Chapter 150

Atlantis

Standing in close proximity to Radek Zelenka was the avatar of Atlantis. Sequestering themselves in the lead scientist's lab along with the nanite creation machine. Combining their talents and creativity, the immensely powerful AI and Czech scientist had managed to do what at first the scientist thought impossible. Making use of neural interface data obtained during the many times Wraith had been within the confines of the city ship, a viable cognitive function simulation of a Wraith complete with personality characteristics had emerged.

The purpose of this unimaginably complex neural simulation was to combat the Wraith. Unlike the Ancients attempts to unleash the Wraith combating nanites as a vengeful weapon of mass destruction, the nanites once integrated with the overlying simulation program would be used as an intelligence gathering tool and as a weapon of subterfuge.

Countless simulations conducted within the Atlantis mainframe had finally yielded the desired results. All that remained was the creation of an organic nanite body that would mimic in every way the functions and form of a Wraith. Access to the Wraith hive mind would even be possible, rendering detection of the manufactured Wraith by means of a lack of telepathic ability impossible. Once the now growing organic replicator body was complete a final evaluation of the finished product would be conducted. Deployment of the unit as Zelenka referred to the creation, would hinge upon a successful outcome to that evaluation. In twenty four hours they would have their answer.

Standing in front of the stargate many levels away, was Ronon Dex, Richard Woolsey, Colonel John Sheppard, and an assortment of the Atlantis expedition. Mr. Woolsey, standing in front of Ronon, held a piece of parchment in his hands while Ronon stood at attention.

"Ronon Dex, please repeat after me" prompted Woolsey.

"Ok" replied Ronon in a gruff voice.

"I hereby declare and solemnly affirm, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law, that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God" stated Woolsey in an official voice.

A look of pride came over Ronon's face as he repeated the Oath of Allegiance that would make him a citizen of the United States. His heart swelled as he repeated the words that would bring him into the fold of the nation he had given his life to defend once before. Finally, he felt as if he had found where he belonged. It stood in his mind as vindication of his many efforts and sacrifices with and for the Tauri. The gathering of friends and colleagues broke into applause as Ronon finished the oath. The privilege of citizenship was one that in Ronon's case was earned in blood, and the collected gathering agreed that in this case it was truly well deserved.

"Congratulations Chewie" said Sheppard while firmly shaking his former teammate's hand.

"Um, thanks" replied Ronon.

"Mr. Dex, allow me to congratulate you, and officially welcome you to America" stated Woolsey.

"We're not in America, we're on Atlantis" countered Ronon.

"I mean welcome to American citizenship" replied a somewhat fl.u.s.tered Woolsey.

"Ok Chewie, I need you to stand at attention again for a moment" Sheppard requested.

"Attention to orders" began Sheppard in an authoritative tone.

The combined officers in the room came to the position of attention. Many of them knew what was coming, but the small gathering of civilians did not, though they soon would. Looking upon Ronon and giving him a smile, Sheppard raised the volume of his voice and began to address the gathering.

"The President of the Unites States of America, authorized by Executive Order, October 12, 2011 has awarded the Medal of Freedom with Bronze Palm, to Ronon Dex, Atlantis Expedition, for meritorious service. Ronon Dex, Specialist of the Satedan Defense Force, by his sacrifices at the hands of and against the Wraith, inspired and heartened the entire free world. His service to his comrades, marked by the courage of a man in battle and by the devotion of a soldier to his sworn duty, has been unsurpassed in this galaxy and his own. His supreme fortitude in hours of peril, his unfaltering dedication to his mission reflected the greatness of spirit manifested on many fields, in many centuries, by the soldiers of both Sateda and Earth. The Republic he served so nobly fell before becoming an ally of the United States. The memory of the peoples of these two Republics is symbolized today in our salute to Ronon Dex. His service to stop the Wraith threat in orbit of Earth and around the Pegasus Galaxy reflects great credit upon himself and his country and the cause of freedom around the universe" said Sheppard.

Moments later Sheppard placed the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian award, around the neck of Ronon Dex. Normally a man of little emotion, Ronon's eyes grew misty at the recognition of his many sacrifices. Though his loyalties already lay with the Tauri, in this one moment his lifelong loyalty and dedication solidified into an almost tangible thing inside of the man.

"You earned it Chewie" said Sheppard while embracing his former teammate and friend.

Around the gate room many clapped enthusiastically. The outpouring of pride they felt for the man they had fought beside for so many years touched Ronon on a level he hadn't believed possible several years before. Making their way towards the cafeteria for the planned celebratory lunch Ronon smiled a rare and heartfelt smile.

Pluto

In the engineering lab of Arkos station stood Doctor Bill Lee. Much as Rodney McKay had done when designing the Athena Class, Lee now repeated while working hand in hand with the Arkos AI. Addressing what the Pentagon had defined as an urgent need, Lee now focused his attentions away from the Videum which was taking shape, to the design of a new class of vessel. Assigned the code name of Titan, this vessel if put into production, would serve as the Tauri equivalent of another American invention of the last century; the super carrier.

Dwarfing the Athena and Aurora class she was meant to compliment, Titan was to resemble the destroyed Prometheus. The similarities ended there. Measuring six kilometers in length, one kilometer in width, and standing at seven hundred meters in height, Titan would measure in as one of the largest vessels ever built. Per the design, Titan's nose would open with clamshell doors and expose the largest flight deck ever built in the known universe to space. Contained within her numerous flight decks she would carry four hundred 302's or a mix of 302's and the planned 302 bomber derivative.

Meant to act as part of a battle group composed of a mix of 304's and Athena class vessels, Titan lacked much of the heavy weaponry found on other Tauri vessels. Making use of the same anti-fighter energy weapons turrets found on Destiny and later added to the vessels of the Tauri fleet, she was studded with low power protective weaponry. Not wanting to leave her totally defenseless in the event of loosing her escorts, Titan was also to be equipped with a battery of six Asgard plasma beam weapons. The beating heart of this vessel would be the newly perfected Arcturus power generation device, but would contain the ability to make use of ZPM's in the event of an emergency.

"The use of so many smaller attack craft is an interesting concept. It is not one ever explored by my builders to this degree" stated Arkos.

"It's a navy thing. In our civilizations recent history, the use of carriers has proved invaluable as a military and political tool" replied Lee.

"Yes, I discovered that fact after reviewing your historical archives. Quite interesting" responded Arkos.

A sudden blaring of klaxons throughout Arkos brought the conversation to a quick halt. Amber tinted lights began to flash in all sections of the gargantuan station. Unsure of what was happening, Doctor Lee quickly moved to another data display screen to ascertain just what was happening. Checking the sensor display, Lee saw something he did not expect.

"We have vessels inbound in hyperspace. These readings match Goa'uld mothership's. This is very bad" stuttered Lee in a concerned voice.

"I am aware Doctor. My systems were built with defensive systems. These vessels are not a threat I cannot handle" replied Arkos.

"What can I do to help" asked Lee.

Turning to look directly at Lee, a change came over the Arkos avatar. The normally friendly face turned cold, and the lively eyes changed color until they were black as the darkest night.

"Doctor Lee, you will remain in this Laboratory. To ensure your safety the door unlock protocols have been temporarily overridden. I will return when the threat has been neutralized" stated Arkos darkly.

Around the station automatic doors began to close and lock. Personnel near the ZPM production area of Arkos were directed to quickly make use of the transporter booth and exit the area for their own safety. Despite inputting a destination area on the transporter booth control panel, the personnel being whisked to other areas of the station were deposited in a location of the AI's choosing. In keeping with one of the primary objectives that ruled every decision of the AI, all occupants' would be kept safe and secure from threats both external and internal.

In areas of the station inaccessible to any person to come aboard the station since its construction, a series of conduits began to open in close in a prearranged sequence. These conduits once ordered into the necessary configuration would provide access from a chamber near the ZPM production room to the outer skin of the station. Equipment along that path never before active began to come to life. Outside the station, an ordered grid of protective energy formed millimeters above the outer skin in a form fitting manner.

In the internal ship mooring section of the shipyard, crews aboard the many vessels of the Tauri fleet present within Arkos attempted to cast off face the oncoming threat. Powering systems and manning all stations, the vessels were prepared for their mission. As they attempted to maneuver clear of their moorings the sh.i.p.s crews found that they were unable to do so. Anticipating the crew's response, Arkos disengaged the disengagement protocols that would have allowed for each vessels release from its bonds. This was a threat that Arkos would not allow them to face, and that in no way explained just what it was that was happening.

Of the AI's own accord, a subspace message was transmitted to the approaching Ha'tak class vessels. The contents while dry, more than communicated the intended message. Attack this station and death will find you. Although Arkos lacked a temper, the AI was less than pleased to see that not only was his message not headed, but it seemed to have been ignored altogether.

Exiting hyperspace twelve thousand miles from the station within the orbital track of the moon Charon, were three Ha'tak's. Having tracked seven approaching vessels, Arkos could only assume that Earth was the other target. A raid warning message was sent through subspace to the SGC advising an immediate activation of Earth's planetary defense shield. A secondary message was sent to all vessels near the solar system belonging to the Tauri and allies warning them to not approach Arkos station until notified otherwise.

Before exiting hyperspace, the Jaffa commanders aboard the three Ha'tak mothership's had ordered that the weapons be charged. Seconds after the order was given power surged through the weapons power conduits, charging the sixty energy cannon emplacements each Ha'tak was equipped with. Beginning their advance towards the targeted station, the mothership's raised their shields and began firing energy blasts at the largest orbital structure the Jaffa aboard had ever laid eyes upon. Once again a message was received from Arkos warning the attacking craft to approach at their own peril, which the AI assured them was at stake.

Advancing slowly, as they had learned when attacking defenseless worlds in the service of the System Lords, the Jaffa took their time so as to bombard their target to maximum effect. Brining to bare half of their energy cannons apiece, ninety orange energy bolts slammed into the incredibly durable shields of Arkos per volley. Passing through the ten thousand mile threshold the bombardment continued without response from within the station. Were a Tauri commander placed in command of the defense of Arkos, a wave of drone weapons would have already been hurled at the attackers. Arkos had other ideas though, and was designed to bring those ideas to bear against any who threatened the station.

On the bridges of the assortment of crewed vessels moored within the station, sensor operators watched the bombardment unfold. Seeing the bombardment have little effect against the Ancient designed shield of the station gave the sensor operators heart. Pause was given when energy readings unlike any the sensor operator's hade ever encountered before were noted within the station. The other highly unsettling fact was that these readings appeared to be moving.

Passing the seven thousand miles to surface mark, gliders were launched from all three Ha'tak. Forming up into attack formations, these gliders took station below their mothership's. Even though the Ha'tak weapons bombardment had as yet to diminish their targets shields the bombardment continued in a relentless fashion. No further warnings would be forthcoming from Arkos. Allowing the attackers aggressive actions seal their own fate, Arkos initiated the never before used defensive protocol.

Deep in the bowels of the station, within the ZPM production center, resided a containment chamber unlike any other. The beating heart of a ZPM lay not in the outer crystal structure, but in the quantum foam that resided within the protective crystalline exterior. This quantum foam was a unique medium created from compressed matter similar to that found in the accretion disc of a black hole. Within this medium altered to behave in a manner like that of subspace-time, subatomic wormholes constantly opened and closed while fading in and out of subspace. It was within the containment chamber that quantum foam was diverted to an energy shield lined channel, before being stopped in another shoebox sized chamber by another energy shield. As the quantum foam filled this chamber, a small shield generator the size of a human fist was integrated within the foam. This shield generator was designed to shield both itself from the foam, and the outer surface of the foam plug itself.

The three ship Ha'tak fleet passed through the five thousand mile mark on their approach to Arkos. The AI had waited for this moment, when the enemy was within optimum range for deployment of the weapon. A small transfer of energy to the superconductors lining the newly opened weapons channel accelerated the quantum foam plug much like a particle accelerator on Earth would do. In hundredths of a second the plug reached velocities approaching one third that of light.

The act of accelerating the quantum foam plug took longer than the actual passage of the plug to its target. Guided by an ultra efficient inertial compensator, the plug homed in on the targeted center vessel of the three. Before the encapsulated foam collided with its target, two further plugs were racing towards the other two attacking craft. Striking the mothership's shields, the shield generator ceased functioning as it was designed to do.

With the shield that had contained the volatile foam now gone, the foam continued on impacting the mothership's defensive energy screen. The impact served to agitate and excite the quantum foam. On the surface of the mothership's shields wormholes at a subatomic level began to form and dissipate, generating an incredible amount of vacuum energy that was discharged directly into the defensive screen. The Goa'uld shield emitters were never designed to survive this level of energy flux and overload. In fact even the ultra powerful shield emitters of Atlantis could never hope to sustain such an assault.

As the three Ha'tak vessel's shield emitters burned out, the quantum foam continued on towards the body of the mothership's. Before reaching the main bodies, gravitational fluctuations from the forming and collapsing wormholes twisted and tore the sh.i.p.s to pieces. Subatomic wormholes transmitted through the vessels and all they contained. Surrendering to the inevitable, the three attacking craft didn't explode, they simply ceased to be, with molecular remnants scattered though wormholes now collapsed and throughout subspace.