Female of the Species

by Geonn Cannon

  “That’s right. I’m — ”

  The woman cut her off. “We are the Cai Thior. We are afforded certain comforts in exchange for our loyalty to Lokelani. Most of us have proven ourselves to her. But according to local gossip, you arrived yesterday. What makes you so special?”

  Sam said, “She felt bad for me, I suppose. I didn’t have anywhere else to turn.”

  Another woman, this one brunette wearing a pair of rudimentary spectacles, shook her head. “We are her strength. She would not choose someone out of pity. What is your real strength?”

  Obviously playing the weakling wouldn’t work with these women. Sam remembered something Tanis had said. “A clever hawk hides its claws,” she said, squaring her shoulders and trying her best to look intimidating. “Lokelani saw something in me, but that doesn’t mean I have to tell you what that is. When and if the time arrives when you need to know what I bring to the table, I’ll be happy to demonstrate. For now, it looks like what you need the most help with is organization. I’m willing to lend a hand or I could just keep exploring my new home. It’s up to you.”

  The older woman considered the reply. Finally she relaxed and gestured at the far table. “You can sort the extrinsic items. Writing tools, baubles, things which aren’t absolutely necessary for living. Sort them into the appropriate boxes. My name is Aalid. The one with poor eyesight is Calyree, and she is Onora.” The other woman, who had been silently observing with a judgmental look on her face, simply nodded and went back to her sorting.

  “My name is Fraiser,” Sam said.

  Every time she said the name or heard someone else say it, she felt Janet watching over her. Janet, who never stood down in the face of tremendous odds, who could stare down generals and Jaffa without flinching. I need a little bit of that steel spine, Janet, she thought as she moved toward the table. Fighting was easy. Lying didn’t come quite as naturally to her. She opened the first box and removed a set of homemade candles.

  “So who sends these care packages?”

  “People from home,” Aalid said without looking up from her work. “Those who have loved ones incarcerated here.”

  Calyree said, “Bleeding hearts who fear for our humanity. Some believe that we deserve to be treated as humans no matter what our crimes may have been.”

  Onora finally spoke. “Usually it’s people who believe that their own souls will be tainted if they turn their backs on us. A person’s worth can be measured by how she treats her fellow woman. So they toss scraps into a crate, they gather up what garbage they can live without, and find a ship to drop it off. Then they can sleep easily until the next time their conscience nags at them.”

  Aalid said, “Part of our responsibility is ensuring no contraband gets through. Weaponry or communicators, not that they would do any good. No one could smuggle in a radio capable of punching through the barrier. Regardless, we confiscate any contraband we find to keep the peace.” She patted the weapon on her hip to illustrate her point.

  Sam translated the answer as ‘to ensure Lokelani is the one with all the power’. “So how did Lokelani get the gear to start the Cai Thior? And how is this your responsibility? The guards are happy just letting you go through all of this and taking your word that there’s nothing to aid in escape?”

  “The guards have a singular purpose: no one gets out of the prison. Beyond that, they don’t care a whit,” Aalid said. “Quality of life, Fraiser, that means something even in a prison. The guards enforce the letter of the law. We add a more human element. We don’t punish blindly. If an uprising began, the guards would be happy to let us kill each other and then pick off the survivors.”

  Calyree said, “Consider yourself fortunate, Fraiser. There is no place on this rock safer than where you stand right now, wearing these colors. No one will trouble you. If there is something you want or need, sooner or later it comes through here and you have first pick.”

  “That hardly seems fair.”

  “I’ve yet to visit a world with a fair system of distributing its goods. This is the way the universe works, Sri Fraiser. Just consider yourself fortunate to be on the side of plenty.”

  The women went back to their work. Sam watched them for a moment longer, trying to determine how complicit they were. Did they know their leader was a Goa’uld? Would they even care? She didn’t want to take the risk of turning them against her if they did know. Her best option was to have a quiet conversation with Sukhan to feel her out on the subject. She had a feeling Sukhan could be her best asset in Lokelani’s home.

  She went back to sorting the items from the bin. Even if this plan worked and she was somehow able to find a way off Viaxeiro, it was going to take a while. They would have to be patient.

  ~#~

  Teal’c had taken over the controls from Daniel. Pemphero regained consciousness to find he had been bound and secured to one of the bulkheads. He examined the restraints and decided it would be pointless to continue resisting or trying to get free. Cam watched him carefully anyway.

  “Morning, sunshine.” He held out the small silver bag he’d retrieved from his gear. “Want a little pretzel? They’re good, but they make you thirsty.”

  Pemphero ignored the question. “So who is it? Hm? Your wife? Sister?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You think you’re the first idiots to come digging for Viaxeiro? People always come. Sons, fathers, lackeys. All of them think they’re going to be the ones to finally crack the code. They think they’ve got some trick nobody’s ever thought of before. And you know what? They’re all wrong. There are guards down there. They aren’t there to keep the women in. Their job is to keep people like you out.” He laughed and shook his head. “I’m just annoyed at how much time this nonsense is costing me. And so help me, if they damage my ship taking you out…”

  Carolyn returned from the back of the ship. “The prisoner is awake,” she said. “Her name is Koty’r, by the way. She’s doing well, considering everything that’s happened to her on this trip.” She glanced at Pemphero, who snorted derisively and looked away. “I take it asking him for help hasn’t been going well.”

  “We’re making progress,” Cam said, chewing on a pretzel. “We’re friends now. Right, Pem?”

  Teal’c turned away from the console. “I believe we are approaching Viaxeiro Caldera. At our current speed, we will arrive within the hour.”

  Cam crouched so he could face Pemphero. “You said you’d been here dozens of times. So if anyone would know where the weak spots are, it’s you. Right?”

  “Stands to reason,” Pemphero said.

  “If we send our friend down there, will you help us get her out? Along with our other friends who are already stuck down there?”

  Pemphero held Cam’s gaze for a long beat. “What exactly would be my incentive for helping you?”

  Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “You do not appear to be in a position to negotiate.”

  “So you’ll kill me if I don’t help you?”

  “Hey, man, you just tried to shoot me and all my pals here out into space…” Cam gave his most intimidating stare.

  Pemphero grunted and rolled his eyes. “Fine. I know a few escape theories. If it gets you off my damn ship faster, then I’ll help you. Under duress.”

  “We’ll take it,” Cam said. “Never expected you to help us with a smile, anyway.” He slapped Pemphero’s shoulder and pushed himself up.

  “Okay, so we’re doing this,” Carolyn said.

  “You still onboard?” Cam handed her a radio. “Because if you want us to work out that plan B…”

  “No. No, this is the best way to get information to Colonel Carter and Vala.” She looked hesitant but resolved. She tucked the radio under her belt and used her cloak to cover it. “I’m the only one who can go in, so I’m going in.”

  “With Koty’r,” Pemphero said.

  “What?” Cam said. “No, that would be an unnecessary complication. She’s staying up here with us.�
��

  Pemphero shook his head. “Whatever you are planning, that woman is a criminal who was condemned to this prison. She deserves to be down there. You’re here to save your friends, but are you willing to grant a pardon to a woman you don’t even know?”

  Daniel said, “It could be Linea all over again.”

  Cam closed his eyes and tilted his head back. After a ten-count, he dropped his chin and flared his hands out. He didn’t like the idea of sending anyone to this prison, but she wasn’t their responsibility. “Fine. We’ll send her down, too. Happy now?”

  Pemphero grunted. “No.”

  “Fantastic. Nobody’s happy. The sign of a perfect road trip.” Cam looked back at Teal’c. “Okay, buddy. Take us the rest of the way.”

  ~#~

  Shein signaled when a pair of Cai Thior women left Lokelani’s, and Vala elected to follow them on patrol. She could have stayed put and let Tanis follow them, but she wanted a chance to get the layout of the city. If things went sideways, she and Sam might have to make a run for it without Tanis to lead the way. She wanted to know all the nooks and crannies and shortcuts that could mean the difference between freedom and remaining in the prison.

  It was midday but whatever technology provided their atmosphere also maintained a comfortable temperature. The ground under her boots was a rough and uneven concrete, poured by inexperienced workers and marred by cracks every few steps. Still, it had a certain charm. Vala liked the crooked windows and the slapped-together buildings. These women, and the generations of women who came before them, had been dropped on an empty rock and left to die. They’d refused to despair and turned the barren wasteland into a home.

  As they moved through the city, she paid special attention to the guards. The… official guards? True guards? The armed and armored men who were assigned to watch over the prisoners on behalf of the people who created it. Simple logic would imply animosity between the two forces. What kind of warden turned a blind eye on a militia being formed by the people who were supposed to be incarcerated? But the Cai Thior women were ignored by every guard they passed.

  Was Lokelani really that powerful? Had she paid off the guards somehow, or did they just not care? It was probably a lot easier to stand back and let the prisoners police themselves. The guards could hang around and earn their pay without raising a finger or endangering their own safety. It was a neat little scam.

  Vala watched the reaction of other prisoners as the Cai Thior moved through the marketplace. It was such a mundane area that it was easy to forget they were actually in a prison. The artificial sky was a pale red-orange overhead. Shops were open and doing brisk business with homemade trinkets, utensils, and other curios. She pretended to browse and found a brooch she thought Sam would like, as well as a hat she thought might look good on Teal’c when he was trying to blend in on Earth.

  “Excellent items, both excellent items,” the shopkeeper said, making her way over.

  “Oh, I’m just looking. I don’t have any money.”

  The old woman laughed and waved her hands around. “Are you new? No one here has money. We trade. You have food, you have skills. We can do a trade.”

  Vala looked toward the end of the market and saw the Cai Thior were about to disappear around a corner. She put back the brooch and hat.

  “Maybe I’ll come back for it later.”

  The woman picked up the hat, put the brooch into it, and waved them at Vala. “Take! If I need something at another time, I will know where to find you.”

  Vala hesitated. She didn’t plan to be around long enough to pay off debts, but taking the items seemed like the path of least resistance. She took it, smiled gratefully, and hurried to catch up with her prey. At the back of her mind, she wondered what the generous old shopkeeper had done to end up in a prison like this. The women all around her who had made a home, who were resigned to the fact they would never see their families again… were their crimes really so horrendous it justified exiling them forever?

  She knew it wasn’t feasible to save everybody. They couldn’t exactly set up a revolving door on the Odyssey and vet every single inmate. “And what was your crime? Ooh, sorry, gotta leave you behind, that’s one of the crimes we don’t like. Ta-ta!” Removing Lokelani from power was the best they could do. No matter how bad these people might be, no one deserved to live under Goa’uld rule.

  Vala rounded the corner and nearly collided with one of the Cai Thior women. “Oh my goodness, I need to watch where I’m going!” she laughed, flipping her hair and swaying in what she hoped was an unthreatening manner. “I’m still trying to figure my way around this place.”

  The woman, a fierce blonde who looked as if she’d never been taught how to smile, narrowed her eyes. She was a full head taller than Vala, something that hadn’t been apparent while tracking her, and suddenly it felt like staring at a statue come to life.

  “Vala Mal Doran,” the giantess sneered. “New condemned. You were involved in an altercation earlier today with the newest member of the Cai Thior.”

  “I was?” She feigned confusion, then realization. “You mean Fraiser? You recruited her? Did you need a human shield? Trust me, ladies, I’ve worked with her for a while now, and she’s really not good for much else.” The other Cai Thior was standing a few yards away reading the screen of a small palm-held device. “What is that? I thought radios didn’t work on this hunk of rock.”

  “It’s not a radio, it’s a short-range messaging console.” She put a hand on Vala’s shoulder and urged her back the way she’d come. “It’s of no concern for those of your ilk. Only the Cai Thior have access.”

  Vala twisted and tried to look past the tall woman. “Must be a pretty important message…”

  “Again, it is none of your concern.”

  “I can be helpful, you know, I can make myself useful if — ”

  The tall guard shoved her. She nearly lost her footing but somehow managed to stay upright. She huffed, tugged at her blouse to straighten it, and lifted her chin haughtily.

  “A simple ‘your help is not required’ would have sufficed. There’s no need to be rude about it.”

  The woman with the radio approached and tapped the taller woman on the arm. “We need to go.”

  The taller woman aimed a finger at Vala. “Stop following us.”

  She spotted me? Vala thought. Well, isn’t that embarrassing. She watched the women depart. She also noticed the official guards were also abandoning patrols and hurrying off the street.

  “What’s all the fuss about?”

  “New condemned,” someone said, barely looking up from her work at a kiln. “Newer than you, even. Someone’s always comin’ and droppin’ folk off. You’ll get used to it soon enough.”

  Vala raised an eyebrow. “But that means a ship is arriving! And a ship is a potential way out of here!”

  The potter finally raised her head to give Vala a look of pity. “You really are new. You go ahead and try to escape, usaq. Guards’ll put you down and it’ll free up wherever you’ve been sleeping. That’s how it goes ‘round here. S’why it ain’t overcrowded any more than it is. New ones always coming in, and foolish ones always tryin’ get their way out.” She shrugged and went back to her project. “We all get to decide how long our sentences are. Be smart. Take the life sentence an’ be glad of it.”

  Vala suppressed a shudder at the thought. She jogged down the street and kept turning right until she found the wall. After that she simply had to walk north until she found the place where she and Sam had entered the city just one day earlier. God, it felt like it had been months.

  Somehow word had spread that there was a new ship coming, as a crowd had formed near the arrival gate. Three of the Cai Thior were standing just inside the wall, watching the barren expanse. Vala didn’t see any of the guards, but she knew they had to be inside the guard towers, where the tri-barreled guns were now swinging into position.

  Minutes passed before Vala heard a shout from someone high
up on the wall. “New condemned!” She and everyone else crowded around the barred entrances to watch the delivery. The energy of Viaxeiro’s artificial atmosphere crackled along the egg shape of the ship’s shields. Vala felt her feet itching to run toward the ship, to hop aboard and get back to civilization as quickly as possible. But she couldn’t leave yet, not without Sam. There would be other, better opportunities down the road. They had to be patient.

  The ship hovered in place for what seemed like an unusual length of time before the rings deployed. Two small bodies appeared in a flash of light, and they both fell over once the rings lifted back into the ship. One of them stood and hunched over the other, helped her up, and supported her as they started walking. The ship, meanwhile, lifted straight back the way it had come, enveloped by the force field and once again disappearing from sight.

  A soft sound passed through the gathered women, and Vala realized seeing the ship was as important to them as welcoming their new neighbors. A ship meant people out in the wider universe hadn’t forgotten them. It proved life went on, even while they were trapped in here. It was a fleeting glimpse of hope.

  Vala looked back at the crowd. While she’d been watching the ship, more people had joined the crowd. She saw more Cai Thior uniforms and, to her surprise, one of them was being worn by Sam. She’d thought it would take more time to earn Lokelani’s trust and get into the group. Their eyes met and Sam gave a quick, subtle nod. Vala returned it as Lokelani appeared. Vala ducked back into the shadows and put on her newly-acquired hat in the hopes it would keep her from being seen. There was no reason to hide from Lokelani, but there was also nothing to be gained by revealing her presence.

  The two new condemned had finally arrived at the entrance. Vala glanced at them, certain there was no reason to give them much of her attention, but her eyes widened when she recognized one of them. She sat up straighter and looked across the way at Sam, who was now a few paces behind Lokelani. Sam had also seen the new prisoner’s face, and she was trying to keep her expression neutral. She turned her head, found Vala, and raised her eyebrows.