Introduction 

With Goa’uld scouts combing through the galaxy in the hopes of locating the Phoenix Site, tensions are growing. There may be a narrow chance to gain an upper hand, as reports reach SGP of a downed Asgard vessel. There is a chance that the heroes may be able to recover this ship – but it won’t be easy, as Goa’uld forces are moving in. 

Timeline 

This “episode” starts on February 5, 2003, near the events in Season 6 Episode 20 of Stargate SG1, “Memento.” 

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Act 1: A wing and a prayer 

Phoenix-6 has been stood down for the last week, so when the opportunity to observe a test of the artifact they have recovered when Zirstyr had come over to their side arises they jump at the chance. Thus, they were in the observation room overlooking a laboratory where Zirstyr and a Tok’ra scientist called Kurser who is overseeing a delicate procedure. They are connecting the artifact to a battery to siphon a fraction of its power. As they make the connection a high-pitched hum turns into a sharp squeal, almost like a scream. Spears of white light shoot out of the cube. The combination of the blinding light and the scream assaulting their senses. They hear over the scream Kurser shouting about radiation levels spiking. They see Zristyr push Kurser out the way as a wave of energy washes out and slams her into the closed door. Then every return to normal. 

The team rushes down just as Kurser reopens the door, telling them the radiation levels and returned to normal. Zristyr is okay, a mild concussion but no other signs of injury, not even radiation burns. The Artifact however, where the power leads were connected had been burned away. The layer below was a copper colour. 

While clearing up the mess and helping the wounded Zirstyr Phoenix-6 is ordered to the Generals office. He had just gotten a communication from the Asgard that the meeting that Phoenix-9 had been attending with an Asgard delegation was ambushed by Deathgliders and was shot down over P2X-649. Contact hasn’t been established but the planet has a stargate. The General is sending Phoenix-6 to find and investigate the crash. The Asgard have given their permission for Phoenix to salvage the ship. Anything that can be learnt from the Asgard ship is likely to advance Human technology in leaps and bounds. 

To help on their mission they were getting an ‘expert’ from Earth. Doctor Rodney McKay arrived shortly after, and the team prepped for the mission. As the world they were travelling to had slightly less gravity than normal the team kitted up extra gear. 

As they stand in the gateroom waiting for Rodney, Zirstyr arrives apparently ready to go off world with them. She insists that she would be of help and her experience with advanced technology; which Earthlings do not have, would make her an ideal companion. The General decides to leave that in hands of the team, who collectivly decide to allow her to join them. 

When McKay arrives, he has several large bags of equipment which he expects the team to carry for him, his own pack being rather smaller and lighter! He is not happy with Zirstyr joining them but is quickly overruled! 

Act 2: Against the clock 

Unknown to Phoenix-6 the damage the Asgard ship had suffered had set the self district counting down. They had a deadline! 

Stepping on to P2X-649 and into a thick, overgrown tropical jungle. Densely packed tress severely cut back as the gate opened, and the unstable vortex reached out. The sky peeking through the canopy is tinted red. With the gate shut down the only light was sunlight, and in this light the foliage appears a dark purple. The sap slowly running down the trees smells like oranges. 

“Is that citrus I smell?!? I am deathly allergic to that!” said McKay with a tone of panic. 

They take their time to investigate their surroundings. They conclude that the plants must take their nutrients from the soil rather than through photosynthesis. This is likely to due to the local star being a red dwarf and close to its dying days. Taking off in the direction in which the ship has been reported to have crashed they put McKay and Zirstyr in the middle of their marching order. 

McKay, insisting he knows where he is going also notes that the ship is several hours walk. Zirstyr is unconvinced that he knows where he is leading them and it only seems to be getting hotter. When the thermometer hits 110 degrees Fahrenheit they stop under the shade of the canopy and rehydrate.  

After drinking and a snack, they move on again. They come across a series of strange clearings, a burst of super-heated steam clues them in; this clearing is filled with geysers; and from the sounds of it there were other clearings nearby. They could find a way around but that would add hours. They decide to risk the clearings; they watch for a few minutes and work out the timings. Then they cross avoiding the geysers and get through the frist clearing without any problems. Four more until they are past the clearings and they are on their way again. 

Now several hours since they came through the stargate the sun is now directly overhead, and the team is starting to flag a little. It is hot and humid and the bickering between McKay and Zirstyr is starting to get on everyone’s few remaining nerves. 

It comes to a head when Zirstyr drops her pack and declares “Twenty, McKay – that is twenty insects that have bitten me in the last hour. Are you trying to feed us to them? Admit it! You have no idea where you are leading us, do you?” as one might have expected they start to argue. 

With eyes rolling and sighs Phoenix-6 start to try and calm them both down; both are adamant that they are correct and neither wishes to back down. They are reasoned with, telling each that the longer they stand around whining at each other the longer it will take to get to the ship. The deciding factor were several unmistakable shots from a Ma’Tok staff weapon. There were Jaffa on the planet, and they were shooting at something or someone. 

Moving on they soon come to the edge of the tropical forest, below them is a sheltered cove. The large form of the Asgardian ship laying a few dozen meters offshore. Only the very top of the hull along with a large virtial ring at the back visible above the gently lapping waves. Large formation of rock little the sandy beach and it is here that the team decide to lay in wait for the Jaffa to catch up to them. 

It wasn’t long after setting up that a dozen Jaffa guards stumbled out of the forest, looking worse for wear. Whatever they had fought in the forest had scored some hits of its own. They didn’t get the chance to spot Phoenix-6 before they were fired upon. The resulting firefight was short but brutal, in less than a minute all the Jaffa were dead never having gotten onto the beach. 

With the Jaffa ‘dealt’ with Phoenix-6 now turn to the task of getting aboard the Asgard vessel. Mc’Kay seems to have been prepared. He quickly pulls cords attached to each of the bags he had brought, a floatation device is quickly deployed. The bags will not get wet but everyone else will need to swim the short distance to the ship’s airlock. 

Act 3: To Raise the Hammer 

The team must bypass the doors locking mechanism, the control systems were damaged either in the attack or the crash. Either way it is a tense few minutes as Dylon and Lucas work to open the airlock, if there was one Jaffa party there would be more to follow.  

As they pull the door open and enter the ship there is a strong scent of ozone, the lights are dim. The air is cool, it is a stark contrast to the hot, humid and bright light outside. McKay jinxes them all by declaring that he doesn’t think there will be any more trouble from now on. 

Four small drones drift down towards them; they are ball shaped around a meter across, the closest fires a pulse of energy at McKay. He dives for cover and the pulse splashes on the bulkhead behind them. So soon after their last battle, Phoenix-6 doesn’t want to fight. Dylon, taking cover behind a wall strut accesses a control station and attempts to get into the system to shut down the drones. Afterall they could be useful. It takes only seconds, and he takes one of them down, it falls to the ground with a thump and rolls to a stop. 

Once again, the fight is over before it could become protracted. While the drones might have been a problem in numbers, just four of them were not a match for the fire power leveled at them. Dylon didn’t even get a chance to hack a second drone before the last was dropped, a large hole in through it. 

With more care this time, they move on again heading towards a control room or at least the engine room. They come across bodies, all dead. Both Asgard and those of Phoenix-9, they didn’t survive the attack, or the crash. Arriving at the ships core McKay quickly gets to work to disarm the ships self-destruct. As he does do the stead hum and vibration they had been feeling since boarding fades away. 

Before anyone could do more than wonder what their next actions would be the ship shakes slightly and a loud sound, like an aircraft screams above their heads. McKay calls up the sensor readings and exclaims that there is a Tel’tak and it is dropping reinforcements. Emily and Naomi head up with the Anti-Marital rifle Emily had brought with her while Dylon and Lucas turn to the Asgard ships own weapons, an antipersonnel turret is operational, it might be enough to bring the shuttle down?! 

Two well placed shots from the energy cannon on the Asgard shot stripped armour from the Tal’Tek allowing for a brilliant shot from Emily which punched through the armour into the engine slowing its ability to turn allowing her to line up a shot which shattered the windscreen and killed the pilot. The Jaffa shuttle pitched and slammed into the forest several kilometers away with a fireball reaching high into the cloudless sky. 

With the ship secure the team make sure that they can defend it should them need to. The ships single working turret would do much of the heavy lifting but with the vantage point on top of the ship Emily and Naomi would have a commanding view. They radioed into Phoenix base once the scheduled dial up took place.