Stargate: Immortal

by Seraphin2011

Book III: The Ori gone, Aschen imprisoned, Wraith changed and pacified, yet the Alliance is threatened once more. The Vargas are coming and no one knows how they are going to survive an enemy that spans throughout the known universe and had done so for billions of years. By closing the anomalies, they have postponed the invasion by more than two years, but will that be enough?

29. Seeking Allies

Author's note:

I apologize for the delay in finishing this chapter. Over the past six months, I have struggled to find time to write amidst my busy schedule and numerous obligations. Additionally, I have experienced a massive lack of inspiration, which made the writing process challenging. As a result, I had to reread the chapter multiple times to remember what it was supposed to be about, only to stop writing for the next few weeks and have to repeat the same process. Somehow, I feel this isn't the way to write a story. But what can you do, right? It's not like I can live off my writing. Not sure if I'd even want to turn my writing into another job... with a tight schedule... deadlines... ugh... better not.

Well, I hope the result meets your expectations.

Reviews:

random Norwegian: Restoring the damage caused by the disaster in Asia has been made possible with advanced technology available to Terrans. However, the loss of lives cannot be undone, and the memories of those affected will forever remain. Consequently, many people from the affected areas have joined the TSN, TSMC, or Terrans Army out of a sense of revenge. Despite this, the surplus of ships remains an issue due to a lack of experienced crew members. Only crews with a few years of space experience should be assigned to the battlecruisers, battleships, supercarriers, and dreadnoughts before sending them on missions to the universe's farthest reaches.

The ascended beings will compensate for the losses with knowledge, as it is their area of expertise. I'm not clear with the type of knowledge they will impart is not yet clear, as I'm behind in the story and have little time to contemplate it. I also have another idea, and I think it will be just the right gift for the Terrans. But I'm keeping it under wraps until the next chapter. :D

I yet have to determine the specifications for the battleship and mothership. Maybe I'll give some info in the next chapter of wait until they are in action to show rather than tell. I have many ideas about nanotechnology and other concepts, but I struggle to integrate them into the story effectively, primarily due to time constraints (no time to ponder when you work, even on the weekend). I also think that too many disparate technologies might have a detrimental effect on the story. Just piling up tech that ships have doesn't sound like the right direction. Especially since I'm planning to speed up and finish the story rather than give up. It's been a long run, more than ten years of writing, and I think it's time to finish it before it gets too old or loses interest. And cutting on unnecessary content is the first step :D.

Sequest86: Only indirectly. The Vargas did to the Goa'uld what they did, changed their DNA and made them psychotic lunatics with delusions of grandeur, or whatever they turned out, but their interaction stopped there. The Goa'uld are not the type to allow to have someone above them anyway. They are more the bunch that schemes and tries to get on top. I also still have to work on the finer details of how exactly the Jaffa Empire and the Goa'uld are involved.

Ryan89: Thanks; it always feels great to hear people enjoy the work you put effort into, whether it's a story or something else.

It's been so long since the last chapter, so I'm unsure if I answered everyone's review. If not, write me a PM, and I'll reply.

Thanks to my beta for promptly checking my ranting.

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"I'm not entirely sure we'll find anything useful at that location," Captain of the Illustrious James Warren said, snapping his fingers impatiently.

Weir knew it was their best lead in three months. "And what is our alternative? Give up the search?" she asked.

"Out of the question," Warren replied as he scanned his monitor. "We'll follow every hint, no matter how slim the chances."

Weir had been spending so much time on the bridge lately that her legs often fell asleep despite the comfy seat. She couldn't help but feel discouraged by their recent failures. Would they ever find a race that had helpful information about the Vargas? The Ulysseans, it seemed, had such intel, but finding them proved challenging.

"The Ulysseans may be our only hope," Weir said. "If the rumors were true, they know where we must go to end this war."

Warren nodded, his expression grim. "We can't miss this opportunity to learn about the enemy that stands above the Vargas. But finding the Ulysseans won't be easy, a race that's been on the run for five hundred years."

"I agree," Weir said. "if they weren't good at hiding, the Vargas would have ended them by now."

She couldn't imagine what kind of life the Ulysseans had lived in the last five centuries, forced to wander through space without the possibility of settling down. But the race that had given them the information about the Ulysseans had been in direct contact with them, and Weir saw no reason they would have lied.

"If I'm not mistaken, the race that told us about the Ulysseans is the twenty-second race to join our alliance," she said. "I like them more than the Aklarians, even though they can't provide the same amount of military assets."

The SGA expected contributions from every race, but not all could provide military aid like the Aklarians. Hoping a race that had been on the run for so long as the Ulysseans could provide military assets would make no sense. But supplying added information on Vargas' vulnerabilities could be equally important.

"Captain, sensors are detecting strong emissions originating from our destination," Science Officer Seiko Nishigaya said.

"That sounds promising, but it also doesn't sound right. A race that hides exceedingly well surely wouldn't mistakenly broadcast their location," the captain retorted.

Weir watched her monitor, inspecting the data. The readings showed reckless energy levels, and the devices that consumed such levels were shields, weapons, and propulsion.

Murphy must have gotten involved in their affairs again, creating another needless crisis. From experience, she would say that they were heading for danger and doing so on a ship that wasn't intended for intense battles.

"I would prefer to avoid confrontation. After all, ours is a diplomatic mission," Weir stated, looking at the captain. "But we need information, and we need it badly,"

"I didn't plan to give up just because there's a chance the enemy has found them. But we must be cautious. We don't know what awaits us once we come out of hyperspace," the captain said. "Let's proceed in a higher state of readiness."

Due to the captain's orders, the lights on the bridge took on a reddish hue. But that was the only thing she noticed it changed. No wonder, considering they built the ship in which comfort was graded highly. Even the new Armageddon-class battle cruiser would feel at least slight vibrations when the reactors jumped into a higher gear.

She expected the two Defiants to do the same since their task was to defend the Illustrious. The helpful display also informed her that at the rate they were going, it would take them another ten minutes to reach the intended star system. Weir feared that among the enemies waiting were Vargas ships. While she believed the Illustrious and their escort could fight even an enemy that outnumbered them, that was only true if no Vargas were present. She knew they were no match against a Vargas warship.

The crew carried out their duties professionally, displaying no signs of tension. Over the past three years, they had encountered very few situations that required them to use force. Instead, they employed diplomacy or retreated to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Their preparation was evident, as they conducted drills so frequently that even those who didn't participate directly, like her, grew weary of them. However, exercises could never fully replicate the intensity of a real fight, where lives were on the line. Despite their outward composure, assuming the crew felt the same tension as she did wasn't unreasonable.

"Helm, drop us out of hyperspace three hundred thousand kilometers from the detected energy emissions, standard approach formation. And keep our exit velocity above two thousand kps," the captain instructed.

Five minutes later, while struggling to keep even a fraction of its velocity, the ship slipped out of hyperspace. The turbulent passage had been an uncomfortable experience for the crew. However, the light cruiser had proved its worth here by keeping its speed above 2,500 kps without the crewmembers getting the urge to vomit their soul.

"Status!" the captain said.

Checking the situation outside was the job of the petite Science Officer, Seiko Nishigaya, working at her workstation on the right side of the bridge. "We are detecting ships of different configurations; most are unknown. The only known ship is a Vargas battle cruiser. Together with the other four, it is battling a larger ship that I assume belongs to the Ulysseans."

She hurriedly tried deciphering the information onto her monitor, but the amount was overwhelming. Amid the data, it displayed the Vargas ship attacking an even larger adversary. This vessel looked like a giant ax but with its handle missing—quite unconventional.

The remaining four ships relentlessly fired yellowish energy bolts, but the giant ship did nothing to dissuade them. It was apparent that the battle was primarily fought against the Vargas battle cruiser, as the other vessels caused no noticeable damage. But the same could not be said for the fire the Ulysseans received from the Vargas, their accursed weapon straining their shields considerably. Without outside help, they might not last for long.

"What can you tell me about all these floating wreckages?" asked the captain.

"Those are the remains of two Vargas battlecruisers," Seiko Nishigaya answered.

She had failed to notice the debris. Two Vargas ships had been reduced to floating garbage, indicative that the fight hadn't been one-sided. There might still be something they could do to tip the odds in the Ulysseans' favor.

"The Ulysseans are in a precarious situation. While we may not be the right fit to fight the Vargas' battlecruiser, we can at least engage the remaining four attackers," the captain said. "Tactical, coordinate with the remaining two Defiants. Let's at least reduce the pressure on our future ally."

"I'd definitely benefit from a long vacation," Weir added. They were going into battle, and she hadn't had a decent leave in three years. Instead, she had been wandering through space billions of light-years away from her beloved Earth. Admittedly, it was her fault for not asking for more than a few days off, even when returning to Earth to give a report. Even that hound called Jack O'Neill would have given her a few weeks before making her go back to work if she begged for it. But now she had had enough. As soon as she finalized an alliance with the Ulysseans, she was gone for at least a few months, time spent enjoying shopping, lounging, and taking aimless walks on the beach.

"That would be incredibly good. Especially since it would mean that the rest of the crew could also enjoy some well-deserved rest," the captain retorted.

She wasn't sure, but she felt the captain resenting her for not getting any for so long. Also, the rest of the crew nodding in agreement was a bad sign. Perhaps she should have come to the same conclusion sooner.

Their ship and the two Defiants took a standard formation approaching the battlefield. One Defiant led the way, positioned three klicks ahead, 15 degrees below, and 15 degrees to port. At the same time, the other trailed the Illustrious, 15 degrees above and 15 degrees to starboard. This formation allowed all three ships to fire their weapons safely and made it easy for them to split up and pursue their targets. After three years of learning about ship operations and procedures, she anticipated the ships would split up to pursue their targets after the initial joint attack.

"We're closing in on the first enemy ship," declared the Tactical Officer, Libby Muir. "We start with concentrated fire in thirty seconds."

"Comms, any response from the Ulysseans?" the captain asked.

"Still nothing," Nicole Carvalho reported. "Their communication system might have sustained damage."

It wasn't only the communication system that had suffered damage. The hull bore battle marks, and the registered fluctuations in their shield suggested it wasn't in the best condition. Other than that, she also noticed the ship's unusual shape. It didn't need to be aerodynamical to navigate space without air resistance. Yet, the vessel appeared ready to slice through something. She had little time to think about it because their target had just entered inside weapons' range.

The Illustrious and two Defiants focused their fire on the closest of the four enemy vessels. Their combined shots landed in the same spot, causing the enemy's shield to glow brightly. This was the first encounter with these ships, suggesting they faced a new race. But after spending so much time staring at the monitor screen, she learned to interpret the displayed data well enough to discern the opponent's strength, even after a first short skirmish. Although their relentless barrage had failed to break through the enemy's shield, there were obvious signs it was weakening. They would breach it if they didn't give them time to recuperate.

"They will soon feel the heat of our plasma lances on their hull," she said, instantly noticing how she had sounded like some third-rate villain.

The opponent changed course sharply, completely hiding the side with the weakened shield.

"At least we forced them to notice us," the captain said.

It was becoming clear that the battle would be prolonged. The enemy ships continued their unrelenting assault on the Ulysseans, but they had finally taken notice of their new adversaries. One of the attacked ships and two others altered course, determined to engage the newcomers. Although this development meant the Ulysseans had fewer attackers to worry about, it was apparent that the true adversary remained fixated on them. The enemy bombarded relentlessly, using all their firepower to break the Ulyssean vessel, even if it meant leaving their other ships without support.

The Terran forces kept attacking the same ship, despite the enemy formation changing. The Defiants were nimble, and it would be a shame if they had to stay with the slower Illustrious, which weighed nearly eight million metric tons more. It wasn't even worth comparing to the Defiant's eighty thousand. They were in different leagues, and their maneuverability was equally disparate.

While the Defiants charged from the sides, the Illustrious followed the enemy from behind, firing at every opportunity. The enemy barely returned fire from the few secondary weapons that could point at them, focusing on evasion. But the other two enemy ships were now joining the battle, charging headlong at the Illustrious.

"Shields are still above one hundred percent!" the Tactical Officer said.

"Do we have any new information about the composition of their shields?" the captain asked.

The Science Officer answered at once. "I'll have the initial model in a minute; I'll send the results to tactical."

Over time, Weir realized the role of a science officer was crucial during combat situations. Seiko's responsibility was to interpret all the available battle information and devise solutions to enhance their effectiveness. In this instance, Seiko was creating a detailed model of the enemy's shields, weapons, and propulsion. With that information, the tactical officer could upgrade their weapons, optimize their shield, and develop more effective tactics to beat their adversary.

"I received the model," the Tactical Officer, Muir, replied. "Changing the phase deviation by 30 microns and lowering the frequency below 75 Terahertz should improve our weaponry."

"Do it," the captain said.

She knew the captain implicitly trusted his tactical officer.

"I'm sending the information to the Defiants on how to adapt their quantum pulse disruptors," Muir announced.

One of the most significant differences was that the Defiant was equipped with quantum disruptors, unlike the Illustrious. Their weapons proved ineffective against a new opponent for whom they were uncertain about their shield or armor composition until the quantum disruptors were appropriately calibrated. Thanks to the data sent by Muir, they now had the information to do just that.

Their primary target was to take down the enemy's shields. If the quantum disruptors were calibrated correctly, they could destabilize a shield's energy matrix, even if the opponent had substantial energy reserves. This made quantum disruptors a crucial weapon in their arsenal. However, the enemy would start modulating their shields to counter the quantum disruptors with varying degrees of success. Regardless, the enemy should sustain considerable damage until they figure out how to modify them appropriately.

Not a minute later, the enemy ship's shields came under devastating fire from the reconfigured weapons. In the case of the Defiant, they could destabilize their shield, and the Illustrious could overload their emitters. The result was several shots penetrating through the shield.

"Enemy is taking damage! Their mobility has been cut in half," Muir retorted.

When in pursuit, targeting an opponent's propulsion and thrusters was best before moving on to more critical systems. However, this was only possible once their weapons could breach through the initial line of defense, the shield. Weir was relieved to see progress being made. However, the occasional shaking of the ship served as a reminder that they had pursuers of their own.

A glance at the shield level indicator, which had slipped below the critical one hundred percent threshold, made it clear that the fight was becoming more challenging. Having shields above one hundred percent provided excellent insurance, allowing the captain to adopt a more aggressive stance. However, as the shield strength dropped below 75 percent, the captain would be forced to approach the battle more cautiously, as the crew's safety could no longer be guaranteed.

The Defiant pilot skillfully countered the target's evasive maneuvers as they swerved left and right. The enemy's shields had already been depleted, allowing the Defiant to destroy them on the starboard side with their disruptors and then deliver a final blow with an antimatter torpedo. It resulted in a flashy explosion that shattered the enemy's port side, spinning it uncontrollably. The ship appeared defeated, and they had other enemies to face before finishing it.

The Illustrious quickly diverted to the next target. By the time it came in range, the two Defiants were already making solid progress in destabilizing its shield. The Illustrious opened with its plasma lances, increasing the damage the enemy ship took.

"I'm worried about these two ships glued to our stern. As for the one in front of us, I think we can take it down quickly," said the captain.

As the shields neared 75 percent, the captain feared the enemy's weapons could reach the hull and cause damage. The captain held the lives of eight hundred crewmembers in his hands. The best was quickly taking down the second ship and facing the two pursuing, hopefully before their shield dropped too low.

The Ulyssean vessel had sustained considerable damage, yet they continued to fight with courage against the Vargas's ship. Weir marveled at their ability to defeat two such vessels, a feat that would have been impossible if they weren't a powerful race. She also contemplated whether the Ulysseans had caught the Vargas off guard. Perhaps the Vargas had been scouting the area and stumbled upon the Ulysseans by chance. Had it been a planned ambush, the Vargas would undoubtedly have brought a more extensive fleet to crush the Ulysseans.

"If we can disable our current pursuit quickly, then it will be relatively easy to deal with those on our heels," Weir said.

The captain was trying to end the chase quickly. This was why the Illustrious and the Defiants went after one ship together instead of choosing separate targets. Indeed, she believed that the shields of the Illustrious would last long enough to dispose of at least the first two ships. It was quite an aggressive approach in which the enemy could shoot at them unrestricted. Still, if successful, it would pay dividends.

"They still haven't figured out how to modulate the shields properly," the captain said. "The Defiant's disruptors are working wonders."

The disruptors would significantly weaken the shields before the Illustrious would point its plasma cannons at that exact spot. Although only a minute had passed since they'd started attacking the second ship, the damage already began appearing on the hull. A few thrusters were no longer working, causing their mobility to diminish. She believed they would become sitting ducks if they succeeded in landing a direct hit on the rear engine.

When the other two ships forced their shields down to eighty percent, the vessel in front was on its last leg.

"Have the two Defiants attack our friends behind us while we finish off the one ahead," the captain said, deciding that now was the best time to switch tactics.

The Communications Officer relayed the order, immediately followed by the two Defiants diverting course. Weir followed through various monitors as they aggressively moved toward the two attackers.

"Their ship ran out of shields aft. I'm firing two antimatter torpedoes," the tactical officer announced.

Two points of light flew at the enemy. Their defenses knocked down one before it hit, but they were not so lucky with the second. A directional detonation burst against their hull with a force of six megatons. It was enough to destroy a good chunk of the hull and interior. The stern had been devastated, and the ship could no longer fight back. Another antimatter torpedo, as the final gift, blew apart the entire stern.

"The enemy ship has been destroyed," Muir said.

"We outnumber them now," the captain said.

The two Defiants were having fun with the two ships in the rear. It was time for the Illustrious to join in the chase, this time without a chaser on her heels constantly harassing her.

It was the moment two crimson orbs flew straight at her shield.

"Direct shot from the Vargas battlecruiser," Muir announced.

"Our shields are being drained," the science officer said. "I estimate ten minutes before we have to reset them, but it will be less if they keep hitting us."

The Vargas battle cruiser had momentarily confronted the new arrivals before returning to deal with the Ulysseans.

"We didn't need this," the captain declared. "Now it's even more important that we clear these remaining two ships before our shields fail."

A palpable tension settled in the air. Weir's eyes repeatedly darted toward the shield indicator, which continued to decrease at an alarming rate despite the Illustrious having avoided taking any new hits. On the other hand, the third opposing ship seemed to be nearing the end of its resilience, as its shield showed signs of imminent failure. It was only a matter of time before their combined firepower overwhelmed it.

However, Weir knew that their shields were also weakening rapidly and would soon reach a critical state. She couldn't help but marvel at the Ulysseans' endurance, as their ship had somehow managed to survive the relentless onslaught for an unexpectedly long time.

"The third ship finally lost control," the tactical officer announced.

"Let's get rid of the last one. Our shields are below 50 percent anyway," the captain said.

Although their shield emitters hadn't taken any real damage, Weir knew they would have to rebuild its energy matrix. With each new shot fired from the Vargas' weapons, the Illustrious' shields kept draining faster.

The Vargas' battlecruiser would occasionally target one of them before returning to pursue the Ulysseans. While the Illustrious avoided taking most hits, the Defiants weren't as lucky. The Defiants were skilled at dodging the incoming purple energy bolts, but they still got hit once every ten times. Unlike the cruisers, the Defiants had weaker shields, and even a few shots were enough to threaten their stability.

To make matters worse, the last opponent had started modulating their shields, making the Defiants' quantum disruptors less effective. The Illustrious tried to overpower their shields with brute force, creating an opportunity for the Defiants to peel away the enemy's armor.

"Finally!" the captain said.

The last remnants of the shield gave way, leaving the Defiants free to rip through their armor. Though the ship's thrusters and main drive had been severely damaged, it continued to resist its fate with all its might. In a final act of defiance, it fired two shots at the nearest Defiant, causing damage to its hull. However, despite the ship's valiant efforts, the new generation of ablative armor used by the Defiants proved highly effective at protecting vital points. While exposed components, such as the shield emitters, comm arrays, and thrusters, suffered damage, no essential part of the ship would suffer damage so quickly.

"Their new ablative armor is truly remarkable," the captain observed, though she didn't know all the details.

Thanks to a new ally, the Terrans had learned to utilize the excess Vargas armor with energy dispersal properties accumulated from their many victories. As a result, fighters, corvettes, and Defiants were now outfitted with an additional protective layer, which provided a higher level of protection. These crafts could now withstand attacks like a Vargas ship, even after depleting their shields. This additional layer allowed the Defiant to hold out longer, perhaps even long enough for their shields to partially recover.

"But a precise shot can still damage the thrusters or emitters," Weir said, still worried about ships with their shield down.

"That's precisely why we build redundancy into our ships' components," the captain retorted. "However, the enemy is indeed targeting our emitters and thrusters with incredible accuracy, and it seems the Vargas are targeting us more frequently."

The Illustrious was coming under fire more often, while the Ulysseans were experiencing slightly less pressure.

"Do you have a solid plan in place for when we eliminate the last of the Vargas' henchmen?" she asked. "While the Defiant's weapons are effective against the Vargas' armor, I don't believe that two Defiants and our ship will be able to penetrate their defenses."

Perhaps they could consider attacking the Vargas' battle cruiser if they had more Defiants or one heavy cruiser. Unfortunately, their current strength was no match for the enemy's superior defenses and firepower. The disparity of forces was too great to overcome without additional support.

"Indeed, we may not have the firepower to destroy the battle cruiser, but I've been holding onto our supply of drones for a reason," the captain explained.

As he spoke, Weir realized that the battle could have gone much more smoothly if the captain had used the drones earlier. However, it appeared he had been saving them for the most challenging opponent from the outset.

"But drones can't penetrate their armor," Weir pointed out.

"I never intended to rely solely on the drones to end the battle," the captain clarified. "However, if they can inflict damage on key components on the enemy's hull, that would still be a significant accomplishment. Our main goal is to target their drive and thrusters and create an opportunity for the Ulysseans to escape. Victory isn't necessarily the goal."

With the formation shifted, the Illustrious and the Defiants moved forward in unison toward the most formidable opponent. Even though she had been with the crew for three years and had faced many challenges alongside them, this was Weir's first encounter with the Vargas. As a result, the crew was understandably tense, uncertain whether they would prevail or if this would be their final battle. However, Weir and the captain agreed that abandoning the Ulysseans to their fate and retreating was not an option.

"Prepare to fire the drones once we're within optimal range," the captain ordered. "Our primary targets are their thrusters and propulsion. Then, focus on disabling their weapons."

"Optimal range in thirty seconds," the tactical officer reported.

The Vargas' ship had anticipated their strategy as it maneuvered to engage them, moving away from the Ulysseans' ship. The Terrans were greeted with a barrage of new purple orbs, most aimed at the two Defiants. They seemed to have detailed information about the Terrans' weaponry. They likely considered the Defiants' quantum disruptors the biggest threat to their armor, which was impervious to conventional weaponry. Thus, they planned to eliminate the Defiants before going after the Illustrious.

Despite this, a few purple orbs still flew toward the Illustrious.

"Shields at 28 percent," the Science Officer, Seiko Nishigaya, warned. "At this rate, we'll lose our shields in three minutes."

"After restarting it, all energy reserves have been diverted to the shield generator to bring it up to barely thirty percent. I must say, the situation is far from ideal," the captain said with concern. "Let's hope three minutes is enough to inflict serious damage."

The golden drones launched from all three hatches flew toward the Vargas ship. Although the distance was relatively small, the point defense system started firing at the incoming drones. But their numbers were too great to intercept all of them in such a short time. Despite the Vargas' efforts, a quarter of the two hundred drones still managed to penetrate the shields, with half reaching intended targets. With every hit, damage began to pile up, with the thrusters and drive sustaining the most damage.

"Patrick's Defiant has taken critical damage!" Muir said.

"Order him to retreat behind our ship!" the captain ordered.

Patrick was an experienced captain who had contributed the most to removing unwanted ships from this system. But this came at the cost of his ship taking considerable damage.

The Defiant attempted to evade the incoming fire, but it was too late. The next shot struck its forward port armament, triggering a massive explosion that ripped a sizable chunk of the ship apart. The impact was so powerful that it sent the vessel careening out of control, making it an easy target for the enemy. Their barrage of fire relentlessly pummeled the Defiant's exposed flank, causing damage with each successive hit.

As the ship swayed wildly, it became evident that the situation was dangerous. The crew had to act fast to regain control of the vessel. However, Weir's hopes for a happy resolution were shattered when another energy blast tore through the Defiant's port flank, causing it to fall apart.

Weir was aghast as she witnessed the events unfolding before her eyes. She gripped the arms of her chair tightly, her knuckles turning white with tension. She couldn't believe people she cared about had just perished in such a way. For the first time in three years, they had suffered a devastating loss of life.

Meanwhile, the drones had done their job, leaving the Vargas' battlecruiser stripped of many of its exposed systems. However, the opponent still possessed enough weaponry to pose a threat. Losing one ship reduced their chances of victory, as only one Defiant could now damage their armor.

"Tell the Defiant to avoid enemy fire and only fire back when they have a clear shot," the captain said.

With the enemy's shields barely adequate, they managed to target their weapons and the remaining thrusters. While the goal was to render the Vargas' ship inert, she had doubts about the feasibility of that plan.

As plasma lances found their way through the gaps in the enemy's shield and damaged exposed components on the hull, the Vargas fought back relentlessly, firing exclusively at the Defiant. However, their efforts were mostly in vain, as the little ship proved incredibly agile, always staying one step ahead of the enemy.

Weir was confident they had activated the immersive neural system, which allowed the Defiant's crew to sense what the ship's sensors detected on a level beyond human comprehension. This advantage gave them an edge in the battle, allowing them to outmaneuver and outsmart the enemy at every turn.

"Captain, our shield's collapse is imminent," the science officer reported. "If we can't disable their ship inside one minute, we should retreat."

"It is too late for that. Both the Defiant and our ship would take critical damage while escaping. Then the Vargas would launch an all-out attack on the Ulysseans, finishing us all off," the captain retorted.

She knew the captain would never consider turning around and fleeing. They had come too far and sacrificed too much to abandon the fight now. Yet, with every passing moment, Weir's hope for victory dwindled. The battle was not progressing as she had hoped. Even with the Vargas' shield weakened and systems disabled, their battle cruiser proved to be a formidable opponent. It lived up to its reputation as one of the strongest ships in the known universe.

The last hit shook Weir to her core, and she knew their shield was gone. She dreaded thinking how long the Illustrious could hold out without it, predicting it wouldn't be long. Adding to their troubles, the Defiant's attempts to breach the Vargas' partially restored shield proved futile, leaving their mission in jeopardy. If they didn't find a way to turn the tides soon, their efforts would end in failure. "I'm reading massive energy levels emanating from the Ulyssean ship!" the science officer announced. "I think they are preparing to fire some kind of high-yield weapon."

Although it was mere speculation, Weir had learned to trust the science officer over the past three years. They knew nothing about the Ulyssean ship, but when the axe-shaped bow turned an intense golden, she knew the science officer had been correct. The bow was over three kilometers wide and emanated dangerous energy levels.

Suddenly, an energy wave in the form of a blade headed toward the Vargas ship, passing through its entire length. The result was bizarre. The armor did not appear to have sustained damage, but explosions from various hatches revealed that the vessel had been hurt inside. The loss of control also showed that the Vargas' ship was in bad shape.

She realized how the Ulysseans had managed to destroy two Vargas ships before they arrived. They must have struck a critical system inside the vessel, such as the main reactor, causing a catastrophic explosion that killed them from the inside out.

"I don't know how much their ship took damage, but we have to take advantage of this opportunity. Have the Defiant create a hole in their armor for us!" the captain ordered, now more confident they would win this battle.

The Vargas no longer fired or tried to hide unprotected parts. It was abnormal for the ship to have an active shield after the last attack, indicating that the Ulysseans' earlier strike had only partially succeeded. They had to secure victory before they could recuperate because she didn't believe the Ulysseans could pull off a miracle twice in a row.

The Defiant positioned itself perfectly before starting a steady fire. They had enough skirmishes with the Vargas to know precisely where to target for maximum effect. Even she knew the place the Defiant was constantly targeting was the hull behind which the main reactor was located. "The Defiant has created a big enough hole! I am firing four torpedoes, highest yield," the tactical officer, Muir, announced.

Antimatter torpedoes were incredibly versatile. Before firing, the tactical officer would fill the torpedo with a certain amount of antimatter. Therefore, the torpedo could have a destructive power of as low as half a kiloton or one measured in hundreds of megatons. Plus, they had several types. One class had a weaker destructive power but could focus all the energy forward in a narrow beam so that energy would assault the front.

But the torpedoes that Muir had just sent were classic torpedoes with a yield of 200 megatons. They flew unimpeded straight through the newly created opening into the ship's bowels and detonated with a destructive power that even the Vargas' ship could not withstand. The mixture of explosions from four torpedoes aided by a stricken reactor core created an explosion powerful enough to send ship pieces flying across space.

Weir could finally breathe a sigh of relief. "We need to avoid confrontations where Vargas' battlecruisers are present."

"Unfortunately, we can't always have our wishes granted," the captain retorted.

"Captain, I am reading increased instability within the Ulyssean ship. I believe using the main armament caused other malfunctions," said the science officer. "I fear their reactor may explode at any moment."

Looking at the various readings on the monitor, she also concluded the ship was in critical condition. Before, the vessel had damage all over the hull, but now it had completely lost control.

Another explosion only further showed how damaged the ship was.

"Call them," the captain said.

The communications officer soon responded. "I can't. Their comm system must be damaged."

"Can you detect their life signs?" asked the captain.

"Yes, I'm detecting many," the science officer replied.

"It doesn't matter how many or where you plan to put them. Start beaming them aboard as soon as you have a lock," the captain immediately replied.

If they couldn't establish communication with the Ulyssean ship, the top priority was to ensure the safety of its crew. Salvaging the ship could come later, if at all possible. The Ulysseans might not be pleased about being transported without their consent, but the dire state of their vessel left little room for other options.

The fact the Ulysseans had not utilized their primary weapon until now indicated their ship was already on the brink of collapse. In any case, the Terrans' duty was to reciprocate the favor by rescuing the stranded crew.

"I'm starting the transfer," the science officer replied.

"How many life signs are there?" Weir asked. She wanted to know how much the number of people on board would increase.

"4633 life signs," the officer replied.

Weir and the captain looked at each other, unsure if they had heard the number correctly.

"Do we have enough room for so many people?" the captain asked.

They didn't have that many extra beds, but she thought their support system was advanced enough that even that many wouldn't be an issue.

"We do because… um… unlike their ship, the Ulysseans seem to be a race of relatively small people," the officer retorted.

She wanted to ask how small, but the warning system began acting up. She was convinced that the troubles had ended, at least for today, but why was the system warning them of an additional threat?

The tactical officer was the first to respond. "Seven ships of various configurations have entered the system. Two are the same as the ships we destroyed," the officer announced the bad news. "Expected interception time is three minutes."

"At least there are no Vargas ships," the captain said, trying to find anything positive to say. "Can we get all the Ulysseans on board and get into hyperspace before they catch up to us?"

She agreed with the captain's desire to avoid combat. Although there was no Vargas among the newcomers, they would not last a single round in their condition, even against what came.

"We will be done teleporting in a minute, but there are still four transmitters in the system that interfere with FTL travel," the science officer countered.

"Any ideas for avoiding confrontation?" the captain asked.

"I think our best bet is to head for the gas giant," the tactical officer said. "We could hide within its dense atmosphere."

"That seems to be a valid option that gives us a chance of survival," the captain retorted.

Although the planet's atmosphere provided cover from the enemy's sensors, the potential danger of the plan weighed heavily on Weir's mind. "I understand the enemy will have difficulty detecting us but are you certain the hull can withstand the atmospheric pressure of such a planet?" she asked with concern.

"The hull has suffered no significant damage. According to the indicators, its integrity is still at hundred percent, and I have confidence in the ship's construction," the captain reassured her. "However, if you have a better idea to avoid conflict with the newly arrived ships, I am all ears."

Despite her reservations, Weir couldn't come up with a better plan. "No, if we can't enter hyperspace, then our only option is to hide somewhere they can't find us."

"The teleportation is complete," the science officer reported.

"Full speed ahead toward the gas giant," the captain ordered.

The ship roared to life, pushing in the opposite direction of the approaching vessels. They were on track to reach the planet before the enemy intercepted them, which was a small comfort. Even making it inside the planet's atmosphere wasn't a guaranteed safe haven.

"I guess the plan is to recover the shields and do some repairs while we wait. But what comes after that?" Weir asked.

"There's no point even considering a plan if we don't restore the shields first. This is a priority for the Defiant and our ship. If we do a few more repairs, that's even better. Still, since we're entering the atmosphere of a gas giant with enormous atmospheric pressure, any repairs on the hull are out of the question," the captain replied, looking thoughtful for a moment. "And after that, we have two options."

"What are they?" Weir asked.

"The first possibility is to take advantage of the planet's spherical shape. It's unlikely that the enemy fleet can cover every angle of the planet simultaneously with their seven ships. However, there are some obstacles to this plan. First, we don't know the capabilities of their ships, and some of them may have a higher acceleration than ours, which could make our escape short-lived. Second, we'll have to exit the planet slowly due to the thick atmosphere. This slow exit could give away our position, and we could get detected before we even make it out," the captain explained.

"So the plan has two downsides that make it very risky," Weir said, also thoughtful. "Especially now that we have nearly five thousand Ulysseans on board, I'm not too keen on taking such risks."

"Neither am I, and I don't particularly appreciate risking the lives of the Ulysseans or my crew. The problem is that we may have no choice but to break through the blockade."

"But you said there was another option," Weir said.

"We could wait until reinforcements arrive and clears the enemies. Of course, that's only assuming the opponent is much weaker," the captain said.

"You think there's a chance they can detect our location even though we're inside the atmosphere of a gas giant?" Weir asked.

"We know almost nothing about our opponent, and more ships may come later. I'm sure they would eventually find a way to pinpoint our location. It's more a question of how long it will take them," the captain said.

She didn't like to hear such an answer. She suspected the situation was like that, but it would have been nice if the captain had refuted it. It seemed to be a race between the time it would take to repair the ship, how long before more enemies showed, and when their rescue finally arrived.

"Since I'm of no help here, I'll let you back to your business while I go visit our guests," Weir said, standing up.

"I believe our guests are frightened," the captain said. "Leave the bridge to my crew and me; you take care of them."

Weir left the bridge. The Ulysseans had been directed to several large hangars, the most crowded being the one on the seventh floor. It was only a short trip to the nearest teleportation booth, and she was already in front of the hangar. Stepping through the doorway, she was immediately greeted by a chaotic scene. Hundreds of flying fairies, ranging in size from tiny to small, fluttered about in every direction, their wings creating a shower of golden dust. Many of the younger fairies cried hysterically while their elders tried unsuccessfully to calm them down. It was clear that they were struggling to handle the situation. Some fairies shouted for the distressed ones to listen while others attempted to soothe them. But their efforts only seemed to add to the confusion. Evidently, they needed to establish a clear plan of action to address this critical situation.

However, amid the chaos, one area appeared calmer than the rest. A magnificent fairy stood out, surrounded by a group of smaller ones. While the large fairy seemed slightly annoyed, she allowed the smaller ones to embrace her, exuding a sense of regal calmness amidst the turmoil.

She thought it best to try to talk to her as the calmest fairy in the group. She slowly approached her target with small steps while being careful not to step on any of those not flapping around the room. She had thought before the situation was chaotic but realized it was nothing compared to when the children spotted her, in their eyes, the suddenly appearing giant that hovered over them. Another wave of crying and screaming ensued, which attracted the attention of others, who also started shouting and making more noise.

Surprisingly, one fairy remained calm, sighing tiredly. "Silence!"

Although by no means louder than the other screams, that one word made every fairy in the room stop fussing. It was the word of a ruler who didn't tolerate any disobedience.

Stepping closer, she crouched before the fairy—a way to make herself look less threatening. "Hello. I am Elizabeth Weir, the leader of this expedition. Do not be frightened. The Uclirians told us about your troubles, so we sought you out, hoping we could help each other."

The fairy gazed at her for a long moment, her face etched with a mix of anger and resignation. "We've been running from the Vargas for centuries," she said, her voice heavy with sorrow. "Our numbers have dwindled to just a handful of ships, and we have lost all hope of defeating them. The last warship that could stand up to them has been destroyed, and we are on the brink of extinction. I don't see how we can help you or how you can help us."

As she listened to the fairy's words, she felt a pang of empathy for the tiny creature. The fairy had endured the slow decline of her species over hundreds of years, watching as a superior enemy systematically wiped out her people. She had probably seen countless other races fall to the same fate during their long journey through the stars. It was no wonder that she felt so resigned to their future.

"How about I offer your race sanctuary?" she asked.

"The Vargas are everywhere, and no one is strong enough to stand up to them," said the fairy indifferently.

"True, the Vargas are the toughest enemy we've had the misfortune to face, and right now, we're not sure how to end this war. But luckily, we have a place where they can't reach us. With their Anomalies in the entire Laniakea supercluster closed, the Vargas would take decades to reach our galaxy," she said.

"Anomalies closed?" she asked.

Weir saw a glimmer of interest on the fairy's face and took it as a positive sign. She smiled back at the fairy and continued, "Yes, we have made a significant discovery. We have found a way to deactivate the Vargas' way of traveling between distant places, which we believe gives them an edge over other species. By closing certain anomalies, the Vargas would have to travel nearly a billion light years to reach our galaxy, whereas we can do so in a matter of days. This gives us a tremendous logistical advantage and increased security."

"You can travel a billion light years in a few days?" the fairy asked.

With each question, the wings on her back rose slightly. Perhaps they were the best indicator of her current emotional state. Hope was slowly returning to the fairy.

"We have similar technology to the Vargas that allows us to travel to galaxies hundreds of millions of light-years away in a matter of seconds. We can bring your people to our galaxy where the Vargas can't reach us. How does that sound to you?" Weir asked.

"It sounds hard to believe. During our journey since we left our galaxy, we often believed we escaped the Vargas and could finally rebuild our civilization. But we would soon realize we were fooling ourselves," the Ulyssean said.

Weir spoke reassuringly, hoping to convince the fairy to trust her. "I understand your skepticism. It's hard to believe there could be a place beyond the reach of the Vargas. But I assure you, we have already successfully closed several of these anomalies. If you're willing, I would like to offer you the chance to see for yourself. We can take you to one of the closed anomalies and show you the results. Then you can decide if you want to stay and help us in our fight against the Vargas or continue on your own path."

Her wings rose a little more but suddenly dropped back down. "Nothing is free; we learned that on the run."

"We're looking for information on the Vargas; anything you can tell us. And also, anything you have on those who stand above them," she said.

"Is that all?" asked the fairy.

"We aim to be allies who support each other through these challenging times. We do not require you to take an active role in the battles that we will inevitably face before the war concludes," she explained. "But we desperately need information about our common enemy."

Her wings were utterly straight now. She has regained hope. "Then, I would very much enjoy visiting your galaxy."

"And I'd like to show it to you," she said, smiling. "But we first need to escape from here."

"Didn't you destroy all their ships?" asked the fairy, sensing that the fight might not be over. "Also, my name is Alena, the leader of my people."

"Nice to meet you, Alena. And yes, we destroyed all their ships, but unfortunately, a few minutes ago, new ones arrived. That's why we decided to hide in the gas giant's atmosphere," she explained.

"That won't help us if the Vargas come," Alena replied.

"You're probably right, but we have no choice but to find a hiding place until we recover our shields," she said. "I should also get back to the bridge. I came only to meet you and ask if you need anything."

"We are fine, your people are already bringing food and water, and the little ones have calmed down," said Alena. "But could I accompany you to the bridge? I wish to continue our conversation."

Now that the fairy mentioned it, she noticed that more Terrans had entered the hangar and were busily distributing supplies and offering help to the distressed fairies. The situation also calmed down. While a few of the youngest still cried, most curiously flew around and looked at the place and people.

"I see no reason to refuse," she agreed. "Let's go to the bridge together."

Only then she noticed a small fairy standing on Alena's back, gripping her firmly.

"Yes, you can come with me; just stop pulling my wings!" Alena exclaimed before turning to face Weir again. "I'm sorry. My great-great-great-granddaughter is extremely attached to me. I wouldn't like to impose further, but could she come with us?"

The little fairy looked Weir in the eyes before shyly looking away.

"I don't see why not," she replied, pointing toward the door.

The fairy started walking. "I must apologize again, but I'm too tired to fly."

Even though she was the tallest fairy in the room, she couldn't have been more than two feet tall. Consequently, her walk was much shorter.

Weir had no choice but to slow down. "We are not in such a hurry; we were still traveling toward the gas giant when I was on the bridge. Shield recharge won't be done in a few minutes either; we won't recklessly try to escape before we're fully prepared."

"Do you believe we will manage to escape? From what I saw during the fight, your ships are quite strong but not enough to stand up to the Vargas," said the fairy.

"Since the role of this task force is not to engage the enemy but to find new allies, we chose a less threatening ship for our mission. Unfortunately, even the current enemy ships in the system are a threat to us. The best would be not to engage in battle until reinforcements arrive," Weir said. "But don't worry. I'm not planning to die here."

It was crucial to maintain faith in their success. Alena's hope hinged on it. Weir had an unwavering belief in her crew and their ship. However, the memory of their Defiant exploding still plagued her. She was confident their new enemy in this galaxy was more formidable than any adversary they had met, including the Wolf or Dino races. As they neared the Vargas' home territory, she couldn't help but wonder if the challenges ahead would only increase. But perhaps she was guessing baselessly, and it was unwise to predict what lay ahead.

Walking down the corridor toward the nearest teleportation booth, Weir occasionally glanced at the fairy beside her. It was clear that the fairy had a lot on her mind. Alena's remark about losing the means of harming the Vargas forever affected her. Weir knew that not all starships were built for combat, but for a race embroiled in a prolonged war like theirs, it would make sense to have a predominantly militarized fleet. The fairy's situation seemed dire, with only a few ships left, and they may very well be on the verge of extinction. The thought saddened Weir as she remembered how many species in the Milky Way and Pegasus had reached a similar point due to the Wraith and the Goa'uld.

When Weir saw the fairy sighing deeply, she realized that the silence had gone on for too long and she should say something, even though she was unsure what. "My galaxy holds many uninhabited planets that you could one day learn to call home. I know it isn't easy to believe that any place in the universe can be safe from the Vargas, but I believe they won't be able to reach my home galaxy for at least the next hundred years. That should give you enough time to start rebuilding your civilization."

Alena looked at her for a long time before responding. "It's almost like a dream to imagine finding a place where we won't live in fear of attack. But even if we find such a place, I fear it won't solve my race's biggest problem."

"What problem?" Weir said.

"Even if we find a sanctuary where the Vargas can't reach us, we're still facing extinction," Alena said.

"Why?" Weir asked, not liking what she was hearing.

"We are quite different from your species. To survive, we must spend time in the Mortal Plane like you and periodically visit another dimension where we absorb a different form of energy. However, since we left our home galaxy, we have lost the means to enter the Spirit World," she explained.

The problem was that the ship's computer translated everything automatically, which it learned from the conversations the Ulysseans had had since they came aboard. With thousands of fairies talking and shouting, it took the computer very little time to understand the basics of their language. However, the AI would sometimes translate the terms to the closest thing an Earthling could understand or relate to. Since the Ulysseans looked like fairies and had access to a different dimension, the ship translated it as traveling to the Spirit World, but she did not know what that was. It might have been closer to the Ascended Plane than the Spirit World as told in fairy tales.

"If you lost access to the Spirit World, how did you survive the last five hundred years you spent on the run?" she asked.

Alena grabbed her pendant. "This pendant can store the energy we need. Before we left our home galaxy, we extracted as much energy as possible and put it in such pendants. We used it sparingly, hoping to settle somewhere and create a new Spirit World before it all ran out."

She did not know what it meant to create a new Spirit World. If it was like the ascended plane, there was no need to make anything. There had to be differences between the two. "Why can't you do that? You've already done it once."

"The will of our ancestors created the Spirit World," Alena said, her expression darkening. "Before they died, they went to the Spirit World and became a part of it. At that time, our race was not as dependent on that energy as we are today, so it didn't matter if the Spirit World existed. But now, we rely on it, and not enough of us are left to create a new one."

Weir felt a pang of sadness as she realized the dire predicament the Ulysseans were in. They had evolved to depend on the Spirit World's energy but were cut off. It was as if the Ulysseans were slowly dying from a lack of nourishment.

Weir reflected on the incredible diversity of life in the universe. Each species had unique needs and challenges, and it was humbling to see how much the Ulysseans had lost by leaving their home galaxy or how hard their journey must have been.

"Is it that you can't live without the energy you're talking about?" she asked.

Alena looked over her shoulder at her grand-times-five daughter. "As you can see, she has no wings."

She looked at the tiny fairy, looking back at her shyly. Indeed, her back was bare, and she would have resembled a human without the pointed ears and green hair. "She can't get wings without that energy?"

"And without wings, she will not live to adulthood," concluded Alena.

Sheltering them was not enough. No matter how safe they were from attack, their race was doomed if the new generations could not reach adulthood. "Maybe we can find a solution to your problem. If not us, then the Ascended Beings in our galaxy should know a way to help you."

"The Ascended do not deal with the issues of other realms," said Alena.

She was sure Alena's voice held bitterness. It was possible they had already sought help from an Ascended Being and had failed to receive it. "Things change. The Ascended are joining the war against the Vargas. Their interaction with us in the lower plane has intensified considerably."

Alena opened her eyes wide. "No matter how many times we tried to contact them and no matter in which galaxy, they would always refuse even to respond."

"It was the same with us, but with the threat that the Vargas represent to the Ascended, they decided to, let's say, bend the rules a bit," she said.

"We knew the Ascended were vulnerable to the Vargas' weapons that could target their higher plane. They tried to use it to destroy our Spirit World, but it backfired. But I didn't expect them to break their rules even for that," Alena said thoughtfully. "However, the Spirit World is in a dimension that even the Ascended cannot access. So, I don't believe they can help us."

"Well, if they can't, then maybe we can help," Weir said, putting on a face full of confidence she shouldn't be wearing.

Alena took on a strange expression, one wing raised as if full of anticipation, the other less than half-raised as if she shouldn't hope. "How? Our home galaxy is more than seven hundred million light years away."

Weir believed that fairies shouldn't play poker because their wings said everything their opponents wished to know. "We can travel such distances within a few months, and with the supergate put in place, we can travel there instantly."

"It didn't occur to me to return home after so long. But the enemy may be out there, and we cannot retake our home galaxy. I told you that the ship we lost was the last that could harm the Vargas," Alena explained.

"Retaking your home galaxy, no, I don't think it's possible right now or even a clever idea. Even more of your people would inevitably die while trying," she said.

"Then what?" Alena asked.

"Couldn't you reconnect to the Spirit World and recharge the pendants? Wouldn't that be enough for your little ones to get wings? Because, right now, the only thing we need is to buy time for your race to survive, right?" Weir asked.

Although finding a definitive solution for the Ulysseans may be challenging, it wasn't impossible. However, if they could provide their children with enough energy for the conceivable future, it would delay the inevitable extinction of their race. In the meantime, they could explore numerous ideas to permanently solve their problem, including defeating the Vargas.

"That would be great, but why would you be willing to help us this much? I mean, even though you say you can travel hundreds of millions of light years in just a few months, it shouldn't be that simple," Alena asked, confused.

It wasn't easy for them to do this because they only had one vessel that could cover such a distance in a relatively short time, and the Sphere was on a very tight schedule. "Indeed, it is not easy to divert our resources in this way, especially if your home galaxy is in the opposite direction we are traveling. But after hearing about your predicament, I'm sure our Council would agree to help. All the races in our alliance would agree to it, even if it meant delaying our offensive."

"Yes! That would be wonderful!" the fairy almost jumped for joy. "If we collect enough energy from the Spirit World, we could create a new one in your galaxy. We could even help you more directly in the war against the Vargas, not just by supplying information!"

"What do you mean?" Weir asked.

"The weapon that can destroy a Vargas ship uses energy from the Spirit World. We would be more than willing to share, but first, we must have a surplus. I also told you that the Vargas trying to destroy the Spirit World with the same weapon they used against the ascended backfired. This is because the energy waveform of the weapon revived the Spirit World instead of harming it. They didn't even realize it until we started using our weapons more often. After five hundred years of not accessing the Spirit World, it should burst with energy!" Alena explained, with her wings standing straight upward.

The fairy spoke so rapidly that the little fairy on her back had to cling on for dear life to avoid falling. Despite the difficulty of the situation, she was happy to see the will to live returning to Alena's eyes. However, she knew that keeping her promise would be the real challenge.

After arriving at the teleportation cabin, they teleported directly to the bridge.

"We've arrived," Weir announced as the doors opened.

As they entered the bridge, the captain turned to face them. His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of their diminutive guest he did not expect. The rest of the crew also looked on in amazement at the tiny, winged creature walking beside her. The science officer even exclaimed, "It's a fairy!" loud enough for everyone to hear, her eyes filled with anticipation at the prospect of speaking to Alena.

Just as the captain was about to greet them, a tremor shook the ship.

"Are we under attack?" Weir exclaimed.

"They're trying," replied the captain. "But they still don't know our exact position."

"It's already bad enough that they know our approximate position. Shouldn't the giant's thick atmosphere blind their sensors?" she asked.

"They sent ships and probes inside it to surround us and get a better reading. Just before you came, a probe accidentally approached us, close enough to detect us briefly," the captain replied.

From what she had just heard, the most concerning part was that they were surrounded, and escape seemed unlikely. "So they're going to tighten the noose until we have nowhere to go."

"Unfortunately, they reacted quickly. Even before we entered the atmosphere, they were already firing probes," said the captain. "If we had a little more leeway, we could have completely disappeared from their sensors in the planet's depths."

The atmosphere of the gas giant was massive. They could hide indefinitely if only they had managed to go deep before the enemy reached them. But there was no point in thinking about what might have been, and the situation was what it was.

"How long before they encircle us?" she asked.

"I believe it will take them about an hour. Just long enough for us to fully charge our energy reserves," the captain answered. "But more importantly, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Due to the situation in which they came to the bridge, she completely forgot that she did not come alone.

"I introduce to you the leader of the Ulysseans, Alena. And Alena, this is the ship's captain, James Warren," she said before facing the captain again. "She wanted to visit the bridge; I hope that's OK."

"Nice to meet you, Alena. You're welcome on the bridge," said the captain. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Likewise, Captain," Alena replied.

The Ulyssean on Alena's back squirmed uncomfortably under the captain's scrutinizing gaze. Weir finally noticed the small pouch attached to Alena's back, nestled between the roots of her wings, where the little Ulyssean was perched. It reminded her of the pouch kangaroos carried their young in, but this one was placed elsewhere. She had pondered briefly how the fairy managed to maintain balance while perched on Alena's back during their walk but decided to hold her question for a more appropriate time. After all, flying with someone on their back would be a significant challenge without the pouch. Fortunately, evolution took care of the problem, as it often does.

"Let's sit down," the captain said, motioning for Alena to sit in the XO's seat next to his.

After a moment of hesitation, the tiny fairy deftly climbed over Alena's shoulder and gracefully landed on the armchair. Weir had doubted that Alena could climb onto the high chair, but to her surprise, she just fluttered her wings. As her wings beat, golden dust cascaded around her, adding to the mystique of how such delicate-looking wings could lift her off the ground. She landed effortlessly on the chair just beside the other fairy.

With Alena settled in, it was time for the captain and her to take their seats.

Alena didn't mince her words when she asked the captain, "What are the odds of us making it out of here alive?"

"It's difficult to predict. For now, we're safe and have time to strategize. I'm confident we can restore our shields and energy reserves before our enemies catch up with us," the captain replied, his expression turning somber. "But that's when things will get complicated. Our adversaries know our approximate location, making it impossible for us to evade their blockade and enter hyperspace. Even with our shields fully charged, their firepower is too great for us to withstand for more than a few minutes. It would be different if we could disable their interdiction devices or jump into hyperspace immediately, but that's unlikely to happen."

Alena's wings sank as she realized the gravity of their situation. Six interdiction devices barred their path into hyperspace, meaning they would have to take down at least half of them before escaping. Meanwhile, more enemy ships would likely join the blockade, making their situation even more dangerous.

Weir sighed, wondering why finding allies had to be so complicated and lethal. Lately, battles to the death seemed to be the norm, and every corner held lurking enemies. It would be nice if they could find new allies just once without going through such trials.

"Captain, more ships have entered the system," the tactical officer informed.

The screen was already showing the newcomers.

"No less than ten capital ships and their escorts," he said.

"At least it's without the Vargas," she said.

"There is nothing to celebrate. No matter what race, the number of enemies is already too great for us," Alena said, her face showing sadness again.

Now that Illustrious was in the atmosphere of a gas giant surrounded by dozens of ships eager to bombard them, Alena's mood soured again. The diminutive fairy took her hand, looking worriedly into Alena's face.

The captain noticed the change in mood. "Don't worry so much; we are far from done here. We can't escape, but we're not alone in this galaxy. Our allies will soon be here; we only have to survive long enough."

"And how do you suggest we do it?" Alena asked.

"Well, if we can't go up, why don't we go further down?" asked the captain.

"Down?" Weir asked.

"If we go deeper into the planet's atmosphere, it will be harder for them to target us, even after they figure out our exact position. They might not even see us if we're deep enough," replied the captain.

"If your proposal were so great, you would have done it already. There must be a reason you didn't," she said.

"We're at a safe depth, even without active shields. But if we go deeper, we risk hull damage or a breach. We'd also have to use our shields to reduce external pressure, which works against what we're trying to achieve," the captain explained.

"We want to replenish our energy reserves," she added, realizing where the problem lay.

"Exactly. The deeper we go, the more we increase the shield strength to reduce pressure on the hull. Inevitably, there will be a point where we start losing energy on our shield generator instead of regaining it," the captain explained. "But I'm confident our engineers back home did a great job building this ship, and I bet our hull is tougher than theirs."

They could slip under their probes and ships if the enemy couldn't follow. Then they would have an entire planet to move around, making it hard for the enemy to find them.

"What does our science officer think?" she asked, looking at Seiko.

Seiko turned to them. "Most of the planet is composed of liquid hydrogen in two forms or phases. Liquid molecular hydrogen on top and liquid metallic hydrogen below; the second phase exists where the pressure is high enough, say 3-4 million atmospheres."

"We're not going to reach the deeper layer," Weir hurriedly added as she heard the pressure in the millions of atmospheres.

"That's a given, but even here, about a hundred and twenty kilometers deep in the atmosphere, we are already within the realm of liquid hydrogen with a pressure of 500 atmospheres (7,000 psi). Our ship can handle it even without a shield. But unfortunately, with every kilometer we go deeper, the pressure increases by about thirty atmospheres," explained Seiko. "Our mobility within the liquid region is much lower than the gaseous region above us."

As she pondered their predicament, she recalled an article she had read a few years back about a submarine that had descended to a depth of eleven kilometers beneath the ocean's surface. The Earth-made submarine had withstood pressures exceeding a thousand atmospheres in a time when the planet lacked the advanced technology that the Stargate Program had brought back.

Even though built to operate in the vacuum of space, the Illustrious could withstand even higher pressures. However, even if their ship could endure five times higher pressures, it could descend another hundred or fifty kilometers before the risk of a catastrophic implosion became too great. While their shield technology might help, she wasn't sure how much it could withstand.

"How much pressure do you think our ship can survive without the shield, and how much of it should we use if that depth is not enough to get us into the clear," said the captain. "Because the moment their circle shrinks to a few hundred kilometers, they will start bombing us; I'm almost completely sure of that."

They might get some respite if they could go where the enemy couldn't reach them. Maybe even buy enough time to wait until help arrived.

"The Illustrious' hull can withstand up to eight thousand atmospheres. More than that, and we'll need the shield. However, if we do not wish to deplete it again, we can reach a maximum of ten thousand atmospheres," Seiko said.

"Since the ship was built to travel through space, I thought it wouldn't be able to survive that deep," said the captain.

James Warren spent ten years as a submarine captain in the British Royal Navy. So he knew something about pressures against a hull. But the Illustrious wasn't the only ship here, "What about the Defiant?"

"The Defiant has an even tougher hull. I believe it could withstand ten thousand atmospheres even without the shield," Seiko said.

"I bet we can go deeper than their ships can," said the captain. "But I'm not sure about their probes."

"And their torpedoes," she added. Devices that could go boom worried her more than probes.

"True, but if their probes can't track us, we could slip outside their encirclement from beneath," said the captain. "Once we lose them, it doesn't matter how deep their torpedoes can reach."

Slipping out of their grip was a scenario she was reluctant to believe. It would be great, but she preferred to be a little pessimistic and predict that they would not be able to escape that easily. For now, all she wanted was more time.

Alena watched them with interest throughout their entire conversation. "I see you're confident we'll survive today."

"We are not alone in this galaxy; we have people coming to help us. So yes, I am confident that we will survive this ordeal, just like we have done many times before," said the captain.

"I share the captain's optimism. We have to last long enough for help to reach us, that's all," she added.

"Captain, I think now is a good time to start descending," the Sensors Officer said. "Several of their ships are nearing our location."

"I was hoping we'd have a little more time to replenish our energy reserves," the captain said.

"Sir, I suggest we leave behind a few surprises," the Tactical Officer Libby Muir said.

"Mines?" answered the captain.

"Yes, we should plant invisible mines to use them at the most opportune time. They could damage their probes and ships or at least serve as a diversion," Libby said.

"Do it," said the captain.

"Will mines be effective?" she inquired.

"They won't be very effective unless the enemy is within close proximity when they detonate," the captain responded. "Even explosives in the megaton range won't be able to accomplish much inside liquid hydrogen at high pressure. If we were in a gaseous environment, the detonations would have a much broader reach."

She couldn't help but think about how spectacular these explosions would be in a gas giant. Still, the medium's high pressure and liquid form limited their range. Even if a ship was a kilometer away from the blast radius, it might get damaged by the shockwave, but it wouldn't be destroyed. Nevertheless, they could still use the mines to distract or conceal their position from their sensors.

"We're in no rush. Helm, start a slow descent. Lieutenant Nishigaya, monitor the external pressure and alert us if there are any issues. We've already taken a few hits. We might encounter problems before reaching the anticipated limit of the hull," the captain instructed.

The crew did their job calmy as the ship began its slow descent into the depths of the gas giant. Progress was sluggish, as the medium was liquid hydrogen rather than the empty space they were accustomed to. Furthermore, to avoid detection, they tried to minimize creating waves.

Despite her ability to ask the captain and crew any questions she had, she knew it was best to let them focus on their tasks. Instead, she turned to her terminal to gather information. As the ship descended, she noticed the pressure increasing steadily. She predicted they would reach a dangerous depth in about ten minutes, hoping the enemy ships and probes would face the same danger, perhaps even sooner.

She was unsure how the Illustrious could locate the enemy ships and probes. She assumed that the enemy could do the same if their sensors could detect them. However, she soon discovered that cloaked satellites in orbit performed passive scans and intercepted the enemy's communications, providing the necessary information. The captain must have deployed them before entering the atmosphere.

As time passed, the crew worked silently, and everything ran smoothly. Weir hoped it would remain that way until they were out of the system or even until they were back home. She longed to visit Haven, but previous missions in Pegasus and her current assignment had kept her away from the Milky Way. She recognized a hint of resentment in her thoughts, likely due to her extended time away. It was time to change that; she was sure the crew felt the same way.

"Captain, we have a problem," Seiko alerted. "An enemy probe has detected our location."

The captain was taken aback. "How is that possible? The nearest probe is nearly a hundred kilometers away."

"The probe had to have pointed its sensors in our exact direction and used a tight beam to reach us this far, which makes it more likely to miss us," Seiko theorized. "It was probably just sheer luck."

The captain thought quickly. "There's no use dwelling on it. Let's increase our descent rate and have the mines ready if needed."

Although the mines trailed ten kilometers behind them, they could be helpful if the enemy got too close. But the chances of escaping the enemy's pursuit were slim.

"What are our chances of escaping?" Weir asked.

The captain considered it. "I don't want to say zero, but I wouldn't bet on the enemy losing sight of us."

"At least our dive bought us a few extra minutes. If they had discovered us earlier, we would be in an even worse position." She was disheartened but recognized it could have been much worse.

"Exactly," the captain agreed. "We still don't know how deep the enemy can go; maybe their probes can't reach the same depth as us."

She nodded. "That would be great news, but I suspect their probes can reach even deeper than we can."

The captain remained optimistic. "We won't know until we try. Let's focus on our mission and stay prepared for any situation."

Probes were designed to be small and durable, without needing a crew or as much space as ships required. The same was true for torpedoes, which could track their target no matter how deep they went. But now, they found themselves in a desperate situation. Instead of slowly descending like moments ago, they were now fleeing from twenty looming capital ships and an unknown number of corvettes diving into the atmosphere.

They knew that they had little chance of escaping without help. It would take at least ten minutes even if they made a fast ascent. Meanwhile, they would have to dodge enemy fire until they escaped the hyperspace interdiction zone. Such a plan was unrealistic and unlikely to succeed.

Their only hope was for their allies to come to their aid, but an active jamming system prevented them from contacting anyone outside the system. They had no idea if their last call for help had been received, let alone whether their allies were on their way to rescue them.

The uncertainty of their situation weighed heavily on her. Would they survive this day? Would their allies arrive in time, or would more enemy ships join the fray? Would the Vargas arrive and seal their fate, or would Sheppard's fleet come and show them what real Terran warships could do?

"The probes may be able to track and transmit our location, but they cannot cause us harm. As for the corvettes, they cannot use their energy weapons inside the liquid hydrogen, just like we can't. That only leaves torpedoes, of which a corvette does not have many, and their effectiveness is diminished by the medium we are in," explained the captain.

However, the situation was direr than that. Three of the enemy's larger capital ships had descended upon them on an intercept course. These ships had the firepower to saturate a large area.

"This is now our biggest concern. Three capital ships are far too much for us to handle, and the enemy could easily send more depending on the situation. They might even resort to ramming us if given the opportunity," added the captain.

She agreed that the races under the Vargas were little nuts. They could employ suicidal attacks in a heartbeat, with complete disregard for their lives. They have seen it with the Wolf and Dino races, and races with the neural implant would think nothing of sacrificing their lives if it benefited their masters.

"Captain, we've reached a depth of 250 kilometers, and the external pressure has increased to 7,500 atmospheres," reported Seiko. "The hull is holding steady."

"Let's pause our descent for now," the Captain ordered.

Weir raised a question, "Wouldn't it be more advantageous to go deeper?"

"I prefer to have some leeway for maneuvering, and I also want to deceive our adversary. By doing so, we might trick them into believing that we've reached our limit," replied the captain with a smirk. "Let's wait for the enemy to approach us and observe how they fare under similar pressure. Depending on that, we may modify our plans."

"So you mean we'll gauge how much of their shield they must use at this depth?" she asked.

"Exactly," confirmed the captain. "Our mines would be most effective when their hull is on the verge of collapsing. A megaton-range explosion could be enough to make their hull buckle, and the external pressure would do the rest."

"I see," she replied. "But to maximize our chances, we need them to come near us."

The captain agreed to let the enemy approach within ten kilometers and then keep a safe distance until they reached a depth where their ship could barely handle the pressure.

"Lieutenant Nishigaya, have you made the necessary changes to the shields?" the captain inquired.

"Yes, Captain. We'll use the shield as a membrane tightly raised around the ship to keep the pressure on the hull constant, always below the maximum of 8,000 atmospheres," Seiko reported.

Instead of functioning like the Atlantean shield, which blocked everything, even water from the ocean, they would use it to take only part of the load.

"That way, the shield won't have to bear the brunt of the work, which would inevitably consume more energy," the captain realized. "But can we modify the shields so readily?"

"The Illustrious and Defiant's shields can be easily modified because the necessary changes are already in our database. We've already sent several probes into Jupiter's atmosphere at greater depths," Seiko explained.

They were fortunate. The captain believed Seiko was capable enough to make the required changes. However, it would take time, resulting in an untested shield configuration. With the new configuration, they should have an advantage against their opponents within the gas giants.

"I am convinced that the enemy has not devised a superior shield than us. At the very least, it should require more energy for them to keep it active. And at best, they'll use their standard shield settings," Seiko stated.

"We can only hope so, but I wouldn't bet on it. Also, while we need to conserve as much energy as possible for our escape attempt, they can use theirs freely, coming at us in waves without giving us time to recover. Unfortunately, they have a numerical advantage that we cannot compensate for adequately," the captain lamented.

"The enemy is closing in on our mines," the tactical officer informed.

The screen displayed the approaching enemy, but their satellites refused to transmit good news, such as an ally entering the system or the enemy abandoning their pursuit. It was too much to hope for such a positive outcome. Even when things went their way, they always happened at the last possible moment before they faced certain doom.

She sighed, deciding there was no point in dwelling on such dark topics.

"Do we have any information on how our friends are doing?" asked the Captain.

"Not much, Captain. The only thing our sensors are detecting are faint energy readings around their corvettes," Seiko said. "Their capital ships are still too far behind to get good readings."

"That means their corvettes are already using their shields even at these depths," the Captain concluded. "Helm, restart with our descent and keep our ships at a constant distance. Let's see how deep they can go."

The descent continued, and the bridge was filled with sporadic creaking sounds emanating from behind the walls. The science officer reassured the crew that these noises were normal and to be expected as the pressure increased with their descent.

Despite the increasing pressure, they still held off activating their shield, hoping to conserve energy. Their reserves were currently at one hundred and ten percent, which wasn't too bad. Still, she couldn't help but wish they could have raised it to the full two hundred percent they usually had before entering combat.

"The pressure on the hull is approaching 8,000 atmospheres. We should activate the shield," informed the science officer.

"Do it," replied the Captain.

Thanks to the shield, the pressure on the hull finally stabilized at 8,000 atmospheres, and the creaking sounds ceased. Once the pressure on the shield reached 2,000, they would have no choice but to start drawing power from their reserves, which was not ideal. Depending on the depth, they would have to start leveling up to avoid losing their shield, resulting in instant death at those depths. The Defiant was even more vulnerable since it had a smaller energy reserve and would run into trouble much sooner.

Despite their predicament, the enemy showed no signs of slowing down or struggling to keep up with the Illustrious. This worried her, as she had hoped to see their ships implode one after the other, bringing a happy smile to her face.

"I think it's getting harder for them to keep up with us," Seiko said while interpreting data from her screen.

"What makes you say that?" asked the Captain.

"The energy they spend on the shield is considerable. I'm also detecting changes in the shield that could indicate they're trying to find a better configuration," Seiko explained.

"They make up for inadequate shields with more power. That won't work for long, especially for smaller ships like their corvettes with limited reserves," the Captain concluded. "Can we speed up the descent a bit? Not for long, maybe the next ten or twenty kilometers before we even out."

Twenty kilometers seemed small, but such a change in depth would cause a pressure increase of six hundred atmospheres. The captain tried to force them to go deeper before they could successfully configure their shields. Admittedly, this would only work if the opponent also increased their pace.

"You think they'll follow?" she asked.

"We know our shield can easily protect us up to ten thousand atmospheres. Better to push them a little now and see how they react," said the captain.

As predicted, the corvettes continued to descend at the same accelerated pace, not wanting to give them too much lead. But soon, there was a change when an icon on the monitor showing the enemy abruptly disappeared.

"What happened?" she was the fastest to ask.

"The corvette must have run the wrong shield configuration," Seiko said with a slight smile.

It was the same as if they suddenly lost their shields and all the external pressure rushed against the hull. She wondered if they had time to figure out what had happened before it ended. But she didn't care much about that and hoped more enemy ships would choose the same configuration.

"I see the others are slowing down," said the captain.

"But they are not stopping," she added.

They hesitated but regrettably didn't stop the chase. It would have been great if they had because they were nearing the critical depth of 10,000 kilometers.

"Detecting multiple torpedo launches!" the tactical officer urgently reported.

"Boost the shield power and prepare to deploy countermeasures," ordered the captain, his voice tense with the gravity of the situation.

As the ship's energy reserves were diverted to strengthen the shield further, she nervously considered their limited defensive options. "What can we do to stop them?"

The captain's response was grim. "Our energy weapons are useless in this hydrogen-rich environment. We could only hope to take out the torpedoes with our PDs at close range."

"Are our point defenses ineffective in these conditions?" she inquired, her voice barely above a whisper.

The captain shook his head. "The PDs were designed to intercept high-velocity projectiles in space, not in a high-pressured liquid. But we'll still use them as a last resort just before they could reach us."

"Is there anything else we can do?" she asked.

"We have our seekers for this very purpose. However, the problem is that, unlike our PDs, they are limited in number," explained the captain.

"With three capital ships chasing us, are you hesitating to use them?" she replied, understanding the gravity of the situation. But letting the incoming torpedoes reach them was not an option. "We can't afford to be stingy and risk those torpedoes hitting us."

"Agreed. We'll use as many seekers as necessary. But the first step is to try to blind their sensors," said the captain.

She could tell from the captain's expression that he wasn't entirely confident in their chances. "Do you think it will work?" she asked.

"We have options, and I'm sure at least one will be effective," said the captain, not explaining further.

She expected the torpedoes to reach them faster, but traveling through liquid hydrogen was different than traveling through space. Although the torpedoes were fired from only ten kilometers away, it took them almost two minutes to get close. When the first torpedo was only two kilometers away, the Illustrious and Defiant activated their ECMs before changing course sharply. The combined systems caused many torpedoes to lose track and head in the wrong direction. Only thirty percent continued toward the two Terran ships.

"It could have been worse," she said.

"It could have been better," the tactical officer replied with a hint of annoyance. "There are still too many to leave it to our PDs."

"Our PDs could do it, but you're right. There's no need to risk it," the captain added. "Thin them out a little."

She watched as new icons appeared on the screen. The eight seekers headed toward the incoming twelve torpedoes. Thirty seconds later, all the seekers found their targets. Her worries about some missing turned out to be unfounded.

"The four torpedoes are still approaching at a relative speed of fifty meters per second. They will come into range of our PDs in ten seconds," said the tactical officer.

Only six PDs could be pointed astern, which had to handle the incoming three torpedoes. The last one headed toward the Defiant, and although she didn't know how many PDs that ship could use, she believed it would have no issue in dealing with one torpedo.

One by one, the torpedoes disappeared until none remained. Weir realized she had been holding her breath the whole time and finally let out a sigh of relief. She felt silly for being so anxious, especially since the captain didn't seem worried.

"It went well," she said.

But the captain quickly dampened her elation. "This was only a test by our opponents, and we'll have to fend off much larger barrages when their capital ships join their corvettes."

"You know how to spoil the mood," Weir retorted, glancing at the fairies who seemed disturbed, especially the little one who was clutching the clothes of the bigger one with her tiny fingers.

Alena tried to reassure them. "Don't worry about us. I know this first salvo was just a prelude, and your countermeasures proved adequate. I only care about how many seeker missiles you have left."

The captain checked his screen. "We have 168 left."

"That's a lot more than I expected," Alena said, looking confused. "Where do you store so many?"

The Wraith storage system was highly beneficial. Before embarking on their long-term mission, they had filled it with whatever consumables they considered necessary, including missiles. However, they had recently encountered situations requiring them to deplete their reserves. As for the ancient drones, they had been completely spent.

"I wish we had a few drones left; they would be beneficial right now," Weir said.

"Another corvette just imploded; that's nice," the captain remarked before continuing their conversation. "I'd like to have some drones too, but this is the fifth time we've encountered opponents in this galaxy, and somehow we always end up relying on our drones."

They were the most versatile weapon in their arsenal, capable of intercepting incoming missiles, disabling small and large ships, and even destroying them from the inside with their shields still operational. No wonder, considering only a few shield types could block them.

She decided they should triple their supplies of the helpful little things. But she didn't know what they should throw out of the overflowing storage system.

"The seeker missiles did their job right, so I shouldn't complain that we lack drones," she said.

"Our engineers did a great job with the seeker missile. While not as versatile as an ancient drone, it has a higher acceleration, giving it an edge when used against fast-moving targets," the tactical officer gave his five cents on the matter. "They are also much easier to build, allowing our support ship to make them while on the move."

It was essential to rely on what they could build here, over a billion light years away from their closest uber-advanced shipyard.

But drones weren't on the list of what the support ship could build. Therefore, relying overly on such an advanced weapon would be a mistake. "I agree, but it doesn't mean much to us now. Because at the moment, we don't have drones, and the number of seekers is low."

"No, it doesn't," replied the captain. "But at the end of the day, even countless drones or seekers can't get us out of this mess."

"I'm pretty sure a million drones would solve all our problems, Captain," the pilot, Guy Craig, stated confidently.

"I see we have a smartass on the bridge," said the captain. "Yes, timely use of so many drones would save the day. But, as I'm sure you already know, the ship doesn't have so many launch tubes and no energy reserves to use so many drones at once."

"Yes, Captain. That would be too much to ask of our diplomatic ship," said the pilot. "But one must dream, especially in a situation like ours."

A little joke on the bridge reduced the tension that had risen after the enemy fired their first salvo. She wasn't the only one who felt tense.

"Their corvettes are lagging a bit," the captain stated, watching the big screen.

She saw it too. "Is that good or bad?"

"Well, they'd better keep coming and imploding with every kilometer we go deeper," said the captain. "But this is good too; it's obvious they're reaching their limit."

She shared the captain's opinion, but since they were falling behind, they might be buying time while reconfiguring their shield. She did not doubt that they could do it if given enough time.

"We just passed a depth of nine thousand kilometers," she said.

"Let's go to nine thousand five hundred," the captain ordered. "We should still be able to replenish our energy reserves while we wait to see what our enemy does."

The ship slowly slid deeper into the depths of the gas giant. For a while, complete silence descended on the bridge. The enemy did not fire anymore, and since the shield kept the pressure on the hull constant, she could no longer hear the occasional creaking sound coming from behind the walls.

She hated the situation they were in. Several more corvettes had dived after them, and three much larger capital ships were closing in. She hated it because she felt trapped, but even more because the enemy made her, a born pacifist, wish they would all explode and disappear. That wasn't exactly merciful of her, even more so since she didn't know who their opponents were.

"Do you think the people on those ships are the ones who are forced or willing?" she asked.

The captain looked at her momentarily, realizing what was bothering her. He sighed before answering. "Two out of three races on the Vargas' side are forced. So, if we follow that logic, these should belong to the group coerced to fight."

"What do you mean by coerced?" Alena asked.

"Most of the races that fight on the Vargas' side don't do so of their own free will," she explained, sure now the Ulyssean didn't know about it. "Many races we fought had a brain implant that enhanced their mental abilities. But unknown to them, it also affected their decision-making processes. It's like someone keeps telling them that listening to the Vargas is the right thing to do."

Alena appeared worried. "We captured individuals from many races who worked under the Vargas and found such devices embedded in their brains, but we never thought such a function existed. We thought they were following the Vargas of their own free will.

"We only found out because there were individuals immune to the implant's influence and therefore were able to realize that something strange was happening to their race. They were the ones who told us, and then we devised a way to disable the implant's subliminal messages, thus freeing them from their mental captivity," the captain said. "But don't feel bad about it. You couldn't have known, and even after we freed them, many continued to follow the Vargas. Then we had no choice but to fight them."

She tried to soften what Alena must be feeling right now. Her race had fought against countless such races and had been forced to kill many to survive. Now that she knew they didn't fight willingly, she must feel guilty. She shouldn't, but that was easier said than done.

"The enemy capital ships have rendezvoused with their forward elements and are now pushing deeper in a single formation," the tactical officer said.

"Their shields have stabilized, but I still don't know how effective they are," the science officer immediately added.

"Let's go deeper, but without forcing it. Just enough to stay out of range of their weapons," said the captain.

She saw the determination on the captain's face. Now was not the time for jokes. Now it was time for them to do their best and survive what turned out to be a lousy day.

The enemy pushed hard, perhaps too fiercely, for their good. With the increase in pressure, the least one wanted was to add additional load to the bow by accelerating. But they didn't seem to care. Their only goal was to destroy them, and if one of their ships imploded in the process, so be it.

One of the icons representing a corvette disappeared from the display as if on cue.

"It should make them rethink their rate of descent, if not their whole plan," she said.

"I don't think that will happen," said the captain.

One corvette disappeared, and ten more joined in the chase. The likelihood they would take a more lenient approach was slim.

"I wouldn't mind if they at least slowed down," she commented.

"Our shield is still under an acceptable load. How's the Defiant doing?" asked the captain.

The tactical officer glanced at the console. "They aren't reporting any issues. They should begin using their energy reserves only after reaching a depth of 11,000 kilometers. Until then, they are in a better position than us."

After that, the Defiant would start drawing energy from a much smaller reserve.

"Let's push to 11,000," said the captain.

They were entering the danger zone. If the enemy understood that, they wouldn't even have to fight. They could keep them at that depth until they used up their energy reserves, left with no choice but to surface. The captain was trying to show them that it was no problem for their ship to go 11,000 or even deeper. Still, he did it by teasing them every 1,000 kilometers as if they had finally reached their limit, only to extend it the next moment without any problems.

But she did not like guessing how the enemy would interpret their actions. What was certain was that they were determined, so the only thing the captain's tactics gave them was buying time.

However, the orbiting satellites did not report any good news about friendly ships entering the system.

"New salvo discovered!" the sensor officer said, interrupting her train of thought.

"How many are there?" the captain asked what the most critical piece of information right now was.

"Twenty, and still increasing!" the same officer said. After a moment, the number of new torpedoes on the monitor stopped increasing. "It stopped at one hundred at twelve."

"The last barrage had thirty-six units, of which our ECM managed to fool two-thirds. The rest were taken care of by our seekers and PDs. But this time, it will be a little more difficult," said the captain, but more as if he were talking to himself than explaining to someone else. "Lieutenant Muir, what do you think?"

"They saw our ECM in action. I wouldn't bet on the same ratio as the first time. I'd be happy if our ECM could fool half the incoming missiles," Muir replied.

"I would plan with that same ratio in mind. So, what will we do with the remaining fifty-six?" retorted the captain.

A few seconds passed before Muir answered. "We use the seekers to thin them out."

"Easy to do, but we can only do it so many times, and then we're in trouble," replied the captain.

She thought the same but had no better idea how to stop the incoming torpedoes. And leaving it to the PDs or the shield was like hoping everything would turn out okay for no reason. She wished the tactical officer had an ace up her sleeve.

"I'm working on a modified warhead that can create a gravitational shockwave, but I'm having calibration issues. Once done, it won't be strong enough to damage a shielded ship, but a detonation close to a group of torpedoes could destroy them," Muir explained.

"But it's not ready yet?" said the captain.

It took a moment before Muir answered. "I need another ten minutes to ensure the warhead activates properly."

"I hear a lot of confidence in your voice, Lieutenant," the captain said with a smile. "Very well. We will use up our seekers this round as well. But I hope your warhead will be ready before we run out of seekers.

"I believe it will, Captain!" she answered immediately.

The captain trusted her, and she would have no choice but to show that his trust wasn't misplaced.

'It's so easy to read these military people,' she thought, laughing to herself.

But the way they were, full of courage and eager to prove themselves, might be why they would return home after today. Just as the captain had confidence in his crew, she had confidence in the captain and the people who worked under him.

As predicted, the ECM and jamming successfully took out over half of the incoming torpedoes. It also meant that the enemy was gaining experience and finding better ways to counter their electronics. The next salvo might work even better, which could be problematic. So far, their ECM has prevented them from losing tons of seekers or, worse, getting overwhelmed and suffering a direct hit.

The tactical officer launched forty seekers at the remaining torpedoes approaching the ship. The seekers were so superior that one meant one less torpedo, leaving the PDs to care for the few left. And the gamble barely succeeded. Or it may have been the case due to Muir's precise calculations in using the minimum number of required seekers.

"We weathered another swarm unscathed," she said.

"You doubted?" the captain asked, smiling.

"I wouldn't say I had doubts, but I think you can never be 100 percent sure in situations like these," she said.

It was enough for a bad batch of seekers or the ECM to glitch for a moment, and suddenly the PDs were overwhelmed and missed a few. That kind of thinking was on her mind and would always keep her tense in similar situations, even though it would be best if she relaxed.

But some things a person could not so readily change.

"You're right. When warheads are flying at you, you can never be sure they won't somehow slip through all the layers of our defenses," said the captain. "But now that the immediate threat is gone, I'd like to hear what kind of weapon our tactical officer invented."

"I've been working on modifying the gravity torpedoes we took over from the Vargas. Since we couldn't replicate the same effect unless we wanted to make them as big as theirs were, I had to devise a different purpose for our version. "I wanted to achieve a shockwave, powerful but short in duration so that we could build smaller torpedoes that the Illustrious can launch," explained Muir.

Despite the many responsibilities that came with serving on the Illustrious, its officers still managed to exceed expectations. These individuals were indeed overachievers in every sense of the word.

The Terrans were attempting to replicate the advanced technology of the Vargas. In particular, their use of gravitational torpedoes that had caused numerous casualties and destroyed countless lives on Earth. Earth's shield had failed to stop the gravitational pulls created by the torpedoes from creating gaps, which allowed three missiles to slip into the atmosphere and wreak havoc in Asia.

Unfortunately, the gravitational torpedoes were too large to be fired by a ship such as the Illustrious. Instead, the Terrans developed a unique launch pad for their transport ships to take to the battlefield. These platforms remained dormant until the last moment when they could be activated to take opponents by surprise. However, the Illustrious did not have access to such technology and could not employ it in battle.

"But what can a gravitational shockwave accomplish?" asked the captain.

Weir was clueless about what it could achieve. The Vargas' gravitational torpedo was active for nearly a minute, a time in which it would devastate its surroundings through its massive pull. But the shockwave their smaller version would create should only be able to last a brief second.

"First, I want to create a shockwave that disrupts the enemy's gravitational drive. Second, if we're fortunate, the shockwave will destabilize the gravitational barrier holding the antimatter stable," Muir outlined her two goals. She continued. "If we can time the gravity shockwave and our ECM perfectly, we could significantly increase the number of torpedoes that lose track of our ship."

The captain pondered Muir's plan. "Your idea is to destabilize the internal gravity barrier of the torpedoes, causing them to detonate prematurely. And for those that it didn't work, our ECM will blind the remaining missiles at the precise moment their drive hopefully malfunctions."

He added, "While this plan has potential, it's impossible to predict how effective it will be. The outcome could be insignificant, or it could significantly reduce the number of torpedoes our seekers have to deal with."

To Weir, it sounded like a Hail Mary. On the other hand, it wasn't like they didn't need a miracle in their current situation.

"Yes, sir. We won't know how effective it is until we try," Muir said.

"The enemy must have more torpedoes than we have seekers, so I'm ready for anything that can make us spend less. The part I also like is that we don't lose anything by trying," said the captain.

The worst-case scenario would be that it would have no impact on the incoming torpedoes. She couldn't help but wish that the tactician had come up with a more impressive solution to confound the enemy. However, it appeared that this was the best they could do. Despite this, she remained optimistic that the weapon would at least diminish the number of missiles their seekers would need to intercept.

"We will have a chance to test its effectiveness very soon," the tactical officer said.

The enemy fired another salvo, a more extensive one than the last.

"One hundred and forty torpedoes," said the captain. "I'd like to say this is the limit of what they can launch simultaneously."

"They fired from all three capital ships and every corvette," said the tactical officer. "I agree that this is their limit."

Some might get used to enduring a new barrage every ten minutes, but that was not the case for her. She knew this volley would fail to damage their ship, just as the previous one had, and any that followed would, as long as they had seekers to fire. Still, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive as she watched those icons representing the torpedoes approaching.

"Gravity torpedo launched," said the tactical officer. "I'm timing it to detonate simultaneously with activating the ECM."

Gravity was not affected by the medium through which they sailed. Even though they were inside liquid hydrogen and under tremendous pressure, the shockwave would propagate with the same intensity and speed as in a vacuum.

"I'm detecting multiple detonations within the incoming swarm. Eighty of the incoming torpedoes appear to have lost track of us," said the tactical officer.

The Illustrious and Defiant made a sharp course change so that those torpedoes would not accidentally reacquire a lock on them.

With eighty torpedoes aimlessly floating and ten having exploded under the gravitational shockwave, they now had to deal with the remaining forty-eight floaters. That was an excellent result, so she couldn't understand why the tactician seemed displeased.

"I believe it went fairly well," she stated.

The tactical officer responded with disappointment. "I was hoping for a higher number of destroyed torpedoes. However, only those close to the detonation experienced containment failure."

Despite this, the captain expressed satisfaction with the outcome. "With how the last salvo was widely spread, I'm content with the results. Having eighty torpedoes without a target is still an excellent outcome."

"Seekers are engaging," the tactical officer informed.

Forty seekers were fired, and inevitably, forty torpedoes were gone. The PDs took on the task of destroying the remaining eight.

"The enemy is increasing speed," the tactical officer gave the worrying news.

"That's what I've been waiting for," the captain said, smiling. "They're pushing harder than they should, probably because they want to fire at close range."

"They're walking right into our trap," added the tactical officer.

These people were talking about something important that she had no idea about. She thought the enemy's latest move was not in their favor, but she was mistaken. She tried to think of Muir's trap before asking the captain for the answer. Just then, she remembered that they had some mines secretly trailing ten kilometers behind them.

"You mean our mines?" she asked.

"The enemy is already pushing the limits of their shield and hull capabilities. With increased speed, their load will also increase, particularly on their bows, which presents an opportunity to introduce another unfavorable variable." The captain then turned to the tactical officer. "Is there any way we can entice them to cluster closer together? Perhaps we could launch torpedoes around them to compel them to tighten their formation."

The tactical officer responded, "We could aim for the corvettes on the outskirts of their formation. When they detect the incoming torpedoes, they might move closer to their capital ships to gain added protection. However, this is merely speculation, and they may respond in the opposite manner or not change anything at all."

"Do it. At worst, we'll waste a few torpedoes," said the captain.

Six torpedoes were launched at the pursuers, each targeting the outskirts of the enemy formation where the corvettes were stationed. The corvettes altered their course to approach the capital ships, prompting the three vessels to activate their ECMs and launch interceptors.

Unfortunately for the enemy, their countermeasures proved futile. The torpedoes were not meant to explode upon impact but rather to detonate at a distance of two kilometers, generating gravitational shockwaves intended to distract the enemy. Nevertheless, the corvettes had moved closer to the capital ships as expected.

At the opportune moment, the antimatter mines activated, triggering a series of explosions that unleashed destructive shockwaves. As they traveled, the shockwaves combined to amplify their destructive power. When the combined shockwave hit, it inflicted fatal damage to many ships, particularly to the smaller corvettes. Although the three capital ships did not succumb, their shields had weakened significantly. It was likely that their hulls had also sustained damage, but the sensors could not confirm it with certainty. Their capital ships would likely encounter difficulty navigating deeper into the atmosphere.

"There are only a few corvettes left; that's good. I'm sure their capital ships didn't make it through our last attack unscathed either," the captain commented. "Let's push it to 11,000 and see how they hold up under even stronger pressure."

"I detect another salvo. One hundred and thirty torpedoes," the tactical officer said.

"Less than last time. Probably because of the lost corvettes," Weir commented.

The crew used the same defensive tactics to neutralize the incoming torpedoes. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they still lost another twenty seekers. If they persisted with this approach, they risked running out of options.

"Their haste might play in our favor," the captain replied with a grin, his eyes glued to the screen.

"Even after we run out of seekers?" she asked. She had doubts regarding the captain's last statement.

The captain leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "If you think about their situation, you'll realize they are not the ones holding all the cards. They have suffered damage, but they are still accelerating faster than us. And I'm sure our ships beat theirs in terms of build quality. Since they are coming after us, whatever torpedoes we launch will reach them faster than theirs, and they will have much less time to react than us. This gives us an advantage and a chance to score even with our meager reserve of torpedoes and launch capacity."

Until this moment, she had only thought about defense. Even when they used the mines, she thought of them more as a deterrent than a way to fight back and maybe even win the battle. The captain's evaluation was also spot on. The odds may not be entirely on the enemy's side, which begged the question. Why were they pushing so hard if they didn't have a superior position?

The captain continued. "Let's not waste this opportunity, then. We'll use our torpedoes and strike hard now that they are the most vulnerable."

The crew exchanged determined looks as they prepared the torpedoes for launch. The captain's words had given them a newfound sense of hope and purpose. They were no longer just defending themselves but fighting back against their aggressors.

"There's a reason they're in a hurry, sir," said the science officer. "Our satellites have detected new ships in the system. Our ships, captain."

Information has finally been updated on the main screen, with new icons representing Sheppard's task force popping up. They were only seeing them now because the planet had hidden their approach. However, the enemy had a much better viewing angle, which allowed them to spot the new arrivals much earlier than their satellites directly overhead.

She smiled, as did many on the bridge. The enemy ships threatened the Illustrious with their numerical superiority, but they had no chance of winning against any of their battle or heavy cruisers, regardless of how many ships they had. Now that the entire task force was on approach, the chances of even one enemy ship surviving were zero.

It would take some time for Sheppard to come and save their collective asses, though. So, they should better find a way to survive until then.

"There's no reason to hold back," said the captain. "Lieutenant Muir, please come up with the best firing solution. Let's show our enemy what we are capable of."

As the enemy closed in, the crew readied for the inevitable attack. Another volley of torpedoes was launched, and their defenses destroyed them before they could reach the ship. However, if the enemy kept firing like this, they would soon deplete their supply of seekers. The thought of being defenseless against an incoming barrage holding more than a hundred torpedoes sent shivers down her spine.

However, they would not be exclusively on the defensive. As the enemy ships came dangerously close, the two Terran ships launched a barrage of twenty-five antimatter torpedoes, catching the enemy off guard. Half the torpedoes were shot down, and the rest struck their targets with devastating force. One corvette was utterly destroyed by the explosion of a nearby torpedo, while another was severely damaged. A second torpedo exploded in front of one of the capital ships, causing it to halt its advance. The leading capital ship was not so lucky, taking a direct hit that shattered its shields and armor. The hostile environment added to the damage, crushing the ship to a fraction of its original size. More torpedoes added damage in various amounts.

"We're out of torpedoes," the tactical officer informed.

"We still got ships on our heels, though," said the captain. "They are too persistent for my taste."

With their arsenal depleted, they were left with limited options. The next enemy salvo was imminent, and their seekers would again have to fend off most of the attack.

"Sir, enemy ships in orbit are leaving," said the science officer. "They're going after Sheppard's task force."

"Waiting in orbit or intercepting them doesn't change their fate. But they don't know that," the captain said. "However, this gives us a chance to slip out of this gas giant and possibly find shelter behind Sheppard's ships."

The enemy seemed oblivious to the true might of the incoming task force. They either underestimated the Defiants, heavy cruisers, and the leading battle cruiser, believing them to be of similar strength to the Illustrious they faced today for the first time. Or perhaps they were batshit insane, eager for a suicidal confrontation with an overwhelmingly superior opponent. It was unclear what drove them to leave orbit and brazenly pursue the oncoming ships.

She took stock of the fifteen ships in Sheppard's task force, all highly proficient at taking down large vessels. Additionally, two assault carriers and a heavy support ship were present but held back, awaiting the right moment to join the fray if needed while avoiding needless risks.

"Who knows why they left orbit," she said uncertainly.

"It's irrelevant," replied the captain firmly. "Helm, plot a course away from here as quickly as possible so that we can find cover behind Sheppard's task force."

"The enemy is firing," announced the tactical officer.

The fired salvo was a mere shadow of the one they fired last. With only one capital ship and a handful of corvettes left, the enemy had fired only fifty torpedoes at them. Still, with no gravitational torpedoes of their own left, the ECM had a more challenging task. Only half of the incoming torpedoes were successfully intercepted, leaving the rest to the seekers and PDs. Fifteen seekers managed to take down an equal number of torpedoes, leaving the remaining ten to be dealt with by the PDs.

"Twenty-five seekers left," the captain said while looking at his screen.

She had watched for the past half hour as the number on her screen relentlessly dwindled. Despite their efforts, they were running out of consumables, and things were starting to look dire. Just as she feared, another salvo the same size as the previous one arrived. The outcome was equally disappointing, and they were now left with only ten seekers.

She glanced over at the captain, but his expression remained unchanged. He appeared to be in complete control, even though they were now in a critical phase of the conflict. She knew he had to maintain his composure, despite his doubts. Any sign of agitation would undermine the morale of the crew.

As they waited for the next attack, the tension grew, and she felt as if the enemy was playing with them, delaying their next move, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. She wondered if the enemy had run out of ammunition or realized the futility of their attacks.

Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed when another fifty torpedoes came hurtling toward them. The ECM worked better than expected, intercepting a record of twenty-seven torpedoes. The ten remaining seekers had a 100% efficiency rate, leaving only seventeen torpedoes to pursue them.

To their surprise, the six PDs in the rear managed to take down fifteen torpedoes.

Two torpedoes detonated against the ship, shaking it violently.

The captain settled into his seat and shouted, "Report!"

Tactical Officer Muir replied, "The shield is holding, but it's down to 73 percent."

The shield was not designed to operate in this manner. Typically, the ship's computer would redirect most of the shield's power to the impacted area, but now it had to maintain a strong protective barrier around the entire vessel because of the high pressure. This was a much more challenging task, made even more difficult by their high-speed movement through the liquid hydrogen, which increased the pressure on the ship's bow further.

"I could really use a vacation," she muttered under her breath.

"I'll do my best to grant your wish," replied the captain. "Helm, don't worry about the shield. Just push us to our limits."

The ship was now moving vertically out of the hostile atmosphere, forcing the propulsion system designed for use in a vacuum to work overtime. Weir could see the Defiant's shield shining brightly at the bow and marveled at how it still held energy in its generators.

"The Defiant is warning us that their shield will collapse soon," Carvalho reported. "But they're prepared to keep pushing forward."

"As long as they avoid taking a direct hit, their hull should be able to handle the pressure even after the shield fails," the captain said. "Helm, position us behind the Defiant. If the enemy decides to target them after their shield collapses, they'll have to hit us first while our shield is still operational."

The tactical officer interrupted their conversation. "Another volley is coming. This time there are only forty torpedoes."

"Their corvettes didn't fire any torpedoes. They must have exhausted their supply," observed the captain.

"Thank God for small favors," she said with relief.

"Let's not celebrate just yet. We still have forty torpedoes to deal with using our ECM and PDs," the captain cautioned.

The ship shook again as three torpedoes detonated against the shield.

"Report," the captain demanded.

Tactical Officer Muir reported, "Three torpedoes detonated against our shield. Our shields are holding at 40%."

"We just witnessed a significant increase in the efficiency of our PDs. What could be the reason?" asked the captain.

"We are exiting the liquid hydrogen region of the atmosphere," the tactical officer replied. "The PDs tend to become more efficient as we enter the less dense medium. However, my concern is that with the decrease in density, their torpedoes might be able to accelerate faster."

"Perfect timing to leave this planet," said the captain, glancing at the monitor. "Our shields have been severely weakened, and the aft hull's integrity is now down to just seventy percent."

"They are firing again!" exclaimed Muir.

A barrage of forty torpedoes came hurtling toward them. The ECM system managed to deceive many, while the PDs took care of most of what remained. Despite their best efforts, the ship shook violently for the third time, the impact more powerful than the earlier ones. The reason soon became apparent.

Five torpedoes had hit the ship, causing extensive damage.

"We have hull breaches!" reported the tactical officer, "Emergency force fields have sealed off those sections."

She refrained from asking if anyone had been present in those now isolated sections, aware that the response could be devastating. The captain didn't probe either, as it wasn't the appropriate moment. Their priority was to survive this crisis. With the shields failing and the hull severely compromised, they had to summon all their strength and ingenuity to emerge in one piece. Only after the danger had subsided could they evaluate the circumstances and offer aid to those who required it.

"The gap is widening," the pilot announced. "We have an advantage now that we are inside the gaseous region."

"I don't see any new launches," said the captain, speaking cautiously to avoid tempting fate. "It appears they have no more missiles left to fire at us."

Now that they were out of immediate danger, they needed to focus on the obstacles ahead. Although they could see friendly forces in the distance, numerous enemy ships still stood in their path. Even though the enemy was preoccupied, ignoring them was not an option since even a few hits could penetrate their weakened defenses.

"Let's avoid a direct confrontation," the captain ordered wisely. "Let's keep our distance and observe until the enemy is destroyed."

Meanwhile, a report informed them that no crewmember had been caught in the damaged sections. She sighed in relief, happy to notice that the damage hadn't spread anywhere deeper where crewmembers were usually stationed during a fight.

Slowly drifting apart while maintaining a constant distance from the pursuing ship, the bridge crew watched the battle ahead with increasing interest. Unlike fighting in a Gas giant, space battles involved distances of thousands of kilometers. Both sides exchanged beams of intense energy and plasma bolts, seeking to destroy their opponents. But, even without advanced sensors or an AI, a visual inspection was enough to ascertain that the good guys were winning the battle.

"After everything we've been through, it's relaxing to watch a battle like this," she remarked. "It's a wonderful feeling to be able to unwind."

"New hyperspace windows are forming!" the science officer informed.

"Who's coming?" the captain asked the question that was probably on everyone's mind.

"It's the Vargas, Captain," the science officer replied dejectedly. "I detect at least two hundred ships of various classes."

Weir couldn't help but shout in anger, "I spoke too soon, didn't I? I should have kept my mouth shut until we were back in the Milky Way!"

"Regardless of what you said, I think the Vargas would have come anyway," said the captain. "They've been causing trouble for us quite frequently lately."

During their recent visits to various galaxies, the Terrans had been encountering the Vargas with increasing frequency, and this galaxy seemed to be particularly crowded with them.

But now, that was of little importance. The captain trusted Sheppard and knew that a ship like the Armageddon could handle multiple Vargas ships and even emerge victorious. However, what entered the system was an armada of two hundred ships, making it too much for the fifteen ships under Sheppard to handle and survive. The best course of action for the task force was to turn on their sublight engines at full power and hope to escape into hyperspace once they were out of the interdiction zone.

And, of course, Sheppard would have to leave them stranded to fend for themselves because approaching the Illustrious would make a quick escape impossible. It was a colossal blunder to think that she could already relax and plan her vacation once she returned home.

"Captain, we're receiving a message from Sheppard's ship. The signal is distorted, but I think I can clear it," said Carvalho. It took her a moment to process the message. "They're giving us a course to follow."

"Put it on screen," the captain ordered.

It took her some time to comprehend the direction that Sheppard had proposed. It wasn't a complex instruction, but she couldn't fathom why Sheppard would want them to move in that dangerous direction. She doubted whether she was reading it correctly. Going in that direction would require significant support from Sheppard's fleet as it forces them to pass dangerously close to the enemy's starboard flank. Even if the Illustrious managed to avoid engagement with the smaller fleet, they would still come within range of the 200 Vargas' ships only minutes later. Sheppard's ships couldn't assist them against such a formidable opponent.

"Does this procedure really give us a better chance of survival than going in a random direction?" she asked, frustrated.

"Sheppard must have given us these instructions for a specific reason, something that could save us from this mess," replied the captain. "Lieutenant, Carvalho, can you establish contact with the Armageddon?"

"I've already tried, sir, but the Vargas are jamming our communication protocols. That might be why Admiral Sheppard sent us such a simple message," Carvalho said.

"Perhaps he's been trying to reach us for a while, and we didn't realize it," she suggested.

"That's the most plausible explanation," the captain said. "I don't like how easily the Vargas can disrupt our communication. It could become a problem if we don't find a solution."

Effective communication was vital in every significant engagement. Without proper communication, a fleet was just a group of disjointed units that couldn't achieve synergy.

"How is Sheppard coordinating with the rest of the task force?" she asked.

"They're in close proximity, so their BattleNet can use directional lasers for communication. Also, the closer the ships are, the easier it is to overcome jamming signals," the captain explained. "However, this might be difficult in larger engagements. The larger the fleet, the harder it is to keep the BattleNet active. We'll have to give our overworked scientists another puzzle to solve before we get in larger engagements with the Vargas."

"No problem there," she said with a smirk. "I've seen Rodney go without sleeping for a week, and he's the best at delivering under time pressure!"

The Terrans were finding better ways to deal with the Vargas, but so was the enemy. Their discovery of how to jam Terran advanced communication protocols could be the first of many measures they had taken to even the odds. After all, they must have been aware of SGA's significant progress over the past three years.

Nevertheless, their situation remained unchanged. They couldn't contact Sheppard and get a straightforward answer about the order they'd received.

"Helm, follow the course as indicated in the message," the Captain ordered after a brief moment of deliberation.

The decision to follow Sheppard's order was logical. After all, he wouldn't endanger their lives without a good reason. It was crucial to stick to the plan to avoid disaster.

The Vargas noticed Sheppard's fleet changing course and made their own adjustments. Before the two fleets clashed, the smaller enemy fleet approached Sheppard's ships and opened fire.

Despite being inferior in every way, the smaller enemy fleet was relentless. They seemed to know the strengths and weaknesses of each ship in Sheppard's fleet. They targeted the smaller Defiants and occasionally shot the closest heavy cruisers, knowing they couldn't penetrate the Armageddon's shields no matter how long they tried. But the Defiants and heavy cruisers were too powerful and agile for the enemy to do significant damage. Meanwhile, even a single shot from a heavy cruiser could heavily damage one of their capital ships. It was evident from the beginning that the enemy fleet posed a threat only to the Illustrious—a ship with dwindling reserves and only one Defiant as a chaperone.

Sheppard's fleet was well-prepared and predicted the enemy's strategy, making it easy to defend against their attacks. Despite how frantic the battle was, the Terrans quickly overpowered them.

"Sheppard is beating them up nicely. We'll be able to sneak around without having to defend against their attacks," the captain commented. "But the hard part comes after."

In a confrontation between Sheppard's task force and two hundred Vargas ships, survival for even a full minute would be considered miraculous. She reached this conclusion and believed the captain would concur with her assessment. She also anticipated that the Illustrious would serve as no more than an irritating distraction that would cause the Vargas to waste a few shots before being obliterated.

"Sheppard is probably up to something, but as usual, he's testing my patience to the brink. He did the same thing when we were in Pegasus," she lamented. "Can't he, for once, reveal the plan sooner than the last second?"

The sensors officer interrupted her musings, saying, "I'm detecting a major distortion. It's the Sphere!"

The display altered to show a metallic moon that had recently appeared. Finally, the puzzle pieces fell into place, and they understood why they had received the message. Well, almost.

"The Sphere is too slow to reach us, so we have no option but to sail toward it," the captain declared. "Helm, chart an intercept course with the Sphere."

Once they were inside the Sphere, they would be safe. However, due to its gargantuan size, moving required significant effort and was always time-consuming.

"Does the Sphere have any weapons?" she had never inquired, and no one had ever discussed it.

"I believe so, but I'm uncertain what type," the captain responded. "But I don't believe that will be an issue."

"Why not?" she inquired.

"Because, at present, the first Asgard fleet is traveling within the Sphere," the captain revealed with a smile.

"Oh, now I see Valhallas streaming out from all sides," she said as she saw the many ports on the Sphere spewing out scores of the largest ships in the Asgardian Navy.

Not only the largest Valhallas but also the O'Neills emerged from the Sphere. Although they seemed insignificant compared to the colossal construct, these ships were among the most impressive and largest vessels in the SGA's combined Navy. Moreover, they were the deadliest. While the Terrans possessed the most extensive fleet, the Asgardians had the most potent ships. With the latest upgrades, the O'Neills and Valhallas had Aegis III installed, providing them with unparalleled defensive capabilities. These vessels were well-equipped with offensive and defensive systems, especially the Valhalla, which boasted antiproton beams as its most lethal weapon. The inclusion of many additional QDBs made these two ships the most effective Vargas hunters.

However, the Asgardians' production capabilities were not as impressive as the Terrans, who had built so many shipyards in such a short time that they should feel mortified, if for no other reason, for polluting so much real estate. In the time it took them to construct a single Valhalla, the Terrans could build ten of their battlecruisers. Moreover, the production costs of an O'Neill were not significantly lower.

Finally, with only fifty million Asgardians, they could not afford to construct a vast Navy that required a substantial crew. Hence, they decided to create fewer yet more powerful and highly automated vessels. It was also an excellent way to differentiate the navies of the Terrans, Asgardians, and Guardians and provide them with more options against various enemies and strategies.

The Asgardians' modus operandi lacked subtlety. Sixteen thousand years ago, the Vargas altered their genetic code, making the Asgardians their sworn enemies. As a result, the Asgardians were forced to resort to cloning individuals as the only way to prolong their race's lifespan. Their anger resulted in a frontal attack, with the explicit intention of proving to the Vargas what a mistake they had made that day.

Moments ago, Sheppard found himself vastly outnumbered, facing a daunting force of two hundred Vargas ships that his task force stood no chance against. But just as all hope seemed lost, the situation took a drastic turn. The First Asgard Fleet arrived on the scene, boasting a staggering number of nearly a thousand units. In an instant, the tables had turned, and the Vargas found themselves in the minority.

"The Vargas are turning off their interdiction devices, but the Sphere has already activated hers," the sensor officer informed. "Looks like they are going nowhere."

The Vargas couldn't get into hyperspace, and fighting would be futile. But that didn't mean they were going to surrender.

"I think the Vargas are trying to escape at sublight," she said, noting the Vargas splitting up and pushing full force in multiple directions.

"Despite being nearly three kilometers long, a Valhalla can still achieve accelerations above a thousand gees, a feat that the Vargas have never demonstrated, with their highest ever recorded being three hundred, I believe," explained the captain confidently. "And, most importantly, we now appear to have a clear path to safety."

Weir turned to Alena, who still appeared doubtful about their chances of escaping this wretched place. "See? There is still hope," she reassured the fairy.

Alena gazed at her with her large, round eyes. "I cannot fathom the idea that my people may finally find peace in a distant haven far from the Vargas' grasp. On behalf of my race, I thank you for saving us."

These were the moments that made her hesitant to take extended leave. There was always someone who needed her help, someone who the Vargas had brought to the brink. The satisfaction of knowing she had made a difference, that she had instilled hope in those who had lost it was enough to uplift her spirits and perhaps even make her reconsider taking a vacation. However, she knew that her crewmates were eagerly looking forward to returning to their homes and loved ones, and she did not want to disappoint or get on their bad side.

Soon, they would board the Sphere and travel to the Milky Way with the remainder of the Ulysseans. They would spend a month there, maybe even two, if the notoriously strict Jack O'Neill permitted it. During that time, they would devise the best way to help the Ulysseans, as it would be a great loss if the race did not survive and prosper. But before that, they would revel in the spectacular display of fireworks playing out in front of them.

Rays of destructive energy streaked toward the fleeing Vargas ships, slicing them to pieces and causing magnificent explosions that transformed the surrounding space into a mesmerizing blaze.

They were in no hurry to miss such a breathtaking and not often seen sight.

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