A witch's Redemption.

"Thank you Colonel, I will inform the Princesses"
Colonel Caldwell nodded "Thankyou Dr Jackson, we'll be staying another day to spend some time on repairs and drop off some personnel for the 'scabbard' and then randavo with the Sun' Tzu and Hyperion"

"I'll leave you too it Colonel, Novas out" the screen cut to black and Caldwell turn to the for word view port and at the immense scaffolding's of the 'Scabbard'and the 'Excalibur' hanging within.

"Daniel seems to handling things well" the Colonel's guest commented.

"It's good to see that someone hasn't given up on earth just yet Carter" He said as the other Colonel joined him "any Idea when she'll be ready to go?" Caldwell asked gesturing to the 'Excalibur'

"Her jump engine and navigation are just going through some last minute checks checks and we're loading the last of the 'furies' now so probably by the morning" Carter saw another jumper pass the viewport "The Second Destroyer of her class, if she's anything like the Warlock then I'll be proud to be her commander"

"I still don't know why General O'Neil wanted her built here instead of at Proxima"

The Colonel shrugged "Jack only told me about this Warlock after he took the Hammond away from me" it was obvious that she was still annoyed by this.

The 'Excalibur' was the newest of the new Warlock class destroyer line to be deployed along the new Hyperion and HC305 class ships.
There were two more under construction with the Sorceress due to be completed next month and the Solaris later in the year, Caldwell had heard rumours that the Solaris was going to be given to Equestria as thanks for their help here.

"I'm going down there later tonight to pick her up" Carter said "After that and we pick up the last of the Replicator and pony crewmembers we'll head out"

"So why are you adding ponies to your crew?" Caldwell found himself asking "The Replicators I get but why ponies?"

"Its partially thanks to them that we finished the 'Excalibur' so fast anyway, that and Daniel recommended them"

Carter began to leave "Well I'm due to meet with Major Santiago and her sister so I'll be getting out of your hair" as she stepped out into the corridor she called back "Good luck Colonel"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Lucy in the months she had known her sister had never seen her so worried, they had just heard from Solar Flare about the attack on Equestria when Mitchell had called them to his office.

It had been a month since Lucy had been freed from Witch's control and she had become the barer of the shadow scythe and crimson rose, Maria and the Princesses had been out several times to look for the device they needed to spread the cure, all of which Lucy had been left behind.

"Maria I'm sure Equestrias fine" Lucy told Maria for the unteenth time "and I heard their sending the Deadlus with three two other ships

"I know I shouldn't worry" Maria said with a sad smile "But i owe the ponies of Equestria allot"

They arrived at Mitchell"s office and knocked "Come in!"

As usual there sat sat Colonel Mitchell behind mountains of paperwork, standing beside him was a tall woman waring a black SGC uniform, she was another Colonel if her command bars were right, once Lucy closed the door Maria stood to attention and saluted "Colonels!"

"Santiago I told you that you don't have to do that crap round me" Mitchell said with a disapproving wave of his hand.

"Sorry Sir... Old habits die hard"

"Nevermind... I'm sure you know Colonel Carter" the other Colonel reached out and shook Maria and Lucy's hands in turn. "Yes Sir, but I though you were in command of the Hammond?" Maria asked "I thought only the Deadlus was in orbit"

"She is" Carter said with a sad smile "I was reassigned to a new ship... The 'Excaliber'"

Maria frowned "I've never heard of her before" she said "How long has she been in service?"

"She actually hasn't had any service time" Carter explained "She's a new Destroyer, Todays going to be her first day of service, which brings me to the point of our meeting... Ms Santiago I would Like you to accompany the 'Excalibur' on her first mission"

"With all due respect Colonel, I already had a mission that needs to be finished" Maria said.

"I understand that Major... But I want referring to you" the Colonel's gaze fell upon Lucy "I would Like your sister to accompany me". Lucy looked at Carter startled "Me?!"

"Why do you need Lucy?" Maria asked shifting into protective sister mode. Carter responded by taking a folder from Mitchell's desk "This was found by the 'Hyperion' a month ago"

Lucy took the folder and opened it, inside were a number of photos and documents, the top picture showed a large Space station the size of a small city surrounded by asteroids.

Lucy passed the picture to Maria who looked at the picture intently "The boy and girls at Atlantis did some digging and found out some interesting information but not allot" Mitchell told them gesturing for Carter to continue"The station was used apparently in another war that the ancients had before leaving for Pegasus, but what interested us was who they were fighting"

Lucy read one of the documents and felt her eyes widen "the Vorsoth..."

"That's right, apparently the Ancients fought and defeated them sometime and this was one of their primary bases" he sat forward in his chair "If the Vorsoth are returning then we need to find out how the Ancients beat em before"

"That still doesn't explain why you need Lucy" Maria said looking intrigued by this information "Why don't you just go there and get the information?"

"because we also found out that the station can only be brought online with a certain key" Carter turned her gaze back to Lucy "one we didn't know the location of untill now"

Lucy unconsciously reached up to the Crimson Rose around her neck "you mean..." "Yep. That little Rose of yours is what we need to bring that station back online"

Lucy looked up to Maria who looked deep in thought, Lucy knew that it was up to her is she went and she really wanted to go, if there was a chance that she could help even if it was only a little bit then she was going to do it.

"Sis I think I should go" Lucy said earning a quizzing look from her sister "I know you want me safe and technically I'll be allot safer inboard a heavily armed Destroyer has got to be safer then being on a planet full of Zombies"

Maria thought this over for a minute before giving the two Colonels her answer "Ok... But on one condition..."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Lucy sat in the back of a Puddle Jumper that was about to leave the 'Deadlus's' hanger, sat next to her on both sides was Applejack and Solar Flare with Reppy sat on Lucy's knees.

"Ah can't believe we're in space!" Applejack exclaimed "Pinky Pies never going to believe me when ah tell her"

"Yes It is quite and experience" Solar Flare agreed "But I am going to be even more exited when we see the 'Excalibur'. I was told by some of the pilots that it was quite a sight"

They heard the a faint hum as the Jumper lifted off and flew out of the hanger, thanks to the inertial dampeners they didn't feel any g-force as they they speed off. A moment later they heard Colonel Carter call back "Your four might want to see this"

They each got up and walked into the cockpit, out side the window lay the 'Scabbard' and within it's scaffolding lay the 'Excalibur' herself. It was a large ship with long main body with the large engines at the back. On both one ether side was a single large pod with 14 missile silos on each, 6 large and 8 small. To top off it's visible arsenal were a number if large cannons placed from fore to aft of the mighty vessel.
Along the neck hull plating of the ship the name EXCALIBUR was printed in bold black along with the number 2 along her engine block, meaning she was the second of her class.

(http://th08.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/106/8/a/warlock_class_destroyer_by_roen911-d61yl2e.jpg)

"Well will you look at that..." Applejack said with awe.

"it puts anything Equestrias got to shame" Solar Flare remarked with equal awe.

"Maybe not for long not for long" Carter said "I hear you might be getting one before long. But you didn't hear that from me" she said with a wink.

Lucy glanced at both her companions and could tell they wanted to see what made the impressive warship tick, even Applejack who Lucy had been surprised to find had a fascination with technology dispute her upbringing.

But in Lucy's personal opinion... The 'Excalibur' was a thing of beauty and a glance at its commander told her that Carter was truly full of pride at being given command of the Destroyer.

It was going to be an interesting few weeks...

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Carter stepped into the organized chaos that was the bridge of the 'Excalibur' with everyone was busy getting ready for the ship's first flight, everything was getting checked and double checked from weapons to navigation nothing was being left to chance as one malfunctioning piece of equipment could mean life or death. The Bridge was circular in design with the command chair in the center, Tactical and Navigation at the front and the other stations around the outside. There was a set of double doors at the rear of the room that lead to the strategic planning room.

The Warlock Destroyers were truly one of the most advanced warships in humanity's arsenal with enough firepower to dispatch a Wraith Hiveship with ease and the ability to carry four squadrons of new Starfuries and two squadrons of Thunderbolts, significantly more fighters then the 304s but not as many as the 305.

Carter sat down in her chair and turned to her first officer Major Tyrone Franklin "how are we looking Major?"

The man turned to the bridge crew "Status"

"Propulsion and Navigation Fully operational" Captain Dave Kleinman reported "Jump engine's fully charged"

"All guns report fully operational and shields fully charged Sir!" Major Kevin Marks said.

"Sensors and communications at 100% efficiency Mam"

"All 48 Fighters on standby and all auxiliary transports are secure"

"All stations ready Colonel" Tyrone reported barley keeping the pride out of his voice "We're ready to depart"

Carter nodded satisfied"hail the 'Scabbard' and tell them we're ready to head out"

"Yes Mam, 'Excalibur' to 'Scabbard'" the line was silent before someone answered "'Scabbard' here, what's up?" "'Excalibur' requesting permission to leave dock"

"Sure thing 'Excalibur', let me just uncouple you"

Along the 'Excalibur's' hull, multiple clamps and umbilical's detached themselves for the first and final time separating ship from station. "Ok Colonel she's all yours... Good hunting"
"Ok lets take this slow..." Carter said to herself "Bring us out slow and steady"

After a year of construction the 'Excalibur's engine's burst into life and slowly pushed the Destroyer forward into the void, passing the last of the scaffolding of the 'Scabbard' and with a brighter flare of it's engines boosted towards deep space.

One the they were far enough from the planet Carter gave an order "Bring the main jump engine online and... Jump!"

There was a flash of light followed by a red swirling gateway of a jump point, as the 'Excalibur' approached the jump point it boosted through, hurtling into the hellish storms of hyperspace.

The 'Excalibur' was away. Traveling towards it's destination and a yet undetermined path.))