A/N- Okay, so uber-long wait on this chapter. I'm so sorry. I guess you could say that I had a sort of writer's block on this. And, yeah, if you read through the previous chapters, you'll notice that just recently I put up an extra note at the bottom of chapter three. So, who knew, huh? Because I didn't. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys!
Chapter 4- Agreement
Illyria paused in the doorway of Daniel's office, eyeing him swiftly. He was not unintelligent, this human scholar, but he was not as quick to understanding as Wesley had been. She fought agitation, using the little of "patience" that her previous allies had taught her. She spoke again to Daniel, knowing he did not comprehend the great liberties she was giving him.
"You will help me find Angel and Spike. Come, we must begin."
Daniel did not move. Instead, he looked even more lost in the meaning of her words than he had previously. Illyria was soon to lose the little patience that Wesley had given her.
"We will do so now, mortal," she commanded, turning once again to stalk out of the room.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Daniel said, jumping in front of her. A bold move, truly.
She arched a brow at him and cocked her head again. She put out her hand, to shove him aside, but he held up his hands in a move of subservience. She paused, her arm half extended.
"We…uh, don't even know who those two are! This planet is huge, even if they're from this planet—"
"They are," Illyria corrected for the slow human, growing ever more agitated with him.
Daniel continued.
"Okay. My point is that we don't know where to start. You haven't given us much. And…as much as it grieves me to point this out to you while I'm unarmed, but the people I work for, my superiors, won't help you."
Her eyes flashed. "They will help me, Daniel. When I was but a young god, still the lower beings feared to cause my anger. Assisting me will be an inevitable end for your superiors."
"Please, we don't want to fight with you!"
Illyria smiled in a way that she remembered, when she had occupied her true form many eons ago, made the world itself tremble. Daniel was not so slow-witted that he did not notice this. Visibly, his body trembled, and Illyria could hear his heartbeat increase.
"I mean to start no war with you. Your destruction will not benefit me. You mentioned the Goa'uld. Tell me, what is your business with them?" she asked, placing her arms at her sides.
Daniel relaxed. Shaking his head, he shrugged.
"Well, I guess I could explain it like this: We're at war with them. They are our enemy. Why do you ask?"
"Then gather your superiors, Daniel. In exchange for your assistance, I will offer you any knowledge and aid in defeating the Goa'uld."
…………………
Her words had electrified Daniel. He had rushed immediate to gather Hammond, Jack, Sam, and Teal'c back in the Debriefing room. He knew he had no evidence to support Illyria's claim to knowledge about the Goa'uld, and in a profession such as his, he knew that evidence was key. But, somehow, he knew she could genuinely help them.
The way she moved and the way she spoke made it seem like she was from a whole different world, let alone time. And her strength was obvious. And for Daniel, on this rare occasion, this was proof enough for him.
So now, SG-1 was gathered in the room and seated around the Debriefing table, with General Hammond seated at one end and Illyria standing at the other. Daniel sat alone on Hammond's left, with Sam, Jack, and Teal'c sitting opposite him.
"Well," Hammond began, "Dr. Jackson tells us you want to make some sort of deal, an exchange of information in return for helping you find your friends?"
Illyria, whose attention was on the Stargate as SG-12 was coming in from a mission, answered without tearing her eyes away from the blue wormhole still active.
"Yes. I will give you knowledge and aid, but you must help me locate Angel and Spike."
Hammond turned now to Daniel.
"How do we know her knowledge of the Goa'uld is for real? Is there any way?"
Daniel pursed his lips, thinking. After a few moments of silence, it was Teal'c who provided the answer to their problem. He turned, addressing Illyria's blue-colored form.
"Then you know of the Goa'uld's origins? Their spawn from the flames?"
Jack's eyebrows rose, and his mouth opened to correct Teal'c in his obvious mistake. However, Sam, catching on as Daniel and Hammond had, put a hand on his arm. He looked at her, questioning. Her return look seemed answer enough, and he did not speak.
Illyria scoffed and turned her head sharply towards Teal'c. She approached him, swaggering slowly. She did not stop until she hovered over him, staring down.
"Foolish creature. The Goa'uld spawned from the waters. Lowly creatures with an equally low sentience to their status. So close to worms, yet only a few steps ahead of them," she said.
Daniel turned back to Hammond, shrugging. Hammond, in turn, nodded.
"That's good enough for me, since we're sure you've had no access to any information on the matter?" he said, looking around at the team as he stood.
SG-1 all confirmed that Illyria had not had the time to gather any intel on the Goa'uld on her own. Satisfied, the General continued.
"Very well. I'll get it all together then. We'll make all the proper arrangements to record any and all information you may further have on the Goa'uld."
Before he could exit the room, however, Illyria spoke again.
"No," she said.
Jack slapped his hands down on the table and rolled his eyes.
"But you just said that that was what you were going to do!" he all but shouted.
Illyria smirked. "I have already proven to you the knowledge I possess. But I am not foolish enough to trust humans that I have just encountered. I require proof from you, a move towards discovering my allies."
"But," Sam said, and Daniel could see that she was choosing her words carefully, "you haven't given us anything to go on. Just random names with no connection. You have to give us more information."
Illyria paused, considering this. She moved away from Teal'c, staring again at the Stargate. Then, she turned her head back at the group.
"Very well. I will tell you that we were fighting against the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart. You may start there," she announced, as if it were some great missing link.
Daniel shook his head.
"But, we don't know what that means."
Again, the self-called god paused. She blinked only once, looking very much like a computer in a person's form processing data.
"They go by a different name now," she said, more to herself. Louder, she added, "Wesley did call them…Wolfram and Hart."
Hammond nodded. "That's something…maybe. What do you think?"
"I'll get on it," Daniel and Sam said in unison, standing.
On their way out of the Debriefing room, Daniel paused at Illyria.
"Um, I think it's best if you stick with me," he said, with Hammond nodding approval behind him.
Illyria's eyes narrowed, but she moved past Daniel, following after Sam.
"I go because it pleases me," she said, stalking off ahead.
Daniel turned back, sighing. "Well, this is going to be fun."
"Yeah, go with that," Jack said as Daniel groaned and followed.
End Notes: Okay, so I hope everyone enjoys this. Not much more plot, but a little. I promise, there'll be more next chapter…which is coming, I swear! Also, I know that Illyria's final piece of dialogue here comes directly from an episode, but it's just so suiting to her, isn't it? Now, as I mentioned on my added note at the bottom of last chapter, I have a poll that asks which one of the given older stories do people want to see me finish next. Please, I ask you to go vote, because I will follow the popular vote. This story is one on the list, but there are others, should another one interest you. Thanks for reading, and see you next chapter!
