlantis and get started, with any luck we should be ready by the time you have fixed your ships."
"And I will be checking in on Colonel Everett." Sheppard said as both he and Sam disappeared.
"Which leaves me with Faxon then." Jack said. "I guess I should debrief him or something."
"We have to tell Cassandra that we're safe too before we do anything else." Janet reminded Daniel.
"For what is to come I do not think you should even be involved darling." Daniel said. "You're a doctor, you save lives you don't take them."
"You're right Daniel." Janet said. "I'll leave it to the rest of you, make sure that you sent a message they can't ignore."
"We will." Jack said as he cut his transmission.
As it was only Daniel and Janet left he gave the engines full power and both ships begun to move forward ever so slowly, since Daniel's hyperdrive had been damaged in an impact he didn't feel safe using it but then Sam's Aurora came up from behind and gave him a helping hand until they reached the supergate two hours later and returned to the build room were Lucius begun to repair the ships which had been used in the battle.
As soon as they landed Janet and Daniel made their way to their apartment were Janet sat down at the console and called Cassandra who answered almost immediately.
"Mom what's happening?" Cassandra asked. "We saw these orange lights crashing down all over the planet."
"Calm down." Janet said. "There was a minor attack from the Aschen but they've been driven of for now and we'll be retaliating against them soon."
"Be careful mom." Cassandra said.
"Don't worry, I'm not going." Janet said. "I'm a doctor after all and as Daniel have already pointed out I save people, I don't kill them."
"Haha, he's right." Cassandra said with a laugh. "If you want I can wake up Claire, she just feel asleep on the couch."
"Don't do that, just tell her that we're fine and there's nothing to worry about." Janet said as Daniel came into Cassandra's screen.
"Well now that the suit is gone I'll be going again." He said as he kissed Janet on the cheek. "Sam and the analysts are done now so she's called us to a meeting."
"Take care Daniel." Cassandra said. "Don't you dare to die on mom and Claire.
"I will try my best to return in one piece Cassandra." He said as he hurried out of the room and ran through the corridors of the city.
As he entered the conference room the entire council was already gathered there plus Jack.
"Good, we're all here." Sam said. "Lets get started then."
"Have you managed to figure out why the sensors failed to pick up the Aschen ships?" Caldwell asked.
"They actually picked them up a month or so ago." Sam said. "But they moved so very slowly that the sensors thought that they were simply one of the many disturbances which is filtered away before we even receive the data. Now I already know your next question and yes we could make them show up on our sensors, but we would get thousands of false positives for every real positive, which makes it very impractical."
"So we're blind?" Caldwell asked.
"Yes, at least until they manage to create some proper hyperdrives or decrease the size of their ships." Sam said as she brought up several holograms. "You see I don't think they created the their hyperdrives themselves, they're just like the ones used the Goa'uld, that would explain why the hyperdrives were in such a bad proportion to their ships. They simply copied what they already had, much like we did with the 303 and the hyperdrive from an Al'kesh."
"But they managed to replicate them, why not increase their size while they were at it?" Caldwell asked.
"I don't have all the answers." Sam said.
"I might have the answer to your question." Jack said. "I've talked to Faxon and from what he knows they don't fully understand what they're dealing with."
"Sounds reasonable enough." McKay said. "It's always easier to copy something than to understand how to create it from the start."
"So how long until they can have another fleet at our doorstep?" Ellis asked.
"If they send it today it could be months before they arrive here." Sam said. "In reality there's no reason for us to rush into this."
"But we need to retaliate as soon as possible." Jack said. "Otherwise they'll think we're weak."
"I agree and I'm not saying that we shouldn't do something about them." Sam said. "But first we need to repair the damaged ships so that we can leave a proper defence force here, we can't leave Earth and Mars as defenceless as we did this time."
"The problem wasn't that we left ourself defenceless today, it was that we hesitated to destroy the enemy" Sheppard said. "Might I suggest that we set a policy of destroying any unidentified ships which comes within the asteroid belt, having automated messages sent out to warn them from entering the area or be destroyed."
"All in favour." Sam said, she didn't even need to count the hands as everyone was in favour. "The it is decided, McKay and Zelenka will be in charge of setting up an automated transmission, Caldwell and Ellis will deploy a line of automated defences to take out any ships which crosses the line."
"Can we move on to the matter at hand." Ellis said. "We need to send a clear message to the Aschen Confederation."
"I suggest we launch a siege against the Aschen homeworld until they surrender to us." Daniel said.
"And what would we do once they surrender?" Elizabeth said. "We're not the Goa'uld."
"We must do something and making sure that they never becomes a threat again." Sheppard said. "We can threaten to come back and destroy them if they ever do, just like the Asgard did with the Goa'uld."
"Does anyone else have any suggestions?" Sam said after a long pause and waited some time before speaking again. "Then all in favour of launching a siege against the Aschen homeplanet and keep them at bay afterwards with threats of further destruction."
Around the room there was some uncertainty before Sheppard, Daniel, Caldwell, Ellis, Sam, Jack, Mitchell and Teal'c raised their hands.
"Then it is decided." Sheppard said. "We lay siege to the Aschen homeworld until they give us the white flag."
"We leave in less than six hours." Caldwell decided.
"I suggest that we bring along both Faxon and a 307 with the planet buster mounted." Jack said. "The first for information and guidance against the enemy and the second to demonstrate our power should they resist."
"Agreed." Sheppard said as he prepared to beam out.
"Before we end this meeting I must report some amassing finds." Beckett said. "Due to an enzyme in the Wraith's feeding process the life of..."
"Skip the science talk doctor." Ellis said.
"Very well, but it is truly fascinating." Beckett said. "I have managed to reverse the effect of the Wraith feeding which Colonel Everett was subjected to, I'm currently holding him for further tests. But he's eager to return to active duty now that his body is restored and I should be done with him in time for the siege if you want him back."
"He's a good man." Jack said. "I suggest the 307 for him, it's safe and it shouldn't be in any danger there, especially if we position it for a demonstration on a desolated world."
"I agree he and Faxon will be safe on the 307." Caldwell said before he stood up and beamed away to his ship.
"I guess the meting is complete then." Sheppard said and did the same.
Around the room the rest of the council stood up and left the room in some manner, either through beaming or their own legs. Only a few hours later, long before the six hour deadline, every ship that could be mustered had been packed with all the fighters and puddle jumpers they could carry, and was sitting in formation over Earth waiting for the order to fly to the Aschen homeworld and only minutes after the last ship had reported that all systems were ready that order came.
During the seconds which followed the order the huge Tau'ri fleet which had been gathered jumped away until only ten 304s, five 305s and two Auroras remained, these ships which had been left behind had been given the mission to deploy the automated defences who's control system was being built in Atlantis by the science division while the hardware was being deployed.
After only a few hours in hyperspace the Tau'ri fleet had reached their target, while they could have reached the Aschen homeworld much faster they had chosen to go at a reduced speed to have time to analyse the sensor data they would get on the Aschen system, but when they returned to normal some of them were disappointed, in the entire system there was not a single ship to be found just like their sensors had indicated, not even a single ship under the primitive Goa'uld cloak their sensors could see through.
Due to the lack of resistance part of the fleet turned around on the spot and jumped back towards Earth while the rest of the fleet took up positions in the system with the 307 going around to the other side of the star to prepare a demonstration on the second planet in the system which had an orbit which was slightly ahead of Aschen Prime but much further out. While the 307 was doing this Caldwell sent a transmission to the surface.
"Leaders of the Aschen Confederation the Tau'ri humbly accepts your surrender." Caldwell sent.
"But we do not offer you any surrender." Came a reply only a minute later. "As we speak our fleet is on its way here to destroy you."
"Should your fleet arrive we will not hesitate do wipe them from this galaxy." He replied. "I suggest that you order your fleet to turn around."
"Our fleet will not turn around instead it will rain fire on your ships just like our other fleet is doing to Earth as we speak." Came the reply and the channel was cut.
"Prepare the 307 for a demonstration on the second planet." Caldwell ordered.
While this conversation was taking place Faxon had left the bridge of the 307, saying that he wanted to tour the ship, but instead he made his way straight to the top of the ship were the planet buster was located. Once there he made his way to the control room which hadn't yet been staffed, so without any trouble he locked the door and activated the override which could be found in the room to help align the weapon from there.
Only a minute later as he was taking out a course for the projectile he could hear the soldiers beginning to bang on the door as they tried to force their way inside, but while the weapon was operational a strong shield protected the control room to make sure that no outside disturbances would interfere with the launch and so their attempts to force their way inside was pointless.
Inside the control room he casually wandered among the controls as he picked out a target, the Aschen homeworld, and positioned the 307 so that the weapon could be fired. He then took out the note he had prepared the day before and put it on the console next to him next to the gun he'd stolen from a soldier. For a second he hesitated as his hand rested on the firing button, but then he thought back on all the torture and pain he had endured while he was a prisoner of the Aschen, they had taken away his life and now he intended to take away their life quite literally, so his hand sunk down and pressed the button which in return threw the projectile out of the barrel and only seconds later he could see the effect the weapon had on the planet as a bright light shoot out behind the star.
On the bridge of his ship Caldwell could see how the projectile flew out of the 307 and headed to the star, but once it was coming out on the other side the sensors on his ship showed it going towards the wrong planet, it was heading straight for Aschen prime and there was nothing he could do, only mere moments before the projectile impacted the space around the planet filled with hyperspace windows as the Aschen fleet came to defend its home, but as the fleet arrived it only walked to its own grave when the planet exploded and took the fleet with it.
While this was happening Colonel Everett received a report from the technicians who were suppose to be manning the weapon that they could not enter the control room, so he left the bridge to see what had happened but when the weapon fired he got really worried, he'd ordered them to report back the moment they could enter the room, so he increased his pace to a mad dash which took him there in a heartbeat.
"Report." He shouted as he approached the group of soldiers and technician which had gathered outside the control room.
"We've been locked out sir, we have no idea who's fired the weapon." One of the men said.
"Let me through." He said as he pushed his way through the mass of people.
Just as he reached the door the shield which had covered it was lowered and the door opened slowly.
Inside the control room Faxon was admiring his work just as the door opened and the ships captain stepped inside.
"Don't come in here." He said as he grabbed the gun and aimed it at the man's head,
"Do you even know what you just did?" Colonel Everett said as he removed his helmet, trying to create a feeling of control for Faxon. "You just killed millions of innocent people."
"No one on that planet was innocent, they tortured me for years." Faxon said as he saw the Colonel taking another step towards him. "Don't take another step inside the room or I will shoot you."
"What about the women and children? Did they torture you too?" The Colonel said as he took another step inside.
Before he even had the time to threaten the Colonel with the gun again Faxon found his finger pressing the trigger and a split second later he watched as the bullet ripped through the forehead of Colonel Dillon Everett. He had never planned to return from the mission alive, but he had never planned to take anyone with him, had the beauty of the explosion not distracted him he would have ended himself sooner, they had taken his life and now he had taken theirs, he had nothing left to life for. So in the second it took the soldiers outside the room to react and grab him he had put the gun to his head and pressed the trigger, by the time the soldiers had reached him his brains were already painting the wall to his left and he was beyond saving, just like Colonel Everett.
Moments after Everett took a bullet through the head Caldwell ordered the crew on the 307 to be relieved of duty and so thousands of soldiers begun to beam aboard while the old crew was beamed away to other ships in the fleet. As the ranking officer of the boarding party Ford was guided to the scene of the crime as soon as he was beamed onto the bridge. The sight which greeted him when he arrived at the control room was not a pretty one with blood running onto the floor from both the dead men, brain matter equal to at least one and a half brain was smeared onto the three of the walls and the floor and lying in this mess was a piece of paper which he ordered on of the soldiers to get it for him. On the paper was the perfect handwriting of a man who'd spent year upon year writing public and legal documents were a single word could change if you could legally invade or be invaded but in the text all such cares had been forgotten.
"I have no regrets and neither should you, the Aschen were a plague upon the galaxy but now the galaxy have been cured of the Aschen and it will be a better place to live.
Joseph Faxon"
THE END.
So I was planing on a longer suicide note from Faxon, but it turns out that I've never written one before (big surprise there) and I have no clue how to write one, so should anyone of you complain about this I suggest you write me a better one so I can replace the one above with something which could have actually been written by a tortured government official just before he plans to destroy an entire civilization and then take his own life. Good luck with that.
Well the review goal wasn't reached by a long shoot you managed to reach 5 out of the 10 needed for this, but I guess you've done the best you could, so I will keep the review goal at 5 until further notice.