Murphy's Physics
Murphy's Seventh Law: "When working toward the solution of a problem, it always helps if you know the answer. Provided, of course, that you know there is a problem."
"You must believe me, Colonel O'Neill. It was absolutely necessary not to disclose prematurely certain details of this mission." So'len touched his mouth gingerly, regarding his bloodstained fingers with some surprise. "If you or any of your team had been captured and the information somehow extracted, the continued existence of the Tok'ra would be endangered."
"I got news for you, buddy," O'Neill said, his voice somehow both friendly and dangerous," the Tok'ra already are an endangered species, and one member of that species is going to become rapidly extinct if he doesn't come clean... right now!"
From the place where he had fallen after O'Neill had communicated his displeasure at being excluded from key intelligence for the mission for which he had not volunteered, So'len looked up to see a man who appeared unnaturally tall. The righteousness of his anger made So'len feel smaller yet. There was a spark in the dark eyes that challenged him, dared him to try to hold back more information, and a tension in the man's clenched fists that spoke a promise of violence to come. Ranged behind him stood his team; brilliant and serious, worried and determined, strong and deadly. They were waiting for the answers that they knew, without a shadow of any doubt, that So'len would give to the Colonel.
"There is no need for this, Colonel O'Neill. I am prepared to tell you everything. May I please get up?"
"You can get up, but if I suspect that I am not getting the Gospel According To Jack, I won't promise not to knock you back down."
So'len levered himself up, wincing. Jack nodded to Teal'c, who grasped the Tok'ra by the tunic and lifted him smoothly and effortlessly to his feet. The large man carefully patted out the creases and remained standing very close to him. So'len glanced between them, then nodded to O'Neill.
Jack leaned back against the control pillar, inclining his head slightly. "I'm listening."
So'len drew a breath. "The only persons who have knowledge of the things I am about to reveal to you are the oldest members of the High Council of the Tok'ra. Not even to the most trusted of our people was shared the hopes and efforts behind this story. There are those among us who would oppose what is sought, and those among the Goa'uld and other races who would go to great lengths to prevent our success.
"Nine years ago, a group of Tok'ra embarked upon this mission of secrecy. Their names were Ganon and Timyr. Together with myself, they were students of the oldest histories of the Goa'uld and Tok'ra. They studied the very beginnings, all the journals and testimonials written by and pertaining to Egeria, the Queen of the Tok'ra, hoping to get a clue to how our hopes might come about.
"First, let me say that Ganon and Timyr and I were the closest friends, as well as being partners in our research. We have shared long years of our lives together, companions to each other's hosts and symbiotes, and our efforts have always had a single objective."
So'len dropped his voice, as if fearing that somehow they might be overheard. "It was-- is our goal, to find a way to bring about a change in the nature of our selves, to make it possible for more Tok'ra to be brought into life.
"We seek to create a new queen of the Tok'ra."
O'Neill looked both interested and slightly nauseated. "Can they do that, Carter?"
"I suppose it is possible, Sir. I don't know much about the physiology of the Tok'ra or the Goa'uld, but I know that they do reproduce asexually, the queens being able to fertilize themselves to create the larva, which then mature into symbiotes. Now, there are examples of certain amphibians on Earth that are capable of switching sexes in a single-sex environment, so it is not unheard of in nature. So'len, is it really possible for a symbiote to become a queen?"
"We believed it to be possible, even though after all the years of our research no absolute proof could be found. Ganon and Timyr undertook a mission to explore a very old settlement where we thought more evidence might be found. I would have accompanied them but for the fact that my host had reached the end of his life, and I was unable to travel. I had hopes to rejoin them but I was thwarted. It took too long to locate a willing host, and by the time we had blended and began to look for them, my friends had disappeared. They were presumed lost by the High Council.
"I grieved long for my friends, believing them victim of the Goa'uld or some unforeseen tragedy. No trace of their ship or word of their movements before their disappearance ever came to light, until the sub-space beacon was detected. It was low-coded, designed to be undetectable by the Goa'uld or other races, to preserve the secrecy of our research. It took many years to travel through space to reach us, and it took long also to persuade the informed members of the Council to allow me to investigate. No other Tok'ra could be informed; there have been spies among us. The risk was too great. My only recourse was to turn to our allies; the Tau'ri are bold and strong and young of mind, but they are true in heart. I believed that you would help me, once you knew the truth of the matter."
"And why don't you bottom-line this 'truth of the matter' for me?" O'Neill's words were sarcastic, but his face was open with interest.
"The Tok'ra are a dying race. If we had means to increase our number, the fight we bring to the Goa'uld would redouble! We would come at last to the time when we can eradicate them from the worlds that they terrorize!"
Daniel had a doubtful look on his face. He was tugging at his lip, his eyes moving from Jack to So'len.
Jack nodded toward him. "What?"
"I'm... not sure, Jack. So'len, you said that there are those among the Tok'ra that would oppose the creation of a new queen. Why?"
"Some believe it to be an impossibility, others believe that such a thing is immoral to attempt. There is a faction among the Tok'ra that feel that our existence is countenancable only to combat the Goa'uld, and that to increase our number would potentially make us as parasitical as our enemies." So'len hesitated, seeing the look on O'Neill's face. A touch of bitterness was in his voice as he said, "Even you could be convinced of this, Colonel. I am aware of your distaste for our race."
"Hey. I don't dislike all the Tok'ra. Just the ones that like to spring little surprises on me. And the ones who try to get me killed. Okay, I only really like one Tok'ra, and while it is unlikely that I will ever be elected the President of the Tok'ra Fan Club, I do have a measure of respect for what all of you have been trying to do, concerning the Goa'uld. The Tok'ra have been good allies to us."
"As you have been to us, O'Neill." So'len said soberly. "It was our intention to discover if this thing could be possible, then gather our people and present them with the option to exercise that possibility. An event that concerns all Tok'ra must be decided by all Tok'ra. We planned no subterfuge. We were aware that an increase in the number of the Tok'ra would naturally equate to an increase in the number of hosts required to sustain us. I confess that I harboured within my own heart the desire to bring a better understanding between our peoples, to perhaps eventually open the door to more blendings between our races. I believe that the Tau'ri are essential to the continued survival of the Tok'ra. More than as hosts, Colonel. As beings of passion and integrity, as demonstrated in Selmak and Jacob Carter. Such blendings would only improve both our peoples. This is my belief, and my great hope."
"Yes, but all this hope and belief is just academic, right?" Daniel said, gesturing vaguely between So'len and himself. "You said yourself that you have found no proof that this can be done, no way to bring it about. So why are we here? Do you think that this beacon will lead you to your friends? Why were the Goa'uld waiting for us?"
So'len looked honestly distraught. "I cannot see how they could have known about our research, unless they captured and interrogated my friends. I firmly believe that they would have died rather than to reveal their knowledge..." the Tok'ra's eyes dipped, resignation to his private hopes dying on his face. In a very soft voice, he said, "We all know that even with our policies, the Tok'ra can be compromised."
Then his eyes raised, and there came a flash of light from them as anger welled up inside him. "But if they were taken and questioned, then why would the beacon have been activated? The Goa'uld would never want us to find what happened to them, and it would be unnecessary to lure me to them, as they would already know everything that I knew. I believe, Colonel-- in my heart-- that my friends are here on this planet, and we have little time before another Goa'uld comes to destroy us."
