by Geonn Cannon
She’d spent the entire night thinking about Tanis. They’d been partners, they had each other’s backs, but Vala hadn’t even thought about the other woman since she came to the SGC. Yes, she’d had other things on her mind, but still. Tanis had been more than a friend, she’d been the first true partner Vala ever had. She trusted Tanis more than anyone else in her life. She credited that bond with opening her mind to the possibility of home. It was what she believed prepared her for coming to the SGC and finding a family.
And now Tanis was in the worst prison anyone had ever conceived. Part of her horror was knowing just how easily it could have been her in that situation. She and Tanis were very much part of the same flock… no, how did people on Earth say it? Birds of a feather. They were both thieves and confidence artists, they pressed their luck, they lied and cheated and stole their way across the galaxy. And yes, Vala had been caught a few times, but she always managed to talk her way out of it eventually. There was no negotiating out of Viaxeiro, however. Tanis was counting on her and, since she had the means to help, she couldn’t turn her back.
There was a knock on the door. “Hello.” She turned and smiled when she saw Teal’c. “My dashing escort, here to make sure I don’t get lost on the way to the Stargate. How chivalrous!”
Teal’c assumed a relaxed pose just inside the door. “Colonel Mitchell wished for me to ensure you were not delayed.”
“He’s just annoyed that I’m sometimes tardy.”
“Perhaps you could counter his expectations by arriving early.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Teal’c said, “I believe we would all find it a pleasant change.”
Vala harrumphed, closed her drawer, and threw her shoulders back as she walked from the room. “Very well. Escort me if you must.”
~#~
Teal’c closed her door and fell into step beside her with his hands clasped behind his back. Vala seemed appreciative of the outfit he’d been given, though it seemed fairly standard to his eye. He wore a high-collared brown tunic underneath a matching vest, and that was covered by a long coat with a heavy mantle across his shoulders. Vala tugged at the hem of her own jacket in what he took to be an attempt at looking imposing. They stopped at the elevators and Teal’c turned to face her.
“May I make an inquiry?”
“Of course. You can ask me anything. I’m an open book.”
Teal’c raised an eyebrow, skeptical, but let the comment pass. He followed her into the elevator. “Do you believe there will be a conflict between yourself and Colonel Carter on this mission?”
“Sam? No. I don’t see why there would be.”
“On our last mission, you disobeyed — ”
“Oh, that.” She waved a hand dismissively behind her head. “That’s ancient history. Sam’s forgotten all about that. I’m sure she won’t bring it up again.”
Teal’c thought it prudent not to mention the concern was whether she could be trusted to follow orders. Vala had been in the wrong during the last mission, even if she did get them home without harm. Colonel Carter issued orders and they should have been followed. If Vala couldn’t understand the difference, he wasn’t confident this mission would go more smoothly than the last one. Regardless, he was unconcerned. The team could work together even when they weren’t on the best terms. It had been nearly a decade, and there had been dozens of missions where one of them was angry at another or some grudge was being held when they went through the gate. They were always able to put it aside and focus on their work. Hopefully the same would hold true this time.
They arrived at Level 28. Teal’c let Vala lead the way into the gate room, where the rest of the team was waiting. Sam stood at the base of the ramp, Mitchell waiting near the back wall under the observation window. Teal’c approached him.
“So, you talk to her?”
“She believes she did nothing wrong. In her opinion it is Colonel Carter who must adjust.”
Mitchell looked annoyed. “Yeah, Jackson said Carter felt pretty much the same way.”
“I must side with Colonel Carter.”
“Well, of course. Hell, this is a military unit even if the majority of it is civilian. When you’re out there in the field, you might as well be honorary officers. You take orders whether you like them or not. Jackson’s figured that out.”
“Daniel Jackson has had many years of experience. I believe if you asked General O’Neill, he would say there was a…” He searched for the proper phrase. “Learning curve.”
Mitchell said, “Sure. But we’re dealing with the Ori on one side and the Lucian Alliance on the other, and who knows what fresh hell is out there waiting to rear its ugly head next. Vala might not have the luxury of a grace period.”
Landry’s voice came from the control room above. “SG-1, you have a go. Godspeed.”
Sam turned and nodded to him. “Thank you, General. Hopefully we’ll be back before you can miss us.”
CHAPTER THREE
A STRONG wind hit them as soon as they stepped through the Stargate. Sam regretted the fact that she didn’t have her goggles and turned her head so she could get a clear view of their new location. They were on a circular stone platform with a pair of wide walkways leading away at sharp angles. The walkways were the upper stretch of ramparts that protected a city of orange-roofed buildings. Behind them was a steep drop to a rocky shoreline. Sam admired the setup. In peacetime the Stargate would be a nice decorative piece of art, but in the case of an invasion, defenders could attack from either side and drive their enemy over the edge.
Teal’c also took a moment to admire the layout, as Vala walked to the DHD and rested her elbow on the upper curve of it. She scanned the city and then spun to face the team.
“Welcome to Pezjena! If it can be bought, sold, stolen, fenced, bartered, or lost, you can find it here. Services also rendered for a reasonable fee. The majority of people here are Lucian Alliance or at least hope to be. Their planets suffered after the Goa’uld were defeated so they set out into the universe to make their fortunes in whatever manner presented itself. That manner was usually criminal, no matter which planet’s laws you use.”
“Theft is theft,” Mitchell said.
“Exactly. It’s common throughout the galaxy, people have something and someone else wants it. Once someone has a thing, they want to keep it. This breeds conflict.”
Daniel looked out across the spread of buildings, homes clustered within the safety of the walls before following the slope of the cliff to a larger, palatial estate. “This is a pretty sizable town, Vala. Are we supposed to just walk around asking people if they know anything about Tanis?”
“Of course not, don’t be ridiculous.” She started walking down one of the promenades, and the team had no choice but to follow her. “Tanis and I came through here all the time. We knew who offered the best deals and where to get the best drinks. I know exactly where to look.”
Mitchell said, “We’re going to stick out like sore thumbs if the five of us go tramping in there all at once. Jackson, you go with her and — ”
“No. Not Daniel. Sam.”
Sam wanted to refuse on principle. “Why me?”
“People would think he’s a mark. No offense, Daniel, they’d think that about any man I walked in with. But you especially. You’re not exactly the best liar.”
“I don’t know if I should be offended or relieved.”
Mitchell said, “And you think people will buy Carter here as a fellow thief?”
Sam glared at him over her shoulder. “I swear, if you call me Mary Poppins again…”
Vala rolled her eyes and turned around, walking backward without breaking stride. She pointed at each man in turn. “Teal’c is a Jaffa, which would raise far too many questions. Daniel isn’t believable as being my equal — ”
Daniel pulled a face. Vala ignored him.
“And the last time you, Colonel Mitchell, tried to pull a fast one on the Lucian Alliance, yo
u got the entire team captured.”
Mitchell said, “Hey! One, the Stargate got stolen in the middle of our escape. That’s not my fault. And two, you weren’t even there! How’d you know about that?”
“The base talks.” Vala hooked her arm around Sam’s and pulled her close with enough force that Sam almost tripped over her own feet. “The truth is that out of everyone on the team, Sam is the only one who is believable as my new partner in crime. She’s smart and resourceful, and she’s pretty enough that anyone will overlook their misgivings just to keep her in the room.”
Sam narrowed her eyes. “Thank you…?”
“You’re welcome.” She flipped her hair out of her face and looked at the men. “Now, boys. You hang around outside in case there’s any trouble. Feel free to discreetly ask around for anything anyone might have heard about Tanis or Viaxeiro.”
“Who exactly put you in charge?” Mitchell asked.
Teal’c said, “It is only reasonable for Vala to take the lead, as she is the most familiar with this world and its inhabitants.”
Vala beamed at him. “I knew you would have my back.”
He raised an eyebrow and said nothing.
Mitchell sighed. “Fine. There’s no point arguing. Sam will go in with you and we’ll hang around outside. If there’s any trouble we’ll come running.”
The promenade widened into a cobblestone square filled with people. Sam realized another benefit of the Stargate’s high-ground placement was that new arrivals could be seen from anywhere in town. Everyone they passed took a moment to check them out, scanning for weapons or something worth stealing. Fortunately Teal’c was imposing enough that no one made an attempt to pickpocket the team as they cut a path through the crowd. Vala led them with her chin held high, unwavering in her confidence.
Mitchell fell into step beside Sam. They shared a look and he broke off. Daniel and Teal’c followed him and the three men were soon absorbed by the crowd.
Vala gestured at a tavern up ahead. “This is where we’re going. It’s called Lon’may. They serve drinks and snacks but it’s mostly a place where people can meet up with other people. Neutral ground to work out deals without worrying about being stabbed in the back.”
“You mean that figuratively, right?”
“Hm?”
“There’s no actual stabbing risk in this city.”
“Uh.”
“Vala…”
“No. Very little risk of stabbing.” She pushed through the door and muttered, “Some light zatting at the absolute worst…”
Sam rolled her eyes and followed Vala inside.
She’d been in a great many bars and taverns in her time with SG-1, both on Earth and off. The majority of them seemed to use some kind of universal blueprint. It was probably hard to advance the science of people buying alcohol and sitting to get drunk. Here, the bar was a recessed pit in the center of the room with a rail around the edge where customers could place their orders. Sam saw five or six people down in the pit preparing the drinks. Most patrons were seated at tables along the wall, but more than a few chose to stand in random clusters as if this was a cocktail party instead of a business.
Vala kept her head down, her face turned in a way that appeared casual but kept anyone from getting a full-on look at her.
“Worried about being recognized by the wrong person?”
“One doesn’t gain a reputation by making friends. Well… you do… but then you occasionally have to betray them, and feelings get hurt.”
“Right.”
They managed to reach the center of the room without being spotted. Vala rested her elbows on the rail and scanned the room. Sam stood behind her and tried to look like she belonged.
“Well?”
“I’m looking,” Vala said. “Patience. The odds that Tanis’ contact will be here at the same time we show up are astronomical. We may have to wait for hours until I see anyone who looks even slightly familiar. And the odds of that person being the one we’re supposed to meet…”
Her voice trailed off.
“Oh… no,” Vala said in a small voice.
Sam tried to spot the source of Vala’s sudden mood shift. “What’s wrong?” A waiter had moved away from one of the far tables to reveal its occupants to her. One man was sitting with his back to the corner so he could see the whole room. He was small at the shoulders and wide at the waist, wedged behind his table with a woman on either side of him. He had a small mustache that obscured his lips, the white hairs stained by the orange drink which had just been refilled.
Vala put her hands on Sam’s shoulders and tried ushering her away from the bar, toward the door. “It would appear I made a grave miscalculation. A completely innocent mistake, anyone could have done the same in my situation, so I really don’t think this should count against me. No harm, no foul, that’s what humans say, isn’t it? But we really have to go back to the Stargate right now or there will certainly be much harm and several fouls.”
“A miscalculation?” Sam said, struggling to keep the irritation from her voice. “What miscalculation?”
Vala was frantic. “Tanis’ message. She wasn’t telling me to come save her, she was warning me to stay away.”
Sam muttered a curse. She and Vala headed for the exit, but they’d only taken a few steps when they were stopped by a bellowing man with a voice loud enough to rattle the mugs hanging from the ceiling.
“Vala! Mal! Do-raaaan!”
The room became deathly still. Heads turned toward them, and the door was suddenly blocked by a pair of men who weren’t even bothering to conceal the weapons on their hips.
Vala cringed and shrank into herself. “Damn.” She moved her face closer to the lapel of Sam’s shirt. “Colonel Mitchell, Daniel, Teal’c, if you’re listening, your assistance would be greatly appreciated.” She spun around and faked a laugh, spreading her arms out wide. “Jebauth! Jebauth Kavma, is that you? Why, you are half the size you were last time you graced me with your presence. It must be all that clean living! Well, it’s been wonderful catching up, but my companion and I have a pressing engagement somewhere far, far away from — ” Strong arms grabbed her from behind. “ — here.”
Sam started to protest, but she was grabbed as well. She rocked her head back into the jaw of whoever was behind her and stepped out of his grip. She pivoted and planted her foot in the man’s gut, kicking him away as two more lunged forward to take his place. By the time they were close enough to grab her, Sam had freed her zat from her belt and fired once at each attacker. Vala called out a warning but it came too late. Sam’s hand was hit by a wooden club, forcing her to drop the zat, and she was swarmed from all sides.
The large man had spent the scuffle getting out from behind his table. He laughed heartily, clapping his hands as he approached them.
“It’s good to see you’re still attracting lively partners, Vala,” he said.
“Kavma,” Vala said, sounding offended, “What is all of this? Surely we could talk about this. It’s probably just a silly misunderstanding.”
His eyebrows rose. “A misunderstanding? You and Tanis walked away with half my storehouse and left me with a ship full of worthless baubles. Perhaps the misunderstanding is that you meant to take me for everything. Is that what you mean?”
Vala laughed nervously. “We all make mistakes.”
“I suppose we do.” He rested his hands on his stomach. “And the true measure of a person is how they respond when it comes time to pay for those mistakes. I knew when that message got dropped in my lap it would be the perfect bait to draw you here. I altered it so you would think it was a cry for help instead of a warning, and then I added this address so you would fall right into my lap when you came running. I heard you were hiding out with the Tau’ri, so I made sure it was sent their way.” He looked at Sam. “I don’t know who you are, but if you’re associating with Mal Doran here, then you’re definitely guilty of something. So I’m not going to lose any sleep about detaini
ng you as well.”
“Now wait a minute…” Sam started to struggle, but the hand on her right arm squeezed and pinched a nerve. Her hand still stung from being hit with the club, and she wasn’t confident she could hold or aim a weapon at the moment.
“Look at the bright side, Vala,” Kavma said with an unctuous smile. “You can now consider your debt to me paid in full. Say hello to Tanis when you see her.”
“You can say it yourself when — ”
Whatever else Vala intended to say was cut off by a blast of Sam’s zat. Vala’s body went rigid, her eyes rolling back in her head in a manner that made it seem like she was more exasperated than pained. The charge passed through her body and someone standing behind her kept her from hitting the floor. Kavma looked at Sam again.
“As I said, stranger, this isn’t personal.”
“You son of a—” Sam bit off the word as she was hit with her own weapon. The person holding her let go, so as not to be affected by the blast, but grabbed her again as her legs became rubbery and she fell into unconsciousness…
CHAPTER FOUR
THE MERCHANT pulled the shawl from Daniel’s grip, dropped it back down on the table, and used two fingers to motion him away. Daniel tried to placate the man. “It’s not for me, it’s for my friend. We are… ah… we’re buying…” He waved his hands, obviously trying to think of a way to explain. “We have to supply a large number of people with outfits for any number of unpredictable situations…”
Cam stepped forward, slapped some of the currency Vala had given him on the counter, and grabbed an appropriate number of items from the display.
“They’re for his wife,” he explained.
The merchant didn’t look happy, but he finally gave up on trying to stop them from buying. Daniel looked annoyed that he’d never been able to get his point across. They had waited outside the pub for a few minutes until they started getting curious looks from the locals, so Cam suggested browsing a little so they didn’t stand out quite as much. It was Daniel who suggested buying some “non-Tau’ri” clothes for future covert missions.
