hathor_girl | Fic, Choices, Sam/Jolinar/Martouf/Lantash, PG-13, 12/37

12. Missions

P2X-305, the next day

Jack looks at the Stargate as it shut down. "Okay, Daniel. Please dial this address." He hands him the piece of paper Jacob had written the glyphs on the other day. "As long as you're sure you're coming? Last chance to change your mind, you know." Daniel and Teal'c both just gives him a glance that says, duh, like we would ever not go to rescue one of our team! Jack shrugs. "Okay."

Jack dials the address and they left through the wormhole that opened. Out on the other side, Jacob is waiting for them.'

"What kept you?" Jacob asks, impatiently.

"Mission was postponed an hour due to a hailstorm at the planet we were actually going to - and we couldn't very well say it didn't matter, because we were not going to check out those ruins anyway, now could we?" Jack says.

Jacob nods slowly. "True. Now, are you ready to go?"

"Whoa! I thought you were just gonna give us some Tok'ra intel, and then go back?"

"No, I'm coming with you. It's my kid." Jacob says.

"What do the Council say?" Daniel asks.

"Selmak is on the Council." Jacob sighs. "Though I'm afraid they'll probably not be too happy."

"You didn't tell them?" Jack grins.

Jacob shrugs. "Not in so many words, no."

"Yeah, Jolinar already went against their order, so one more Tok'ra doing so will not make them pleased." Daniel observes.

"Understandable. If it were on Earth, we'd all risk Court Martial. Well, we do risk Court Martial, but Jolinar and Selmak don't... well, you know what I mean." Jack says.

"Actually, while the Tok'ra can be somewhat more lenient than the Air Force, we do have harsh punishments for going against the rules. The Council will not be happy that we are risking not only yet another operative, but potentially giving the Goa'uld one more Tok'ra to torture, and so one more who can be forced to give up our secrets." Jacob tells them. "Of course, it is nothing compared to breaking one of our highest laws - like Jolinar did when she took an unwilling host." He looks angry.

"So the Council is pissed. Okay, got it!" Jack sighs. "Just like the SGC...well, we'll worry about both of them later. You had some intel, right?"

"Yes." Jacob says, and begins to relate what the Tok'ra has been able to find out.

"So, the three Tok'ra sent by the Council to blow up a lab on Stulkana, but somehow Heru'ur found out and captured them, right?" Jack asks.

"Yes, and we don't know how." Jacob hesitates. "Selmak thinks we may have another traitor, in addition to Cordesh. I sure hope she's wrong."

"I thought Tok'ra were supposed to be loyal for life?" Jack frowns.

Jacob bows his head, giving Selmak control. "Usually we are. Something unprecedented is taking place."

"Couldn't they have been switched out for Goa'uld?" Daniel suggests.

"Possibly, but it is not the Goa'uld style. Also, they do not know how to remove a symbiote without killing the host. Of course, there are sarcophagi, but it takes a long time to undo the damage of the symbiote toxin, and besides, the Tok'ra operatives often carry poison that can be used to cause near-irreparable damage to the host as well. Knowing what will happen - with the host becoming suppressed by a Goa'uld, and the secrets of the Tok'ra taken - neither a Tok'ra host nor a symbiote will allow that to happen. If an attempt to remove a Tok'ra symbiote is made, it will do as much damage as possible to the host - after making it dead or unconscious. With the host's blessing."

"Yikes - but I guess I can see the reason." Jack looks pale.

"Selfless and wise." Teal'c adds, clearly impressed.

"Okay, can we talk about something else?" Daniel says, really not liking the topic.

"Yes, of course. What I wanted to say is that it is unlikely the symbiote has been switched out. Also because a Goa'uld would have a difficult time pretending to be a Tok'ra, for more than a short period of time. The only other option is that somehow the symbiotes have been corrupted. Brainwashed. Perhaps on less dangerous missions, where they did not expect it?"

"Couldn't the Goa'uld just stun them with a stun grenade and then brainwash them? Then they would not even know there was something to worry about." Daniel suggests.

"Again, possible, but we just do not know. It is a great concern, and it is being looked into. Anise is researching the problem. Regardless, there may have been a traitor on the team that was sent to blow up the laboratory Heru'ur had on Stulkana, and that traitor turned them in, and they are now most likely in Heru'ur's prison, being interrogated - or dead."

"What about Sam, and, and Jolinar?" Daniel asks.

"Jolinar is resourceful. She will have found out, despite what the rest of the Council thinks. She has almost certainly gone to Heru'ur's homeworld, to see if she can free the prisoners. However, she may not know about the traitor, so she could be in danger because of him, or her. We are already late, and we should hurry to follow."

At Heru'ur's palace.

Since Sam/Jolinar are supposed to be a servant there - using the name of Noska from Kiwwa - we sneak out to find out what is going on, while Martouf/Lantash and Ihlkat is staying in the hiding place.

I have just made it back to the area near the kitchen, when Ha'lana shows up, looking scared. "Noska!" She whispers. "Am I glad to see you! We all woke from this commotion, and found that the Jaffa are searching the palace for the prisoners, that are apparently escaped. When I saw you were not in your bed, I feared you had been caught in all of this - since you were sent to give them food!"

"I delivered the food without incident, but one of the Jaffa was very interested in me and kept trying to get me to meet with him. Remembering what you had all told me, about not antagonizing them, I eventually agreed. We met, and spent, ah, some time together. I was on my way back to the sleeping hall when the alarm was sounded." I tell her, doing as Jolinar suggests, and hint that I have slept with the young Jaffa that was hitting on me. It is apparently common, and will work great as an excuse. After all, it is half-true, as we did at least eat together.

"Ah." Ha'lana nods, understanding. "I hope it was not too bad. Some of the Jaffa can be a bit, forceful." She looks at me with pity.

"Yes, well...he was fairly...polite." I say, not sure what to answer. He didn't really attempt anything, even if he probably would have, had we not zatted him - and now the poor guy was tied and locked up in a small storage room. Oh, well. "You said the prisoners have escaped? Are we in any danger?"

"Who knows! They are apparently fallen gods, so they probably have powers...our Lord Heru'ur has been keeping them under control and in the holding cell, but what now? He must have been distracted. Maybe they are free to use their powers as they want?" Ha'lana looks terrified. "We must hope Lord Heru'ur soon uses his might to stop them, but they are two and he is one."

"Yes. Eh, yes, we must." I am not sure how people can believe the Goa'uld are gods, and have these odd contradictory beliefs in their 'gods' being in danger and such. If they are gods, they should be immortal and invincible, should they not? Of course, this is other 'gods' he is supposed to be fighting, so maybe not? Or what? "Maybe... Lord Heru'ur has other gods to assist him, doesn't he? Minor gods, I mean."

Ha'lana nods. "Yes, of course, and while they are less powerful than him, they are still gods and so have infinite power compared to a human or Jaffa of course. I wonder if they are stronger than a fallen god?"

"How many, um, minor Gods assists Lord Heru'ur." I ask her, wanting the information.

"Normally several..." She thinks about it. "Four, but they are all away on important errands for our Lord Heru'ur right now. None of them are here. However...I have heard he has just allied with a new minor God... Takla, so maybe she can help?"

"That sounds...sounds good." I say, thinking nervously that it may be the Tok'ra that turned traitor. She knows how Martouf/Lantash and Ihlkat looks, and maybe how I look! "When did she arrive?"

"A few days ago. At the same time Lord Heru'ur captured the fallen gods. She is said to have helped him. Those who see him often, says he has been very pleased recently, so I think he is happy with her services. I am sure she can help capture the fallen gods again!" Ha'lana smiles, looking relieved.

"Perhaps we should make sure she is told about the escape? Where is her rooms?"

Ha'lana looks shocked and gasps. "No! Never approach a god without being ordered to. Haven't you learned that? Besides, why would she not already know? She is a god!"

"You're right, of course. I didn't think." I give her a bashful grin, as if I am ashamed of my stupidity. "Could you tell me where her rooms are, so I do not happen to walk near them by coincidence?"

"You would not. Servants are not allowed in that part of the palace, unless we are sent there, like when we went to serve food and drink for Lord Heru'ur. The new god's room are in a side corridor, the last on the right before reaching our Lord's rooms."

"I understand. I will take care not to go near any gods unless I absolutely have to!"

Carrying a bucket of water and some cloths - and looking submissively down - we hurry to the part of the palace where Sihklat has her quarters. Perhaps, if we are lucky, she is still in her rooms. Goa'uld do not usually go out during danger, as when prisoners are on the loose in their palace. They will wait for the Jaffa to apprehend them.

~Shouldn't we have told the others?~

~Why? Three people approaching would be more suspicious than one, and I can shoot her just as well as they can.~

We're approaching the quarters, and suddenly sense an energy signature. Looking around, we notice there are no Jaffa nearby. So it is from inside the quarters, which Jolinar confirms. ~Sure the masking drug words still?~

~We just took a new dose. Do not be such a worrier - Martouf and Lantash also worry all the time. Please do not let me suffer three of those in my life!~

~Well, perhaps you would rather be without me in your life?~ I snap at her, the stress of the situation getting to me.

~Not now.~ Jolinar takes control - without asking - and places the bucket on the floor, then whips out the zat we have hidden in our clothing.

The door to Sihklat's quarters opens and she exits, staring surprised at us. She frowns. "You, human slave! Stop!" She glares at us. "You are the former host of Jolinar!"

"No! She is the current host of Jolinar!" Jolinar says, raising her zat and firing at Sihklat. "Traitor!"

~Don't kill her! The host is innocent...and what if Sihklat has been brainwashed? It's not her fault then!~

We hear Jaffa running in our direction. ~That may be true. Regrettably, I do not have the luxury of waiting to find out.~ She fires again, killing Sihklat, and Hurvu. ~They may or may not be dead. Two shots kill all ordinary humans and Jaffa...and most Goa'uld. Some have been known to survive to heal the damage to themselves and their hosts.~ She walks up to Sihklat and pulls the hand device from her, which she had started to put on. Then Jolinar fires again, vaporizing the body. ~However, no one comes back from oblivion.~