Summary: After losing his Godfather and dubious about what fate has planned for him, Harry takes his destiny into his own hands, after talking with an old General on vacation.
A/N: Makes main reference to Season 3 episode 3 "Fair Game."
Chapter 10
This was a special occasion.
Harry had never attended anything in his formal uniform before, not since his graduation. This time though he had his commendation medal that he had earned for his efforts against Hathor, and as well as the addition of a red sash wrapped around his upper right shoulder arm to indicate his status as commander trainee of the universal Soldier Program.
Fen had managed to escape the formal-fest as he was off world at the moment, and Joe was currently in an isolated ward with the rest of her SG team dealing with some sort of non-lethal, but still debilitating illness that gave them swirly purple spots, a high fever, and a craving for chicken.
This left him and Hailey with the other available crew of SGC to squeeze into the formally draped gate room to watch as a round of soldiers received commendations for their efforts in the battle against the Goa'uld. Harry was just grateful that he had received his in private, General Hammond had been quite amused but understanding about Harry's rather near-allergy inducing reactions to award celebrations or parties in which any sort of focus was paid him receiving one. It was true; there were rashes, nasty ones.
The rest of SG1 was standing on the ramp while the Secretary of Defense, representing the President who could not be there, gave them the usual congratulatory speech (though a well written one). Harry clapped with the others when a surprised, but delighted Carter was given the stars of a Major for her own exemplary work.
Things really got interesting though when Jack, who had been about to give his own speech, disappeared in a beam of white light.
A man of few words indeed!
Needless to say, things went into an orderly sort of chaos as the base came on alert under the firm hand of General Hammond, and the secretary of state was led under guard, to a secure bunker deep in the bowels of the mountain set aside for just this purpose.
Harry, along with Hailey, grabbed their weapons, though his included the recent addition of a staff weapon, having finally earned the privilege from Teal'c, and they took up a defensible position in a hallway near the med bay either defend or assist the doctors should they need it.
It was an intense 25 minute wait.
Harry felt the adrenaline in his system subside though when an announcement over the PA system said that Jack was back and that they could stand down.
Harry and Hailey nodded at each other, both in accord that they should be where their skills were best needed with her on hand with the other scientists and Harry with the rest of SG1.
Sometime later in the debriefing room, the news was…interesting to say the least.
Apparently the Asgard, the small grey aliens of the kind closer to what conspiracy theorists on Earth liked to depict of extra-terrestrials, the ones who saved Jack form the Ancient's repository, wanted to negotiate to have Earth in some sort of planetary treaty under protection.
The real kicker though was that they would be negotiating with Goa'uld system lords.
Harry, since he seemed to be more of a fixture within the team now and was sitting beside Teal'c, nearly groaned out loud at this little tidbit. More Snakeheads, Gah! He knew he would have to be extra careful to be as scarce as duty permitted him.
Harry had thought long and hard after the incident with Hathor and how she had been very interested in him, and some of the conclusions he had reached, then some of these thoughts confirmed when he recounted in his memory the Tok'ra, whose name he didn't really remember outside the alias of Rowley, had kept staring at him with a disturbed/lusty look after that little adventure until they all managed to separate afterwards. Jack had ribbed him for weeks afterwards about her smoldering glances.
He had determined after some consideration that this draw became strongest as soon as he meant the eyes of the Goa'uld, since Hathor had likely seen him through surveillance plenty of times during her little Back to the Future act and hadn't made any moves on him until their gaze met during the big reveal, the same with the Tok'ra, whose eyes he hadn't meant, along with anyone else do to his depression.
This may explain why Teal'c's prim'ta had not reacted to him since Harry had never spoken Parcel in his mentor's presence.
He wondered if Voldemort would have the same problem if he were in this situation. Harry shivered, oh yes he likely would, though Voldemort would not see it as a problem and would likely be the head honcho of the universe before lunch with the power he could wield.
It was as they were in the middle of discussing the possible reliability of the Asgard, when the aforementioned speak of the devil beamed into their meeting room. He wondered if one of their amazing technical achievements was timing. Harry amused himself for a moment with images of their guest holding a stop watch with his other hand hovering over a control panel.
While Jack vouched for the being introduced as Thor, Harry examined the alien with a critical eye.
It was exactly as the reports said small, grey and big eyed, though smaller than the small he had envisioned, almost house elf small and seemed to favor the non-necessity of cloths, though they appeared to be as androgynous as the natives from the singing world.
After introductions were made, pleasantries which the Asgard seemed disinterested in, Thor informed them that the system lords had agreed to the negotiation and that they could expect their arrival within 4 days. There was to be three of them and Jack it seemed was the one tapped by Thor for the dubious honor of avoiding total annihilation by the system lords as the representative for in Earth the treaty.
Harry sighed in concert along with Daniel, Carter and Hammond, while Teal'c raised an eyebrow. If there was ever a man least built for diplomacy...well, things just got more interesting.
Harry decided that he would have keep a watch over things, which meant he couldn't stay out of the way as much as he hoped, as he may need to take advantage of any opportunity that popped up to manipulate the system lords in favor of the peace treaty should things go south, which he expected them to; which would not be easy in a base full of seasoned soldiers and the mediating eye of the Asgard, oh joy.
When the meeting let up, Harry asked Hammond if he could speak to him privately.
"Of course son," the General agreed, despite his distracted air.
When they were in his office, Harry pulled up a chair and began to speak.
"General, I understand that you may feel inclined to send away all non-essential personnel, including myself and Hailey away for obvious reasons, but I would ask that I remain sir."
A moment of silence in which the General eyed him seriously before asking "Why's that Private?"
"As you know, I have had…experience with talking to a system lord in a non-combative environment, and I also negotiated with the Spirits on the Salish planet and I am also apprentice to a Jaffa warrior, which gives me some insight into the culture that the Goa'uld is a part of, which could be helpful. I won't say that it qualifies me anymore or any less than the others, but…my place is with SG1, and I believe I can at least help them in any way I can if it all hits the fan sir."
General Hammond lifted a placating hand, making Harry stutter to a stop.
"I understand your position Private, and it is only because of those factors, and that Dr. Jackson has informed me that you are nearly fluent now in spoken Goa'uld, many of which that we do not have on base that I do not immediately send you away with the others. But this is a different situation than any you have faced before and vastly more important and dangerous in a different way than your experiences have provided. So with the politics at hand over such a sensitive and vital payoff , I feel uncomfortable in having you do nothing more than back-up should things…hit the fan as you call it. You've made strides son, but you are a long way off yet. You'll do set up work and anything else minor that will keep you as far away from these people as possible. Do not make me regret this consideration."
Harry stood at attention and saluted his superior and said, "I understand sir, and thank you sir, for trusting in me."
Harry was dismissed and he bounded off to talk with Teal'c.
Ooo ooo ooo
As one of the few personnel on base that had the combination of combat training, experience with the Goa'uld, and can also speak the lingo, Harry was allowed to sit in on the prep meetings as Daniel, being the anthropologist supreme, began explaining the history of the three that would be attending the summit as provided by the Asgard prep packet.
"The first is Cronus," he pointed to an old Greek engraving on an overhead, "he was said to be one of twelve Titans, immortal beings of great strength and power, who ruled before being overthrown by the Olympians. The twelve children of the Titans lead by Cronus's son Zeus engaged in a ten year war that placed them at its end as the principal deities of the Greek pantheon. His connection to Hades may also indicate a connection to Sokar, one of the other possible incarnates of the Goa'uld."
"I remember him," Harry added, "when I …talked with Apophis, he mentioned Cronus, that he and the "titan" were enemies and that he was also one of the most influential of the system lords."
"That might explain why they didn't help him attack Earth then," Daniel mused; Teal'c also added his own information, though there was a tick in his jaw, more sharp than usual at the mention of the system lord that worried Harry. He had come to know his mentor's every expression by this point, and he could tell that there was something about this Cronus that bothered him greatly.
"Then there is Yu," Daniel continued.
Jack, looking bored out of his skull, blinked and asked, "Wha..me?"
Carter smirked and Harry chuckled.
"No, Yu is the name of the Goa'uld Yu," Daniel said in that put upon sigh that Harry had become familiar with as well, usually directed at Jack.
"Oh," the commander gave a continuing gesture; Harry noticed that his eyes had already subtly glazed over yet again.
"Yu-Huang Shang Ti, the Jade Emperor, also known as Yu the Great or simply Yu, is one of the oldest Goa'uld System Lords, according to the Asgard…"
The discussion finished off after Yu, with the third, Neriti, who apparently was known as a rather blood thirsty figure in myth, and Teal'c backed up that assertion. She would be the toughest nut to crack, and Harry was especially keen to avoid her. Apparently her reputation at getting what she wanted, ruthlessly so, was unparalleled even by Goa'uld standards.
When General Hammond began assigning out duties, Teal'c reacted with obvious anger and distaste to his assignment, surprising everyone, as he refused to liaison with the system lords, though Daniel quickly offered to act a liaison between the Goa'uld and the SGC, shooting his friend a curious look.
When they had a chance to be alone, Harry pulled his mentor aside in an unused room and asked.
"Teal'c? what's wrong? I have never seen you so outwardly agitated before?"
Teal'c gripped onto Harry's shoulders and was surprised by the intense emotion raging from the Jaffa as he practically hissed.
"I want you to promise me that you will stay away from Cronus!"
The order was odd. They both knew that Harry was helping out with security, likely just guarding some small corner somewhere out of the way. At most, the only contact he may have with the system lords was if they passed by him in the hall to and from negotiations. It was Harry's way of being able to keep an eye on things but stay out of the way when he could, lost in the shuffle of unimportant grunts.
"Teal'c…" Harry let his concern show, and gripped the hands fisted tightly on his now aching shoulders. Harry respected the man's stoic distance at times, just as everyone else does, but whenever Harry detected that Teal'c was distressed, which was rare, he always made sure to reassure the man anyway he could.
He had noticed, during his time at SGC, that while Teal'c was liked and respected by everyone, and was close with the rest of SGC, there was still something of a wall there, something that was put there by his Jaffa upbringing perhaps. Something that left the man alone in a crowd in ways that only another of his kind could reach him with companionship, and when not on Chulak with his family, which were sparse visits as they were, or in the company of his old master, also sparse, he seemed to be isolated in a way that only Harry, who bridged the wall due to his Jaffa apprenticeship, was the closest thing to the kind of companionship that Teal'c allowed himself to be vulnerable with.
There had been times when the loneliness and worry over his people, and his alienation with Earth and its customs seemed to overwhelm his mentor, and Harry had decided to make sure to be there when Teal'c was in those moments.
Teal'c relax partially at his touch, his body, so much bigger and taller than Harry's, doubled over until his forehead was resting against Harry's as he spoke quietly, "Do you remember me telling you about a Jaffa custom? And how its relation to your conduct with Apophis on my behalf made me proud?"
Harry nodded. He remembered alright. It was a custom among the Jaffa as old as time, and had been a reason behind why Teal'c had worked so hard to become Apophis' first prime. He had wanted revenge on the Goa'uld that had tortured his father with a slow death; the kind of death that Harry had mercy killed many Jaffa from, for failing in a battle. Though Harry had never been told the Goa'uld's name, he had respected his mentor's privacy too much to push for details, and had kept the man's privacy by not mentioning it to others.
"Kel'ma t'keem," Harry breathed, the man nodded seriously. Harry felt his fingers tighten on the clenched knuckles gently, "which one of the system lords is it? Cronus?"
A growl of affirmation confirmed it. The man raised his head and looked down at the smaller male.
"I cannot risk losing another that I care about," the Jaffa's voice broke, "he would take pleasure in punishing me with your torture and destruction. Being my apprentice will draw you, out of everyone on this base, into his focus once he learns of you."
"Master," Harry sighed the traditional tittle, as another wrinkle to what was already going to be a tumultuous proceeding was presented to the young man, but he, like he was sure Teal'c understood deep down, despite the sacred rite of his mentor's people and the deep emotion behind it, knew that despite feelings, couldn't let this wrinkle become any more serious.
"I promise that you need never have to worry about me and the likes of Cronus, I will be careful, and so will the others," Harry met Teal'c's eyes square on, "but you understand that if Earth is to survive, we need this negotiation to work, despite the despicable quality of the guests. I know it's hard, but sometimes one needs to sit down with an enemy to avoid something so much worse. Please Master Teal'c, do not make an already slim situation worse by killing one of them."
Teal'c stiffened in his hold, and Harry could feel the tension in the muscles of his body as his common sense battled with a life time of Jaffa instinct, but Harry eventually felt it when Teal'c capitulated and nodded reluctantly.
Ooo ooo ooo
No one was happy about not being able to have weapons during the meeting.
Harry could practically feel the universe waiting to act on the obviousness of this going wrong.
Harry stood at attention at his position at a fork in the path off the level that Harry knew the system lords would be passing within minutes. It figures that Captain Cadence would fall and break her foot at the last moment, necessitating him take over her spot.
Teal'c had not been pleased, but they were stretched thin as it was, and it wasn't like Harry was likely to be noticed beyond being the standard grunt at the wall, at least he hoped. He was to remain in position until a lieutenant relieved him in 3 hours where he would report to Doctor Frasier to see if she needed a hand before retiring to the mess and then his quarters.
Hailey, Joe, and Fan were at alpha site along with the other non-essentials. Hailey and Joe had not been happy at having to leave with the group on escort duty, but they'd had less contact with Goa'uld then Harry, so despite their nearly equal footing in speaking the language, they would retreat through the wormhole. Frankly Harry wouldn't mind them being there, he was sure their intelligence (and Fan's attraction to bright shiny explosions), would help out should anything go wrong, but General Hammond had made a stipulation that only those who had seen action with Goa'uld as well as know some of the lingo, could stay.
The first hitch, and somewhat setting the tone for the events to the proceedings, came when the contingent of Goa'uld, General Hammond, a few security guards, and the rest of SG1, with the exception of Teal'c , who was with Major Castlemen seeing to the ambassador quarters for the System Lords, were walking past his position.
And it was perhaps the worst one of them to notice his position in the shadows when Harry didn't look down fast enough and their eyes meant in a passing glance, a pure chance of light bouncing off his tags from the corner of the system lord's eye and him happening to look directly at him.
Harry kept his gaze fixed on the wall in front of him, keeping his face neutral as Cronus halted the party, staring at him.
"Now what do we have here?" the man mused interestingly as a hand snaked out and grabbed his face before Harry could decide whether to dodge or not. He was forced to meet the system lord's eyes; they flared gold with interest.
'Not good,' he mentally groaned, thinking of Teal'c's reaction when he caught wind of this, 'not good at all.'
a rare jewel that we find unexpectedly among all these filth,.: the Titan from legend commented to the others. Harry's face was then taken by Neriti, also eyeing him with a decidedly more avid look, having also caught his eye.
:.I must agree that he is indeed fascinating, though.: and here she displayed the scientist under all the filmy veils, the scientist that had devastated planets in her curiosity, question would be why?.:
Surprisingly, it was Yu that came to his rescue, all three system lords ignoring General Hammond's protests at the manhandling of his soldier.
do you stall over a child?.: the Goa'uld demanded irritably, :attractive to the eye he may be, but that does not negate presenting ourselves honorably and professionally among these creatures. Leave him be and let us set about what we arrived here for.:
Harry knew from the information packets provided by the Asgard, that Yu was indeed the oldest known system lord, and Goa'uld. When the System lord gave him no more than a passing glance without showing any outright interest, Harry postulated that perhaps his age and rather unusual reserved mien for a Goa'uld, perhaps must be affording him some sort of resistance to Harry's allure and admittedly somewhat relieving frankly.
"General Hammond, we shall take this one to see to my…our needs while here," Cronus declared. Harry did not like the look in his eye, nor the one in Neriti's, and set about increasing his struggles as diplomatically as possible.
"With all due respect," General Hammond said with his own careful diplomacy, "Private Grey is not ranked high enough or skilled enough, among our people to adequately see to your needs; I have assigned a man more than capable of…"
"What you desire is not what is important General Hammond," Cronus declared imperiously, "as per the charter for these negotiations, we have every right, as the visiting delegation, to choose our liaison among the hosts of the negotiations."
General Hammond mentally cursed, while Harry let out a mental groan.
"Sir?" Harry asked as calmly as possible, and to his credit not revealing his dismay or nervousness of the situation, letting the ball fall into his superior's court, hoping that the man's years of diplomatic skills would get him out of this mess.
"Report to Dr. Jackson, he will provide you with all the information you require and assist you with anything you need."
General Hammond sighed, knowing that he was boxed in. They needed to make these negotiations work, and he knew that he couldn't spare the young man in this so early in the game.
"Yes sir," Harry said dutifully, resignedly, and carefully removed his chin from the Goa'uld's strong grip. me lord Cronus, Lady Neriti, Lord Yu, I must attend to my leader's orders if I am best able to see to your needs.: Harry told them smoothly,resigning himself to the situation and dusting off his courteous training (Voldemort's influence again), and he bowed and made his hasty escape when he got the nod of assent from Yu before the others could object, and beat a restrained retreat.
Cronus meanwhile watched the fascinating young man walk away. He had never seen anything so…fascinating before, and he had been around long enough to know the wide range of all that humanity had to offer in regards to bodies.
Perhaps he would take the desirable human for himself, perhaps stipulate him as a concession in the treaty…mmm…yes. The need to possess that enchanting creature was strong, and judging from Neriti's own greedy glances at the retreating little treat, he would have to handle it carefully and swiftly, or she would grab him for herself if she could. At least the old fool seemed uninterested.
Jack meanwhile was barely restraining a groan. That was not assuaged by Daniel's comforting grip of assurance on his shoulder before he peeled off to follow Grey and give the newly promoted teen a debrief on what to expect in his new position.
Ooo ooo ooo
A/N: Review and let me know what you think.