by Geonn Cannon
Vala mouthed, “I know!”
Carolyn Lam was supporting a woman Vala didn’t recognize, moving slowly due to the stranger’s dazed and drugged shuffling. Lokelani approached them with a kind smile and went into the same spiel she’d used before.
“Welcome to Viaxeiro. My name is Lokelani Kiir. Who might you be?”
“I’m… Ma Barker,” Carolyn said. Only someone who knew her would pick up on the exasperation in her voice. Either Mitchell had given her the sobriquet or she’d grown tired of using it. Either way, she was stuck with the alias for the time being. She nodded at the other woman, who looked like she was about to pass out again. “This is Koty’r.”
Lokelani gestured to the Cai Thior, and two of them moved forward.
“Wait, don’t hurt her.”
“We’re not going to hurt anyone,” Lokelani said in a soothing voice. “We’re going to ensure that she gets the best care. She’s obviously had a very exhausting trip. We’ll find somewhere she can rest and recuperate. Allow me to escort you somewhere as well. I’m sure you could use a change of clothes and something to drink.”
Carolyn’s relief was clear. “That would actually be great. Thank you.”
Lokelani shooed the crowd away like they were curious children. She put an arm around Carolyn’s shoulders as the Cai Thior took Koty’r somewhere to recover. Sam lingered until the rest of the Cai Thior weren’t looking at her and found Vala again and smiled slightly. Vala winked and retreated until she was out of sight. It was impossible to know if Carolyn had seen them in the crowd, but that didn’t matter much at the moment. What did matter was the fact her presence in the prison could only mean one thing.
The rest of SG-1 had actually found them. Escape suddenly didn’t seem like such an impossible dream anymore.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“DON’T TELL us it’s impossible,” Mitchell said, barely containing his rage. “Two of our friends are down there, and we just sent another one in with the promise we’d get her out again. I don’t care how difficult it is.”
Pemphero rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say difficult. I said impossible. Is there a difference in your language, because there is in mine. Impossible means don’t even try it.”
Daniel said, “You said you had a way to get her out.”
“I said I knew a few methods of escape,” Pemphero said. “I’ve seen a lot of women try to escape Viaxeiro. Didn’t say any of them actually worked.”
Mitchell took a step toward the captain.
Daniel stepped between them. “Okay! Okay, look, mistakes were made. No one is saying we have to be friends. But why not make the best of a bad situation?”
“I have no interest in compromising with you,” Pemphero muttered.
Daniel sighed, hands on his hips. “I don’t want to play the ‘you don’t have a choice’ card, but…”
Pemphero pushed out his jaw and curled his lip, but he didn’t argue.
“Good. Now we’re making progress. You told us that you know this place like the back of your hand after all the people you’ve transported. Was that a lie?”
“No. I probably know this prison better than the Overseers themselves.”
“Great! And?”
Pemphero raised his voice. “And escape is impossible.”
Daniel closed his eyes. He counted to ten in his head. Then he tried counting to fifteen. Then he gave up and opened his eyes to look at Pemphero again.
“Okay. Maybe you could explain why it’s so impossible. This is a tough little ship, right? Kimo and Adamaris had a great ship, too. I’m sure everyone who transports prisoners for the Overseers have great ships. You’re telling me that none of them are able to knock out Viaxeiro’s defenses?”
“No weapons allowed on transport ships,” Pemphero said. “And there are guns on the walls manned by guards who will shoot down anyone who tries to take off with a prisoner aboard.” He sagged back against the wall, back slouched, knees bent. He looked like he was pouting. “If you want to make a suicide run, be my guest. But it’s not going to do your lady friends a lick of good.”
Daniel sighed heavily. “We’re probably going to attract unwanted attention if we keep hanging around the planet like this. Teal’c, pull back but keep us in sensor range so we won’t lose the place.”
Pemphero sat up straighter. “What did you call him?”
“Crap,” Daniel muttered. He pressed his thumb against the bridge of his nose and tried to remember the fake names Mitchell had given them. “Uh… Don Johnson?”
“You called him Teal’c.” Pemphero flattened his feet on the floor and worked his shoulders against the wall to push himself up. “As in the shol’va who first stood against the Goa’uld? The man whose traitorous turn led to the Jaffa uprising and the eventual downfall of those blasphemous gods?” He looked at Cam and Daniel. “And that would make you SG-1, the Tau’ri who turned Apophis’ ship into a bullet and slung it into his stronghold, destroying the whole planet. The team who flew into a minefield and snatched a prisoner from the beam transport. You faced the onslaught of Anubis himself in the skies above your planet and eradicated him and his unholy fleet with a snap of your fingers.”
Daniel was surprised. “Well… I mean, there was a little more to it than that. And technically we missed when we tried to grab…” He coughed into his fist. “You know about all of that?”
“It is you,” Pemphero said. “You are SG-1?”
“That’s us,” Mitchell said. “I take it you approve?”
Pemphero said, “I was born on a world ruled by Heru’ur. I saw his cruelty firsthand. When I was old enough, I joined a resistance against him but we never made any difference. At least not until his Jaffa began to abandon him. We heard he had been killed and that gave us the inspiration we needed to take back our planet. The Tau’ri may never have heard of my home planet, but just the same, they are responsible for its deliverance.”
Daniel stammered. “Uh. Uh, you’re welcome.”
Pemphero looked at the three men again as if for the first time, reevaluating his opinion of each one. “When I said escaping Viaxeiro was impossible, that was before I knew I was dealing with the Merchants of Miracles.”
“Damn, that might be the nicest nickname we’ve ever gotten,” Cam said under his breath. “So you’ll help us?”
Pemphero held out his bound hands. “Untie me and I’ll do everything in my power to save your friends. If it costs my ship or even my life, I’ll consider it a debt paid for everything you did to free my planet.”
Daniel stepped forward and cut away the zip ties. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”
“Come what may,” Pemphero said, “if it’s my time, I’ll accept that. My shol’va friend, if you would allow me to take the seat, I’ll move us to a safe distance while we debate the best course of action to save your friends.”
Teal’c glanced at Mitchell for confirmation, then gave up the seat. Pemphero sat down and began moving his hands across the panels.
“You know, this would actually be the ideal way to go out.” He smiled at the viewscreen as he angled away from Viaxeiro. “A hopeless mission with SG-1 of the Tau’ri.”
Daniel drifted back to stand next to Mitchell. “Did we just trade a reluctant prisoner for a suicidal sidekick?”
“Trying to figure out which one is preferable,” Mitchell said.
Teal’c joined them. “A fool willing to pay the cost with his life is a far greater asset than a beast who would rather dig in his heels than offer assistance.”
“I bet that rhymes if you say it in Goa’uld.”
Teal’c said, “It does not,” at the same time Daniel said, “Not really.”
Pemphero chuckled softly and shook his head. “No matter what happens, we’re on the cusp of history. Either this is the end of SG-1, or the reputation of Viaxeiro Caldera will finally crumble.”
“Still might be nice if we could tell which one you’re rooting for,” Mitchell said to Pemphero.
>
Pemphero laughed again and ignored them, maneuvering the ship to a spot where they wouldn’t draw any unwanted attention.
~#~
This is fine, Carolyn told herself. She repeated it on a loop in her head to drown out the other voices screaming that this whole thing was a horrible mistake.
They had been taken to a small room where she was given water and a snack. The uniformed women doted over Koty’r, who seemed to be coming out of her drug-induced stupor faster than expected. After they had been given some time to “recover,” the woman who seemed to be in charge - Lokelani—and the uniformed women who seemed to be her own personal Secret Service - Cai Thior—returned to take them on a tour of their new home.
And there in the back of the group was Colonel Carter. They made eye contact a few times during the brief tour of the city, but Sam hadn’t made any attempt to communicate with her. Carolyn understood that. She probably had a cover to maintain. Carolyn was willing to let this play out with the knowledge Sam would step in if things got too hairy.
The real concern was Koty’r. The woman knew that something was fishy about how Carolyn had arrived at the prison. She might not know all the details, but she’d definitely seen enough to know that Cam, Daniel, and Teal’c weren’t ordinary jailers. If she revealed anything, it could be disastrous. She caught Koty’r watching her a few times during their tour but she never said a word. The way her eyes darted around at the buildings they passed, Carolyn guessed she was taking in every detail and waiting for the right moment to act. It was a good reminder that everyone around them was some kind of criminal or another.
Lokelani was explaining the way the prison worked. Carolyn hoped she wouldn’t be around long enough to need the information. When they arrived at a town square, Lokelani turned to address Carolyn and Koty’r.
“This place was designed as a prison. But through hard work and the dedication of every woman incarcerated here, we have turned it into a home. Whatever crime you committed to end up here, it doesn’t matter now. It’s a piece of your history. Move past it. Use this as a new beginning. And welcome to Viaxeiro.”
“Thank you,” Carolyn said.
Sam stepped forward. “Sri Lokelani, if I may?”
Lokelani appeared surprised but covered it well. “Yes, Sri Fraiser?”
Fraiser? Carolyn thought. I suppose it’s better than Colonel Mitchell’s fake names.
Sam said, “No offense, but you’ve all been here a lot longer than I have. I’m in a unique position of remembering exactly what it’s like to arrive here and not know how anything works. I’d like to be the one to show these women around so I can share what I’ve learned while the information is still fresh.”
“An excellent idea, Sri Fraiser,” Lokelani said. “And just the kind of gesture I expect in our community. Thank you.” She faced Carolyn and Koty’r. “This is Sri Fraiser. She was our last arrival before you, and I’m sure she can provide some valuable insight.”
Carolyn nodded to Sam. “I appreciate your help.”
Lokelani motioned for the rest of the Cai Thior to disperse. She stepped forward and gestured for Sam to lean in, lowering her voice. “Meet me when you finish showing them around, please.”
“Of course.”
A few of the Cai Thior eyed Sam as they followed Lokelani away down a narrow alley. Koty’r wavered between the two groups, uncertain of which she belonged with. Carolyn made a small gesture with her hand that the woman should stay. A few of the Cai Thior looked at Sam over their shoulders but Carolyn couldn’t dissect their expressions. Were they friendly or antagonistic? Sam didn’t give anything away, but she did watch them until they were out of sight.
“We should walk. At least pretend like I’m showing you around.”
“Lead the way,” Carolyn said.
Sam started walking. “I assume this means there’s some kind of rescue or escape plan in the works? Otherwise this is a hell of a coincidence.”
“The guys are on a ship nearby. Last I saw, the pilot was helping us, albeit forcibly. I have a radio in case we find a way to get a signal through the force field. Vala?”
“We thought it best to split up. Vala apparently has a reputation here.”
Carolyn said, “I’m shocked. What about the rest of the mission? Tanis Reynard?”
“She’s here. And she’s not interested in leaving.”
“What?”
Sam shrugged. “We’re not exactly going to force her to come with us if she doesn’t want to.” She looked at Koty’r. “Who is this?”
“She’s another prisoner,” Carolyn said. “We hitched a ride with the man who was delivering her. I, uh… I’m not exactly sure what we should do with her. She may not know exactly who we are, but she definitely knows something is up.”
“I’m standing right in front of you,” Koty’r said, rolling her eyes. “If I didn’t know you were up to something before, I certainly do now.”
Carolyn said, “Colonel Mitchell decided it was best to send her down to avoid a repeat of everything that happened with Linea.”
Sam said, “What was your crime?”
Koty’r looked from Sam to Carolyn and back again, trying to determine if she could trust these odd women. Finally she said, “I desecrated holy sites for things to sell. People on my planet who never stopped worshipping the Goa’uld decided to make an example of me. Whoever you are, I’m not looking to make any waves. You want to leave me here, fine. You want to take me with you, that’s great, too. But you don’t have to worry about me ratting you out to the lady back there.” She hunched her shoulders and shook her head. “Something about her rubbed me the wrong way.”
Sam said, “She’s a Goa’uld.”
Koty’r grimaced. “That would probably be it.”
“Wait,” Carolyn said. “Are you sure?”
“I haven’t seen any glowing yellow eyes or heard her voice change, but yeah. I’m sure.”
“Could she just be a former host, like you?”
Sam shook her head. “It’s hard to explain, but the feeling is different if there’s a living symbiote.”
Carolyn said, “So what’s the plan?”
“Tanis claims she can help us escape if we help her depose Lokelani.”
“Isn’t that kind of going from the frying pan into the fire?”
Sam shrugged. “I have to admit, I don’t like the idea of leaving a Goa’uld in charge. She seems to be running things well, but we haven’t seen what happens to the people she disagrees with. Vala trusts Tanis. If she thinks this place would be better off with her in charge, I have to go with that.”
“Okay then.” Carolyn was a little surprised to hear Sam express such faith in Vala’s opinion. The woman may have been a full member of SG-1 for several months, but the others had been slow warming to her. “So I guess being a member of this Cai Thior is part of your escape plan?”
“I thought it would be easier to figure out a plan if I got close to Lokelani. So we faked a falling out, and I ended up in this uniform.”
“And Vala?”
“Working the other end with Tanis and Shein.”
“Shein?”
“Tanis’ girlfriend,” Sam said.
Carolyn said, “Ah. Okay. Now her staying behind makes a little more sense. People will stay in all kinds of places for love.”
Sam pressed her lips together and nodded quickly, obviously thinking about something specific. “Yeah.”
“My part of the mission was to come down here, make contact, and let you know that the guys are working on a solution out there. And if you and Vala find a way out on your own, their ship is waiting to pick you up.”
“Nice to know our ride is here,” Sam said, looking up at the shimmering energy that made up Viaxeiro’s marmalade sky. “Now we just have to figure out how to get to them.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
AFTER PEMPHERO moved the ship out of sensor range he locked in a course that would have them following Viaxeiro on its journ
ey. “It’s easy enough to keep us in its tail,” he explained. “Once you know where it is, you can work out its trajectory. Otherwise the Overseers would never be able to find the damn thing.”
Teal’c said, “I find it difficult to understand how this planet’s position has remained such a closely guarded secret if it is so easy to track.”
“Not easy,” Pemphero said. “You have to go to the Overseers to gets its coordinates, and they only unlock those for people they know or people who have been vouched for. They don’t hand out the location to just anybody. And once you’ve got a job transporting prisoners to this rock, you don’t give it up easily. Do you have any idea how much some governments pay for this service? The number of people I’ve seen retire younger than you.” He pointed at Cam and shook his head. “If we actually pull this off and word gets out that I helped you, I’m going to miss the income.”
Daniel said, “You probably have a pretty solid reputation among the criminal underworld. I mean, if you were entrusted with the location of Viaxeiro, you must have a lot of contacts.”
Pemphero shrugged dismissively. He had sagged back in his chair, one foot propped against the console as he watched the stars through the view screen. “I know some people who might know people.”
“Well… if you’re so eager to help us out, maybe there’s a larger part you could play. The Goa’uld may be gone, but the Lucian Alliance has been growing more and more powerful. And they kind of… ah…”
Cam said, “Hate our ever-lovin’ guts.”
“Part of what got us into this whole mess was the thought we might gain intelligence about the Alliance that we could use against them. Now, we’ve actually managed to get a look at the criminal underworld where the Alliance operates, and I have the feeling we’ll be able to use what we’ve learned once we get back to Earth. But having someone like you on our side, providing information and maybe giving us rides to planets without Stargates…”
Pemphero considered it, raising one eyebrow and dragging his finger along his jaw. “So in a way, I would be an honorary Tau’ri.”
