Chapter 168

Goronak

Dropping out of hyperspace in a flash, the imposing mass of the Videum hurtled towards the planet. Her already sensitive sensors further heightened by the power of the Arcturus device, detected the two cloaked Athena class vessels in low planetary orbit around the planet. In preparation for reentry, Videum quickly transitioned so the bottoms of her piers faced the surface of the planet below. Operating uncloaked, the building fireball that was the giant city ship fell from the heavens for all below her to see.

A ballistic reentry of an object approximating Videum's size generated a white hot fireball of incredible size and length. Trailing a path of superheated and roiled atmosphere behind her, Videum plummeted at incredible speed. While the cloaking technology she possessed would have rendered this sight nonexistent, the overall mission plan hinged on the city ship making a highly visible approach. If speed of violence was the king of battle, then surely distraction was its often overlooked stepchild.

On the ground, the meteoric body falling from the heavens in a curtain of fire was visible to all within the Jaffa encampment. Some stared at the object in wonder, while others ran to duty stations in expectation of an incoming attack. Even though the fiery object was still several hundred miles away, men manned their gliders to meet the potential threat. Running with purpose to the far corners of the encampment, the Jaffa considered themselves ready.

Decelerating from hypersonic velocity to two hundred kilometers per hour, Videum reduced altitude to eight hundred meters above ground. Following the contours of the terrain, the city ship traced over the foothills that ran to the east of the plain where the Jaffa encampment had been established. Her shields still raised, Videum silently glided over the towering Ha'tak's resting on the temples once belonging to the Goa'uld named Moloc. These same Ha'tak's opened fire with every energy weapon they possessed, but the effects stood no chance of penetrating the extremely powerful Ancient designed shields.

Continuing slowly along her remaining fifteen mile path to the deep water ocean cove where she would come to rest, the city ship refused to return fire. Considering the power she wielded, there was simply no need to do so. Starring slack jawed; the Jaffa looked upon a ship the likes of which they had never imagined existed. Had the Goa'uld possessed such a vessel, their status as God's would never have come into question.

During the obvious commotion the arrival of the city ship over the encampment caused, other events were unfolding. Originating from the cloaked Athena's in orbit, a mass of men and equipment began to appear on the mountains above the Jaffa camp. This process already highly orchestrated and preplanned, would continue for the next twenty minutes without pause. When all was said and done, the Tauri beachhead on Goronak would be secure. The mission to hold this beachhead fell to a unit steeped in history; the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the One Hundred and First Airborne. This unit, known as the Rakkasan's intended to live up to their motto of 'Let Valor Not Fail'. The lives of thousands of troops that would soon arrive hinged on the Rakkasan's holding their landing zone for eighteen hours, and they refused to allow their valor to fail.

Idavoll, Asgard home world

Hours before, a highly complex ballet of coordinated action had begun in orbit of the world the Asgard race now called home. Under tow, the Hala had been placed in stable orbit of the planet. Once stable orbit was achieved, a number of antigravity pods already in the same orbit in anticipation of the Hala's arrival had mated themselves to the damaged vessels hull. Properly fastened to the naquadah/trinium/carbon metallic hull, the pods began their decent to the docking facility on the planets surface.

Had Hala been undamaged, this transition from orbit to securely docked on the planets surface would have taken a brief handful of moments. Her damaged state and the nature of the devices guiding her down meant this evolution took several hours instead. Broken but unbowed, Hala's punctured and pockmarked hull slowly eased into the place of her creation. Moments after docking, Asgard technicians and shipwrights swarmed over their creation. In the coming weeks Hala would be returned to her pristine and fully functional state, but not without considerable effort.

The homecoming of Hala was a bittersweet event for the Asgard. Representing the pinnacle of their technological development, she embodied all that the Asgard mind could create. The battle damage currently marring her was proof that while incredibly advanced, she was not invincible. To a lesser extent, the Hala also represented the flawed thought process that sometimes took hold in Asgard society. Had the Vanir trail and sentencing been handled differently, this situation would have could have been avoided. It was this thought that would perplex the High Council for many years to come.

Witnessing the arrival of the Hala was a representative of the High Council, and also one of her chief designers. Penegal and Hermiod both silently stood as the battle scarred vessel came to rest. Silently, the two Asgard stood to bear witness. What had been learned so far was the topic of the discussion to come, while what needed to be learned would also be touched upon.

"The Hala withstood an immense level of damage." Penegal began.

"The vessel performed as it was designed to do. This simply confirms the survivability of the overall design." Hermiod replied.

"When the High Council ordered the construction of this ship, we hoped to build one of equal offensive and defensive capabilities of the Tauri Athena class. We now know that we have not yet reached that goal." Penegal chided.

"The evidence does not support that conclusion. Hala managed to defeat an Aurora class vessel. As you and I are aware, the Aurora was the strongest warship ever fielded by the Ancients. That alone speaks volumes of the designs abilities both offensive and defensive." Hermiod countered.

"That does nothing to explain how the Athena managed to disable the Hala." Penegal retorted.

"You requested the Athena chase down our vessel because of the power source it is now equipped with. That power source is what made the Hala's defeat. Were it not for that power source, this situation would have ended far differently." Hermiod explained.

"The High Council has already forwarded the request that this technology be shared with our people. Once we have an example of our own, the Hala will be refitted with this device. What has been learned from the sh.i.p.s computers?" Penegal asked.

"I have carefully reviewed the data transmitted during Hala's transit to Idavoll. Further examination will be required for a more comprehensive understanding of events during the Vanir insurrection. What we know now is that previous to their departure, the Vanir already onboard the Hala beamed several cloned bodies of their form aboard. Once this was complete, the remaining Vanir personnel in the city were beamed to the Hala." Hermiod stated.

"All of the Vanir were healthy. Why is it clone bodies were available? What were the intentions behind taking these bodies with them?" Penegal asked.

"Using their access to the city's computer network, the Vanir managed to grow these cloned bodies to full maturity without our notice. Their reasons for doing so became clear minutes before the vessel arrived. I believe the Vanir have managed to initially deceive both ourselves and the Tauri." Hermiod said.

"Please explain." Penegal requested.

"During their voyage from our galaxy, through the Milky Way, and finally into the void between the Milky Way and the Pegasus galaxy, the Vanir were building a device with the matter creator. Initial review of the device points towards it sharing design cues with Ancient technology modified with our own. While we are uncertain, the device appears to be a signal repeater meant to amplify and further transmit our transporter matter streams." Hermiod stated.

"Do the internal sensors show this device aboard the Hala?" Penegal asked.

"They do not. The sensors show that during the battle, the device was in fact beamed into space several thousand miles from the Hala. I have reviewed the sensor data thoroughly and can say with certainty I am sure of what transpired after. With the device beamed into space, the Vanir beamed the clone bodies into space near the Athena. Milliseconds later, the Vanir uploaded their own forms into the transport pattern buffer, and this matter stream was directed to the device created. By timing the two transport cycles so closely it's unlikely that a sensor operator in battle would have noticed the two separate events. Sensor data clearly shows the matter stream reaching this device. The matter stream once amplified was transmitted towards an unknown destination in the direction of the Pegasus galaxy." Hermiod explained.

"Are you telling me the Vanir instead of committing suicide are in fact alive?" Penegal demanded.

"I believe it is the most likely explanation based on the data available

"What do you think we should tell the Tauri about this?" Penegal asked somewhat rhetorically.

"This time we should begin with the truth." Hermiod replied flatly.