Chapter 3

First Contact

***Milky Way Galaxy (Local Spur Arm)***

**Dead Space (Location Unknown)**

*USS Odyssey (Briefing Room) [thirty minutes later]*

After nearly twenty minutes of arguing, the Italian aboard the Odyssey, who apparently showed up out of nowhere, had talked Daniel into waiting until they had more data before contacting this new fleet of unknowns. Now he, SG-1, and the senior staff of the Odyssey sat in the Briefing Room going over all the sensors data they had available to them.

"This is the Galactica," Daniel said as a picture of the largest ship popped up on the screen behind him. The picture showed a blown up photo of the word 'Galactica' painted on the ship's hull.

At this point Carter jumped in saying, "They have no shields or energy weapons. Their primary form of defense is a layer of armor that, in simulations, can withstand direct, low yield nuclear strikes. We also know that they have nuclear weapons of such a caliber, which leaves us to infer that the ships that attacked them have similar weapons."

Daniel then picked up with, "What we know about their cultural background is gained from studying their language, but their ship designs resemble…"

He was cut off as an announcement came over the ship-wide intercom. "Two unknown contacts just appeared on sensors," Marks' voice announced. With that, the people assembled in the Briefing Room hurried to the Bridge. Well, all but one who simply sat there looking disappointed.

"This will end in disaster," he said to the empty room.

*USS Odyssey (Bridge)*

As Colonel Davidson and the others ran onto the Bridge, Marks said, "Same thing as last time, sir. Two ships showed up out of nowhere and started firing on the fleet. The fleet's ships started vanishing as soon as they did."

"How are we not seeing them coming? Is it the damage to the sensors?" Davidson asked.

"It's a possibility I won't rule out. Gabi says that the relays aren't getting proper reception because the external dishes were damaged by energy that bled-through the shields. She and a few of the members of the repair team are suiting up to take a closer look at the arrays," Sam replied as she looked over Marks' shoulder.

"This could be good," Daniel mused.

"Damaged sensors is good how?" Davidson asked.

"What? No, not that," Daniel replied with a dismissive wave. "We play hero. Save them from their enemy to gain their trust."

"It could work," Mitchell admitted with a noncommittal shrug, "or it could blow up in our faces. If they don't believe in coincidental meetings then they'll think it was a setup. Add to that the fact that the jammers aren't operating at peak efficiency and I'm willing to bet that the big ship can detect us when we're not actively cloaked."

"Alright, you guys are the experts here. What's your opinion, Sam?" Davidson asked, turning to face the blonde who was, arguably, the smartest person in the SGC.

With a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look, Sam said, "I have to agree with Cam. If they think it's a setup they'll be on guard, but I also see Daniel's point. Some people appreciate help like that. Honestly it could go either way and it'll depend entirely on who they are as a people, not our skills in negotiating."

"Ok then. Get us battle ready, looks like we're playing hero today," Davidson said to the helmsman. Once again the shields were raised, the weapons armed, the engines primed and the cloak dropped.

*Battlestar Galactica (Combat Information Center)*

As the Cylons began their attack, the Colonial Fleet started to jump away. After about a minute, DRADIS barley registered another ship in the area. As the unknown ship, which matched the general characteristics of the one from before, in other words, the fact that they couldn't get so much as the size of the damned thing, turned into the battle, the Cylons ignored it and continued their attack on Galactica.

From his post at Galactica's DRADIS table, Lieutenant Gaeta watched in utter bewilderment as the comparatively tiny ship banked into the firefight and started to fire on one of the far larger Cylon Baseships from a range that should have been impossible while moving at speeds that should've killed the crew.

As the ship came into the Cylon's much shorter firing range, it was locked onto to and received a return volley from several missiles. The missiles were intercepted by the guns of the smaller ship which then flew 'over' the Cylon Baseships and launched a single missile of its own.

"Radiological alarm!" Dee announced.

The warning rang through the CIC above the clamor of the impacts to the outer hull just before the missile detonated in the void between the two Baseships. The resulting nuclear explosion was far greater than the Colonials thought possible. After the EM field created by the single explosion of one nuclear weapon cleared and the sensors were no longer blinded, the Galactica was able to see the results of the blast. One of the Baseships had been utterly shattered by the shockwave and the other's arms were twisted, blackened, and aflame. The Raider bays were in the process of suffering the same fate and the secondary explosions tore the arms off. The core of the ship, now completely compromised, simply gave out and exploded along with the rest of the starfish-shaped ship.

"What's the status of the fleet?" Adama asked, a tight edge to his voice.

"There's still three more ships that need to jump out," Dee said from her place at the comms station. "Make that one… The last ship is away."

"Get us back to the fleet," Adam ordered with shock mixed with fear clear in his tone.

*USS Odyssey (Bridge)*

"Colonel Davidson, we're detecting a buildup of power in the Galactica that's identical to the one detected on the other ships before they vanished," Marks reported. "I estimate less than a minute before they have enough power to leave.

"They're leaving? Without saying 'thanks'?" Mitchell asked.

"So it would seem," Teal'c replied in an 'isn't that obvious?' tone while doing that… thing he always does with his eyebrows.

"Alright, take us out," Davidson ordered. Space rent and tore, and, when the window was fully formed, the Odyssey jumped into hyperspace.

*Battlestar Galactica (Combat Information Center)*

"Sir! The unknown craft vanished after another high energy spike," Gaeta reported in a concerned tone.

"If they've been following us they could be headed towards the fleet. Jump us out now!" Adama ordered. After a brief moment of distortion, the Galactica reappeared with the rest of the civilian fleet. A few seconds later a 'cloud' appeared on the outer edge of the Colonial Fleet, picked up only as an immense energy spike. From it came the unknown ship, which shot out then rapidly decelerated, coming to a full stop a few feet from the now vanished cloud. "Lock weapons on that ship, but wait for my order to fire. Put us between them, and the fleet."

"Sir, we're being hailed," Gaeta reported.

"Put it through the speakers," Adama ordered.

*USS Odyssey (Bridge)*

The speakers crackled as the static of the primitive communications system bled through the Odyssey's comms channel. Making a few adjustments, Sam said, "That's as clear as I can make it. Sorry."

"You did your best," Daniel said approvingly. Turning his attention to the open line, he listened to the voice and breathed a sigh of relief when a slightly accented variation of English came over the fuzzy channel. That would make things easier for the rest of the people listening in. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that, we didn't hear you clearly?" Daniel asked as he mentally thanked Marcus for updating the translation software which would work both ways.

"This is Galactica Actual, Commander Adama speaking. You are approaching the Colonial Fleet. Stand down or you will be fired upon," a commanding voice ordered them.

"Commander Adama, this is Doctor Daniel Jackson of the Tau'ri vessel the USS Odyssey. We will cut power to our engines, but will keep our weapons armed. No offense, but we trust you just about as much as you trust us." Over the years, Daniel had learned how to be stern yet open in negotiations, a skill that he found was best used when dealing with the Priors. Given their blind religious devotion, however, it never worked, but it was almost always the best way to go.

"That is unacceptable, Doctor Jackson. Your weapons will be disabled as well," Adama countered.

After a moment's pause, Daniel said, "Your weapons are locked onto our ship. So long as they remain that way, we will keep our weapons active."

"You are approaching our fleet, Doctor. Don't mistake our hospitality for weakness."

"What hospitality? As soon as we arrive after helping you, you treat us as the enemy, yet we have done nothing to deserve this," Daniel countered.

*Battlestar Galactica (Combat Information Center)*

Shutting off the radio, Adama asked, "How long until we can jump the fleet?"

"We still have to calculate the course, and distribute it. The main problem there it that we risk them intercepting the transmission," Tigh said.

Turning the radio back on, Adama said, "So you haven't, have you? Then explain something to me. Why is this the third time we've seen your ship in such a close timeframe."

"The first time was because you actually stumbled onto our position. The second was because our hyperdrive failed mid-jump and we ended up in the same location as your fleet and we tried to help you. This time was because we followed you here to see if you could help us," Daniel replied.

*USS Odyssey (Cargo Hold Nine)*

"I know that look," Kimi said when Oliver walked in. "What are you pouting about now?"

"I do not pout, Kimi," Oliver replied as he sat on his bunk and sighed in frustration. "But, to answer your poorly worded question, we're going to war with yet another alien species, once again at the bequest of SG-1. Honestly, what do they expect to gain by working with a race as technology underwhelming as a bunch of iron-clad ships in space throwing nukes around?"

"Ion?" Jesse suggested.

"Nukes?" Cassidy added.

"The hull's not damaged so we don't need iron, and our nukes are infinitely superior to theirs," Oliver countered. "This is just another instance where Earth is sticking its nose where it doesn't need to!"

"Whether we need to or not, we're going to," Jesse said from where he was working on piecing together a patch for the hole in Tommy's armor. "It's in our nature. We're too curious for our own good."

"Curiosity killed the cat, as the Americans say," Kimi taunted with a devious smile.

"I'm agreeing with you, Kimi. You can't get a rise out of someone when they're agreeing with you," Jesse calmly replied before walking off. He had set up a small welding station in the work room down the hall. For obvious reasons, welding in the presence of those not trained in the art was dangerous. The light from a weld bit was bright enough to blind someone if they stared directly at it.

"Well, he's not fun," Kimi complained.

"Who's pouting now?" Oliver asked with a smirk.

"So what are we dealing with?" Cassidy interrupted their argument before it could begin.

"I'll be sure to ask Gabi when she gets back from fixing the sensors," Oliver replied.