In the shadow of the events and chaos of Disclosure, the first Battlegroup is formed...
And sent straight into action!
“Deuterium,”
Davis glanced up from his PC blinking as Carter walked through his office door, and inwardly hid a grimace as he noticed the glint in her eyes. That glint could only mean one of two things; either she had just solved some scientific puzzle…. Or she was in a crusading mood.
Again.
Not that she was often wrong but still.
“I believe it's a hydrogen isotope most often used with tritium in nuclear reactors,” he replied slowly.
“Right, as well as many medical applications” Carter nodded, “but it's also the most efficient fuel for the impulse drives used on the Vipers and newer Paladins. Right now the supply is sufficient for Earths uses, some scientific research and the existing impulse drive equipped craft but the level of demand has already pushed prices up.”
“And as more Impulse drive equipped craft goes online, the demand is going to increase even further,” Davis shrugged, “I've already had discussions with several enrichers and they are already working on ramping up production.”
“That would be a good start…”
“Wait,” David interrupted, “You're going to ask for something expensive aren't you?”
“Well, yes,” Carter replied, a little taken aback.
“In this case, I have to say it's already covered,” shrugging, the man once known as ‘Disaster' Davis continued, “I already have confirmation that the existing and operational plants are stepping up production and given a nearly guaranteed income, several private firms are collaborating to construct a new larger plant in Canada. We also have two older plants being recommissioned.”
Hiding a grin, it wouldn't after all do to destroy his sombre, serious reputation, Davis finished, “you didn't think we would have to build everything ourselves did you?”
“Well,” Carter started, and then smiled, shaking her head, acknowledging the hit, “it has seemed that way sometimes.”
“I know,” he nodded, “when what we did was classified and we couldn't talk about it, when private contractors couldn't entirely be trusted, when the only expertise we could use was our own…
But it's a different world now; we can go to outside contractors and agencies and usually not have to hide why. We can upon outside experts for a lot of tasks with fewer worries. Okay, a lot of what we do is still classified but this isn't quite such a closed world anymore.”
Carter nodded thoughtfully, and then began walking out the door but Davis stopped her, “what exactly were you going to ask for anyway?”
“Well, you know the Ha'taks are capable of lifting far more then just their normal load out of an atmosphere,”
Davis just nodded.
“A proposal crossed my desk to convert one of the System Lord Ha'taks that need refitting and modernising anyway into a gas collector capable of collecting gases from the higher levels of a gas giants atmosphere such as Jupiter.”
“I thought the abundance of Deuterium in Jupiter's atmosphere was far less then Earths?”
“About 15% of the concentration on Earth.”
“Makes less economic sense then getting the supply from Earth but it has its attractions,” Davis mused, “if you change the proposal to general gas collecting, particularly normal hydrogen, ammonia, hydrogen sulphides, water…”
“Water would be the difficult one,” Carter nodded, “I would have to check but I believe the largest abundances are below a Ha'taks hard deck level. But, if water is your goal there is a lot of ice floating about the star system we could grab. All it would need really would be a purification plant to be installed.”
“Or you could use the Ha'taks heavy lifting ability and instead of making heavy freight lifting a secondary role, refit maybe two of the Ha'taks to make it a primary role,” Davis responded, and then grinned, liking the idea, “less disassembling of large components to allow them to be lifted by an Airhead, ability to transport internally.”
“Equip them with large dual-mode tanks as well and they could shift all the water and air the fleet needs,” Carter smiled, “two refitted Ha'taks could replace maybe a quarter of the Airhead and Shunter fleets.”
“Make sure you put that in the proposal,” Davis noted dryly, “I'm sure the saving in personnel and maintenance costs would have far more effect on the bean counters then any other argument you could use.”
“Right, Carter nodded firmly and with a bounce in her step, walked out of the office, leaving Davis to turn thoughtfully but smiling back to his paperwork.
Peters sighed, her expression content as she watched the activity taking place outside her window. It was, technically speaking a busy day and she should be working her arse off. Of course, working your arse off could be avoided if you knew the work was coming, could do most of it before hand and had a damn fine team backing you up.
Searcher inbound, tugs waiting should the ship need any help as it manoeuvred itself to dock to the station, to pick up supplies and replace crew after its hasty repairs at Ravenbright.
The fading, glittering lights of two new Torpedo Boats and their chase craft as the newly built moved away from the station, ready to begin commissioning trials.
The blinking brilliant lights of more Paladins arriving, these, if everything was going to schedule, should be a nearly complete but very green shipyard crew, just out of training and destined in the very long run to form the core of Gaia's crew but for the moment very much hers.
And damn, could she use the extra crew.
Of course, with Liberty nearly ready to leave her dock, the main spar between her rear engineering hull and the forward crew and control compartments having been completely rebuilt, the activity was only bound to increase.
Unless of course, something was found to be wrong again. Well, the chase Paladins were already assigned and would be arriving in a few hours. Hopefully this time she would have need of them.
Her eyes caught on two more glittering forms, swiftly darting across her view, both shining brightly as only new metal can. That tell-tale and potentially fatal glint would be dealt with once they were painted, but for now, there were new Lancers in her skies. Of course, they weren't for a new squadron, merely to help replace losses, but nonetheless, more fighters were always helpful.
Well almost always.
Now, all she needed was the arrogant Minbari to go away and her day would almost be perfect.
Almost.
Thompson glanced up swiftly as the Private guarding his door announced a visitor, smiling in recognition he gestured at the chair in front of his desk.
“Dr Jackson, good to see you again,” grinning, he gestured at the private, signalling for drinks, “Tell me, how are negotiations going with the Orbanians?”
“That is actually what I came here to discuss,” pushing his glasses back, he leaned forward, his expression earnest, “the negotiations are going very well, well enough that I am inclined to recommend a permanent Ambassador be assigned.”
“As we did with the Land of the Light and the Free Jaffa you mean,”
“Very much so,” Daniel replied, “they are quite serious about how worried they are regarding the threat from the Goa'ulds, not too surprising given their proximity to Anubis and they think we are the ones to help them.”
“Not too surprising,” the Admiral noted, “on two points, first thanks to you and original SG-1 we have a lot of goodwill with the Orban.”
“That was mainly O'Neil,” Daniel interjected and Thompson nodded, conceding the point.
“And two, there wasn't really any organized resistance until we came onto the scene.”
“That would depend on how effective you considered the Tok'ra to be,”
The look Thompson sent back in reply said all he needed too do about the supposed effectiveness of the Tok'ra. Daniel just continued, unwilling to argue the point.
“Still, of all the independents out there they are the most likely to be able to support our technology and…”
“Most of this argument I am already aware of,” Thompson interjected, “and there is a major ongoing argument about sending resources to create a base on Orban and defend it. Frankly, at this point it time, the resources just don't seem to exist for us.”
“Well,” Daniel smiled, “that's not going to be a worry. They're not talking about asking us to defend them, they're asking us to teach them how to defend themselves.”
He frowned, “I had heard rumours…”
“Yes, I discussed this off the record with Hammond before he retired,” he caught the Admirals eyes, his expression serious, “but even Hammond didn't know the full extent of it. They want a full military alliance with the long term aim of being self-sufficient in defence and co-operating with us and the Colonials offensively. They are talking quite seriously about terms for sending Urrone to us for full military training and for an initial purchase of warships to form an initial defensive force whilst they build a shipyard of their own.”
“Holy…” Thompson caught himself, and then leaned back, a punch drunk expression quickly leaving his face, “you say they are serious? ”
“Very, and given the opportunity, I would say they are quite capable of it.”
“This will change their civilisation entirely I would have thought.”
Sighing, Daniel shrugged, “They are choosing to change it. At least with our support it will be a quicker and less painful task.”
“No wonder you wanted to talk about sending a permanent Ambassador!” grimacing, the Admiral continued, “but what are they offering us?”
“Basing rights, military alliance, scientific co-operation, all of which is helpful I know but given their exposed situation and our lack of military strength, not decisive,”
“But they've mentioned something which is decisive,”
“Yes,” he replied, “they have indeed.”
“Okay,” Thompson smiled, “I think we can talk turkey.”