DISCLAIMER: I have to acknowledge that outside of SG1 and Paxamorph dust (big finish), I only own the characters that are not associated with the show. Blah Blah Blah! So don't sue me for having my own fun with them
Chapter 10 – Differentiation, allowing for individual needs
Vala woke. It was a slow and painful. She was in one of the classrooms that much she could tell. Cameron seemed to be on the far corner hands bound. She crawled over to him and started to work the bonds. Her blood felt like it was tingling. She could sense another presence come into the room and it was not wholly human. 'Oh that's fantastic that is! I get caught by a snake in the grass. It's a wonder my – what was it Cam called it? Oh yes – spidey sense hadn't been tingling!" Vala very carefully swung herself up to a half crouch, half sitting position. She turned and in that moment she wished she didn't recognise the owner of that face. "Pallas, you old snake. You don't call, you don't write. A girl could get a complex about her friends." Her voice was full of her caustic humour she usually saved for old 'acquaintances' as Cameron's eyes widened. Cameron didn't know a lot about her she knew, but the fact that she knew a Goa'uld shouldn't really be that much of a surprise. The fact that she called her friend probably was – but he should know better by now. She looked at her watch and noted that 12 hours were nearly up. She had to stall this witch until the SGC realised that they couldn't get in touch. Landry tended to still react quickly to no contact. The Ori war had taught some hard lessons to all of them.
"So Pallas, how've ya been? Domination treating you well? Love what you've done with the place very…." Vala struggled to find the words to add to her diatribe "unGoa'ld?" She turned to Cameron who was slightly smirking at her verbal attack. "Whaddya think Cam is that even a word?"
"SILENCE!" Pallas gave Vala a venomous look. She stepped forward towards Cameron with the ribbon device aimed at his head. "It appears Qetesh that you have forgotten how much I care for your prattle. Let me remind you." With that she stretched out her hand and allowed the device to glow burning Cameron's forehead and frying the synapses beneath.
"NO! Pallas please! You have a grudge with me then let's settle it! Leave Mitchell out of this!" Pallas grin was cruel and appeared to care little for what Vala was asking. She stopped once Cameron had passed out.
"Qetesh, I am going to give you a choice. I know that you are no longer Goa'uld but you possess the knowledge of the Taur'i and the Ori. In my eyes you are Qetesh as you have cheated me and my sister Athena out of the Ancient weapons store. As Vala you have double crossed me on a number of occasions when you have worked with my loyal subjects and stole some of my most precious technology. You are just as much the thief as Goa'uld as you are as a former blended host therefore I see no distinction between who you were and who you are." Vala had smirked at the mention of the thefts and this only served to irritate Pallas further.
Vala stared at her. So far Pallas has just given her a rant about who she thought she was – no choice had been given. She decided to risk asking the question. "Where's MY DANIEL? So far you have basically ranted. Granted a bit on the angsty side (No more typical than any other Goa'uld) but still what choice are you offering? I mean you have managed to take me and my friends and stated that we, no, I have some form of choice to make. So what is it?" Vala ran out of breath. She had given that speech in her usual machine gun patter emphasised additionally by the way she talked with her hands.
Pallas watched her incredulously. "You have become weak as a human. You claim ownership over someone who appears clearly not be yours. So yes I have a choice to offer you. Right now doctor Jackson is living his worst nightmares and all the while I am recording the knowledge of those experiences to sift through for Ancient knowledge. I offer you the choice to free one of your friends alive and to share the knowledge of the Ori and earth with me. As Goa'uld race we have become forgotten in the midst of the Ori storm. We have been quietly rebuilding the system lords and looking to reclaim our rightful place in the galaxy. You can choose to help us by giving us the knowledge we need or you can die with your friends. As insurance we placed a tracker in your body on your first visit here which we activated when you collapsed. If you go too close to Doctor Jackson he will suffer a stroke and die. We know that you two have developed a bond and through that we will ensure your cooperation." Pallas looked at Vala. She could see resignation in her face. This was what she was pushing for – cooperation and coercion. Breaking this woman down meant so much since she was responsible for her disgrace among the new system lords and her foster sister Athena. She needed to redeem that status in order to regain her power base back within the rebuilding of the new system lords. Having power and control, at the end of the day that was the key bargaining tool at this new galactic dawn.
Vala felt stunned. She knew what was happening, someone wanted her to play puppet – again. Was she forever to be the galaxys chew toy. Something to be used and discarded? She glanced over at Mitchell. He had turned and vomited onto the floor next to him. He'd never experienced a ribbon device before – she could tell. She needed to buy time! That was crucial. She was terrified that if Daniels mind was being raped. She needed to try and get Mitchell out so that he could bring in back up to save them both. Suddenly it was not so easy to be glib about their situation. They were all in very real danger of being killed. She started to say prayers to whatever deity was available in the hope she could get them all out of this. Perhaps, just perhaps get Daniel. Her heart was close to breaking point. She was looking at Mitchell and she could see her friend was in real pain. "Pallas, may have some short time to consider your proposal" Mitchell began to shake his head. It was odd that he was so silent because normally he was very vocal on many things. Pallas glared at her as if she was a mouse asking a cat to take five whilst it considered whether or not it wanted to be eaten. "I will give you a short time – do not take too long. I do not think that Doctor Jackson can take much more". Pallas's face turned again into that smug self-satisfied grin she turned and walked out the door. Vala got up and ran behind her. The door slammed in her face. Locked! She turned and ran back to Cameron. She crouched down beside him and started to talk softly.
"Cameron – are you okay?" Her face was full of genuine worry. She was trying not to think on Daniel – all of this was too much. He looked at her. Her eyes were wide and full of worry. He patted his utility vest trying to think of some way to communicate beyond normal hand signals. He reached into his utility vest and found a pencil and a notepad. Whilst the Jaffa had stripped him of all his weapons they had strangely left him with his vest which was not their standard MO. Cameron flicked the little notebook open and began to write.
Voice gone. They doped me Princess. Virus. What's happenin'?
"Cam, I got a highly PO'd madam of a Goa'uld. If I go along with what she wants and get you released, I can buy time for the next check in. However, I need to get you out of here. Maybe get you to the gate so that you can get Sam or Teal'c to come with back up".
Princess, have you gone postal? I ain't leavin' you or Jackson. What's the dealio with the two of you anyway? Why are we in deep doodoo with this psycho queen wannabe? Where's Jackson anyway?
Vala looked away and bit her lip. She didn't want to tell this to Cameron even now when there was so little time. She took a sharp intake of breath and turned to face him. "Firstly, I don't think I have time to explain this all to you now. Daniel may only have minutes. Needless to say I broke his trust then his heart as well as my own. I'm responsible for that. Second, Pallas is Athena's or Charlotte Mayfields foster sister and Athena as you know already has an axe to grind over the Ancient weapons storehouse. Plus we kinda kicked her to the curb by destroying some of the trust resources. Amongst some of the system lords some of the lower ranked Goa'ulds may make an alliance kinda like your earth mafia. It demands total loyalty but the benefit of such an alliance ensures stability for their associated territories. Pallas Athena is part of that foster system. I may have 'accidently' borrowed some interesting Goa'uld technology a while back from her. I was, to be perfectly honest, sure that they belonged to no one in particular". Vala's lips quirked slightly in a ghost of a smile at the thought as that had been a nice little pay off for the items she had 'found'.
Cameron stared at her and jerked his head impatiently. The message was clear – hurry up and tell me! "Well I think she wants me to remember some stuff regarding the Ori and some of our intel on the Goa'uld. They are planning a new council of system lords which – bad fashion rerun aside – could be bad news for us. We have been so distracted by all the other threats in the galaxy we have forgotten that some of the what used to be lower ranked Goa'uld are now trying to establish a power base of some kind. The major players may be mostly gone but there will always be someone there to take over if it is not monitored. Looks like Daniel taught me something after all!"
So what now?
"Now you shut up and let me do the talking!" Cameron glared at her. "Whoops bad choice of words!" Vala battered her eyelashes in an innocent puppy expression.
Ha Ha Princess! How can you help Jackson?
"I'm guessing that these 'classrooms' have some sort of mental component. We are the same learning style and I intend to use that against them. Only my lesson to them is don't mess with SG-1! I'm gonna try and reach him but I need you to get out of here and get back up. You are not going to be leaving me behind just get Sam and Teal'c."
Ok Princess that's assuming Pallas will keep her word about letting me go! She's not to be trusted.
"Yes Cameron but that is why your bonds are loose. Just finished it a second before her royal snakehead waltzed in. You can take on two burly Jaffa long enough to grab the Zat they store on their arms can't you?" she grinned and then hugged him. She knew that this was not that simple and that what was about to happen was not as easy as that. She whispered into Cameron's ear. "Bring Caro with you. Daniel and I will not be able to be moved until that chip comes out. Ask her to bring one of those lovely scanners I swiped for her from Atlantis a few years back and the hand healing device. And Cam, you will need to destroy the computers on the way back in here. They can't have the knowledge that both Daniel and I have. Do that, we can go home in time to enjoy another day alive!" She pulled back.
Cameron's eyes widened. The penny had dropped with him as to how serious things were. Vala never really hugged him. She usually reserved that solely for Daniel. She was terrified and she had let him see. Now all he had to do was live up to the faith she placed in him.
"Pallas" Vala shouted at the door "Pallas you old snake come on in I have made my choice"
The door opened. Pallas and two Jaffa walked in. "Qetesh, I'm glad to see that you are still smart enough to listen. What is your choice?"
"Let Mitchell go and I will work with you – no tricks!" stated Vala. She raised a finger to emphasise the point. "However, if I get out of here and hear he is dead –not even an Unas could protect the snake in your head out your hosts body cos I'll tear you limb from limb."
Pallas smiled as if a small child had just completed a tantrum. "I give you my word. JAFFA KREE!" The two Jaffa stormed over to Cameron. They lifted him and dragged him out of the room. Pallas came with them. Her first prime approached her. "My lady what shall we do with this one?"
Pallas looked again at Cameron as if he were dirt. When Cameron saw the look in her eyes he shuddered. He finally understood why the Goa'uld, as a race, was to be feared. Pallas smiled in satisfaction –she'd won. "Kill him and ensure that his body is never found."