Here's the next chapter for you all, questions will be answered and others will be asked. Note: I only own what characters i create, the names and places i invent and the ships and vehicles i seem to be designing in droves for this single story.
I would like to thank AlexanderD for all his help and i strongly recomend reading his story New Dawn. I hope he likes the character named after him Admiral Alec Xander.
For those of you interested in what some of the ships featured in this story look like here are a few sketches on photobucket: albums/ae166/Senrab_Nomis/
Please review and i will respond. Or alternatively post in the thread for this story in my forum. topic/84023/35075481/1/
Review Responses:
I'm going to start this off by saying it is not Pandora. While i am a firm believer in the possibility that the universe is so large that if you look hard enough it may be possible to find a planet with floating rocks Pegasus isn't big enough to find Pandora in. I feel i must remind a lot of you that this isn't a crossover with another universe, but floating rocks are cool so they're allowed.
Interesting guesses by some of you though who didn't pick the obvious one, but no Furlings or Nox here i'm afraid.
In case some of you were wondering the war is finally getting hot, which means that hidden pieces will eventually be put into play. I have plenty of surprises for you all and a few interesting battles on the horizon.
Weir
"Take us in," Rodney said after working at his console for a moment.
"What?" Sheppard asked, that was definitely not the response he was expecting.
"I said take us in," Rodney repeated.
"Why?"
"Because I have a theory," Rodney explained. "But I can't confirm it from here. That planet has a powerful magnetic field, incredibly powerful in some areas. I can't get a detailed scan of those rocks from here with all the interference."
"First of all explain your theory," Sheppard requested.
"Magnets!"
"Magnets?"
"Magnets."
Sheppard sighed. "Rodney I know I ask you to keep things simple for the non-scientists but really?"
"Okay fine," Rodney relented. "I believe that there is an element in those rocks that is a near perfectly diamagnetic. In other words it is essentially repelling the magnetic field of the planet and keeping those rocks aloft. Now this unknown element could be a diamagnet the likes of which no one has ever seen, or imagined, or most likely it could be a room temperature superconductor. Either way we should really check this out."
"You understand that Tomin?" Sheppard asked.
"I think so," Tomin replied, though he sounded a little unsure.
"Don't worry, I feel the same way when Rodney gives an explanation as well," Sheppard assured him. "Ok we're going in. Helm, take us into the atmosphere."
Slowly the Weir eased her massive bulk out of orbit and dipped into the upper atmosphere. Gently, almost hesitantly the mighty ship descended, lower and lower until she was among the thick cream of clouds. Barely visible through the clouds around them were numerous rocks of varying shapes and sizes, suspended in the sky as though gravity was non-existent. Some of them were huge, veritable mountains and even islands floating in the sky, green fauna covering them like patches of hair. In the distance the outlines of large winged birds was visible as they flitted through the sky. It was beautiful to look at.
Throughout the interior of the Weir people flocked to nearby windows to catch a glimpse of this miraculous sight. On the bridge, once the ship had stabilised its position, the crew stopped what they were doing to take in the picturesque view. The universe holds many natural wonders, this was one of them.
"Amazing," Sheppard whispered before clearing his throat. "Rodney."
"Yeah what?" Rodney asked, entranced by the view.
"Any results from your scans yet?" Sheppard asked, a small smile playing around the edge of his lips.
Rodney shook himself and turned back to the console.
"It looks like I was right," he said smugly. "Sensors are detecting a powerful magnetic field and superconductor mineral deposits in those rocks. The ones higher up have a larger mineral to mass ratio. The deposits in those bigger ones must be pretty big though."
"Sir I have a contact on sensors," a crewman reported. "It's coming up behind us."
"Clarify," Sheppard ordered. "What is it?"
"Hard to get an exact read on it sir, the magnetic field is distorting scans. It's big though, real big. I'm getting a heat reading off of it but no discernable power readings. It could be an animal. Sir, it's heading right for us."
"Hey Rodney do flying whales fit in your theory?" Sheppard asked jokingly, although he was slightly worried it might be the case.
Tomin had reported that his ship had detected life signs on the planet below. Was it possible that life signs they had mistaken for human were actually giant flying creatures? He really did not want to get eaten by the local wildlife.
"The largest whale ever encountered on Earth measures in at about thirty metres," Rodney pointed out. "This thing appears to be about six hundred. If it is a whale then I would hate to think what it eats."
"Us maybe Jonah?" Sheppard suggested, receiving a glare in return. "Relax McKay we'll be perfectly safe with our shields up."
"Shields are up sir."
"There you see," Sheppard said. "What's the status on that unknown?"
"Still heading towards us. The clouds are blocking the view though. One kilometre and closing."
"Anything to report?"
"Definite heat reading, no power readings and what appear to be life signs. Seventy five hundred metres and still coming."
"Sheppard I really don't like this," Rodney said, with a certain sense of urgency in his voice.
"Five hundred metres, confirmed collision course."
Sheppard was starting to agree. The last thing he wanted to something that big to hit him while the ship was fighting against a gravity field.
"Three hundred metres, collision imminent."
"Get us out of here!" Sheppard ordered.
The helmsmen gunned the throttle and the ship surged downwards, using the planets gravity to lower their altitude and the engines to buy them more time.
As the Weir dropped a large shape burst out of the cloud bank behind them and surged onwards, passing over them. Whatever it was it was big, and it was made of metal.
"Rodney," Sheppard prompted.
At the unspoken order Rodney immediately started tapping away at the controls, running scans of the unknown craft. You could actually make an estimate of its capabilities just from the view of its underbelly. It was long, its hull curved and tapered to a point and from the sides were four spinning rotor blades. As the tail of the ship became visible they noticed four large cylinders capped at both ends in a honeycomb grill, presumably these were the propeller nacelles.
The ship passed overhead of them and slowly disappeared into the clouds. No spoke a word, just admired what they could see of the ship.
"Rodney," Sheppard said again.
"It's low tech, really low tech," Rodney said, as the last of the scan results came onto his screen.
"You're kidding right," Sheppard said in disbelief. "Rodney I am a pilot you know so I do know a few things about aircraft. That thing is seven times the size of a 747 and looks like it weighs more than a few tons. Even a zeppelin doesn't reach these altitudes and that thing makes it look easy, so what the hell makes that thing low tech?"
"Well for one thing its steam powered," Rodney replied.
"Steam powered?" Sheppard asked. "As in a boiler, pistons and turbines?"
"Cool huh? That's what the heat signature we detected earlier, they have steam running in pipes throughout the entire ship. No electricity at all."
"Can you get a better picture?"
"Voila!" Rodney said, as a three dimensional hologram appeared in front of them.
The mystery ship was quite impressive, a veritable flying battleship. On the top of the ship were four large triple gun ball turrets evenly space along the hull and an armoured conning tower in the middle. Numerous smaller guns were also apparent along the length of the ship. This ship had clearly been built for battle.
Sheppard gave a low whistle. "They certainly like their guns."
"I think we can safely say this is a warship."
"Yeah but how the hell is that thing flying though?" Sheppard asked. "It looks far too heavy to make it off the ground with just those side rotors."
"You're right," Rodney said. "What makes it possible is that its made almost entirely of trinium and the hull is lined with the same superconductor found in the rocks. In conjunction with the rotors it's enough to keep the ship aloft."
"I'm surprised this world hadn't been decimated by the Wraith years ago," Sheppard said. "They usually didn't allow a species to get this far."
Rodney shrugged. "Maybe they developed this in the time between culls. Although it could have something to do with the fact that we couldn't establish a gate connection, they could have just fallen off the grid."
"I suppose," Sheppard admitted. "Maybe we should just ask them."
"You want to initiate first contact?"
"If we haven't already, they could have seen us when they passed us."
"Sir," a crewman said. "We have incoming objects."
From the bridge several of what they assumed to have been birds were heading towards the Weir, swooping through the air as they glided on the thermal currents.
"Looks like the wildlife has spotted at least," Sheppard noted.
Rodney frowned. "I don't think those are birds."
Sheppard looked at them.
"Alright I admit at this distance they must be pretty big birds," Sheppard said. "But we are getting life signs from them even amongst all this."
"That's not what I mean," Rodney said. "I'm detecting the superconductor again."
Sheppard narrowed his eyes.
"ISIS," he ordered. "Magnify those objects."
A holographic image of the display seen through the window appeared in front of him. The image was then magnified several times before the bird like shapes filled the display. With the clouds obscuring them they certainly looked like birds, with large curved wings and pointed heads.
"Scans?" Sheppard asked.
"Life signs," Rodney said. "Definitely life signs."
"Not steam?"
"Do you know how much space even a small steam engine takes up?"
"Ok then," Sheppard said. "Take us closer."
"Yes sir," the helm operator said, with a slight amount of hesitation.
The Weir slowly approached the so called birds, allowing for a clearer picture to be produced. They were definitely wings but were quite skeletal, like those of a bat.
"Those things look like bats," Sheppard noted. "Damn clouds are blocking the view. Tell me you have something on sensors Rodney."
"The magnetic field is playing hell with the fine details," Rodney explained. "It's hard to get an exact read on them, but…hang on…yes, got something."
"Well?" Sheppard asked when Rodney failed to continue. "Rodney those things are getting close."
He wasn't kidding as the bat things were now flitting around the Weir like vultures, and Sheppard really didn't like that comparison. They were hiding themselves behind clouds to obscure them from view. Unfortunately the Weir was so big that it was obviously there despite the clouds. Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, they scattered.
"What the hell?" Sheppard wondered out loud.
"Those aren't birds they're gliders," Rodney announced. "Those wings having trinium ribs and are made of fabric. There's even a load of that superconductor incorporated into them."
"I should have known," Sheppard said. "But why did they pull back?"
"Maybe because they saw a kilometre long alien ship?" Rodney asked sarcastically.
He wasn't wrong. No sooner had the words left his mouth than the forward section of the shields flared as something came into contact with them and exploded. Most likely it was ordinance. A brief flash of light emanated from the clouds in front of the ship and the shields were struck again.
"Status," Sheppard asked.
"Minimal, not even one percent," tactical reported.
"Good to know," Sheppard said. "Now what's firing at us?"
"The ship just passed us," tactical replied, rather pointlessly as it happened since said ship burst out of the cloud bank guns blazing.
"Put me on external speakers," Sheppard ordered. "And dial up the volume to make sure they can hear me."
"You're on sir."
"This is Colonel John Sheppard of the Tau'ri vessel the Weir," Sheppard said. "Stop firing at my ship we just want to talk!"
Unfortunately the only effect was to cause the airship to momentarily hesitate before they resumed firing.
"I don't think they believed you," Rodney commented.
"I repeat we are only here to talk. We do not mean you any harm. Please stop firing."
And still the airship kept firing in the naïve hope that they could break through the perceived enemy's defences.
"Rodney, are all the targeting systems still operational?" Sheppard asked, having given up on using the loud speakers.
"Yes, why?"
"Take us level with the airship," Sheppard ordered. "Tactical fire side plasma beams directly forwards and be careful not to even come close to hitting that ship."
"Aye sir," tactical responded.
Once the Weir had risen to the same altitude as the airship the six side mounted plasma beams opened fire. Blue streams of plasma quickly crossed the distance, briefly forming a hexagonal prism around the airship. The shots had been carefully targeted so that none of the beams even came close to hitting the airship while showing what the Weir was capable of dishing out should she return fire.
Airship Conning Tower
Like on warships of old the conning tower was designed to provide the ship captains with a clear view of the area around the ship. It was also the command area, and effective bridge of the vessel. Heavily armoured to protect the room's occupants it had none the less been shaken as the plasma beams had disrupted the air around the ship.
"What in the name of the ancestors was that?" the captain asked.
"Looked like a beam of light sir," one crewmen suggested.
"We've heard tales that the sky demons possessed weapons of light," suggested the first officer. "Those could be them."
"Actually they're plasma based," an unfamiliar voice said. "And we aren't sky demons. We're people, just like you."
The startled bridge crew turned to face the person who had spoken. To their surprise they saw a middle aged man of medium height and dressed in what appeared to be a military uniform. The most perplexing thing was that they could have sworn he hadn't been there a minute ago and had suddenly just shimmered into existence.
"Who are you?" the captain demanded.
"Like I said before," the man said, with apparent irritation. "I am the commander of that ship out there and I would be very grateful if you would stop firing."
While the bridge had been shaken the gun crews had continued to load and fire the triple guns like clockwork.
"Now lucky for you we come in peace and my ship hasn't even been scratched but I would nevertheless like to at least stop wasting ammo," the strange man continued. "You have just seen what we are capable of. If we didn't come in peace do you really think you would still be here?"
The captain quickly moved to a nearby speaking tube and ordered a cease fire.
"Thank you," the man said gratefully as the gun fire ceased.
"How did you get on my ship?" the captain demanded.
The strange man smiled. "I'm not really here. This is just a hologram, a projection of light."
The captain inched closer to the man then, moving his arm rapidly and without any warning, attempted to poke him. To his amazement his finger went straight through.
"How?" the captain asked, his eyes wide with shock.
"Technology," said the mystery man. "Really advanced technology beyond your current level, but it is technology none the less."
"What do you want here?"
"Well for starters I would like to say hello," the mystery man replied. "I would also like to know why you fired on my ship."
The captain shrugged. "We thought you were sky demons who had come to take our people."
"Do you mean Wraith?"
"That is one word for them."
"That is the only word for them now," the mystery man said. "They aren't demons anymore and certainly not a threat to you or anyone else."
"What do you mean?"
"It's a long story."
"I would very much like to hear it," the captain insisted.
"I would like to tell it but I don't have the time," Sheppard replied. "I need to speak to your leaders."
"Why?"
"Because I have a feeling you would be very grateful if first contact with an alien world ended well," the mystery man replied. "And getting to speak to the people in charge would make me forget about the fact that my ship was fired upon and my crew unnecessarily put in danger."
The captain stared at this mystery man. Clearly he was someone who had his principles straight and he could respect someone who knew the importance of protecting ones crew.
"Look," the mystery man continued. "I'm here to invite your people to join a coalition of united worlds, but to do that I need to speak to your leaders."
"Very well then," the captain relented. "Follow my ship and we shall take you to our leaders."
"Thank you," the mystery man said before vanishing like a ghost.
"You're not serious captain," the first officer said. "We can't just lead them straight to our home."
"You know the stories of the sky demons, the Wraith, entire worlds wiped clean of humans," the captain replied. "People having their years sucked out of them. These people don't even think of them as a threat. Whoever these Tau'ri are they are dangerous and if they wanted to they could have already flattened us."
He raised his hand to stop his first mate from interrupting.
"Since the ring of the ancestors was lost this is our first contact with another world in centuries," he continued. "I am not about to waste this opportunity. I am also going to write a report and a message to high command and have it delivered via messenger pod. It will arrive well before we do. Have a pod readied."
"Yes sir."
A little while later a hatch in the side of the airship opened and a small missile shaped craft with a propeller on the nose shot out of it at high speed. The casing was almost entirely made out of the superconductor, allowing for lift, and the majority of the internal space was taken up by a small steam engine. Operating the craft by manipulation of the stubby wings and tail fin was a single pilot. The messenger pod was capable of moving much faster than the large airship and so would reach the end destination in a fraction of the time.
By the time the airship and the Weir arrived there would be a sizeable welcoming party waiting for them.
Weir
"You had to play that card didn't you," Rodney said.
"Time is of the essence here Rodney," Sheppard snapped. "I don't have time to deal with all the red tape that this will involve. If the Zarasians arrive and we don't have the ear of the people who can get things done then I highly doubt we can help them."
"Okay fine. Just so you know I am working on adapting the sensors to work despite this interference. It'll decrease our range but I should be able to make it work."
"How much of a decrease?"
"We'll still be able to cover the planet and orbit."
"Nice, get it done."
"Already on it. Oh and I recommend you have a word with Tomin."
"Why?"
"Because he is probably wondering what has happened to us and would want to know that there are people down here."
"Good point. Open a channel."
"Yes sir."
"Colonel Sheppard," Tomin said, as the holographic screen activated. "What news?"
"We found people down here," Sheppard replied. "We're trying to meet with their leaders and adapt our sensors to this interference. Oh and Rodney was right, there was a superconductor in the rocks."
"I see," Tomin said, although from the look on his face he didn't seem surprised. In fact there appeared to be something on his mind.
"Something wrong Tomin?"
"What are your plans for this world?" Tomin asked.
"Ideally I would like to get them off this world and onto Concordia, but…"
"You don't think they will be reciprocal to the idea?"
"Not a chance," McKay interjected. "I just got the sensors working. I'm detecting thousands of life signs across multiple rocks in the magnetic vortexes. There are more on the actual planets surface. I'm also detecting large heat blooms consistent with multiple airships and installations."
"Oh crap," Sheppard said. "It's the Genii all over again."
Despite the threat to the Genii they had not been happy with simply abandoning all their holdings, their home in particular. It wasn't so much that Ladon wasn't open to the idea but that the people themselves weren't. They had dedicated their entire lives to building up their home only to simply give it all up. The Genii people had their pride and short of mass kidnappings they wouldn't be budged. Not being a dictator Ladon had bowed to the will of the public and agreed to not even briefly abandon their home. The only reason the allies weren't losing much sleep over it was the fact that the Genii world was already designed to keep its inhabitants hidden. If the Zarasians came along they would find abandoned farms and presume it was just another primitive world that had been evacuated. Well assuming they didn't look too closely that is.
"You do not think that your offer to improve their infrastructure will be enough to convince them?" Tomin asked.
"That works on the people who only have wooden huts for homes but these people have displayed technology well beyond that level," Rodney explained. "If they figure out how to generate electricity they could go a long way quickly with what they currently have."
"And for that reason what we are offering them isn't going to be enough to convince them," Sheppard said. "Not in the time we have."
With every passing moment the Zarasian fleet got closer and closer to this system and the allies were very much aware of this fact.
"We're going to have to defend this world," Sheppard concluded. "This means we need an army, a fleet and the local's permission to station them here."
"Luckily we have one in orbit already," Tomin said.
"Yeah about that," Sheppard said hesitantly. "I'm not sure your forces are suitable for taking on the Zarasians on the ground. No offence Tomin but I'm not sure you have the ability to hold this world against a dedicated siege."
"I realise that but I would still like to have my forces here," Tomin insisted.
"You also realise that you would need our help to hold this world for long without being overwhelmed," Sheppard pointed out.
"Not necessarily," Tomin replied. "We just need to hold out for a little while until the good guys turn up to chase us away."
"Explain please," Sheppard requested after a short pause. "I would very much like to know where this plan of yours came from."
"While I was waiting for your arrival I had a visit from some ascended beings," Tomin began.
"The ascended are supposed to have a none interference policy that prevents this sort of thing," McKay said. "Why did they break it?"
"They told me to tell you their names," Tomin replied. "Oma, Morgan and Janus."
McKay and Sheppard shared a look.
"Figures those three would turn up eventually," McKay said. "Though I don't think anyone thought it would be all at once."
"Ascended beings are like buses," Sheppard quipped. "You wait all this time and then three turn up at once."
"So what did they have to say?" McKay asked.
"Well…"
Tomin's Quarters – A little while ago
"Please explain," Tomin requested.
The three ascended began to circle him and Tomin spun on the spot, this way and that, struggling to keep them all in view.
"We have been watching you for some time Tomin," Oma said. "You and the men who now serve in the fleet gathered here. We know of the choice you offered them, the former crusaders of false gods, how you asked only for volunteers to fight this mission."
"They were not soldiers," Tomin explained. "They did not choose that fight, they merely fought in it. They have only received limited training and I would not order them to die for others. I only wanted volunteers to serve in my army."
"And volunteers you got, enough to defend this small world," Oma said.
"Barely and not for long," Tomin argued. "The casualties would be too high and before long we would be wiped out. I will not toss away the lives of my people."
"We wouldn't ask you to," Oma assured him. "You don't have to fight for long, just long enough."
"I find that a little deception can be useful to achieve the desired end result," Janus added. "Don't you agree Morgan?"
"How can I disagree?" she replied.
"What kind of deception?" Tomin asked, although he was beginning to suspect the answer.
"Your plan was a good one," Janus noted. "Keeping Zarin ignorant to the relationship between yourselves and the Jaffa would certainly have given Zarin something to think about. There is no reason not to continue it."
"You want me to continue the ruse," Tomin said. "Let them believe we are separate forces?"
"Just long enough for it to be convincing," Morgan said.
"Then help arrives to save the poor world from the two forces fighting over it, right?" Tomin asked. "We'll play another villain, so that Zarin won't suspect."
"You fear the consequences," Oma stated.
"The loss of life," Morgan added.
"The way the galaxy will see you," Janus added.
"I do," Tomin admitted. "You don't know what it is like to be seen that way. To give the orders that send people to their deaths."
"Who said anything about them dying?" Oma asked.
"One of Oma's little hobbies is helping those who she thinks are worthy of the gift of ascension," Janus explained.
"It seems she has found quite a few candidates in your people," Morgan added.
"You would help them ascend?" Tomin asked, scarcely able to believe it.
"So many of your people wish for redemption for what happened during the crusade," Oma said. "Yet they do not know quite how to attain redemption. You and they know that no one blames them for their actions yet that isn't enough for them. The men under your command have chosen to fight to protect innocents who they do not know because they believe it is the right thing to do. That is admirable. It is worthy of a gift."
"Thank you," Tomin said sincerely.
"Don't thank me yet," Oma said. "There is a price to be paid for what I offer."
"What kind of price?" Tomin asked, getting tired of these games.
"If they choose to ascend then they can retake human form but they will not be allowed to retain the knowledge they gain and the offer of ascension will not be given again," Oma said. "The others will not allow me to do so."
"Why not?" Tomin asked angrily.
"Because of how I know they would use this gift," Oma replied. "They will charge blindly at the enemy because they believe they can come back again and again. Life is precious Tomin, it should not be wasted."
"I cannot make this decision alone," Tomin said. "I have no right to."
"We do not expect you to," Janus said.
"Ask the opinion of your brave soldiers and let them guide you," Morgan added.
"And what should I tell my allies?" Tomin asked.
"The truth," Janus said. "The time for hiding in the shadows has long since passed."
"And our names," Oma added.
"You three have so much power, why…why do you not intervene?" Tomin asked expectantly. "You could find Zarin and end this so why don't you?"
"Because we are not omnipotent," Oma said. "We do not cast judgement on others. It is not our place."
"Besides the galaxy is a big place and Zarin is just one man," Janus added. "He doesn't like to be found."
Tomin narrowed his eyes in suspicion at those last words but before he could reply the lights had returned to normal and the three ascended had vanished.
Weir
"So what is your decision?" Tomin asked.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Sheppard remarked. "Although I am guessing you are willing to go ahead with this plan."
"We are decided," Tomin acknowledged. "It will happen. We will fight to defend this world for as long as we can."
"Okay fine but before that happens we are going to need a few things," Sheppard said. "I have a few ideas of my own."
"Such as?" Tomin asked.
"Wreckage that could only have been left by one of your ships," Sheppard asked. "A nice big piece too and I know just how to get it."
"You are not destroying one of my ships Colonel," Tomin stated.
Sheppard smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it Tomin, I just want the Zarasians to think we did."
"Then how do you plan to get the wreckage?" Tomin asked curiously.
"From the very first ship of yours that we destroyed," Sheppard replied.
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