The Tokra High Council was not without a history of acrimony as its members discussed the various options available to them in their eons long struggle against the tyranny of Ra and the other System Lords.
There was however absolutely no precedent for Selmak, returning to the chamber after having received a communication from his current hosts homeworld, hauling Delek up from his chair and slamming the other Councillor up against the wall. A moment later, the former Air Force general brought his knee up sharply, striking the younger host slightly above the pelvis, eliciting a whoop of pain from the other man.
Out of a slight concern for your host, Jacob Carter hissed to the other Tokra, I didnt just end his future chances of siring children. You fucking imbecile. How long have you been in Heru-urs pocket?
Selmak! Aldwin protested. What are you talking about! Release Delek immediately.
Not a fucking chance, Jacob snarled. I just got a message from George Hammond. You may remember that Anise and I met him recently, regarding the long missing Nekhrun.
It would be hard to forget, Anise growled. But what has this got to do with Delek?
Everything, he growled. SG-1 went back for a follow up meeting a few days. While they were there, the planet came under attack by Heru-ur and thousands of Jaffa.
Aldwin sighed. Another human civilisation snuffed out by the System Lords, he said bitterly. I hope at least that SG-1 were able to escape?
Escape? Jacob snorted. They kicked Heru-urs ass, captured him and the Confederated Free Systems kicked the Jaffa off Angrezi, which looks likely to be only the first battle in whats going to be a very savage war between them and the System Lords.
They won? Anise gasped. That bitch defeated one of the System Lords in open battle?
They won, confirmed Jacob, And apparently Heru-ur let slip a few details about how he came to find Angrezi, a civilisation that none of the System Lords knew anything about but that we had learned of less that a week before the attack.
What are you saying? Aldwin asked. That Delek shared the information with Heru-ur? The Council never authorised such a disclosure.
Heru-ur named Delek specifically, Jacob told them, releasing the still gasping Delek to fall the floor. Apparently some sort of deal involving Egeria. I also have several messages to relay, he added looking down at the fallen Councillor. Heru-ur said to tell you that Egeria will suffer for your crimes against him, Delek. Now I was rather under the impression that she was long dead. Do you have anything that you want to tell us? Or should I move right on to persuading you to tell us the dirty little secrets that youve been hiding?
The tears in Deleks eyes were not a result of the injury. No he whispered. Damn him damn them both
Delek, Aldwin said firmly. Tell us what you have done.
Delek sighed. Egeria is alive, he confessed. Ra didnt kill her, he sealed her away in a remote tomb. Heru-ur was the only one that Ra entrusted with the location. He offered to share the information with me and not reveal my allegiances to Ra in return for information on the other System Lords.
You fool, Selmak said coldly. Even if he wasnt lying, Egeria would never have wished to become one of the System Lords servants.
Dammit, Selmak! Dont get self-righteous with me! Delek snapped. Were losing, cant you see that? Every time one of the System Lords is brought down, another Goauld simply replaces them. But where are the new Tokra? Without Egeria we cant replace our number and year after year, century after century, our own casualties are sapping our strength.
How do you even know Heru-ur was telling the truth? Aldwin challenged him. You know that he would not hesitate to betray you.
He showed me her, revealed Delek stubbornly. He took me through a Stargate and showed me the very jar. In return for Nekhruns location he swore to reveal the gate codes to me.
And you believed him?
He gave me the first two codes, Delec protested. What does it matter what happens to Nekhrun? Is this anything that we havent done before, revealing one Goaulds weakness to another in order to thin their ranks?
Never without the full knowledge and consent of the High Council, Aldwin reminded him.
And never when it would bring the wrath of both System Lords down upon us! Jacob snapped. You utter fool. Do you have any idea how dangerous Nekhrun is? She squashed Heru-ur like a fly and she knows perfectly well that we are the ones who revealed his location. She sent a message through StarGate Command for the High Council as well.
Anise sneered. Do you really think that anyone cares what that malignant cow has to say for herself? she spat.
I think we damn well should care, Jacob answered. She says that as far as she is concerned we are responsible for every death among the soldiers who fought the Jaffa and she demands that we explain ourselves. If we dont well if the Confederacy wins, which I admit I dont think is very likely, then theyll hunt us down like dogs.
As if thats any different from how the Goauld treat us? Garshaw snorted.
Jacob shook his head. How long would the Tokra have lasted without the support of human communities? he asked rhetorically. Not long. And if the Confederacy wins then they wont oppress the System Lords slaves. Theyll liberate them, and tell them of all the times weve had to abandoned humans to face the wrath of System Lords that are hunting us. It would seem that thats where those communities that Nekhrun swept off wound up, indoctrinated until there are entire societies that see us as nothing but those who used them and then threw them aside.
.oOo.
The Angrezi star system was relatively small, with only two terrestrial planets besides Angrezi and a single huge gas giant further out from the sun. It was not large enough to have hidden the sudden arrival of even one starship from the watchful eyes of the Confederated Free Systems Fleet now that they had been alerted. Not that the System Lords were particularly trying.
Multiple hyperspace windows opening, reported a sensor operator on the bridge of the Leonidas. Location is twenty million miles insystem of Angrezi, one point three million miles above the ecliptic plane.
How many? Fumizuki asked.
More than twenty, the young woman reported. And theyre still coming.
Fumizuki nodded. Sound general quarters.
A deep booming sound filled the compartment as the General Quarters alarm, modelled on a very large gong, sounded. Everywhere aboard the powerful ship and her smaller cohorts, bulkheads slammed closed crew scrambled for their battle stations.
Situation? Ayodhya asked, bursting into the bridge, fingers still working to close up the flies of his trousers.
Fumizuki tactfully didnt look back. Basantapurian culture, even muted by several generations on Heinessen, was considerably less body-shy than that of the Captains native Fukuoka. A large force is exiting Hyperspace at a range of roughly twenty-six million miles. In excess of twenty vessels.
Past forty, sir, the sensor operator advised.
Damn, the Admiral noted. That son of a bitch Heru-ur managed to drag along an alliance. Whats the status of the Onyx Ghost? he added, in reference to the freighter that had delivered the Angrezis new fighters.
Departed on schedule three hours ago, Fumizuki reported. The Dilios flew back and forth across the point of departure, which should muddle any hyperspace traces they might be able to get after all this time.
I realise that it was never very likely, Ayodhya agreed. But then again, I hadnt thought that Heru-ur would have a new twist on a ring transporter either and cold as it is, Id rather that the System Lords dont have anywhere else that they know of to attack us for the moment.
The Angrezi are tough people, Fumizuki said.
Ayodhya shook his head. They havent had a war in a hundred years. That skirmish over the Stargate wasnt enough to blood them seriously. This will be the real test. He shrugged. Well, the dice are thrown and all that.
A tactical display lit up. Theyve stopped coming, sir. Final count is sixty-two ships, power signatures all flag them as Hatak-class ships. I dont recognise the formation but theyre heading this way, estimated time of arrival is in twenty-eight minutes.
Show me the formation, Ayodhya ordered. A holographic image, each ship nothing more than a pin-prick, appeared in front of him and he gave a short laugh. Thats no formation thats every blasted one of those damn fools bunching their own ships together and trying not to get too far into their allys firing arcs.
The Tauris captured Teltac is approaching, sir, the flight officer observed. Without any fighters out at the moment, he had been relegated to local traffic control.
What do they want?
To come aboard, apparently.
It would seem to be your day for meeting people, Fumizuki observed.
Youve got a smart mouth, captain, Nekhrun observed, taking over from the Admiral. Sario was wise to choose you as his flag captain. Since the Teltac has a ring transporter, let the Taure come aboard.
The operations officer saluted and then touched his headset, murmuring commands. Theyre aboard, sir.
Interesting, Nekhrun mused, watching as the Teltac wheeled and suddenly headed out of the system. In a flash of light it disappeared, entering Hyperspace in what, off hand, he would have thought to be the direction of Earth. Looks like their ride deserted them.
Not quite, Jack said, walking onto the bridge, followed by the rest of SG-1. I told the guys on Maybournes team to take it back to Earth and make contact with StarGate Command.
And youre sure that they wont say, take off and start plundering other helpless planets? Nekhrun asked sceptically.
Im reasonably sure that they wont be able to navigate to any helpless planets, Jack explained. Carter had to set up the hyperspace route for them to get back to Earth.
The Goauld shrugged his shoulders as if to emphasise that those hapless individuals were no longer his problem. And so you decided to come here and keep me company? I knew I had a winning personality but dont you think that you might be taking matters to extremes?
Very funny, Jack told him and looked at the display of ships. Thats a lot of ships. Friends of yours?
Nekhrun snorted. No, Colonel ONeill. Like any of you, I can choose my friends but I am given no choice when it comes to my family. Those are the combined forces of... my goodness, I hadnt realised Id upset quite so many of the System Lords. I do believe that thats some of Heru-urs ships there, trailing behind Apophis little fleet Moloc, Ares Morrigan and Cronus Hathor? What did I ever do to her? And what damp rock did she crawl out from under? I havent heard a whisper of her for twenty centuries
Jack raised his hand somewhat sheepishly. Hathor wasnt one of his proudest memories.
I should have known, Nekhrun sighed. In any event, it would appear that the Heru-ur shared his discovery of my survival with quite a number of my old adversaries and now they have come to destroy me.
Can you stop them? Daniel asked.
With six ships? the renegade Goauld asked incredulously. Not unless they do something truly stupid of course, we are talking about my idiot siblings for the most part so thats entirely possible.
Is there any likelihood of reinforcements arriving? Jack asked.
Not in the immediate future, Nekhrun admitted. If everything went completely to plan then the first of the strike forces from Operation Mount Niitaka will be just finishing up their strikes, which means that they cant get here for at least another day.
Do you think you can drag out the battle that long? Sam asked, eyeing the advancing mob of ships. Death Gliders and Alkesh were beginning to spill from their hangers. There were a great many of them.
There are a lot of variables, the Goauld shrugged. If I can sting them badly enough then possibly. But I dont want to bloody them enough to make them run? Itll be a tough balance to manage.
You dont want them to run? Daniel asked.
No, Nekhrun said, eyeing the little diagram that floated in front of his command chair. I want them here. I want all of them here. I want to pin them against Angrezi and when the reinforcements arrive I want to grind them to dust and leave the System Lords short several of their most bloodthirsty fellows and the cream of a dozen fleets. And that wont happen if they run away from me.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.
There was however absolutely no precedent for Selmak, returning to the chamber after having received a communication from his current hosts homeworld, hauling Delek up from his chair and slamming the other Councillor up against the wall. A moment later, the former Air Force general brought his knee up sharply, striking the younger host slightly above the pelvis, eliciting a whoop of pain from the other man.
Out of a slight concern for your host, Jacob Carter hissed to the other Tokra, I didnt just end his future chances of siring children. You fucking imbecile. How long have you been in Heru-urs pocket?
Selmak! Aldwin protested. What are you talking about! Release Delek immediately.
Not a fucking chance, Jacob snarled. I just got a message from George Hammond. You may remember that Anise and I met him recently, regarding the long missing Nekhrun.
It would be hard to forget, Anise growled. But what has this got to do with Delek?
Everything, he growled. SG-1 went back for a follow up meeting a few days. While they were there, the planet came under attack by Heru-ur and thousands of Jaffa.
Aldwin sighed. Another human civilisation snuffed out by the System Lords, he said bitterly. I hope at least that SG-1 were able to escape?
Escape? Jacob snorted. They kicked Heru-urs ass, captured him and the Confederated Free Systems kicked the Jaffa off Angrezi, which looks likely to be only the first battle in whats going to be a very savage war between them and the System Lords.
They won? Anise gasped. That bitch defeated one of the System Lords in open battle?
They won, confirmed Jacob, And apparently Heru-ur let slip a few details about how he came to find Angrezi, a civilisation that none of the System Lords knew anything about but that we had learned of less that a week before the attack.
What are you saying? Aldwin asked. That Delek shared the information with Heru-ur? The Council never authorised such a disclosure.
Heru-ur named Delek specifically, Jacob told them, releasing the still gasping Delek to fall the floor. Apparently some sort of deal involving Egeria. I also have several messages to relay, he added looking down at the fallen Councillor. Heru-ur said to tell you that Egeria will suffer for your crimes against him, Delek. Now I was rather under the impression that she was long dead. Do you have anything that you want to tell us? Or should I move right on to persuading you to tell us the dirty little secrets that youve been hiding?
The tears in Deleks eyes were not a result of the injury. No he whispered. Damn him damn them both
Delek, Aldwin said firmly. Tell us what you have done.
Delek sighed. Egeria is alive, he confessed. Ra didnt kill her, he sealed her away in a remote tomb. Heru-ur was the only one that Ra entrusted with the location. He offered to share the information with me and not reveal my allegiances to Ra in return for information on the other System Lords.
You fool, Selmak said coldly. Even if he wasnt lying, Egeria would never have wished to become one of the System Lords servants.
Dammit, Selmak! Dont get self-righteous with me! Delek snapped. Were losing, cant you see that? Every time one of the System Lords is brought down, another Goauld simply replaces them. But where are the new Tokra? Without Egeria we cant replace our number and year after year, century after century, our own casualties are sapping our strength.
How do you even know Heru-ur was telling the truth? Aldwin challenged him. You know that he would not hesitate to betray you.
He showed me her, revealed Delek stubbornly. He took me through a Stargate and showed me the very jar. In return for Nekhruns location he swore to reveal the gate codes to me.
And you believed him?
He gave me the first two codes, Delec protested. What does it matter what happens to Nekhrun? Is this anything that we havent done before, revealing one Goaulds weakness to another in order to thin their ranks?
Never without the full knowledge and consent of the High Council, Aldwin reminded him.
And never when it would bring the wrath of both System Lords down upon us! Jacob snapped. You utter fool. Do you have any idea how dangerous Nekhrun is? She squashed Heru-ur like a fly and she knows perfectly well that we are the ones who revealed his location. She sent a message through StarGate Command for the High Council as well.
Anise sneered. Do you really think that anyone cares what that malignant cow has to say for herself? she spat.
I think we damn well should care, Jacob answered. She says that as far as she is concerned we are responsible for every death among the soldiers who fought the Jaffa and she demands that we explain ourselves. If we dont well if the Confederacy wins, which I admit I dont think is very likely, then theyll hunt us down like dogs.
As if thats any different from how the Goauld treat us? Garshaw snorted.
Jacob shook his head. How long would the Tokra have lasted without the support of human communities? he asked rhetorically. Not long. And if the Confederacy wins then they wont oppress the System Lords slaves. Theyll liberate them, and tell them of all the times weve had to abandoned humans to face the wrath of System Lords that are hunting us. It would seem that thats where those communities that Nekhrun swept off wound up, indoctrinated until there are entire societies that see us as nothing but those who used them and then threw them aside.
.oOo.
The Angrezi star system was relatively small, with only two terrestrial planets besides Angrezi and a single huge gas giant further out from the sun. It was not large enough to have hidden the sudden arrival of even one starship from the watchful eyes of the Confederated Free Systems Fleet now that they had been alerted. Not that the System Lords were particularly trying.
Multiple hyperspace windows opening, reported a sensor operator on the bridge of the Leonidas. Location is twenty million miles insystem of Angrezi, one point three million miles above the ecliptic plane.
How many? Fumizuki asked.
More than twenty, the young woman reported. And theyre still coming.
Fumizuki nodded. Sound general quarters.
A deep booming sound filled the compartment as the General Quarters alarm, modelled on a very large gong, sounded. Everywhere aboard the powerful ship and her smaller cohorts, bulkheads slammed closed crew scrambled for their battle stations.
Situation? Ayodhya asked, bursting into the bridge, fingers still working to close up the flies of his trousers.
Fumizuki tactfully didnt look back. Basantapurian culture, even muted by several generations on Heinessen, was considerably less body-shy than that of the Captains native Fukuoka. A large force is exiting Hyperspace at a range of roughly twenty-six million miles. In excess of twenty vessels.
Past forty, sir, the sensor operator advised.
Damn, the Admiral noted. That son of a bitch Heru-ur managed to drag along an alliance. Whats the status of the Onyx Ghost? he added, in reference to the freighter that had delivered the Angrezis new fighters.
Departed on schedule three hours ago, Fumizuki reported. The Dilios flew back and forth across the point of departure, which should muddle any hyperspace traces they might be able to get after all this time.
I realise that it was never very likely, Ayodhya agreed. But then again, I hadnt thought that Heru-ur would have a new twist on a ring transporter either and cold as it is, Id rather that the System Lords dont have anywhere else that they know of to attack us for the moment.
The Angrezi are tough people, Fumizuki said.
Ayodhya shook his head. They havent had a war in a hundred years. That skirmish over the Stargate wasnt enough to blood them seriously. This will be the real test. He shrugged. Well, the dice are thrown and all that.
A tactical display lit up. Theyve stopped coming, sir. Final count is sixty-two ships, power signatures all flag them as Hatak-class ships. I dont recognise the formation but theyre heading this way, estimated time of arrival is in twenty-eight minutes.
Show me the formation, Ayodhya ordered. A holographic image, each ship nothing more than a pin-prick, appeared in front of him and he gave a short laugh. Thats no formation thats every blasted one of those damn fools bunching their own ships together and trying not to get too far into their allys firing arcs.
The Tauris captured Teltac is approaching, sir, the flight officer observed. Without any fighters out at the moment, he had been relegated to local traffic control.
What do they want?
To come aboard, apparently.
It would seem to be your day for meeting people, Fumizuki observed.
Youve got a smart mouth, captain, Nekhrun observed, taking over from the Admiral. Sario was wise to choose you as his flag captain. Since the Teltac has a ring transporter, let the Taure come aboard.
The operations officer saluted and then touched his headset, murmuring commands. Theyre aboard, sir.
Interesting, Nekhrun mused, watching as the Teltac wheeled and suddenly headed out of the system. In a flash of light it disappeared, entering Hyperspace in what, off hand, he would have thought to be the direction of Earth. Looks like their ride deserted them.
Not quite, Jack said, walking onto the bridge, followed by the rest of SG-1. I told the guys on Maybournes team to take it back to Earth and make contact with StarGate Command.
And youre sure that they wont say, take off and start plundering other helpless planets? Nekhrun asked sceptically.
Im reasonably sure that they wont be able to navigate to any helpless planets, Jack explained. Carter had to set up the hyperspace route for them to get back to Earth.
The Goauld shrugged his shoulders as if to emphasise that those hapless individuals were no longer his problem. And so you decided to come here and keep me company? I knew I had a winning personality but dont you think that you might be taking matters to extremes?
Very funny, Jack told him and looked at the display of ships. Thats a lot of ships. Friends of yours?
Nekhrun snorted. No, Colonel ONeill. Like any of you, I can choose my friends but I am given no choice when it comes to my family. Those are the combined forces of... my goodness, I hadnt realised Id upset quite so many of the System Lords. I do believe that thats some of Heru-urs ships there, trailing behind Apophis little fleet Moloc, Ares Morrigan and Cronus Hathor? What did I ever do to her? And what damp rock did she crawl out from under? I havent heard a whisper of her for twenty centuries
Jack raised his hand somewhat sheepishly. Hathor wasnt one of his proudest memories.
I should have known, Nekhrun sighed. In any event, it would appear that the Heru-ur shared his discovery of my survival with quite a number of my old adversaries and now they have come to destroy me.
Can you stop them? Daniel asked.
With six ships? the renegade Goauld asked incredulously. Not unless they do something truly stupid of course, we are talking about my idiot siblings for the most part so thats entirely possible.
Is there any likelihood of reinforcements arriving? Jack asked.
Not in the immediate future, Nekhrun admitted. If everything went completely to plan then the first of the strike forces from Operation Mount Niitaka will be just finishing up their strikes, which means that they cant get here for at least another day.
Do you think you can drag out the battle that long? Sam asked, eyeing the advancing mob of ships. Death Gliders and Alkesh were beginning to spill from their hangers. There were a great many of them.
There are a lot of variables, the Goauld shrugged. If I can sting them badly enough then possibly. But I dont want to bloody them enough to make them run? Itll be a tough balance to manage.
You dont want them to run? Daniel asked.
No, Nekhrun said, eyeing the little diagram that floated in front of his command chair. I want them here. I want all of them here. I want to pin them against Angrezi and when the reinforcements arrive I want to grind them to dust and leave the System Lords short several of their most bloodthirsty fellows and the cream of a dozen fleets. And that wont happen if they run away from me.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.