“And I am doing so, Dr. Jackson, by enlisting your aid. But without that aid, the Reetou will kill them just as readily as they slaughtered the people of Imphal, as well as two other worlds of mine, Chennai and Jaipur. It matters not to me by whose hand they are killed — but the thousands of innocents on Bangalore will die, one way or the other, unless you aid me.”
“Sounds to me,” Jack said slowly, “that you’re pretty desperate.”
“My forces were already weakened by what I now know to be strikes by Anubis, and no sooner did he cease his attacks after rejoining the System Lords than the Reetou began theirs. I have lost two First Primes in less than a year, and it must stop.”
“So you want to have Daniel negotiate for peace while the major gives you a weapon to stop them.”
Kali half-smiled. “I already have a weapon to stop them, what I need is to have a more readily available means to target them with it. And I will, of course, allow you to use whatever breakthroughs you achieve for yourselves as well.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “I guess we have your word on that?”
“I will offer my word, but I doubt you would accept it. That is why I have had to resort to kidnapping and threats in the first place, Colonel. Nonetheless, in the Reetou we share a common enemy. Does it not make sense to pool our resources against them?”
Daniel felt the need to correct her. “The Reetou aren’t our enemy — the Reetou rebels are. In fact, the Reetou government enlisted our help and warned us of a rebel attack on our planet.”
“Indeed, doctor, I am aware of your previous encounter with the Reetou. And it does not alter what I said. Yes, not all Reetou are your enemy, but the rebels still are. Your alliance with the Tok’ra has not changed your desire to fight the Goa’uld, so you should be equally willing to do whatever is necessary to win your own battle against the rebels.” She sat back down on her throne. “I have the technology, and you have the ability to bend it to your will, Major. And Dr. Jackson is uniquely qualified to speak on behalf of all those who have been attacked by the Reetou.”
“Forget it,” Jack said.
“Jack, she’ll kill innocent people!” Daniel blurted out.
“Yeah, ’cause that’s out of character for a snake-head.”
“I promise, Colonel,” Kali said, “that you will be permitted to return to your homeworld when the negotiations are finished. I have no particular animus for your world or its people. The Tau’ri have removed many rival Goa’uld from the field of play, and that has only served to improve my own position. Killing the mighty SG-1 would not aid me. I would much rather you were out there, targeting Ba’al and Anubis and the other System Lords who might try to conquer me.”
Jack lifted an eyebrow. “So let us go now, then.”
“Once you have finished aiding me more directly, I shall. Since you asked, Colonel, I give you my word.”
“Like you said, I’m not about to buy the word of a snake-head.”
“Very well. Jaffa, kree!”
Everything happened very quickly after that: one of the Jaffa activated his staff weapon, Daniel cried, “Wait!” the Jaffa fired his staff weapon, and Jack screamed as the blast from the weapon struck his good foot.
“Take them to a cell. When we arrive at Bangalore, bring them back so that they may witness the carnage for which they will be responsible.”
Jack held up a hand and cried out in a strained voice, “Hold it!” Through gritted teeth, he said, “Fine, we’ll do it your way.”
“On one condition,” Daniel added quickly.
“You are in no position to dictate terms, Dr. Jackson,” Kali said.
“Very well, then.” He spoke in Goa’uld. “It is with great humility and respect that I request that the Mother Goddess please show mercy and heal Colonel O’Neill of his wounds.”
Jack stared at him. “Daniel, what was that? Only words I understood were ‘colonel’ and ‘O’Neill.’ I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you were talkin’ about me.”
Daniel nodded. “I asked that Kali heal you.”
“And he did so with respect.” Kali nodded. “Very well. Jaffa — take Colonel O’Neill to the healing room.”
“Daniel,” Jack said quickly, “tell me I’m not gonna get put in a sarcophagus!”
Disdainfully, Kali said, “Do not worry, Colonel, such as you are not worthy of being placed in a sarcophagus. However, we have more mundane ways to heal your wounds. Take him, and set course back to Imphal. There, Dr. Jackson, you will be able to do your work. I will also provide several of the Kula to assist you during the negotiations.”
“I’m sorry?” Daniel asked, legitimately confused.
“Since neither I, nor any of the Goa’uld who serve me, nor any of my Jaffa may be present, your assistance will have to come from among the Kula.”
“O-okay.” Daniel wasn’t really expecting any kind of help, and he wasn’t sure what good the other human slaves would be — except maybe target practice if the Reetou decided not to bother talking.
Two Jaffa took Jack from Sam and Daniel’s side. Daniel did not like the idea of letting Jack out of his sight, but they weren’t overburdened with choices. Going back to Imphal at least meant that the threat of a mass extermination of the population of Bangalore wasn’t as immediate. On the other hand, Kali probably had plenty of Jaffa who could carry out that order over a distance.
Sam blew out a breath. “If nothing else, this means that we’ll get a chance to learn more about the Reetou.”
“Yeah.” Daniel, however, wasn’t at all sure that it would do them any good in the end. Kali seemed to be more reasonable than the average Goa’uld, but that just meant it would be easier to let their guard down around her. This was the same System Lord who allied with Bastet and Sobek, only to turn around and kill Sobek during the feast celebrating their alliance. For that matter, she voted to allow Anubis back into the System Lords, even after taking heavy losses from him, though that was more semi-enlightened self-interest than it was a change of heart.
He would have preferred to say all this out loud, but it wasn’t a conversation he dared have with the so-called Mother Goddess herself in earshot.
Daniel just hoped that Teal’c had survived the Stargate’s explosion. He knew the Jaffa well enough at this point to know that there was no way he’d rest until he tried to effect a rescue of his teammates.
If he was still alive…
CHAPTER SIX
Kahsban
RAMPRASAD had to admit that he had wondered if he would ever see the crystal tunnels of a Tok’ra base again.
A Tok’ra never truly had a home, but the tunnels that they created in their bases gave the familiarity of one. It brought consistency to their lives.
Of course, if you asked the members of the High Council, they would all say that it was for practicality. They lived in the shadows and constantly on the run. The sameness of the tunnels made it easier to set them up quickly and put them to use.
But to both Ramprasad and the symbiote he shared his life with, Maireth, they were home.
The last time he’d set foot in the tunnels, the Tok’ra’s primary base was on Telnek. Based on the contact he’d had with his fellow Tok’ra since then, they’d gone to half a dozen different bases over the years he’d been embedded in Kali’s service. With the help of the Tau’ri, the Tok’ra had most recently relocated to Kahsban.
He arrived there now, walking through the chappa’ai into a dense forest. Within moments he was met by Kelmaa, who emerged from behind one of the larger trees and favored him with her wonderfully wide smile. “It is good to see you, Ramprasad. Far too long has it been since you were among your fellow Tok’ra.”
“It is good to be with our people once again, but I’m afraid that this is more than a simple extraction. My time in Kali’s service must end — she believes me dead — but there is a greater threat.”
Kelmaa nodded. “Come. Several members of the High Council are waiting to see you.”
Ramprasad foll
owed Kelmaa to the rings, which were hidden in a small clearing.
Once the ring’s lights dimmed and the rings themselves fell, Ramprasad saw the interlocking gray-blue ovals that made up the Tok’ra tunnels, and he felt as though he was releasing a breath he’d been holding for years.
It has definitely been too long, Maireth said into his mind.
Indeed, Ramprasad replied. After ten long years…
He wished he could have had a meal and gotten a good night’s sleep in the comforting confines of the crystal walls, but alas, that would have to wait. Even if his need to report to the council wasn’t urgent — and it most assuredly was — Kelmaa had said that they were already waiting for him. It would be bad form to keep them waiting. Besides which, he had rested and eaten on the Tau’ri base. The food was pedestrian, but nutritional, and the life of a covert operative meant having to take nourishment where one could get it. A Tok’ra could not afford to be a gourmet.
Kelmaa showed him first to where his quarters would be, a section she informed him was carved out for his use right after he contacted them from the Tau’ri base. She then led him to a chamber with a long table that grew out of the floor. Seated around it were Garshaw of Belote, Selmak (who was now in a male host), Malek, Corvina, and Delek. He knew this was not the entirety of the Council, but it was enough of them for a quorum.
Garshaw rose to her feet with her usual grace and elegance. “It is good to have you and Maireth back among us, Ramprasad.”
“I wish, Councillors, it was under better circumstances. I’m afraid that the threat posed by the Reetou has increased. They are attacking larger targets — and in larger numbers.”
As Ramprasad had expected, it was the latter part that got their attention.
Retaking her seat, Garshaw said, “The Reetou have always been dogged strategists.”
“No longer. Perhaps the rebels have improved their position in Reetou society, enabling them to make more frontal assaults like the one on Imphal.” He then bowed his head and let Maireth describe the full details of what happened on Imphal.
Selmak’s host said, “So they’re still targeting civilians, just like they did at the SGC. Trying to deny the Goa’uld hosts.”
Malek shook his head. “It is a foolish strategy. The human population of the galaxy is far too scattered for that to be effective.”
Maireth remained dominant for the moment. “They are truly indiscriminate. They not only slaughtered all the people of Imphal and the Jaffa Kali sent to defend the world, but also the team of Tau’ri soldiers who happened to come through the chappa’ai.”
That got Selmak’s host’s attention, as he leaned forward. “Which SG team was it?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Which SG team?” The host was surprisingly anxious. Ramprasad knew that the Tok’ra had allied with the Tau’ri, but he’d assumed it to be a political alliance, not one that would engender personal concern on the level being shown by Selmak’s host.
Recalling the patch on the sleeves of the bodies that were brought back to Earth, Ramprasad said, “I believe it was team number seven. Three of the four team members were killed by the Reetou.”
Relief spread across Selmak’s host’s face.
Corvina’s host Dahla came to his rescue. “Jacob’s daughter is a member of SG-1.”
Ramprasad blinked. There were obviously significant details of the Tok’ra/Tau’ri alliance he was not made aware of. “It was team number one that rescued me after the attack. Your daughter is a woman with straw-colored hair?”
Jacob — which was apparently the name of Selmak’s new host — nodded.
Dahla lowered her head, and then Corvina spoke. “Our latest intelligence reports indicate that the Reetou are now using the planet Anzarra as their new staging area. It is eight months away via ship — the chappa’ai is too well guarded to risk travelling by that means.”
“We have a tel’tak on Gardosh,” Delek said. “Anzarra is only two days distant from that world, and it is currently uninhabited.”
Ramprasad recalled that that world had belonged to the Goa’uld Apophis, and then was taken by Cronus by force. Cronus then wiped out the population of the world out of spite, as he was apparently only interested in taking the world away from his rival Goa’uld, not actually going to the trouble of administering it once he had it. Apophis never bothered to reconquer it, and the abandoned world soon became a Tok’ra bolt-hole.
Garshaw looked at Selmak’s host. “Jacob, you will gate to Gardosh and take the tel’tak to Anzarra. You are to perform reconnaissance only. Try to determine the Reetou’s plan of attack and where they might strike next.”
Jacob said, “You bet.”
Turning back to Ramprasad, Garshaw rose to her feet once more. “Ramprasad, the Tok’ra High Council congratulates you on a successful mission, and thanks you and Maireth for your excellent service. Many lives were saved due to your good work. Get some rest, and when you are ready, please make a full report on everything you know about Kali. Now that you may report at your leisure instead of in brief, please include every detail, no matter how insignificant. It will no doubt prove useful in future campaigns against the Goa’uld.”
Ramprasad bowed his head. “No doubt. Thank you — thank all of you.” He smiled. “It is good to be home.”
The council all rose and they went their separate ways. Ramprasad moved to catch up to Jacob.
“Selmak?”
Turning, Selmak said, “Ramprasad. It is very good to see you and Maireth again.”
“Thank you, we both feel the same. I did not know that we had lost Saroosh.”
“She perished shortly before we moved our base to Vorash.” He sighed. “I still miss her. She had a superlative sense of humor.”
“Your current host is of the Tau’ri?”
“Yes.”
Ramprasad chuckled. “That explains his odd mode of speaking. I encountered it when I arrived at the Tau’ri base.”
“Jacob agreeing to be my host was the cornerstone of the Tok’ra/Tau’ri alliance. And it has proven to be quite interesting so far.”
“Selmak, you and your host should know that, when I departed the Tau’ri base, your daughter and two of her teammates were trapped on Imphal.” He quickly told Selmak about the explosives the Reetou had left behind on the chappa’ai.
Selmak’s host lowered his head, and then it was Jacob who spoke. “Figures that SG-1’d be the last ones through. Did they mount a rescue mission?”
“The commander of the Tau’ri forces — I believe his name is Hammond? — was discussing such a mission with the Jaffa renegade when I departed.”
“Yeah, Teal’c wouldn’t just sit on his thumbs.” He nodded. “Thanks, Ramprasad. It’s, ah — it’s good to meet you. Selmak thinks very highly of you.”
“That is a great honor, indeed.”
Ramprasad took his leave of Selmak and Jacob and proceeded to his quarters. He was looking forward to the simple pleasure of sleeping surrounded by the wonderfully familiar ovals that made up the walls and furnishings of the Tok’ra base. The actual location in the galaxy always changed, but the sameness of the walls was a huge comfort after so long undercover.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Anzarra
THE THING that amazed Jacob Carter the most was that he could climb a tree.
He’d been sharing his life with Selmak for three years now, and still every morning he got out of bed expecting the snap-crackle-pop of bones and tightness of muscles. Those had been his constant companion as he barreled forward into middle age, but since becoming a Tok’ra there had been no pain.
Well, no internal pain, anyhow. He still had nightmares (and occasional bits of phantom agony) from their imprisonment by Sokar on Netu, during which the torture was incessant.
However, he had recovered from that — and it was a quick, full recovery, as opposed to the half-assed recovery from the accidental knife wound he’d received during training at the Air Force Academy.
It took months of physical therapy just to be able to raise his left arm again, and even then it was only about halfway up and there was a scar.
As a Tok’ra, though, he could raise his arm as high as he wanted and the scar was long gone.
Right now, he sat on a thick branch on a tree in a deep forest in Anzarra. Intelligence from a Tok’ra embedded on Bastet’s mothership had indicated that the Reetou were using a nearby clearing proximate to the Stargate as their new staging area.
Jacob had gated to Gardosh, and the cargo ship Delek had mentioned was not only there, but intact. Selmak had feared that the tel’tak would be damaged, and that they would lose valuable time repairing it, but the only ‘damage’ was a control crystal that had been deliberately removed to prevent it being taken. Jacob had, at Delek’s instruction, taken a replacement crystal along.
From there, it was easy enough to fly under cloak to Anzarra, leave the vessel many miles from the clearing, and go on foot. Between his own Air Force training and Selmak’s covert skills, Jacob was able to move swiftly and silently through the forest.
I was never this good when I was a young officer, much less now that I’m an old fart, he had thought with amusement as he’d moved through the trees.
In truth, Selmak had replied, none of my prior hosts were able to integrate the skills we as Tok’ra have learned for stealth as well as you.
Jacob had chuckled to himself, as that was amazingly sentimental by Selmak’s standards.
Once he had arrived at the clearing he placed several listening devices near the gate, then found a good tree to climb and waited. Patience had never been one of Jacob Carter’s virtues, but Selmak had it in spades. Which was good, because Jacob knew that, before the blending, he would’ve gone bonkers sitting on his butt this long.
Climbing atop vegetation is a common trait among human children, yet I find no memory of you doing so, Selmak said.
Smiling, Jacob recognized that the symbiote was acknowledging his host’s impatience by conversing to pass the time. I was never any good at it. And we didn’t have any decent climbing trees around when I grew up. That’s why I always tried to find houses that had trees in the yard that you could actually clamber up. Didn’t always work, but I tried.
STARGATE SG-1: Kali's Wrath (SG1-28) Page 6
