Chapter 70

Cheyenne Mountain SGC

Gate travel in and out of the SGC was suspended for seventy two hours while minor remodeling went on. Teams of technicians could be found on multiple levels of the secure underground facility installing sensor stations like those found on Atlantis, force shield emitters to replace security doors in the event of lockdown, biological contagion detectors, and subspace communications gear. When complete the SGC and Atlantis would share many of the same systems. In the gate room a newly manufactured Pegasus model star gate rested where the Milky Way gate had resided for so long. An Atlantis style dialing station was being installed, along with controls to the energy shield that would take the place of the older gates iris.

Walking into the control room General Landry looked around at the assembled scientists and technicians with discomfort. He greatly respected their abilities but in all honesty the science types always made the former fighter pilot uncomfortable although he would never admit it. Seeing Doctor Lee supervising the General walked towards him.

"How's it going Doctor" asked Landry.

"It's going very well actually. The new sensors we're installing are great stuff. Did you know we'll actually be able to detect vessels in hyperspace" asked Lee.

"That's nice, but how about telling me when this bedlam is going to be over and done with" replied Landry.

"The gate's in place now as you can see. Everything in the control room will be done by tonight. The other sensors and security systems won't be finished until tomorrow evening at the earliest and that's being generous" answered Lee.

"Read my lips doctor, get it done" ordered Landry.

"You've got to ask yourself do you want it done fast or do you want it done right" asked Lee.

"That's easy; both" curtly responded Landry.

Around the galaxy

Throughout the galaxy five examples of the new iteration of the ancient's gate seeding sh.i.p.s navigated the galaxy. The shipboard AI of each vessel had pre-assigned corridor's of the Milky Way. At each stop the older model Milky Way gate was beamed aboard utilizing Asgard transporter technology and replaced with the newly produced Pegasus model gates. Several changes to the gate system were also taking place. Planet's belonging to the Lucian Alliance and other hostile civilizations gates were being replaced with space gates making them all but useless to the populations below. Several habitable worlds that were lacking gates would have them added. In retaliation for the assassination of Earth's ambassador the planets of the Free Jaffa Nation would not have theirs replaced once beamed away. It had been decided to sever the Jaffa nation's access to the galactic gate system entirely by means of emplacing space gates. The smallest Jaffa cargo sh.i.p.s could not fit through the gates as the puddle jumpers of Earth could.

Following standing orders each seed ship AI conducted highly detailed scans of each world visited. This information was transmitted to Arkos stations and would later be retransmitted to the SGC. It was hoped that the newly compiled data would give a highly detailed accounting of all the worlds linked together by the gate system. This would aid the SGC greatly in focused exploration efforts in the future.

Once their mission within the Milky Way was complete the seed sh.i.p.s would set course for surrounding galaxies. In turn each galaxy would have its gate system upgraded in the same manner as the Milky Way's. This mission would require many generations before its completion but long term thinking dictated the upgrade as the Tauri expanded beyond what currently lay within their domain.

Earth

A lone jumper rose through the atmosphere. Passing under cloak into orbit the small vessel continued its journey to break from the gravitational bonds of the planet below. Accelerating past the International Space Station, then beyond satellites in geosynchronous orbit the jumper transitioned threw the new planetary shield seamlessly. Pushing towards the moon the jumper rendezvoused with the Ares, coming to rest in the large jumper bay aboard the warship. Once situated in the jumper bay Ares jumped into hyperspace.

Quickly exiting the jumper General O'Neill was escorted to the bridge. Seeing the General walk through the bridge entrance Colonel Sheppard stood while giving a mock salute that any other high ranking officer would have reprimanded him for.

"Welcome aboard the Ares General" said Sheppard.

"Good to be here John" replied Jack.

"We should reach the target site in an hour. Would the General care to join me for lunch" asked Sheppard.

"I've always got time for a bite" replied Jack before the two men made their way to the mess hall.

While eating the two men discussed events in Pegasus and the Milky Way, the upcoming deployment of Borealis, and the battle of the super gate. Having recruited Sheppard into the program O'Neill had always taken a keen interest in the other mans career. Without O'Neill's protection Sheppard's career would have been long over as he had made several enemies within the Pentagon. Commiserating over old times the two men were still chatting away when the bridge crew informed them they had reached their destination. Returning to the bridge O'Neill frowned slightly upon seeing McKay standing there.

"General, always a pleasure" said Rodney.

"Not really but I know what you mean" frowned O'Neill.

"Rodney is everything ready to go" asked Sheppard.

"That it is and our Asgard friends should be arriving just about now" replied Rodney.

Dropping out of hyperspace several thousand kilometers to starboard was the O'Neill class ship Iskr with a Lucian Alliance Ha'tak in tow. Seconds later the hologram of Thor appeared on the bridge of Ares.

"Greetings O'Neill" stated Thor.

"Heya Thor how's tricks" asked O'Neill.

"If by tricks you mean are preparations in order then yes" replied Thor.

"Not exactly what I meant but good to know" responded O'Neill casually.

"I thought it best to try a long duration shot for the test firing" interjected Rodney.

"I will raise the Ha'tak's shields remotely and take station to the rear of Ares. The Asgard look upon this test with great anticipation" said Thor.

"Ok Thor, you can leave the Ha'tak there and we'll maneuver away" said Sheppard.

Dropping the tractor beam the Iskr and Ares maneuvered one hundred kilometers away. On command from the Iskr the Ha'tak's shields were raised. Monitoring sensors aboard the vessel would capture data from the test firing to give a better idea of the effectiveness of the miniaturized version of the satellite weapon.

"Monitoring sensors are online and transmitting now. Can you confirm you are also receiving telemetry Thor" asked McKay.

"Yes Doctor, the sensor data is transmitting" replied Thor.

"Ok Rodney, you're running the show" stated Sheppard.

"That's very kind of you" smirked Rodney.

"I would hate to have to give this project to Carter if this test fails" hinted O'Neill.

"Come on! When have I ever let you down? Did Zelenka put you up to saying that" asked Rodney clearly annoyed.

"Nope, not so much" smiled O'Neill.

"Begin power up procedures. Transfer neutrino ion generator number one output to the weapons buffer" Rodney instructed the weapons officer.

On command power flowed into the newly installed power conduit that was the energy lifeline of the Grodin. Like its satellite based cousin the Grodin required miniscule amounts of power compared to what one would imagine. With the outrageous amounts of power the neutrino ion generators were capable of producing no charging time was needed to bring the firing buffers to full capacity.

"Buffers are charged. The weapon is ready to fire" responded the weapons officer.

"We want to test this under conditions like those in combat. Please raise the shields" ordered McKay.

On command the Ares and Iskr powered their shields. The protective energy screens raised in scant seconds enveloping both of the powerful vessels. The Ha'tak in the distance with shields already raised did not share the protection of Asgard technology.

"Lock the weapon on target and fire" ordered McKay.

Milliseconds after the weapons officer triggered the firing sequence events unfolded rapidly. Power within the weapons energy buffer coursed through the energy exciters and into the lasing chamber. Once inside the lasing chamber this energy channeled into the amplification accelerator at the base of the weapon. Acting like a proton accelerator the beam strength grew in hellish intensity. A green beam of unimaginable intensity seven feet in diameter leaped from the rear of Ares and streaked towards the waiting target. Impacting the shields of the Ha'tak sensors aboard the vessel transmitted data furiously. Eight tenths of a second later the Ha'tak shields buckled under the strain allowing the beam to tear into and through the hull of the now defenseless ship. The upper one third of the sh.i.p.s pyramid shaped hull broke away.

"We have shield failure on the target. Switch to volley fire mode and target the vessel and debris field" ordered McKay.

In rapid fire mode the Grodin belched forth twenty shots in ten seconds. The vessel first broke into pieces, and these pieces were in turn shattered until debris no larger than a man's torso remained. O'Neill stared at the demonstration transfixed on the sight before him.

"General, I think you've got your space gun" said Sheppard.

"And a big honking space gun at that" whispered O'Neill.

"A round of applause would be nice" hinted McKay.

"I want these on every Athena class ship like yesterday McKay, make that happen" ordered O'Neill.