Q&A
Morgauxo: The idea behind the short story was more as a funny way to show the paradox that time travel creates than as something that should be used in mine or anyone else's story. It wasn't to be taken seriously.
Guest: from the beginning, I always tried to make chapters around 10000 words long. However, since quality is something I strive more than in quantity or being inflexible, chapters often come out in different lengths. Also, the first chapter was above 10000 words and the second was close to 9000. together, they would have around 19000 words. This would be far above my usual chapter size. Moreover, the third chapter would then be less than half of that.
trinity: In my story rush became the captain of the Discovery, a science vessel, led by a civilian crew rather than by the military. It is my strong opinion that Rush should remain there and that the escapades of the ship Discovery should not be chronicled in this story. Furthermore, Rush was depicted as too opinionated and confrontational even in situations in which it wasn't warranted. The writers forcefully made him too dislikeable, then at some point, they must have changed their minds and started depicting him in a different light, as for the viewers to start feeling sorry for him or whatnot. In short, I don't like the guy, so I put him on a ship and sent him far, far away.
Rennstag: No, no particular reason. It has been some time since the last time I watched the show. So, I went to the stargate wiki instead and there the only information I could find was that the ship uses stars and that a blue star is at the ship's limits of what it can survive. From that, I didn't get the impression that the ship couldn't dive into a yellow star.
Thanks to my beta, and hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.
It was a sign of the impending apocalypse. Sam was sure of it.
There were three O'Neill standing in front of her, a clear and unmistakable sign that the end was near, and if any old scripture that mentioned the Apocalypse, Ragnarok or whatever other end-of-days calamity but didn't mention this occurrence as a sign of the impending doom should promptly be updated. She was sure that the universe would soon realize that after all three O'Neill cannot exist at the same time - that it is simply too much to bear - and therefore it will simply implode on itself, as the only possible solution. If she spoke this out loud, many would laugh at the thought. However, she was of the opinion that there was some truth in her thinking, as someone from the future had asked one of these O'Neills to save the universe by traveling into the past in order to prevent somebody - or something - called the Shrike from causing a cataclysmic paradox. Too many things were turning around Jack, and there were too many Jacks for that, in her humble opinion.
These three were also very good at arguing with each other, every time when more than one of them was in the same room, she thought, wanting to roll her eyes as a consequence of what she was witnessing.
"Why didn't he get off the ship with you?" Admiral Jack O'Neill, the one five minutes from the future, asked.
"Yeah, you are the Captain. Why didn't you escort your guests to meet us here?" Councilor Jack O'Neill, this universe's original, added.
"Because they were tired from what they went through in the last two months and because I told them to take their time. Something the both of you would have done in my place so don't give me that crap!" J.J. replied briskly. Apparently, he wasn't about to take crap even though he was talking to the highest-ranking member of the entire Terran Space Navy and with the leading member of the Terran Council. Of course, there was also the little problem that they were all the same person, which complicated things, gravely.
"Ah, who cares? They'll come out when they come out. We waited for two long months to see them. We can wait a few more minutes," Admiral Jack O'Neill said. "I'm more interested in your take on how the new Defiant is faring."
"We are here to greet Daniel and Vala and not to talk about the new ship. However, since they are taking their sweet time, please do tell. How's the ship doing?" the other Jack asked, eagerly awaiting a reply.
"You can wait and read everything about it in my report," J.J. replied. He was clearly teasing them, she could sense it clear as day.
"Oh, don't be like that!" Admiral Jack O'Neill replied.
"Read?" Councilor O'Neill questioned, unable to believe what he was hearing, and no less than from the mouth of his clone. "Are you nuts!? Do you know how many reports I already have to read on a daily basis?"
"Yeah, J.J., that one wasn't funny. Not funny at all," Admiral Jack O'Neill added, clearly disappointed in J.J.
"Fine, fine," J.J. began while smiling. "That ship is a beast! I'm not sure who's having more fun aboard that ship, me, the tactical officer while he's playing with the guns, or the pilot while doing some amazing turns. The ship's acceleration is also incredible. Especially for how long the ship can sustain it.
"Please do tell," Admiral Jack O'Neill said, ushering J.J. to continue.
"Yeah, yeah. Tell us," the other O'Neill added.
"Well, at some point the ship was accelerating at 1,290 gees of acceleration. That was when we pushed the engines into the red. But the even more impressive thing was that the ship was able to accelerate at 750 gees for the first five hours while on our way out of the system, with ease and without the need to slow down even by a little!" J.J. explained.
"That's good, very good. After five hours under such an acceleration, at that point, you were traveling at 0.45 the speed of light. Minor relativistic effects must also have been felt," Sam added, positively surprised.
"That's the main reason why we decided to disengage the engines and continue on inertia alone until we were out of the system," J.J. replied. "There was no good reason in accelerating anymore."
"From what we saw, not even one of the Vargas ships can keep up with that kind of acceleration, and certainly not for that long. It is true that they never thought of building ships that need to travel at sublight speed for such long distances. It means that our ships can catch up with theirs even if they are already in the system and on their way to attack some populated planet," Councilor O'Neill added.
"Yeah, we now only need the right tools to beat them once we reach them," Admiral O'Neill joined in, quickly turning towards Sam. "Carter! When are we going to get our new toys? It's not fair that only J.J. got his to play with."
Sam moved closer to the three genetically very similar individuals. Actually, two were identical and only the third one was slightly different. However, in her humble opinion, that small difference wasn't enough to make a tangible distinction in personalities. J.J. had opted to go through the Genesis Project rather than to follow the same path the other two had taken – or rather had been forced to take - in becoming Alterrans. Yet, genetics apart, there were other things that were identical in those three. Most character traits were among those. "I have no idea."
"Seriously?" Admiral Jack asked. Apparently, he didn't expect this kind of answer.
"Very!" Sam added. "Look, there's not much progress being done on the QDBs these days. Maybe we put our scientists in front of an impossible task, I don't know. Maybe we should start thinking of placing the pulse quantum disruptors even on our capital ships instead of something that may never see the light of day. It's better to have something than to have nothing, isn't it?" Sam asked and immediately received the answer, as all three Jacks suddenly looked deflated as if somebody had just killed a dear pet of theirs.
It wasn't easy to come up with new weapon systems that had to give the Alliance an edge against the Vargas. When it comes to shielding, maneuverability of their ships and even the generation of the much-needed energy, the Alliance was ahead of the Vargas by a large margin. Especially now with all the ascended knowledge pouring out from the Clava Thessara Infinitas that was greatly helping them progress even further. They would probably be ahead even in the weapons department if it weren't for the Vargas utilizing a special kind of armor that negated their weapons effectiveness and therefore gave them a massive advantage in battle. In the end, the ratio of Vargas weapons against Alliance shields versus Alliance weapons against Vargas armor was clearly in Vargas' favor and they needed something to change that before going on the offensive or else this war would end up very quickly and very badly for them.
Though currently able to protect their planets with massive minefields and large satellites capable of firing antiproton beams, things would not go as smoothly when on the offensive. Everybody knew that the Alliance could not afford a one-on-one ratio of losses because they all knew the Vargas had many times their numbers in both ships and people needed to operate them. That was the reason why they were researching something many were already referring to as the holy grail among weapons.
One that even the Vargas would eventually learn to fear.
That was of course if they somehow managed to perfect it, because, as the situation was now, they weren't making any noticeable progress whatsoever. Also, it was a well-known fact that telling any of the three O'Neill currently standing in front of her that they were getting smaller and less powerful guns was almost thought of as sacrilege.
Pitchforks and being burned at the stake weren't out of the question either.
"Well, we can give the people working on the problem a little more time before deciding on what to do," Sam replied. She felt sorry for those poor scientists who were working on that specific project. They were constantly being harassed by Admiral O'Neill or if not by him then by the other one, with frequent and unscheduled visits packed with incessant questions about their progress. They had become the terror among all scientists working on the QDBs and many had already asked for a transfer to some other project. One in which none of the O'Neills would ever be interested in.
"Good, Carter. That's the spirit!" Admiral Jack agreed with her decision.
"Hey! Here they come," J.J. shouted as he noticed Daniel, Vala, and Adria coming inside the conference room.
Sam was the first to move and go hug Daniel. "You got us all worried."
"Sorry about that. We had a little snafu with our visit on Quiril. There must be something with that planet that doesn't agree with me," Daniel replied.
"Yeah, Daniel. I told you that adventures, like going on Quiril for example, were off limits for you, didn't I? I think I told you that the first time you went there," Admiral Jack added.
"Yeah, me too. But, the important thing is that you're back and that you'll have many more stories to tell your kids one day on how you spent two entire months on a planet infested by monsters," the other, identical Jack added. He then glanced at Adria. "I hope you didn't make too much trouble for our brand new captain here."
"What did he tell you?" Adria asked a little peeved.
"He told me nothing. On the other hand, your answer just told me everything I needed to know," Councilor O'Neill added before facing J.J. "Was it that bad?"
J.J. gave a glance at Adria before replying. "Nothing to worry about. She was a model passenger."
"How are you feeling?" Sam asked Vala who was standing next to Daniel.
"A very long shower, a delicious meal with desert, a long sleep in my own bed with no interruption, and last but not least, a day the two of us can spend on a shopping spree, and after that I'll be as good as new," Vala replied while counting with her fingers the things she needed to do next in order to get back in top shape.
"Just tell me when and where, and I'll be there," Sam replied. She wasn't surprised at all how little it took Vala to get back on her feet, not after everything she knew Vala has been through, somehow survived it, and was still able to smile. Now, apart from this little incident that needed to be quickly put behind her, her life was much better than it had ever been, and since she was also the first alien who has been accepted as a Terran citizen, she now also had a place where she belonged.
Sam knew that the only thing Vala didn't like about her current life was the obligation to pay taxes. Just the thought of giving a portion of her hard-earned money to somebody else, no matter to whom and no matter how small that portion was, it was still enough to give her hives.
"What about Quiril?" Vala asked. "I mean, the total number of people we saved from that planet if you don't count Daniel and me is exactly one. I hope we can do a little better than that."
"Well, we thought about it, and we are not yet sure the extent of help we will send," O'Neill said while pointing with his thumb at the other Jack. "However, I talked with our dear Admiral over here and we have already decided to send an assault carrier or maybe two. Since there are no hostile ships in the system anymore, we think the ship will be great for cleaning up the remaining Hunters and the small Reaper resistance still on the planet. Without a mothership nearby, they are quite dumb so we are not expecting much of a resistance. We only need to place a generator somewhere on the ground and with a strong enough shield around it and the energy emissions will be enough for those reapers to flock all together near it in an attempt to destroy it. At that point, they will be a great target for the assault carrier and its large number of F-302s."
"Yeah, that's the general idea anyway," Admiral Jack continued. "The problem is what comes next."
"You mean the Crabs?" Vala asked.
"They are everywhere and they are multiplying as they eat their prey at an alarming rate. The best we can do is to try to organize survivors and provide them with the little aid the ship is capable of providing. One ship for an entire planet isn't much, but at least against the Crabs alone, the people would have a chance to make defensive positions and to protect themselves. Without the Hunters and the Reapers, the Crabs are pretty dumb and easy to take out with the right tools and with enough people. In a week or maybe even less, after the assault carrier cleans up things a little, we are planning to send more ships. Even one of the new hospital ships under the Terran Peace Corps' (TPC) purview, and of course enough army troops to protect the do-gooders in the TPC," Jack explained.
The Hospital ships were among the largest ships in the Terran Fleet. They were almost four kilometers in length, and much wider than any other type of ship in the Terran arsenal. They were not as difficult to build as other ships were because they were not meant to be used as ships of war, hence the materials and the technology used were far below the standards required to build a ship like a battlecruiser. What these ships were was extremely reliant, low maintenance, no top-secret tech aboard that would lure some unwanted guests like pirates and last but not least, filled with whatever the Terrans thought could help a planet and its population when in trouble. It had been designed to provide relief on a planetary scale in a number of different scenarios, ranging from natural disasters, pandemics or post-invasion situations. There were scores of doctors who could quickly come up with a cure for some disease by analyzing the pathogen and making the cure in any of the many labs aboard the large ship, or they could be sending disaster experts and other volunteers ready to help during some major catastrophe. There were also Army troopers that had been detached to the Peace Corps to provide protection if need. The massive hospital ship also had many dropships of various sizes. Some big enough to land and serve as local hospitals, and if it wasn't enough, they all had large ring platforms to connect with the main hospital ship in orbit. Thus far, the Terrans had managed to build only three such ships, and with the Vargas on a warpath, those were in high demand these days.
Still, now that the Vargas had left the planet and the chances of them returning after they had almost completely succeeded in erasing the planet's population from existence were very small, it was time to do as much as possible to preserve the little life that had somehow managed to survive the holocaust.
"The hospital ships are in pretty big demand these days?" Daniel said. He wasn't in the loop, as he had spent the last two months away from his regular duties.
"The Vargas are not just using other aliens to do their dirty work. There are planets with their population having been infected with some strange pathogen," O'Neill added.
"How do you know it is the Vargas doing?" Daniel asked, again, because he was out of the loop.
"Well, the pathogen is silicon based, and our immune system is ill-suited to fend off an attack from it. We don't even know how to classify it since it exhibits trades predominantly of viruses, but also of bacteria. The only positive side that I can think of is, since it is silicon based, it can't multiply the same as other pathogens usually can. At least not inside our body. We don't have silicon except in trace amounts, which means the pathogen is reproducing exclusively somewhere else where there's silicon present. We think the Vargas are dropping large canisters with some silicon and the pathogen mixed in them. Then the pathogen spreads, probably through the air, and multiplies everywhere where there's silicon present, which as you all know is a very abundant element. It then manages to wreak havoc in any organism it infects, be it animal or plant life," O'Neill concluded his explanation.
"It's not just that it attacks organisms. It also changes them, at least some of them," Sam continued. "Recently, some of our scientists have theorized that, in enough quantities, the pathogen can not only be used as a bioweapon, but also as a terraforming agent. Of course, we are talking about terraforming that's ill-suited for carbon-based lifeforms like us, but rather something more akin to the Vargas. We saw many plants mutating into some hybrid form, half silicon-based, half carbon-based, yet still capable of growing. What the end result of this observed transformation is going to be we still don't know," Sam added. As time passed, more and more information was being gathered in regard to the Vargas bioweapon. After all, it had only been six months since the Vargas came, and they had already learned a great deal.
"So, some planets are attacked by the Vargas minions, like the Crabs, Hunters, and Reapers, while other planets are targeted by this silicon-based pathogen. Why use different methods to achieve the same result, which is the destruction of the human race?" Daniel asked.
"You mean, if you know that one method is better, faster or whatever, why then use another method that takes longer or has some other downside?" Jack asked.
It was a good question, and Sam could clearly see that nobody knew the answer. "Maybe we are looking at it in the wrong way. I think the solution is in the way Daniel has phrased the question."
O'Neill made a strange face as if he wasn't feeling well. Apparently, he was trying to use an organ he didn't use too often. His brain. "Oh, you mean his assumption that the only thing the Vargas want is to clean this galaxy of humans."
Sam thought how, apparently, when he really wants it, Jack can actually use his brain for some impressive and quick reasoning. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Maybe they are actually choosing some planets for terraforming and are masking their actions as mere attacks on the human population. After the planets are modified to support silicon-based life, the Vargas have a nice planet they can turn into a base of operation or maybe even a new colony. However, this gives us another inconsistency in our thinking."
"Yeah, like the fact that they are not here just to get rid of us, but also as a secondary goal to expand their territory into this part of the universe. Our galaxy could be just the beginning of taking over the entire Local Group," O'Neill concluded.
"Actually, I think that our assumption that they are here primarily to wipe us out is probably the wrong one," Sam added. "I think that they are here to expand their territory and we are just the nuisance they need to get rid of in order to achieve that objective."
"Okay, as theories go, I think it is possible, but I still don't get why not use the pathogen on all the planets if it accomplishes the same thing?" Daniel added to the conversation.
"We know from experience that not all planets can be terraformed to sustain silicon-based lifeforms. We also know that the process takes a lot of time, like years, which would indicate that trying to terraform a planet with a large human population wouldn't be that easy and it could maybe even last long enough for those living on the planet to find a way to fight the pathogen or receive help from others. If there's a silicon-based pathogen that can terraform a planet that is meant for carbon-based lifeforms, then there should be a carbon-based pathogen that can counter such transformation or maybe even reverse it. I'd also like to categorize the Crabs as a biological weapon, one that's much better at targeting humans and especially effective if aided by the Hunters and Reapers. Those Vargas' allies are also carbon-based, which could indicate that the Vargas need to leave at least some planets unchanged for them," Jack, the Admiral, butted in with his five cents.
"We also noticed that they are cannibals. Do you remember, Daniel?" Vala asked. Seeing Daniel making a small nod while also looking disgusted by it, she continued. "Those that are dead or badly injured are eaten by the others. The result is new ones being spawned again in the next reproductive cycle. It means that even killing them, in the end, accomplishes nothing. Unless we burn the corpses or unless you can kill them all."
"That's strange. I thought that those ugly things eat only their prey and that, after they are done, they simply stop eating altogether. Isn't that how they operate?" J.J. asked.
"There are many theories about them, but the most prominent right now is that the Crabs are getting signals from the Vargas or maybe even Hunters. Among the various signals, we think there must be one that effectively shuts them down. After receipt of said signal, they stop eating and in time die. This theory also agrees with what Vala just told us, as they could easily be cannibals up to the point when the signal is sent, which is only after the planet has been cleansed of whatever the Vargas wanted it to be cleansed of," Sam explain.
"Disgusting!" Admiral Jack added, with his hands up in resignation. "That's all I'm going to say. We fought countless enemies, and all of them had some reason why they wanted to kill us. The Goa'uld sought dominion over all, hence liked to enslave people and kill those that opposed them. The Wraith killed humans while feeding on their only source of food, the Aschen were sociopaths that wanted some real estate others had, and the Ori wanted more people to pray in order to gain more power. Yet, I have no clue why the Vargas are attempting to cleanse this galaxy of all humans. We also know that our galaxy is far from being their only victim. So, what do the Vargas truly want here?"
"That's a very good question. Spreading throughout the known universe and killing everything that's sentient - and doing it possibly for more than a billion years - it seems to me like a very tedious and ungratifying job. It's not like there's not enough space or planets for all of us. There's no way that the Vargas truly need so many planets. Because, if they do, they wouldn't have been subcontracting the job to other races, like the Senari for example," Councilor O'Neill added.
"The Senari were tasked with cleaning their galaxy as well as six others. Yet, the Vargas never came to claim any system in any of them. Why?" J.J. asked.
There was a long pause. Sam could see that all of them were struggling to understand what the big picture was when the Vargas were concerned. This was a group of smart people when they wanted to be, like right about now. Yet, even together, they were no closer in understanding the Vargas and their motivation in waging war after war throughout the entire universe, endlessly and probably pointlessly as well. "I don't think we are going to find the answer. Not today anyway."
"Yeah, I don't think that either," Councilor O'Neill added. "Although, I think that one person may know the answer we are all looking for. Too bad we can't get to him."
"It has been almost three years and there's still been no word from him. I wish there was a way to contact him," Admiral Jack added.
It was true that both Jacks were the ones who had spent a lot of time with Liam, and she could also understand that they were missing him now that he was gone, for almost three years now no less. Sam also agreed with Jack that Liam could possibly be the only person to uncover some new and important piece of information that could shed some light on this whole war they were currently fighting without even knowing why. "I wish Liam was back too."
"Never met the guy!" J.J. added. "Though, the way you talk about him, I guess I wouldn't mind meeting him at some point in my life."
It was a strange feeling for Sam. J.J. had memories of them having spent years in the SGC and yet, he was in his early twenties, fresh out of the academy, and someone who had never met Liam because he had joined the military only recently. She knew he had joined the Terran Space Navy the very same day the battle with the Vargas was made public. Everybody who knew him immediately realized that he would be able to finish the academy on an accelerated course, which lasted a little over a year. The reason why he has already reached the rank of a captain (junior grade) was because he had memories of past experiences as colonel Jack O'Neill, air force, that had greatly helped him, equally as much as because of the TSN need for as many capable officers as it was humanly possible. Junior grade captains were among those to command smaller ships like the Defiant, which meant they needed as many as their academy could cram out. This was a time of fast promotions for those who showed even a little of wisdom and leadership skills after graduation and during their serving aboard ships as ensigns and later as higher-ranking officers after they were promoted.
In the last six months, the Terrans had built many defiant class ships on their colonies, hidden bases in two galaxies and inside the pocket universe. The primary reason why they were building so many was because it was the first ship with systems specifically created to fight the Vargas, but also because they needed a large fleet comprised of fast yet still powerful ships. They also needed ships that didn't require hundreds of qualified officers to be operated as it was the case with ships like the new battlecruiser that had a full complement of 414 people. Instead, as little as eight people in each shift could operate a defiant class ship. Usually, there were three shifts that totaled to a crew of twenty-four. There was also some additional personnel, like a doctor or two for the small med-bay, and the marines that would sometimes but not always be stationed onboard. Usually, one team of marines was more than enough for such a ship. Even with a full crew complement, the ship had thirty people in total, and that only happened on long-term missions like the one J.J. had just been on. For shorter missions, two shifts or even one were enough, granted the ship was back at base in a few days' time at the most.
In the unlikely event of the ship ending up being destroyed, a small crew also meant fewer people lost.
Sam turned and saw that the others had kept talking. As far as she could tell, Jack was now telling J.J. what kind of man Liam was while Daniel, Vala, and Adria were talking among themselves. She turned and looked through the large window in front of her. The sight was magnificent. They were inside a large nebula that spanned for almost a light year in all directions. Here, inside it, sensors were useless unless something was right in front of your nose. It was one of the several hidden bases the Alliance had built in their home galaxy.
In order to reach the station, ships needed to exit hyperspace while already deep inside the nebula because trying to reach it from the edge of the nebula at sublight speed was extremely impractical, as it would take and eternity to do so. Once a ship exited hyperspace at the predefined coordinates, it then needed to broadcast a certain authentication code and wait for the station to pick it up. A response from the station would give the ship the bearing it needed to take in order to find it even though it frequently moved, never spending much time in the same place. The nebula also provided enough screening so that even the strongest sensors, like those they knew the Vargas had, weren't enough to pick up any pattern indicative of something more than just gas being there. The massive size of the nebula also precluded any attempt at trying to search it by simply having ships flying through it.
While inside such large nebulas, the stations were impossible to find, which allowed them to provide an incredibly important role. The Alliance needed a striking force that could quickly react when informed of the enemy movements, yet safe from those wanting them harm. Since all of their star systems now had subspace disrupted, keeping ships inside them meant a massive delay sometimes of days even while they were required to travel from their planets to outside of the inner system on sublight speed before they could engage their hyperdrives only after crossing the hyper limit. Because of it, the Alliance needed hubs, hidden hubs in which ships could dock, resupply, make repairs and eventually wait for when the time for the next strike came.
The stations weren't much. Other ships had brought them here in pieces and then assembled. The stations were cheap crap and if attacked would probably not last very long. On the other hand, what they had was free space, recreation areas, a good medical wing if there were injured, training areas for the military to keep people in good shape, and whatever else the men and women serving in the TSN liked having at times when off duty or while waiting for their next assignment to begin.
In the end, the nebula provided better protection than any shield ever could.
"Carter!" O'Neill shouted.
She turned as if struck by lightning. "What?"
"It is a quite normal occurrence for me do be spacing out - people actually got used to it by now - but when you are starting to space out enough that I need to call you three times before getting an answer, well, then we have a serious problem on our hands," Admiral O'Neill stated, concerned. "What's up with you?"
"I was just thinking how this place is giving a false sense of safety," Sam answered.
"It isn't a false sense, Carter. There's no way-"
"I know that," Sam interrupted. "I'm not saying that here is not safe."
"Then what?" O'Neill asked, confused.
"I'm saying that it makes you feel safe when you're here inside this large nebula, but it is only a dream because you can't stay here forever. Sooner or later, you have to get back out."
"Yeah, it makes sense. It is strange that, ever since the attack on Earth, I can really sense that people who come here are more capable of relaxing as if nothing can ever harm them here, as opposed to when they are back home on Earth or on any of our other colonies," O'Neill explained.
"It is the same thing I sense when talking to people who went to the pocket universe," Sam added. These were probably the only few places where people, with absolute certainty, could say that they won't be attacked.
Sam suddenly remembered something. "By the way, don't you have your monthly meet with Teal'c today?"
"I do, I do, but we changed the meeting place. He's coming here rather than me having to go on Dakara. You know, since Daniel is back and all. We barely made arrangements in time because of this damn new communication system!" O'Neill replied, not too pleased about the last part.
"Not much we can do. We can be happy that we still have a way to communicate at long distances at all," Sam replied. It was true that it was inconvenient to have subspace communications inside systems disrupted by the same device that prevented any ship from entering it while in hyperspace. It meant that communication for example from Earth to Dakara was not possible in real time. The best they had managed was to place subspace relays outside the disrupted zone that would convert any received message into radio signals and send them towards the inner system. It meant that it took hours for the signal to first reach the relay from Earth, and then send the message to the receiving relay near Dakara, and then it took more hours for the once again transmitted radio signal to reach the planet. With the need of having the other side send a response like in this case with Jack and Teal'c who were scheduled to meet, it could easily happen that it took even up to an entire day to exchange any meaningful two-way conversation among distant star systems.
"I know, I know. Still, not having instantaneous travel through the stargate or the ability to communicate in real time through subspace, no matter where you are inside a galaxy, is turning out to be a real pain in the posterior. When there's something we decide back home, it takes several hours for the message to get out of the Solar system and to our assets in the galaxy. That is only if some of our ships aren't in some other star system with the same limitations. Then it takes double that time. I still think that some tech sometimes backfires on you, and for an uncertain amount of anticipated gain."
"You think that this interdiction device the Nox gave us is not giving us any advantage?" Sam asked.
"Sure it does, but thinking that it doesn't hinder us in other important ways would be wrong, very wrong," O'Neill concluded.
It was true that what the Nox had given them wasn't a magic bullet that could solve all of their problems, but she could also imagine in what state the galaxy would be right now if they didn't have it. "Well, I can imagine in my head what would be like if we didn't have this system. First, and foremost, I'm not sure Earth would have survived the attack. In addition, I'm sure that, by now, we would have countless planets burning or with the surface littered with those Crabs, Hunters, Reapers or some silicon-based pathogen. With the way the Vargas have lost most of their initial force in their attempt at taking Earth out, we can be very happy how things are going right now in the whole galaxy. Without too many Vargas around, even the Jaffa, Wraith and other space-faring races are able to fight the much weaker Reapers and Hunters. I'm actually a little mystified on how good things are going for us. I never thought the Vargas would come here with so little."
"Well, the way I see it is that, if they won when they attacked Earth as they were probably planning on, the rest would have fallen much quicker. They also couldn't have anticipated the changes we made in every system and the kind of defenses we now have. Not from what they saw in the Eden system," O'Neill added.
"Still, even that explanation doesn't convince me. Not fully at least," Sam added. There was still something bothering her, but she was having trouble focusing on it. "I mean, as far as we know the Vargas are probably the most numerous race in existence and I'm sure they have the largest fleet anyone can conceive of even being possible. I thought they would have brought more, that's all."
"You are under the impression that everything is going smoothly for the Vargas everywhere else so that they can devote all of their considerable resources to fight only us. But, the truth is, the Vargas are probably fighting on many fronts across the universe against what are probably some of the most powerful races there are. Those that were capable of closing the anomalies the Vargas had built and that are capable of providing a strong resistance. As far as we know, we could be very low on the list of enemies they need to worry about the most," O'Neill explained, thinking of something else also. "Of course, there's also another explanation to consider."
"What other explanation?" Sam asked.
"Well, from what I gathered from Aenea, and from what the Ascended had told her the few times they deigned themselves to be seen, the Vargas are probably interested in Liam. Or rather, they are interested in what Liam has become."
"So, you're saying that they are aware that he's not here anymore so they are devoting all of their resources in searching for him elsewhere. You think that the reason they are not here in overwhelming numbers is because Liam isn't here?" Sam asked.
"Exactly. There's also the chance that Liam is making their life miserable. I mean, he has the knowledge and the technology to close anomalies, just as the Asgard did with the hub in the Senari galaxy after he left. That alone can be a massive pain in the posterior if he's closing half of their network as he goes deeper into their territory, and with his ability to shift into a dimension in which even the Ascended cannot see or touch him, it means that he can slip anywhere he wants. I'm also a hundred percent certain that he is engaging in some pretty nasty acts of guerilla warfare everywhere he gets a chance. He's probably spreading those nanites that are freeing people from the neural interface that has enslaved them, like with the Senari, everywhere there's a race in need. Can you imagine the Vargas suddenly losing anomaly after anomaly and races revolting against them in droves because the nanites suddenly turned them against them? From the very beginning, we knew that the Vargas could not possibly control so much real estate without taking control of other races who would then do their bidding."
"When you put it like that, maybe the Vargas are not all that focused on us in the first place. They just sent one barge to see if they can get lucky and knock us out quickly, but they are actually not all that focused on us right now," Sam explained.
"Exactly. Also, the fact that Liam is probably rallying races to fight the Vargas, is also worrying them more than anything we can ever do, which, if we think about it, isn't much, is it?" Jack said, a little pissed.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked, unsure what the problem suddenly was.
"I mean that we are doing nothing while Liam is sticking his neck out for us. We can't even clean our own galaxy of the little the Vargas sent our way while we should be out there helping him," Jack explained, not too happy.
"And as you know, we agreed that everything we are doing right now is in preparation for when we will have the last few techs we need in order to make the Vargas bleed and regret the day they ever met us. That's the moment when we go on a full offensive, here in the Milky Way galaxy and out there whenever we can hurt the Vargas. You know how many capital ships we have already built and are ready except for a few systems that are still not installed on them. They are all in the pocket universe waiting to get the last pieces before setting sail. You also know that the Edenians are preparing as if they are going on a holy crusade, burning everything in their path until they are reunited with Liam again.
"And don't get me started with the Asgard. Since they have found indications that sixteen thousand years ago the Vargas had visited this region of space and, in addition to modifying the Goa'uld, have put a virus in the Asgard system that messed with their genome during the cloning process, they are probably the ones the Vargas must be wary of the most. Most of the firepower of all three races is just waiting for the last few touches before being unleashed." Almost everything in the Clava Thessara Infinitas' massive infrastructure was devoted to building powerful ships of war, but they weren't yet complete. Rows and rows of ships built by all of the three races were only waiting for the last few missing pieces. In addition, the shipyards in what they were starting to call, the Argos system, were something that could only have come from a science fiction novel. Argos had managed to create incredibly precise time dilation fields that allowed the, for the most part, automated shipyards to build ships at a much faster rate, without actually affecting the people working there or the communication with the rest of the system. Those shipyards were cramming out ship after ship at five times the normal speed and there were no delays since the ascended had filled the pocket universe with so much of the various and very precious materials that there was no need to bring anything from the outside. It was just a matter of developing less than half a dozen more technologies that would be incorporated into their most advanced ships currently waiting lifelessly in the Argos system, and they were good to go on a rampage like mad dogs. "By the way, I forgot to tell you that the long range missiles are ready for production."
"You mean those capable of… how much?" O'Neill asked.
"They are capable of reaching a target even thirty million kilometers in the distance while traveling at sublight speed and with an acceleration of approximately 15 000 gees," Sam replied, hearing Jack whistle. With the environment inside star systems having changed, battles needed to change as well. These missiles had an incredible acceleration and endurance. They were also useful only if the opponent didn't have the ability to escape into hyperspace because to travel up to thirty million kilometers, is still took time, even with the acceleration these missiles were capable of achieving. In truth, these missiles could hit an enemy at even greater distances if they went ballistic and traveled on inertia until nearing the enemy before re-engaging the engines for the final approach phase. However, the chances of missing a target increased drastically at such distances if the target began evasive actions.
"With those, we could be able to add another layer to our planetary defenses. Not sure how we could use them offensively, though."
"Not sure either," Sam added. The problem was that these missiles were not small by any standard and they weren't meant to be used aboard their ships. The missiles would be fired from specifically designed platforms that were not meant to be moved. Those would be placed inside a system and wouldn't move at all. "Maybe we should come up with some barges of our own capable of moving a large number of these missiles. This way, once we know the Vargas have entered a star system we come with a lot of these and we target them while they are still traveling through the system while unable to enter hyperspace. With the missiles' range, we could be able to hurt the Vargas before they can reach any inhabited system."
"That would also be the missing piece, wouldn't it?" "O'Neill added.
"What missing piece?"
"Well, the interdiction device is slowing down the Vargas and preventing them from using some blitzkrieg tactic where they quickly knock out a planet and leave the next minute for the next one in line. However, the only thing this accomplishing is to slow them down. In the end, the Vargas are still able to reach a planet and burn everything on it before we can come and help them because we are under the same restrictions as they are once we enter a system. These missiles could be the first step in finding a way to reach the targeted star system and to destroy the Vargas before it is too late," O'Neill said.
"Maybe, but I'm not sure if these missiles are going to be enough. If all of them had those nasty space-time displacement warheads inside, then yes, we could obliterate an entire Vargas fleet no matter how big, in no time. The problem is that we can't produce so many of them since all of them become worthless in less than six months and they are so delicate that they can't be transported through a stargate or come out from the pocket universe. During the transition process from the pocket universe or during the dematerialization inside a stargate, the warheads become inert. It also takes a lot of time to make them and it can only be done in special laboratories capable of creating tri-cobalt while under an incredibly strong time dilation field.
"If instead, we use conventional antimatter warheads, it takes a massive number of them to knock out a Vargas fleet, especially knowing how good their point defense systems are. In Eden, we witnessed that only one or maybe two percent of the missiles fired were able to reach them and that was when we fired more than fifteen thousand missiles at once!"
"You're right about that, which means the solution to our problem is to somehow prevent those point defense system from taking out so many or, if not, to find some other type of warhead better suited to damage their ships than how much an antimatter warhead is capable of. What about making quantum disruptor torpedoes (QDTs)? That thing would hurt them if it hits, of that I'm certain," O'Neill explained his thought. The whole point of making quantum disruptor weapons was the Vargas threat. For everybody else, the good old plasma beams were more than good enough.
"You're right. That would probably dematerialize their hull regardless of their energy dispersive properties, unlike if antimatter was used. Some scientists have already suggested making those as what would probably be among the most destructive warheads after the infamous space-time displacement warhead. However, we are already having trouble creating the much expected QDBs," Sam said while glancing at the person who was pressing the most to have them. "Making QDTs could possibly be an even greater challenge to make since there's not much space to be used inside a missile for the warhead to fit in. This also doesn't help us solve the problem of their point defense system."
"No, it doesn't. Well, we are fighting a very advanced race that spans across the entire universe. If we manage to find a way to fight their armor, I think we should be grateful we were able to accomplish that much. Everything else, we should think of it as a bonus," O'Neill concluded while glancing at his watch and quickly getting up. "Teal'c should be here any minute now. I better go wait for him."
"Well, if we at the R&D come up with something, I'll let you know," Sam replied while Jack was already getting on his way.
"You do that!" Jack said as he gave a tap on Daniel's shoulder while giving him the signal to follow him.
"Teal'c!" Admiral Jack O'Neill shouted as he saw his friend get off the docked ship. "Over here!"
As he saw them, Teal'c walked in their direction. "Daniel Jackson, I am glad to see you are well. When were you rescued?"
"Just a few days ago," Jackson replied. "We were taken from Quiril straight here."
"I am glad. Many among the Jaffa were preoccupied when we learned of your misfortune during your visit on Quiril. If it were not for so many of the Vargas ships in orbit, we…" Teal'c stopped, feeling anger rise.
"I know Teal'c, and I appreciate it. However, with so many Vargas ships in orbit, a rescue attempt for two people would have put possibly thousands in mortal danger."
"Yeah, let's move to the conference room so we can discuss this while sitting down, shall we?" Jack butted in.
The walk to the conference room was short and mostly spent in idle conversation. Once inside, Jack, Teal'c, and Daniel quickly sat around the large table in the middle of the room. Jack took the remote control and used it to light the holo-display in the middle of the table. It had already been preset to show the map of the Milky Way galaxy. The map was showing the Jaffa planets in yellow, the Terran holdings in Blue and many smaller regions colored in some other way that represented other human and nonhuman races. There were also many planets colored in red, which were those that had been targeted by the Vargas and their minions.
"So, we can see here on the map that the situation didn't change much from last month. The Vargas are still progressing at a steady pace, just as they have done for the past six months," Jack said.
"Well, it is a big difference to me since I've missed the last two meetings. It seems to me that at least twenty planets have fallen in these last three months," Daniel added. He clearly didn't like what he was seeing.
"Actually, it is twenty-two to be more precise, and yes, we don't like it either," Jack responded.
"The problem are the Vargas and partly the Reapers," Teal'c added. To others, Teal'c would seem very calm. To Jack, he looked rather pissed at the moment. "Planets with a smaller population and little in term of technology are exclusively targeted by Hunters and those spawned Crab-like creatures. The early warning system has helped us on many occasions to reach those planets before it was too late, and even though sometimes difficult, we managed to win against Hunter ships and the Crabs on the ground."
"The same is with our fast response task forces in most engagements. However, due to our need to keep a large presence in our own systems in order to safeguard them against sudden attacks by the Vargas and because of the constant increase of the Reapers, our forces are getting spread very thin. Soon, many more ships like J.J.'s Defiant will complete their trial runs and then we think we will have enough to face the Reapers. At least for a time, that is," Jack added, ending on a more somber note.
"Why do you say, at least for a time?" Daniel asked. He had heard of the increase in production of the defiant class ships, so he wasn't sure what the problem was.
"We have stopped production of almost any other type of ship in order to, in time, build a thousand Defiant class fast attack ships, and now that many are ending their trial periods, we will have our planned fast response units operating even with a fraction of the people usually needed for so many ships. We needed to do this mostly as a response to the Reapers threat, but also as a testing platform for new systems. In this case, it was the stealth system and pulse quantum disruptors that needed a testing platform the most, just like the heavy cruiser had served to test other improvements a few years back during the Cylon-Colonial war.
"However, now it's finally time to restart building larger ships, those that need to be more powerful than an equivalent Vargas ship. In this phase, the R&D under Sam and production under Paul will be stretched very thin. We need to finish developing the last few technologies that are going to give us a decisive edge against the Vargas. We also need to build a considerable number of our capital ships that will go against them, both here in the Milky Way and later whenever we need to go in order to end this war," Jack explained, actually losing the point he was trying to make.
"Okay, this all seems reasonable," Daniel added. "You are leaving the finalizing of the most complex ships for last when you have all or most of the research done and tested on smaller ships. This still doesn't answer my question, though."
"The problem is that, while we are done with producing more Defiants and while there won't be any new capital ship coming out of our shipyards for quite some time, the Reapers will continue growing exponentially. One becomes two, two becomes four, four into eight, and so on and so on. In a year or two, we will have those damn Reapers everywhere."
"Are those Reapers so difficult to take down?" Daniel asked.
"Not at all," Teal'c responded. "We have analyzed all our battles fought against them as well as having analyzed the wreckages of all types of Reaper fighters. They are mostly made of steel hardened with a mesh made of carbon nanotubes. They are very easy to make, but also made of very weak components. The smallest, those mostly used inside a planet to chase down any detected source of energy can be taken down with a few well-placed shots from a Death Glider. Also, with the improvements done to our fast firing plasma cannons on our larger ships, we are able to take them down very quickly. A medium size Reaper is a little tougher, but it can still be destroyed with even the weaker cannons on our Ha'tak or even Al'kesh if enough fire is poured. Only a heavy Reaper can pose a serious threat as only they have the firepower to, in time and if in enough numbers, overpower the shields of a vessel like a Ha'tak. The problem is that no matter how many we destroy, more and more are coming. Soon, the time our ships spend in shipyards in order to repair any accumulated damage or on resupply runs will be greater than the time ships spend in combat. Our inability to go on the offensive because we do not know where they are being built precludes any chance of hurting them where it counts."
"What Teal'c just said is correct and the second part is even worse than the first. We don't know where they are and how many motherships are currently being built. The most advanced feature of those motherships is the same stealth system the Vargas use while traveling through hyperspace. We have no way of knowing where they are or what their next target will be.
"We are still working on the Vargas ships we captured at the Battle of Eden, and with a little more time I know we can duplicate the same stealth technology that should allow even our ships to use it even at full speed. However, finding a way to track them, well, that's a big no-go on that one," Jack added, knowing that the reason it took them so much time to inspect the Vargas ship was the damage done by the STD torpedoes to their control crystals. It was a mess piecing things back together.
"Why not?" Daniel added. There had been so many changes in the last few months that it was unbelievable. "Is their system so good?"
"Well, our stealth system, or rather the stealth system Liam developed is also good. It is unbeatable since it is able to completely negate any subspace noise the hyperdrive makes during travel. There is no way to detect his ship while it's under stealth since there isn't any noise to be detected in the first place. The only problem is that, in order to work properly, his ship needs to move at a fraction of its top speed. The Vargas system does the same thing. The difference is that it is capable of doing what it does even while traveling at full speed. As much as I understand it from what Sam told me, it is all about a lot of mathematical equations, optimized code for light speed fast calculations, and by having a very fast computer that is capable of quickly doing the calculations in order to generate the identical noise in subspace with an opposite amplitude of what the hyperdrive creates. So that the two cancel each other out. It is incredibly difficult since the onboard computer core is already strained trying to calculate hyperspatial coordinates during travel in order to prevent the hyperspace tunnel from collapsing, resulting in the ship being tossed back into - WHAT?" Jack stopped abruptly as he saw both Teal'c and Daniel's confused faces.
"Nothing," Daniel began. "It's just that you're using a lot of big words, that's all."
"I concur," Teal'c added. "Words that in the past you have tried to evade whenever possible."
Jack wasn't sure on how to respond. He had been caught red-handed. "Well, as it happens, I got fed up of not understanding anything in any conversation that involved science of any kind, so I started to go through the repository of knowledge Liam left me. Plus, I have an eidetic memory now, which gives me the opposite problem than before. Now I have trouble forgetting things that I would very much like to forget. Having a lot of stuff Sam or somebody else mentioned without understanding, well, I must say that it is pretty frustrating."
"That's commendable, Jack. Could you then go through the repository again and get me some more stuff about the Alterran history?" Daniel asked.
Jack knew the very same day when Liam had blurted out for everybody to hear that he had access to the Alterran repository of knowledge, he knew that was the day he had become the box's extension for anyone who wanted to learn something from it. This wasn't the first time either, since the last time Daniel asked him for the same thing he had collected and copied at least ten very big books about the Alterran early days while still in their home galaxy. "Daniel, you have ten very thick books copied on that crystal I gave you, with very few pictures in them and a lot of very tiny letters instead. I think that's enough for a while, don't you?"
"I already read them," Daniel replied, simply.
"When? I gave you those just the day before you went on Quiril?" Jack asked.
"Well, I read them on Quiril."
"Wait, wait. Let me get this straight," Jack began, taking a big breath. He could not believe what he'd just heard. "Are you telling me that you used the limited amount of energy in your suit to power its holo-display so that you can read about something the Alterrans had done more than twenty million years ago?"
"Oh, it isn't such a big deal. The suit would have maybe lasted half a day longer if I didn't. It isn't that much of a change and it isn't like I didn't have time to spare over there," Daniel responded.
Jack was now angry. "Daniel, that's beside the point! That half day of energy could have been a lifesaver, yes, but the bigger issue here is that you used energy for something completely unimportant while the planet had many Reapers on it. Reapers that could have easily homed on the energy being emitted and blasted both you and Vala to heaven!"
"Uh, I guess it didn't cross my mind. We were lucky then, I guess," Daniel replied, feeling repentant.
"Let's get back to our previous discussion before I lose it!" Jack was fuming inside. "Where were we?"
Teal'c picked up. "We were discussing our inability to track down the Reapers. As far as I understand what you last said, you do not believe you will be able to devise the means to track their ships while they travel through hyperspace."
"No, I don't think we will, which leaves us with no solution to the Reaper problem, except maybe for one," Jack said. Seeing the expecting looks from both Daniel and Teal'c, he continued. "Well, the best way to fight crappy ships in great numbers is to build crappy defenses in even greater numbers."
"Explain," Teal'c said, left eyebrow raised.
"We are working on developing some low tech, easy to build satellites, yet still strong enough to face the Reapers on a one-on-one basis. We still need to work out a few kinks, though. Primarily, both the Terrans and the Jaffa need to be able to build them, and to build them easy, fast and cheap. This means they should be made of some cheap crap material like steel, which can readily be made on any planet. We then make their armor as tough and thick as it can be so that they can survive longer than the Reapers can. Their weight also isn't a problem since they are satellites, not meant to move much except to reposition in planetary orbit.
"Second, they need to have a longer range than the reapers. I think that if we succeed in that we are on the right track if the satellites are always capable of drawing blood first. Third, the satellites need to have a way to self-repair minor damage at the very least. If not, we are in trouble concerning maintenance and this whole plan goes down the crapper. We should then place as many of them as we can inside as many systems as we can so that when the reapers show up they get a nasty surprise. We would still need to send a task force, just to be on the safe side, but I think the satellites could help a lot in destroying or if not in damaging and delaying any hostile force."
"It sounds interesting, and it should help," Teal'c added, but there was a 'but' coming. "However, this again is not the solution to our problems."
Jack sighed. "No, it is not. In the end, the Reapers are multiplying exponentially, and if we don't find a way to track them and destroy them, and soon, we predict that we will be overrun in two years' time. Even without the Vargas or the Hunters, much less if more barges come knocking at our doorsteps. This brings us to the second problem. We still have no way to face the Vargas and win without losing a lot of ships." In theory, this was the problem of the Alliance and not of the Jaffa since it had been decided that the Jaffa should leave the dealing with the Vargas to them while focusing more on fighting the Hunters and Reapers. Still, a few Jaffa worlds have fallen recently at the hand of the Vargas and the Terrans were constantly pushing the date when they'll have what it takes to go on the offensive.
"If the Terrans do not find a viable weapon to face the Vargas soon, we should all think of an alternative strategy. Even one that involves removing most of the ships guarding our planets and going on the offensive with a much larger fleet," Teal'c added.
It wasn't anything new. This was the same idea they had discussed in the last two meetings. However, there were a few big problems there. Point 1, the Vargas are aware of their strength and the number of ships and planets under their control. On too many occasions have they detected Vargas scouts lurking at the edge of their systems where their colonies were. Point 2, as far as they knew, the Vargas only have two hundred ships left in the Milky Way galaxy, which could be a deception. The moment they remove their ships guarding their planets to go on the offensive, the Vargas could come out of hiding and get a shot at them. Also, removing movable units, the only units capable of intercepting an enemy, while leaving the defense of a system to stationary defenses - such as satellites or minefields - it was never a good idea. You always need a way to intercept an opponent or else you pass the initiative completely into their hands. Point 3, the Vargas won't be fooled as they had been in the Battle of Earth six months ago. Also, who's to say that they didn't come up with a new strategy or some weapon they haven't seen yet after that debacle. After all, the barge was so big that it could easily have everything they could possibly need to build whatever weapon they want, right here in the Milky Way galaxy.
The last point and the most important one was that the Federal Parliament and the Council were against any kind of offensive action that could result in both, great losses to their fleet or a possible counterstrike by the Vargas. Unexpectedly for Jack, both the Edenians and the Asgard agreed with that decision. He thought they would be against it and maybe even force the issue of going to protect other planets at all cost. However, that wasn't the case here. Their explanation was simply that if a reckless action, thinking foolishly that the enemy is incapable of harming them in any way, results in the loss of a planet or a large number of assets, it could preclude any chance of victory against an enemy as powerful as the Vargas. In short, even the smallest wrong step could potentially mean the death of them all.
"I hear you T, but you know where the Alliance stands. All races are firm that we need to have something that gives us an edge against the Vargas before we do anything rash. Up until the Vargas threat, all enemies we faced had some kind of shortcoming. Overconfidence, weaker technology, internal strife, being egomaniacs like the Goa'uld or something similar. There was always something that in the end gave us the needed edge in order to win. And not just win, but win without sustaining massive losses. With the Vargas, there's no such weakness to be found. Their technology is different, but far from inferior. They are maybe a little overconfident but in any case, they have a good reason to at least be confident that they are more numerous than we are. There's no disagreement inside their ranks and they are not egomaniacal either. The closest to the Vargas as an enemy were the Replicators but even they had a few massive flaws. The first one was the signal the Asgard were able to use to gather all of them in one place and the second was the weapon I was able to create with the Ancient knowledge and the one on Dakara. The Vargas, as far as I can tell, have no such flaw, which means that we are in trouble."
"I agree. From everything I have seen and heard, the Vargas are the ultimate enemy, and we should be grateful that more did not come. However, what I know is that if we do not take this fight to them, the only possible outcome is our eventual defeat. At some point, we will have to risk it or, if we are not ready to do so, we have already lost this war," Teal'c replied with conviction.
"I hear you T, and I agree. In the end, we need to strike back and push them out of the Milky Way galaxy. It is the only solution. However, there are a few technologies we are working on that will give us an incredible edge over the Vargas. I tell you what, if we have nothing in three more months I'll do whatever I can to persuade the Council and the rest of the Alliance that it is time to strike back. But Teal'c, I am not going to go against the Alliance's decision, even if the Terran Council agrees. Among the four races in the Alliance, the Terrans are the most hotheaded and the ones that like taking action rather than to wait. Usually, that is something I like better - it usually gets the job done quicker - but when the Vargas are concerned, I'd rather like to err on the side of caution."
"Very well, O'Neill. Three more months for your scientists to find the magic bullet, as I hear you so often say. It would be better if in these three months we were able to at least find a way to fight the Reapers." Teal'c said, taking a deep breath.
Jack knew that Teal'c was worried. The Terrans had given the Jaffa several antiproton beam satellites and zat-mines to protect their planets, but it was barely enough to protect a few of the larger ones like Dakara and Chulak. The problem with the Jaffa was that they were spread on so many planets, some with as little as a few tens of thousands of inhabitants on them. There was no way anyone could place such assets to protect those sparsely populated planets and call it an efficient distribution of resources. There were also those who were trying to force the Jaffa to relocate their people, but it was a struggle met with anger and distrust. Not just the people, but several members of the council were also against it. They were still thinking in terms of conquest, unwilling to relinquish a planet under their control. It was moronic since nobody would take those planets away from the Jaffa even if every last soul left them to go elsewhere. Yet, the idea of completely evacuating a planet was to some members of the Jaffa Council also a sign of weakness and of retreat in the face of danger.
It was a sign of cowardice for them.
Jack sighed again. There wasn't much he could do to change the way the Jaffa felt. "I have people working on the reaper problem. Maybe we'll find something on the Hunter ship we captured in Quiril's orbit."
"You captured one of their ships?" Teal'c asked.
It was true. It was difficult to even imagine being able to capture a Hunter, much less one of their ships. They always fought until the very end, and they were prepared to kill themselves rather than being captured. Many thought the Hunter hated captivity on a genetic level, more so than any other species encountered, including humans.
"Yeah, well, as far as I hear how it went, Adria needed to release some of the frustration she accumulated during those two months spent aboard J.J.'s Defiant. That's why she decided to board their ship with a team of marines in tow. J.J. tells me the marines were pretty shaken up when they came back, and he wasn't referring to what they saw the Hunters do. He was referring to what they saw her do to the Hunters," Jack explained, before turning to face Daniel. He didn't like the fact that Liam, the one who was keeping an eye on Adria, wasn't there. "You know that's now your job, right? To keep that woman happy and docile at all cost."
"Don't know why you are so worried about her. In these three years, she's been a model of good behavior. She has also been incredibly helpful in giving us knowledge that only she possesses or that besides her only Liam could possibly understand. The many ZPM factories we now have in the proximity of various black holes is clear indication of that fact."
"Yeah, she's great and a real model of virtue. Until she isn't. It is easy to be a good person when everything is fine. The problem is what happens when not everything is fine, like in these last two months while you were stranded on Quiril. I was actually glad when she agreed to go on the Defiant and wait in the Quiril system because some people were starting to be afraid of her. You know how people are when you are facing somebody who can kill you with a single thought, and pissed at the entire universe because she doesn't know if her mother or you are even alive."
"Well, that's more a problem of those people than hers, wouldn't you agree?" Daniel added while smiling.
He got him there, for the most part. "I'm not sure if I agree with you. Societies don't function like that, I'm afraid. However, since I'm not in the mood to go into yet another discussion on some ideologies how people should or shouldn't behave inside a society, why don't we call the others and then all go get us some beers? After all, we should start celebrating your and Vala's safe return and leave grim topics like war for some other day."
"I'm all for it. I haven't had a beer in two months, and technically am still on Medical Leave, so I'm not working anyway," Daniel replied.
"I agree that a celebration is in order, and I am prepared to join you," Teal'c added.
There was something fishy there; Jack could smell it. Teal'c had decided to join them, which per se wasn't very strange, but his response was too quick. "Is there a meeting of your Council waiting for you on Dakara by any chance?"
It took Teal'c a moment before he replied. "O'Neill, you said we were not to discuss grim topics anymore, did you not?"
"You're right. I'm glad you're joining us for drinks and let's leave it at that," Jack said, smiling. "Well, let's then find some more comfortable accommodations in the recreational area before we call the others."
Both Teal'c and Daniel nodded in agreement. Together, they got up and went out of the conference room. It was now time to celebrate Daniel and Vala's return and leave the war, the Vargas, the Reapers and whatever else that troubled them to discuss on a later day.
Classified as top secret (Level 9)
To think that the celebration had started so innocuously, JJ thought.
When he came in the recreational area as instructed, he had found the other two O'Neills, Teal'c, Sam, Adria and the reason why they were celebrating Daniel and Vala seated around a low table in some very comfortable-looking armchairs in one corner of the large recreation area that all on the station used to unwind after a hard day of work. He sat in an empty armchair, immediately noticing the beer waiting for him. It wasn't strange that they knew even the brand of beer he liked to drink. One glance at the other two O'Neills holding the same brand in their hands was enough to know.
Conversation among each other began, stories reminiscing old missions were told, there was laughter, as well as other emotions depending on the recollected experiences. All in all, it was a fun night to spend with people you like and haven't seen in a long time.
Then, things started to change.
A captain and a few other people that he knew approached them. They were all in a good mood as the captain just found out that he had become a father. Cigars were given to all, new drinks were ordered to replace the empty ones, and the night continued in earnest enjoyment. Soon, it wasn't just their table but four or five adjacent ones were filled with people celebrating. It wasn't strange either since their table was comprised of some well-known people in the Navy and government. The fact that Daniel and Vala have been rescued after two months contributed for even more people, as a bare minimum, to come and say how glad they were the both of them had been rescued. Vala was also enjoying the celebration, often spending time talking to people on other tables and inviting more people to join.
The surprises were not over yet, as a column of new people - sailors, fighter pilots, and marines - came through the door and in the recreational area. It was immediately apparent that they were in a good disposition. The truth soon came out. The heavy cruiser Respite and the rest of its battle group - comprised of five more Defiants and two assault carriers - had just docked after a mission that had liberated another world under siege by the hunters and reapers. It was yet another reason for more drinks to be ordered and for more people to join their little corner of the recreational area, which at this point wasn't so little anymore by anyone's standards.
The celebration, which was at this point a mixture of several, was, as one would expect, cheerfully developing and rising in intensity, with only one little snafu some one hour later. Suddenly, drinks began drying out. The station was expecting a new shipment that was due the next day, and nobody had planned for so many people to be so thirsty the day before. However, salvation came quickly as it was apparent that the dissatisfaction present in so many could cause some serious problems.
A device resembling a breathalyzer was created and the drunkest marine was brought for testing. The very advanced Asgard sensors inside the device collected information from the marine's breath, information that the very advanced Asgard Core effortlessly analyzed - extrapolating the distinct types of alcoholic beverages the marine at various points during the night had drank, all nine of them - only to be sent to the very advanced Asgard matter synthesizer that began cramming out new drinks. This was the first time somebody mentioned that this night should be classified as top secret, as nobody wanted the Asgard to learn in what way the Terrans were using their technology during their spare time.
Soon, everything became a blur of events and sensations, ones very difficult to recall afterward.
Aftermath
JJ woke up in the same armchair he'd spent most of last night's celebration. However, for some to him unknown reason, he was shirtless now and his pants were all wet. He quickly learned the probable cause of his pants' dampness as he saw the pool in the middle of the recreational area he was sure wasn't there yesterday. It even had a slide on one side. There was also an abysmal number of balloons of various sizes and colors everywhere he looked, as well as a pretty large cage like those seen in fighting sports, with two passed out marines still inside. Not that they were the only ones passed out, as many people in various stages of undressing littered the floor of the large recreational area. This could be the reason for the reinstatement of the Mark I medical nanites for military personnel, those that made people incapable of getting inebriated, as opposed to the Mark II that had been created explicitly because of the many complaints received by the men and women in the military.
Another good reason why this whole night should be classified as top secret, at the highest levels. The energy bill for this month's usage of the matter synthesizer was also going to be a bitch to explain.
JJ slowly rose. Not one of his party members were here. Apparently, they'd been smart enough to disappear before things last night got too bad. It was time for him to skedaddle as well before someone who didn't participate in last night's celebrations came inside and started asking questions. Questions only he could answer since he was the only one awake. He began his trek towards the exit, barely in time noticing what appeared to have been some nasty projectile vomiting on the floor in front of him worthy of the movie The Exorcist. He quickly evaded that particular obstacle as well as three unconscious people who, for some at this point unknown reason, were wearing spacesuits, just with their helmets taken off. Not wanting to ponder on it for too long, he proceeded further, now more than ever wanting to be elsewhere.
He really needed to leave, and fast.
From the ship's log of Captain Chandler, of the Battlecruiser Bellerophon
During my long career, first as an officer in the United States Navy and later in the Terran Space Navy, I've seen many strange things floating around in the sea and in space. However, what I saw today was a first for me. Upon approach to the space station Nessa, the sensor officer detected three strange objects floating just outside the station. First thought to be some kind of debris and nothing more, further investigation proved this assumption wrong. The three beamed-aboard objects were nothing more - or less - than three small tricycles, with what appeared to be thrusters attached to the sides of the two small rear wheels. However, this wasn't the only strange thing. Whoever built these, designed the thrusters to fire when the front wheel, the one attached to the pedals, turned. The faster the wheel turned, the stronger the resulting thrust was.
After the inspection, only one question remained in the captain's mind.
Who won the race?
*** Later classified as top secret ***
Well, I hope you liked this pretty long chapter. I must admit, it took some time to write. Feel free to leave a review.