Hey there! I guess it's time to start wrapping this puppy up! Sorry about the wait, and thank you soooo much for reading and reviewing.

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Ch. 12: The Battle part 1.

Asura took a seat at the head of the table located in the aptly named 'situation room'. This briefing was going to be quick, because time was of the essence.

After everyone was situated, Weir gave a nod and a technician took the cue to close the Lantean doors that encircled the room. They were now in complete privacy.

"First order of business," Asura calmly started, "Sith. Also known as dark Jedi." She licked her lips in thought and wondered how to continue. The Sith weren't exactly an entity she had ever had the privilege to primarily describe. As everyone in her galaxy had the firsthand account of who and what they were. "They are a group of force-users…"

"Uh, force-users? Like yourself?" Rodney interrupted. Of course he would be the first to interject.

"Yes. Force sensitive. However, like me? Not at all. Just like the yin and yang of your world," she saw Sheppard raise his brow at her mentioning this, she addressed it. "I apologize, I've been doing some light reading on your planet …" She then continued, "Just like the yin and yang, there is a dark to every light. Black and white. Good and evil," Asura deftly avoided commenting on Rodney's 'men and women' quip although she managed to see both Weir and Teyla roll their eyes, "But in the philosophy behind the yin and yang, the light cannot exist without shadow and life cannot exist without death."

Weir crossed her arms in front of her chest. "So these 'Sith' represent the opposite of your beliefs?"

Asura nodded. Recalling the blood bath they may or may not be threading its way throughout her own galaxy due to these so called 'visionaries'. "Pain, suffering. Evil. The dark side of the Force is strong. I won't deny that. But it's chaotic, superficial." She shook her head. "There's no rhyme or reason to their beliefs other than rising above and terrorizing others through conflict and struggle."

"I think of a few in this galaxy like that…" Ronan said. He gave John an uneasy look.

Sheppard nodded. "And fortunately the Wraith don't require order and hive ships are competitive, otherwise we'd have a hell of a fight on our hands."

Asura heaved a sigh and nodded. "And that's it exactly, … Simeon is controlling that hive ship. If he wanted to, he could control the entirety of the Wrath populace." Literally everyone around the table looked shocked and someone unnerved. She added, "And he's adding a hyperdrive to that ship. He has the knowledge and the skill. With his power and ability, he could control all the Wraith ships in the entire sector, let alone this galaxy. The only reason I know any of this, is he impressed his mind upon mine during our last encounter. In order to paralyze me... "

Weir opened her mouth to comment on this revelation but Rodney beat her to it.

"First of all," McKay snorted, "Hyperdrive? As in traveling at hyper speed, I'm guessing? Faster than light? Hive ships cannot withstand that travel. And he would require a ZedPM. Which the Wraith DO NOT have. And never will, as they do not require one."

"And Simeon won't require one either."

"It's a physical impossibility. I don't know about your galaxy, but you cannot physically fly at the speed of light without an external output of power and inertial dampeners beyond that of a hive ship hull."

"Just because you don't think it's possible doesn't mean it won't happen. And it will. Simeon will equip his ship and lead the Wraith to Earth."

Before McKay could open his mouth once more, John intervened. "So what do you propose, Jedi?"

"Find me transport to the hive ship. In order to preserve the lives of billions and the integrity of this galaxy, I will face my former teacher. And only one of us will stand." Asura formed her lips into a grim line at the thought of such a daunting notion, but it was her destiny to face Simeon once again.

"I'm sorry I can't help but ask…uh, former teacher?" Sheppard questioned.

"Yeah, when this all blows over, have I got stories to share."

"We have no time to lose." Teyla was the first to stand up, her inate warrior's spirit shining through.

Weir wasted absolutely no time and had Chuck in the control room once again contact Colonel Caldwell. As soon as his face appeared on the screen, it spoke volumes. Apparently he regarded this as a suicide mission.

"I'm sorry doctor Weir, but you want her transported back onto the hive ship?"

"Precisely Colonel, can you please send us your coordinates? We will act accordingly." Within seconds, the Daedalus location was transmitted to Atlantis. Chuck immediately found the planetary system with gate access closest to the Daedalus. It was also in range with the ground-zero hive ship.

John appeared beside her and peered over Chuck's shoulder. "NCC-X66. A little cold. But it'll work for us."

"Us?" Weir queried while simultaneously shutting off the comm channel with Caldwell. "John please tell me you cannot be contemplating going with her."

"Ronan, Teyla and I. And yes, I guess we are contemplating."

"Of course you three would," she leaned in closer to not cause an alarm with raising her voice, "but I cannot approve of you and your 'team' accompanying her."

"We can't let her go alone. And I do consider her on my team, therefore I need to support her."

"You heard what this Simeon is capable of, and you're going to be on a Wraith ship, John." Weir's voice was even, but her manner displayed anything but.

"She's a Jedi. And as military commander of this operation, I'm going."

Weir narrowed her eyes and set her jaw.

Sheppard patted her shoulder. "We'll be back in time for dinner."

With John's cue, Chuck set the sequence for NCC-X66 and the gate erupted to life.

Ronan, stocked to the hilt with weaponry, sauntered up. His gait suggested nothing more than the desire for extreme ass-kickery. Teyla wasn't far behind, however she only donned her handgun and P90.

Asura was last, as she had changed into a fresh set of clothing. Military standard gray fatigues, not a robe in sight.

Rodney sized her up. "No weapon?"

"Simeon took my last… " Asura opted not to mention that he had given back her old one and still bested her while she had both in her possession. "But no worries, I'll be getting it back. Not to mention, his as well."

Weir crossed her arms. "I'm still worried."

Ronan, Teyla and Asura were already down on the floor and waiting by the gate.

John gave one last goodbye to Weir. "We're off to save the galaxy, and Earth. Don't wait up for us!" He then trotted down the stairs toward his awaiting team.

With John flanking the line, the foursome entered through the gate and seemingly simultaneously exited into a snowy wasteland of nothingness.

Teyla suppressed a shiver. "I remember when there was a bustling community on this planet."

John winced from a gust of arctic wind. "Really? What happened?"

Ronan muttered, "What do you think?"

"Slightly more welcoming than Hoth, as long as there are no ice monsters…" Asura added before all four were suddenly beamed away. The scenery changed completely, along with their temperatures. The team now stood on the beaming platform of the Daedalus, and not a snowy drift of nothingness.

Caldwell, without much of a hello, acknowledged Asura first. "I'm surprised you're back so fast."

"I have a score to settle and an evil to extricate. Among other things on my to-do list."

Caldwell leveled with Sheppard, "We're just now within range with the hive ship without having to be picked up on their radar or sensors. And we'd like to keep it that way. Are you ready?"

"Born ready, sir." Sheppard gave a nod.

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

Asura, once again, was greeted with the dank, dark sight and stench of the Wraith hive ship. It was like the under belly of Nar Shadaa or Coronet City on Corellia. Nowhere a weary traveler or amateur should visit, less you desired a fate worse than death. And through her force sense, nothing felt 'right' about a Wraith hive ship. Naturally so.

Her three companions already had their weapons at their ready, any possible threat was as good as gone. Asura felt through the force and looked around her.

"Three coming from the left corridor. Two meters away. A large group of drones to the right behind these cocoons." Asura lowered her voice and narrowed her eyes. "He knows we're here. We're just in time. He was getting ready to make the jump to hyperspace."

"Lead the way," Sheppard said, giving her the go-ahead.

Asura didn't have the heart to tell them about the ambush awaiting them, but she did just so. "Thirty. Dead ahead. More behind. Ronan," the runner looked at her, "give me one of your weapons. This is going to get messy."

With that, he tossed her a gun that resembled a blaster.

Asura smirked. Actually, things were going to get fun.