Robotech: The Stargate Saga
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and universes that I am about to mangle around and mash together for my own demented author amusement – sadly all Robotech and Stargate characters and concepts remain the property of Harmony Gold and MGM respectively – I am merely borrowing them and make absolutely no profit from their use. As a result, please keep the legal attack dogs – also known as lawyers – firmly muzzled and on a leash as I have no money to give to anyone.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Tharos Mothership
A Short Time Later
Still sitting in the uncomfortable pel'tac throne, though showing no outward sign of it as it wouldn't do for Jaffa to see one of their gods uncomfortable because of a too small throne, Tharos listened with great interest to Marnor as the prime reported what their ground troops sent to the planet's surface had found. In the relatively short time that he had owned this planet – intelligence reports he had read while travelling here had confirmed that it had only been conquered and annexed three years ago – Sokar had been a very busy and unusually industrious Goa'uld. More than a dozen foundries and heavy industrial fabrication units – which could make anything from control crystals to zat'nik'atel sidearms, ma'tok staffs to capital ship hyperdrives and shield generators – had been set up on the planet all feeding two large anti-gravity construction docks floating over the base.
Docks that each had what looked to be a Sokar copy of a Sha'ha'tak-class mothership in them. Motherships that were both only days at the most away from completion according to the automated record keeping system needing only decoration to be complete. So far, the records had confirmed that both motherships had received a few upgrades over the stock design created by P'tah and which were now being built in increasing numbers by those System Lords who could afford the outlay of resources needed to build them. The upgrades to both ships including more advanced power systems allowing them to have stronger shields and recharge their weapons that much faster.
"Can the vessels be crewed," he asked hoping that they would be able to, he could then examine them in a safer location and find out just how Sokar had done what he had done to improve their systems so much. It would be interesting to compare it with what he knew of robotechnology power systems from his hosts memories and how he could use the latter to improve them still further. Both to serve Ba'al and to serve his own ambitions.
"They can indeed my lord," Marnor replied, "we have sufficient Jaffa present to provide a skeleton crew for both vessels. It will not take long to bring both ships online enough to bring them into orbit and make the short journey through hyperspace to Lord Ba'al."
"Very well proceed to crew the ships and prepare to bring them into orbit. Have our search crews found the naquada and trinium stores?"
"We have my lord, the garrison that surrendered have been quite accommodating accepting Lord Ba'al as their new God. I must report that there is considerably more present than our intelligence reports indicated. It will thus take considerably longer to transfer it all to our cargo bays."
"I see. Continue transferring everything to this ship," Tharos ordered, "how long until the motherships are ready to fly?"
"We estimate two hours my lord."
"Excellent. Also have your most trusted Jaffa begin searching for the shipyard's main computer. When you find it pull the memory crystals."
"It will be done my lord."
"Very well you may go."
"My lord," Marnor acknowledged with a reverential bow before leaving to continue overseeing the will of both Ba'al and Tharos. The latter of which had impressed him greatly from what he had seen of him so far, it would be interesting to see how far he would go and who knew if Ba'al did grant him a small army of his own – as some underlords were allowed to have – Tharos might even choose him to be his First Prime.
Tharos watched him go his thoughts unknowingly echoing Marnor's. He hoped that with this successful raid Lord Ba'al would see fit to gift him a small army of Jaffa of his own to command. If his liege did then he would ask Marnor to be his First Prime, while he was young for the role being only forty-nine, he was competent and from what he had seen of him as true a believer in the Goa'uld as any Jaffa should be. Thus, he would make a very good leader for his forces should he be allowed to have his own army.
"My lord we are receiving a message from the throneworld. Lord Ba'al wishes to speak with you," Bol'va, the Jaffa manning the main console in Marnor's absence, reported.
"Put him through," Tharos ordered guessing immediately that Ba'al wanted a report on their status here. His liege would no doubt be greatly pleased by their success here and how easy it was, especially how the new weapons had convinced the Jaffa on the remaining ships and in the garrison to surrender and pledge themselves to Ba'al as the more powerful god.
"Yes, my lord."
Immediately the viewport at the front of the bridge shimmered and a holographic communications screen appeared over the trapezoidal port replacing the normal view of space outside the pel'tac. Ba'al was sitting proudly on his ebony throne in what looked like his main throne room in the palace on the throneworld. On an identical throne next to him dressed in simple looking, but extremely elegant, gold and silk robes was his queen Qetesh.
"Report Tharos have you succeeded in your mission?" Ba'al demanded immediately.
Tharos bowed his head. "I have indeed my lord," he replied before launching into an explanation of everything that had happened from the moment they had emerged from hyperspace and moved to engage Sokar's orbital garrison. Ba'al smiled and his eyes lit up in glee as Tharos said about how the plasma beams had torn both Ha'tak from the sky with ease and did so from beyond the range of standard Goa'uld weapons. Ba'al's expression turned thoughtful when he revealed how the display of power had convinced the Jaffa on the other ships and in the planetary garrison to surrender without further resistance and pledge themselves to Ba'al.
He looked even more thoughtful, and Tharos could practically see the wheels in the System Lords head turning, as he continued explaining revealing the two heavily upgraded Sha'ha'tak that Sokar had been building here and the extend of the industrial facilities on the ground. Not to mention the larger than expected amounts of naquada and trinium stockpiled here.
"Interesting," Ba'al commented. "And the garrison have completely surrendered to your force?"
"They have my lord."
"Well, this changes things considerably. Tharos, I want you to secure the planet as it will make a useful addition to my domain," Ba'al said after a moment of quiet thought. "I will dispatch additional naval and ground forces to support you and fend off the inevitable counterattack from Sokar."
"We must reward Tharos for his accomplishment and developing the new weapons for us," Qetesh commented looking at her husband.
"Indeed, you are correct my love," Ba'al replied before turning his attention back to Tharos. "Tharos, I grant you the Jaffa on your ships and in the current garrison to form your own army. Send the one Sha'ha'tak back to me, you may keep the other as your personal flagship. The planet will also be yours to rule and oversee in my name."
Tharos blinked in a combination of surprise and shock. He had half expected that Ba'al would grant him his own small Jaffa army, but he had not expected to be given this entire planet, Orisa as Marnor had said it was called, to rule in Ba'al's name. Nor had he expected to be given one of the two Sha'ha'tak being built here as his flagship, both were a sign of great favour from Ba'al. Though he was also aware that it was something of a poison chalice – as his hosts people would say – as anything bad that happened here he would be held responsible for.
"You are most generous my lord," he said at last.
"Yes, I am. The reinforcements will be with you shortly. Continue serving me as well as you have been Tharos, and I foresee a very bright future for you."
Without waiting for a response Ba'al closed the communications link down from his end. The holographic screen shimmered out of existence allowing the view of space and below them the planet Orisa to return. Tharos allowed himself a slight, satisfied smirk before addressing Bol'va. "Bol'va contact Marnor and advise him of the change of plans," he ordered, "then have him report here to me."
"Yes, my lord."
In his mental prison Vince did the mental equivalent of scowling as things continued to improve for the Goa'uld who'd hijacked his body. This thrice damned sentient snake seemed to have everything going his way, which meant he would likely remain in this state a prisoner inside his own body while the Goa'uld used his knowledge of robotech for its own evil ends for far longer than he would like.
It wasn't entirely bad news though as gave him more time and opportunity to learn exactly how Goa'uld technology worked. Knowledge that, when he was finally freed from this living hell and hopefully reunited with his wife, unborn child and sister, he would take great satisfaction in turning against the Goa'uld. He had already noted something interesting at night when Tharos was sleeping, noticed that during those times when the Goa'uld was in a deeply unconscious state he was starting to be able to feel his body again. Feel and manipulate it without waking the creature wrapped around his upper spinal cord, so far, he had only been able to do little things like make his hand or foot move. But he was confident that, with a bit more time and practice he would be able to do a bit more.
Which would let him begin to undermine Tharos.
Palace
Ba'al's Throneworld
Ba'al and Qetesh chuckled slightly as the holographic screen displaying Tharos dissipated. The reaction of the young Goa'uld to being given such a promotion was quite amusing.
"You were quite generous towards him," Qetesh commented, a sly smile on her face. She understood Ba'al, his motivations and rationalisations, very well indeed and knew that he had ulterior motives for being so generous towards the young Goa'uld. It was highly unusual after all for any Goa'uld younger than two hundred years to be trusted with such a level of authority.
"Indeed. Tharos is very impressive for such a young Goa'uld," Ba'al replied with a slight smirk, "very creative, intelligent and ambitious. He kind of reminds me of me at that age. I want to see exactly what he can do."
"Obviously. And if he proves to be competent and ambitious enough to become a danger to our long-term plans?"
Ba'al scowled slightly at that. He had to admit that Qetesh did have a point that Tharos could potentially turn into a danger to their own long-term plans to rise to the very top of the Goa'uld hierarchy and dethrone Ra. It was a goal that they had both spent millennia working towards, steadily accumulating the power, resources and technology that they would need to take on and defeat the Supreme System Lord himself. While the ongoing civil war had done much to advance their plans, allowing them to take control of several vitally important sectors, there was still much to do before they were ready for such a battle royal. The very last thing they needed would be for some ambitious new underling who could cause Ra to turn too much attention to them and potentially discovering their plans. Which would cost them both their lives as Ra had not ruled the Goa'uld for eight thousand years by being merciful to those who attempted to oust him from his throne.
"Then I will, reluctantly I will admit as I hate to waste such talent, eliminate him."
Fort Minotaur
Crete, European Quadrant
Earth, That Same Time
Rick Hunter blinked as the Asgard transporter beam released him and he found himself standing on the hypercarbon reinforced concrete tarmac of the surface part of Fort Minotaur. He had been making his final preparations for the mission to the Ancient space station, nicknamed Phobos Station after the asteroid moon it had long pretended to be, after spending a few days arranging and assisting Max in the changeover of leadership of Skull Squadron to the still somewhat stunned blue-haired man, when he had been contacted by one of Admiral Gloval's aides.
The younger officer, barely out of his teens and practically wetting himself with nerves at meeting one of the heroes of the Robotech War which he had taken considerable pity on the kid about, had told him that an Asgard ship would transport him to Fort Minotaur in thirty minutes. When he had asked why he had been told that General Richards or Colonel Kawalski would explain when he arrived, clearly indicating that the younger officer had no idea why he was to be sent there. All he had been told was that he was being sent there and that the reason was important enough for the Asgard to teleport him there.
Seeing Colonel Kawalski approaching Rick allowed himself a slight smile. It looked like he was about to get some much-needed answers. "Captain Hunter welcome back to Fort Minotaur," Kawalski said in greeting as he reached the younger, highly decorated officer.
"Thank you, colonel it is good, to be here again," Rick replied, "now do you mind telling me what all this is about? I know it must be quite important given the Asgard teleported me here from Fokker's Field instead of me just flying here."
"It is and when your briefed I am sure you will understand both why we called for you and why the Asgard were so urgent. I can also tell you that the other Asgard ship that was in orbit, the Skuld, has left orbit to travel to the planet in question, a world called Calora, and Commander Breetai is preparing a squadron of ships for immediate deployment as well."
Rick blinked surprised at that bit of information. It also told him that whatever was going on it was big, very big. Very big and potentially very important if both the Asgard and the Zentraedi were scrambling to get warships to Calora with the Skuld having already left. He had to wonder if it had something to do with the Ancients, had they found something left behind by them. Something they wanted him for, especially due to the presence of Ancient DNA in his blood and cells that, despite everything he had ever believed, was something that due to its effects and the ability to link with Ancient tech it gave him technically made him not as human as he had always thought he was. He could only assume that whatever was they had found, whatever Ancient tech or facility it was, they needed him to interface with it.
"If you'll follow me, please. General Richards is waiting for you, he'll explain everything." Rick nodded in acquiescence prompting Kawalski to smile and turn to lead the way inside to where the lifts were that would take him deep into the underground bowels of the base. Rick followed closely, all the while wondering just what the hell this was all about.
Ten Minutes Later
General Micah Richards looked up from his desk at the sound of someone knocking the door to his office. It had been quite an anxious wait since he had reported Colonel Ferretti's findings on Calora to the defence council. Naturally the council had been beyond shocked to find that there was an Ancient starship, a ship that from the looks of it was very definitely a warship given that it literally bristled with particle cannon turrets of unknown type and capabilities, on Calora. A warship that the Caloran people had spent centuries learning and reverse engineering technology from, though they could not use the warship themselves since none of their people had the gene sequence that would let them interface with and use the Ancients technology.
Something that they themselves had the capacity to do since the likes of Captain Hunter had Ancient DNA inside them. Which when he thought about it was quite fascinating as it raised a great many interesting questions about their ancestors past interactions with the ancient race who had among other things apparently built the Stargates not just here in this galaxy but in numerous others. A history that would be fascinating to explore, hopefully the Ancient AI Primus on the space station over Mars would be able to provide some answers.
He put aside those thoughts for now. "Come in," he called out. The door opened and Kawalski poked his head in. "Yes colonel?"
"Captain Hunter is here sir," his second in command said.
"Ah good send him in. Then I want you to go and oversee the preparations to send the next load of supplies and equipment through the Stargate to Calora," he ordered. In the last few hours, they had begun sending as many supplies and equipment through the Stargate to the survivors on Calora as could be spared. While the Calorans didn't lack for food they had seriously started to suffer from clothing falling apart, technology no longer working properly or at all and concrete beginning to decay. The supplies they were sending through would help somewhat alleviate the problems – something that President Jowmart had already expressed profound thanks for – facing the two thousand survivors living in the bunker until they could get them off the frozen wasteland that had once been a thriving, technologically advanced world. Something that would be easy to do once the Zentraedi ships arrived.
"Yes sir," Kawalski acknowledged before withdrawing. A second later the door opened fully, and Captain Hunter strode in, Richards standing to greet him.
"Captain Hunter welcome back to Fort Minotaur," he said in greeting as he and the veteran veritech pilot, who had proven himself to be one of the most lethal and capable flying aces in history and to this day commanded respect and fear in equal measure among the Zentraedi, exchanged salutes of mutual respect in the age-old traditions of Earth's military forces. "I apologise for the sudden summons and the Asgard having to beam you here, but I am sure you will understand when I am done."
"It's quite alright sir," Rick replied respectfully. "Though I admit that I am rather curious as to the reasoning for the summons. I assume it has something to do with the Ancients. You've found something."
"Indeed, we have but I will explain about that, and what we need you to do, in a minute. Please be seated. Coffee?"
"If you don't mind sir."
"Of course not," Richards replied as he moved over to where a coffee machine with a freshly brewed jug of coffee was waiting. "Milk and sugar?"
"Yes, please two."
Richards chuckled at that as it was clear that where coffee was concerned Rick Hunter was very much a man after his own heart. But then it was true that there modern robotechnology fuelled military ran on two main sources of fuel, those being coffee and protoculture. It took him only a few moments to make them both a mug of coffee and to bring them over. He put one down in front of Rick before going back round his desk and sitting down.
"Now then let us begin," Richards said. "This whole thing begins with the ship that was recovered from Mars with the assistance of Primus and that drone ship whatever it is."
"A gateship. According to Primus database they're shuttlecraft designed to be able to pass through the Stargates hence the name. It's all in my report."
"I will have to reread that," Richards admitted, making a mental note to do just that. "Anyway, as I was saying this whole situation began with the vessel recovered from Mars. After it was docked with the Luna Shipyards, we were able to get inside it and from there access the database. As I am sure you are aware?" Rick nodded. "Alright then I will explain from there what we found."
He began explaining how upon accessing the vessels database they had learned where it had come from and why it had apparently been abandoned in what its crew had assumed to be a deep cave on the flanks of the extinct Arsia Mons volcano not a capped exhaust/ventilation shaft for the Ancient industrial complex beneath the whole Tharsis Bulge region of the planet. The reason why it had been abandoned as its crews homeworld came under a Rain of Death style bombardment from the forces of the Goa'uld System Lords. Something that made Rick wince as he well remembered watching the beams from Dolza's fleet bathe the surface of the Earth in quantum fire nearly nine years ago.
"The database revealed the location of the planet in question, a world called Calora, along with its Stargate coordinates," Richards continued. "We dialled the planet and sent one of the new Condor fully autonomous recon drones through to search for any sign of survivors after all this time. Given what we have been through ourselves with the Rain we couldn't well leave anyone there to slowly suffer and die any longer."
"And were there sir?" Rick asked.
"We didn't find any not at first," Richards admitted, "but what the drone did pick up caught our attention and prompted the Defence Council to order a manned mission to Calora. You see the drone picked up a faint power signature that matched Ancient technology coming from somewhere northeast of the ruins of the Caloran capital."
Rick blinked in surprise. "An Ancient power signature," he repeated, "do you know what kind sir? A gravitic reactor, a potentia module or something else?"
"We're not sure to be honest it could be either or both, especially given what the STORM commando squad sent to Calora discovered. Which is where you come in."
"Oh?"
Richards smirked slightly at the intrigued look Rich threw him before explaining that Colonel Ferretti and his squad had discovered a bunker in which the Caloran president, his cabinet, some military personnel and all their families – around two thousand people in total – had been living ever since the Goa'uld's final assault upon their planet. How the Caloran president a Stebran Jowmart had, in an effort to secure their help in evacuating his people from the frozen wasteland that their planet had become after the Goa'uld deliberately targeted the planets tectonic centres including its supervolcanoes, shown them what his people had called the Artefact and which they had been slowly learning from for centuries based on what few systems they were able to access due to the genetic lock keeping all main systems locked down.
The Artefact in question being an Ancient warship.
"An Ancient warship," Rick repeated surprised though its presence well explained why he had been summoned here. "That's why you've called me here isn't it you want me to go to Calora and try to power the ship up."
"Exactly," Richards confirmed, "given your proven ability to interact with Ancient technology you were the most logical person to call in to do this. However, since it will involve going through the Stargate, I won't force you to go if you don't want to."
"It's fine I'll go," Rick replied, "I have been wondering what it would be like to travel through the Stargate, I have been ever since we first opened the thing. Might as well go now. Though assuming the ship is still capable of flying, and assuming that I can fly it as there is bound to be a world of difference between flying a starship and flying a Valkyrie, what exactly are we going to do?"
"We're not going to steal the ship from the Calorans if that is what you are worried about," Richards hurried to reassure him. Even though there are some on the Defence Council and in the UEG who would no doubt argue for it given how big of a game changer an Ancient warship would be for us, he thought thinking of the likes of Colonel Matthews and others like him. They would gleefully steal the warship and leave the remains of the Caloran people with nothing, thankfully the likes of Admiral Gloval, General Markwell and Secretary Anderson were there to stop such foolish behaviour.
"Well, I was a bit," Rick admitted as he knew what some of the members of the Defence Council were like, he had overheard both Admiral Gloval and Minister Exedore complaining about them more than once. Neither Terran nor Zentraedi realising he had been close enough to hear what they were saying, but then he had always had very acute hearing. More than once Roy and Pops had joked about him having the ears of a bat, so good was the hearing he'd inherited from his mother. Thus, he knew what certain members of the Defence Council, and likely be extension certain members of the United Earth Government, were like and how they would see an Ancient warship as something to be used. A pawn in their political games.
"Understandable. Thankfully calmer, saner heads have prevailed, and we will instead negotiate with the Calorans for the use of the ship," Richards answered, "I believe there is even talk of offering them a joint partnership in reverse engineering technology from the vessel." Though I doubt the gene therapy being developed is going to be on the table if they are able to make it work, he thought knowing that from the moment the Asgard had informed them of why some people like Captain Hunter could use Ancient tech biologists at the Robotech Research Group had been looking to develop a gene therapy to give more of their people – especially the military personnel – the ability to do that.
So far initial research, using the systems on the factory satellite, had shown considerable promise.
"Well, that's a relief," Rick replied. "So, when do you want me to leave for Calora?"
"You will leave immediately. We just need to fit you with an environmental suit due to how cold it is on Calore, especially as the Condor has detected a massive cold front that is due to sweep over the area in the next couple of hours."
"I understand," Rick replied, prompting General Richards to stand up.
"If you follow me, I will take you to the room to get you suited up."
Rick nodded and stood up himself. Then the two men left the office and began making their way through the interior of the base.
Stargate Chamber
A Short Time Later
Clad in a standard Robotech Defence Force environmental suit Rick gazed nervously at the Stargate as it dialled Calora. Given that this would be his first ever experience with the ancient alien transit device, and thus being shot down an artificial wormhole, he believed that he was justified in being nervous. To think some ancient ancestor of mine belonged to the ancient race that built these things, he thought watching the inner ring of the gate spin and the chevrons to lock in place. It was all he could not to shake his head in amazement at the thought. He still sometimes had trouble comprehending that at some point, lost in the mists of prehistory, an ancestor of his had interbred with an alien and that the legacy of that ancient cross-species union was still in his DNA to this day allowing him to use said alien races technology.
The Stargate roaring to life brought him out of his thoughts.
Within seconds of the wormhole stabilizing the team of people and cargo hover-sleds gathered to transit through with him began moving. Rick followed closely behind them, feeling almost as nervous as he had on that day when he was sixteen years old and had been waiting to here if he had passed the tests that would give him a civilian pilot's licence allowing him to fly in his father's air circus. He soon found himself standing a few inches from the shimmering event horizon of the wormhole. For a few moments he hesitated, gazing at the shimmering water-like wall of energy in awe at the display, the power and knowledge needed to create something that could break the laws of physics as they had understood them in the way the gate did…
…then he resolutely stepped into the event horizon and began the journey to Calora.
Authors Note: Well, another chapter bites the metaphorical dust. I hope you all enjoyed it, I know not a lot happened in this chapter as I am just setting things up for the next few chapters as well as a longer arc about what Ba'al and Qetesh – nefarious schemers that they are even by Goa'uld standards – are up to and how they're planning to use Tharos to advance their plans. Also, Rick is now on his way to the Ancient ship which is going to set a whole new set of plot balls rolling in future chapters. Until next time.