Chapter 12: The battle of Earth and Disclosure
It had been three days since SG1 had left through the stargate, in an attempt to get a power module from an ancient outpost located on the planet of Proclarush. During their most mission they had located a second device that contained the entire knowledge of the Ancients, like the one that they had found years earlier on P3R-272 which had led to first contact with the Asgard, but in accessing this information they had also attracted the attention of the rouge Goa'uld Anubis to the fact that they were searching for a way to stop him.
"Tell me again why the SGC didn't power that defence platform in the Antarctic that we discovered when we scanned the planet." Dvorak asked, referring to the scan that they had conducted after Cochrane's abduction in Central America, as she paced around the bridge of the Archangel.
"Because the power cell that they found there couldn't power a flashlight, it's completely dead," replied Hudson from his command chair, "don't forget that, that particular power cell has been holding back the ice around that outpost for close to a million years. According to the information that the SGC had the outpost on Proclarush has only been holding back a layer of solidified lava."
"Still you'd think that the Ancients would have at least left instructions on how to make them." Moaned Cochrane from a comm-scan station, "I mean based on the initial scans of it that could've lasted for two or three million years…"
"Contacts." Shouts Welsh from the tactical station instantly stopping all chatter. "Reading two, no three, Ha'tak class ships emerging from hyper-space at blue two one six, orange thirty range sixty thousand."
"So their finally here." Hudson said as he leaned back in his command chair. "Ok then. Battlestations!" he said standing up.
"Aye sir." Said Dvorak, nodding to Welsh who activated the ship wide address system and the alert klaxons.
"Battlestations! Battlestations! Set level one throughout the ship!" Welsh ordered as the newly installed blast shutters closed over the forward viewport.
"Helm take us out!" Hudson ordered, as the MACO at the doors to the bridge primed his FN-P117 and placed it on safe.
"Take us out Aye!" Replied Newman, as he and Campbell launched the Archangel out of her makeshift dry dock on the dark side of the moon, to join the small task force of seven ships from the in defence of the planet.
"We are clear of the dock and are on course to rendezvous with 'Task-force Prometheus'." Campbell reported from the co-pilots seat.
"All weapons are armed and shields are up." Reported Welsh.
"Air wing is on hot standby, and destroids are deployed." Reported Hill from her post at the flight-ops station.
"Excellent." Replied Dvorak turning to face Hudson who nodded in acknowledgement.
-{[]}-
"Message from the SGC." Said Harriman from the communications station on the bridge of the Prometheus. "The Archangel has launched after detecting three Ha'tak class ships in system."
"Alright then… take us out." Orders Hammond as he sits down in the command chair of the recently finished and upgraded bridge of the Prometheus.
"Yes sir."
Above the Prometheus the hanger doors opened slowly as the main engines came online, and the up-graded anti-gravity systems slowly lifted the ship up out of its hanger as the ships new retro-reflective panels activated cloaking the ship from the multiple UFO spotters that were camped out around the perimeter of the Area 51 ship yards.
Once they were clear of the ground the ship accelerates and powers her way out of the atmosphere along with the first four Minerva class ships, Daedalus, Odyssey, Korolev and Sun Tsu, and the only two Nelson class battleships complete, the British ship Nelson, and the Japanese ship Yamato, into a geosynchronous orbit over the dock yards as the Archangel formed up with them.
"We are now in direct orbit over the yards sir." Reported Harriman.
"And the rest of the fleet?" Hammond asked looking out of the reinforced viewport.
"The Daedalus, Odyssey, Korolev and the Sun Tsu of the new Minerva class have formed up along with the two Nelson class, Nelson and Yamato, around us and the Archangel is at Blue twenty three alpha." Major Grant reported from the tactical station.
"Eight ships against three… let's just hope that these upgrades that the Zentron have gave us and have had Carter drooling are as good as they say they are. Bring Gottfried's and Valliant's online and plot a course for the Ha'tak's. give me a firing solution." Hammond ordered as the crew quickly moved to carry out his orders.
"Enemy contacts have changed course, they're weapons are coming online. We have a lock."
"Fire!"
"Firing Gottfried's." Ronson said as he typed the final command to fire the new Gottfried cannons at the Ha'tak's, as the other ships fired.
Outside the ship, twenty-four green beams from the small SGC fleet launched out across space from the Gottfried cannons and slammed into the shields of the lead vessel completely over whelming them, before being destroyed due to a follow up from the four Minerva class's 42cm Isolde triple rail-guns destroying it.
While the small SGC fleet dealt with one ship the Archangel fired all sixteen of her own more powerful Gottfried cannons along with her five Monster class destroids, destroying the shields but failing to punch through their hulls.
"Gottfried's are depleted, we're recharging them now." Grant informed from the tactical station.
"Status on the Ha'tak's?" Asked Hammond somewhat stunned at the firepower of the new Minerva and Nelson classes.
"One enemy ship destroyed, the other two have lost shields but no significant damage to their hulls." Harriman reported from the forward sensor station.
"Incoming!" Shouted Ronson seconds before a dozen superheated plasma rounds impacted the forward shields of the combined fleet.
"Switch to missiles and target their reactors." Ordered Hammond as one of the two remaining ships was destroyed by the Archangels Valliant cannons.
"Target locked."
"Fire!"
From the missile launchers shoot six wombat anti-ship missiles, heading straight towards the remaining Anubis class Ha'tak, which tried in vain to shoot down the missiles but missed by miles due to the speed of the missiles which shredded the hull as if it was made of paper, destroying it in a massive fireball of nuclear enhanced radiation.
"Enemy contacts neutralised!" Ronson reported clearly relieved to have survived his first skirmish with the Goa'uld.
"Damage report?" Hammond quarried as the command chairs security harness released.
"Nothing to serious. The new shields held." Reported Ronson looking at the ships status display.
"All ships report minimal damage sir! The Archangel is launching several fighters and two RC-4 recon ships to sweep the debris." Grant reported as the ships lighting returned to normal.
"It would seem that we survived the frying pan." Harriman started, as he finished securing the ships weapons, to the sensor tech next to him but loud enough to be heard by the rest of the bridge.
"Let's hope that we can survive the fire." Finishes Ronson.
"How many ships is Anubis bringing in exactly?" Asked Grant curious to what they were facing.
"Best guess major," Says Harriman, "close to fifty."
"Eight against fifty." Says Grant, "Not exactly fair."
"I know. Let's hope he has some reinforcements." Jokes Reynolds of SG3 from the entrance hatch with his new FN-P117, and Zentradi assault armour, causing those who had seen the Archangel's main cannon in operation to burst out laughing, releasing the tension which had built up during the battle.
"I hope that SG1 makes it back in time." Says Ronson as he wipes a tear due to laughing so hard.
"Don't we all." Replies Hammond grimly.
-{[]}-
Combat Log Date: 56497.3
Commodore Kira Hudson recording.
It has been almost a year since our trans-dimensional jump during the defence of Lantea and while we have managed to make all necessary repairs and construct a bare bones dry dock on the surface of Luna, it has come with a heavy price with the loss of admiral Cutter and thirty-seven others due to a complete depolarising of their brain-stems, but despite these losses the crew is in high spirits.
Since our arrival within the Sol system we have been assisting the defence forces, in the form of the SGC or Stargate Command, in upgrading their defences with first generation Macross Fleet ships namely Minerva, Nelson and Drake class capital ships and Starmax, Star Wolf class fighters and Laser Rapid Assault Trackers, Missile Fox anti-air units and M-6 Rail gunner ground attack vehicles and Battle crane combat cargo lifters. We have also assisted them with upgrading their original, and only space capable battle cruiser, into something which deserves the name. It is now more along the lines of an old type Izumo class cutter in terms of fire power. In fact it's scary how the personal that the SGC has sent for training have picked up the basics of starship operation and space based warfare.
In fact the lead scientist in the SGC has designed an orbital defence station the size of a Ra Cailum class but with the fire power of a Macross II class super dreadnought, the amount of firepower on the design has made the XO, sub-commander Dvorak, worried stating in the most recent staff meeting this morning 'that it could possibly punch clean through the surface of a planet', but major Carter has said that a station such as that would cause a political nightmare.
Combat Log: Update
We've just been informed that the SGC is expecting an imminent attack on Earth by the rouge Goa'uld Anubis within the next few hours. Although it is unknown just how many vessels we will be facing, the SGC believes that it could be around fifty to sixty Ha'tak class ships to support his flagship and their accompanying glider and Al'kesh compliments, and that their current force of four Minerva class, two Nelson class, the Prometheus and their attached air wings won't be enough, so they have sent their primary recon team, SG1, to locate an additional power source for the defence platform in the Antarctic.
Though the SGC is a highly secret program, I do wish that they had started working with the group that operates those four helicarrier's, which we detected while conducting a scan for any hidden Ancient or Goa'uld technology, sooner as we could have created two more Starmax squadrons.
-{[]}-
Several hours after the initial scout force had been detected, the recently elected president Henry Hayes looked over towards where general Maynard was, before he gave him a nod to place the call on speaker.
"How are things up there commodore Hudson?" Asked Hayes.
"All's quiet sir." Replied Hudson, "So far Anubis's fleet is holding position about halfway between Sol and Alpha Centauri for some reason."
"Perhaps they have found out what happened to their scout force?" Suggested Vice-president Kinsey.
"I doubt that." Said the director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. standing next to the tall Seymour case clock placed in the room in the seventies by president Ford, and sheathing that his own personal had been well and truly beaten when it came to information hiding when it came to the SGC.
"And how would…" Kinsey started to retort before a cloaked figure materialized in front of the president's desk, surprising everyone as Fury and the secret service agents all opened fire on the intruder. As the president and his aides all took cover from the near continues fire of nine mill's and a couple of Uzi sub-machine guns, which all passed through the figure as if he wasn't even there.
"Hold Fire!" Shouted Fury realising what it was, "It's only a hologram!" Instantly the weapons fire stopped, as the agents and he returned their weapons to their holsters.
"I am Anubis." The cloaked figure spoke while both Fury and Maynard pulled out a phone to have someone trace the source of the hologram.
"You are the leader of this world?" Asked Anubis due to him and the other Goa'uld had very little or no information regarding the first world since the uprising against Ra thousands of years earlier.
"Henry Hayes," The president says putting on his best politicians smile he could, "President of the United States of America. One nation among many."
"No longer, bow down before your GOD!" Anubis demanded in the typical double-flanged and arrogance filled voice of the Goa'uld.
Hayes and a few others chuckled at that statement while some of the others actually laughed at it. "I don't think so, but I am willing to discuss the terms of your surrender."
"If you had the weapons used by the Ancients, you would have used them." Anubis said smugly knowing he had an agent with the two Shol'va's Bra'tac and Teal'c as SG1 raced across the galaxy for some unknown reason.
"We do." Replied Hayes smugly, "Or did you think that the scout fleet you sent to us was taken out by a giant space whale or something?"
Anubis was stunned and his body posture showed it. "Then you have brought down the destruction of you and your world." Anubis said knowing that the fleet he had would deal a heavy amount of damage to the earth before being destroyed.
"Not. Going. To. Happen." Hayes said poking the hologram squarely in the chest.
"We shall see." Anubis declares before he vanished from the room as his hologram was deactivated.
"What do you think?" Asked Hayes turning to face the rest of the room. "Too much?"
-{[]}-
Meanwhile in orbit on the Archangel the command crew had moved into observation lounge just off the bridge while they were in conference with president Hayes, when Anubis appeared.
"Archangel, this is general Maynard can you track the source of Anubis' transmission?" He asked as the sound of Anubis and Hayes talking in the background could be heard. "I've already got the other ships working on it, as does director Fury whit his helicarrier's."
"We'll try general." Says Hudson as Cochrane moved to get up and leave the room, but before he could get out of the room, a ship wide alert went out.
"Battlestations! Battlestations! Set level one throughout the ship! Commodore Hudson to the bridge! Battlestations! Battlestations!"
Hearing this the command crew scrambled out of their seats and filled out of the observation lounge and back onto the bridge.
"Report!" Commanded Hudson as he sat back in his command chair.
"Sir, sensors are picking up several large hyper-space distortions opening in sector two alpha." Hill reported.
"Confirmed," Said Dvorak, "Reading forty-five Ha'tak class motherships and one dreadnought class."
"Must be Anubis flagship." Mused Hudson as he looked on at the largest ship he had seen so far this last year.
"Sir twenty of them are breaking formation and are heading right at us. The rest are targeting the satellite network and the international space station." Welsh informed him taking back over at the tactical station from Hill.
"Oh, how original." Snarls Dvorak and Granger. "They are going to blind the communications network." Before they both burst out laughing.
"Alright then, send a signal to the Prometheus were engaging. Set an intercept course with the approaching Ha'tak's and ready wombats."
Outside in space the area between the two forces lit up as multiple missiles, Valliant's, Gottfried's and Isolde cannons were fired vaporising two of the approaching Ha'tak's.
"Enemy ships are returning fire." Welsh reported as the forward shields were splashed with plasma shots.
The Ha'tak's returned fire having increased speed to close the distance on the SGC's fleet as they accelerated out of their home world's gravity well. The plasma bolts splashed across the omni-directional barriers of the Archangel, Prometheus and the other ships, as Al'kesh and squadrons of gliders began to launch and close to their much shorter staff cannon range.
"Shields are holding." Welsh reported calmly. "Enemy fighters and bombers closing in."
"Launch all ghost's and Thunderbolt's. Tactical task all destroids to anti-air. Fire wombats at the approaching capital ships and ready positron cannons alpha and beta."
There was a chorus of acknowledgements from around the bridge, as from around the fleet multiple fighters began launching from their motherships. Soon the air around the SGC's fleet was filled with two hundred forty ghost Mk II drone fighters, one hundred and twenty Thunderbolt mark VII veritech fighters with full F.A.S.T. packs, two hundred type III Star Wolf space superiority fighters, one hundred Starmax mid-range bombers, twenty F-302 Evolution fighter interceptors and three Thunderbolt Durandal class veritechs, which moved to immediately to intercept and engage their Goa'uld designed counterparts. Soon the two fighter armadas' were engaged with each other in a massive fur ball of craft but the first kills went to the drone fighters, backed up by the CIWS systems of the Terran fleet, tearing apart anything that made it through the fighter screen.
Just as the weapons fire from the advancing Ha'tak's intensified, wombat anti-ship missiles shot out of their launchers on all of the fleet and raced across space and slammed into twelve of the remaining eighteen Ha'tak's, that had been attacking the satellites, collapsing their shields from the power of the powerful anti-ship missiles.
A second later the four Minerva class battle cruisers destroyed them with their 42cm Isolde cannons, the rounds quickly transited the wounded Goa'uld motherships sending them up in massive Naquadah fuelled explosions.
"Fourteen Ha'tak's destroyed sir, but the remaining six have shifted their fire from the satellites back to the fleet, three of which have targeted us." Welsh reported.
"Fire positron cannons alpha and beta!" Ordered Dvorak from the CIC, as Newman and Campbell altered the position of the ship so that all three attacking motherships could be destroyed at the same time.
The six Ha'tak's continued their assault on the Tau'ri warships, unleashing a hailstorm of plasma bolts down on them. The ships of the SGC fleet responded in kind with the Nelson and Yamato launching multiple salvos of mark seven naquadah enhanced wombat's which slammed into the shields of two of the Ha'tak's, as they detonated they took out a third damaged ship turning them into a massive field of debris.
Seeing the sight of twenty of his first line Ha'tak's being destroyed, Anubis ordered the rest of his fleet to advance and attack, a further twenty-five motherships and his own flagship to attack.
"They're concentrating their fire on the Daedalus!" Welsh reported with a hint of worry to her voice. "Korolev and Sun Tsu are moving to assist."
"What about the rest of the enemy fleet?" Hudson asked as a console behind him exploded from an overload.
"Seventeen mothership including tango Alpha have almost completely destroyed the orbital satellites and are positioning themselves for an orbital strike." Dvorak reported with concern that they were about to bear witness to a rain of death.
"Sir I'm detecting a new hyperspace distortion opening over the South Pole… it's a scout ship." Hill shouted in surprise.
"That has to be SG1" Hudson concluded as he watched the small scout-ship came out of the hyper-space on top of the upper atmosphere and dived into it, almost out of control.
"I'm detecting multiple gliders and Al'kesh on an intercept course for the scout." Hill supplied somewhat calmed down now.
"Inform the Prometheus that we're breaking orbit and will cover the scout ship. Helm set course for the South Pole max burn. Flight inform all the birds to switch to attack pattern 'Big Wednesday' formation." Hudson ordered which was followed by a chorus of 'yes sir' from the two officers.
"What about the surface?" Dvorak asked, praying that Hudson wasn't about to let his Varauta side get the better of him.
"I think that Anubis is in for one hell of a shock." Hudson replied cryptically, knowing that there was four helicarrier's armed with Valliant's and enough missiles to punch a hole in the Archangel.
-{[]}-
"Milord the largest Tau'ri ship has abandoned its position." Report's a Jaffa manning the weapons console in the Pel'tak of Anubis flagship. "It appears to be moving to protect the cargo ship that has just come out of hyperspace. What are your orders, milord?"
"Bring us into position over it and destroy it!" Anubis commanded from where he was at the viewport, and watched as the Archangel turned and left orbit while delivering a devastating broadside into another of his precious upgraded Ha'tak's.
"We are firing position." The Jaffa stated as he moved the massive dreadnought into firing position over the planets southern pole.
"Fire!" Anubis ordered, as hundreds of rounds of superheated plasma began to rain down from the gun-ports on the underside of the massive ship, striking the shields of the Archangel and the ice surrounding it melting a huge area of the Antarctic ice-shelf. The shields on the Archangel flared as they with stood the attack with hardly any strain but the ice shelf wasn't so lucky.
"The human attack ship is abandoning its position." The Jaffa at the weapons station shouted out as the Archangel seemed to abandon its defence of the scout. "Milord our forces are in position to begin the bombardment of the surface."
"Begin the attack."
"Milord several ships have appeared and are launching weapons… they appear to be of Tau'ri design."
"WHAT!" Roared Anubis, just as the first rounds fired from the heli-carriers slammed into several of his precious upgraded Ha'tak's where vaporised. "What happened?" Anubis demanded as he spun to face the unfortunate Jaffa on the Pel'tak.
"Tau'ri weapons fire milord." The Jaffa replied somewhat worried. "Five Ha'tak's are lost and the remaining fifteen have been forced to abandon their position in order to defend themselves from further weapons fire."
"What of the banner ship?" Anubis questioned barely keeping his anger in check, and mistaking the Archangel for a ship belonging to the Tau'ri.
"It is on an approach vector."
"Destroy it!" Anubis ordered, hoping that with its destruction he would be able to decolorize the fleet and end the threat of the Tau'ri once and for all.
-{[]}-
"The cargo ship is clear sir." Hill reported as the weapons fire from the dreadnoughts heavy planetary assault cannons began to bleed through the Archangels shields and pin-point barriers.
"Helm set course for Anubis' flagship." Hudson says turning to face Welsh. "Lieutenant move all the destroids to the bow prepare for a Macross Strike."
"Aye sir." Newman and Welsh replied as the Archangel begins its rapid ascent up into orbit taking fire that was raining down on it.
"Forward shields are down to forty-five percent and falling." Reported Welsh as she adjusted the fire rate for the forward Gottfried's.
"Hold course!" Hudson ordered activating his security harness, "Transfer power from the aft shields, if we are going to pull off the 'Macross Strike' we will need the forward shields."
"Aye sir."
"Sir, I'm detecting a large energy source coming from the surface." Said Cochrane at the only comm-scan station that was dedicated for science. "It's heading straight for us."
"EVAD! Hard to port!" Screamed Hudson as the first of the ancient designed plasma drones began to overtake them on a course for the dreadnought.
-{[]}-
"Milord! I am detecting a large energy surge coming from the planet." The Jaffa at the weapons controls said in shock.
"WHAT!" Anubis shouted turning to look at the Jaffa in question, before the explosive flash of a nearby Ha'tak exploding being hit by a large swarm of the glowing orangeish yellow smart projectiles, which was now headed straight for his dreadnought and remaining Ha'tak's.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed in anger while thinking that the time of the Goa'uld's reign over the galaxy was at an end and the rise of the Tau'ri was now beginning.
As the ancient plasma smart drones swarmed around and through what was left of Anubis's fleet, the various fighters and bombers destroyed or crippled all of the gliders and Al'kesh till all that remained was a debris field of broken ships, fighters and bombers from the Goa'uld fleet that had begun their attack several hours earlier.
The battle for Earth was over, and the Tau'ri had won.
-{[]}-
"Your such an ASS!"
The words hit captain John Andrews, call sign Marauder, from behind just as he stepped down from the cockpit of his Thunderbolt Durandal veritech fighter onto the hanger deck of the Archangel and finished removing his flight helmet. Confused, he turned around to see captain Jenny Revell, call sign Angel, marching towards him with her usual scowl firmly in place on her face.
"What are you talking about?" He asked completely confused.
"You know damn well what the frack I'm talking about!" Revell snapped as she came to stand face to face with him. "It was my assignment to cover the Yamato, and here you come swooping in and take out that bomber yourself!"
"That was you?" Andrews asked.
"Yes damn it! That was me!" Revell said, her face turning as red as her long red hair.
"Oh, sorry." Andrews said yawning as his adrenalin levels, from the recent combat, started to fade and leave his body.
"Sorry? You swoop in like that and try to make me look like an incompetent ass, and all you have to say is 'sorry'."
"A what?" Andrews asked confused.
"You know what you did!" Revell nearly screamed. "You just had to show off how much of a better pilot than me you really are!"
Andrews turned and fixed her with a hard stare and the anger radiating from his eyes made Revell take an involuntary step back. "That bomber was spinning up its plasma cannons for another bomb run on the bridge of the Yamato and you wouldn't have made it in time." He explained slowly. "Crowbar and I had been chasing that thing, trying to take it out for around ten minutes chasing it halfway around the planet. I didn't 'swoop in' to make you look like anything. In fact, I would rather have let the thing be taken out by someone else because we'd been in our birds for over three hours on the CAP when all of this went down."
Turning away Andrews tossed his helmet to the crew chief and began walking off before coming to a stop and turning back to face her. "You need to understand this." He said wearily. "I am not here to make you look like anything. I'm here to do my job, just because we have a history, doesn't mean that everything that I do revolves around you. Now if you will excuse me, I have a report to write and then a hot date with a very long shower."
Turning away he left a very thunderstruck angel, and the nearby deck crew, behind and made his way to the CAG's office.
-{[]}-
Over the earth the remaining small fleet of the defence force orbited silently scanning space for any approaching hyperspace trails. They had spent most of the last few hours reloading the ammunition, supplies and repairing what damage had been taken to both the ships and support craft. The Korolev and Sun Tsu had been carefully dropped from orbit with the assistance of her sisters. The damage received by both ships had rendered them incapable of returning to the dry dock or the Archangel's dock on the dark side of the moon.
The few remaining large sections of the destroyed Ha'tak's and the dreadnought had been gathered up by the other ships and transported down to the tarmac outside of the hangers on Area 51, even with the plainly visible battle above the planet the forces of the SGC and their allied nations still had to maintain their cover, if that was still even possible. The electronic warfare, cyber-warfare suites and their retro-reactive panelling on the fleet had been enough to keep most of the world from knowing the locations of the construction docks. However it was evident that they would be sought out by the public to find out about the ships of the fleet and those that had built them.
Losses and damage to the fleet had reduced their number to five capital ships, which were still fully operational, and less than half of the earth manned 302's, Starmax and Star Wolfs, but all of the Archangel's veritech fighters were still combat capable due to their transformation ability, but each of the pilots, crewman and officers were exhausted, and knew that if there was another attack before they had a chance to rest, then they would be unlikely to survive. They had used a lot of their available ammunition in the battle with Anubis, and the weapons platform was out of action with colonel O'Neill in a coma in stasis due to knowledge of the Ancients in his head slowly killing him. Even with the technological advantage they had they would be unable to defend the planet and it's people if they had to fight their own fatigue as well.
The Archangel had stayed in orbit over the crater that used to be Hong Kong, China. Their position had allowed them to send emergency personal from the military bases on the other side of the planet to help in the desperate cities, as well as retrieve or transfer soldiers, medical workers, injured people and supplies between the different areas of the planet. Several of the more intact Thunderbolt squadrons had been rearmed, refuelled and equipped with fresh FAST packs, and where currently patrolling the orbital plane for any signs of hidden ships or incoming signals. Any other operation fighter, be they Starmax or Star Wolf, flittered between the other ships patrolling the orbit and taking pot shots at any unexploded ordinance or out of control Goa'uld craft that had entered the atmosphere.
Far below the orbiting Zentradi warship the surface of the planet was in complete chaos. Much of the eastern hemisphere was clouded with dust and fire as the aftermath of the bombardment became evident, billions of tons of earth and rock had been pulverised, then scattered and thrown into the air by the shockwaves and fireballs that were the legacy of the four Ha'tak's. All of the impact sites were hidden below the clouds of smoke and dust which was encompassing the majority of that part of the world. Immense fires were still burning around the edge of the craters and even the deep winter of Russia had been insufficient to totally extinguish them, it was fortunate that the heavy snow and wind had managed to dampen the burning fires down to an almost manageable level.
President Hayes looked over the table at the number of high ranking officials that had been brought up to the Archangel and leaned back in his chair at the head of the table. After a few moments of silence he asked the question on every bodies mind.
"Where do we go from here?"
It was general Hammond, with his arm in a sling, who spoke up first. "Mister president I don't believe we can cover up something of this scale like we previously have. We detonated a lot of high-yield nuclear ordinance in orbit over a dozen countries worldwide and with all of the satellites that have been destroyed, I very much doubt that the world will just accept another cover story like a meteor shower or a solar flare."
"I have to agree mister president." Said director Furry speaking from the bridge of helicarrier number sixty-four over the comm-link.
"Alright then, what are our options?" Hayes asked.
"You need to hold a conference and prepare for full disclosure. It might be a good idea for all of the leaders of the IOA to be present for it rather than just the United States or any individual country." Says Hudson remembering his history of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation class dealing with its formation back home. "You need to send a message to everyone on earth saying 'that you will stand together no matter what', mister president."
"It was bound to happen sooner or later." Hammond added, "We knew that we couldn't keep the program under wraps forever."
"Alright. I'LL try and organize a conference at the U.N. for some time in the next few days." Hayes said as an aide walks in an interrupts the meeting.
"Sir, we've established communications with the Russian, British and Chinese premiers."
"About time, alright people, keep the fleet in orbit and standby once all repairs are done, God only knows what will happen once the rest of the system lords find out that we've kicked Anubis' ass. It would be best to be prepared." Hayes ordered, turning to face his aide. "Give me a minute then have them put through, Michelle."
"Yes mister president." The Aide said as Hudson and the others left the starboard observation lounge on the Archangel being ushered out by Hayes secret service agents allowing Hayes a chance to see a MACO in full combat gear by the door before he took a deep breath to centre himself and took a long sip of the raktajino coffee that Hudson had gave to him, before hitting the flashing button on the conference table in front of him. Hayes was instantly put through to a four-way conversation between him and the other world leaders, taking a deep breath he now wished that he had contacted at least one of these men before all of this had started four days ago, he could have used the support especially from the other IOA members. "Gentleman."
"Mr president." Said the British prime minister, Tony Blair.
"Good… Mr presid…" Started the Russian premier, Vladimir Putin, over a static filled line.
"Mr President." Said the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin.
"I've been receiving periodic reports from your countries. I'm deeply sorry that we were unable to stop those Ha'tak's from firing on your countries. We tried everything we could to keep them from reaching weapons range, and damaging our world. We were lucky that only a few managed to open fire otherwise we could be looking at the total destruction of our civilization."
"Mr… dent," Said Putin. "We thank… for your worlds. It is both fortunate and unfortunate that the plasma shots hit where they did, there… few people in that area at this time of year, what few people we have found so far will… to settle elsewhere."
"This is not the case for my people." Zemin spoke up. "The shots have vaporised both Hong Kong and Guangzhou, and sent tidal waves into the coastal regions of the mainland as far as Qingyuan. Hundreds of thousands of miles of farmland and food processing plants have been destroyed and approximately seventeen million people have died or are missing. More and more of my people are dying from the radiation's fall out and the dust clouds. Mr president… we need help or many of my people will be decimated due to the lack of food and shelter."
"Alright Jiang, we'll help as much as we can, the Zentradi have already started to launch craft filled with medic's and M.A.S.H. units, and we've other off world allies en route to assist us was we…" started Hayes, before he was interrupted by Putin.
"More Aliens! It is your reliance upon these aliens and the American belief in their superiority which has caused this catas…phe. Your unwillingness… leave them alone has brought …upon us!" Spat Putin. "In addition your delay… allowing the members… IOA the access… the plans for building your space capable warships… stopped us from having more ships… defend the planet!"
Blair coughed loudly to interrupt his Russian counterpart. "Oh please Vlad, if I'm not mistaken only two squadrons of the Korolev's compliment of six squadrons were involved in the battle as it was. While every fighter that the American's, French, German, Chinese, Australian, Zentradi and my own nations, but only a third of your force where involved. If they had all been up there then perhaps none of those motherships would have made it into orbit." He said calmly.
"… untrue, all of the forces that we could spare were in orbit. We were forced to hold back some for the defence of mother Russia, in case the American's incompetent forces… allowed to breach our airspace." Putin counted. "What of that massive battlefortress of these Zentradi. You promised us with our support and that of the rest of the IOA would not only share in the fruits of the project, but that we will be full partners in this. Yet not one Russian scientist or Spetsnaz are part of the SGC. It is the incompetence of the 'superior' American military that cost the lives of so many of China's people."
"I'm sorry but none of your people passed the security screening for the projects. In addition Mr Putin, when the call went out none of the other nations kept their space forces back, expect you." Hayes replied sternly. "Now I understand that you wanted to defend your own country, but the F-302, Starmax and Star Wolf and the ships of the fleet were designed and produced under the guarantee that all of the forces produced, would be used for the defence of Earth as a whole. Now with the dissemination of the information about the 302, wolf and Starmax to our allies we should have been able to send up more fighters and bombers than we did, we know that they exist but that there aren't enough pilots to fly them. However your country has been building and training as long as the UK, and the rest, yet you sent up only a fraction of what everyone else did."
"Our airspace needed…"
"You are dragging your feet!" Zemin said holding back his contempt for his Russian opposite. "We have all begun building warships and fighter squadrons, yet you have not even begun construction of a drake class frigate since the plans for them, the upgraded Prometheus, the Nelson class and the Minerva were given to each of us, even the Korolev was given to you in payment for the US getting the alpha stargate off you last year. Maybe it is better for you to leave the fighting to the real soldiers, those who know how to fight this kind of enemy."
"You dare to insult the Russian people's courage and the honour of mother Russia's armed forces!" Putin roared. "We would build ships of our own if the Americans would allow us access to the proper materials, but we have so far been denied access because we refuse to allow observers and technical experts to be placed throughout our construction facilities. My administration unlike past ones, are not so spineless as to roll over and let the Americans rub our belly like a puppy."
"No, you would merely wait until we have fought to the last before stabbing us all in the back with the ships that you would hoard even as the Goa'uld bomb us back into the stone age. It is simple, you are afraid of them, afraid that your vaunted pilots would not be up for the battle." Zemin shouted. "Dozens of our best pilots died up in orbit, more are scared for life and the small fleet of warships we have has been crippled by the enemy. And yet you, claim that you couldn't send your pilots or you can't build ships because of your own cowardice. You are so very, very lucky that I haven't sent the Sun Tsu to teach you a lesson."
"It is you that needs a lesson Jiang, any forces you send will be…"
"Will you two SHUT THE HELL UP!" Hayes shouted slamming his hands down on to the conference room table. "The two of you are acting like children, I am damned aware of what happened up there. My own country has one man in a coma in a stasis unit due to the Goa'uld. We've lost contact with outposts and bases in South Pacific, Australia and close to the other impact sites. It is unfortunate what has happened but this isn't the time to argue over who's' fault it is. The fate of hundreds of millions worldwide hangs on the knife edge. Every country we have been able to contact has begun mobilizing their forces, and humanitarian efforts have already begun thanks to the Zentradi and our ships. Right now we need to get people away from the danger zones and into allied territory."
Stopping to take a breath and calm down, he noticed that none of the other leaders had begun to talk again. Taking this as a good sign that he was being listened to, he began again in a more calm and controlled manner.
"I know that none of your countries has suitable reserves to fully remove the injured and those in danger from the strikes, however you will be receiving aid as and when we can get it in position. Within the next few days I shall be informing the world of what happened here. We shall disclose what the public needs to know and why this happened."
"You can't be serious!" Blair said shocked. "This will cause worldwide panic when they learn about the existence of the stargate. The fall out, pardon the expression, will be chaotic as people will demand to know why they have been kept in the dark all of this time. You and many of us will be under fire from our respective parties."
"Believe me Tony I am well aware of the implications of this. I've got the joint chiefs on my ass, the SGC, Vandenberg and god only knows who else trying to co-ordinate our efforts on this. This is the last thing I want to do, but in order to explain how we are fixing this mess we have to explain who it was that attacked and what happened up there, and that's something I really don't want to do."
Silence reigned as the four heads of state realized the implications of a full disclosure. None of the countries that made up the IOA would be safe from the inevitable catastrophe that would come from the American's finally admitting their use of the stargate. Worse still would be that fact that they had been involved in a worldwide conspiracy to keep it from the population of the planet at large, time was not on their side at all.
"I think that it will be a bad decision to reveal the gate to the public Henry," Zemin said before forestalling any interruption, "I am very much aware of the fact that my country has been pushing for a full disclosure to the world, but at this time the knowledge of the stargate and its full impact on Earth, coupled with the full scale attack by Anubis would be dangerous. I apologise for my harsh words earlier, my nation is on the precipice and we are still getting reports on our losses coming in."
"Apology accepted Jiang, it's not been easy on any of us today." Hayes said sitting back in his chair, "I may not like the idea, but I think that disclosure is our best bet."
"It may not be Henry, I agree with Jiang. It is too dangerous to let the world as a whole know about the stargate. The damage it caused to international relations last year when it was just the core members was unfortunate, with the gate public knowledge some countries, notably the middle-east and North Korea, will wonder what else has been kept from them."
"What so you suggest Tony?" Hayes asked, "The fact that Anubis was stopped as well as the inevitable sightings of SHIELD's helicarrier's, our ships and the fighter squadrons over the next few days will let cat out of the bag. The Zentradi will have to be allowed into low orbit or lower to help out our own people. I can't see us not letting the world know."
"I'm not sure Henry, but a full disclosure is not an option."
"Maybe not, gentlemen, but I think that I have idea." Putin replied. "It might be a good idea if we were to disclose some parts about the Goa'uld, the Zentradi, the Asgard and our ships on to the various news networks. Not a full disclosure but enough to keep the world from panicking."
"That might be a good idea, considering the state of affairs." Said Blair.
"Alright then," Said Zemin, "tell me Henry have we heard from the Asgard?"
"No we haven't, and with colonel O'Neill in a critical condition I was hoping that they would drop by and check if we're alright but clearly they are preoccupied at the moment."
"I thought that the Asgard were supposed to be our allies." Asked Blair with a sound of disappointment in his voice. "Where were they when Anubis was knocking on Earths door?"
"The Asgard are currently at war with a race called the Replicators and have been gradually losing ground over the last several centuries. It's not really that much of a surprise that they couldn't spare a ship to help." Hayes responded.
-{[]}-
"Have you seen the news?" Doctor Weir asked as she walked into the control room with Jackson stopping just behind the technician who was filling in for Harriman who was still on the Prometheus.
"I've been trying to actively avoid it." Jackson admitted, taking a sip of his coffee still trying to warm up after his recent trip to Antarctica. "You know I was expecting a worldwide panic, not this."
"It took me by surprise as well." Agreed Weir.
"I just hope that the middle-east settles down soon now that the world knows that we've got bigger problems to deal with." Jackson said with a slight sigh.
"So did you enjoy your time on ZNN, with major Carter and Teal'c?" She asked teasing him a little.
"No." He responded, "I didn't mind it so much until they began asking me questions about the first mission through the gate… you know."
"I see…" Weir said, nodding in understanding having read the file about the mission, so she knew how painful it must have been.
"Unscheduled off-world activation!" The technician in front of them said, as the stargate began its dialling from off-world, while the iris closed and defence teams rushed into the embarkation room as an incoming wormhole was established. "We're receiving a signal, it's a text message." He says as symbols start to appear on the computer screen.
"It's Goa'uld." Says Jackson shocked, as he starts to read the message.
"What does it say?"
"Um, oh it's from one of the system lords, Camulus, the Celtic god of war."
"I don't think that I've heard of this one?"
"Well we've never actually had any dealings with him until now." Jackson says as he continues to read the message which looked more like an e-mail then an actual text till he reaches a small section, which he has to read twice and almost shouting "Wow!"
"Uh, year of course, wow?" Says Weir confused since she can't read Goa'uld.
"Huh, oh sorry." Says as sheepish Jackson. "It says that he wishes to arrange a meeting with us to negotiate a treaty with us."
"A Goa'uld wants to arrange a treaty with us?" Asks Weir a little stunned, along with the rest of the control room.
"Not just a Goa'uld, all of them." Jackson elaborates, "The system lords. It's asking permission to send a small number of them to earth to talk with us, directly."
"And here I thought that I was going to be able to watch the president's address to the U.N." Weir sighed as the gate shutdown.
-{[]}-
"Good evening, the main story tonight a number of world leaders have called for a press conference to inform the world about the recent attack by what has now been confirmed as an Extra Terrestrial attack and the use of nuclear weapons several days ago. The leaders of the world's four most powerful military powers have been confirmed as being in support of the US president, Henry Hayes, when he speaks to a full assembly of all of the United Nations shortly."
"For the past four days the world has watched and prayed as thousands of men and women from all over the world have headed to the devastated cities in order help those who have survived in the blast zones. The death tolls in the blast zones around Europe, China, Russia and Australia have already hit the one hundred million and is expected to rise."
"Every major power around the world is holding at their maximum state of military readiness in case there is another attack by what was been called the 'Goa'uld', ground, air and naval units have been deployed on a war footing within their borders of their home countries, many for the first time since the end of World War Two. Other more secretive units have been assembling on bases within the borders of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and the Peoples Republic of China within the last twelve hours."
"From RAF Lossiemouth our defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt reports." Said Kay Burley in the London news room of the BBC.
"As you can see behind me, there are a number of very advanced looking fighter and transport aircraft being readied for take-off. These terrifying vehicles are the vanguard of what has been reported as 'The Space Force' that has been constructed in secret by a number of allied governments over the last few years."
"These fighters are also believed to have been part of the force which repulsed the invasion attempts on our planet less than a week ago. Footage gathered from members of the public show that a large number of these aircraft landed heavily damaged and even some trailing smoke and debris as they attempted to land. It is possible that the gathering of aircraft here are all that remains of this highly advanced fighter wing."
"Reports of a full sized carrier ship under construction off the coast of Scotland have so far been unconfirmed, however a number of eyewitnesses saw a blackened and burnt air vessel larger than any seen before land at an unidentified island. Whilst we don't know the full size of Her Majesties Armed Forces contribution to the defences of this planet from outside attack, we can know be named as one of the few countries on Earth that are capable of fielding a substantial presence within the Solar System beyond the atmosphere of Earth."
"Thousands of members of the public have begun to surround RAF bases on all sides in an attempt to see one of these fantastic aircraft, where they are based and how they defeated the Goa'uld attack. It appears however that many of the answers will not be given easily. Caroline Wyatt, BBC News RAF Lossiemouth."
"Thanks Caroline. Demonstrators from a number of groups have been camping out throughout London and a number of towns close to RAF, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Army bases across the country, members of Greenpeace, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament are among the various anti-war groups that begun demonstrating outside a number of British and NATO military bases."
"This has led to some instances of violence between the protesters and those who are in support of the military, with several hundred from either side having been arrested by military and civilian police forces at each of the sites."
"We cross now live to the floor of the general assembly hall where president Hayes and the other members of the allied nations have gathered. The meeting is scheduled to begin momentarily. We will stay on the air until the conference has ended when we shall return to our discussion panel to continue our analyse of these ground breaking events…"
-{[]}-
"This is a bad idea," Hayes said to himself, "Jiang, if I get lynched I'm taking you with me."
"Fear not Henry," The other politician was joking. "I believe that this version of events will bring the people of earth onto our side in droves without having to hide the construction projects, or the funds to build up the fleet which we'll need to protect the planet from the Goa'uld or anyone else like these Replicators."
"I for one, would much rather not have to build my countries ships on the remote islands in the Outer Hebrides when we have perfectly good dry-docks and infrastructure on the banks of the Mersey." Said Blair grinning at his opposites. "Still it will be a relief if the world as a whole can begin to fund the projects we need for the defence of the planet, like that battle station that one of the scientist at the SGC has come up with."
"I couldn't have said it better myself Tony." President Putin said as he walked up behind the British prime minister. "With the funding we hope to gain from the countries of the world the expansion of the fleet is within our reach. We can only hope that any new technologies can be found to make our ships more effective."
"That as may be gentleman, but I believe that it is time for us to face the music." Hayes replied, not happy that Blair and the others had seen major Carters proposed orbital space dock and battle-station idea. "Good luck to us all."
-{[]}-
The space above the moon tore open as the hyperspace window stretched open and deposited the Asgard science vessel Daniel Jackson back into normal space. The Daniel Jackson was armed like all Asgard vessels but was no were near the size of or as well armed as the mighty Jack O'Neill class battleships, measuring in at a touch over a thousand meters.
Nearby a mixed group of fighters had detected the arrival of the Asgard ship and were vectoring to face the newcomer, and Thor couldn't help but be impressed with how the Terran's and the Zentradi worked well together and the recent additions to the Tau'ri forces. He quickly scanned the ships and fighters in the system and was slightly surprised at the technology which was being employed by both of them. It was old Alteran technology, on all of the ships and fighters, even the Zentradi ones, to be sure when compared to the more 'modern' technology but it was certainly a vast improvement from the original earth based and salvaged Goa'uld technology level of earth and her people.
It even used Neutronium which the Alteran's had used before they perfected their first zero-point energy modules. The warships even employed a mix of old Asgard and Alteran energy and kinetic weapons and missiles from before the first generation of plasma drones where created.
Judging from his scans of the Tau'ri capital ships were an even match for two or three Ha'tak class motherships in a head-to-head confrontation but it would take at least several of them to best an older model Baliskirnir class battle ship. Still he wouldn't try to take the technology away from them, since it had been gifted to them by what was in essence their cousins, and they had proven themselves worthy of it on numerous occasions. Not the least of which was their recent defence of Earth against the rouge Goa'uld Anubis.
"It would seem that they are well on their way to becoming the fifth race." Thor mused.
"Indeed." Teal'c agreed having seen how the people of Earth had reacted for a short time following Anubis attack, before heading to the Asgard homeworld with major Carter.
"We are being hailed." Thor said as the image of one of the Tau'ri ships commanders appeared on the holo-screen that had formed in front of Thor and Teal'c.
"This is Steven Caldwell of the Minerva class battle carrier Daedalus to unknown vessel. You have entered controlled space. Identify yourself and intensions." The man spoke clearly as his ships Isolde cannon took aim at Thor's ship.
"I am supreme commander Thor of the Asgard high council." The Asgard military leader replied. "I have Teal'c of SG1 aboard, we are here for doctor Jackson and colonel O'Neill."
"Understood." Caldwell nodded in response, "We've been expecting you… where is major Carter? I was told that she was sent with Teal'c in an attempt to make contact with you?"
Thor took a few moments to think how best to answer without it sounding condescending. "I am afraid that the situation has changed. Major Carter has been captured by the Replicators and we are in need of further assistance."
"What can we do to help?" Caldwell asked curious as to what had actually happened.
"At this time all I require is doctor Jackson and colonel O'Neill." Thor replied curtly as he scanned the planet for the correct and corresponding life signs.
"We're here if you require anything else." Caldwell concluded before he closed the channel from his end and allowing the screen to flicker out of existence.
"Do you have a lock on doctor Jackson and O'Neill?" Teal'c inquired.
"Yes." Thor replied before a flash of blueish white light signalled the arrival of Jackson on the bridge of the Asgard ship. He took a few seconds to get his bearings before merely shrugging and goes back to drinking his cup of coffee which he was holding.
"Hay guys." He says totally unconcerned by the fact that he had just been transported from his office deep within the SGC to an alien, though allied, ship in orbit.
"The Asgard's new homeworld of Orilla is in danger of being attacked by the Replicators." Thor stated calmly as he continued to scan for O'Neill's life signs. "We have come here in order to discover a solution to that problem and to save O'Neill's life."
"Okay… so where's Sam?" Jackson asked knowing that she had gone with Teal'c in the modified cargo ship several days earlier.
"She was captured by the Replicators." Teal'c responded with a slight hint of regret in his voice. "The ship that she was on was destroyed however there is a small chance that she survived and is still alive Daniel Jackson."
"Soo… what are your going to do?" Jackson asked just as there was another flash of blueish white light signalling the arrival of O'Neill having been beamed directly into a stasis pod, not as sophisticated as the one in the Antarctic outpost, to help keep him alive during the trip back to Orilla.
"I'm going to connect his mind to the ships computer in order to access the knowledge of the Ancients stored there." Thor explained while he finished the interface and setting up the monitors for O'Neill's vital signs.
"Okay…" Says Jackson nodding not really understanding all of it except that it was probably going to be along the lines of the movie 'The Matrix' which he and Frasier had gone to see the other week, as chaperone's for Cassie's high school.
"Hello? Hello? Testing, testing. One. Two. Three, this thing on. Hellooooo." O'Neill asks over the ships internal comm-system.
"Jack?" Jackson asked glad that he could hear his friend's voice and understand it without having to translate it first.
"Daniel?" O'Neill deadpanned.
"You're not speaking in Ancient anymore?"
"So?"
"Your mind is interfaced with the Daniel Jackson and it is translating it from Ancient into English O'Neill." Thor explains to O'Neill while preparing to enter back into hyperspace for the return trip to Orilla.
"What?" O'Neill asked in shock, before playing with the internal lighting on the bridge of the ship.
"What!" Jackson says nearly spitting his mouthful of coffee out.
"The ship which we are is called the Daniel Jackson." Teal'c replied mentally laughing at the look on Jackson's face.
"Well, ok, and I'm connected to the computers of the ship why?" O'Neill asked having stopped playing with the lights, and appeared as a hologram looking twenty years younger, now that Thor had taken the ship into hyperspace.
"We require access to the Ancient knowledge that is stored within your mind in order to develop a means to defeat the Replicators that are currently on course for the Asgard's new homeworld of Orilla. I am allowing you access to the ships logs' now." Thor explained opening up the most recent ships log's and translating them for O'Neill so that he could read them.
"WOW!" O'Neill said after a few minutes of reading the logs.
"Are you alright O'Neill?" Teal'c asked wondering if the Ancient's knowledge was beginning to affect him.
"I'm fine T. It's just that I'm kind of shocked that the world didn't end when news about the Goa'uld attack went public." O'Neill replied.
"Well the fleet we had in orbit coupled with the Archangel helped to calm the masses, still the middle-east playing up." Jackson sighed in understanding at what O'Neill was saying.
-{[]}-
As the five men entered the centre of the general assembly at the heart of the United Nations building in New York the hundreds of delegates ceased talking and watched as Hayes took his place at the speaker's podium. All noise ceased as the president steeled himself for the inevitable as camera's, radio microphones digital cameras and any other possible recording device was focused on him running and ready to send his words out live around the world. Henry Hayes stood at the centre of the dais, flanked by the other heads of state who made up the IOA council's core members.
"Ladies and Gentleman of the security council, delegates of the United Nations, people of the Earth. This is not an easy thing for me to get through so I humbly ask for everyone to remain silent until my speech has been completed. Approximately a decade ago an advanced piece of technology was uncovered deep within the archives of the weapons, research and development projects of what was formally known as DARPA. This technology allowed humans from this world to set foot on another planet for the first time since the end of the Apollo missions."
"In 1997 a team of soldiers and civilians attached to the United States air force used a hybrid of human and alien technology to leave the solar system and set foot upon a new and unknown planet within this spiral arm of the galaxy. In answer to the dangers that were found out there, a joint defence command was set up under the codename of 'Project Blue Book' was developed to protect the planet at large from attacks by our enemies. Under the command of lieutenant general Hammond of the USAF, he has led the under his command in uncovering new technologies from numerous sources."
"Inevitably, it seemed that the brave travellers from this world would meet a hostile race, one which was bent of dominating all humans as their slaves and forcing them to worship them as gods. This race of parasitic life forms are known as the Goa'uld, which information has already been released to the various news agencies' around the world, believed it is their destiny to rule over all forms of life within the universe. Many had already visited earth in the guise of the gods of many of the ancient religions."
"The war against these parasites has not been without costs however, amongst which were some of the best and brightest soldiers, marines, airman and navel personal from several nations. Doctor William Warner the chief medical officer for Project Blue Book, major Charles Adam Kawalsky USAF, the men and women of the USS Nimitz and her entire battle group are among the people who have died in the line of duty. Others have tried to destroy us merely because we choose to exist as our own race, rather than being slaves and bowing down to beings with delusions of god hood."
"With the knowledge that we have entered a dangerous time, the project was expanded and for the last few years and for this time has been responsible for saving the time and again. Within those travels the team of colonel Jonathan J. M. O'Neill, major Samantha Carter PhD, doctor Daniel Jackson and an allied extra-terrestrial commander by the name of Teal'c, were able to form alliances that have kept the Earth safe from those who would be willing to destroy us. However approximately three years ago a rouge member of the Goa'uld turned his attention towards us."
"Four days ago the cities of St Petersburg, Johannesburg, Sydney, part of the Antarctic ice shelf and the province of Hong Kong were destroyed by an orbital bombardment of plasma weapons. These weapons were part of a concentrated attack by a number of warships belonging to this Goa'uld named Anubis."
"At 08:32 eastern standard time, fifty of what were at the time unidentified warships entered the solar system inside the orbit of the moon heading directly for Earth. They were later identified by NORAD defence command as a fleet of Goa'uld Ha'tak class motherships on a direct course for earth. It was believed and then later confirmed that this fleet had been sent by this Anubis in order to subjugate us, and force us to worship him as god. Soon afterwards a hologram of Anubis was transmitted into the oval office of the white house in an effort to make us surrender without a fight. It was evident by this point that we were to submit to him and it was Anubis's decision that this was to happen in any way possible. This included force of arms and orbital bombardment. As a counter, several countries over the past two years have utilized the technologies discovered on earth and elsewhere in the galaxy to construct our own warships. Allied races from other galaxies was well as other parts of our own have assisted with the production of resources to increase our power projection away from this planet. As such seven warships and a number of fighter wings from around the world and an allied battlefortress and its attached fighter group participated in the battle against the encroaching war fleet."
"In the ensuing battle all fifty mother ships where either disabled or destroyed and over fifteen thousand fighter type craft where wiped out by our own fleet. In comparison two of our own capital ships were heavily damaged with fighter losses running into a great many aircraft and pilots killed. A temporary blinding of the detection systems on board the remaining ships allowed a number of capital ships to pass our defences resulting in the catastrophic damage to our world."
"In response to our requests for help, two of the non-human races that have helped us with the defence of our world in recent years have dispatched ships to assist with rescue efforts of those who were hurt in the attack. For the next few months ships of different types will be visible to the people of this planet. They are not here to invade or kill us. It is because of their help, that the radiation and dust clouds in the air are being removed. Already two of the volcanoes in the pacific and Indonesia areas have been sealed and their magma flows taped off to allow the area around each of the mountains to be repaired and reconstructed by the surviving inhabitants of the countries that these attacks have devastated. It will take time but I am convinced that above all that if we work together we will be able to recover from this tragedy."
-{[]}-
"We must revive him." Thor practically shouts worriedly for O'Neill's life as his vital signs begin to redline.
"Not yet!" O'Neill pleaded as his hologram disappeared as Thor activated the systems to remove the ancient knowledge from his mind and save his life. The alarms stopped and all was silent until O'Neill gave an echoing groan of pain. "Oh man, my head." He groaned as he sat up in the pod.
"Jack," Jackson said as he and Teal'c moved to help their friend back to his feet, "Take it easy. You've been through a lot in the last week."
"Huh, what are you on about?" O'Neill asked still slightly groggy and confused.
"What is the last thing that you remember?" Jackson asked carefully.
"Getting my head sucked by one of those damned ancient head suckers, and something about twins." O'Neill replied slightly dazed still.
"He's fine." Jackson says with a chuckle and sigh of relief.
"Teal'c what's with the hair?" O'Neill asks having noticed that his team mate was now sporting hair instead of his normal bald head.
"O'Neill," Thor said from the console that he was using to control the smaller science ship, "you should feel better momentarily and your memories should return shortly."
"Ok whatever," O'Neill replies still staring at the Jaffa's head, "What's with the hair Teal'c?"
Teal'c merely raised his eyebrow in his customary move for when he was annoyed at the question. "The situation has changed O'Neill."
O'Neill just shrugged and dropped the question, knowing that he would never get an answer out of him but figuring that he could ask Jackson or someone else at the base about it when they got back.
"The specifications for the device you have created remain in the computer." Thor said, "I believe that the ships synthesizers can create it." He added before there was a small flash of blueish white light as the device was created on a nearby pedestal.
O'Neill walked over to the device and looked it over for a few seconds before turning back to the others in the room. "Nice, so what is it?"
"Don't look at us, you built it." Jackson responded looking a little dumbfounded.
"No I didn't." O'Neill replied as he began to poke and prod the device like a little kid.
"Yes you did, using the downloaded ancient knowledge while you were linked to the ships computer." Jackson shot back as if he was explaining something to a child.
"It was doubtful that he would retain the knowledge of its design and its functions." Thor stated sounding a little disheartened but in understanding.
"Alright, let me have a look at it." O'Neill says as he crouches down to get a good look at the device, after a couple of seconds he stands up again. "Yeah… I got nothing."
-{[]}-
As the Jackson class science ship came out of hyperspace the main monitor on the ship suddenly activated with a comm-link showing the face of another Asgard.
"Greetings Thor." Said the other Asgard once he was sure that the connection was established.
"Greetings. Teal'c, doctor Jackson, O'Neill this is Penegal leader of the Asgard federation's high council." Thor said introducing the leader of the Asgard race. "Penegal I am relieved that you are still alive and still able to communicate."
"It may not last long." Penegal says as the screen starts to go snowy with static. "Were you able to procure a means of fighting the Replicators?"
"It's possible but it still requires some more research." Thor explained unsure if the device would work or not.
"You should know that those Replicators… infesting the colony are behaving in an organized fashion… any Replicators we have encountered before." Penegal said as the line cut out a little.
"Maybe there is a human form leader who has yet to revel itself to us."
"What about Sam?" Jackson asked with a touch of hope in his voice. "Have you detected any human life signs on the planet?"
"I am afraid not," Said Penegal sounding sad, "the only life-signs which we have detected are those of our own people fleeing from the Replicators."
"I'm willing to bet that she isn't dead." O'Neill said sounding very determined.
"Her life signs could be masked by the Replicators O'Neill." Teal'c suggested just before the screen flickered and went out.
"We have lost transmission." Thor said worried for his friend and the fate of his people, as he turns his attention back to the device that O'Neill has created. "This is most intriguing."
"Can you make it work?" Jackson asks looking at Thor as a small scanning beam passed back and forth over the device.
"To be honest I am unsure as to what the purpose of the device is." Thor says confused. "Are you certain that you don't know what it is supposed to do O'Neill?"
"I don't know," O'Neill said shrugging, "and to be honest do you really think that I'd just standby when Carter or anyone on this team is captured about it? I have no idea what it is, it could be an Ancient hot dog maker for all I know." He finished as the viewscreen rematerialized.
"Thor, this is commander Hogun of the Valhalla. We have lost contact with the colony on the surface." The Asgard on the screen said, interrupting the argument between Jackson and O'Neill before it could start once more.
"Hogun it is good to see you old friend, comm-links have been terminated on the surface. What have you to report?" Thor asked of his friend, subordinate and troublemaking partner in crime in their youth.
"We have detected what appears to be the remains of a human-form replicator floating in the remains of the debris from the destroyed replicator ship. Somehow it must have survived the explosion of its vessel and has since become inactive." Hogun said, "I am transmitting its location to you now, use caution old friend we as a race cannot afford to lose you and Sif would kick my rass if you were injured now that we might be on the verge of victory over this scourge."
"I will. Daniel Jackson out." Thor said nodding in understanding at the meaning behind the warning about Sif and her temper before closing the comm-link blushing, unbeknownst to the humans on the ship.
"Erm Thor buddy, what are you doing?" O'Neill asks as Thor walks over to another console across the bridge.
"I am going to transport it on board." Thor stated calmly. "Though it is dangerous we must have access to it in order to access the network that the Replicators share to gain intelligence on the human-form which is leading the attack." He explains as a flash of blueish white light appears in front of Thor, revealing his old battle-armour and pistol from his youth, before a second one deposits the frozen form of the human-form replicator in a nearby pod.
"Anyone recognize him?" Jackson asks aiming his new Zentron FN-P117 assault rifle at the pod.
"Nope." O'Neill responds as Teal'c hands him a P-90, since O'Neill didn't like the Zentradi weapon, and Thor slips his armour on. "Is it dead?" He asks as he taps the top of the glass with the muzzle of his personal defence weapon.
"Not entirely." Thor says in a joking tone which makes O'Neill jump back slightly. "As I stated the Replicators are linked through an advanced subspace communications network we can use this network to gain access through multiple points of ingress increasing our chances of finding their leader."
"And if it wakes up, is that pod going to hold it?" O'Neill asked the question that the others were all thinking.
"… It is highly unlikely." Thor admitted as the last piece of his armour was placed on around his small and fragile frame after a moment of thought and manipulating the controls for the pod to activate its containment field. "Though this should increase the chances of us surviving in the event that it reactivates. I have access to the network." He stated checking the charge on his hard-light energy pistol as a holo-screen appeared over the pod filled with static. "I am searching for any references to humans or human-forms now."
It took a few minutes of looking at nothing but the matrix-style static which was the link the Replicators data network, during which O'Neill had asked Thor about his armour and was told that he had not worn it since he was a mere foot hermaour millennia ago, before a woman being held against a wall made up of Replicator blocks appeared through the jumble.
"Sam." O'Neill muttered as he saw the image on the screen. "Can you find her?"
"She is within a small structure on the planet's surface around a hundred kilometres from the outskirts of the colony near the impact site of an asteroid that is rich in neutronium." Thor replied having scanned the area around the structure. Suddenly the screen above the pod flickered and died as the lights in the room dimmed and the field around the containment chamber pulsed several times before snapping off.
"Oh Crap!" O'Neill shouted in panic as he took aim at the body of the Replicator still in the pod.
"The Replicator appears to be reactivating and the containment field has failed. I cannot reactivate it." Thor said trying to reactivate the field, while hoping that his old hard-light pistol would work on the thing like it did against the Haaken all those millennia ago.
Suddenly the damage to the replicator was repaired and its eyes snapped open. It took a few seconds to register its surroundings before staring at all four of them with a glare.
"Beam it out NOW!" O'Neill shouted as he and the others all took aim at the pod, even Thor with his pistol.
"Activating transporter now." Thor said turning to the controls and bathing the pod in a blueish white light, however the Replicator failed to be transported off the ship and thrust its hand through the transparent Trinium as if it was paper and climbed out. A heartbeat later Thor and the three members of SG1 opened fire riddling the Replicator with weapons fire, they stopped shooting a few seconds later and watched in horror as it repaired its self, before charging at O'Neill.
"Thor buddy, a little help!" O'Neill said a little worried and pulling his new Luna titanium combat blade, but before the Replicator could reach him Teal'c tackled it and attempted to fight it in hand-to-hand. The Replicator however was faster and delivered a crippling liver punch to the Jaffa warrior which sent him flying across the bridge like a rag doll.
As Teal'c landed Jackson and Thor opened fire, sending a full clip's of ammunition into the droid in an attempt to slow it down while somebody came up with a plan.
O'Neill seeing the device that he had created earlier makes a dive for it and slides his arm into the opening on it and grasps the handle inside. Instantly the function of the device is imprinted into his mind as he aims the cross-shaped disruption wave generator at the Replicator before thinking 'Fire' and watching as an energy wave washes over the it leaving nothing more than a pile of neutronium based dust.
"What just happened?" Asked Jackson replacing his magazine in his 117 and kneeling down to check on Teal'. "Jack?"
"I figured out what it does." O'Neill sheepishly answers while cradling his new space gun.
"It seems that the device has permanently disrupted the inter-molecular bonds of the nanites cells, rendering them totally inert." Thor said shocked, as he placed his hard-light pistol on to its holster where SG1 just stared at it since it was the first sidearm they had seen any of the Asgard fire, in fact it was the first weapon that they had seen used by them other than their ship based plasma and ion cannons.
"Can you adapt it into a weapon that will affect the plant as a whole?" Jackson asked as Teal'c shook his head while standing and taking aim at the Replicator's mass making sure that it wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.
"I believe so." Thor said. "If I can modify the ships defensive shield matrix to project an energy wave similar to that of the weapon, now that I know what it does, it should work." Thor mused as he adjusted the controls to begin altering the frequency and function of the shield matrix for his ship.
"Great in the mean time we'll head down to the surface and rescue our resident scientist and damsel in distress." O'Neill said as Jackson rolled his eyes and Teal'c merely raised his eyebrow.
"I am unable to transport you directly inside the Replicators structure." Thor stated laughing at the thought of major Carters reaction when she or if she ever found out about that remark. "They have devised a countermeasure to prevent that, but I can get you within one hundred meters."
"Alright, oh one other thing before we go Thor." O'Neill said as the team stood together all geared up with fresh ammo and other combat supplies. "If you that that weapon will end the nightmare of the Replicators once and for all, then do it even if we're still within the structure, ok buddy."
Thor thought about what he was being asked to do by his first friend from outside the Asgard race since the Alteran's had left this area of the universe. "I understand O'Neill." He said nodding in acceptance.
"Well in that case, energise." O'Neill quipped and Jackson groaned at the phrase as SG1 was surrounded in the typical blueish white light of the Asgard transporter system.
-{[]}-
"Yeah who's your daddy!" O'Neill shouted as he blasted away at the hoards' of spider type replicators that were attempting to kill the three men having been attracted by the energy of their beam in.
"SAM!" Jackson shouted over the sound of the gun fire from him and Teal'c.
"Major Carter?" Teal'c said shoving the barrel of the M45D tactical shotgun, that he had asked Thor to make based off of his favourite Tau'ri video game 'Halo', into a rather large techno-bug.
"Stop!" Shouted a voice that the three men knew well, while pausing in their assault and turned to see Fifth standing on the ridge line just behind them. "If you harm me or any more of my of brethren, I assure you that major Carter will die instantly." He said calmly as several larger beetle techno-bugs appeared behind Fifth.
The three men all shared a with one another, before shrugging as they resumed their blasting of the bugs as O'Neill vaporised Fifth with a shot from his new anti-replicator disruptor space gun.
"This way!" Teal'c called as he lead the way across the field which was fast filling up with destroyed replicator blocks and dust from human-form Replicators.
"SG1 this is Thor," The Asgard warrior said over the squad's radio, "I have the fleet in position around the planet and have charged the shields to deliver the pulse around the whole planet on your command." The three stopped in their dash across the field and looked at each other once more.
After a few seconds of silent debate between the three men O'Neill gives Thor the green light. "Do it!"
"Understood. Firing now." A few seconds later a massive purple energy wave washed over them and destroyed the remaining Replicator spider types, the structure and a large spider type ship that was standing nearby. "The weapon has discharged and all of the remaining Replicators have been neutralised."
"And what about Sam?" Jackson asked with a worried tone in his voice for the woman that he loved like a sister.
"I have a lock on a human life sign where the structure was once standing."
"Carter!" O'Neill shouted as he took off at a run towards where the structure had been, after a few seconds Jackson and Teal'c began chasing after him.
"Sam!" Jackson shouted as he began to search through the massive piles of deactivated Replicator blocks.
"Over here!" Teal'c said a short distance from the other two.
"Carter." O'Neill said as he scrambled across the pile of blocks to where Teal'c was and caught sight of her lying there unconscious. "Come on wake up."
Carter groaned slightly before her eyes slowly opened and focused on the man who was now cradling her head. "Jack?"
"Excuse me?" O'Neill asked surprised at her casual use of his name.
"What! Oh… I mean sorry sir." Carter said blushing at what she had just done in front of her friends, not to mention the man she felt more than regulations allowed her to.
"Thor should take a look at you." Jackson said ignoring her shocked expression and the blush on her face.
"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.
"Thor do you have a lock on us?" O'Neill asked speaking into his radio still cradling Carters head.
"Affirmative O'Neill."
"Then beam us up Scotty." O'Neill quipped making both Jackson and Carter groan at the bad Star Trek reference as they disappeared in a blueish white light, as another smaller Asgard cruiser moved into begin removing the replicator blocks from the clearing.
-{[]}-
Rumblings began to echo throughout the general assembly of the United Nations building as the delegates talked among themselves, the chairman of the proceedings slammed a gavel down several times as the microphones around his chair amplified the sound to thunderous proportions, before motioning for Hayes to continue.
"Four the last two years the American government has disclosed the existence of project Blue Book and the alliances to the nations of Russia, China, Japan, France and the United Kingdom, as the most powerful countries in the world. Their assistance as deemed necessary in the view that we were outnumbered, out gunned and stretched thin with access to available resources, however thanks to those countries and a number of critical developments and construction projects were continued leading to the successful repelling of Anubis' attack."
"Any and all aid will be used to help those that are still within the impact zones. Already more than one hundred thousand men and women from the allied nations have begun the task of aiding the survivors. Supplies of all types are moving from the storehouses within those same countries thanks to the orbiting warships of the aforementioned nations and their extra-terrestrial allies."
"However I must remind all that this is merely the first shot of this war, a war which we did not start but will in turn strike back with every means at our disposal. We are not warmongers nor are we willing to take this without revenge, in agreement with my esteemed colleagues of the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth, the Russian Federation, the Republic of France, the Democratic Peoples' Republic of China and the Sovereign State of Japan, hereby declare war on the System Lords of the Goa'uld empire."
"This may be a long and bloody war. We will take losses and we will lose men and women whom had signed on for the defence of the planet against its foes, but I will be damned if we allow the memories of those who were murdered by this unprovoked attack upon our world to go unavenged, or forgotten. In the fullness of time we will fight back, but until that time all we can do is prepare ourselves for this war and its aftermath."
"Ladies and gentleman of the planet Earth, thank-you."
Instantly the delegates began to rumble as the full effect of Hayes words began to sink in, several countries did little due to their foreknowledge of what was happening during this meeting. Shouts from a number of blocks began to rain upon the leaders, claims of conspiracy and outright lying to the world flew back and forth between the two sides, even a few demands that everything involved with this defence project be handed over to all of the nations of the world. The noise became extreme as the shouts became roars, as dozens if not hundreds of representatives screamed about the 'lies' that the American's and the allies had made up about this non-existent extra-terrestrial threat.
A familiar flash of blueish white light disrupted the increasing agitated crowd of politicians, when it faded two figures stood on the dais exactly where Hayes had stood on before finishing his speech. One of the two beings appeared to be human, and in fact was, but the other was very different, the room was so silent that you could hear the sound of the air conditioning as the delegates watched in open mouthed shock.
"I will never get used to that." The British ambassador whispered to Blair, "Colonel, supreme commander, welcome back."
"Thank-you mister Baker." Thor said to the man he had met when the British, French, Chinese and Japanese had been informed about the stargate and its associated programs a few years earlier. Barker had gotten over his shock at meeting the first small Asgard commander relatively fast leading to a number of talks about their cultures and the fact that a number of the Norseman had flourished after settling throughout Europe.
"Sorry for just beaming in like this, but we thought that you, might like to hear some of this from those of us who have been there on the exploration missions. No offence meant Mr president." O'Neill said into the microphone, having recently returned from the Asgard's new homeworld and beamed in from the SGC after stopping off there long enough to pick up his dress blues. "My name is colonel O'Neill of the United States Air Force, commander of the primary exploration team on 'Project Blue Book' with me here is Supreme Commander Thor, commander of the Asgard fleet."
"Shortly after the alien technologies which have allowed us to travel off world, I took a team of ten from Earth to the planet Abydos. During our first mission we discovered a race of humans originally transplanted from Earth, or more precisely from the Egyptian empires of between five and ten thousand years ago. These humans were kept as slaves for the mines that ere on the planet by a member of the parasitic race known as the Goa'uld that went by the name of Ra. Most of the first team which we took off-world were killed by this beings guards, those of us who survived where able to aid the locals in claiming their freedom after thousands of years of servitude by destroying Ra's vessel with him aboard."
"During the past decade we have fought off several attacks by the Goa'uld, artificial intelligences, energy creatures and even other human cultures that have wanted nothing more than to make us slaves or to simply destroy us for who we are for their own reasons, every man and women who died in the defence of this world has done so in the knowledge that they were keeping the wolves from the door for at least another day. I've seen too many people die over the years to allow any megalomania to simple walk in and takeover because they believe that it is their 'divine right' to rule over us. While it is true that we have made enemies that are powerful enough to destroy us in a blink of an eye, we have also made allies that can do the same to our enemies. One of those allies is a race familiar to anyone who knows the myths and conspiracy theories regarding the 1947 weather balloon crash outside of Roswell, New Mexico. I present to the assembled nations of the United Nations, Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard Federation's fleet."
The silence became palpable as the very slight form of the Asgard approached the dais while his command chair lifted up a small amount to interface with the more primitive radio microphones used to communicate by the humans of the Tau'ri. "Greetings to you all from the high council of the Asgard federation. In order to explain who and what we are it would be prudent to inform you all of the history of the galaxies which we involve ourselves with. Many thousands of years ago the Asgard where a member of an alliance of four races, much like this assembly, Asgard, the Nox, the Furling's and the Alteran's also known as the Ancients. As each of our races fell or simply became introvert the alliance was dissolved until we were all that was left of the older races."
"It was at this time that the last few Alteran's that were capable of doing so disappeared from this space and evolved into another form. Their few surviving brethren had decided merely to remain on Earth and interbreed with the new race that was beginning to take form on the oldest of their planets. This race was rediscovered by the Asgard with the arrival of Jonathan O'Neill to our homeworld several years ago."
"With the help of your people we have been able to defend not only this galaxy but my own from races that would make slaves or hosts of those that they saw as being inferior. We were unable to cease the rise of the Goa'uld Empire as they prayed in the ancient peoples of the Earth. It is indeed fortunate for both our races that our respective peoples managed to find each other at the very time we needed each other. It is the human drive, willingness for self-sacrifice and pure stubbornness which has allowed your people to thrive within the interstellar community, and for these reasons many species, including my own, thank the people of Earth for everything that they have endured thus far."
"In return for the assistance that the soldiers of your world have given us, the Asgard high council has authorized the continued presence of our ships within your system to protect the people of Earth against any possible intrusion by the enemies of our respective races. Additionally, we have already begun the long task of removing the ash, dust and other pollution from the impact sights, and your own nuclear weapons testing, to allow for those areas which were destroyed to be reclaimed."
"We cannot give you back that which you have lost but we can assist you in your war against the Goa'uld that have attacked this planet and its innocent population. I have been further authorized by the entire high council of the Asgard Federation to annual the protected planets treaty between the people of earth and the Goa'uld Empire, on the grounds of preventing to enact clause 2198 of the treaty in which you will stop any and all members of the Goa'uld from launching an attack on any of the worlds in the treaty. This treaty will be replaced with a mutual defence treaty between our respective powers."
"While the Asgard as a race cannot at this time join the humans of Earth in declaring war upon those that have attacked your world we can at least inform you that you are not alone in this universe we will never allow you to believe otherwise, we owe you much that we may not repay but we will not leave you to go this alone. Thank-you for listening."
The shock that the human race had been in regular contact with an extra-terrestrial race was still percolating through the minds of many of the UN, reporters and security forces, that nobody really noticed when O'Neill, the heads of state for the IOA core members and Thor all disappeared in flash of blueish white light.
A few seconds later the group reappeared on of the O'Neill class ship Teal'c, in its aft observation lounge still in orbit, with the rest of the fleet.
"Well that went well." Hayes said. "Commander Thor, I thank-you for your help down there. I'm not sure what would have happened had we been unable to keep the delegates calm."
"Understandable caution, Mr president. I do fear however that the lack of disclosure regarding the stargate may be problematic in the future. Your speech was impressive but I don't believe that you will be able to keep the truth behind closed for much longer."
"Yeah I know, but until we can figure out how to tell the world about the gate, its best to keep it under wraps. At least now we don't have to hide quiet so much. Gentlemen it was kind of you to take the time to assist me with this today, let's just hope that it hasn't permanently damaged our chances of staying in power. We'll begin the full scale transfer to your respective countries of both personnel and resources to refit your shipyards to build Minerva, Nelson, Drake, Prometheus upgrades and Star Wolves and Starmax's."
Zemin spoke up. "Then you are going to remove the block from the rightful supply of equipment and personnel? Your armed forces will be unhappy with that Henry, especially as technically we are still a hostile power to the United States. This is something that will not change overnight even with the disclosure of our alliance against the Goa'uld."
"The problem gentlemen will be that China, as a country is considered hostile by all the other members of this alliance," Blair said, "we included. I don't see any of our countries allowing large amounts of critical or exotic resources to arm a hostile culture. No offense intended, Jiang."
"None taken Tony, however my people will demand that we be given access to all data and materials needed. This is something that I will not be able to stave off for very long."
"I've managed to get the chiefs of staff to budge on a certain amount of the necessary supplies." Hayes put in. "But so far barely enough to expand to a large scale production of Star Wolf fighters. Simply put, they don't trust you, the Russians or the Zentradi that much, even with your assistance with the alliance."
"So that is why they 'offered' us the Korolev as a bargaining chip, so we wouldn't think much on their holding back the necessary resources to build our own ships." Laughed Putin. "Your staff is crafty, Henry but my cabinet will also be unhappy when they hear of this. Your people have already dragged out the dissemination of the information that we should have gotten long ago." Putin warned.
"Well, I hope we can settle this," Blair piped up, hoping to prevent an argument between the two men, "We'll need all the help we can get to fight the Goa'uld. It's time we settled the problems between our countries and began a real defence of this world, after all the 'Cold War' ended in the eighties."
"I know, I know. It's going to take time to get the military to listen to the fact that we're goanna need help to get any kind of joint military command structure in place." Hayes said sounding dejected. "I'll do what I can gents, but for now we'll have to stick with what we've got, again thank-you all for coming it was greatly appreciated."
"Then I believe that's our cue to return to whatever government may still be in power," Zemin said jokingly. "God knows what this will do to any of your parties. Good luck gentlemen I have a feeling that we may need it. Commander Thor it was a pleasure to finally meet you in person, are ambassador the UN speaks highly of you"
"Thank-you Mr prime minister, I enjoyed my conversations with yours and the British ambassadors. I will now return you all to your countries of residence." Thor said as he watched as the human contingent disappeared from his ship leaving him to his thoughts. "Bridge this is commander Thor, I require a direct link to the High Council immediately."
"Right away commander."
-{[]}-
"Ok that's it, the shits hit the fan!" Hammond said pinching the bridge of his nose. "Communications give me an all stations channel." He ordered and waited, after a few seconds the comm-officer nodded to Hammond letting him know that the channel was open. "All forces, all stations this is the Prometheus, as you are no doubt aware by now the world at large knows of us and what we are capable of. As of now I am authorised to enact 'Disclosure plan Alpha one', all stations are to go into lockdown until informed otherwise. The civilians know we're up here and will be looking for any proof of any dealings with alien technology, increase all patrols along the perimeters and inform the SGC of any incursions. Good luck people, Prometheus out."
"Sir, message from the Archangel. It's commodore Hudson sir." The communications officer said looking rightly confused. "He's recommending that the rotational cycle commence. All ships are to begin refit and rearmament in daily cycles. We're first."
"Acknowledge the signal and inform the rest of the fleet that we are heading for the Nevada yards. Looks like the folks are in for an in for an eye-full when we land this time."
"Aye sir"
"Advise the SGC that I have transferred the flag at this time to the Daedalus, alright everyone else stay at your positions. Patch me through to the Archangel."
"The Archangel is answering sir, commodore Hudson on the line."
"Commodore, this is Hammond, the public is in the know. Please stand-by for landing instructions."
"Copy that general, somehow I don't think people would like it if a massive space dock was moved into orbit." Joked Hudson. "Somewhere not to public but near the water would be nice since the Archangel is a big lady." Hudson said putting extra strength on the word big, given that the Archangel came in at 15,000 meters in length and a touch over 700 meters wide.
"Understood, I for one don't want to piss off anyone else if we can help it. We'll figure somewhere for you to land within allied areas, lord knows where but we'll sort something out."
"How I wish that your Earth had a Macross scale dry-dock dirtside." Joked Dvorak in the background causing Hudson, Hammond and the bridge crews to laugh slightly. "Well just hang around up here and await further instructions."
"Thank-you Prometheus out." The channel closed and the technician frowned as a high pitched radio squeal interrupted the channels for a moment, logging the anomaly the officer continued to monitor the myriad of both radio and subspace channels which his station were assigned. "Sorry sir, some kind of feedback from the connection."
"Understood, all hands this is Hammond report to landing stations immediately. Helm begin landing sequence."
"Landing sequence aye, adjusting shields to re-entry levels, weapons are secured. All systems show green across the board." Said major Grant from the helm.
"Take us in."
Dropping from orbit the Prometheus plunged into the atmosphere, its shields beginning to glow under the strain as the pressure and heat of re-entry built up. Unlike the other times that they had been required to return to its berth in the docks at Area 51 there was no need to keep their presence a secret from by standers, so anybody that was looking into the night sky of the US would see a flaming streak heading directly for the surface.
The approach to the Nevada shipyards was as quiet and uninterrupted as normal, as the base came into view the roads around the base seemed to be different, with signs of life with tens of hundreds of people packing them. Members of the public from the nearby towns had flocked to the area which surrounded Area 51 and the Nevada dry-docks. Somehow the information about the SGC and its associated bases had become common knowledge, and as they closed they could see that the thin chain-link fence and guard patrols had been replaced.
There was hundreds of armed troops, machine-gun nests even artillery and armoured units deployed all around the base's perimeter. Many looked up in the night sky as the forward landing lights of the Prometheus began to light up the area due to her downward approach, the view changed slightly as the orientation of the landing path smoothed out. The public began to scream and cheer as the Prometheus closed with the ground, arm and banners waved at the starship but the shouts and praise of the majority of the crowd was sadly inaudible to the crew.
"It's nice to see that we're appreciated once in a while." Harriman smirked from the forward science station.
"Don't get to cocky chief this could still go downhill fast." Hammond cautioned in a happy tone of voice.
"Yes sir." The SGC veteran replied.
A large number of protesters and hoodlums that had mixed in with the supporters which where milling around closer to the fences with a number of them shouting and swearing at the military personnel. As the bridge crew watched some of the more dangerous mobs began to pelt the guards and the fence in an attempt to break through into the guarded base compound. Bottles, rocks and even a few homemade Molotov cocktails smashed into the ground in front of the security forces.
There was no response from the military police units, and until the attackers began to break the fences or attempt to physically force their way into the base, their orders were to hold their positions. However a number of the troops had loaded their weapons with In'tar rounds or grabbed a Zat'nik'tel in place of their normal side arms, just in case a riot broke out and it had to be dealt with.
Within the Prometheus herself an alarm sounded as the scanners picked up an incoming weapon a second before a single anti-air missile slammed into the currently unshielded hull directly onto the mid-ship anti-gravity drives. The Prometheus didn't even shudder from the impact to the Naquadah/ Trinium composite laminated armour, which was rated to withstand blasts from plasma weapons and rail-gun rounds, so the single man portable anti-air weapon did nothing but scratch the paint on the advanced ship.
"Major?" Hammond asked.
"Hit from a single anti-air missile sir. It impacted on the portside anti-gravity thrusters, no appreciable damage caused, however the other generators are adjusting to compensate for the damage." Grant reported with a visible scowl that someone would take a cheap pot shot at her ship.
"How did it get through the shields?" Asked Ronson his left arm in a cast from a broken forearm caused during the battle.
"Shields were off-line for a few seconds to restart after re-entry, we lost cohesion if the fields from the number four generator over Nebraska. The shooter got lucky sir, they got the shot in before the system had reset, sir."
"Track the launcher, I want to know where that bastard is." Ronson ordered darkly before Hammond had a chance to issue the order himself.
"Aye sir." Grant said as she tasked the ships sensors to scan the crowds on all sides attempting to find and track the position of their armature attacker, traces of the propellant used by the STINGER missile where easily traced by the Asgard/ Zentron hybrid sensors on the Prometheus. Seconds later several people within the area of the attacker were treated to the sight of a small SUV and its passengers disappearing in a flash of bluish white light.
Both of the passengers of the SUV were shocked to find that they had been transported to within the very ship that they had just fired on, and surrounding them on all sides were some very angry looking marines and crew members and even a few Humvee looking Laser Rapid Assault Trackers all point rifles, machine guns or heavy looking wrenches at them, with only a light blue force-shield separating them from one another.
"Got them sir." Grant said after the completing the scans and beaming the attackers on board. "They've been transported to the main forward cargo hatch, force fields are operational on all sides these two are going nowhere. Their weapons have been removed from their SUV and placed in the main armoury."
"Idiots, both of them. Begin docking sequence take us in major." Hammond said sounding displeased.
"Aye sir, all sections are go for docking."
Several miles away from the watching crowds, two massive doors opened in the sand of the dry lake bed of the Nevada desert. Cutting its forward thrusters the Prometheus came to stop and hover over its underground docking facility and gently lowered into the docking bay below before cutting power as automated docking latches locked on and began to power the systems of the ship.
"Ship is down, all engines are off-line, systems are set to station keeping and docking clamps are secure." Grant said as she turned to face both Hammond and Ronson. "Bay is secure sirs. All docking and access gantries are moving into position now."
"Thank-you major, now let's go see what these jokers have to say for themselves." Hammond said darkly.
Authors Notes:
So I've taken a little longer on this one than I had planned, as I have had a lot of personal problems on my plate, and I wanted to make sure that I did a decent 'disclosure' chapter that wasn't just a simple here's the truth and if you don't like sorry sort of thing as well as base it more in the real world so I had to spend a little bit of time researching the different leaders other than Hayes who had been in power back in the early 2000's for the core members of the IOA.
I also decided that the design of the Prometheus as the to make it something that was more along the lines of the 304's in terms of fire power from the end of Atlantis, but more along the lines of an Izumo class battleship from Gundam Seed, now I know that this is a Robotech centred story but as most of the ships in the Robotech/ Macross universe are designed as carriers first battleships second, I've lent some of the more modern Gundam ships for the story.
Now for those of you know the story line of stargate, you will remember that in the episode 'Hero's part 2' they killed off doctor Fraiser, and though she was only a recurring character, I liked her and could see her and Daniel getting together as a couple, so I haven't killed her off as she was saved from a direct hit due to a drop shield like the ones used in Halo, while she worked on saving the downed solider.
Also I'm taking suggestions for names of ships for the Earth fleet, but I will not be accepting, Galactica, Enterprise, Excelsior, Defiant, Andromeda or Victory as they are in the works for the later books.
