Shakuntalas eyes darted between Nekhrun and SG-1 as she approached them again, recognising the sudden suspicion between them. Father has given his agreement to an immediate counterattack, she reported. However, he will not override the existing plans made by General Soor. Instead he suggests that a special task force attack the Stargate directly to cut off the Goauld from their reinforcements. Is such a thing feasible?
Yes, Nekhrun agreed, not taking his eyes off SG-1. The Leonidas can use its ring transporters to deploy my soldiers a short distance from the Stargate. However, even with reinforcements, two battalions might not be enough to secure the Stargate until it has to shut down, not with more Jaffa trying to retake it. Can your father spare more soldiers?
Shakuntala nodded. I have been granted permission to detach my own battalion from the Palace Guards to assist you. Also, if the gate can be secured, General Soor will despatch his reserve of jump infantry to support us.
Us? Carter asked. Are you coming?
The princess stared the slightly taller air force officer in the eye. I told you that the battalion being sent was my own, Captain. Where else would I be but with my men? She turned to look at Nekhrun. Is that acceptable to you, Admiral?
I never doubted it, your highness, Ayodhya said smoothly, the eyes of the Goauld fading back from his face. If you would be so good as to have your men form up on one of the parade grounds, I will have Leonidas beam you and your men to the Stargate as soon as my own men secure a landing zone. Given your inexperience with night fighting, it would seem wiser to hold you in reserve until then.
Of course, she said pleasently. The men will be prepared to depart within the hour, Admiral. On their behalf I thank you for the honour of fighting at your side.
Princess, the Admiral said, bowing deeply. It is my privilege to lead such men.
If youre going, then so are we, Jack said firmly.
Ayodhya wheeled on him. Havent you done enough damage! he hissed and the sheer control that keep the words from being audible more than a few paces made it clear that as far as he was concerned this was not merely a matter of suspicion. The Admiral glanced around, and a muscle in his jaw jumped as he saw Shakuntala listening, wide-eyed. Damn you for fools! he continued, concluding the damage done. Your half-bright bumbling has brought the System Lords down on the Confederacy. Angrezi is one of us now and we will not abandon them. But we are not ready for them. Not yet. And you think I will let you onto the battlefield? Do you think I want every detail of how the Confederacy wages war delivered wholesale to the System Lords by the same sanctimonious hands of the Tokra that apparently hold your leash, tokhe straav!?
Admiral, Shakuntala said quietly. Is this something that you wish my father to know of?
He paused and then shook his head. I have no secrets from my allies, he said. However, this is perhaps something that can wait until another time. Gather your troops, your highness. I believe I need to take this conversation with my guests to somewhere more private. Turning to SG-1: The four of you are coming with me.
.oOo.
The Leonidas was a different place when prepared for battle.
Daniel, the historian, was aware that the great warships of the age of sail had cleared for action, removing internal bulkheads to leave their gundecks open so that the cannon crew could move freely. The Leonidas was apparently the reverse every passage had been sealed by solid looking doors that slid almost, but not quite, soundlessly, open ahead of Ayodhya and closed equally automatically behind him.
Almost, but not quite, silent would be a good way to descibe Ayodhya as well as he marched through the ship. Trailing in his wake, the rear brought up by a pair of guards that didnt look quite a soldier-like as those that they had previously seen, SG-1 could only hear the click of his heels as the Admiral walked and incomprehenisble mumbling under his breath that even Daniel couldnt make out.
At last they came to the main deck and Ayodhya paused at a wall, adjusting a control to open the panel that had closed over the windows. Outside, Angrezi floated, surprisingly serene given the turmoil that they had just left. When he turned away, his eyes glowed.
I am only going to ask this once, Nekhrun said with exaggerated calm. Do not lie to me. Did you tell the Tokra where they could find me.
Yes, but
He held up one hand to cut off Sams words. Captain, do you know how many people there are on Angrezi? No? According to their last census, he said looking out of the window, there are about a billion and a half of them. That, incidentally, is about average for the Confederacy. There are six other Confederate members. Call it ten billion human beings. Three colonies founded by those members for their growing populations. Over a hundred protectorate worlds with millions of inhabitants in most cases.
If the Goauld have their way then they will will burn the cities and they will salt the fields. They will kill the men, rape the women and enslave our children. And all that stands against this doom that the Tokra have written for my people are a fleet of ships that I did not intend to face open battle for at least another century. This, be it in ignorance or in malice, is your gift to me, Tauri. And now you propose that I should trust you at my back? The last sentence delivered in a deep bellow that seemed to shake the compartment shouted.
My father would not do this, Sam protested.
Im going to regret asking this, I know, Nekhrun said, still looking out the window, and then asked, Your father?
Uh, Carters father is currently the host for a Tokra called Selmak, ONeill pointed out.
If thats a play for sympathy then its not going to fly, Nekhrun said, his face stony. Hes presumably old enough to know his own mind and if he went along with this then hes just as bad as the rest of them. Which at best means that he knowingly set one or more of the System Lords to burn Angrezis cities, rape and pillage their people just to get at one lone Goauld who none of them have seen in a thousand years.
But we are getting away from the key question, he added after Sam subsided. Which revolves around why you think I should take you with me into a battle rather than lock you up next to your Colonel Maybourne.
You do not know that the Tokra are responsible. Only on Angrezi can we discover the truth, Tealc said calmly, unmoved by the explicit threat.
Nekhrun snorted. Responsible is one thing that that the Tokra have never been, he replied bitterly. Guilty is more their speed. However, if you want to take your chances down there, then Ill give you the chance to prove me wrong. He nodded to the guards. Take them to their quarters so that they can prepare and then bring them to the ready room for the Number Four Ring Transporter.
Tealc inclined his head in thanks and the Goauld shook his head dismissively. Dont thank me, sholva, he said somewhat wearily. Once down there, you are on your own. Come back with proof of how the Goauld discovered my location or do not return at all.
.oOo.
von Pinn was in the ready room when SG-1 arrived, back in their BDUs and carrying the weapons that they had brought with them. For his part, von Pinn was wearing the same field gear as before and adjusting the fit of what looked like opaque wrap-around sunglasses. The carbine propped against the bench beside him had a similar short grip to the stunners that they had been provided during their previous deployment with the Angrezi troops, and a short cylinder under the barrel suggested that it had some sort of complementary weapon system.
I rather gather that the Admirals a little bit pissed with you, he observed, looking up in their direction. Hes not been very forthcoming about his reasons though. Or why youre coming along with us on this little jaunt.
He thinks its a mite convenient that the Goauld are attacking the Angrezi only days after we found them, Jack said. And hes right, it does seem suspicious. But the only way to find out whether theres an actual leak at our end is to find out from the Jaffa, or from a Goauld if one is directing the attack.
So youve got something to prove? the Lieutanant noted. I see. Well, that sounds like a truly reckless goal to be pursuing. Are you sure that you arent trying too hard to live up to your reputations?
Its Earths reputation that were trying to salvage, Jack told him.
Ah. Point, conceded von Pinn. Alright then. You carent getting the full briefing, because frankly youve got a good chance of getting captured and we dont want you spilling our operations plan to the Jaffa, so heres the abbreviated version. He pulled out a PDA and tapped on it twice, displaying a small holographic map of the island above the device. The island quickly expanded, disappearing as it reached the limits of the displays limits, focusing on the area around the Stargate.
Well be put down here, he said, pointing to a green triangle about a mile from the Stargate and sheltered from it by a ridge. By we, I mean me and my command post as well as one company of my infantry. The Jaffa have defensive positions around the Stargate. Several units have left the immediate area. Were sure of two that have headed in this direction, he indicated the direction taken by the road. And there are at least three more that are heading for other points on the coast. There are presumably patrols out, but thats a little difficult to pinpoint from orbit, which is pretty much the only good intel we have. The units that have marched out are about a thousand strong each the defences seem to be manned by about two thousand Jaffa, with up to a thousand reinforcements available from whatever unit is coming through the Stargate at the moment. There are around twenty Death Gliders on the ground inside the defenses, we estimate that there are at least as many in operation, either providing cover for the other units or scouting. Questions?
You said that your command post and one company would be here? Daniel asked. Where will the rest of the force be?
Im not going to tell you, von Pinn explained as if to a child. What you dont know
We cant tell, Jack finished. Is there any way we can avoid getting shot at by your soldiers?
Apart from not going down there? The troops have been briefed that youre down there and the rules of engagement that were operating under are to use stun if in doubt. However, most of the time well be using lethal force given the numbers involved, leaving Jaffa to wake up and get back into the fight isnt exactly desirable so try to give plenty of warning if you approach any of our troops.
So were basically screwed.
Yes, well theres a lot of that going around, von Pinn pointed out. Much as I was raised to respect the heroes who died at the Hot Gates, Id really rather not re-enact their last stand if I can avoid it. They did all die, after all.
.oOo.
The rings vanished from around them and the first thing Jack felt was the chill of the night around them. They had been placed in a small gap between the pine trees that covered a good swathe of the island, a gap just large enough for the rings to appear. Around them more ring transports were arriving, each leaving squad after squad of soldiers, each equipped the same way as von Pinn, whose squad was nearest to SG-1. At an unseen signal, the soldiers spread out and began to move up the slope that they had appeared at the foot of, squads leapfrogging each other up the slope.
Good luck, von Pinn said simply as he walked past them, carbine held low and ready to fire.
Well, Jack said as the soldiers moved out of sight (not that far in the darkness) Unless any of you want to chase after one of those Jaffa units thats marching around, wed better go look for some of those patrols that von Pinn mentioned and work our way up.
It is unlikely that a patrol will include an officer of sufficient rank to be aware of sources of information, ONeill, Tealc pointed out, nonetheless gesturing in the direction he thought most promising to locate a Jaffa patrol.
Never underestimate the spread of gossip, buddy, Jack pointed out. Even if they dont know where the information came from, theyll almost certainly know who does, or know someone who can tell us who knows.
Do we have time for that? Daniel asked.
I dont think we can afford not to try, Danny, Jack said, glad that the dark of the night concealed his face. If this comes to an open war with the Goauld then I cant see Apophsis not taking the opportunity to swat Earth in passing. The only reason that he hasnt so far is that the other System Lords would be wary of the power that Earth would offer him. If theyve got the Confederacy to drool over then theyll be paying a lot less attention to what happens to us. The whole balance of power is going to be a thing of the past.
I cant believe that Dad would let the Tokra do something like this, Sam said quietly.
Its possible that the Tokra Council overruled him, suggested Jack. Or Anise could be running this on her own. She was there as well and it sounds like shes got a fairly major grudge against Nekhrun.
Either way, it sounds like you think Nekhruns right about the Tokra leaking the information to one of the Goauld, she said.
I really hope that its just a coincidence, Jack said. But hes right, itd be one hell of a coincidence for them to turn up right after we told the Tokra where to find him.
What do we do if they did tell the Goauld? Daniel asked.
Jack hesitated. I dont know, Danny. Well have to be damn careful what we tell them about in the future. Because if Nekhruns right about them then theyd probably write us off and let the Goauld take us with all the remorse of the phone company announcing a rate hike.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.
Yes, Nekhrun agreed, not taking his eyes off SG-1. The Leonidas can use its ring transporters to deploy my soldiers a short distance from the Stargate. However, even with reinforcements, two battalions might not be enough to secure the Stargate until it has to shut down, not with more Jaffa trying to retake it. Can your father spare more soldiers?
Shakuntala nodded. I have been granted permission to detach my own battalion from the Palace Guards to assist you. Also, if the gate can be secured, General Soor will despatch his reserve of jump infantry to support us.
Us? Carter asked. Are you coming?
The princess stared the slightly taller air force officer in the eye. I told you that the battalion being sent was my own, Captain. Where else would I be but with my men? She turned to look at Nekhrun. Is that acceptable to you, Admiral?
I never doubted it, your highness, Ayodhya said smoothly, the eyes of the Goauld fading back from his face. If you would be so good as to have your men form up on one of the parade grounds, I will have Leonidas beam you and your men to the Stargate as soon as my own men secure a landing zone. Given your inexperience with night fighting, it would seem wiser to hold you in reserve until then.
Of course, she said pleasently. The men will be prepared to depart within the hour, Admiral. On their behalf I thank you for the honour of fighting at your side.
Princess, the Admiral said, bowing deeply. It is my privilege to lead such men.
If youre going, then so are we, Jack said firmly.
Ayodhya wheeled on him. Havent you done enough damage! he hissed and the sheer control that keep the words from being audible more than a few paces made it clear that as far as he was concerned this was not merely a matter of suspicion. The Admiral glanced around, and a muscle in his jaw jumped as he saw Shakuntala listening, wide-eyed. Damn you for fools! he continued, concluding the damage done. Your half-bright bumbling has brought the System Lords down on the Confederacy. Angrezi is one of us now and we will not abandon them. But we are not ready for them. Not yet. And you think I will let you onto the battlefield? Do you think I want every detail of how the Confederacy wages war delivered wholesale to the System Lords by the same sanctimonious hands of the Tokra that apparently hold your leash, tokhe straav!?
Admiral, Shakuntala said quietly. Is this something that you wish my father to know of?
He paused and then shook his head. I have no secrets from my allies, he said. However, this is perhaps something that can wait until another time. Gather your troops, your highness. I believe I need to take this conversation with my guests to somewhere more private. Turning to SG-1: The four of you are coming with me.
.oOo.
The Leonidas was a different place when prepared for battle.
Daniel, the historian, was aware that the great warships of the age of sail had cleared for action, removing internal bulkheads to leave their gundecks open so that the cannon crew could move freely. The Leonidas was apparently the reverse every passage had been sealed by solid looking doors that slid almost, but not quite, soundlessly, open ahead of Ayodhya and closed equally automatically behind him.
Almost, but not quite, silent would be a good way to descibe Ayodhya as well as he marched through the ship. Trailing in his wake, the rear brought up by a pair of guards that didnt look quite a soldier-like as those that they had previously seen, SG-1 could only hear the click of his heels as the Admiral walked and incomprehenisble mumbling under his breath that even Daniel couldnt make out.
At last they came to the main deck and Ayodhya paused at a wall, adjusting a control to open the panel that had closed over the windows. Outside, Angrezi floated, surprisingly serene given the turmoil that they had just left. When he turned away, his eyes glowed.
I am only going to ask this once, Nekhrun said with exaggerated calm. Do not lie to me. Did you tell the Tokra where they could find me.
Yes, but
He held up one hand to cut off Sams words. Captain, do you know how many people there are on Angrezi? No? According to their last census, he said looking out of the window, there are about a billion and a half of them. That, incidentally, is about average for the Confederacy. There are six other Confederate members. Call it ten billion human beings. Three colonies founded by those members for their growing populations. Over a hundred protectorate worlds with millions of inhabitants in most cases.
If the Goauld have their way then they will will burn the cities and they will salt the fields. They will kill the men, rape the women and enslave our children. And all that stands against this doom that the Tokra have written for my people are a fleet of ships that I did not intend to face open battle for at least another century. This, be it in ignorance or in malice, is your gift to me, Tauri. And now you propose that I should trust you at my back? The last sentence delivered in a deep bellow that seemed to shake the compartment shouted.
My father would not do this, Sam protested.
Im going to regret asking this, I know, Nekhrun said, still looking out the window, and then asked, Your father?
Uh, Carters father is currently the host for a Tokra called Selmak, ONeill pointed out.
If thats a play for sympathy then its not going to fly, Nekhrun said, his face stony. Hes presumably old enough to know his own mind and if he went along with this then hes just as bad as the rest of them. Which at best means that he knowingly set one or more of the System Lords to burn Angrezis cities, rape and pillage their people just to get at one lone Goauld who none of them have seen in a thousand years.
But we are getting away from the key question, he added after Sam subsided. Which revolves around why you think I should take you with me into a battle rather than lock you up next to your Colonel Maybourne.
You do not know that the Tokra are responsible. Only on Angrezi can we discover the truth, Tealc said calmly, unmoved by the explicit threat.
Nekhrun snorted. Responsible is one thing that that the Tokra have never been, he replied bitterly. Guilty is more their speed. However, if you want to take your chances down there, then Ill give you the chance to prove me wrong. He nodded to the guards. Take them to their quarters so that they can prepare and then bring them to the ready room for the Number Four Ring Transporter.
Tealc inclined his head in thanks and the Goauld shook his head dismissively. Dont thank me, sholva, he said somewhat wearily. Once down there, you are on your own. Come back with proof of how the Goauld discovered my location or do not return at all.
.oOo.
von Pinn was in the ready room when SG-1 arrived, back in their BDUs and carrying the weapons that they had brought with them. For his part, von Pinn was wearing the same field gear as before and adjusting the fit of what looked like opaque wrap-around sunglasses. The carbine propped against the bench beside him had a similar short grip to the stunners that they had been provided during their previous deployment with the Angrezi troops, and a short cylinder under the barrel suggested that it had some sort of complementary weapon system.
I rather gather that the Admirals a little bit pissed with you, he observed, looking up in their direction. Hes not been very forthcoming about his reasons though. Or why youre coming along with us on this little jaunt.
He thinks its a mite convenient that the Goauld are attacking the Angrezi only days after we found them, Jack said. And hes right, it does seem suspicious. But the only way to find out whether theres an actual leak at our end is to find out from the Jaffa, or from a Goauld if one is directing the attack.
So youve got something to prove? the Lieutanant noted. I see. Well, that sounds like a truly reckless goal to be pursuing. Are you sure that you arent trying too hard to live up to your reputations?
Its Earths reputation that were trying to salvage, Jack told him.
Ah. Point, conceded von Pinn. Alright then. You carent getting the full briefing, because frankly youve got a good chance of getting captured and we dont want you spilling our operations plan to the Jaffa, so heres the abbreviated version. He pulled out a PDA and tapped on it twice, displaying a small holographic map of the island above the device. The island quickly expanded, disappearing as it reached the limits of the displays limits, focusing on the area around the Stargate.
Well be put down here, he said, pointing to a green triangle about a mile from the Stargate and sheltered from it by a ridge. By we, I mean me and my command post as well as one company of my infantry. The Jaffa have defensive positions around the Stargate. Several units have left the immediate area. Were sure of two that have headed in this direction, he indicated the direction taken by the road. And there are at least three more that are heading for other points on the coast. There are presumably patrols out, but thats a little difficult to pinpoint from orbit, which is pretty much the only good intel we have. The units that have marched out are about a thousand strong each the defences seem to be manned by about two thousand Jaffa, with up to a thousand reinforcements available from whatever unit is coming through the Stargate at the moment. There are around twenty Death Gliders on the ground inside the defenses, we estimate that there are at least as many in operation, either providing cover for the other units or scouting. Questions?
You said that your command post and one company would be here? Daniel asked. Where will the rest of the force be?
Im not going to tell you, von Pinn explained as if to a child. What you dont know
We cant tell, Jack finished. Is there any way we can avoid getting shot at by your soldiers?
Apart from not going down there? The troops have been briefed that youre down there and the rules of engagement that were operating under are to use stun if in doubt. However, most of the time well be using lethal force given the numbers involved, leaving Jaffa to wake up and get back into the fight isnt exactly desirable so try to give plenty of warning if you approach any of our troops.
So were basically screwed.
Yes, well theres a lot of that going around, von Pinn pointed out. Much as I was raised to respect the heroes who died at the Hot Gates, Id really rather not re-enact their last stand if I can avoid it. They did all die, after all.
.oOo.
The rings vanished from around them and the first thing Jack felt was the chill of the night around them. They had been placed in a small gap between the pine trees that covered a good swathe of the island, a gap just large enough for the rings to appear. Around them more ring transports were arriving, each leaving squad after squad of soldiers, each equipped the same way as von Pinn, whose squad was nearest to SG-1. At an unseen signal, the soldiers spread out and began to move up the slope that they had appeared at the foot of, squads leapfrogging each other up the slope.
Good luck, von Pinn said simply as he walked past them, carbine held low and ready to fire.
Well, Jack said as the soldiers moved out of sight (not that far in the darkness) Unless any of you want to chase after one of those Jaffa units thats marching around, wed better go look for some of those patrols that von Pinn mentioned and work our way up.
It is unlikely that a patrol will include an officer of sufficient rank to be aware of sources of information, ONeill, Tealc pointed out, nonetheless gesturing in the direction he thought most promising to locate a Jaffa patrol.
Never underestimate the spread of gossip, buddy, Jack pointed out. Even if they dont know where the information came from, theyll almost certainly know who does, or know someone who can tell us who knows.
Do we have time for that? Daniel asked.
I dont think we can afford not to try, Danny, Jack said, glad that the dark of the night concealed his face. If this comes to an open war with the Goauld then I cant see Apophsis not taking the opportunity to swat Earth in passing. The only reason that he hasnt so far is that the other System Lords would be wary of the power that Earth would offer him. If theyve got the Confederacy to drool over then theyll be paying a lot less attention to what happens to us. The whole balance of power is going to be a thing of the past.
I cant believe that Dad would let the Tokra do something like this, Sam said quietly.
Its possible that the Tokra Council overruled him, suggested Jack. Or Anise could be running this on her own. She was there as well and it sounds like shes got a fairly major grudge against Nekhrun.
Either way, it sounds like you think Nekhruns right about the Tokra leaking the information to one of the Goauld, she said.
I really hope that its just a coincidence, Jack said. But hes right, itd be one hell of a coincidence for them to turn up right after we told the Tokra where to find him.
What do we do if they did tell the Goauld? Daniel asked.
Jack hesitated. I dont know, Danny. Well have to be damn careful what we tell them about in the future. Because if Nekhruns right about them then theyd probably write us off and let the Goauld take us with all the remorse of the phone company announcing a rate hike.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.