Interlude Unseen Hope

Sara's diary

Grunt work seems to always trickle down to the lower ranks, though I don't know if collecting Re'tu remains is precisely what the Airmen thought they would be doing today. Robby was some help with listing just where each Re'tu died, that helped the general sweep with the TERs. It was not as if we could get Teal'c or Drey'auc to help with this. Their Juniors only sensed living Re'tu, so it was left to JD, Will and others to do the sweep and Maureen to lead the study of the Re'tu.

I'm glad she got the first crack at them. Word was that they were going to be shipped off to Area 51 for study. Which may still happen, but at least the SGC would get some study first on what has to be the strangest life form the SGC has encountered yet. It's better than Star Trek here at the SGC.

With TERs taped up on booms, Maureen is going to work on the remains as the others gather them. Robby has to run most of the test as without a TER 'earth' equipment just can't do everything Maureen needs it to do. You see, she has this idea she can come up with a way to counter the "vibe" that causes severe pain in a Goa'uld symbiote. Something to do with the body's electric-EM field something and how a symbiote's sensitive with it. She thinks that's how Sam can sense Naqahdah in others, or how any Goa'uld does that, like Apophis did when he was here at the SGC.

Well she didn't come up with anything immediately, and in fact what she came up with weeks later wasn't what she hoped, but it was a start to what could be a Tau'ri-Tok'ra-Re'tu alliance. That kept the boys at the NID from snatching all the samples of Re'tu and let Maureen continue her research here. She didn't mind Area 51, but her husband worked here, her son, and Judy practically works here so she wanted to be where her family was going to be.

Jack and I were heading off world with our first visit to see Charlie when Maureen and Robby started to follow up the ramp with General Hammond trailing them. Apparently she convinced him that she was onto something and that Robby could convey her data while Jack and I carried the samples of her work.

Look at this, I'm writing about going off world as if it were just a little trip to the next town over, not crossing millions of light years to a whole other planet.

Anyway, she wanted Ma'chello and Anise to take a look at what she's come up with so far. When Maureen so kindly started to explain her prelim work our eyes nearly glazed over, so she skipped to the laymen's version of what she came up with. It was big, and I can see why she wanted to get off even her starting work for others to take a look at; a temporary medication that a symbiote could take to not be in pain around a Re'tu. Which could sound like a disadvantage except that now that Charlie is Tok'ra, he could go back to talk to the Re'tu government.

With Charlie acting as a go-between, there could be talks, other than through Robby. Which was another revelation, no-one knew Robby could hear the Re'tu, much less speak their language. Daniel is definitely going to want to talk with him when we get back. Jack liked the idea of invisible secret agents working -for- our side, and we sort of knew Washington would love that idea too. I think Maureen is going to find herself with funding and probably her own lab on base.

But enough of that, it was time to visit Charlie. So Jack offered his arm, which I took, and together we walked through the gate to another world.

Drey'auc's day

Maureen Robinson is there when SG-8 head out through the Chappa'ai to meet the Tok'ra at Ma'chello's planet. Teal'c is going with them to act as a 'familiar face' I believe O'Neill said, though I privately contend that there is nothing friendly about my husband's face to others. I feel Sara would agree with that, and has said as much when O'Neill made the comment.

After he returns, that night he tells me how it went with the Tok'ra and Ma'chello. He relays the tale of the meeting as we stare up at the ceiling, just enjoying each other's presence as I lay against him. He tells of the amazement of the Tok'ra and how this may have gone far to a Tau'ri-Tok'ra alliance. He is proud of me and praised me to them as he informed the Tok'ra of my idea to offer a symbiote to Ma'chello. It was after explaining the Tok'ra to Ma'chello, giving the dying human another chance to continue his fight with the Goa'uld that convinced him. The Tok'ra welcomed his inventions, particularly one called Anise. Much to SG-8's regret as they were asked to leave and let the Tok'ra remove Ma'chello's inventions for their new base of operations.

Professor Robinson was not happy about this, or the rest of the Tau'ri. However, my husband reminded them that Ma'chello was dying and neither Jackson's had decoded his work to make the inventions usable. At least in this way, they will be used against the Goa'uld, it will just not be by the Tau'ri.

The warmth of his body is too comforting to move away for even Kel'noreem right now, and I believe he is thinking similar thoughts. My husband is not particularly talkative, even with me, so when he volunteers more words this typically means he either is very upset, or wishes to prolong the time we 'cuddle' together.

Another new Tau'ri custom I have grown to like. Though I have a hard time discerning the difference between a cuddle and a snuggle. It will be something to ask Sara about. If I time it right, I might even get her to spray coffee out of her cup as I have noticed some of my questions cause her to do.

Teal'c speaks of a possible Tau'ri-Tok'ra-Re'tu alliance, which had me almost lift my head off his shoulder in surprise. While it is early to say, Maureen Robinson may have deduced what it is that causes a symbiote to react to a Re'tu in the manner it does. With work, she may find away to suggest a way to artificially counter it, letting Re'tu and Tok'ra work together. Another marvel all due to the Tau'ri once more.

Sha're's story

Qetesh is able to smuggle my demon and I away from Hathor who was not happy about being left. My demon thinks it's good she didn't have any favorite Jaffa she left behind, or Lo'tar. Though I personally don't think that the demon Hathor will harm them. She needs an army, and as I have seen she will bewitch them to serve her not kill them out of spite.

What the demon Qetesh does discover later is that Hathor is planning another avenue of finding out information about the System Lords and it has something to do with SG-1. I wish I could warn Dan'yel, and I curse my prompting of my demon to leave with Qetesh. Perhaps if we had stayed, Dan'yel and O'Neill would have been able to find and rescue me. My demon only feels my despair, and I keep my hope buried deep within me. A hope that I know my Dan'yel, that SG-1 will come and save me as they have saved both my people and their world.