Chapter 159

Idavoll, Asgard home world

Since their fate had been decided by the Asgard High Council, the group known as the Vanir had toiled as minor technicians. Several of the Vanir were assigned duties related to daily maintenance needs of the Asgard central computer core. Others found themselves in roles as minor functionaries in the main ship construction center producing units for the Asgard fleet. These postings served the Vanir purpose far more than the Asgard had stopped to consider.

It started as small bits of computer code added to systems that were not networked together. Internal city sensors, transport beam units, power distribution, and multiple systems within the shipyard were soon home to these small packets of data. When viewed individually, these packets appeared harmless and escaped notice. Had they been viewed all together, their purpose would have been clear. This program was a worm, or more correctly a multi-headed hydra.

The hydra burrowed its way into the overall control protocols of the complexly networked Asgard network. Efficiency being key to the Asgard mindset, all systems networked together were soon under the subtle control of the Vanir and that was all systems on the home world. Unsure if the hydra would be detected, the Vanir had patiently waited to see if their plan had been discovered. Many weeks of this waiting went by before they finally decided to act.

Leaping into action, they put their control of the Asgard network to use. Those assigned to duties within the shipyard went about their seemingly normal duties and boarded the newly completed Asgard vessel Hala. Those assigned to menial duties pertaining to the computer network sequestered themselves away in a control nexus rarely used. Issuing commands to override certain functions of the network, the Vanir were now control of sensors, transport stations, and power distribution throughout Idavoll.

Seconds later many things happened at once. The captured Vanir computer cores being analyzed in another part of the capital city were transported aboard the Hala before the system locked out for use by anyone other than the Vanir. Sensor readings of all Vanir ceased to register to any who may have sought to locate them. Power conduits running throughout the city directed energy into storage buffers away from where it was needed. Around the shipyard security doors began to snap shut, locking down any potential route of access to the Hala.

The Hala represented a paradigm shift in Asgard ship design. While she closely resembled the O'Neill class in outward appearance, she was one third larger. Taking cues from Tauri provided information on the construction of ZPM's, Asgard scientists had developed a version of their own. Three of these devices would replace the neutrino ion generators that had powered the Asgard fleet for generations. In Ancient designed ZPM's, power was drawn from a self contained section of sub space time generated with quantum foam. The Asgard iteration of the device was far more similar to a star contained within a monolithic crystalline structure; near perfect fusion of hundreds of billions of hydrogen atoms gave this device a lifespan measured in ages instead of years.

To combat any threat the Asgard and the Alliance of Five Races might face now or in the future, Hala was equipped with a multitude of weaponry. Five batteries of the powerful plasma beam weaponry were equipped both front and rear. Energetic ion bolt weaponry more powerful than that used during the fight for survival against the replicators in the galaxy of Ida were also fitted in multiple batteries. Mounted on moveable pods on the on the top and bottom of Hala were individual examples of the weapon the Tauri referred to as the Grodin. Not yet equipped as they were still being perfected would be a drone weapon similar to that developed by the Ancients sharing the original's phase shifting abilities that allowed for easy penetration of most shields encountered so far within the universe.

The immense amounts of power at Hala's disposal would be used for many purposes. Flowing into the shield emitters, this power would allow for the most powerful shields ever fielded by the Asgard fleet. Channeled into the hyper drive, Hala would be able to outpace even the amazing top speed of the O'Neill class. Upon the Hala rested the future of the Asgard fleet.

Receiving word that the computer control systems of Idavoll were locked in a repeating self test sequence, the Vanir aboard the Hala beamed their dissidents aboard. Systems already activated onboard Hala were brought from standby to in use status. The antigravity drive powered up allowed the Hala to climb above the place of her construction for the first time. In moments, the shadow of the vessel cast over the Asgard capital city. Sensors onboard the vessel provided advanced warning of the O'Neill class in orbit maneuvering to prevent the Vanir leap into hyperspace, necessitating the raising of the shields. Seconds later a message displayed on the bridge of the Hala.

"This is Kvasir, commander of the Vittra. Return to the docking facility immediately. Failure to comply will result in the utilization of force against you." Kvasir stated calmly.

"Kvasir this is Mimir. The Vanir will not bow to your wishes and will no longer be held captive to the whims of the Asgard High Council. Use of hostile force against this vessel amounts to nothing more than a wasted attempt." Mimir stated calmly.

Standing off five thousand kilometers from the planet, the Vittra powered weapons. Certain that the shields aboard the Hala were immune to the plasma beam weapons, Kvasir targeted his own ion canons; the same as those found able to destroy replicator blocks during the war. Believing that a warning shot would deter the Vanir from attempting escape, a single ion bolt leapt from the starboard side canon of the Vittra. Impacting the shields, this attack had no effect. Undeterred, Hala continued to accelerate along her path and passed through the opening hyperspace window.