Ace In The Hole
Chapter 11
The Asgard beaming technology on board the Nautilus platform was less than a day old and already it had transported more people in the past 23 minutes than any of the 304's. Each traveller vessel was designed to carry 2500 people but of course as time had gone on population had increased and the ships life support had been tweaked until capacity had been doubled to over 5000 people crammed into every available inch of space.
Nautilus was unable to cope with such sheer numbers so a constant flow of people men, women and children were being beamed down into the platform and then sent through to a rather surprised and bewildered Atlantis. Coughlin and Reed had been sent back by Lorne to help bring Sheppard up to speed and the crews of the Earth ships had been drafted in to help keep the refugees moving to their assigned meeting points.
"Larin that's all the people except those on the bridge I suggest you set the ship to auto and we will beam you down" says Carter.
[Can't do that the navigation system is blown… we'll take it from here… keep my people safe that's all I ask] there is a finality in Larin's voice that Carter recognises all to well. On board the stricken traveller vessel Larin settles wearily into the commanders chair noting the two officers and friends beside her that she has known and loved all her life, Suddenly there is a flash and three men are standing in front of her smiling.
"Sorry to drop in un-announced ma'am…. General Jack O'Neill…. And this is Lt. Colonel Lorne and Lt. Weir… thought we would lend a hand….." O'Neill smiles at the confused women who is just about to reply when…
"Hive just dropped out of Hyperspace…" the small officer to the right announces.
"Raise shields… power weapons… lets make this look good don't want them to think we just gave up" Larin smiles but the smile doesn't reach her eyes she is tired and knows they can't win "General I'm sorry you won't be getting off anytime soon"
"Well …. Never mind…. I hate to miss the fun anyway" O'Neill replies looking calm and totally un-phased by what's going on, Larin can't help feel that things are a little surreal O'Neill and his officers are acting like they haven't a care in the world.
The pilot of the traveller vessel accelerates and tries to desperately turn his ship around and get behind the lumbering hive ship where its weapons have little or no coverage but time and time again the hive manages to keep pounding the ship with heavy weapons fire. Eventually he manages to pull high above the hive and takes the opportunity to line his ship up for his final valiant attack.
"We are taking heavy damage should we do it?" The pilot looks to Larin knowing they have no choice.
"Sorry General thanks for trying t…"
[Carter to O'Neill]
"Go ahead Carter…. It's about time" O'Neill can't help himself snapping he's getting to old for these kinda stunts.
[We have a lock…. On your orders]
"What's going on General?" A number of blasts hit the ship.
"Time to get out of here I think" Lorne slaps a patch on the pilot, Alex Slaps one on Larins shoulder as O'Neill slaps one on the other officer "After you ma'am" O'Neill smiles.
"Helm send those bastards to hell!" finally allowing herself a little hope…. Maybe the General doe's know what he's doing after all.
"Course set" The pilot states.
"Now Carter" as soon as the words are spoken the six people disappear in the light of an Asgard transporter.
The traveller vessel Kaldara slams into the Wraith hive ship from above the front of both ships break apart and for the briefest of moments time seems to stand still… until first one then two small detonations grow until both vessels explode in a huge fireball.
"Thanks…. But how?" Larin couldn't help be intrigued she knew the Lanteans had advanced beaming technology but thought shields would block the devise.
"This" Lorne held up a small device almost like a modern cell phone "It allowed us to match the beaming frequency to the shields" he offers with an apologetic smile.
"Captain Cadman sorry for all the excitement…. Be sure to relay all your requests to Landry and I will make sure you get what you need….. You and your base did a good job today…. keep it up"
O'Neill offers to a for once silent Cadman.
Less than one hour later Sheppard, Woolsey, Teyla, Ronon and Larin are sitting in the conference room and as usual Sheppard and O'Neill have hatched a plan.
"So…. Larin…. You missed me so much you went and got your ship all blown up…. Ouch….. Gotta say…. reeks of desperation." Sheppard grins at Larins murderous glare.
"So what happens now?" She finally asks as O'Neill, Carter and McKaye enter the room and sit down.
"How many ships have you got?" O'Neill asks bluntly he has always liked the direct approach leave the messing about and double talk to the politicians and diplomats to sort out later.
Larin likes this O'Neill not only has he rescued her people but he put himself not some grunt in the middle of the action… this man leads from the front…. Much like Sheppard she grudgingly admits to herself…. So she too decides to be honest and blunt…. Hell what's she got to loose.
"After today we have 7 ships left… but a further 5 are stuck on the ground or stranded in space in various states of disrepair… like I said we have no where to repair them" Larin feels a sudden release of tension, some of their leaders were so desperate to deny the problems they face that to say it out loud felt good….. In a sad kinda way.
"Dr McKaye…." The lights suddenly dim as an image appears onscreen.
"This is a Sentinel Satellite….The six extra months we were on Earth have allowed area 51 to finally make these babies viable" Rodney offers Teyla and Ronon a small smile they had been annoyed at the time when he had agreed that the city should stay on Earth, now he needed them above all to understand why "Each Sentinel satellite can be positioned above a planet…. They each have a sophisticated sensor package on board and are equipped with a modified Sodan cloaking device making them completely undetectable"
"How are they going to help us?" Teyla asks calmly.
"Each satellite will act like our eyes and ears…. and though satellites this small ordinarily couldn't operate such powerful sensors as well as a cloak and a high power subspace transceiver we have thankfully figured a way around it" Rodney grins.
"Who figured a way around it Rodney?" Carter asks with a smile.
"I….. um…. Dr Cairns may have helped….. anyway…..The gate network uses the dedicated subspace signal that constantly monitors and checks each gates position in relation to each other… updating the system as needed" Rodney grins "We…. With Dr Cairns help managed to find a way to piggy back that signal… it's totally encoded and undetectable"
"I don't want to sound selfish General but what's this system got to do with us?" Larin can't help be nervous she had low expectations of the help she was to receive what could she offer in return.
"Help us set this network up…. information is the most valuable asset in any war…. If we know the precise movements of the Wraith we can co-ordinate a response…. Evacuate worlds or at least warn people that danger is coming" O'Neill offers.
"Plus we have three landing and repair facilities sitting out there to help fix up your ships…. they are at your disposal when needed" Woolsey adds with an honest smile.
"Plus we are willing to give you full access to the network as its brought online….and….to show you that we mean business…. there is a fully functional and fully armed Ancestral warship parked out there…. Yours if you commit to helping us" Sheppard grins at the slightly shocked women sitting opposite "I have had most of your people moved on board…. Just in case…. You say yes"
"Why?...why would you give us so much?" Larin can not turn her back on her suspicious nature it has kept her alive thus far.
"Earth is one world…. we can carry the banner and take up the fight but ultimately this is your galaxy…. Your home and when that time finally comes…. and the Wraith are finally defeated we need those who are victorious to treat the worlds left behind with care and respect" Woolsey says earnestly to Larin though he were looking deep into her soul.
"Join us and get all the benefits we have said…. for few just conditions…. You help us set up the network…. You maintain the secrecy of this city for as long as possible…. You follow our rules of conduct and our lead" Sheppard states suddenly serious "The Ancestors screwed us big time…. now it's up to us to deal with the problem…. So are you in or out?"
"I need to speak to Teyla and Ronon alone first" Larin stumbles out unsure why she has exactly.
"I need to get cake anyway and go explain this to our IOA friends…. So I will say an hour…. OK?" O'Neill's up and out like a shot and everyone else filters out.
"You're Athosian right?" Teyla nods with a smile.
"Satedan?" Ronon nods with a frown.
"Are they for real?... I mean they aren't even from this galaxy and they are willing to go toe to toe and take the Wraith on knowing full well that the Ancestors…. Couldn't even stop them" Larin is pacing she is feeling both fear and elation and at the moment.
"After the resolve they showed in defeating the replicator's you, still doubt them?" Teyla can't help sound annoyed she has fought side by side by Sheppard and the people of Earth for so long that to her they are family. "They could have just kept the city on their homeworld and no one here could have stopped them but instead they have returned to fight beside us…. Die beside us even…. In the hopes of freeing this galaxy for all"
"This is home" Ronon offers simply to receive a frown from Larin.
"I believe Ronon means that many here Colonel Sheppard and Rodney included see Atlantis and Pegasus as home…. They will fight with everything they have to keep it and all of us safe" Teyla adds with a smile "They offer so much and all they ask in return is that you follow their lead and their rules"
"Their rules…. That might just be too much for my people to handle…. We are so used to getting the job done…. Needs often take precedence over rules" Larin grimaces she knows she herself can often be a little gung-ho, Sheppard could testify to that after their first encounter.
"I have to admit that at first I believed their rules of conduct made them weak…. But I realised it gave them strength and a morale core that others cannot deny" Teyla continues to explain realising that Larin wants to hear, she needs to know beyond any doubt that if she places the fate of her people in their hands that trust will not be betrayed "When Earths people unlocked the secrets of the stargate…. they discovered a galaxy dominated by a powerful and cruel race. Hundreds of worlds were enslaved and with no advanced technology no plan they managed to not only defeat that enemy but also save an ally of the Ancestors from their enemy and free another entire galaxy from persecution…. And never once have they asked for anything except friendship and honesty in return" Teyla could see by the wistful look in Larin's eyes that she had convinced her.
"So then…. Ma'am…. What you decided to do?" O'Neill offers Larin a knowing smile "Not that I'm being pushy…. I just wanna get back for important business as it were"
"Forget to tape The Simpsons again….Sir?" Carter grins at O'Neill's friendly glare.
"One extra small condition…. Your transportation technology" Larin knows she is pushing her luck but hey it's worth a try she figures.
"Sorry…. But that ones a no" replies O'Neill.
"Rings…. We could fit Goa'uld rings on board their ships…. Should be easy enough to do" Carter offers to a confused looking Larin.
"They work like the cities transporter booths…. Allow you to travel between one set to another…. work over a fair distance as well" McKaye offers as way of further explanation.
"It's a win Larin…. Trust me" Sheppard smiles.
"OK….I'm in…. and I will contact the rest of my people and try to convince them this is the best way forward" says finally smiling.
"Well Jonathan…. This place is never dull…. Less than a week and you have discovered an Ancient construction facility…. An Ancient outpost complete with ship yards and are on your way to creating a new permanent alliance" James Dunham smiles fondly to his nephew. "I know one thing John…. If my big sister is looking down on us right now…. she is gonna be bursting with pride at the man you have become…. You take care"
James puts his arms around his nephew giving him a hug and although at first hesitant he finds himself hugging his uncle back, but he is still a little surprised when he feels a single tear falling down his own cheek. He finally hears the stargate activate and James simply smiles warmly then nods and follows O'Neill and the others through the gate without saying anything more.