Chapter 16

Destiny

The combined talents of the scientific and repair teams had spent the last thirty-six hours performing deep level ship wide systems diagnostics. Each system was now fully mission ready after extensive repairs. Only two tests remained. The first meant Destiny would once again plunge into a red dwarf star to bring her power stores back to full. Once charge was complete a full weapons test would be performed with all weapons firing to tax the power and weapons systems in search of some unforeseen fault. As a safety precaution, the crew of the Ancient ship was transferred to the Athena leaving only the bridge crew aboard.

"Destiny, all souls are now onboard. You are go for recharge." the Athena's communications officer transmitted.

"Roger Athena, we are proceeding now." replied Young.

"Keep your fingers crossed that this thing still works as advertised." muttered Volker.

With sub light engines brought online Destiny gathered speed and set course for the star at the heart of this solar system. The Athena would trail the Ancient ship, in case emergency transport was needed. Due to the differences in the flight profiles of the two vessels, Athena was on station at the rally point one hour before the incoming vessel. To ensure the correct alignment and entry trajectory with the sun Destiny performed an aero braking maneuver in the upper atmosphere of a gas giant along the preprogrammed path.

Aboard the Athena locator beacons for the remaining crew onboard Destiny were activated. Should the need arise and transport was required Athena would have a solid lock on the location of each individual. The anticipation of seeing the act of diving into a sun for recharge had the Athena's bridge crew on the edge of their seats.

"We are on the glide path, all systems operating in normal parameters." called out Brody.

As she had done so many thousands of times during her journey across the universe, Destiny entered the corona of the star. Her solar collectors extended to gather the exotic particles that gave the ship life.

"Power cells at complete charge. Power is now being collected in a secondary system we have never seen before. It looks like a reserve power storage system." called out Eli.

With her power levels now at maximum capacity Destiny exited the star to rejoin the Athena and reclaim her crew. Systems never before seen came alive for the first time in the expedition's tenure aboard. With full power restored, Destiny could now allow all of her myriad of systems to operate.

Weapons testing found all systems performing at peak efficiency. An unimaginable volume of fire was now possible without fear of an overload. The range of the main weapon under the ship and the anti-fighter weapons were also markedly increased. The power consumption of the weapons was also significantly less, verifying the theory that power conduit damage had been the main culprit for their extravagant power usage during previous attacks. With all repairs verified to function the crew was transferred back aboard via shuttle while the final resupply of food items were beamed aboard. Athena would be departing for Earth tomorrow, taking with her the personnel she had brought with her.

Chulak

On the surface of the planet that many Jaffa in the Free Nation called home, a cloaked Tel'tak set down miles away from any settlement. Quickly disgorged were six Jaffa mercenaries in the employ of the Lucian Alliance. Their mission was to integrate into the local population and gather intelligence. These six men viewed the Free Jaffa Nation as a pointless exercise in futility as their people were warriors not nation builders. Unknown to these men they carried a lethal cargo. With captured Goa'uld technology, their memories of the last three weeks had been altered. The Jaffa mercenaries were unaware they were infected carriers of a vicious strain of a virus that targeted symbiotes. The six no longer carried their larval Goa'uld and in its place fortified their bodies with Tritonin.

Separating into groups of two, the Jaffa set out to their assigned settlements. Each team of two was instructed to visit seven population centers in the next four days. In their eyes this was done to ensure they gathered intelligence from a wider pool. In truth, this was done to ensure more effective delivery of the contagion each of them carried. In seven days time the fevers would begin, followed by internal bleeding, and after the death of the larval Goa'uld an agonizing end result where the body bled from every orifice.