Chapter 13 The State of the Universe
The Owl landed with a soft thud on the grassy area outside of a small city about a hundred miles from the farm house and with sight of the rising Race city formerly a Vantic/Opochti city which was now the capital of the Race's government here. The glowing electric lights of that city stood in stark contrast to the candles that burned in some windows of this village. The Owl had landed under cloak and so if anyone had been watching they would have seen two Opochti freedom fighters emerged from no were along with a strange figure they had never seen before.
"Where are we?" inquired Colonel Kumar knowing full well where he was on the map and that unknown to even his host that two additional owls had followed them in and were currently in the air above them.
"This is Likna." answered one of the freedom fighters as he pointed toward the gates of what kind of looked like a medieval European village. It had a stone wall, maybe 9-foot-tall running around the outside with buildings of the same design he had seen before inside. Then the guard pointed toward the distance Race city which looked something from the early 90s. "That is Nysha, I was once a high-ranking guard for the palace of the Prince and one day I will take back my home."
"I understand." said Colonel Kumar as he was lead into the darkened city, if anyone had looked out the windows of their home they would have noticed the three dark figures and knew from his profile alone that he didn't belong. Suddenly a creature which looked like a large armadillo only with turreted eyes and much different shaped face with a jaw of teeth clearly visible. It also lacked any visible fur and a short tail instead of a longer one. It made a sound like a dog toy and sniffed in Kumar's direction before moving off.
"A Beffel, the Race even brought their animals from their distance world. That is one of their pet animals." explained his guild with what he thought was distain at the animal. "They dropped them on us, and they have killed many of animals that used to be plentiful until none could be found."
"I see." said Kumar knowing that humans did the same thing, they had translated Earth animals to Valhalla and to Aquaria in the colonies. Both worlds lacked any large animal life, Valhalla because of a long ago mass extinction that the local animals where just being to fill the missing roles in which now was filled by Earth animals and Aquaria because the nuclear bomb and later terraforming meant the environment was open for those animals and the colonies had much bigger concerns. On some levels he should have felt guilty for that, but he didn't. Protocols had been put into place to make sure that any introduction of new animals from Earth or any other world to another world went a smoothly as possible and with as little damage to local animal and plant population.
His attention was turned away from animals to the building in front of him, it was nothing special. The same plaster and wood construction that every building in the area was made from. It was two levels with one part of the building much higher than the other making a L shape with a patio on the roof of the lower part. That designed seamed the most common in the city and after a series of quick knocks the door opened and a local opened the door.
"What are you two doing here? Aren't you in the south…." Started the local until he or was it a she noticed Kumar standing there in the dark with his rifle lowered but in a ready position to bring it up. He jumped back in surprise at the stranger who was clearly not a member of the Race.
"He is why we are here, he wants to see the Prince." said his guard "He claims to be something called a Tau'ri and his people want to help us."
"I see follow me." said the homeowner as they entered the room. With his life sign detector on heads up display mode Kumar was able to see that there was a total of 24 signatures in a nearby room. At first this surprised him then he remembered that his hosts had two hearts which meant it was only 12 locals in a nearby room. Their host closed the door and dropped a thick wooden bar across the frame. "What is he?"
"I am a Tau'ri Special Forces Solider." answered Kumar as he raised his hand and tapped the side of his helmet. This turned on the internal lights which while it illumined his face allowing them to see him it did mess with the heads up display a bit which was why they didn't like it. "I need to talk to your Prince or another leader."
"Very well, follow me." said the homeowner as they headed upstairs, the stairs while at a glance looked similar to human stairs, it was actually at a slightly higher angle then what was normal for a human and the steps where lower. They reached the second floor to find a large room with a slightly raised bed, at least he assumed it was a bed it looked like a large dog bed located in the center of the room. He cameras on his suit missed nothing as the computer scanned and documented everything, it measured the length of the bed and what appeared to be a dresser in the corner. A door opened out into a patio which contained a small garden but they turned instead toward the bathroom which was basically a long bench shooting straight out of the center of the wall with a hole in the floor against the back wall. The room smelled like some of the outhouses he had come across during his time on an SG team however his life sign detector showed that the large grouping was behind the wall. Kumar wasn't surprised when the home owner reached down into the hole and triggered a secret panel to open up. It must have gone into the next house as they entered a room like the bedroom only instead of the bed a large table filled the room. A couple of large maps covered the table held down with a mixture of knives, books and other heavy objects. Series of candles provided light for the room. In front of each of the warriors around the table where knives dug into the wood along with what appeared to be a small cloth armband sized flag each of which were different.
Instantly every one of the locals where on guard, all of them either drew swords or had handguns of some version. Mostly wheel lock versions but some automatics taken from the race, they all looked at him and he looked back.
"Prince Unia and other warriors, forgive me but I feel this is worth breaking protocol about interrupting a council of war meeting." said the home owner as he looked at Kumar who stood out in his power armor and helmet.
"What is that thing?" said a largest of the warriors as Kumar moved forward, his hand to his blackened K-bar combat knife which he had attached to his lower vest and with a quick movement he pulled the blade and spun it in his hand before stabbing it down into the table. All eyes were on him as he pulled off his Tau'ri flag patch from his outer uniform, it was velcro so it came off with some ease. He placed it down on the table in the same position that the others had their banner.
"I am Colonel Kumar, Tau'ri Special forces." introduced Kumar as he once again turned on his face lights. "I have been sent by leaders to offer you help with your struggle against the Race."
"What are you?" inquired the member of the resistance across from him, judging from the outfit and how everyone else looked at him, that had to be the Prince.
"I am a human or as the race would call me, a Tosevite." Explained Kumar "The Race attempted to launch a conquest of our world however they expected sword swinging primitives not the most powerful civilization in the Galaxy with technology far beyond them."
"I have heard of these Tosevites from the Race, they are less developed then we are, there is no way he can be a Tosevit." said one of the other Princes.
"Our people advance much faster than the Race or for a matter your civilization. In the time since the Race studied our world and marked it for conquest we have went from swords to energy based weapons and from sailing ships to ships capable of faster than light travel." explained Kumar "We have a fleet of warships surrounding the conquest fleet they sent and another fleet is currently over the Race's home world."
"I see." said this Prince Unia as he placed both his hands behind his back, it was hard to tell what he was thinking because he was an insect alien that Kumar had never seen before meaning he didn't know the mannerisms.
"Our President, our leader requests that one of your leaders come with me to Earth our home world to address our leaders." explained Kumar "With any luck at all, we will be able to provide you with all the help you will possibly need to retake your world."
"And what do you gain out of it?" inquired another one of the leaders around the table.
"I will not lie to you, you have a rare metal on your world. We want access to that." said Kumar as he followed his orders to be honest with the locals. "We however will not conquer your people, we will trade for it."
"I see." said Prince Unia as he looked toward one of the guards. "Bring Colonel Kumar some water and food we have much to discuss."
"Yes, my prince." said the guard as within minutes a metal plate with small pieces of what looked to be bread and a cup full of water arrived. With politeness Kumar reached for the water and instantly his heads-up display began to flash. His scanners where not powerful enough to know for sure but the plate seemed to be made out of Zephry. Before he could say any thing his radio came alive.
"Colonel Kumar we have a column of Race military vehicles heading into the city." reported one of the owls.
"Prince Unia, my people report that the Race has sent military vehicles into the city is that normal?" inquired Kumar
"No, it isn't." said Unia
"Sir, they are dropping off soldiers looks like a block and a half way from you." reported the pilot. "They are forming up, looks like you are going to have company. They are currently still all together but that will not last long."
"Looks like a raid is coming this way." Reported Kumar as a young child ran into the room.
"The Race is here, we need to get out." Said the child before noticing the Tau'ri in the room.
"Prince Unia with your permission, may we take care of this problem?" inquired Kumar
"Very well." Said Unia unsure in himself as Kumar touched the side of his helmet for the radio.
"Do you have a shoot on the Race convoy?" inquired Kumar "No civilian damage."
"Will do." said the Owl pilot
"Then take care of them." ordered Kumar as he moved toward the window, it was covered but he moved it slightly just enough for him to look outside. On the road was a group of maybe two dozen lizards in full combat gear stalking down the road. They were looking forward and not up, Kumar did and saw the darker outline of an Owl against the night sky as it decloaked.
"Are you mad!" yelled one of the freedom fighters at the same moment one of the Race soldiers pointed up at the window and Kumar's figure. It didn't matter the Owl was behind them and angled it's nose mounted chain gun down at the squad. With a roar like the end of the world the chain gun ripped into the squad. The freedom fighters who by now had arrived at the windows looked out in amazement as the Race whose solders had been dominating them for the longest time was turned within moments to pieces of dead meat. Down the road two more Owls where using their guns and small wing mounted missiles to destroy the vehicles and personal the Race had left behind. Within moments all the fire stopped and the Owls recloaked.
"There, now I believe it would be for the best if you relocated." said Kumar
"Agreed, you said your Prince needs our leader to speak before a council correct?" inquired Prince Unia "Because if you can do this to the Race, you can liberate us from them and get us back our families, our homes and our world."
"Yes, I will explain more on route by our President does request your leader to get more public support for actions." explained Kumar
"How long will it take?" inquired Prince Unia
"A couple of days at the most, longer for you to deal with the leaders then it will be to actually get to Earth." explained Kumar
"Then I will go, I will go get help for my people." said Prince Unia as Kumar eyed the roof top garden patio, an owl should be able to position itself to take on passengers there with no real issue.
Unaware of what was happening on a world she never heard of, Acacia was having the best vacation she had ever head, it was magical in almost every way. The theming of the park was amazing with each of the five different areas or lands as she was informed they were called based around something different. In the center glittering in the sun was a perfect representation of Elsa's ice castle from the movie frozen.
"Think this is only day one." said her best friend, basically a sister Medea as she and most of the Lefeld family took a little break sitting out front of a tea shop near the hub of the park. The Jade Dragon was its name and it provided tea from all over Tau'ri space and they even had colonial brands. She had gotten a Tau'ri brand and with some convincing got Robert to get a colonial one. He had passed the tea around his family allowing them to try it.
"Robert dear, will you go get me some more of that…what do you call it again?" inquired Grandma Lefeld.
"Sagittarian Red Tea." offered Acacia "It's my personal favorite, but they put too much sugar in it. I could see that when they made it."
"Thank you can you please ask them for another." asked Grandma Lefeld
"Sure, thing Grandma." Said Robert as he stood up to get in line. Always the ball of energy Elizabeth dragged her father into a line to meet Elsa for the second time in the span of a few hours, her mother Stacy stayed behind with her baby brother. Robert was still in line when his father and grandfather who had been sharing multiple stories headed off to get a pretzel from a nearby food cart. So in one quick movement all the men were gone, minus the two year old boy.
Acacia felt as if her heart was racing as she noticed how Robert's grandmother was looking at her. Stacy's warning about how the matriarch of the Lefeld family would be pushing for her only grandson to get married. She took a deep breath and took one last drink of her own tea, now wishing she had something much stronger, maybe something from that Bavarian beerhouse a couple buildings away. Finally, she readied herself, if she didn't do this now it would hang over the vacation like a storm cloud.
"You want to ask me something don't you Mrs. Lefeld?" said Acacia as the conversation between mother and daughters stopped and all eyes turned to Acacia and the Senior woman at the table.
"Yes, I do." said Grandma Lefeld. "I have seen how my grandson looks at you and even in this short amount of time I have seen how the two of you act around each other. It is clear to me that you two are in love. Is this not so?"
"It is." confirmed Acacia with a smile as she looked to where Robert was still waiting in the long lines, if this place had any problems it was the lines.
"So, when will you get married?" inquired Grandma Lefeld.
"Grandma, you are…" started Stacy only to see Acacia wave off the comment.
"That's the thing, I told him not to ask me." said Acacia as the entire table even her best friend looked at her. "I noticed how he was asking me about Colonial marriage traditions and I told him not to ask me to marry him."
"What, you never told me that." Said Medea offended that her childhood friend and basically a sister would hide it from her.
"I don't tell you everything Medea." Said Acacia
"But why?" inquired Robert's mother confused.
"It isn't that I would say no, Gods no I would say yes in a heartbeat it is just there are some issues in the way." Explained Acacia as she let out a sigh. "You all don't know how colonial college scholarships work. It is handed out by worlds, so many scholarships go to each world and if a person marries a person from another world their citizenship is transferred to that world and so does their scholarship."
"We had something like that, if you marry an American so become an American by marriage." said Stacy "Sure there are other steps but generally that is it, so what is the problem?"
"That if I married Robert before I finished school, I would no longer be considered Libran but Tau'ri and there is no scholarships for Tau'ri in the Colonial Educational system." Explained Acacia with pain in her face.
"They would kick you off scholarship for that?" inquired Stacy, she worked in administrator for Daniel Jackson University on Earth so this hit her hard.
"If Robert was Tauron, Caprican or any other world in the colonies no issue." explained Acacia "All I would have to do is fill out some paperwork nothing more. I am luckily I have a job that pays ok but there is no way I could afford my schooling without the military scholarships I have. Frak I am luckly that the government is honoring the military scholarship program, the government doesn't have a lot of money to throw around."
"I see, so the choice is finishing your education and the man you love." Said Mrs. Lefeld, Robert's mother. "I can understand that for sure but engagement could happen?"
"Not really, Colonial tradition boarding on a law actually, it is considered very bad luck for an engagement to last longer than a year, sign of a doomed marriage in the future." explained Medea for her best friend. "And you have 2 and half years yet of schooling."
"Ah…" said Robert's youngest sister, Lisa.
"Tradition is important for sure and Robert knows this?" inquired Grandma Lefeld
"Yes, he also knows that tradition on Libran is to ask the mother permission to marry her daughter, I understand it is different in some Tau'ri cultures." Explained Acacia as she noticed Robert was near the front of the line now, she wanted to wrap this up before he came back. "But that isn't the only issue, see I am not sure if my degree will transfer to getting a job in the Tau'ri space. Will a Tau'ri employer accept a degree from one of the best schools on Libra? I don't know and I will not be a burden on Robert."
To Acacia slight joy, the senior Lefeld was nodding her head in understanding and dare she think respect.
"I respect you more for that, a marriage is teamwork I helped my husband managing appointments and supplies when he first started his veterinary clinic in our hometown in the late 60s." She added as she turned to her eldest granddaughter. "Stacy, you work at Daniel Jackson University, could you do something about that?"
"Getting her university accredited by the Tau'ri University system?" asked Stacy as her grandma nodded. "Not totally sure, not my department but my friend Linda is in that field working on accrediting university and making sure a high standard is kept, I could give her a call see if they have even considered doing that yet?"
Acacia's eyes widened as she looked at the older woman who was already reaching for her phone. She had forgotten that she worked at this Daniel Jackson university on Earth.
"I'll make the call now, screw the price of an interplanetary call." said Stacy with a smile as she began to dial her phone. Her call was picked up and then bounced off a series of multiple satellites that spread the distance between Valhalla and Earth. "Maybe I can see if they can arrange a scholarship program while they are at it, kind of unfair to for you or anyone else to lose scholarship because of being Tau'ri. Might as well try to kill two birds with one stone."
"Thanks." Said Acacia whipping away some tears from her eyes.
"No problem, for a future sister-in-law." said Stacy "Just don't tell Robert, he will want to pay me back for the price of the call. He is like that."
Before Acacia could respond Stacy spoke into her phone.
"Linda, this is Stacy how are you doing?" inquired Stacy as she made a few small talk before explaining the situation to her friend, all the way back on Earth. "Really?...well what about the scholarship thing, oh thank you so much. Yes, I'll get you that souvenir you asked for, my treat just bring this up at the next staff meeting. Thanks."
"Well?" inquired Grandma Lefeld as Stacy closed her phone.
"Turns out they were already working on a program, going to bring it to the President of the Colonies in a few days in fact to get it started." explained Stacy as Acacia's eyes widened a bit "Your school was already in line for possible accreditation and I told her about the scholarship thing as well. They had no idea about that and she will look into that. I had to promise her a sovereign, some castle figurine but that is easy."
"Thank you." said Acacia on the verge of tears as Robert returned with a cup of tea in his hand.
"Acacia is something?" inquired Robert with concern that something had happened, as Acacia and all the women smiled a knowing smile.
"No, not at all. Not anymore." said Acacia.
"Alright what story did they tell you?" said Robert as he looked accusing at his little sister, who was smiling a knowing smile.
Admiral Hackett got out what passed for a luxury vehicle for the Race and instantly wished he was 20 years younger because of the pain in his lower back from the car designed for creatures about three quarters his size. He scanned the area in front of him, it looked like a long footpath with views of a building in the distance. It looked strongly roman in nature with a dome ceiling and what appeared to be a colonnade in front compared to the mixture of Japanese's and Russian orthodox designs he had been seeing from the buildings of the Race's capital of Preffilo.
"Welcome to the Shrine of Spirits of Emperors past." Said a lizard which came about to Hackett's chest. "I am honored to be the tour guild to our first Tosevite worshipers."
"My God." said Hackett with a sigh as he looked at this lizard, he knew he was going to get to play tourists but to have the Race send him first to a temple to their gods was not what he wanted or expected. He wanted to be meeting with the Emperor to discuss the situation to avoid a war that would turn this city into a waste land but instead of sending him to meet anyone important they sent him here.
"What did he say?" inquired the guild looking at another member of the Race, who shrugged his shoulders, in a strangely human way.
"We are not worshipers of spirits of Emperor's past." Stated Hackett through his aid who was serving as an interrupter. That caused both lizards and the growing crowed to look at him, both of them standing very still unnaturally still.
"Ah…I see." Said one of them as he started moving. "Forgive us, we didn't think this through as carefully as we should have."
Then he turned to the guild and went on.
"These Tosevites are ruled by a different Emperor, they worship the spirits of their Emperor's past not our own." stated the second lizard as the first lizard looked at him but remained still as if the idea of worshiping another group of spirits of empiror's past was still beyond his understanding.
"But how can that be, they are really ignorant of the Emperors? How can their spirits rejoice in the next world if they do not know the Emperor's names?" inquired the tour guild in amazement. "They worship their own Emperors? Really?"
"No we don't." answered Hackett "We have freedom of religion, we choice or religion we want to follow just like we choice our leader, our President. Now forgive me but I need to speak to your Emperor and other high officials in order to solve the issues facing us."
The two members of the Race unable to understand the idea of freedom of Religion or choosing their own leaders answered the question they could.
"Well to see the Emperor all you have to do is fill out a petition and have it selected and approved for an audience." Explained the 2nd lizard
"And who do I have to see about filing a petition?" inquired Hackett
"All young at school learn how do that? How is that you do not know?" inquired the Tour guild "ah forgive me, I keep forgetting you are not members of the Empire yet. Yes, you must submit the request in writing, including the formal intro and outer paragraphs and the five-page reason why you wish to interrupt the Emperor's day with your audience."
"They want you to type a report?" inquired his aid somewhat amazed at the idea. "A God damn report?"
"So I have to type out this request?" stated Hackett "Can I get a copy of the intro and outer paragraphs?"
"Type? No this has to be done by claw with a special pen." said the member of the race as he moved to a nearby computer terminal in what looked to be a sort of ticket hub and pulled up the image of what looked to be a fountain pen. "And it has to be in your own claw writing and with no errors of any kind either in form or spelling."
"I see." said Hackett knowing this was just made a lot harder. The Race didn't seem to notice the worry and concern in his voice. "Take me back to the space port, I will return to my ship and inform my leaders of this development and see what course they want to follow."
"It shall be done." said the lizard as Hackett turned and with effort got back into the too tiny car and headed back to the waiting Owl transport. "I'll call ahead and get someone to meet you with instructions to make a request to meet the Emperor and one of the special pens."
President Carter sat behind her desk weighing her options, the Tau'ri government was in its early stages with so many issues yet to be agreed upon. She knew that every move she made would set an example for the Presidents who would follow her into this office, like George Washington the 1st President of her home nation, she would be setting precedent that would shape what following leaders did. As much as she wanted to focus solely on the issues with the Race and getting the material needed to make ZPMs she had other areas to worry about ranging. One of which was much higher level of concern than any other, that was the area of space within 30 minutes flight time of Lanagara, the second most populated world in the Tau'ri with only Earth in front of it.
She turned her attention back to the map of the Milky Way galaxy which hovered in space above the work table in her private office. She studied the map with care, at the treaty of Gaia signed only a few years ago, a large part of the galaxy 18% belonged to the Tau'ri with an additional 2% which consisted of the Asgard protected worlds now where under their control. The rest of the galaxy was split among the other major powers mostly the different Lucian alliance and Free Jaffa nations. Currently 5 of those other powers filled her mind.
It was five of them which currently put the most pressure on her mind, in one part of space near to Lanagara. It was here that six different powers meet and four of them where threatening to go to war against each other that would drag in the 5th and could drag in the Tau'ri as well. The powers where three different Lucian alliance factions and two free Jaffa nations all in this one area of space. Each side had a lot of hate toward the other powers, one of the free Jaffa nations had been formed with Jaffa who had once all served the same Goa'uld System Lord while the other was formed by another group of Jaffa who followed a different system lord. They had fought side by side against their enslaves and then the ORI but now the thousands of years that the two Jaffa factions had fought each other was threatening to start again. In the middle was the three Lucian Alliance factions made out of human slaves from the same system lords that the Jaffa had once served only they hated the Jaffa just as much as the Goa'uld because they had been their enforcers. A four way war between the two Jaffa and two Lucian alliance factions was likely in the near future. It was the smallest power and the 3rd Lucian Alliance faction located in the middle of it all which was causing the most problems.
It was made out of group of humans which hadn't belonged to any of the other Goa'uld System Lord empires but to a smaller weaker Goa'uld which had played both System Lords against each other to stay alive. They where in a horrible position with massive fleets on either side of it and four different powers asking or rather demanding that they side with them or die. That is why they had requested an audience with her and the Tau'ri government.
Officially it was to make a request for the Tau'ri to hold a peace conference, unofficially it was something far more interesting and dangerous. If Tau'ri intelligence was to be believed, the Lucian Alliance family which ran this small power in the middle of much larger powers would be making a request, but not for the Tau'ri to hold a peace conference but a request to join the Tau'ri alliance itself.
Carter had almost dropped her drink when she read that, on the surface it was a good move for them. The Lucian alliance group in question had helped a lot in the Colonial War making Tau'ri designed cargo transports at their own shipyards and in return along with money the Tau'ri had sent teachers, engineers and doctors to help raise their people to a better standard of living.
That was the thing across the Galaxy, the Goa'uld never wanted their slaves and warriors to advance so they kept them in the dark. Most adults hardly knew how to write their own name and do anything but the most basic math and the Jaffa where not much better. There were a handful of exceptions but those where rare and the people and Jaffa in question where the most loyal to their god and died with them in the rebellions. They had built starships and energy weapons but that was because they were building copies of designs long ago made with little or no change.
Carter took a breath as she looked at the map again, their area of space was directly in the middle between the other powers. If they did ask to join and was accepted the Tau'ri would find themselves smack in the middle of a possible four-way war, with a small corridor of space linking Lanagara to this new Tau'ri planets located in the middle of a war zone. That would make a war very painful to carry out with the number of ships they currently had, however the different factions knew that one Tau'ri battleship was capable of taking down whole fleets of Ha'tak class warships on its own. While they would have the numbers would it be too much of a risk with so many other powers waiting to jump them if they weakened themselves against the Tau'ri fleet. That was a strong possibly that they would be too worried about another power attacking them that they wouldn't attack the Tau'ri.
The Tau'ri would be gaining almost two dozen populated worlds with over a hundred un-populated or lightly populated worlds. With a combined population of over four and a half billion people that would give them another great population boost on top of the baby boom already going on that was projected to increase the Tau'ri population by five fold within fifty years. Some of the worlds were rich in minerals and other resources and five of them, the ones with the largest populations had shipyards that could be turned to making smaller Tau'ri warships and civilian ships with ease. Raising the population to a standard of living and educational level shared by the rest of the Tau'ri would take time but it was something they were good at now. Integrating them would also be a problem but one they knew how to solve but they hadn't done it on such a scale before.
She studied the map one last time before zooming out. She would make her decision soon but not now, the meeting with the Lucian Alliance nation was still two weeks off and with luck by then they would on their way to making ZPMs and that would tip the balance solo in the Tau'ri favor.
All the long-term planners and experts predicted that like Lanagara human worlds would ask to join the Tau'ri alliance. What the planners hadn't expected was a group this large would request permission to join so soon but the group was surrounded by other powers looking to destroy them. The planners expected some of the smaller one world powers within the Tau'ri borders to request first, worlds like Pangar, Galar and other smaller powers limited to a single world. Even powers spread out over more worlds like the Colonials and the Tollans where expected by most to join the Tau'ri before a group of this size and power. Just showed how the experts could be wrong.
Carter took a breath as she tried not to remember what happened to the Tollan people, they had once been one of the most advanced human civilization in the galaxy when the Tau'ri started exploring the galaxy. Now thanks to wars with the Gau'old and then the Ori, their worlds had been ravaged and their population was down to only a few hundred thousand people.
A beep on her computer told her that a message had come in. She scanned the message and nodded her head. The team had contacted the local freedom fighters against the Race and one of their leaders was already on the way here. Judging from the reaction of the public to the videos coming out of the Race occupied Ovea, Carter could give them any weapon short of a WMD and have the public behind her. This meant she could unload some of the old weapons of war from Earth, they still had whole warehouses full of Cold War Era weapons, mostly Soviet in nature which hadn't been destroyed. The image of the insect Opochti running around with AK-47 style assault rifles appeared in her mind. She could also give them Colonial Weapons taken after the war or even some more modern weapons. That was one option before her with that problem, another option a full-bore military assault was still being planned out for her consideration.
She checked the time that the Resistance leader would arrive and the time that the delegation from the Race would arrive. The Race would arrive first but not by long, her political advisors advisories her to meet with the Resistance leader first and she would. The Race would meet with their own forces first in the Conquest fleet giving time for the Resistance leader to meet with Carter first. She closed her computer and headed out her office door passing members of the protective detail dressed in black suits with weapons hidden inside their jackets. She moved down the hall and up into the Presidential bedroom and after a quick shower, she got into bed and went to sleep knowing she would have an early and busy filled day ahead of her.
Unknown to Carter, Fleet Lord Atvar was already asleep inside his rest chamber, the chamber was larger than any other sleeping chamber but it had only a few personal items. A large mirror was on one wall with a table covered with all the different types of body paints that he used to apply his rank pattern every couple of days. A private wash camber where he could clean his scales and make waste sat between his rest chamber and his personal office. A sitting chair with a reading light sat in one corner along with a handful of personally books. He had a few photos of his friends back on Home and one of him with the Emperor when he was declared Fleet Lord to conquer Vantic 5 and Tosev 3. He had conquered Vantic 5 but it looked like he would never add a fifth world into the Empire.
The sound of a computer hissing for attention filled his dreams as he struggled to remain asleep. Finally, he knew that the fight was lost and he opened one of his eyes to see an aid looking out of him from the computer terminal sitting beside his bed. Slowly he sat up and turned his attention to the screen, he knew it was bad news. You don't wake the fleet lord to report good news.
"Activate two-way voice." said Atvar as the computer turned on the two-way communication channel. "This is Atvar speak."
"Forgive me exulted Fleet Lord but two large Tau'ri vessels have just appeared out of a vortex of energy." Said the aid who was on the bridge as the image of two large ships appeared on his screen. They were coming out of strange vortex of energy the likes of which Atvar had never seen before.
"So that is how they are able to travel faster than light." said Atvar with some mild anger at the aid who had woken him. It was important for sure but not something they already didn't know, he could have slept and gotten to it first thing in the morning.
"And Fleet Lord we have gotten a radio broadcast from the Tau'ri that a ship carrying some high ranking members of the Imperial palace will be arriving within the hour from Home." Said the aid as Atvar turned both eye turrets to look at him on the screen.
"They have already found Home?" inquired Atvar he had hoped it would have taken the Tau'ri some time to locate the heart of the Empire.
"Yes, sir and…." He paused as if he didn't want to go on. "Forgive me exulted Fleet Lord but the Tau'ri have reported to us that they have a war fleet over Home and they have placed it under blockade."
"That is an act of war." Said Atvar totally missing the fact that the Race had launched an invasion fleet against the Tau'ri. Then a horrible idea filled his mind, what if the Tosevites decided to add the Empire into their Empire. "How big where those transports? How many fighting units could fit in it?"
"We are still working out their cargo capacity, but between the two of them an armored brigade at least." stated the aid as Atvar lowered his head.
"By the Emperor, they are preparing to carry out an armored invasion of Home?" stated Atvar with fear of what an armored brigade could do to Home. Aside when the Empire went conquering the Race had no soldiers only police and outside of the Imperial royal guard the worse they were trained for was a hostage situation with a knife maybe even gun wielding member of the Race not armed combat against an organized force. With nothing to stop the Tosevites an armored brigade could cause major damage maybe even take the capital and the Emperor. "Monitor those ships and any ships leaving the system, we cannot allow ships capable of carry soldiers to Home out of the system."
"It shall be done." Said the aid as the line went dead and Atvar was left alone with his thoughts, the image of the Tosevites infantry males invading the Empire and attack home was foremost in his mind. He knew deep down within him that he would throw his own life aside in order to protect home and his Emperor, he would ram the ship into the enemy if he had too. Luckily, he would see any ships leaving the system and would be able to take actions to stop them.
On the world known to the Race as Tosev 4 or better known as Mars a phone began to ring beside a bed. An arm stretched out from under the covers and picked up the cell phone and swiped a finger across the screen. The screen read his finger print and his DNA using all the technology in the screen before promoting him to put in an access code. He did this all on autopilot as he sat up in bed and waited for the connection.
"General Jager." Said former Colonel Jager, a veteran of the German military now fully integrated into the Tau'ri military he wore the stars of a Brigadier General. He was still only half asleep when his eyes widened as the image of a woman in a higher-ranking uniform appeared on the video screen.
"General Leong." said Jager as he used one of his hands to salute while thanking God he had had put a shirt back on. Being shirtless in front of the highest ranking military officer in the Tau'ri military was not a good thing, even if she was calling at 4 am local time.
"General, sorry for waking you but you are to report for a meeting onboard the Yamato in three hours." said General Leong as Jager ran the numbers, it was do able but he would have to hurry to get everything ready. "While you attend the meeting put your command in a ready position to move out to possible combat operations."
"Ma'am is this have to do with that news out of Vantic 5?" inquired Jager
"It does indeed, we have a local name for it now but I will fill you in on that when you arrive." stated the Tigress.
"I understand, may I request that any combat data on the enemy armored and vehicles be sent to us, so my troops can prepare some in the simulators?" inquired Jager as the Tigress gave what was for her an approving smile.
"Already sent General prepare you command for moving out and I will see you when you arrive." ordered General Leong as the line went dead.
"Sounds like you have to go." Said the woman's voice beside him as he turned to see Colonel Ludmila Gorbunova lying there in a state of semi-undress. The two of them had meet just before the invasion of the Colonies and had hit it off to such a point that Ludmila now lived with him in his general's quarters. Since Ludmila was Air Force and he army he didn't have any direct control over her on the field and her command of a regiment of Adder attack helicopters was independent of his own brigade of Tanks and armor he commanded. Even so both knew they were skating the line and it was only a matter of time until something had to happen.
"Dah." Said the German Jager in Ludmila's native Russian as he kissed her before getting out of bed and starting to get ready. As he fastened the black color patches of an armored warrior and put on his combat markers which showed he was a veteran of not only the Tauron invasion but the nuclear strike on Valhalla he couldn't help but think if another combat ribbon would soon join the two he currently wore.
Far away from Mars and far away from the events going on between the rest of the Tau'ri, General John Shepard walked onto the bridge of the flagship of the 8th fleet the TAV Prince of Wales.
"General, everything is going according to plan we should be ready for our first powering up test within 12 hours." Said the Captain in command of the Night crew.
"Good, once we conduct the test I will be out of your hair as quickly as possible." Said Shepard, as Commander Pegasus he was the second highest ranking military officer in the Tau'ri. With only General Loeng, as Commander Milky Way being higher than he was in the military command structure. In truth, he would have been over her but he liked being commander Pegasus and it allowed him to be close to his wife's Teyla people. The great distance from Earth allowed him more freedom then he would have had if he was stationed closer to Earth.
"Sir, you are not a problem at all." said the Captain before giving a grin. "Well Dr. McKay is a little."
"Not wrong there, Frank." said Shepard with a laugh before looking out the main bridge display which showed before them a massive Ring floating in space. With an entire Tau'ri fleet, multiple defense stations and construction teams filling the system and in the distance, was a black hole. A super gate, the 1st designed and built by the Tau'ri was only hours away from its first test. "Earth is going to get a whole lot closer."
"That it is sir, speaking of Earth we did get a request on a time table for the Ragnarok." said the Captain.
"How long until the Ragnarok test is done?" inquired Shepard
"Depending on if everything goes good today, 20 days at the earliest." Said the Captain as Shepard let out a sigh.
"Well they will just have to deal with it, we only have one Ragnarok ship and we need it here." Said Shepard as he went back to monitoring the construction of the Pegasus Supergate. According to research found both in the Ancient database and in captured ORI computers a galaxy could only have a single Supergate in them. This was backed up by the Tau'ri's own research and it appeared that the Ancients had considered building a network of Supergates to link galaxies like they did with the Stargate networks but they never got around to it before the Wraith forced them to retreat to Earth and then to focus on accession. So far only three Supergates where know to be built, one in the ORI galaxy, one built by the ORI in the Milky Way galaxy both of which were now under Tau'ri full or semi-control.
The last one was in a distant galaxy so far away that it was impossible to send ships larger than a puddle jumper through. It was there that the disabled Ancient Destiny sat dead in space aside from a caretaker and research Tau'ri team. The plan was to send the Deep Space Recon Ship Prometheus to another galaxy and from their build a Supergate that would allow larger ships to travel to the Destiny's location. From there they would send premade parts to assemble a new Deep Space Recon Ship named Destiny II through the Supergate to launch from the location of the Ancient's Destiny to finish its mission.
The Condor came out of hyperspace on the far side of the system away from the bulk of the 1st fleet. This route actually made the trip longer from Home but the Tau'ri wanted to put on a show and a show they did put on. The delegation from the Imperial Palace looked out the windows in amazement as they saw the Tosev system, the condor flew past Venus or Tosev 2 according to the Race and saw that it had been totally changed. Venus had more of its surface covered with oceans then Earth did with almost 80% of it covered with water with multiple Australian sized island continents and countless smaller islands on the surface.
"By the Emperor." Said the science advisor as he looked out the window at the terraformed planet, that type of technology was believed millions of years in the future. The amazement only grew as they passed by Earth, passing in the dark side of the planet to show the glow of all the city lights coming from the surface. Mars was next and like Venus it was terraformed only it had a smaller percentage of oceans and with most of ocean water in a single massive ocean that took up the top 3rd of the planet including the Northern Pole.
"Three worlds, three populated and habitual worlds in a single system." said Imperial Guard officer who had come alone. "How many Tosevites are in this Empire?"
Then the Condor powered past the asteroid belt and the defense stations before some of the larger ships of the 1st fleet came into view. Then in the middle of it was the Conquest fleet of the Race, their fleet was surrounded by the Tau'ri fleet like a flock of sheep with wolves all around them.
"They told the truth." said the Protocol Master as his universe, the universe that every member of the Race knew was true for thousands of years had been shoved on their tail stump. A horrifying idea entered his head, yesterday the Race and the Empire was the most advanced culture and the height of civilization and now the sword swinging savages where beyond them.
Well I hope you liked this chapter, until next time please keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75.