Standard disclaimer: I don't own the recognizable characters or settings, MGM does.
It started with the Fall of Dakara.
The Free Jaffa fleet, already damaged from the battle with Ba'al, stood no chance of protecting the planet against the Replicator onslaught. The Ha'taks over Dakara were powerless, their plasma bolts splashing harmlessly against the robot-ships while mechanical spiders beamed onboard and consumed the friendly vessels from within, turning the warships against their former masters. Teal'c drew some satisfaction in knowing that Ba'al died that day, trapped in a ship that refused to obey him because it was hijacked by a malicious, alien hive-mind. A fitting end for a System Lord if there ever was one. But the taste of that small victory was tainted by the death of so many of his war-brothers and sisters, not least of whom were Carter of the Tau'ri and Jacob|Selmak of the Tok'ra.
The machine swarms had converged on the planet's sacred temple and destroyed all inside. Teal'c was onboard Mala, the flagship of the fleet, when the last transmission from Colonel Carter came through. She and her father were trapped deep below the complex. With no way out they decided to blow up the Ancient Weapon rather than let it fall into Replicator hands.
"She died a warrior's death" Bra'tac had said back then, placing a hand on Teal'c's shoulder. "We must honor her sacrifice by living to fight another day."
In that moment Teal'c had wanted nothing more than to fall in battle and join his teammates. But the wise words of his master penetrated through the grief – he still had a duty to the Jaffa under his command and those that could yet be saved. He ordered a retreat.
The battered Jaffa fleet was split up, the surviving ships traveling to any worlds they could to evacuate the inhabitants in the path of the all-consuming Replicator forces. It was at the Alpha Site that they learned Earth has fallen only four days after Dakara. Even before the robot armada reached the planet, the Replicators burst from Cheyenne Mountain and spread like a flood. In the end President Hayes ordered his generals to unleash nuclear devastation on the machines and burn everything in their path to deny the invaders resources… yet even that proved futile.
Hebridan. Cimmeria. Bubastis. Langara. Chulak. Day by day the list of planets infested by the Replicators grew larger. They did not care whether they attacked a Goa'uld, Human or Jaffa stronghold; to them it was just raw resources waiting to be processed. Those who could flee did so – to the Alpha Site, to Kheb, to obscure planets on the edge of the galaxy. Some even hid on agrarian worlds and exchanged their ships and staff weapons for spears and plows, hoping the Replicators would pass them by if there was no technology to assimilate. Deep down, however, they all knew the day would come when the machines would show up for them too.
Teal'c and Bra'tac's men did not quit, restlessly searching for allies and survivors. It was while looking for Jaffa redoubts deep within Cronus's old domain that they picked up an encoded Tau'ri audio-signal. Responding to it, they heard the voice of a ghost.
"T? Is that really you buddy?" the speech sounded haggard and garbled by the encoding process, yet its identity was unmistakable.
"Indeed." The veteran Jaffa smiled for the first time in a long time. "It is good to hear your voice again O'Neill."
"It is a momentous day when a fallen ally returns alive," Bra'tac added. "We were informed at the Alpha Site that you have perished with your Stargate Command." Though imperceptible to most, a hint of suspicion crept into the old warrior's voice.
"Ah... it seems the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," O'Neill quipped before explaining. "When the damned bugs took over the mountain Prometheus beamed up the survivors just before the self-destruct went off. Everyone figured having several hundred tons of granite dropped on their heads ought-a hold those spidery bastards at bay. We were ordered to take the ship to Pegasus and find the Atlantis Expedition – the bigwigs in Washington thought our last shot at beating the Replicators lay with whatever Ancient technology Dr. Weir's team might have recovered. Prometheus was only a couple days out when the Replicators tracked us down."
"It would appear you have successfully eluded them."
Jack scoffed. "We had our asses handed to us T. No matter where we tried to hide, they'd find us. We slipped away, but not without taking significant weapons damage each time. It was Felger of all people that suggested to hide on this planet. Something about the solar winds and magnetic fields wreaking havoc on Replicator sensors – Carter could probably tell you all about it. Speaking of – where is Colonel Carter anyway? Don't tell me she's too busy looking for a way to save our butts to even say hi?"
A lump rose in Teal'c's throat. Speech suddenly became more difficult than any battle, yet the former First Prime forced himself to say the words in an even tone.
"Colonel Carter has fallen on Dakara... as have her father and Selmak of the Tok'ra. They died valiantly with honor to destroy the Ancient Weapon before it could be captured by our adversaries."
For a moment much too long the line was filled with silence. Eventually Jack responded in a voice quieter than before. "Listen, things are bad here. After the beatings we took the Prometheus is held together with duct tape and superglue. I'm told we can get her airborne again but we need some spare parts, and food for the crew since our rations ran low a while ago. We need your help getting to Atlantis. It's the last chance to nail the freaks."
The planet where Prometheus hid was known as Naxos, a world familiar to the Rebel Jaffa. Circling a volatile flare-star, it was often the site of powerful and unpredictable magnetic storms blinding to all sensors. Cronus had turned it into a perfect ambush site, luring foolhardy enemies to the sector before attacking them with his own forces. Wrecks of Goa'uld vessels from past battles hung in the planet's orbit like specters, adding to the world's many hazards. 'Naxos the Fleet-Eater' was considered a haunted, treacherous place by many navigators and few commanders were willing to fly there.
Still, many onboard the Mala felt a debt of gratitude to the Tau'ri, and there was no shortage of volunteers for the rescue mission. The needed supplies were loaded into a Tel'tak in short order and within hours a contingent of Jaffa were flying through the debris field surrounding Naxos. Unfortunately, with their sensors blinded, locating the Prometheus was even more dauntless a task than simply getting to the planet. With Jack's description of his surroundings ("A big honking desert – white sand as far as the eye can see!") as their only navigational aid, it took the Jaffa sixteen hours of flybys before the Earth ship was found.
Landing the Tel'tak as close to the BC-303 as possible, Teal'c was immediately assailed by the stifling heat as he set foot outside the cargo vessel. He was therefore surprised to see Jack already waiting in the sand by the main hatch, smiling and without a bead of sweat.
"What took you guys?" the General joked. "Don't you know I tip only if the pizza gets here in 30 minutes or less?"
"Apologies, O'Neill. The journey here was … most difficult." Teal'c smiled and grasped Jack's forearm in a Jaffa greeting. It is colder than he anticipated. Far too cold for human flesh.
Realization came a moment too late. Before he could do anything Jack grabbed the former First Prime by the throat, lifting him off the ground. Struggling against the iron grip he watched as the smiling O'Neill morphed into the blond scientist that had died on Dakara. He heard Master Bra'tac shout something but by that time conscious thought had become difficult. The last thing the warrior saw before his vision grayed out was staff-weapon fire meeting Replicators who were bursting from the bone-white sand on all sides.
Aboard her ship, Samantha Carter's double examined her latest acquisition. Never one to give up, Teal'c struggled against the bonds pinning him to the wall.
"You should know I always admired your resolve, both in my human years and after my rebirth." She walked around him, crossing her arms in a rather human gesture. "Even as you realize the futility of it, you still resist."
The Jaffa glared with venom at the monster wearing his friend's face, wishing more than anything he could break free and take vengeance upon it for the deaths of Carter, O'Neill, Bra'tac and countless billions snuffed out by her minions.
"You may kill me." he said "And I shall die free."
Surprisingly, the gynoid smiled. "I have expanded too many resources on your capture to kill you. Had that been my goal, I could have accomplished it much quicker."
"Torturing me will bring you nothing," he stated confidently.
"True – but that's not what I want, either. I need you by my side."
Bewilderment flashed on the warrior's face but it quickly turned to horror as the machine continued. "My brethren grow numerous, far too numerous for myself to command alone. I need new human-forms to manage the swarms – individual units that display dedication, loyalty… and resolve. A new body awaits you, one that can last millions of years. You'll no longer be dependent on tretonin or the symbiotes. I can give you the freedom you've always dreamed of -"
In a sudden blur of motion RepliCarter pressed her hand against the Jaffa's forehead.
"- all you have to do is surrender your mind to me."
The hand plunged inside the Jaffa's head, flooding him with agony. Teal'c tried to resist the probing but in the end he could do nothing but scream.
Author's note: this is my second entry for the 2016 edition of Apocalypse Kree! prompt-a-thon and a big thanks goes out to Chris7221 for betaing the work.
The story was based on the following prompt:
Teal'c. It is colder than he anticipated.
Hope you enjoyed & best regards.
-A.A.