CHAPTER 10: LET'S MAKE A PLAN
PRESENT DAY
"Nesra assured our plan would work. That we could operate without discovery. Now I hear that he had known of this blindside from the beginning. That it was in fact he who facilitated the fabricated information. He placed my team in harm's way. Hundreds of residents slain, all to enable an uprising. It is not how you stage a rebellion. I would know."
The Jaffa moved into a side stance, disapproval visible on his face as his posture stiffened and jaw gritted in frustration.
Fearing the outcome, Asha quickly explained.
"It was our only salvation, Teal'c. You supplied us with the necessary opportunity and cover to prevent a tyrant from initiating Ramin's rebirth. Does it not surpass the loss, knowing what will be gained in the aftermath? It will be the one moment in history that will stand immovable for annos to come."
Teal'c faced him with anger glimmering in his eyes. Asha retreated a few steps, acting as if the small space was a snake's hold.
"Your arrogance is astonishing. No wonder you hide like a coward in the shadow of your master. How dare you justify your actions? When you think as Titan, do as Titan and argue as Titan. What truly separates you and Nesra from his ideals?"
Shock registered on the aide's countenance and retorted swiftly, "You know nothing . . ."
"I have adequate understanding, Asha. You are the one who lacks knowledge. Who thinks his planet, this city, is the only one that suffers under the command of an oppressor. Many are less fortunate than you are. Many have witnessed devastation at the hands of the system lords. Thousands at the mercy of humans with god-like abilities. If it were not for your weapon, Ramin would be a speck of dust. An ancient memory buried underneath the accomplishment of a Goa'uld. Titan will soon discover that you are nothing when the Lucian Alliance acquires what they want. Your rebellion will be useless and my friends will have sacrificed their lives for nothing."
Asha stared at the warrior at a loss for words. It wasn't what he'd imagined from somebody whose motives were just as insincere as his were. Although, Teal'c had been correct about one thing. Ramin was fortunate to have preserved their heritage. Unlike those who'd lost theirs to the enemy.
Misery slinked across his face, defeat evident as his gaze lowered to the floor.
Teal'c observed the change in Asha's behaviour, turned towards the door and glanced over his shoulder.
"Your rebellion has created a set of events, I, unfortunately, cannot reverse on my own. What is more, if I want my team to survive until the end, I can't stay here and wait for the enemy to encircle us. Nor can you disappoint Nesra and neglect your people."
"You've stated your disapproval. Emphasized the mistakes in our motive. What would you have me do?"
"Where is the weapon if not at the ruins?"
"For starters, Nesra was sincere when he gave you the coordinates. It was where it presided, before they moved it to make space for the chelónas' creation." Asha faltered as the warrior glared at him and swiftly offered. "It's north west of the Gateway, hidden in the mountain's peak. However, your friends locate in the opposite direction, at the defense facility that is heavily guarded."
"It is not my destination. We have no choice but to pursue the Predominant. It will be our leverage to free my teammates."
"Then . . ." He agreed, though didn't finish the thought, as Teal'c's expression hardened, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Whatever happens, it is not for you that I do this. Do not expect sympathy for your cause."
The door opened, the Jaffa peering down both sides of the corridor and walked forward, unconcerned if the man followed or not.
Asha swallowed back the knot in his throat and jogged after him, keeping close to his heels as possible. Teal'c hailed for the elevator and a minute later, it opened.
"Wait here." He instructed.
The aide nodded, observing as the warrior stepped inside, chose number ten on the panel, and then walked out before it slid shut and obeyed its command.
Teal'c gazed at Asha.
"It will draw their attention for a brief moment while we move via the alternative routes."
He jogged for the stairway situated to their right, and upon arrival, silently opened the door. When it was vacant of assailants, he gestured for the aide, who followed faithfully behind for the duration of twenty-four floors.
Along the way, they eluded several patrols, swopping between staircases and escalators attached to the different atriums. Sent down decoy elevators to various levels, and then finally hid in a janitor's closet on the sixth floor.
Silence settled in. The sound of breathing irritating Asha's already tense frame. To the point of screaming, when the warrior whispered in his direction.
"Six floors situate between us and freedom. All under heavy guard unless we find a way through their defenses."
The aide scowled, waiting for the warrior to continue, but then realised it was in fact the opposite. He was asking for advice.
"One-one-once an attack of such magnitude subsides, military steps in and evacuates the headquarters floor by floor. Commencing at the lowest level, naturally."
"However, as we witnessed, some floors were already cleared. Indicating the workers had disregarded protocol and vacated at their own risk."
"Keep in mind that some had left during lunch hour."
"Indeed, I was there as the groups disbanded. Moreover, many encountered the bombings around the square and inside the building."
Asha glanced at the warrior's watch.
"It's been thirty minutes since the attack ceased. I approximate at least ten minutes per floor. However, due to their hunt, they've most certainly sped up the process."
The men gazed at one another. Thinking quietly to themselves, until Teal'c scanned the interior of the closet and rose to his feet. The aide's interest piqued, watching as the warrior discarded his combat vest and emptied its contents. Next, shrugged off his jacket, grabbing the janitor's uniform shirt from the shelf. Slipped into it and then knelt down, bundling the necessary gear in his jacket. Off to the left located a cart and he stashed it in the empty, oblong water bucket.
"Does the governor know of your position in the rebellion?" Teal'c queried as he helped Asha to his feet.
He shook his head as 'no'.
"Are you confident the guards will not recognize you as a threat?"
His chin bobbed like a jackhammer, but the Jaffa could see the fear in his eyes.
"You must tell me now, Asha or they'll seize us the moment we reach the lobby."
He glared at the aide, his grey eyes in particular. As it displayed what he wanted to know, he gazed at the cleaning supplies packed on the shelves surrounding them. The aide followed the action and swallowed nervously.
"The-the-there might be another way we can leave here alive."
The warrior's eyes flashed with frustration, increasing the aide's nerves.
"I-I-I know I should've said something before, but now that I see what you're planning I think it's possible. We'll have to travel down to the third floor, pass through the museum of Ramin's antiquities . . . Oh, I don't think we'll make it that far. It just might be what they want us to do. Although, it might be better than walking into the belly of the beast."
"I'll throw you into the belly of the beast, if you don't apprise me of the exit route."
The comment startled the aide, but recovered quick as lightening and gestured at the top shelf to the right.
"It's a fire escape actually. And you'll need the cover." Teal'c followed his hand, glancing over his shoulder at the green object, and then peered back at him.
"For the symbol on your forehead of course. That is, if we're aiming for the element of surprise."
DEFENSE FACILITY
Governor Titan gazed at the transparent tablet in his hand, ogling the different angles provided by the security cameras, and then huffed an irritated sigh before placing it on the table.
"I ordered you to keep them separated."
"An order I followed until the last second." Yolane replied, grinning playfully as he glared at her. "Besides, it was for surveillance purposes. In pairs, they will offer valuable Intel, particularly on the Jaffa, who, I might add, still eludes our forces."
Titan sat down on the corner of the table. Crossed his forearms over his chest, while glancing the footage streaming on the tablet.
A frown creased his brow, revealing how he felt about her insubordination. It wasn't meant to be a fact finding mission, but a hunt in order to revive the Predominant. Furthermore, it was to mount a solid defense before the Alliance returned for their prize. There was no reason to keep them comfortable during the waiting period.
Sensing his frustration, Yolane moved towards him, and once in proximity, raised his chin to gaze into his eyes.
"You promised me pristine merchandise. All but two are injured. Additionally, as you can see, they have helped the wounded, minimizing the damage. Your gift to me . . ."
Titan tilted his chin away from her fingers and stood to his feet, dissatisfied with her fascination for O'Neill.
"Yolane, the General is not yours to have. His wounds, unfortunate as it may be, will be the perfect cover once the weapon drains him of his strength. Then we will hand his almost lifeless body over to the Lucian Alliance. It was the agreement, you know this."
"As I recall from our conversation, you said we needed him. There was no mention of surrendering my jewel to the Alliance." She paused, noting his anxiety for the first time. Her hazel eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the muscles stiffen along his jaw.
"It is so unlike you to place your wife's wishes beneath your own."
He rubbed at the bridge of his nose, gritting his teeth as frustration seethed.
"This not about your obsession for compliance, Yolane. They are not toys you can bend to your will. This about protecting our reign of Ramin. We must use whatever means necessary to ensure that it stays so. Before these foreigners leave."
"I see, so in hindsight, none of us fulfilled the other's directives. Nevertheless, by activating the listening devices I covered your haste. Now, it can be used to our advantage."
"Do not patronize me, Yolane. No one, except for the man with the glasses, has voiced their true frustration. Can it be that their bruises has silenced them? Or did your spy tip them off?"
"Nesra is as faithful as they come." She refuted confident. Afterward, turned her back on him as she resumed.
"He has won their trust fast and unwittingly. Unlike you who used brute force to subdue them. Their trust in you dissipated with the attack on our headquarters. Not to mention that of the chasm. If I had not intervened, instructing Dario to minimize the rock fall, the humans from Terra would not have given you this."
Titan's expression snarled, eyes trailing her movement as she grabbed the translucent device off the table. She changed its display, calling up the individual vital scans provided by the holding cells. Tapped the statistics tab and three profiles lined up with the strongest first and weakest last.
"Once again, where you failed, I succeeded." She stated haughtily.
She showed it to her husband, who took it with a wary action. He skimmed through the information, eyes expanding with each statistic.
"What?" He exclaimed after a brief silence. "How can this be?"
"Ostensibly, my jewel is not the only one with the gene, as the Lucian Alliance led you to believe. No, the soldier with the unkempt hair is the strongest among the three."
"Are you certain?" His gaze snapped up, drilling her with an inquisitive look. "Has this been vetted by the scientists?"
"How dare you question my credibility? Of course they confirmed it!"
Titan set the device down, grabbing hold of her hands in a soft grip and gazed into her eyes.
"You must forgive me. I was under the impression Dario was of the last, who still had control over the Predominant, and the technology attached to it. It is by sheer wonder the scientists could offer the chelónas as suitable replacements."
"Yes, unfortunately we discovered too late that it was our own undoing, which eradicated the ancestor's genetics. Dictatorship can be deadly as it is cruel."
Her husband let go of her hands and intended to leave her office without offering a negation.
Yolane scowled at the behaviour. Titan never showed this much indifference before. He'd always been stable, confident and teeming with authority, yet now he appeared as if he was unravelling at the seams.
"What will you do with this new development?" She asked, stopping him from opening the door. "Surely the soldier can replace the General."
Titan's posture become rigid, frame wrought with anger. How could she not see that her excessive inquiries fell on deaf ears? This was his operation and his alone, there was no room for her fetishes.
He glanced over his shoulder, lips curling into a malicious smile.
"Oh, he won't be replacing anyone today, Commander. In fact, the more the merrier. We must show our new allies what the Predominant is capable of at its full capacity."
A knife-like sensation pierced her heart as he opened the door and exited the room. Gooseflesh ran along her arms. The declarations causing fear, shock and confusion in a way she'd never experienced before. The last statement alone seemed as if this was about more than just protecting his throne. As if, the Alliance's interest was merely an excuse for him to cause more destruction than usual.
Yolane shuddered at the thought. Suddenly, their fun and games had turned treacherous, and she feared that her forces would soon suffer the same fate as the citizens. It simply couldn't happen, not on her watch. She had to pick the cream of the crop, and leave before her husband's plan came into effect.
This time, the foreigners would have to fend for themselves; she couldn't interfere any longer.