Chapter 170

Videum

Standing on the main tower balcony with coffee in hand, Colonel Reynolds surveyed his new command. Like her sisters Atlantis and Borealis, Videum was a sight to behold. Much like the Manhattan skyline the Colonel had loved as a teenager, the towers of the city ship rose to amazing heights in an effort to touch the sky. Beyond the towers lay the serene deep water bay that Videum now called home.

Waves gently lapped at the fully energized and erected shield. The fact that this was the only thing gentle about the current situation was not lost on the career Marine officer. Far beneath where he now stood, at the base of the main tower, the Arcturus device was active. Drawing vacuum energy from the all encompassing universe surrounding Goronak, the Arcturus device extracted the lifeblood of Videum. This source of once incomprehensible energy production now filled the city sh.i.p.s power conduits, powering its great shield.

This impenetrable shield was all that stood between Videum and those that sought to do her harm. Looking towards the sky above, Reynolds took note of the stream of Death Gliders that continued to pummel the energy barrier. Since their landing in the bay, Jaffa forces had sent attack after attack at the city ship, in a never ending procession. Seeing that their gliders stood little chance of breaching the defensive screen, the Jaffa had upped the ante. Ten miles to the south and seven three thousand feet above the bay's surface, a Jaffa controlled Ha'tak sat. Its energy cannons firing a continuous flood of weapons fire.

Each weapons strike against the shield caused it to bloom in a kaleidoscope of color. Orange, pink, and rose hues coursed through the protective screen, but still it stood firm. The explosion of color served to bask Videum in light similar to the most breathtaking of sunrises or sunsets. Had they not been in the middle of a war zone, it would have made a wonderful postcard thought the Colonel.

As commander of SG-2, Reynolds had seen hundreds of worlds. A veteran of the Goa'uld, Replicator, Ori, and Lucian Alliance wars, Reynolds had always conducted himself as a Marine should in a hostile environment. This situation was far different than any of those in his past. For the first time in his military career Reynolds mission was to first be noticed, and then allow the enemy to attack him while not responding in kind. To say it was frustrating for the man was an understatement. These thoughts ran through his mind as he stepped inside and into Videum's command center.

"How are we looking Bill?" Reynolds asked.

"Very nice actually! The shields haven't even flickered. That really shouldn't come as a surprise though." Doctor Bill Lee answered.

"Any word on the fleet's arrival?" The Colonel inquired.

"We've been tracking them in hyperspace for sometime now. They are right on schedule; two minutes until they arrive." Lee replied

The fleet being discussed was that of the Tauri. In order to move the mass of men and equipment, a majority of the warsh.i.p.s that made up the Milky Way fleet were put into service. Their precious cargo of NATO troopers aboard the multitude of inbound vessels had a mission, and that mission was one that they were ready to face. As the ground power of this fighting force, upon these men's shoulders the outcome of this war rested.

"Commander, the fleet has exited hyperspace under cloak." The avatar of Videum instructed.

"Ok, time for phase two of this little circus. Bill, send word to the fleet to remain under cloak and begin transport of the men to their assigned drop zones. Videum, target the Ha'tak firing on us and those currently parked on the temples. Ha'tak's only. Fire when ready." Reynolds ordered.

Four seconds later, Videum commenced the attack. Making use of the plasma beam weapons mounted on the end of each pier, the city sh.i.p.s AI chose these as the modality of death for the nearest Ha'tak. Plasma beam batteries on three piers let loose their blistering beams of superheated carnage. So hot were they that the atmosphere began to roil along their path. Precise aiming on the part of the AI ensured that all three beams impacted the Ha'tak's shields within one quarter of an inch of each other.

The results were catastrophic. Overwhelmed, the craft's shields gave way at the point of impact. With nothing impeding their continued forward motion, the three beams sliced into the Ha'tak's exterior skin. Vaporizing at the point of contact leaving precise holes, the beams continued on into the interior. The hull around the points of impact melted and began to turn to molten slag. Unabated, the beams continued on through the hull before exiting out the upper cas.e.m.e.nt of the golden tetrahedron. Thunderous explosions reverberated off the calm ocean water and boomed into the distance as the Ha'tak plummeted into the gently rolling swells.

Reaching terminal velocity before striking the oceans surface, the Ha'tak broke apart on impact. The nine hundred thousand tons of mass entering the water at speed had an unexpected cascade effect. Massive swells were generated, rushing out in all directions. While the Jaffa on land were shocked by the sudden destruction of their vessel, the coming tide that would flow several miles inland would be much more shocking and dangerous. Luckily, their encampment was well away from where land meet ocean.

Seconds before the Ha'tak plummeted to the ocean below, Videum launched the second portion of its assigned task. Sixteen golden colored drones rose from the north pier launch point. Accelerating as they passed through the city sh.i.p.s shields, each drone deftly maneuvered around the gliders as they strafed Videum to no effect. One hundred feet above the bays glassy surface, the drones sped on. Crossing the threshold from water to land, the drones sped over the lush coastal forest.

In the path of the onrushing drones lay four temples of Goa'uld origin. Once these pyramids had been the landing place to vessels of the fleet of Moloc, but no more. Sitting atop these monolithic stone structures now sat Ha'tak's of the Traditionalist Jaffa, though many still pledged their allegiance to the deceased Goa'uld who had ordered their construction. Their targets already assigned, the drones separated into four groups of four. At a blistering pace, the drones raced over the tents of the Jaffa encampment below. Had the Jaffa bothered to raise the Ha'tak's shields it would have made no difference, due to the drones phase shifting ability that allowed for effortless penetration of far more powerful shields.

On impact, each drone burrowed into its target. Debris from the damaged vessels was ejected was thrown into the air and around the encampment at the base of each temple. Exiting the other side of each Ha'tak, the drones nosed up and arched over, diving once again into their targets before disintegrating. Later examination of the damage would reveal that not only had the drones torn clean holes through each vessel, but also tore through the stone structures of the temples themselves. Unless a herculean effort was put forth to repair these Ha'tak, they would never travel the stars again.