"Colonel O'Neill, I in no way blame you for what has happened. There is nothing in my actions that I would have changed, had I known it would lead to this." Chairman Ashwan smiled warmly at O'Neill.
Teal'c thought the man was showing tremendous grace given his imminent removal from office. They were waiting along with Major Carter in an antechamber to the Council chamber. By tradition, the Chairman and his guests did not enter the Council chamber until all other members had arrived.
According to Ashwan's indignant First Assistant, apparently Commander Kalfas had not yet appeared despite it being ten minutes beyond the expected start time of the meeting. Ashwan had smiled serenely, stating it was a political ploy, an attempt to get the Chairman to enter first, giving Kalfas a perceived advantage. Ashwan was an old political pro, and showed no desire to enter until Kalfas was there.
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We appreciate that. I'm just sorry for the circumstances." O'Neill was doing his best to maintain a diplomatic front.
Teal'c knew it was just a front. In private, O'Neill had told him that he was all for sending the Tagrean gate address to Ba'al, or Yu, to show them just what a bad alien was really like. Teal'c had not commented, knowing as he did that it was just O'Neill's way of expressing his frustration.
Ashwan shook his head sadly. "Colonel, please know if anything comes to light concerning the murders of Tarek Solamun and Jonas Quinn, I will find a way to get word to you."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow. It was the first time Ashwan had conceded that Jonas Quinn was an innocent victim. He asked, "So you do not think Kalfas will bury the chappa'i?"
"It is difficult to say. Zuberi Kalfas is not a stupid man. While the public sentiment is currently against me, it isn't so strongly aligned against the stargate itself. Many people see the advantage of trade. It's an advantage that I fully intend to highlight in my speech tonight. I will not go quietly. Of that, you may be sure."
Teal'c inclined his head, aware that O'Neill was pensively quiet. When it appeared that O'Neill was not going to say anything, Major Carter started to open her mouth, but before she could say a word, the First Assistant came bustling in. "They're ready for you now, Chairman."
"Thank you, Aloli." Ashwan gestured to the double doors leading to the Council chamber. "My friends, if you will come this way."
Teal'c sensed O'Neill straightening beside him. They entered the large auditorium behind the Chairman, to the applause of those present. The flashes from the newsellers' cameras were so constant as to make a solid bright glare. As he moved down the aisle, Ashwan stopped here and there, having a word with various members of the Council. Teal'c found himself reminded of a CNN report he had seen of the American president's State of the Union address.
As they approached the front of the crowd, Teal'c noticed Kalfas standing smugly, a sly glint to his eye. When Teal'c glanced at the man's hands, folded across his stomach, he felt his jaw harden. Next to him, he heard O'Neill suck in an outraged gasp.
Realizing what was happening, Teal'c swung to face his infuriated commander. "O'Neill, listen to me. Kalfas seeks to goad you into an attack. Should you oblige him, you will only consolidate his position."
In a low growl, O'Neill replied, "The bastard is wearing Jonas' ring."
"Of that, I am aware, O'Neill. He displays it openly to taunt you."
Teal'c sensed his friend considering, although the anger still burned in his eyes. He caught O'Neill's eye and said in a cold hard tone, "We will avenge Jonas Quinn, O'Neill, but not here."
O'Neill started and looked at his friend, the tension draining out of him. "We'll talk about it later, T. Carter, you okay?"
Teal'c glanced over at the Major who was fighting to keep a composed face. "Yes, sir. I'm fine."
Teal'c could see the anger burning bright and hard in the Major's crystalline blue eyes. The three teammates eyed one another, gaining strength, as always, from their bond. With a nod of his head, Colonel O'Neill strode down the aisle, ignoring Kalfas as if he weren't there.
Teal'c saw the man bristle at the snub, and felt a slight satisfaction at O'Neill's defiance. Following along with Major Carter, he reached the front row of the chamber where seats had been set aside for them as honored guests of the Chairman.
Ashwan continued on to a podium set up at the front of the chamber. Once there, he picked up a large rounded stone and pounded once on the podium. It was apparently a cue, for the entire assemblage grew quiet. The center of attention, Ashwan looked over the councilors, and after a moment, said, "This meeting of the High Council of Tagrea is hereby called to order."
Teal'c thought fleetingly that the Tagreans were fools to reject such a leader, but he had no say in the matter. It was only a moment before there was a rustle of cloth, and Ashwan looked out to where an older man was now standing. "The chair recognizes the councilor from the Nebit Province."
The man in question nodded, then began, "Chairman Ashwan, given recent events, I call for a vote to establish the right to rule for the current Chairman."
A woman seated in the front row, several seats away, promptly stood up. With a sigh, Ashwan nodded in her direction. "The chair recognizes Chief Science Advisor Clinteas."
Teal'c looked with some interest at the woman. Jonas Quinn had described her as a mouth with no connected brain. She looked down her long nose with disdain and said, "I second the call for a vote."
There was a general rustle as some people took offence at the woman's peremptory manner. Teal'c had been told that to address the council without acknowledging the chairman was a serious breach of courtesy. The First Assistant had been quite anxious that Kalfas might do so. Teal'c sensed that for Clinteas to break with the tradition was not sitting well with the rest of the councilors.
"A call for a vote to establish the right to rule for the current Chairman has been made and seconded. The chair will now hear discussion." Ashwan gave no indication of offence.
As expected, the only one to stand was Kalfas. Ashwan paused for a moment, taking a sip of water before acknowledging the man. "The chair recognizes Commander Kalfas."
Kalfas slowly made his way to the podium, the flashes of the newsellers' cameras highlighting the severe planes of his face. By tradition, Chairman Ashwan reached out and shook the man's hand as he gave way. Teal'c thought Kalfas hid his smirk very poorly. Ashwan, on the other hand, gave nothing away, as cordial as a host in his own home.
Kalfas stood at the podium looking out over the room in an unconscious parody of Chairman Ashwan earlier. At last, he took a deep, considering breath. "Chairman Ashwan, revered Councilors, I am a simple man. I was raised in the traditions of my father, and of his father before him. I have worked hard all of my adult life to protect and defend our world from those who would destroy us.
"When the Odjit Federation would have splintered us, I was there on the front lines. There was no one more overjoyed than I when that conflict was ended. When we stood against the pirates of the Kepi Sea, I was there on the front lines. We removed that threat to our peace. When the terrorists of Wakhashem threatened to destroy our cities, I was there on the front lines. We rooted out that evil and destroyed it. And when our world was threatened from outer space, I was there on the front lines. But I was kept from doing my job, my sacred duty. And as a result, one of our own, a simple instructor was struck down.
"Yes, struck down, I say. By the very aliens whom he had befriended. Now, I know there are those among you who look upon these creatures and say, 'But they look like us. How can they not be our brothers?' I would say to you, would our brothers condone murder? Would our brothers defy our laws, our traditions, by digging up that which our forefathers sought to hide forever?
"As I have said, I am a simple man. But even a simple man can tell evil when he finds it staring him in the face. And my friends, believe me when I say, these aliens, these Tau'ri, are evil. The Ring of the Gods is evil. Our forefathers knew it. They buried it. Perhaps to prevent these very Tau'ri from infecting us."
Teal'c sat impassively listening to the tirade. He could feel O'Neill seething beside him, but with the cameras of the newsellers turned toward them, all they could do was sit quietly and not react.
"Now, I know that Chairman Ashwan has accepted these creatures to his bosom. It speaks well of him as a man that he is charitable and open to those in need. I am the first among his admirers for the work he has done to further the education of all Tagreans. His pioneering work with the Agricultural Council has ensured that famine will never again reach our doors.
"But, for all of that, he is a fool. He has allowed these alien creatures full access to all of our most treasured secrets. He has no idea of their true purpose. They come, they conveniently damage their own ship. They raid our libraries and they dig up an abomination in the Anhur Wastelands. And when someone gets in their way, they repay kindness with murder. And how does the Chairman react?
"I ask you all, how did Chairman Ashwan react to this threat to our world? He welcomes them. He seats them in a place of honor in our most sacred Council chamber. While Tarek Solamun's spirit wanders unavenged, he aids and abets the murderers. He would have us believe that the alien Jonas Quinn was killed and thrown to the fires of the city refuse area. Very convenient. No body, no trial. No body, no trial, no justice.
"And now, even as we speak, the alien ship leaves our planet, taking the chance of justice away with them. No trial, no justice. I would ask the Chairman, where is Jonas Quinn? What bargain did you make to sell away the future of the Tagrean people? No, friends, we can not allow any such bargain to stand. We must tonight get what little justice for Tarek Solamun as we can. I ask that you vote with me to end Tor Ashwan's chairmanship of the High Council of Tagrea."
Kalfas bowed his head, awaiting the benediction of the audience, and he didn't have long to wait. After a momentary pause, applause broke out. Glancing around, Teal'c could see that a full two thirds of the audience was applauding, cheering for Kalfas, who stood basking in the adulation.
Seated on the other side of O'Neill, Major Carter leaned over and quietly said, "Sir, maybe we should leave before the final vote."
"I agree, O'Neill. It seems likely that Kalfas intends to detain us."
"We're not leaving without that ring." O'Neill's voice was flat.
Major Carter looked over at Teal'c, her concern plain in her eyes. Their discussion was interrupted as Chairman Ashwan pounded the stone on the podium in a call for order. The applause died down, and the Chairman stood waiting until Kalfas had returned to his seat.
Looking out over the room, Ashwan showed no sign of concern. If Kalfas' accusations had struck a nerve, you would never know by watching the man. With a quiet smile, he began. "Zuberi Kalfas is not the only one to have ancestors. I, in particular, remember my father's mother. She was a kind, gentle soul who forever had sweet cakes for me whenever I visited. As a very young boy, I can recall not being able to sleep the night before a visit to my nannie's house. You probably all have such memories of one who loved you and whom you loved. For me, that love was cut off when I was but seven. My beloved nannie died of womb rot.
"Womb rot. A terrible name, for a terrible disease that robs us of our mothers, our sisters, our wives, and our daughters. I know that within this chamber, there are those who have been personally touched by this tragedy." Ashwan looked pointedly at someone in one of the back rows.
"And who among does not know someone suffering the agony of the Wasting Disease? Young children, who once ran and played, destined to a life on crutches, or in a wheelchair, or in a bed. I know Councilor Rehema's only son fights this disability daily.
"Spotted Death, Neck Swell, Lung Flux. All diseases that rob us of our children. And other afflictions that I shall not name here that make the very act of procreation impossible. There are few among us who have not been touched in one way or another by disease.
"I could cite statistics. How many thousand die each year. How many more live ruined, lesser lives because of it. But I need not spell out something that every Tagrean knows. That death by disease stalks us all.
"It is not a knowledge shared by our brethren from the stars. They have conquered these diseases and many more. They can give a child a life of freedom with a simple pill. They can save your beloved mother with a drug that eliminates womb rot. This is only the beginning of the wonders they can provide.
"Commander Kalfas spoke of the successes of the Agricultural Council. Our brothers can expand on that with new farming methods, new grains, new livestock, that will not only eliminate famine, but hunger itself. Zuberi spoke of my commitment to education. Our brothers can teach us the fundamentals of the basic stuff of the universe."
Teal'c felt O'Neill shifting beside him. Teal'c himself felt concern for the promises Ashwan seemed to be making on their behalf. The Tagreans had little to offer in trade to the Tau'ri. Teal'c could not help but wonder if the power brokers in Washington would be as willing to share as Ashwan implied.
"Zuberi Kalfas talks of bargains made. I can not help but wonder which among you would not give all you own to secure the life of one you love. Which of you would turn away from the offer of protection from disease, better food, and a greater understanding? Apparently Zuberi Kalfas would. He would on behalf of himself, and on behalf of every living person on this world. Perhaps I am a fool. Perhaps Zuberi Kalfas is a greater fool.
"He calls the Ring of the Gods 'evil.' He calls our brothers 'creatures.' Words to deflect your thoughts from the real issue. The real issue is will Tagrea continue to huddle in the dark, afraid of the light? Or will we take our rightful place in the sun…"
Ashwan frowned as a rustle of consternation rippled through the audience. Teal'c looked around to see the First Assistant hurrying, white-faced, down the aisle. The woman looked neither left nor right, almost as if she feared being halted. From the glint of anger in Ashwan's eyes, it was plain that such an interruption was unprecedented and unwanted.
The woman approached the podium, and greatly daring, tugged on Chairman Ashwan's sleeve to move him away from the microphones. The woman spoke quietly directly into the Chairman's ear. Ashwan, jerked away from her, his own face going white, clearly disbelieving what he was being told.
The woman continued to speak as the chairman listened, anger growing on his face. The audience of councilors shifted uneasily as they waited. O'Neill murmured, "There's trouble back at the ranch."
Finally, Ashwan gave the woman some curt instructions, and she hurried away. Ashwan came back to the podium, and stood composing himself. It was several minutes before he raised his eyes to the audience. "Councilors, I do apologize for that rude interruption. I was speaking of what our brethren could do for us, but I'd like to now address what they have already done for us.
"Less than a moon span of days ago, we were alone in the universe. We had a firm belief that our past was buried for a reason and we had no need or desire to uncover it. Our concerns were our own. Should we allow the Odjit Federation to secede from the Council? How do we deal with pirates and terrorists? But then our eyes were opened by the arrival of a spaceship.
"That simple act of arrival widened our horizons to the ends of the galaxy and beyond. We discovered not only were we not alone in the universe, but that we had long-lost kin, who needed our help. Yes, I opened our libraries to them. I assisted them, and they found our history for us.
"What we had long called a myth, was in fact a reality. And with that, we found that we had a past worth knowing. We found the reason for the burial of the Great Ring of the Gods was because those so-called gods were not gods at all, but monsters who enslaved us and robbed us of our lives and freedom.
"What did that teach us? It taught us that our most cherished and hard held beliefs were based in the cruel oppression we had suffered at the hands of these monsters. Beliefs that have stood the test of time. Beliefs written down for us in the Great Compact. The belief that every Tagrean has a right to a life of peace. The belief that every Tagrean has a right to a say in government. And the belief that no Tagrean shall forfeit his rights without consensus.
Ashwan paused, looking out over the audience. When he spoke again, his deep voice rang with passion. "No Tagrean shall forfeit his rights without consensus. We know what that means now. When we were at the mercy of the impulses of a monster, we had no rights. We lived or died because the monster said so. And the monster could say so for any reason, or for no reason at all. Think, friends, what that life would have been like. To know that your life and the lives of all you loved had no value to the one who controlled it. To know that on a whim, the monster could point a single finger and doom you to death.
"We were saved from this doom by our forefathers who overthrew the monster. To them, no Tagrean shall forfeit his rights without consensus was a miracle. To be able to look forward to tomorrow. To simply have tomorrow. What a blessing that must have been.
"And what a blessing it remains. Every person on this planet has a right, a hard won right, to tomorrow. No Tagrean shall forfeit his rights without consensus. Without a considered decision by those of the community, we do not so much as imprison a thief. Without a considered decision by those of the community, even a murderer can not be executed."
Ashwan paused, then continued in a very quiet voice, "So we come to Tarek Solamun. A teacher of our young. A misguided believer in the godhood of the monsters. And the man who assisted in finding the Ring of the Gods, a man who opened up the universe for us. What about his rights? He was shot down in the street. His right to tomorrow stripped from him by a coward.
"Commander Kalfas would have us believe that coward was an alien named Jonas Quinn. He would imply that my own dedication to the beliefs of the Great Compact is such that I would turn my back on them to assist in an escape from justice. He has asked me, in front of you all, where is Jonas Quinn. Well, I now ask him. Zuberi Kalfas, where is Jonas Quinn?"
Ashwan's question rang throughout the auditorium, and in the silence that followed, the chairman nodded toward an unseen aide at the back of the room. The lights dimmed, and a large white screen descended from the ceiling behind the podium.
Ashwan's voice was firm as he said, "One of the most puzzling aspects of the murder of Tarek Solamun, was the disappearance of the tape from a security camera. How could an alien with no real knowledge of our world know to even look for such a camera? Fortunately, our city protectors were diligent, and we now have that tape. We can see exactly what happened."
Teal'c sat forward, as did Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter. The film was grainy compared to Tau'ri standards, and the view was from a distance, but there was no mistaking Jonas Quinn and Tarek Solamun as they entered the alley, their backs to the camera. As the two men moved forward, suddenly from the far end of the alley, two men emerged, and from the near end, three more entered, cutting off escape.
Teal'c automatically bristled at the aggressive posture of the men, and was pleased to see Jonas Quinn recognize the threat they posed. When he turned to find his retreat cut off, he immediately thrust Tarek Solamun against a wall, and stood in front, protecting the smaller man.
There was no sound accompanying the pictures, but Teal'c had no doubt from his gestures that Jonas was telling the men to let Solamun go free. He was addressing one of the men who had entered the alley from the near side. Another, larger man blocked the view of the camera, so it was unclear why Jonas would have pegged the man as the leader.
As Jonas Quinn argued vehemently, his attention was drawn to the leader, and one of the men from the other end of the alley suddenly pulled out a small black rod and brought it crashing down on the Kelownan's head. Teal'c heard the gasps from throughout the chamber as Jonas collapsed in a heap. Teal'c felt a coldness fill his heart. The blow was a killing one.
He watched as Tarek Solamun fell to his knees, trying to help his fallen friend, but he was held back by the hand of the killer grasping his shoulder. The shorter leader of the attackers moved over to Jonas Quinn and nudged him with his foot. Teal'c watched closely, hoping beyond hope for some movement to show that the Kelownan wasn't dead.
His hope was not realized as Jonas flopped bonelessly over onto his back. The leader reached down and pulled out the Kelownan's side arm. Knowing what was coming, it was still a shock as the leader turned, and at pointblank range, shot Tarek Solamun. The Councilors in the auditorium broke out in gasps and swearing as that turn exposed the profile of the murderer. Commander Kalfas was seen to look at his handiwork, and then seem to admire the weapon before negligently ordering his men to carry away the body of Jonas Quinn.
Chairman Ashwan's voice rang out, "Zuberi Kalfas, where was the consensus for Tarek Solamun? Where is Jonas Quinn?"