"Why would you not use the weapon to save the Nox?" complained Janus.
Caldwell scowling, "By the time we arrived the damage was done. To deploy this weapon now, against only fifty ascended beings would have tipped our hand."
"You could have saved the lives of your own men?" shouted Janus.
"Janus, this is a weapon that should never be deployed. If we had thousands of Old Ones we would have deployed the weapon. We had only fifty, our ships were able to handle them," replied O'Neill.
"Only because Thor showed up with hundreds of ships," shouted Janus.
"I will give you that!" replied O'Neill.
"May I speak?" asked Thor. Everyone realizing that Thor had been sitting quietly.
"Yes go ahead," spoke O'Neill.
"Janus my experience with the humans of Earth is they know how to wage war. They have time and time again come up with strategies that proved vital to defeating the replicators, Gou'ald, Wraith, Ori, and Lucian Alliance. Neither the Ancients, Nox, Jaffa, or Asgard have shown at any time the ability to think militarily. Commander O'Neill has shown an aptitude for combat that we do not possess. If he is advocating restraint on this weapon, then that is what we will do. No member of this alliance is more devastated by this attack on the Nox than Commander O'Neill," replied Thor.
"I understand that, but ..." spoke Janus.
O'Neill looked at Janus, "It's OK. You wanted to do more to have saved the Nox, unfortunately, there wasn't time."
"Janus trust in Commander O'Neill, and trust me in saying he made the right call," spoke Hammond.
"The Nox that remain are prepared to come here and begin training, our pacifist days are over," spoke Lya. Everyone turned their attention to her.
"Lya, this is not something your people should jump to. Take some time talking this over among your leaders," replied O'Neill.
"I am now the leader of my people Commander O'Neill. Our people have never seen such disregard for life. Not just our lives but the world we lived among has been devastated. We may not have the physical strength of the Jaffa or the wisdom of combat of the Tau'ri. We do have our strengths and let us show you what we can do," spoke Lya.
"Very well, Commander Landry will work with you on training for your people and how to integrate them into our troops," replied O'Neill.
O'Neill caught up to Thor the next day, "I'm ready for that tour of Othalla."
"Let us go immediately," spoke Thor. A quick trip to through the Stargate and they were on Othalla.
"This looks just like our Gateroom, except for all the Asgard that are running things," replied O'Neill.
"Let us beam to my ship it is the best way for you to see," spoke Thor. Pressing a button on a wrist unit, he and O'Neill beamed away to the Vanir.
O'Neill stood on the bridge looking down at the planet. It took his mind several moments to catch up.
"Thor what have you done?" asked O'Neill.
"Our people have entered into the time dilation field on several other occasions," spoke Thor.
"How many years Thor?" asked O'Neill.
"Five thousand three hundred twenty-seven of your Earth years," spoke Thor.
"How many Asgard are their now?" asked O'Neill contemplating the ramifications.
"Nine billion four hundred fifty-six million seventy-three thousand and nine," answered Thor.
"How?" asked O'Neill.
"Our reproductive system is fully restored," replied Thor.
"No, I mean how did you build all of this? Where did you get all the materials? The entire planet appears to be one giant Atlantis. And I see thousands of ships," replied O'Neill.
"We mined this planet using time dilation fields and storage crystals, we expanded out to multiple other worlds in this galaxy and extracted the resources we needed. Then using Dr. McKay's nanites and time dilation field we built all that you see here," spoke Thor.
"Thor buddy I don't even know what to say," replied O'Neill, "Why have you not said anything?"
"I felt it was best to disclose this only to you in the beginning," replied Thor.
"OK break it down for me?" asked O'Neill.
"Our science teams look for any new idea they can find to research. We have established a dedicated military who continue to study all Tua'ri books on combat and tactics. They analyze all data for ways to improve. Our construction teams stay busy constructing what we need," replied Thor.
O'Neill looking at the main screen, "Is that my DN-1105?"
"Yes, it should be complete, and ready for you to return in. We have made a few additional advancements. It is controllable from a chair by a single individual," replied Thor.
O'Neill looking around the viewer. He could see ships coming and going from the planet. The space around the planet was nearly as congested as the planet itself. As the Vanir continued to circle the planet he could see deep ravines that seem to go to the core of the planet.
"Does this planet have a core?" asked O'Neill.
"Not anymore we mined every inch of this planet. It has been completely converted. We use artificial gravity, and shielding to protect the planet." answered Thor.
O'Neill gasped, "Can this planet move?"
"No, O'Neill the amount of power that would require is beyond even the Interdimensional Energy Collectors," replied Thor.
"Good no death star. How have you kept this secret?" asked O'Neill.
"The area around the gateroom is separated and blocked from the rest of the planet. Only Asgard are able to use the transporters to leave the area equivalent to Atlantis," spoke Thor.
"Why show me?" asked O'Neill.
"You are our leader," replied Thor.
"Have you expanded beyond this?" asked O'Neill.
"We have colonies on twenty other planets around this Galaxy. We have also begun populating habitable planets in the Othalla galaxy," replied Thor.
"Wait is that a supergate?" asked O'Neill.
"Yes we have studied the technology and have developed supergates between many of the galaxies, for ships that are not able to use Wormhole Drive," replied Thor.
"Thor buddy, I honestly don't know what to say," spoke O'Neill.
"The Asgard were in a long drawn out war with the Replicators, we had never been a military society. We have built up a military to defend not just the Asgard, but our friends as well," spoke Thor.
"So if we need help?" asked O'Neill.
"Every ship will be at your disposal," replied Thor, "Would you like to visit the other colonies?"
"Ohh, sure," replied O'Neill.
Over the next eight hours, the Vanir jumped from planet to planet visiting colonies of Asgard. The smallest was twice the size of Altera. O'Neill could see the entire Asgard population was geared toward research, construction, and support. They certainly should not be taken lightly. He learned the Asgard had five thousand DN-1103a's, plus thousands of smaller ships that made use of the supergates, and hyperdrive instead of wormhole drive.
In the end, they returned to Othalla, and O'Neill was beamed aboard the DN-1105 Enterprise. O'Neill found himself on the bridge, standing before a control chair.
"This is the latest design of the control chair. We have found it creates less stress on the user. From here you can control all operations of the ship. A crew of fifty is still recommended," explained Thor.
"That's nice," replied O'Neill.
"In addition, you and you alone have the ability to release the Ascended Weapon, on any or all ships you wish," spoke Thor.
"I can override individual ship commanders?" asked O'Neill.
"Yes," replied Thor, "Also your ship is equipped with a Stargate. An enhanced model over the one Atlantis has. It has a nine chevron address allowing for gate access to the ship."
"Now I have to find a crew for this ship," grumbled O'Neill.
"We are producing another DN-1105 for Fleet Commander Caldwell as well," replied Thor.
"Excellent, he will be happy to have one. Now I think we need to get back to Altera, and we need to have a council meeting," replied O'Neill.
"Please take the chair and return us to Altera," pointed Thor.
O'Neill sat down in the chair. He could sense it activate once he was seated, however, it did not recline immediately. He could stay in a more seated position and still have control on the ship. His mind went to the wormhole drive to navigate to Altera. He could see on the viewscreen the ship immediately began to move out of orbit away from the other ships around the planet. Once in a clear space, a wormhole opened up and the ship entered.
O'Neill immediately upon entering Earth orbit reached out to communication, "Altera this is the Enterprise, commanded by Commander O'Neill,"
The Poseidon and Apollo had immediately begun an intercept course.
Young from the Poseidon, "Please identify yourself?"
"Sorry there Commander Young, this is Commander O'Neill arriving with our new ship the Enterprise," spoke O'Neill.
Emerson just came on to the communication channel, "That is a relief. That is an impressive ship Commander. Glad we don't have to fight it!"
"I'll second that," replied Young.
O'Neill instead of beaming down to Altera activated the stargate on the Enterprise and sent his IDC. O'Neill and Thor walked out the stargate in Altera, to a confused Harriman.
"Sir, weren't you on the ship in orbit?" asked Harriman.
"Yes I was," replied O'Neill.
Two hours later the Atlantis council had gathered.
"Folks I'm sorry for this late meeting and such a late notification. However I felt it was important to bring everyone up to speed on a new development," spoke O'Neill.
Hammond spoke first, "We have news on the Old Ones?"
"This isn't about them. I'm going to let Thor explain," replied O'Neill.
"As you know the Asgard had entered into a dilation field to produce the DN-1103, where we were for one thousand one hundred and three of your years. Since then we have activated the shield a number of times, for a total of five thousand three hundred twenty-seven of your Earth years. Our population has grown to nine billion four hundred fifty-six million seventy-three thousand and nine. In addition, we have colonized twenty worlds around the Vahalla Galaxy," replied Thor
"You have been busy," spoke Hammond.
"Why would you accelerate your lives like this?" asked Teyla.
"The Asgard will not be complacent again with any enemy. Our military stands ready to defend Othalla, or defend our Allies," replied Thor.
"How large is your military? asked Woosley.
"The Asgard have five thousand DN-1103a's, and ten million infantry in battle suits," replied Thor.
"The stability of this Alliance has always been about supporting each other, and an equal footing. When word of this gets out among the Jaffa, knowledge that the Asgard now has a fleet that can subjugate any existing force. This will not be well with many," warned Bra'tac.
"Let me remind everyone that the Asgard saved us when the Old Ones attacked the Nox. Had it not been for the additional ships the Asgard provided none of my people may have survived," spoke Lya.
"Our ships are at the command of Commander O'Neill and Commander Caldwell. We welcome the integration of additional members of this alliance to our ships," spoke Thor.
"I think that should be acceptable, however, it will take additional time to integrate that many crews," spoke Caldwell.
There was much grumbling. After several more hours of conversation, it was finally decided that crews making of the Nox, Jaffa, and Tau'ri would be integrated into the Asgard ships. Bra'tac was calmed considerably when he learned that the Asgard would provide full access to the Supergates. Providing the Jaffa a way to travel between the galaxies in their existing ships.
Thor upon returning to Othalla after the council meeting.
Sol asked, "Was our cloak and holograms sufficient to hide the Dakara weapon from Commander O'Neill?"
"Yes it was undetectable," replied Thor.