It exploded, cutting both Jaffa to ribbons. Their leader, however, was merely thrown to the ground by the concussive blast.
Bra’tac broke cover and ran toward the fallen Jaffa. But before he could get there, the Jaffa had gotten to his feet, still clutching his staff weapon.
He broke into a huge grin. “You are clever, shol’va. But know that, no matter how many Jaffa you kill, the Mother Goddess will remain supreme.”
“She is neither mother nor goddess, nor is she supreme. She is a false god, like all the Goa’uld. You have one chance, my friend. Join me. The Jaffa Rebellion has grown and you would be welcome in our ranks.”
The Jaffa shook his head. “You wantonly kill my comrades, and then try to recruit me? You are a fool, shol’va.” He armed his ma’tok. “I will kill you where you stand.”
Using only his right arm, his left still wounded, Bra’tac also armed his staff weapon, bracing it under his right armpit. It was less efficient than holding it two-handed, but at this range his shot need not be precise. “If you fire, I will fire. We will both die.”
The Jaffa shrugged. “Then I will die well, in defense of the Mother Goddess. It has been my hope since I first reached the Age of Prata, that when I die, I do so in her service. You, however, will die poorly, a traitor to your god and all the gods, alone in the snow.”
Bra’tac shook his head. “There is another possibility you have not considered.”
“And what might that be?”
From behind him, Major Carter stepped out from behind the oak, wielding her gun. “Me. Put the staff weapon down.”
Laughing derisively, the Jaffa asked, “Or what? You’ll kill me?”
Major Carter nodded. “Those are your options, yes. And before you start in on the fact that I’m a woman, keep in mind that your two buddies over there were killed by my grenade.”
“A cowardly attack is one thing,” the Jaffa said, “but to kill a man who stands before you? There are women who I believe would be capable of such a thing, but you are Tau’ri. All Tau’ri are weak.” He turned his ma’tok toward Major Carter. “And I will prove it by — ”
He was interrupted by Major Carter shooting him in the chest and head. He fell to the snow, which was stained red with his blood.
She walked over to his corpse and stared down at him, her expression indecipherable. Then she looked over at Bra’tac. “We should get moving.”
“Agreed.”
Before they moved off, she looked back at the corpse again. “I’d honestly expected better from someone who worshipped a female god.” She sighed. “C’mon, let’s get moving before — ”
She was interrupted by a bright flash in the twilight sky. Looking up, Bra’tac saw a new star erupt in the sky over Imphal.
Major Carter looked at Bra’tac and smiled. “Looks like Captain Patel and the Thakka did their job.”
“Indeed. Let us proceed.”
The sun was beginning to set, which was good. No technology ever developed had changed the fact that, when on the surface of a planet, the times of the rising and setting sun were the most difficult in which to engage in direct battle. The poor visibility at those times gave the advantage to those who moved secretly in the shadows, as they would need to do to reach the tavern.
They moved as silently as they were able toward the village — limited by Bra’tac’s injury and Major Carter’s lesser stealth, but such was the way of things.
When they passed by one of the residences, Bra’tac noticed something wrong in the way the wind moved. There was a clearing up ahead, but the wind was blowing around it as if there was a structure present.
As he was holding his ma’tok in his right hand, he reached out to grab Major Carter’s shoulder with his left, which sent phantom knives slicing through his bicep.
My prim’ta is taking longer to heal these old cells, he thought ruefully.
The major turned to look at him, and he indicated the clearing in front of them with his head. She nodded, and raised her P90. It was obvious to Bra’tac that she couldn’t detect the disturbance that he sensed, but that she also trusted his judgment.
And then the airlock door to a tel’tak suddenly appeared from nowhere and opened to reveal Jacob Carter, who was motioning for them to enter.
Relieved, Bra’tac ran toward the airlock, and Major Carter followed, lowering her weapon and putting it in its standby mode.
Neither they nor the Tok’ra spoke until the airlock was shut, at which point the entrance was once again protected by the cargo vessel’s cloak, leaving it fully invisible.
“Glad you two made it out in one piece,” Jacob Carter said. “And it looks like Patel and the Thakka did okay.”
Major Carter reached for the communications device attached to her vest. “I’ll check in with Patel, see if — ”
Holding up a hand, the Tok’ra said, “Don’t, Sam. We’ve got us a big problem: Jack and Teal’c got caught.”
As he spoke, Jacob Carter called up a holographic image taken from the tel’tak’s external sensors. It showed the tavern where the Reetou were meeting with Dr. Jackson. Through a window, they could see that it was Kali, now calmly speaking with seemingly nobody, her lo’taur by her side, while O’Neill, Teal’c, and Jackson stood at the rear of the tavern, guarded by four Jaffa. O’Neill was no longer wearing Belos’s kara kesh, but Bra’tac noted that one of the Jaffa was.
Jacob Carter continued: “Transphasic sensors indicate five Reetou in the room — along with the explosives.”
Major Carter winced. “Any idea when they’ll go off?”
He shook his head. “Sorry, Sam, no way to tell. From what Bra’tac and I overheard, though, they could go off anytime, and the Reetou won’t be harmed.”
Bra’tac nodded his acknowledgment. “We must move quickly if we are to move at all.”
“Right. We’ll have to get in there with this.” Major Carter pulled the other device they liberated from Kali’s stronghold out of her pocket. “Dad, can you use the cargo ship’s communications to talk directly to Colonel Ferretti’s radio on the island?”
“Assuming he’s there, yeah, I think I can. Gimme a sec.” Jacob Carter went to the controls and manipulated the communications systems with a deft hand. “Colonel Ferretti, this General Carter, respond.”
Bra’tac shot the Tok’ra a look. Even though they had discussed it earlier in the tel’tak, Bra’tac had temporarily forgotten that Jacob Carter held a position within the same military structure as his daughter, O’Neill, and Hammond of Texas. Indeed, he carried the same rank as Hammond.
A static-filled voice sounded over the tel’tak speakers. “Ferretti. Good to hear your voice, General.”
“Likewise. I’ve got Major Carter and Bra’tac here. Sitrep, Colonel.”
Bra’tac had no idea what a “sitrep” was, but it apparently was a prompt for the colonel on the other end to provide a report. “Gate is secure, the Jaffa are zatted and fit to be zip-tied, and the rings are a smoking pile of junk.”
Nodding, Jacob Carter said, “Good work, Colonel.”
Major Carter stepped forward. “Ferretti, is Captain Patel there?”
The captain’s voice now sounded. “I’m here, Major, but the Thakka didn’t make it. The mission, though, was accomplished.”
“So we saw. Good work.”
Colonel Ferretti came back. “How ’bout you, Carter?”
Bra’tac noted that the colonel sounded anxious. He also noticed that two more of Kali’s Jaffa had just entered the tavern and were trying to get the Goa’uld’s attention.
Major Carter replied to the question: “Colonel O’Neill, Teal’c, and Daniel have been captured by Kali. Bra’tac, my father, and I will get them out. You’ll need to keep holding the gate till we get there, sir.”
“You need backup? Major Matt Mason’s ready to ride to Sergeant Storm’s rescue.”
At that, Bra’tac shot Major Carter a look. “Who are Matt Mason and Sergeant Storm?”
“Privat
e joke,” she smiled. “Negative, Colonel, you and Lieutenant Long stay put.”
Bra’tac wondered if Lieutenant Long was a member of Ferretti’s team, or another part of that private joke.
“The Reetou could set off their explosive any moment, sir,” Major Carter continued. “As soon as we rescue the others and are all on the cargo ship, we’ll signal you to dial the gate.”
Now Bra’tac saw that the Jaffa had succeeded in getting Kali’s attention and was speaking frantically at her.
He also noticed that Major Carter had very carefully phrased her comments to the colonel so that it didn’t come across that she was giving orders to him. After all, this Ferretti person was of a higher rank than she. He admired her respect, which she managed without sacrificing the efficiency of the campaign.
“You got it, Carter. Bring ’em home.”
“Yes, sir.”
After signing off, Jacob Carter regarded his daughter quizzically. “Major Mason and the others? Those were those astronaut dolls I got you when you were a kid, right?”
“Yeah.” Major Carter looked away sheepishly. “Ferretti had a set of his own when he was growing up. It’s kind of been a running gag between us ever since we brought Daniel back from Abydos.”
Bra’tac pointed at the holographic display. “I believe Kali has been informed of the fate of her ha’tak.” At this point, Kali had risen to her feet and was speaking angrily to the Jaffa.
Major Carter shook her head. “We need to move. If the Reetou realize that Kali’s lost her mothership, they’ll take advantage and set off the bomb sooner rather than later.”
“Assuming they don’t have it on a timer,” Jacob Carter added.
“We can’t take the chance. I’ve got another brick of C-4. If I can use it as a distraction, it should get most of the Jaffa out of there.” She looked at Bra’tac. “Do you think it’ll get them all out?”
“Of the four currently in the tavern,” Bra’tac said, “I believe three will investigate an explosion of the type you propose. The one wearing the kara kesh will remain to protect Kali from the Reetou.”
“Okay.” She lifted the device she’d taken from Kali’s lab. “This affects symbiotes as much as the Reetou do normally, and I have no idea how it’ll interact with Belos’s hand device, so I’ll need to be the one to go into the tavern.”
Bra’tac quickly said, “Then I shall plant the explosive.”
“Like hell,” Jacob Carter said.
At that, Bra’tac straightened. “I beg your pardon?”
In response, Jacob Carter grabbed a tool off the console and threw it to Bra’tac’s left. “Here, catch.”
Bra’tac attempted to raise his left hand to catch the tool, but he was unable to do so as the pain of his wound shot through his entire arm. The tool clattered to the deck behind him.
“I rest my case,” Jacob Carter said. “I’ll set off the C-4, you sit there and let your symbiote heal that arm.” He pointed at the pilot seat.
Gritting his teeth, Bra’tac reluctantly forced himself to agree with the Tok’ra. “Very well.”
Major Carter smiled and put a friendly hand on Bra’tac’s right shoulder. “It’s okay, Bra’tac. We’ll get ’em. You be ready to take off as soon as we’re all on board.”
He nodded. “I will do my part.”
“Thanks.” Then she turned to her father. “As soon as you set off the C-4, I’ll go in.”
“You got it, kiddo. Let’s get to work.” He grinned. “We’ll do Major Mason proud.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
P3X-418 — Colonel O’Neill, Teal’c, and Dr. Jackson
THE GOOD news, as far as O’Neill was concerned, was Kali obviously didn’t overhear the part of their radio conversation with the SGC on the subject of the explosives that the Reetou had planted in the room.
The bad news was that they were still in the room with the explosives, and they had no idea when they’d go off. When they did, they’d take out Kali, her Jaffa, her slaves, and himself, Teal’c, and Daniel, plus anyone else in range of the explosive.
And not take out the Reetou. Which sucked.
Worse, O’Neill had no idea how the rest of the plan was going. There was no word on the other two teams. Kali wouldn’t necessarily fill him in on the fate of the rest of his people. She might do so, of course — Goa’ulds were never happier than when they were gloating — but O’Neill couldn’t afford to assume that no news was actually good news.
Which meant he had to proceed as if Carter, Bra’tac, Jacob, Patel, and the Thakka were captured or dead and the three of them were on their own.
The problem there was that any move they made might result in the Reetou just setting off the damn explosives. That put the invisible bugs in the driver’s seat as far as O’Neill was concerned.
Which left him with damn few options.
O’Neill hated it when he had damn few options.
“Teal’c,” he whispered, but before he could get any further, one of the Jaffa nearby moved forward.
“The prisoners will be silent,” the Jaffa said in a low, even tone so as not to disturb the “Mother Goddess” while she spoke with the invisible insects.
“Will we now?” O’Neill asked.
The Jaffa simply glared. O’Neill supposed he was lucky — usually when he mouthed off at Jaffa, they hit him with one of those pain stick thingies. A stern look and talking-to was a refreshing change.
He didn’t say so out loud, though. That would be pushing his luck. Not that O’Neill wasn’t willing to push his luck far more than was healthy, but on this occasion, it probably wasn’t the brightest move.
Two more Jaffa came into the tavern, and O’Neill’s heart sank. The last thing he needed were more bad guys in the room.
Kali was in the midst of jabbering at the Reetou, which the doodad was translating into what passed for the bugs’ language. Then the bugs screeched and chittered and then the doodad translated it for her. It was all very slow and cumbersome and was giving O’Neill a massive headache.
“How’d you put up with that?” he whispered to Daniel, deciding to risk incurring the tut-tutting of the Jaffa.
“Wasn’t easy. Why do you think I’ve learned how to speak so many languages?”
“Wild guess — you’re a linguist?”
Daniel smiled. “Well yeah, but the archeologist’s curse is to have to wait for the translation when you’re talking to the locals. Lot easier — and faster — to just learn the language yourself. At least when you’re as good at languages as I am, and I always had the aptitu — ”
The Jaffa stepped forward again. “The prisoners — ”
“ — will be silent, yeah yeah,” O’Neill said.
“Forgive me, Mother Goddess,” one of the new Jaffa finally said when there was a pause in the action, as it were, at the table, “but I bear urgent news that cannot wait.”
Kali didn’t stop looking at the Reetou. “Forgive me. I am the ruler of a massive interstellar empire, and there are times when I must tend to it.”
After a moment, the Reetou response came from the doodad: “We will recess.”
Then Kali got to her feet and walked away from the table. “What is it?” she asked angrily.
“I’m sorry, Mother Goddess, but — ” The Jaffa looked stricken, which meant that he was about to give what Kali would consider bad news — which meant it would probably be good news for O’Neill and the rest of his team.
“Speak, please, and quickly. I am quite busy here, and — ”
“The ha’tak is destroyed!”
Yes! O’Neill barely managed not to say that out loud.
“What?”
O’Neill decided to go for it. “Coulda sworn you said you were gonna stop the rest of my team. Crap job so far.”
“Be silent!” Kali barked at O’Neill. She turned back to the Jaffa. “Send the patrols that are searching for the Tau’ri to the rings and have them secure the chappa’ai.”
“Ooh, tha
t’s a great idea!” O’Neill said. “You’ll definitely want to do that.”
“I said be silent!”
Daniel whispered, “May not wanna push your luck, Jack.”
O’Neill just stared at him. “I’m sorry, have we met?”
“Fair point.”
Teal’c chose that moment to start talking. “The Thakka has already seen you for what you are — a false god.”
The Jaffa who’d brought the news about the mothership going boom, turned to move threateningly toward Teal’c. “Do not speak your lies, shol’va!”
Whatever snappy comeback Teal’c might have had was cut off by the big explosion that shook the ground and the tavern.
“Jaffa, kree!” Kali bellowed, pointing at the exit to the tavern. “Yaresh, remain here.”
All the Jaffa — except for Yaresh — left the tavern, leaving just the three SG-1 members, the half-dozen slaves, Kali, Yaresh, and five Reetou.
And if it wasn’t for the five Reetou, O’Neill might have considered making a move. But they could’ve been armed, for all he knew, plus they had that damn bomb.
Kali moved back to the table. “My apologies for these delays.”
The Reetou screeches came back as: “There is no need to apologize. These negotiations are obviously meaningless to you — and they are to us, as well. The Goa’uld are parasites who must be removed from the galaxy, as must the bipeds you take as hosts.”
“Now hang on a sec!” O’Neill said, but Daniel stepped in front of him.
“Honored negotiators, I thought we had discussed this before Kali replaced me as mediator. The hosts are not to be blamed for the actions of the Goa’uld.”
O’Neill glanced over at Teal’c and mouthed the words honored negotiators?
Teal’c, naturally, remained impassive.
Kali whirled on Daniel. “This was how you negotiated on my behalf?”
Daniel smiled. “You made me promise to negotiate for you. You didn’t make me promise to be good at it.”
Moving toward Daniel, Kali held up her left hand. “I have had enough of — ”
And then she doubled over in pain. Across the tavern, Yaresh did likewise.
STARGATE SG-1: Kali's Wrath (SG1-28) Page 19
