As yet another Traveler was beamed onto Odyssey's bridge Sam's com badge came to life. -Colonel Carter, I think that's the last of the Travelers,- the Colonel Lieutenant on the ground below said. -Our scanners detect no other life signs in the area.-

"Copy that Colonel, I will have you beamed back on board," Sam replied. "Can you bring back the data core from one of the ships, I'd like to find out how the wraith got on board the ships."

-Yes Ma'am.-

They had been beaming thousands of Travelers up from the ground during the last hours and then sending them on to Atlantis med bay. Even with the large numbers of Travelers Carson had made sure that each one of them were taken care of as best they could. It was just a short while ago that he had radioed her to inform her that Mokar had managed to wake the first from stasis, by running them through the stasis pods in Atlantis.

For more than four hours Teal'c and his fleet had been working over the planet to clear out the Traveler ships so even more Travelers were being recovered from those ships.


"It seems that these Travelers number into the thousand," Bra'tac said.

"That is correct. Previously some two and a half thousand of them were loaned to us in exchange for repairs to their ships and supplies. So far we have rescued several thousand more whom the wraith have put in stasis. It will take several weeks until we have awoken everyone," Mokar said.

The duo was walking through a corridor at the base of the central towers and along the walls of the corridor Travelers were lying, they all had a blue device attached around their throats' which would provide their bodies with everything they needed to stay alive in stasis for a few more days. It was a temporary measure, a device that Mokar had created with the help of the Asgard transporters installed on Atlantis. It was taxing the city's ZPMs greatly to create the thousand devices but it was what they needed to do to save the Travelers.

"Can you feed this many?" He covered his mouth as he coughed.

"We grow more than enough food to feed these people. When we constructed our farms Doctor Jackson insisted that we build more than we needed while we were already constructing them. We will have a sufficient surplus to trade with."

"Then perhaps I may ask that you consider trading with the free Jaffa? We are a people with many ancient traditions, but farming crops and breeding cattle is not things that the Jaffa have any traditions of. We are having a hard time learning what we need to know to provide ourselves with food. The Jaffa do not have much more than our skills to trade with. I fear that the reign that the Jaffa enforced under the Goa'uld is something that the humans of the Milky Way will not overlook for many generations to come." Again he coughed.

"Of course, the Alterra will be more than happy to trade with the free Jaffa. I only wish to know what you offer in return?"

"I have the allegiance of two Ha'tak motherships that I would be willing to give you command of as long as they are not used against other Jaffa. Other than that we have only our lives to offer you, when I left Dakara the supplies of the Jaffa were already low. Certain Jaffa believed that we should attack human worlds and take their food. If the Jaffa must become mere mercenaries selling themselves for food to survive then it will be so."

"Do not think that I would give the Jaffa food only to take their lives away from them, a deal made with the Alterra is almost always favorable for the other party. I will not lie to you Master Bra'tac, the deal that I offer you will help the Alterra too, but it will be favorable for you."

"A deal should be as favourable for both parties. One side should not gain more than the other."

"You are very much correct Master Bra'tac, but we Alterra can offer you more, and we do offer you more, than the Jaffa can offer right now. In time I am sure that you will repay any debt that you believe that you have to us."

"What is it that you offer?"

"As you are aware the Alterra have returned but there are still few of us. Most under my command are human or the more evolved Lanteans, only two other Alterra exist. In time our numbers will increase, but for now we need to recruit others to our cause. You, Master Bra'tac, have many years of experience in battle correct?"

"I have served the Goa'uld in battles fought both in space and on the ground for almost a hundred and fifty years. To my knowledge there is no other Jaffa that is older than myself." As he spoke Bra'tac stood as straight and tall as he could, but had to relax when he had to cough again. "I am afraid that my age has finally caught up with me. Perhaps my experience may help others in battle, but my skills will not be used on the battlefield again."

"Counted against the Alterra you are still young Master Bra'tac, but our ranks lack experience that you have. I believe that the Alterra would benefit greatly if you would become one of us, all other Jaffa will be offered the chance to become Lanteans should they wish. We would welcome you all into our ranks, but we would not force you to abandon the culture that the Jaffa have. Of course you will need to follow the laws of the Alterra, but there should be no problems there as we allow most things. In exchange for your allegiance the Alterra will see to it that the Jaffa have everything they need."

"You would have us trade one master for another?" Bra'tac sneered and turned away.

"That is not what I wish for you to do Master Bra'tac. I offer you to join us as allies. You yourself will have a place within the high council, should you want to. If you feel that you must leave the alliance we will allow you to do that, the only reservation is that all Alterran technology must be returned or destroyed if you do."

"Your offer is most generous and were it in my power I would accept, but I can not speak for all Jaffa."

"I do not ask you to speak for all Jaffa Master Bra'tac. I only ask you to speak for those Jaffa who would willingly follow you. You say that the humans of Avalon fear the Jaffa, that they do not wish to trade with you. Here in Pegasus the humans have no knowledge of what the Jaffa have done in the past. Here we offer the Jaffa a new beginning. A chance to walk your own path. In time the Jaffa may perhaps return to Avalon as protectors of Pegasus."

"This is not a decision I can make lightly."

"I do not ask you to make this decision lightly Master Bra'tac, I only ask that you make it fast. Too much is happening at the moment, we do not have the time I would have wanted. Unrest is growing and we will need to act soon."

"I believe that you speak the truth, you will have my answer when the sun rise again."

"Thank you Master Bra'tac. I have other duties I must attend to now." Mokar bowed before he hurried away.


In the infirmary Beckett was working rapidly to get a Traveler they had just awoken out of a stasis pod while a group of nurses stood ready to get the next Traveler in line into the pod. He could feel the weakness in his injured left arm where he had been injured during the escape from earth, but his muscles were slowly regaining their strength.

From one of the doors Larrin stormed in, her face was dark red and her eyes were standing out. She had just arrived from Teal'c's fleet in orbit seconds before. Her footsteps were fast, heavy and determined when she rushed to Beckett and grabbed his left arm. Her grip was hard, enough to pull Beckett of his feet when she pull him around to face her. Quickly one of the nurses hurried to support the newly awoken Traveler that Beckett had to let go of.

"Calm down lass, there's no need to get physical," Beckett calmed.

"How many did we save?"

"They number in the thousands. We will have a definite number once we have revived everyone."

"How long?"

"Without complications it will take a month, maybe two."

"Doctor, these are families. Would you have them wait that long?"

He took her arm and led her away from the nurses. "I am sorry lass, but we're working as fast as we can. The young and the old are the weakest so we have already revived most of them."

"I will need to speak to them."

"They have been taken to the western pier, they will all need to rest to recover."

"Thank you." Without another word she turned around and hurried away. Seeing her walking away Beckett hurried back to the stasis pods.


From the door a dull chime was heard. "You may enter," Bra'tac said in response. He was sitting on the floor, in the middle of the guest quarters he had been assigned. They were much too big for his liking, but it was still nice to have some place to stay that was not the small Tel'tak he had fled from Dakara and crashed on Earth in.

Slowly the door opened, Teal'c stepped inside and the door closed again. "You asked for me?" Teal'c said.

"Come sit with me Teal'c. There is much we will need to discuss."

Slowly Teal'c bowed and sat down in front of Bra'tac. "I have been informed about the conversation Mokar had with you. There is indeed much that will need to be considered."

"Then you support this offer?"

"I do not. I believe the offer was made without thought."

"I am unsure what you mean Teal'c. The Jaffa need food to survive, there are no human worlds that will trade with us. Even before the attack on Dakara there was talk among the Jaffa to forcibly take human worlds. I fear things will not have changed in our absence, this may be the only way for the Jaffa to live free as we have envisioned for so long."

"Indeed, the Jaffa are warriors. We do not know how to care for ourselves without our masters. That is how the Jaffa have been controlled, that is how the Jaffa have lived and that, old man, is how the Jaffa have been raised since long before our time. Perhaps our vision was wrong? Perhaps the Jaffa can not hope to be free at this time. The Jaffa need masters for now, perhaps in the future we will have learned what we need to take care of ourselves. But at this moment the Jaffa are not capable of ruling themselves. The Jaffa will need masters to make sure they walk down the right path." As he listened Bra'tac frowned.

"You would ask us to abandon our new ways in favor of the old ones we fought so hard to demolish?"

"I would ask you to replace the Goa'uld with the Alterra, yes. I believe they are masters worthy of the Jaffa. Under their guiding hands the Jaffa may learn and finally become free from the need of others. We have both seen the actions that the Jaffa take when we are allowed to do as we please, then we are no better than the Goa'uld. They have corrupted our society and our ways for a long time old man, many Jaffa are as hungry for power as the Goa'uld once were. Until the Jaffa have learned what it means to be free and letting others live freely it is what I think is best."

Bra'tac's frown deepened even further as he listened. "There is wisdom hidden in the words you speak Teal'c, still it is strange to hear these words coming from your mouth."

As faint laughter came over Teal'c's lips. "It is strange for me to hear them too friend but I have spent much time discussing this with myselves. I have explorer many ways within my mind. This is the one way that I have found to be best. I believe I have found other ways for the Jaffa to survive but I find them to all have too many obstacles. A new generation of Jaffa will be needed, they will need to be taught the value of freedom."

"Then perhaps that is the way we will need to walk. Is this what we must do?"

"It is."

"Then we will need to make it so. There is one thing we still need to solve, I do not think Mokar willingly would become the Jaffa's new master and lord. I believe that you should be the one to talk to him."

"He will not accept it old friend. He may have been Jaffa before, but now his is an Alterran. Their new empire will be much too large for him to oversee the Jaffa personally."

Bra'tac nodded thoughtfully for a few seconds before responding. "Then you will need to take his place Teal'c, you will be the one to lead the Jaffa."

"I can not. After the last Goa'uld is dead and peace has returned to Earth my duties will take me far away for many months. The Jaffa will need a leader who do not have sworn duties to others. I do not have the knowledge or the skills to guide the Jaffa, I am a warrior, not a commander. You are both old man."

"Yet you command a fleet more powerful than any Goa'uld have ever had throughout their empire. Few will follow me Teal'c, I no longer have the strength to challenge other Jaffa to combat and gain their respect. Age has taken too much from me."

"The Alterra will return what age has taken, then you will become stronger still. Even now what Mokar did to save you after the crash will be repairing your body."

"And yet I cough only after a short walk. But if it is the way it must be, then I will lead the Jaffa who would follow me under the Alterra. If any other Jaffa challenge me for my position then it will be so."

"Then I will begin preparations for our return to the Milky Way." Slowly Teal'c rose from the floor.

"The Jaffa will need to be convinced of the strength of the Alterra, even in these dire times they will not bow to the Alterra without reason," Bra'tac said from behind.

"I will see to it that we the Jaffa will have a reason to respect the Alterra." Teal'c had approached the door and it opened as he approached it. With hesitant steps he left the room.