A/N- Sorry about taking so long to update I've actually had this ready and perfect for a few months but just neglected to update. Since it could be a little while before I update again I apologize however I must certainly have not given up on this story and don't intend to. I'm currently writing chapter 25 and the story should finish somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 words. I will try to update as soon as I get chapters back from TRECEBO.
Thank you TRECEBO for this chapters beta.
The space gate activated and two jumpers flew through, scanning the area as they exited. They quickly located the ship in orbit around one of the planet's two tiny moons. "What do have McKay another Aurora?"
"No judging by the landing bays it looks like we've got us a big empty carrier," he watched the scans waiting for any sign of nearby wraith.
"So do we want it or not?"
"Yeah just land inside one of the bays you shouldn't have anything to interfere with it the bays are empty of fighters."
The jumpers slowly flew into the hangers; they noticed that the entire ship appeared deserted not a single spare part for a fighter. There was no equipment strew about; it looked like the Ancients had just left the ship. Scans showed there was no breathable atmosphere.
Major Lorne looked back at the scientists, Rodney in particular. "Well, someone is going to have to go out there and reactivate life support systems."
"What? Why me?" McKay gestured towards a scientist whose name escaped him. "Why not him?"
"Because you actually know how to turn on the system and have some experience doing this stuff--unlike Doctor Dyer." Lorne pinned him with a stare.
"Oh, fine! You're worse than Sheppard," he grumbled under his breath, exiting the jumper and heading out to the controls. After studying the controls for a moment, Rodney managed to get the fighter bay shield up and reactivate life support. "There. Happy now?"
Leaving the fighter bay, the two teams headed to the bridge. Upon their arrival, the ship's systems sprang to life and Rodney went to work determining what happened to the ship.
Half an hour later, Major Lorne returned to the bridge, his team unable to find any clues about the ship. "Doctor McKay?"
"Yes, yes," he said, tapping a few buttons on the tablet connected to an ancient console.
"Do you know what happened to this ship?"
"Yes, well, it looks like the ship's weapons systems are for defense only. The ship itself is supposed to jump in, launching its fighters, then retreat with others of its class, using planets, moons, or the Ancient fleets as protection from the Wraith. The fighters would then engage the Wraith darts much like our F-302s."
Lorne rolled his hand in a 'what next?' kind of motion. "And..."
"Well, they had launched all of their fighters, as we can see here," Rodney pointed to the tablet data, "when a pair of Wraith cruisers broke off from the main fight, and headed towards the carrier group."
"So, what? The Ancients just abandoned the ship?" The major raised a skeptical brow.
McKay paced next to the console. "Yes. This ship appears to be the flag ship. The Ancients probably abandoned it when the cruisers approached the Ancient carriers."
Now Lorne frowned. "Are you telling me all of those carriers couldn't take on two wraith cruisers?"
"No, they could have-- and probably did--but the Wraith would have signaled for more ships to follow. The Ancient carriers would be able to take out a hive or two, but they would sustain losses and they didn't want to risk this ship being one of the losses. Their whole high command would have been killed in one attack." With a grin, McKay pronounced, "This ship was part of the largest Ancient fleet."
"Why didn't the wraith know where the ships went after they launched their fighters?" Striding to the command chair, Lorne gave it a once over.
Rodney ignored his movement, intent on finishing his information. "These ships are designed to be stealthy. There is cloaking device, but I don't know how well it works."
Signing, the major took a seat, surprised as it lit up. He noted McKay's preoccupation. "So, the ship isn't as good as an Aurora?"
"Well, not one-on-one, but if we fill it with F-302s, it can be useful if we need to take out, say, a hiveship's complement of darts or attack a hive ship itself. We could theoretically jump in-system undetected and launch our fighters against wraith ground installations or attack darts that are culling a planet."
Lorne leaned back in the chair, his ATA gene doing its job. "Any chance of finding the missing fighters?"
"No." McKay sounded gloomy as he continued working on his console.
"How about activating the hyperdrive?"
"How did you--" McKay said before realizing that Lorne found an active control chair, and knew which systems were online and which ones were offline. "In a few hours, I should have them up." He moved around to different consoles, attempting to get more information on the ship, and to determine where best to send repair teams.
The major squinted at a screen. "Any chance of speeding that up?"
"What's the rush?" Slightly annoyed, McKay continued hurrying from one display to the next.
"I'm picking up some wraith ships nearby."
"How close?" Stopping cold, Rodney feared he would once again be forced to complete some task and save the day with about 10 seconds to spare.
Lorne took pity on the scientist. "About an hour--maybe two-- assuming they decide to cull this planet."
Pulling up local data, McKay grimaced. "Well, the population is pretty small. Hopefully, they don't decide that this place would make a good snack."
Lorne craned his head to look at the man. "I'd rather not risk everything on the Wraith not attacking this planet."
All business now, Rodney grabbed his laptop. "Ok, let's get the hyperdrive back online, shall we?"
"I'll let you know if the Wraith head toward us," replied the major as McKay left to begin repairs.
A little under the prescribed two hours later, Lorne focused on the forward displays. "McKay, are you sure they're not going to just blow us out of the sky?"
"Yes, yes, look we don't have much of a choice." Rodney scrambled from one panel to another, still punching in code. "There was no way I would have been able to get them online before they got here. The damage was greater than I thought."
"But we're just sitting here. Shouldn't we prepare to open fire?" The approaching ships drew closer than the major liked.
"We need to test the cloaking technology. If it works, then the Wraith should just leave; if it doesn't, then we run, and hope I can get the hyperdrive online in time," he mumbled to himself as he raced to fix said hyperdrive.
"And weapons?" A fully stocked supply of drones had been found.
"Online, but don't shoot too early."
"I won't." Lorne sounded confident.
McKay activated the ship wide comm, "Ok, everyone...we are going to activate the ship's cloaking device. Please power down everything you're doing."
"Detecting hyper space window,"called one of the technicians.
No one said anything for several minutes, the only sound in the room coming from Rodney tapping on his keyboard. Finally, he spoke in a hushed tone. "Looks like they didn't detect us."
Major Lorne hissed back, "So, the cloak is working?"
"Well, we're still alive, aren't we?" McKay couldn't pass up the sarcasm.
Lorne met his gaze. "I don't want to stick around. If you wouldn't mind, get the hyperdrive back online."
"What are they waiting for?" Lorne asked McKay. The Wraith ship had simply exited hyperspace and gone into orbit nearby.
Rodney pulled a face. "Do I look like I--wait, they're turning."
"I see that."
"But they're turning right for us! They might detect us."
Rolling his eyes with shortened patience, Lorne ground out, "I thought you said they couldn't detect us?"
"Well, they shouldn't, but they might. They had to have found the carriers somehow in the first place." Rodney tweaked the cloaking controls gently.
"Did they detect us?"
"They aren't shooting yet."
"They're moving off, McKay," Lorne released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.
The Lantean carrier exited hyper-space above Atlantis. "Colonel Carter, this is Major Lorne. Do you read us?"
"Yes, Major." Carter looked at the heads-up display. "How is the ship?"
"The stealth systems work for the most part--unless the wraith scan our immediate area, we'll be safe."
"That's good to hear. What kind of ship is it?" She watched information scroll by on her laptop.
"Transport carrier class. It doesn't do well in a fight." He tried not to look disappointed.
Carter crossed her fingers. "Any fighters onboard?"
"No, ma'am. And McKay says chances of finding any are slim to none."
She could see Rodney in the background, complaining. "How many F-302s do you think it will hold?"
"A lot--I'd say at least four or five times more than the Daedalus."
"Well done, Major. SGA teams 3 and 4 are returning with an Ancient battleship so perhaps we can find use for it there."
Surprise colored the major's voice. "You said SGA 3 and 4 are bringing back a battleship. Aurora Class?"
"Better, I'm told," she smiled.
He returned the gesture. "Good. Where do you want us to leave the ship?"
"In orbit around the planet for now. We're going to need to work out somewhere to store the ships in the long term." She sent a set of coordinates up to the ship.
As the ship took up geosynchronous orbit, Carter turned towards the gate and the three jumpers waiting. "SGA teams 5, 6, and 7, you are clear to go, and good luck."
She watched first jumper descend and go through the gate. Once the event horizon closed, the second jumper dialed new coordinates, following the same protcol as the the previous. After the final jumper went through, Carter smiled to herself.
So many years after they had first gone through the gate and alerted the Goa'uld to Earth, they were finally getting a fleet of warships to defend themselves, and fight back against the Wraith and the Ori.
End Chapter 7
A/N- Reviews are always appreciated