Concordia
A hyperspace window opened and the Arima and her escorts reappeared in normal space. The mighty fleet quickly found itself surrounded by hundreds of AI controlled F-302's as they responded automatically to the arrival. The hounds were immediately called off the moment the IFF readings identified the Wraith flagship and the remnants of the Jaffa fleet and continued their patrol runs around the planet. The Arima gently glided through space and eventually found a place in orbit. This was harder than you might think considering the amount of defensive satellites and small space stations, that acted as space based hangers for the fighters, also in orbit. There were also numerous ships around the planet, mostly belonging to the Travellers but there shorter, if not exactly smaller, of the two was about two kilometres long, a kilometre wide and similar to the flagship used by Apophis, but lacked the adjustable wings. This version was shaped more like an equilateral triangle rather an equilateral and possessed larger amounts of dark armour reaching up to cover the majority of the central pyramid. One hundred and fifty heavy staff cannons and five hundred point defence guns were scattered across her hull and a shield eight times stronger than a type D protected her. She was of course the latest Jaffa flagship, much to the surprise of the other Alliance members and especially the Tau'ri. They never knew that it was being planned, let alone built by the Jaffa. It would later come out that the Jaffa had utilised the basic designs and construction facilities on the ruins of Delmak and had seen about constructing a ship with power generators taking up the majority of the interior space.
The longer ship was quite possibly the only intact Aurora class vessel left in the galaxy, if not the universe, the Tria. She was thought to be the Lanteans front line warship during the Wraith war, although by Tau'ri standards she wasn't a proper warship and had set about rectifying that fact. Since her time spent over Concordia she had been heavily upgraded to feature the latest in Asgard and Tau'ri technologies, making her into a dreadnought. The name Tria had never been more appropriate. The large sensor array meant for scientific analysis had been stripped out and replaced with four Hellstorm cannons, with a pair of Grodins on the top and bottom. There were another two Grodins and one double the size and strength on the nose of the ship, along with another four on the neck. The true power of the ship came from the devastating broadsides she was capable of dishing out from the numerous secondary weapons lined along her hull. On her left were ten APBs, twenty two ICTs and of course the two Grodins on the Hellstorm battery. On her right were fifteen APBs and eighteen ICTs. For close in defence four drone launchers drew from stores holding a total of ten thousand NPD's and spread evenly across her hull were one hundred and fifty two triple mounts consisting of two heavy X-699's and a single railgun. That made for a grand total of a Super Grodin, 4 Hellstorm Cannons, 8 Grodins, 25 APBs, 40 ICTs, 152 railgun/heavy X-699 tri-mounts and 10,000 NPDs from 8 launchers. Aside from the sensor array the internal schematics had also been re-configured. Standard ship sensors had been installed, the operating system replaced and upgraded to include an ISIS and the hyperdrive upgraded to an intergalactic model. With eight large neutrino ion generators serving to power weapons, primary systems and a shield twice as strong as the Thor's she was the most powerful vessel in the Alliance fleet.
This powerful vessel was the best hope to take on the Zarasian fleet and more importantly the Doom Bringer. It was for this reason she was being deployed now to the location of the Liberum fleet.
Deep Space – Aurora class vessel
Having dumped the other two ascended in a distant part of a neighbouring galaxy to make the long dreary journey home Vejovis strode through the ships corridors. His final sanctuary, the place which he had called his place of solitude for so long, was gone. It would take a long time to restore it to its former state. Long ago an entire age in history could pass in the blink of an eye. Now though time seemed to last longer, if that were even possible. When he had first ordered the lunar facilities construction it had seemed to be completed in no time at all. It depended on your perspective and what was happening in the universe he supposed. Over nine thousand years had gone by with very little change on a galactic scale but now so much happened in such a short amount of time. In the past two years the humans of Earth had emerged as a galactic superpower, growing stronger with every passing minute. Great alliances had been forged between old and powerful races. Even the Wraith had changed in recent years.
But despite the changes they had undergone nothing could wipe the Wraiths slate clean. For millennia they had culled and feasted upon the lives of good and innocent people, offering life to those who bowed down before them and death to those who stood against them. Live lying down or die on your feet, the ironic demand of all of histories oppressors. The Wraith had annihilated so many civilisations in their apparently futile attempt to stay at the top of the food chain. The Lanteans, the Satedans and the Genii confederation to name but a few. All of them had been struck down, beaten into near extinction or driven underground. And he had sworn that for their crimes the Wraith would pay. They would be wiped from existence, what he had set in motion would see to that.
The events of the last few days replayed in his mind over and over again as he arrived at his destination. At the one stasis pod which had not needed to be loaded onto this ship before its departure. The one pod which he had sworn to himself that he would preserve above all others, no matter the cost. He would willingly, but not gladly, sacrifice all of his, their, children for the sake of saving this one pod. Without the woman in this pod the Alteran people could never become the great civilisation. He may teach his children values but this woman embodied them. He reached out and his fingers brushed against the clear cover, as if he was stroking his beloved's cheek. For hours he stood their and stared at Cura's unconscious form.
How many years had it been since their last conversation? He couldn't remember thankfully, he had tried so hard to forget. But although he could no longer remember how long ago it had been he could never forget the words that had been spoken.
It was centuries ago when it happened. After all this time he remembered so clearly. Possibly this was a side effect of merging his consciousness with his clones so many times, with the memories closest to the surface being made sharper and sharper, despite how hard he tried to forget them.
The lunar facility was still under construction but a number of sections were complete, one of them being the energy matrix compression and fusion device. Vejovis had just finished using said device when Cura appeared. Beautiful, wonderful, innocent, kind hearted Cura.
"So this is where you've been hiding," she said, radiating a feeling of utter contempt.
"Is there something wrong Cura?" he had asked innocently as he retook humanoid form.
She had scowled at him. "You know exactly what is wrong."
"I'm afraid you're going to have to be a little more specific."
"The Zarasians!" she spat. "That…that machine!"
"Ah."
She had started looking downwards at that point, unwilling to look him in the eye.
"Is that all you have to say?" she whispered.
"How much do you know?" he asked.
"Why? How much more is there to know?" she asked him as tears started to blossom. "I know you've turned Zarin into your puppet and that you're using that machine to grow stronger. That you plan to have him conquer this galaxy in your name and exterminate the Wraith."
"You have to admit though that exterminating the Wraith isn't that bad," he had replied casually and immediately regretted it when she started to weep.
"What happened to you Vejovis?" she wept. "What happened to the man I fell in love with? When did you become so cold?"
"Cura I didn't mean…I'm sorry," he said as he wrapped his arms around her despite her attempts to push him away. "Please Cura let me explain. It's not what you think. Just let me explain. Please."
"Why should I trust anything you say?" she whispered bitterly.
"Because in all the years we've known each other I have never once lied to you," he whispered back. "And I won't lie to you about this."
"So tell me then," she said as she gently forced her way out of his grasp. He hadn't tried to stop her.
He gently took hold of her hand. "Come with me."
He had taken her to another room, a room filled with dozens of occupied stasis pods.
"They've grown quickly," he noted.
"What are they?" she asked, transfixed by the sight of these familiar individuals.
"I suppose they could be called our children, both mine and yours."
"Our children…but how did you?" she began to ask before he had cut her off.
"I grew them, using strands of DNA collected over the years. But each of them possesses trace elements of our DNA which makes them our children."
"Vejovis we had a child…"
"Had a child, past tense, the Wraith saw to that."
"There was nothing you could do. Our son chose to fight them."
"And because of them he is no more. We lost our child and he can never be replaced but these are our children now, the ones we must be concerned about."
She had stared him, with those two big blue wide eyes that he could drown in. "Why this? Why create them?"
"Because they are the future," he explained. "The future of our people, this galaxy and so many others like it. What I have set in motion will eventually see our race restored and a new age of prosperity and enlightenment for the whole universe."
"Vejovis I don't understand. What are you planning?"
"They are asleep now but soon they will awaken," he explained. "I have taught them all I know, about right and wrong and the values our people held dear. When Zarin has finished his work they will claim the human worlds as their own and rule them wisely. Zarin has instructions to serve them as if they were me. He will be the blade that strikes down the Wraith while our children will be the healers that mend the damage wrought by millennia under their control. Then they will expand outwards, bringing more and more galaxies under their rule. The parasite Goa'uld will be wiped out and the humans of that galaxy brought into their welcome embrace." He grasped her hands and smiled at her. "Can you see it Cura? The wonders that will exist in just a few centuries. After millennia and near extinction our people will be restored."
But instead of the dazzling smile he so desperately wanted to see on her face she had only a look of sadness.
"And what about you?" she asked. "Will you rule over them all at the top of this great empire? Will you continue to use that machine to grow stronger until you can take on the entire ascended collective? Will you send out Zarin to conquer world after world and pretend your hands are clean?"
"If I must grow powerful enough to stop the others from interfering then yes I will," he replied. "But I will not lead our children and if they wish to discard Zarin when they awaken then they are free to do so. It does not matter to me."
"Then what will you do?"
"I will exile myself, never to use the power I have gained," he had replied. "I know what you are thinking, what you fear, but I will not be like the Ori."
"Then I will come with you."
"No my love you will not. Exile is for me alone, not you, never you."
"I won't let you do this Vejovis, it isn't right. Please Vejovis don't do this, don't leave me," she pleaded. "Let the Averians solve the problems of the universe, like we planned. I won't allow it Vejovis, I'll stop you. No matter what it takes."
What he did next had taken all his willpower. "Come with me, there is one last thing I have to show you."
He had taken her to another stasis pod, but this one was empty.
"It's empty," she noted. "Is this for more of our children?"
The pod cover slid open with a thought from him. "Oh there are many, many more pods for our children, but no this is not for them. It's for you."
Her eyes had widened with shock as he struck at her with his power. At first she had tried to fight back but it was useless. He had grown so many times stronger since she had last seen him and his power enveloped her completely, beating her down until her resistance was gone in a matter of moments. Then when she was as weak as a new born he forced her back into a corporeal form. When she was flesh and blood once more he cradled her in his arms and stroked her hair.
"Do not worry Cura I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered in her ear. "I would never hurt you. I just couldn't let you get hurt so I had to do this. You'll sleep now and when you awaken our people will be reborn."
He tenderly kissed her forehead before placing her in the pod. "I will not lead our children and the reborn Alteran Empire my love, you will."
With those final words he had activated the stasis pod, turned and left and never looked back, until now. Now when all the little doubts he had had over the years but pushed to the back of his mind hit him all at once. As he stared at her sleeping form he couldn't help but wonder if Cura had been right. Perhaps he should have just left the Averians alone. Perhaps he shouldn't have shown an ambitious military man named Zarin where to find the body of the Wraith Queen he and Cura had recovered. Perhaps it wasn't too late to fix things. Perhaps he could still leave this galaxy with Cura, be happy with her.
All these thoughts and more flickered across his mind and his hand was about to touch the control panel, release Cura from her slumber when he stopped. His hand lowered in defeat.
"No," he whispered to himself. "I can't stop now. I must see this through."
He knew it was already too late. He could not undo what had been done. He couldn't cast aside his children. The only way forward was to finish what he had started despite everything that had happened thus far. He never imagined it would be like all those centuries ago when he had first concocted this plan. He never imagined that for his children to live the dream he had envisioned so many obstacles would need to be overcome. Perhaps it was just a dream, but it was a good dream and he would see it completed. Zarin would finish what he had started and the other ascended couldn't stop him. Janus, Ganos, Oma, they would all fall if they tried to take him on. The entire ascended collective probably couldn't take him on and win at this point.
His plan would succeed. For Cura and his children's sake it had to.
First though he would need to deal with another problem of his. He needed to stop Zarin from making a very foolish move. The Doom Bringer was an impressive ship, overpowered to the extreme, and it would be a shame to see it destroyed. But if Zarin gave him any lip about this he might need to find him a replacement. He was not in a good mood.
Doom Bringer
Zarin was on the bridge, contemplating his next move now that he had received the signal from his strings that a Liberum ship had been infested. He was about to order his ship be deployed to take complete control of the enemy ship, and claim the advanced technology it possessed, when the crewmen around him froze in place.
"Hello Zarin," a overly familiar voice said as a blinding light appeared in front of him.
Zarin didn't even flinch and just stared at the blinding light as it formed into a man.
"Hello ancestor," Zarin replied dryly. "What brings you here?"
"I understand you're planning to deploy the Doom Bringer to take control of the Liberum fleet, don't."
"Why not?" Zarin asked angrily. "My infiltrators have disabled the ship, now I need simply pick up the pieces."
"It's too late," Vejovis answered. "You've missed your chance and now only death awaits you."
Zarin snorted. "The alliance can't touch this ship. They don't have the strength to challenge the Doom Bringer and survive. They've run every time they've faced her. The Doom Bringer cannot be defeated."
"Don't be arrogant Zarin," Vejovis chided. "Every ship has a weakness of some sort that can be exploited and no ship is indestructible."
"Don't be so sure."
"If you go there now you will be facing an armada whose sole intent is to destroy you. You will not survive, understand?"
"What makes you so sure?" Zarin asked sceptically.
"How do you think I know?" Vejovis asked sarcastically.
"Don't try and play all knowing being with me ancestor," Zarin snapped. "I acknowledge how powerful you are but I know better than that. Now tell me why you are denying me this chance to acquire the technology you have denied me in the past."
"They have a weapon more powerful than the Doom Bringer itself. All it would probably take is one shot to destroy this ship and everyone on it, and if you're lucky two. Unfortunately for you they have more than one of these weapons."
"Impossible, nothing could overcome this ship that easily."
"Don't underestimate the enemy you face," Vejovis warned him. "I have seen this weapon in action and one shot was enough to nearly shatter a decent sized moon."
"I'll take my chances," Zarin replied, indifferent.
For a moment Vejovis was tempted to turn his power on the irritating maggot in front of him and start looking for his replacement. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with Zarin after he had denied him something he knew the arrogant human greatly desired. Instead he simply said, "Very well then, have it your way."
Zarin narrowed his eyes at the all powerful being in front of him. "You'll let me go."
"I'd rather not waste the opportunity that my old friends interference has provided on saving your life but if it will teach you a lesson then so be it."
"So you'll be sticking around then?"
"I'll be here. Your crew won't be aware of my presence, but you will."
"Thank you," Zarin said irritably.
"Try not to get yourself killed."
An irritating insect but at least after today he will have learned his lesson, Vejovis thought to himself.
Liberum Fleet
Tomin never thought he would be tearing his way through his own ship, leaving behind a trail of broken machines. There didn't seem to be an end to them. How many had been in that asteroid when it detonated? He really couldn't say and at this point he didn't care. All he did care about was keeping his people alive until help arrived. He had no doubt that help would eventually arrive. His allies, his friends, had earned that trust years ago.
Now though he and his men, these loyal men that had charged alongside him into the lions jaws, had arrived at the main power core. Andose and Caius were already there, each respectively wrapped in lightning and billowing flames. True to their word they were doing their best but required aid if they were going to continue to hold off the tide of enemy soldiers. With the bridge no longer a priority though he was now free to aid them in their fight against the metallic infestation that was intent of claiming his ship.
When he arrived at the power core and was confronted by Caius and Andose the pair of them didn't say a word. They could see on his face all they needed to know. He was angry. He had seen too many people die in the most horrible ways so far and he was not about to see it happen again while he still drew breath. With a fury he turned and tore into the bugs with lightning, fire and telekinesis. He had lost count of how many bugs he had ripped apart, fried and melted by now but he knew that it wasn't enough. His men were beginning to tire and even he and the other priors were growing weary after using their powers so often lately. If help didn't arrive soon then they would fall, the containment field would collapse and the entire ship would be filled with radiation from the miniature sun. This ship would fall into enemy hands and there would be nothing he could do about it. Well that wasn't exactly true, there was one thing that he could do. The question was, should he? No, he wasn't that desperate just yet. He would keep the faith. Faith in his allies, his friends.
With renewed vigour he tore into the hordes of bugs in front of him. Just how many of these things were there?
"Tomin," Darius said. "Reinforcements have arrived."
About time, he thought. "Who and what?"
"The alliance attack fleet and two ships I don't recognise."
"Tell them we need help," Tomin ordered, knowing that that should be obvious by now.
"I already have. They recommend abandoning the ship," Darius replied.
"I would rather save it," Tomin stated.
"They also said to mention that Zarin is probably on his way," Darius added.
"All the more reason to not abandon this ship, Zarin should not have our technology," Tomin replied, as if this were obvious.
"They're counting on Zarin trying to claim our technology. The ship is bait." Tomin could almost sense the old prior was grinning.
"Beam us out then," Tomin said as he dodged a leaping bug. "Now!"
In a flash of light the entire crew of the Liberatus disappeared and the bugs found themselves alone on the ship.
Weir Bridge
"Hello Tomin," Sheppard said as the Liberum leader appeared in front of him.
Tomin's shoulders slumped as his body acknowledged the fact that he was no longer in mortal danger and the adrenaline stopped entering his system. With the adrenaline wearing off he found that he was exhausted from the constant use of his powers and looking around saw Caius and Andose in a similar state.
Caius offered him a weak smile. "Well that was fun. Let's do it again sometime, a long, long time from now."
"A very long time from now," Andose added.
"Agreed," Tomin said, turning back to Sheppard. "I understand you have a plan?"
"We know that your ship has been completely taken by something…" Sheppard began before one of the melted bugs landed by his feet.
"One of those," Caius said. "There are hundreds of them on our ship."
"Where did you get that?" McKay asked as he bent down to poke the charred and twisted bug.
"It jumped at me and I caught it," Caius replied casually.
"You just caught it?"
"My hand was technically on fire at the time so that would account for the damaged state," Caius explained.
"Okay…" Sheppard said, not being able to think of anything else to say. "Anyway, that ship has everything Zarin would ever want, advanced shields, weapons, engines and even better power generation. He wants it and he is going to come and get it."
"What makes you so sure?" Tomin asked. "He could send proxies and not come himself."
"Because he wants us to know that he has the power to take anything he sets his sights upon," Sheppard explained. "He'll come and he'll bring the Doom Bringer with him, and when he does they'll be waiting for him." He pointed to the two ships visible through the window, the Thor and the Tria.
"Impressive vessels," Andose noted. "However unless they possess something special I don't think they'll be a match for the Doom Bringer."
Sheppard grinned. "Ever heard of the Hellstorm cannon?"
The three priors shook their heads.
"The Thor is equipped with two of them," McKay explained. "The Tria has four. Just one would probably be enough to take down the Doom Bringer."
The look of surprise on the three prior's faces was a picture.
"Are you sure?" Tomin eventually managed.
"Pretty sure yes," McKay replied smugly.
"And you haven't used this super weapon of yours before because…?" Caius asked.
"We only just finished the ships we mounted it on," Sheppard answered.
"Ah, I see. So now what?"
"Now we wait for Zarin," Sheppard said. "In the mean time we'll have the rest of your fleet pull out. Our ships are cloaked so Zarin won't see them until it's too late."
Doom Bringer
"You're going to regret this," Vejovis told Zarin for the umpteenth time.
"If you say so ancestor," Zarin replied, incredibly aware of the fact that no one else could see or hear the ascended being that was standing right beside him. The bridge crew were starting to give him weird looks.
"I do say so and I'm right," Vejovis replied. "Maybe you'll realise that after you get your ass handed to you."
"Would you please just shut up!" Zarin yelled, his anger temporarily overruling his survival instincts. He paled as he realised he had just yelled at a being that could scatter his atoms with a thought.
Instead of being angry though Vejovis just smiled in amusement. He had made the right decision coming here. He was already starting to feel better and happily anticipating his personal victory over Zarin. Just seeing Zarin annoyed and powerless to do anything about it was amusing.
"As you wish Etere," Vejovis mocked. "You just let me know when you want me to pull your ass out of the fire."
"I'll do that," Zarin replied through gritted teeth.
The Doom Bringer emerged from hyperspace and Zarin smiled as he saw the lone Liberum warship in front of him. It was untouched, undamaged and waiting for him to claim its advanced technology. His grin of elation turned into a frown as two vessels de-cloaked in front of him, one twice the size of the other. Power readings on the smaller of the two vessels were higher than any he had ever encountered on a single ship before and it was only a kilometre and a half long.
A hatch opened on the wing of the smaller of the two and a glowing projectile soared towards the Doom Bringer. He snorted and almost felt inclined to laugh. The Doom Bringer's shields were at full power, so such small thing couldn't possibly hurt him. But his look of amusement quickly turned into one of horror as the projectile passed through the shields like they weren't even there and struck the side of his ship. As his vision went white he heard Vejovis say, "I told you this would happen."
As the Mark IX nuclear warhead detonated the Doom Bringer was blocked out by the blast, hidden from sight by the destructive power of the explosion.
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