Best Laid Plans 5

by wajag

re-post. Methos and SG-1 must deal with the Tok'ra and the Goa'uld

Author: wajag

Title: Best Laid Plans 5

Feedback Address: wajag@eskimo.com

Rating: R-17

Info: sequel to Best Laid Plans 1 - 4 (X-over HL with SG1)

Character Listing: M, D, J, A, C, OFC, SG-1 characters

Summary: Part 5. Methos and SG-1 have to deal with the Tok'ra and Goa'uld now that they know about Immortals. What will happen to the renegade Watchers?

Disclaimer: I don't own Highlander, Stargate or a new car. I won't be making a profit off of this (or I would own Highlander, Stargate or a new car). I reference Yoda here, I don't own that either (Darn!)

This is an Alternate Universe sci-fi crossover between two programs that I enjoy. Please forgive in advance anything that isn't canon or technically accurate, I'm definitely ad-libbing all the science and techno-talk and changing the universe to suit my needs. Having read the story Best Laid Plans-1-4 would make this one easier to understand. Of course having familiarity with Highlander and StarGate – 1 characters and situations is assumed.

*****

Tamlin stared at his reflection in the looking glass and smiled at the handsome, imposing presence he saw there. He'd chosen his host well nearly a century ago. Today Tamlin was dressed more formally than normal; he was meeting with the Goa'uld System Lords Aker, Shetu, and Petra to reveal the recent activities of the Tok'ra and Tauri. He had high expectations that he'd get what he wanted and increase his standing with all the System Lords.

Several months ago Tamlin had discovered a Tok'ra spy in his court and had taken the Tok'ra prisoner. After extensive questioning, Tamlin had gotten as much as he was going to get from the disgustingly closed-mouthed Tok'ra. He'd had the Tok'ra symbiot replaced with a Goa'uld one, and then sent the host and his Goa'uld spy back to the Tok'ra to spy on them. Before he'd lost contact, the converted host Galen had been reporting back some bothersome news. The Tauri had been successfully tracking traces of the Ancients and had found several new pieces of Ancient technology. The Tok'ra were initiating actions that they hoped would get some of that technology for themselves. This could upset the balance, of being merely bothersome but not a threat that the Goa'uld had kept on the Tok'ra.

Tamlin's plan would take care of the Tok'ra nuisance and make the Tauri scuttle back to their planet like the primitive pests they were. He turned and left his quarters, soon he was approaching the great hall where the other System Lords waited.

Tamlin spent the next few hours explaining about the Tok'ra spy and the information that the spy had passed on to him. He shared some of what Galen had told him before the Goa'uld had disappeared, probably discovered by the Tok'ra. Tamlin now knew the location of the Tok'ra secret base and some of the agents hidden in the Goa'uld. He advised that the Goa'uld System Lords act on the information before the Tok'ra and the Tauri could recover something they could use against the Goa'uld. Tamlin wanted control of several Mother ships in order to attack the Tok'ra base.

After hours of argument and eventual convincing, the System Lords give Tamlin command of three Mother ships. Unlike the Tauri, the Tok'ra weren't protected by the Council of Races. Destroying the Tok'ra resistance would make the Tauri hide behind their locked iris. This would allow the Goa'uld to get more information about the Tauri and their discovery of the Ancients.

*****

Nicole had just finished a shower and was drying her hair after returning from the pregnant woman's aerobics class she'd joined. She was already round about her waist, a result of the rapidly growing Immortal child she carried. An Immortal baby came to full term in only six months, she had probably two months to go before she gave birth. She was distracted from her thoughts by a knock on the front door. She tossed the towel over the towel rack and went to answer it. A quick look through the peep hole and she pulled open the door cheerfully. "Adam!"

Adam greeted her with a smile, lifting a large bag with a label boldly advertising a nearby Chinese take-out restaurant.

"How did you know I was craving Chinese food?" Nicole asked rhetorically.

"Our daughter, she doesn't know what it is but she knows you want it. Shall we take this over to Linda's? She needs some help moving furniture around." Adam said.

Grabbing her coat and purse, Nicole walked with him the short distance to Linda's apartment. Nicole kept sneaking glances at Adam as they walked. He was talking about Duncan MacLeod's wrestling match with a much larger man that they both worked with. Nicole laughed at the story. MacLeod was a warrior who'd been studying his art for hundreds of years; she could well imagine his surprise at being pinned by an expert in a martial arts form he'd never seen.

The man telling her the story was an enigma. Only recently she'd learned that he was an Immortal. He certainly didn't act like one, she thought. He didn't have the 'look at me' aura that most Immortals possessed, but if you looked close enough, you could see he moved like one; silent, graceful and controlled. She tingled when she thought of how skilled he was at making love. One incredible, unforgettable night in his arms and she was the mother-to-be of an Immortal daughter.

Adam and MacLeod had left Seacouver, going to some undisclosed location. The two Immortals had been gone for months, with Adam stopping by for brief visits and calling several times a week to see that she was doing fine. The other women were doing what they could to make her feel welcome, including her in their get togethers and shopping excursions. Nicole couldn't remember being happier. Even her Watcher boss Joe Dawson, checked in on her to make sure she was okay.

Nicole enjoyed the conversations she'd had with the other women about Immortals, she was learning more about Immortals than even the Watchers knew. Linda talked about her time with her first daughter's Immortal father. He'd been a Shaman in his past lives, traveling the world and learning new things over the centuries. Linda had spent over a year with him before she'd gotten pregnant. Caitlin's experiences were exclusively with Amanda, Duncan, and Adam. On the other hand, Amanda had lots of Immortal stories to tell.

Amanda would tell stories of her wild days as a thief and secret agent, sometimes she talked about adventures that she and Duncan had shared. None of the Watchers knew that Amanda, Duncan and Hugh Fitzcairn had been the ones that stole the Stone of Scone! Another of the stories Amanda told had been about breaking into Watcher headquarters with Adam. While there, Adam had tried to catch a cat before it could set off the pressure sensors on the floors. Amanda's impersonation of Adam's 'Here Kitty,' had them all holding their sides as they laughed.

Nicole sensed the deep respect that Joe and the others felt for Adam. They were very protective of him and didn't let any private information slip, much to Nicole's frustration.

Tonight Nicole had tried to seduce Adam into staying. As he'd walked her to her door at the end of the evening, she'd leaned against him and they'd kissed. She'd known he'd enjoyed the kiss, his interest was obvious, but he'd sighed and declined before taking a step back. He must have felt her disappointment for he'd explained. "I hate to have to say No, but you're still altered, and that's like an Immortal magnet to me right now. It also means I could impregnate you with a second child and that's dangerous to you."

"How exactly does this Immortal baby thing work? Why only altered women?"

"It's to control the bloodlines. There are four different lines, Red, Yellow, Blue and Green. Each bloodline had specific characteristics, although that's become a bit diluted over the millennia. Amanda and I are of the Blue line; MacLeod is one of the Greens."

Of course! Nicole thought. With such a small gene pool they'd have to be careful. "I understand that, but why no sex?"

Adam blushed. "I'm very fertile."

Nicole nodded, "I'll say! We only spent one night together and we're going to be parents. Just how old are you?" Nicole asked, feeling brave as long as he was being so open with information.

"Older than MacLeod."

"Exactly how old?" She needled.

"Older than Connor MacLeod," Adam said with a teasing grin.

"Adam! You know it's driving me crazy. You're not in the Chronicles but you've been around longer than Duncan. The Game is over, no one's hunting anymore."

"Immortals aren't the only ones that hunt."

"What are you saying?"

"That's why I'm here, a renegade Watcher cell decided that Adam Pierson had to die in order to stop me from talking to Methos."

Nicole paled. The Watchers had tried to kill Adam?

"That's why it's so important that you don't say anything to anyone, and why you only know what you need to know."

"Are the babies safe?"

"They are now. Joe and I stopped the renegades and turned them into the Tribunal."

*****

Thomas hung up the phone and tapped his fingers on the desk. He'd heard nothing from the Tok'ra Galen, since they'd left the private meeting weeks ago. They'd both been excluded from the meeting General Hammond had held with the other Tok'ra and the President. But Thomas' time had been well spent, he'd reached an agreement with Galen, or so Clayton had thought. Pity, since he'd been looking forward to getting the alien technology he'd receive in exchange for the information he had on the Immortals. Course, he didn't have Pierson prisoner yet, but the planning for that was well on its way.

Since he'd seen Pierson at the SGC, he'd had his people watching the Immortal's comings and goings from the secret base. They'd been unsuccessful at actually following Pierson once he went into a large, guarded hanger on base. Thomas had assumed that Pierson had a vehicle or a secret exit hidden there.

He'd sent his people to the other man's house, the man who'd been with Pierson at the SGC. His people had quickly identified the other man at the SGC as Duncan MacLeod. A few hours ago, the agent that had been stationed at MacLeod's dojo had spotted Pierson. They'd followed him and watched him nearly get run over by a car. His agent had quickly phoned in to ask for instructions. Thomas had considered for only a second. He told his agent to stay back and watch. If Pierson had been killed, the agent would have just grabbed the Immortal and saved them a lot of trouble. Since Pierson had avoided injury, Clayton had one of the agents follow the attackers; he wanted to learn more about the people that wanted Pierson dead. Perhaps they could work a deal.

One agent followed the failed assassins and sadly, lost them soon after; while the other agent followed Pierson to a bar, where the Immortal spent several hours talking with the bartender. His agent had reported that Pierson had picked up some fast food and gone to an exclusive and secure condominium complex where he spent the evening with two women; one of them with a small child, the other in the advanced stages of pregnancy. The agent had reported that Pierson and the pregnant woman had been pretty friendly as they said goodnight.

Clayton knew that Pierson had access to the Alien equipment that altered human women so they could bear Immortal children. Could these be the mothers of Immortal children? Could Pierson be breeding his own army of Immortals?

Thomas ordered additional agents put on each of the women.



Thomas was pleased at this turn of events. Even if the children weren't Immortal, they were easily stolen, and perhaps Pierson would come around to his way of thinking if Thomas had the children. If they were Immortal they'd be easier to train to be his army. He'd have to wait for them to grow to adulthood, but he had time.

Now onto more mundane tasks, Thomas thought. He'd lost his wallet and had to report his credit cards missing, and have replacements sent to him. His secretary had declined taking this task, saying that doing his personal tasks was a misuse of a government employee's time. Thomas would find a way to reflect that piss poor attitude in the secretary's performance appraisal!

*****

A week after the attempt on his life by the renegade Watchers, Methos held the main door into the Paris Watcher Head Quarters open for Joe. He'd flown them to Paris in the shuttle so that their movements couldn't be traced. He didn't want the Watchers to be able to follow them when they left Paris.

Their passage through the building to the conference rooms was observed by shocked Watchers that recognized them. It was common knowledge in the Watchers that the oldest Immortal Methos had approached ex-Watcher Adam Pierson with his plan to end the Game. Joe smiled thinking that the shocked and speculative looks were probably about the more scandalous rumor that Methos was infatuated with Pierson, a rumor that Methos himself had started to protect his 'Adam' persona. Joe glanced over at Methos to see what the Ancient Immortal thought of this. He relaxed at the amused smile on Methos' face.

Dr. Zoll had called them several days before to let them know that the eight renegade Watchers had been detained for questioning. 'Methos' had insisted that the Watcher Tribunal allow Adam and Joe to be present for the questioning and sentencing. The Tribunal had reluctantly agreed, having expected that Methos would want to be reassured that they were taking care of it, but hesitant to let ex-Watcher Pierson into one of their Head Quarters.

When he'd heard about what had happened, Mac wanted to go with them to the trial. Methos had refused, saying that it was Watcher business and MacLeod's presence would alarm the Watchers into thinking it was Immortal business. Methos had turned aside all of Mac's arguments. Mac was still probably brooding back at the SGC, Joe mused.

They spotted Dr. Amy Zoll coming towards them in the hallway. Joe could tell by the irritated expression that she quickly schooled off her face, that she wasn't excited to see them. Adam and his former boss had never gotten along. When Joe looked at Methos, he only saw the Adam Pierson persona, just as Methos intended.

Amy Zoll frowned at the approaching men. She'd been sent to escort them to the Tribunal court room. The Tribunal wanted to make sure that Pierson didn't make any detours along the way. Dr. Zoll had never been overly fond of Adam Pierson. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was a genius at ancient languages and cultures, but that he'd managed to find Methos instead of her was grating. That she had to spend the next few hours with Pierson instead of Methos only added to the implied insult. Methos had called her and insisted that both men be present at the trial. Amy would much rather have seen Methos in daylight, gotten another opportunity to ask him questions. Anything but the smart mouthed Pierson! She forced the frown off her face.

Amy led them to a private meeting room where they were seated. Several moments later the Tribunal entered and took their place at a table to the left of Methos and Joe. The Tribunal avoided looking at them, and the room was uncomfortably silence until a door opened and several guards led the eight handcuffed renegade Watchers into the room and secured them to chairs in front of the Tribunal.

Methos smiled as he was recognized by the two Watchers that had tried to run him over. They made no effort to hide their shocked expressions until they looked over at Andre Vemos. His glare made them squirm nervously in their chairs.

The Tribunal called the trial to order.

"Is he to stand trial with us?" Vemos sneered at Pierson and challenged the Tribunal. "We were doing our duty, keeping our oath. He should be the one on trial for fraternizing with Immortals!"

"He's the victim. His presence was requested to make sure that this problem was satisfactorily resolved." Said one of the Tribunal. He didn't want to admit that they'd felt pressured to accept Pierson's presence here in order to pacify Methos.

"He should be the one on trial!" Vemos repeated angrily.

"I'm here on Methos' behalf. You were interfering in Immortal lives in a foolish attempt to keep the Watchers in the dark ages." Methos said.

"Methos doesn't dictate Watcher Policy! Are you all the fools I think you are?" Vemos ranted. "We have to stop this lunacy. Don't you see?"

"Methos is trying to work with the Watchers, to preserve them. If you don't change with the times, you'll need to be disbanded for the safety of the Immortals." Methos said.

"I can't believe you're sitting here listening to his threats!" Vemos snarled, glaring at Pierson, then the Tribunal.

Methos ignored Vemos and turned his head to look at the Tribunal. His intense eyes asking the question they didn't want to be asked. What path would they follow?

The Tribunal looked at each other for several moments, silently reaching the only decision they could make. They understood what Pierson was saying with his glance. The Tribunal had been discussing nothing but this verdict for several days now. They couldn't allow the renegades to go unpunished, but they didn't want to appear to be following the orders of an Immortal, even if it was Methos. Dr. Zoll and other members of the senior staff had argued that what Methos said was true, without Immortals the Watchers had no purpose. A few words from Methos, and the Watchers wouldn't be able to follow their assignments. Their charter manifesto had declared that they 'Watch and Observe' Immortals, what were Watchers without Immortals to watch?

Finally when they'd reached their silent agreement, the Tribunal member in the center of the three spoke. "Andre Vemos, Michael Doumas, Andrew Kallacus, Tony Schuller, Christopher Lamb, Paul Andeas, Raymond Eistmann and Jean Claude Pasques. You've been found guilty of acting outside of your orders and against the best interest of the Watcher Organization."

The Tribunal member on the right side of the room spoke next. "You knowingly conspired against the Watchers, a treasonous plot to disrupt the Watchers and thus endanger the organization you've sworn to protect. You knowingly plotted to kill Adam Pierson in the hopes of influencing an Immortal."

The last member of the Tribunal spoke. "The evidence against you; a video of your assassination attempt on former Watcher Adam Pierson, cell phone records that link you each to the conspiracy, a taped telephone conversation where you discussed your assassination attempt prior to the attack, and sworn Watcher statements that place two of you at the Seattle airport you used to make your escape."

"This Tribunal finds you guilty of all charges." The first Tribunal speaker said. "Your sentence will be discussed in a closed meeting, the verdict to be announced on Wednesday at nine a.m. Paris time."

The renegades shouted their disagreement, their voices rising over each other's voices in an attempt to be heard. They were silenced by the banging of a gavel. "There is no appeal. You have been found guilty."

As the trial concluded, Methos and Joe stood up to leave. One of the guards pulled Vemos to his feet to prepare to move him. With his wrists still handcuffed together, Vemos grabbed the gun from his guard's holster and pointed it at Pierson.

Methos felt Vemos' intent and without looking, mentally swept the gun from the enraged man's hand.

Everyone scrambled to stop Vemos and stared in surprise as the gun went flying across the room. The guard who'd lost the gun, grabbed Vemos and pinned his arms. "What the hell?" The people in the room practically said as one.

"I told you I didn't want anything to happen to Adam." An irritated and echoing voice was heard in the room. Shocked expressions turned towards Pierson.

"Methos?" Amy Zoll asked thinking she recognized the accent-less voice.

"Shame on you Dr. Zoll, I entrusted Adam's safety to you and this is the best you can do?" The voice chastised the room.

"We're fine, quit the theatrics." Methos said into the air in his Adam Pierson voice.

"You can thank me later Adam." The voice responded, sounding more amused.

"We'll take it from here." 'Adam' said.

"If you're sure, but I'll be watching." The voice promised.

"Stalker," an embarrassed seeming 'Adam' mumbled loud enough to be heard.

"Love you too." The voice said chuckling.

"Bugger off!" 'Adam' said grinning at Joe's laughter.

"Now then, I think I've seen what I needed to, I don't suppose I need to tell you that Methos will be watching to see that the sentences are carried out." Methos stated.

"What was that?" "How did he do that?" "How did he know?" The Tribunal asked out loud.

"It's a kind of magic, just something he can do with his Quickening." Methos said vaguely.

"No wonder we could never find him." Amy muttered.

"Pierson, can you set up an interview for me?" Amy implored as the two men walked together towards the exit. She had to know more about the oldest Immortal!

"I'll mention it. Come on Joe, our chariot waits." Methos said.

When they were both seated in Methos' rental car, Joe asked. "What was that about?"

Methos smiled as he listened to the conversations still going on in the Tribunal Conference Room.

"As we speak, the Tribunal is proposing a No-Watch order out for me and anyone around me. They're worried about upsetting Methos. Dr. Zoll is arguing that they'll never find Methos if they do that." Methos laughed, "The Tribunal says, if Methos can see into a secure conference room and deflect a gun, there isn't any way in hell they'd ever see him anyway."

Joe said disbelievingly, "You knew Vemos was going to try and kill you again."

"I knew he felt he had to try." Methos explained as he started the car and headed down the long park-like driveway of the Watcher Head Quarters.

"So how did you pull this one off?" Joe asked looking at Methos, his curiosity piqued. Joe had been as surprised as the Watcher Tribunal when he'd heard the voice from out of nowhere!

"A little magic and a ship with advanced technology." Methos said with a grin, keeping a watchful eye on everything around them. He expected some kind of a Watcher tail to be following them, after all the No-Watch order hadn't been issued yet.

Joe was quiet for several moments as he thought about what had just happened. "Do you think they bought it?" He asked finally, unable to resolve it in his mind.

"It sounds like they did." Methos said vaguely, spotting the small white car several cars back. That car had picked them up after they'd reached the main road.

"You're playing it pretty close buddy." Joe grumbled, worried about Methos' safety.

"I only need to stall them a little while longer. We'll be getting more Immortals and Watchers together soon." Methos said, glancing over at Joe. He knew his friend was worried about his safety. Joe had been hiding Methos' identity for too many years to feel comfortable exposing this secret. The white car was definitely a tail.

"Then what?" Joe asked, what was going on in that ancient mind?

"Then they get to interview Methos." Methos said as he turned onto the street with Joe's Paris bar. He parked in Joe's parking spot and shut the car down. He watched the white car continue to the end of the block before pulling into a small grocery store.

"Are you really going to do it? Expose yourself as Methos?" Joe asked. Were the Watchers ready to discover who Methos really was? Would Methos be safe?

"Methos can't be the only one still in hiding." Methos said as he held the car door for Joe. He set his pace to match Joe's more stilted one and together they walked to the bar door.

"Do you think it's safe?" Joe asked quietly.

"It will be, as soon as I put a few things into place." Methos said, still keeping an eye on the white car. No one had gotten out of the vehicle. He opened the door for Joe. "Shall we go into your office and go over the next group of Immortals to be introduced to their Watchers? Are you sure you don't mind being my liaison?"

*****

Methos returned to the SGC on Sunday night. SG-1 was scheduled to go on another routine mission the next morning. Months before, SG-7 had gone to the planet and found a primitive but stable matriarchal society. The commander of SG-7, Captain Holly Bennett had reported that the descendants of this society had overcome the Goa'uld and Jaffa that had enslaved them and taken them to the world they now called Gaea. Captain Bennett had reported seeing amazing healing done with medicinal plants native to the planet.

Dr. Frazier and her team had spent weeks in research bliss as they evaluated the plant samples brought back by SG-7.

To deter the return of the Goa'uld, the natives of Gaea had planted a variety of native pollinating brush near the StarGate that Goa'uld and Jaffa found irritating, causing runny eyes and stuffy heads. Dr. Frazier believed that Teal'c would be okay if he took antihistamines before and during his stay on the planet. Daniel thought that the plants might make an effective and natural deterrent on other worlds if it was proven safe.

SG-1 had been asked to make the trip to Gaea to evaluate the willingness of the inhabitants to trade knowledge and get access to the plants. Dr. Frazier would be going along to observe some of the practical applications of the herbal medicine and get more samples of the plants the first team had returned with.

To get more accomplished, SG-1 would split into two groups when they arrived on the planet. Jack would take Dr. Frazier, Daniel, and MacLeod into the main village to talk with the natives. Daniel would be their language and cultural expert, Dr. Frazier their scientist and medical expert, and Jack just felt better having MacLeod with him. MacLeod was a very capable and trustworthy member of the team, but Jack still felt the Immortal was new to this 'traveling to other Worlds' thing.

The other group would consist of the rest of SG-1. Pierson, who they still felt uncomfortable exposing to any type of danger, would be their language and cultural expert. Major Carter as the scientist and Medical expert would collect samples, and Teal'c would be their guard and muscle. The groups would check in with the other each evening.

"Okay people; keep an eye out for nasty crawlies in the bush, even you Pierson. SG-7 didn't spend much time out there," Jack commanded. He scowled as Pierson rolled his eyes even as he nodded his compliance.

Teal'c led his group from the Gate and into the lush vegetation. They would circle the village from a distance and meet the others back at the Gate in seven days.

"Okay campers, watch where you step. Captain Bennett said something about cows…" Jack told his group as they headed in the direction of the village.

*****

It was a couple of days of walking before they were within sight of the village. Stopping for a moment, Mac relayed a message from Methos. "Adam says they're on the other side of the river now. He's scanned the village and they seem friendly enough. But he did say to pay attention and not underestimate them because they're women."

"Yeah, yeah, be nice to the women." Jack said as he checked for weapons and places where warriors could hide in ambush. "Frazier, you stay close to MacLeod."

Daniel was silent a moment. "I don't think that's what he meant. Jack..."

Jack turned to see what had caused the change in Daniel's voice. They were surrounded by women in animal skin corsets and pants, knee high boots protected their feet but it was the bows with notched arrows all alarmingly pointed at them that held Jack's attention.

"Your weapons." The leader of the group, a pretty brunette said as she notched her bow back a little bit more.

"We'd prefer to hold onto them if you don't mind." Jack said calmly and firmly. Soldiers didn't give up their weapons.

SG-1 tensed as the other bows pulled back another notch.

Jack fought an internal battle but conceded that he had only one choice if they wanted out of this alive. "Give 'em up guys." He said as he slowly unclipped his gun. "We don't want any trouble. We came to talk about a trade deal." He said to the woman who'd been giving the orders.

She ignored him as two of her women collected the weapons.

Silently they were escorted through the village. The village was large and consisted of sturdy wood huts with thatch roofs. Each hut had its own small cooking fire and stable with a few livestock, not unlike other villages Duncan had seen in his long life. The village was set out in small circle segments that formed a larger circle. They were led to a large hut in the center of the village. This hut had ornate carvings on the thick poles that formed it's corners.

"Greek symbols of prosperity, fertility, wisdom etc." Daniel said quietly.

A middle aged woman came from the hut followed by two other serious looking women. She carefully evaluated the newcomers before stopping beside Dr. Frazier. "Your men are not very well behaved."

"Oh they're not my men. We just work together." Janet said without thinking.

"I am Maia." The middle aged woman said speaking to Dr. Frazier.

At Jack's nod, Janet spoke. "I'm Janet Frazier. This is Colonel Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and Duncan MacLeod. We come from a place far from here to talk about the possibility of trading for some of your local plants. I believe you met Captain Holly Bennett several months ago?"

"Perhaps they'd like some food and cool water." Maia said gesturing at the men. "I will talk with you Janet." Maia said.

"Why don't you talk with all of us?" Jack said, not as a question but as an order.

"Speak only when spoken to." Maia said arrogantly.

"Ah Jack, look around you." Daniel said quietly. "Captain Bennett said this was a matriarchy but I didn't realize just how matriarchal it was. Look around, you don't see any men, only women."

Jack looked around him. They were surrounded by warrior women. Behind the warriors he saw a few women moving about their business, a few girl children peeking around the edges of the huts. Not a man in sight.

"I think we need to go along with this. Sam had to do it on Simarka when we ran into the Mongolian descendants on one of the first planets we visited." Daniel said hesitantly.

Jack growled, understanding what Daniel was implying. "But I don't have to like it!" He muttered. Jack nodded and gestured. "Lead on."

The men were led to a large common eating area covered by a thatch roof, a lot like some of the picnic areas at the National Parks Jack thought. There were three large, well polished tables with benches evenly spaced in three groups. Rather than being seated at a table, they were told to sit down on stools by a small cooking fire near the rear of the eating area. Several of the warrior women placed themselves around them with their weapons still at ready. Another warrior woman brought them a tray with bowls of stew and a pitcher of water. "Eat." They were commanded.

"Better let me try it first." Mac whispered. He sniffed at the stew and dipped a finger into it. He tasted it. When he didn't react to it by going numb or gagging, he took a bigger taste. "Tastes fine," he said and took another bite. Jack and Daniel politely dug in.

Mac was halfway through his bowl of stew before he felt funny. He looked at the bowl and then over to Jack and Daniel. Daniel was blinking his eyes as if trying to focus them. As Duncan watched, Daniel closed his eyes and flopped down onto his side. Jack stared at him blankly before he too flopped down. "Damn!" He said too late. Mac tried to get to his feet but was overcome by dizziness and dropped. Methos! We've been drugged! He sent before he faded into sleep.

*****

Miles away Methos stopped suddenly and looked in the direction of the village. He sent a mental scan. "Jack and the others are in trouble."

"What's going on?" Samantha said alarmed.

"Mac just said they'd been drugged. It looks like they didn't listen."

*****

"What happened to them? What did you do?" Janet said angrily, worried for Colonel O'Neill and the others. She'd only been talking with Maia for a few minutes before one of the warrior women stepped into the hut they'd been talking in and said that the men were asleep.

"We have given them a powder so that they will sleep. No harm has come to them." Maia reassured Janet.

"But why?" Janet said as she checked Jack's vitals.

"You said they were not yours. That makes them unclaimed according to our laws. I claim them for my village. We will train them and they will join the rest of our men."

"But you can't do that!" Janet said confused.

"Are you now saying that they are your men?" Maia asked in fairness.

"No, well not exactly, we work together." Janet said, having trouble understanding what Maia needed to hear from her.

"Then they are ours." Maia said firmly. Turning to her warrior women Maia commanded, "Take them to the men's sleeping hut. Clean them and put them in appropriate clothes and collars. Have them brought to the council hut as soon as they're awake." Maia gestured Janet back to the hut they'd come from.

*****

MacLeod woke up first. He moaned and rubbed his eyes, trying to get them to focus faster. He could dimly see in the light peeking through the gaps in the wood of the door. Duncan was angry with himself. His Immortal system had delayed the actions of whatever drug had been in the stew. He should have waited longer before he'd allowed Jack and Daniel to eat it. He sat up in alarm, looking for his friends. He was distracted by the feel of furs against his skin.

Looking at himself, Duncan was surprised to find himself in a very small loincloth which left very little to the imagination. Around his neck he could feel a leather collar with bits of metal on it. He looked to his right and saw Jack and Daniel lying on fur covered cots nearby. Jack and Daniel were similarly dressed, or undressed he should say! Duncan moved to kneel next to Jack. "Colonel, wake up!"

It took several minutes before Jack hesitantly opened his eyes and groaned. "Not again!" When was he going to learn to NOT take food from a woman! That had gotten him in trouble on Argos where the natives only lived 100 days. "Tastes fine?" He glared at MacLeod.

"Sorry about that. It must have been slow to kick in." Duncan said brooding. He'd let the team down and it was only his second mission!

"Daniel?" Jack asked as he struggled to sit up. MacLeod moved to the other man's side and gently tried to wake him as he mentally called Methos. Methos?

Finally awake huh? We're headed in your direction but it'll take us a couple of days. I could move us there but I don't think that would help your situation any, you aren't in danger.

Says you! Do you know what I'm wearing? Duncan thought angrily.

He could feel Methos' amusement. Actually I know exactly what you're wearing. Only your pride is in danger. Just go along with it MacLeod.

"Adam says they're on their way but it'll take them a few days. He claims we're in no danger." Mac said to O'Neill and the now awake Daniel.

"Can't he use some of that omnipotent Ancient power of his?" Jack asked as he looked disgustingly at his loincloth. He'd never noticed that he was so pale before, maybe that was just because he was standing next to the very tanned MacLeod.

Of course I can, but that would be interfering. I won't let you be hurt, but you're in no danger unless you don't mind your manners. Methos answered, showing that he'd kept the link to MacLeod open. Besides, we're here to work out a trade deal with the natives. You can't go around ignoring their customs and expect to reach a trade deal.

"He suggests we go along with it for now, he doesn't want to interfere unless he has to." MacLeod said paraphrasing Methos' intent. A very small voice inside of Duncan was irritated with Methos for choosing now to take the high moral ground!

"I hate to say it, but I agree with Adam. Captain Bennett reported that this was a stable and peaceful society. We can't just come in here and disagree with their beliefs and expect to ever work out a trade agreement. I think we have to go along with this and let Major Carter and Dr. Frazier talk our way out of this…" Daniel said, his thoughts leaving him when he noticed what he and the others were wearing.

Jack glared at Daniel. Pierson was right; they'd walked right into this mess. He'd read the report before coming, same as the others. Why did those damn scientist types have to use such fancy-smancy words! Couldn't they just say this was a script from a Xena episode, full of Amazon women who kept men around for pets? "It's just so undignified." Jack grumbled. "Tell Pierson and the others to hurry and get their arses over here and straighten this out." After MacLeod had nodded that he'd sent the message, Jack glared at the other two. "The first one that laughs or tells a soul about this is going to get push-ups for the rest of their lives!"

Jack turned towards the door as it was opened by one of the warriors. "You will come with me, no talking."

Jack shrugged and followed the woman out of the hut. Jack walked self-consciously through the village, his bare feet finding every stone or stick in the path. He tried to ignore the appraising stares of the women they passed. He didn't even walk on the beach in less than shorts and a tee shirt, this was so degrading! They passed by a man carrying a bucket of water, oh sure now he saw men! But they were as undressed as he was and silently going about their chores. Apparently the men had been in hiding when they'd first come into the village. All of the men were wearing collars like he, Daniel and MacLeod wore. What was the point? The men weren't tied in any way that he could see. Was it just a way to mess with their minds?

They were brought in the back door of the big hut they'd seen earlier. Janet wasn't there, but Maia was. Maia sat regally on her fur lined chair, her other women sitting in chairs close by. She stood and approached them as they were stopped in front of her. Slowly she walked around them, looking them over carefully. She lifted Daniel's hands and clucked. "Work hands." She nodded approvingly. She grabbed his jaw and checked his teeth. Next she looked at his glasses closely. "I have heard of such things, they help you see more clearly?"

Daniel nodded. "I can see without them, but with them I can see better."

Maia nodded. She moved to MacLeod and checked his hands and teeth. "Strong hands, you're no stranger to work."

Jack tensed as she repeated her actions on him.

"Good, you are all strong and healthy. Have any of you bred children?" Maia asked.

Daniel blushed and MacLeod huffed indignantly. Jack controlled his temper and responded. "That's kind of a personal question don't you think?" He heard a clicking noise and felt an immediate shock in his collar. "What the hell?" He exclaimed as his hands grabbed at the collar.

"Watch your tongue. I'm overlooking your impertinence only because you've not yet been trained. I won't be so generous next time." Maia stepped back and looked at the three of them, her bearing reminding Duncan of several of the Spanish Matrons he remembered meeting, chaperoning their charges from men who would take their virtue.

"You are now the property of my village. You will do what you're told, when you're told. You cannot leave this village. If you try to run or disobey, the collars will punish you." Maia moved back around to Daniel and ran her hand down his back. She moved to MacLeod where she ran her hands appraisingly over his broad but tense shoulders. She stepped to Jack and waited until she faced him to run a hand lightly over his fuzzy chest.

"Let's try that again. Have any of you bred children?" She looked at them expectantly. Jack watched her eyes narrow but before he felt the sting of the collar Daniel answered.

"Um, no. My wife was taken by the Goa'uld before we were blessed with children."

"You know of the Goa'uld?" Maia asked stepping towards Daniel intently.

"Yes, we have fought and defeated them many times. Captain Bennett told us that your descendants also fought them and were victorious." Daniel said, hoping to get Maia to trust them and establish common ground.

"My Fore-Mothers were stolen from our home and brought here. The vile Goa'uld forced us to do their bidding, serve their pleasures until Rhea our Queen, killed her kidnapper while he slept. She led the rest of our sisters in battle against the Goa'uld warriors and we drove them back through the Ring of Metal. Many times have they tried to return, each time we drive them back. We see all who come through the Ring. Even now we track the others of your group." Maia said proudly.

"Then we are allies, we too fight against the Goa'uld." Daniel said.

"This just makes you a non-enemy. You are still only a man. What of you two? Have you sired children?" Maia said dropping the other subject.

"I canno 'ave children." Duncan said blandly, his Scottish brogue reflecting his emotions. It wasn't exactly a lie; he only had to wait sixteen hundred more years before he could have children.

Maia frowned at him, "Pity. You would make fine strong warriors for my village." Maia looked over at Jack who'd remained silent. "And you?"

"A son." Was all Jack said. That was as much of an answer as she was going to get!

Maia smiled, "A daughter would have been better but that's still good news." Maia said and stepped back. She gave Jack a more intense once over.

Jack couldn't help the blush that crept over his face. This was so degrading! There was very little that the loincloth hid from view.

"Here are your duties; you will serve me and my warriors at the great table. You will do what you're told, when you're told. You will be well treated as long as you obey. Disobedience will be promptly punished. Do you understand?"

"I have a few questions…" Daniel spoke up.

"Ask them of the other men. I am too busy to waste any more time on you." Maia said and waved to her warrior guard.

The three men were taken out the back door of the hut and given into the care of a slender blonde man in his mid twenties named Dorian. Dorian took them to a covered kitchen area and got them busy doing kitchen chores. Jack and Mac listened while Daniel kept a running monologue of questions.

They learned that SG-7 had been the first strangers this village had seen in over a generation. It had created quite a stir among this village and surrounding villages. The headwoman Maia and her warriors had greeted the newcomers as equals. The two off-world warrior women had been traveling with their well behaved men, something this society did frequently. There had been no cause for alarm.

Dorian confirmed what they'd read in Captain Bennett's report; this was a society governed by women. The administration, trade and protection of the village was exclusively done by the women. When asked, Dorian denied that the men were slaves. All men were claimed by a woman, as a laborer, breeder or as a domestic servant. When a man reached adulthood, his mother was offered a dowry in exchange for her son.

When Daniel asked about Dorian, he explained that he'd been born in a neighboring village and traded by his birth mother when he reached adulthood. He'd been well treated all of his life and was comfortable and happy. He proudly boasted that he belonged to a great Warrior named Leandra. She'd traded a good milk cow for him, a fine price he bragged. He followed Leandra's orders primarily, but told the SG-1 men that they must obeyed any of the women.

Orders from young girls not yet warriors were allowed to be confirmed before following. Looking at the three strangers, Dorian emphasized that as un-claimed men they must lay down with any woman that command it of them, unless they were given a collar with a tag on it. Dorian showed them his tag, a piece of copper with markings on it. Dorian said that the tag identified him as a breeder and exclusive to the warrior that owned him.

Jack shook his head, "Oh I don't think so!"

"You must not disobey!" Dorian said emphatically. You will be punished as well as the rest of us. It is our responsibility to train you!

"Blackmail." MacLeod said angrily. Do know what one of the men just told us? Duncan thought to Methos.

I do. Duncan felt Methos' sigh. You've never been a slave before MacLeod. It was common practice when these people were taken from Earth. Methos responded patiently to the aggravated Scot.

I canno' do this Methos! Duncan thought adamantly.

Duncan, I've been a slave many times over the years, put your Highland pride aside and just be a good soldier. Anyways, it was never the female masters you had to worry about, they were always practical about rewards and punishments. Wait it out, if you find yourselves in a position of having to procreate on command, I'll pull you out of there. I'll link to the others and tell them the same thing. Methos expanded his awareness of Duncan until he felt Jack and Daniel's minds.

Jack was startled at the brush of Pierson's mind.

I'm creating a link with your mind so I can pull you out of there if I have to. If you 'have' to get out, just think my real name-Methos, and that will open the link. Make it a last resort, if you just disappear on them, we won't be able to negotiate any trades. Methos sent.

Jack saw Daniel's startled look as Pierson touched his mind. MacLeod still didn't look convinced. Daniel just nodded nervously.

It wasn't until dinner was prepared that the three men were called back before Maia and her warriors. They were led to the large common eating area, where they'd been drugged earlier that day. The sun was beginning to set and Jack saw other men scurrying around lighting torches. Women began to arrive from the other parts of the village. More men followed the women to help with the serving.

"You two will serve my warriors, follow Dorian's instructions." Maia said. "You will serve me." She said speaking to Jack.

Oh just great! Jack thought sarcastically. I get to be the busboy at the head table. He gritted his teeth when he saw Dr. Frazier brought into the eating area. Dr. Frazier was given a seat a few places to the left of Maia. Maia's officers were apparently the women placed at her immediate left and right hand positions.

Dr. Frazier mouthed at him, "Are you okay?" She was worried and embarrassed for them. She couldn't miss that she was seeing more than she normally saw of them. Being a doctor, she was able to look at them in a detached manner. She didn't want to embarrass the men more than they already were.

Jack gave her a slight nod, acknowledging her question. He moved his eyes off her and back to Maia. He knew she was keeping a close watch on him.

Serving at dinner was simple, they were responsible for seeing that the warrior's plates and mugs were kept full. Duncan and Daniel both received a few overly friendly caresses. It became an object of much laughter when they jumped in surprise the first time it happened.

Embarrassed but not hounded, the two men were more careful about avoiding the caresses.

Jack watched from his place behind the head table where Maia sat. Daniel and MacLeod seemed to be doing okay. Other than the goosing they got when they weren't fast enough moving around the table, they were being left alone. Meeting the eyes of the other two, he bit back his irritation. This was as hard as watching Carter being treated as a second class citizen on the Mongolian world. Jack had believed that he'd always nipped any acts of sexual harassment in the butt as soon as he saw it. Seeing it in action, and directed against two of his team, he saw things a little differently. MacLeod and Daniel weren't ready to call for Methos yet. Jack hoped that their pride wouldn't prevent them from calling when they did need to call on the Ancient Immortal.

Althea leaned closer to Carissa, the brunette who'd brought the strangers into the village. She spoke in their native language, "The new men are very handsome don't you think?"

"I favor the fair-haired one with lovely eyes. I like the sound of his voice; soft and gentle yet still deep like the growl of a she-wolf." Carissa replied as she watched the fair-haired man.

"Hum, he has a nice voice. I like the big, dark haired one, but he's kind of hard to understand, even if it's in the Trader tongue." Althea said.

Carissa snickered. "You just like to tame the big ones, always wrestling the lions!"

Althea joined her friend in laughter. She looked over at their Headwoman Maia. "I think Maia likes the other one."

"He's handsome to look at, but I think Maia's more interested in him as a breeder. He was the only one that admitted to having bred a child."

Unaware of the conversation of her warriors, Maia looked to her friend and council, Sibyl. "Why the blank look Sibyl?"

Sibyl blinked and turned to Maia, "Did you say something?"

Maia leaned closer. "Did you have a vision? You had that blank look on your face."

Sibyl nodded and took a drink. "I feel a great power coming our way, not a dark and rolling one like I feel when the Goa'uld come through the Ring of Metal. It's a power I feel deep into my bones. Even greater than the tingle I feel when I touch the Ring of Metal or the pedestal that commands it. And there's something different about the dark haired stranger, he's more than he seems."

"A danger?" Maia said worried. Sibyl was never wrong; she'd been born with the second sight, as had her mother's line back several generations. Sibyl was one of the few women who could trace her line back to Rhea, the founder.



Sibyl shook her head. "Not danger, just change." Shaking off the confusing feelings, Sibyl changed the subject. Speaking in their native tongue she said, "You're considering this one as a breeder."

Maia looked at the man standing quietly behind her. "He's handsome, spirited and claims to have sired a son."

Leandra spoke, "He's a trouble maker. His mother should have disciplined him better."

Maia smiled. "That's the trouble with some of you younger ones. You think the answer is discipline. A strong woman can control her man with minimal discipline, with her heart and her head. Think of the strong and spirited daughters a man like that would sire."

"Think of all the work to keep him from embarrassing you. Dorian on the other hand is a perfect example of a man well raised…"

"Dorian this, Dorian that. Leandra you are quite smitten by your young man!" Sibyl teased.

Leandra scowled at Sibyl, but her eyes went soft as she looked across the table to where Dorian was refilling the mugs of the warriors. "Isn't he beautiful? His face, his form, his voice."

"You paid a high enough dowry for him." Maia commented.

"And I got the better of the deal; he's the most handsome man in the region." Leandra said full of pride.

Maia nodded with a smile, pleased to see her normally stern warrior so entranced. The gentleness in Leandra's eyes made her even more beautiful. "You'll make beautiful children together. How long has it been - two months? When will we be seeing you coming from Sophia's medical hut after seeking the plant for morning sickness?" She teased.

*****

After the meal, Maia nodded her approval. "Dorian, take them to the sleeping area and see that they're settled in. They will be helping you break the fast in the morning."

Dorian nodded and took the three out of the dining area and to the hut where they'd woken when they'd been drugged. In the light of a single small campfire, Dorian introduced them to a few of the men that slept there. He cautioned them to stay inside the hut or be severely punished.

MacLeod discreetly checked outside the door and nodded to Jack that there were indeed guards posted outside.

Jack lay down on the cot he'd been in earlier in the day. "May as well get comfortable guys, it looks like we're stuck here for now. MacLeod, why don't you give Pierson an update."

Duncan nodded and opened a link to Methos.

*****

Methos had a long conversation with MacLeod now that the three men had more information about their captivity.

Major Carter looked at Pierson after he'd updated them. "Of course! Captain Bennett is a woman, along with Sgt. Williams. Sgt. Samuels and Koven are both men but defer to Captain Bennett. The women here would have assumed that Samuels and Koven were Bennett's men and left them alone after seeing them take orders from her. Captain Bennett did report that this was a Matriarchal society, we just didn't realize everything that implied!"

"So unclaimed men wandering into the village and giving orders to Dr. Frazier was too tempting to pass up." Methos said fighting a smile.

"And Janet is a doctor, she wouldn't think to pick a fight or defend her implied rights to Colonel O'Neill and the others."

Teal'c had remained stoically silent up to now. "A warrior such as O'Neill will not take such treatment well." He said.

Samantha rubbed her forehead as if to dispel a headache. "I know it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. We take so much for granted. It was hard proving myself to my peers in the Air Force, even harder to prove it to Colonel O'Neill." Sam said and paused, remembering her first meeting with Jack. She firmly believed that he saw her as an equal and an asset to SG-1 now.

"Do we still have our shadows?" Carter asked Teal'c.

"Yes Major Carter. They have set up camp not far from us. They appear to be content merely to follow."

*****

The next morning Jack and the others were awoken by Dorian. They were taken to the woman who tanned the leather and were given simple sandals. Then Dorian led them to the kitchen and put them to work preparing breakfast for the warriors.

Jack was peeling tubers when Dr. Frazier approached him. Dorian quickly got her a mug of tea and moved away, giving them privacy. "How are you guys holding up?" She asked clinically.

"I've been on KP before. How goes the mission?" He asked to change the subject.

"I've been working closely with Sophia, their head medicine woman. It's amazing what they can do with plants, we really could learn a lot from them. I think we can make some big jumps in Cancer and AIDs treatment with what I've seen of the properties of some of these plants."

"Next time we should only send women." Daniel said stating the obvious.

"Nothing like closing the barn door after the horse is gone." Jack said sarcastically.

"The others will come up with something." Daniel said optimistically.

*****

Many miles away, Methos sensed their growing frustration and 'nudged' his group a little faster. It was an hour later before Teal'c spoke up. "The forest is not behaving as it should."

"Are you feeling light-headed from the antihistamine?" Major Carter asked.

"I am fine. The forest is acting … unnatural." Teal'c said, unable to define what was different.

"I'm doing it." Methos said.

"Doing what?" Carter asked and stopped to face Pierson. Teal'c stepped to join the others.

"The others are starting to get antsy so I'm 'nudging' us along a little bit. We're moving faster than normal." Methos said casually.

"Nudging how?" Sam asked, the scientist in her curious as to what Pierson was doing that Teal'c had noticed.

"It's an Ancient's thing. I'm nudging us towards the village, offsetting time like the Gate does as we travel through space and distance. Only I'm not doing it enough to need a worm hole."

Carter's jaw dropped in surprise.

"We have lost the small group that had followed us from the Gate." Teal'c said looking back the direction they'd come. He was unconcerned now that Pierson had explained the forest's behavior. He was too much of a galactic traveler to be surprised. They were in no danger and now they were closer to O'Neill and the others, and that was fine with him.

Methos nodded. "They're hours behind us now. We should be reaching the village in another hour if I keep nudging."

"Okay." Sam said turning her thoughts to the village. "What do we do when we reach the village? I can claim that the Colonel and the others are mine, that Janet couldn't claim them because of that."

"Then we would be negotiating a trade agreement under a lie." Teal'c said.

Methos looked at Major Carter patiently.

Carter sighed. "I guess we go with Plan B, we improvise." She said remembering the times SG-1 had done that very thing. "Teal'c you should probably cover up your forehead, they're bound to recognize what it means."

An hour later Carter walked into the village, followed respectfully by Teal'c and Methos. They were sure to carry their weapons in a non threatening manner. Methos had assured them that they wouldn't need them. Before entering the village, they'd decided that they weren't going to mislead the villagers, but neither did they want to start off by causing trouble.

Maia and several of her warriors greeted the strangers. Judging by their clothes, they were the other part of the group that had come through the Ring of Metal. She glanced behind them, wondering where Nyssa and the rest of the group that was supposed to be following them was.

"I am Maia, Headwoman of this village." Maia said. She looked at the men standing respectfully behind the woman. Were all the Tauri males handsome? One of the new men was dark-skinned and hairless. He was the largest and strongest man that she'd ever seen. His eyes were calm but he reflected a quiet danger, a man well able to take care of himself. The other was pale and dark-haired, tall and lean, he reflected a quiet strength. His eyes reflected no one color; rather they appeared different each time she looked at them.

"I'm Major Samantha Carter; this is Teal'c and Adam Pierson. Perhaps you can help us, we're looking for some of our friends, a woman and three men. They were heading for this village a few days ago."

At that moment, Janet came running around the big hut. "Sam!"

"Janet, are you alright?" Carter asked, carefully watching the reaction of the warriors around them.

"I'm fine, we all are." Janet said smiling to diffuse the tension in the air. "The Colonel and the others are in the back working on dinner."

Carter nodded. So far so good.

"Come. We'll talk." Maia said. Gesturing into the council hut.

Carter followed the Headwoman and gestured for the men to follow her. They were led inside a large hut. Carter sat as Maia offered her a seat, Maia's warriors sat in nearby seats. Pierson and Teal'c remained standing, a few steps behind the now seated Major Carter.



"Are these men yours?" Maia asked, as was the custom.

"They follow my orders but they're not my property. Our ways are not yours, they're my friends."

"Unclaimed men are the property of the village that holds them." Maia said calmly. She didn't want any trouble with the Tauri, but she had to stop this habit of theirs to let unclaimed men wander at will.

Maia straightened to claim the men for the village, when Sibyl spoke up. "That man has been touched by the Goddess Diana." She said indicating Pierson.

"I don't understand." Major Carter said looking at Pierson.

"I have the gift of sight and this man radiates a power greater than the Ring of Metal. What manner of people are the Tauri to command such a man?" Sibyl said in an awed voice.

Carter looked at Pierson, who indicated that he'd respond to the question.

"Speak." Maia said to the man as he looked at her for permission to speak.

"I am of the old blood. My father is one of the creators of the Rings." Methos said.

"How can this be? The Rings were the tools of the Goa'uld, you don't have their taint." Sibyl said.

"The Goa'uld didn't create the Rings, but they used them to steal people from their homes and relocate them, like they did your ancestors. The Rings are the tools of an older Race called the Ancients."

"A son of the Gods serves the Tauri?" Maia asked, afraid of what these people could do to her village.

Methos spoke in the old tongue. "I call the Tauri 'friend'; I have walked among them for many years."

Methos continued in the trader tongue (English in case you were wondering). "The Tauri don't want to change your way of life, it's worked for thousands of years. But conscripting men into your society, is asking for the changes you're trying to avoid."

Samantha spoke up. "We'll leave your world and not return if you demand it, but it would be a great loss for both our Peoples. You have so much to teach us about plants and medicines and we can offer the same for the things that you need."

Maia looked at the son of the Gods. His face was calm, his posture indicating that any decisions was entirely up to Maia and her people. "We must talk to the other villages."

*****

Carter and Dr. Frazier were able to set a meeting date for the Tauri to talk with the other villages. As an act of good faith, Maia was releasing Jack, Daniel, and MacLeod. They would be returning to the SGC until the following month for the scheduled meeting. Carter did agree to make sure that the team coming to the meeting would consist entirely of women. This would avoid problems with the other villages that hadn't been exposed to the Tauri way of thinking.

Major Carter, Teal'c, and Pierson were taken to the kitchen area where Jack and the others were working. Sam gasped silently when she turned the corner of the hut and saw the missing members of SG-1 in their loincloths for the first time.

Jack and MacLeod were kneading bread dough, their fit bodies barely concealed in the small scraps of cloth. Sam was hypnotized by the incredibly sensuous picture they presented. Unaware of their audience, the men tensed their muscles as they worked the dough on the wooden table, their strong thighs and buttocks flexing as they shifted their bodies in time with the kneading. Her eyes shifted over to Jack, never having seen this much of him before. MacLeod was a handsome man, but Jack was … Jack. Daniel blocked her view for a second when he carried a bucket of water to the stone hearth.

"I always approach love and cooking with reckless abandon." Methos whispered into Carter's ear. "How's it going guys?" Methos said cheerfully as he stepped in front of Carter to give her time to pull herself together. He'd seen more than just admiration in Carter's eyes as she looked at Jack. He wondered if Jack knew how she felt, he'd have to pay more attention.

"It's about time!" Jack said ignoring the dough and putting his hands on his hips. He upended a bowl of vegetables onto the table and held it in front of his loincloth when he noticed Pierson's grin.

"Ah Colonel, we've negotiated your release and set up a meeting in a month. Maia can't speak for the other villages so she wants to call them together for a meeting. All of them need to decide if they want us here or not."

"Good work Carter." Jack said, "Can we get our clothes back? I'm getting sun burnt here."

*****

Jack, MacLeod and Daniel quickly ducked into the men's hut and changed back into their uniforms when two of the warriors returned them. Jack joined Pierson and Teal'c outside with a sigh, "Nothing like being back in your whitie tighties."

Teal'c raised his brow in question. "What are these white-ie tight–ies?"

Pierson was laughing as MacLeod and Daniel joined them.

"Did I just hear you say whitie tighties?" Daniel asked.

Jack glared at the still laughing Immortal. "There's just something weird about going commando while on duty."

"You don't want to know Teal'c." MacLeod said. It hadn't been that bad he thought, of course he could remember a time when he hadn't worn anything under his kilt. The thought of confining his manhood in tight undergarments had been alien to him back then.

Maia and Sibyl accompanied SG-1 back to the Gate. During the trip, they'd asked many questions about the Tauri beliefs and sciences. Most of the questions were directed to Major Carter and Dr. Frazier. It wasn't until they reached the Gate that Sibyl worked up the courage to talk with the son of the Ancients.

"Are there many like you among the Tauri?" She asked, "The Children of the Ancients I mean."

"No. I am the last." Methos said after a quick glance at Sibyl.

"You must be very alone." She said at his quiet response.

"I have many daughters and sons, the children of Tauri mothers. They keep me strong." He said, making sure to give the significance to his daughters.

As Daniel dialed the Gate, MacLeod moved to stand beside Methos who now stood alone. "You weren't very fast about coming to our rescue, I think you enjoyed this."

Methos looked at MacLeod to see if he was accusing him of something. Mac's twinkling eyes gave him away.

"Before you can understand a man, you need to walk a mile in his shoes." Methos paused, "Then when you laugh at him, you're a mile away and you have his shoes!" He laughed as he sprinted into the activated Gate.

When Duncan stepped through the Gate and down the ramp at the SGC, Methos was waiting for him at the bottom. Methos casually leaned against the railing, his arms crossed and a smile on his face. "I've been there and done that MacLeod, welcome to my world. It's not much fun being a stud when it's not your idea - is it?" Methos turned and sauntered away with his hands in his pockets, meandering to his own drummer.

Duncan stood speechless as he realized what Methos was saying. Never again would he pressure Methos into continuing the Immortal Race. Methos was right; it was degrading and disturbing to have the control of your own life and body taken away from you.

*****

It was several days after SG-1's return when the SGC got an incoming message from the Tok'ra High Council requesting a meeting.

Irritated, Methos almost declined. He was tracking the activities of the ten Immortals and their Watchers, keeping an eye on the newly restored Tok'ra Gate privileges, and putting things in place to reduce the threat of the NID. He was in no mood to hold the Tok'ra's hands until they felt they had the answers they wanted. But he did feel a certain pity for the Tok'ra. They weren't that different from his Watchers, they needed to be dragged kicking and screaming from their dark ages. He wasn't willing to lead them, but he was willing to show them the possibilities. Reluctantly, he agreed to meet with the Tok'ra.

Methos stood in the Gate Room with the other members of SG-1 as the Tok'ra came through the Gate. He felt their eyes quickly come to rest on Duncan and himself as the non-recognized members of the SGC. He saw Jacob's secret smile of amusement.

Selmak?

I told them the Tauri had found the Ancients, but I didn't tell them it was you. Selmak answered with amusement. We've been talking about you for weeks, they're just wondering which one could possibly be the man we've had so much trouble getting information on.

Methos rolled his eyes. Jack looked over at him with a commiserating grin.

Jacob stepped up to make the introductions, starting with General Hammond and working his way down the line. Methos and MacLeod stood at the end of the introduction line with Daniel, they three being civilians.

Tok'ra High Council Woman Voleera looked at the two strangers in the Tauri Gate room. Appraising them, she picked the bigger, stronger looking of the two to be the one Jacob had told them about. The larger one looked like a leader of men, someone the Ancients would seek out. The other one looked like one of the insignificant technicians that the Tauri seemed to clone. She was surprised when the slighter of the two was introduced as Dr. Adam Pierson, the one they'd heard so much about. Re-assessing him, she wasn't impressed. He didn't have the air or demeanor of a leader. Perhaps Selmak and Jacob were beginning to show their age.



Methos smiled in amusement as the Tok'ra woman looked him over like he was an unpleasant bug under a microscope. Although a smile remained on her face, her eyes clearly said that she wasn't impressed. When she smiled pleasantly at Mac, who was standing beside him, Methos was even more amused. When the introductions were complete, and the General led the Tok'ra to a nearby secure conference room, the members of SG-1 looked at Methos to see his reaction to the Tok'ra. Methos remembered a line from the Empire Strikes Back, on Degobah Jedi Master Yoda had asked Luke Skywalker; 'Judge me by my size will you?'

Methos whispered softly, "and well you should not."

MacLeod looked at him in puzzlement. Methos just grinned and followed the group to the conference room.

"What did you have on your mind Council Woman Voleera?" General Hammond asked, already knowing the answer.

Council Woman Voleera looked at Dr. Pierson across the table and said in a stiff, formal tone of voice. "Selmak tells us that you were successful in your search for the Ancients."

General Hammond looked over at Adam to see what he was willing to share. In preparation for the conference with the President, he'd only been authorized to tell Jacob about the Immortal. That Jacob had returned to the Tok'ra and told others, could anger Pierson.

Methos acknowledged General Hammond's glance and leaned forward, his whole demeanor changing until he appeared every bit the Ancient he was. "If you came all this way to see if Jacob and Selmak were telling the truth, then you've wasted your time and everyone else's in this room." Methos said calmly. "We found the Ancient we were looking for, before he ascended. He 'gave' us the technology we've been working on with every confidence that we'd be up to the task."

Methos let some of his Quickening be felt by the others in the room. He felt their emotions of surprise.

"What is this power we sense?" Voleera asked.

Methos spoke directly to the symbiots and watched as understanding abruptly appeared on the Tok'ra faces. You know what it is even though you've never met an Ancient before.

"You're an Ancient." Voleera said breathlessly.

As the other Tok'ra faces lit up with hope and expectation, Methos explained. "I won't answer the questions you want answered. I'm not here to solve your problems; that's the job of the Tok'ra people." Methos paused, "But I can tell you that the Goa'uld Tamlin has put together a small fleet and is planning a surprise attack on your base within the next few weeks." Methos knew that would change the subject quickly.

"But, can't you stop it?" Voleera said in shock. The Ancients were a benevolent Race, they'd been known throughout the Universe for their compassion.

"If I did that, I'd be as bad as the Goa'uld. I'd be remaking the universe in my own image. I'm not here as anything but a referee. I'll only step in to prevent total annihilation."

"How can you sit by and do nothing?" Voleera asked.

"I've had millennia of practice. I've watched civilizations rise and fall, Gods come and go, and each time there's a lesson to be learned. If you don't evolve and learn the lesson, you will be doomed to repeat it even if I step in."

The Tok'ra shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "What do you want of us?" Voleera asked.

Methos shook his head in exasperation. "I want the Tok'ra to ask the Tok'ra that! I can't give you that answer, just like the Asgard and the Nox couldn't. Like the Tauri, you have potential. Will you use it or will you do nothing until someone else dictates it to you? That's what you've done up to now." Methos said leaning back in his chair.

"Look at yourselves; you haven't advanced since you broke away from the Goa'uld. What are you contributing to your Race? Where are you going? Is that how you want to go down in history?" Methos paused. "Already your numbers are dwindling. Will you condemn the Tok'ra to extinction by refusing to change?"

The Tok'ra were silent, looking at each other in confusion. They'd spent their energy on stopping the Goa'uld. Thousands of years spent hiding and spying, exploring other worlds only to find technology, more hosts, or potential bases.

Methos dropped his voice. MacLeod instantly recognized this voice as the one Methos had used in a graveyard in Bordeaux to tell him that Kronos had created a virus more deadly than Ebola. Cold and slightly arrogant, with just a hint of mockery to it. "The Goa'uld know where you are, and right now Tamlin is aligning his ships in preparation for an attack. What will the Tok'ra do?"

*****

"Damn, and I said I'd never help anyone move again." Jack said, referring to the last few times SG-1 had helped the Tok'ra evacuate a planet. Was that the time Tanith had captured Teal'c or the time after that one? Speaking of Tanith, Pierson reminded Jack a little of that snake head. Not in a sneaky way, although he was sure Pierson was capable of that, but in the collected way Pierson could smile pleasantly and tell someone that he was going to rip their heart out through their nostrils. Jack smiled. He loved it when it was the Tok'ra that Pierson was politely threatening.

Pierson had read the Tok'ra the riot act during the meeting on Earth. He'd told them to grow up and act like a Race worth saving. The Tok'ra had protested their worth to Pierson who'd merely shrugged and asked them to prove it; what had they done lately to justify the Tauri helping them? After several excuses, Pierson had stood as if to go. The High councilwoman had pleaded for the Tauri's help evacuating their base. Pierson had looked at General Hammond and left it up to him. Jack enjoyed the pleased look in the General's eyes as he said he had to make a phone call. They'd let the President decide if the 'advanced' Tok'ra needed help from the Tauri. As expected, the President agreed to send several SG teams to help with the evacuation.

And speaking of threatening, Pierson was doing it now. Jack made the few steps needed to bring him up to where Pierson and Jacob were standing.

"You have one hour left Jacob. Any more than that and the Goa'uld Mother ships will be able to read the energy signatures."

"Can't you block them?" Jacob asked.

Pierson nodded. "I can, but I'll only do it if the Tauri are still here. Otherwise, I'd be using advanced technology to influence the Tok'ra evolution."

Jacob glared at Pierson but hurried off. Jack grinned. "Ya gotta love it when you can throw their own words back at them." Pierson chuckled. "Can you really block their sensors?"

Methos nodded. "Actually, I've been doing it since we got here, just in case Tamlin had advanced scouts here. The Tok'ra and the Goa'uld feel pretty much the same to me at a distance. I wasn't going to take any chances while we were here."

"Good. I hate being bait dangling helpless on the hook."

"Does everything remind you of fishing?" Methos asked with a smile, having heard hours of Jack's fishing stories.

Jack re-settled his hat. "Fishing's been around as long as you have Pierson. Now be a good side kick and make sure we're the ones that get away." Jack said before walking away.

Daniel stepped up to Pierson's side as soon as Jack had walked off.

"Adam?" He said.

Methos glanced over at Daniel before turning his eyes back to the bee hive of evacuation activity. "Yes Daniel?"

"Can you really stop the Goa'uld if they attack?"

Methos looked over at Daniel. "I can, but I won't unless I have to."

"Why? Even though they don't act like it, the Tok'ra are our allies. They've helped us several times when we needed it."

"I'm not trying to get them killed Daniel." Methos sighed and turned to face Daniel. "What do you think would happen if I stepped in and used the Ancient's power on the Goa'uld? The other System Lords would react in fear. They'd consolidate their forces and become an even greater threat. Then I'd have to use more force on them and soon it would be escalated throughout the system."

Daniel thought about Adam's answer before nodding. "I see your point, but what are you going to do?"

"Make Tamlin look like a fool. The Goa'uld show up here, find no sign of the Tok'ra and think Tamlin's been playing them for fools. His position is undermined and he loses his influence with the System Lords. I don't have to do anything directly but jam communications until we're gone."

It took them nearly the full hour, but soon all the Tok'ra and SGC personnel had evacuated through the Gate to another planet, leaving Jacob, the Tok'ra High Council, and SG-1 as the last ones on the planet.

"Now what?" Jacob asked.

"An old Indian trick, hide your tracks." Methos said before mentally calling up the wind. In an invisible dome of calm, they watched as heavy winds stirred the planet and hid all trace of recent habitation and a mass evacuation.

Jack glanced over at Pierson as they stepped towards the Gate. "How come I don't have that in my Bat Utility Belt? Come on campers, back to the Bat Cave."

SG-1 and the Tok'ra High Council stepped through the Gate and returned to the SGC. They headed towards the debriefing room where they made themselves comfortable and had refreshments while they waited for the Goa'uld Mother ships to arrive.

It was less than an hour later when Methos, who'd been monitoring the evacuated planet spoke. "The Goa'uld have arrived at your planet." He narrated the events as they occurred, leaving out some of the details.

"The Mother ships have launched Death Gliders and begun to ring down Jaffa troops." He began.

*****

From the regal position of his throne on one of the Mother ships, Tamlin looked at the display screen. The surface of this world was dry and arid, a wasteland suited only for vermin such as the Tok'ra. He gloated silently that the Tok'ra had been forced to seek out barren worlds such as this to hide from the mighty Goa'uld.

One of his Jaffa on the planet reported in. "My Lord, the gliders report no signs of life. Our scanners and ground equipment confirm this."

"It can't be! Look harder!" Tamlin shouted. "Look under the surface, the Tok'ra hide like worms."

An exhausting six hours later, the Jaffa reported that the planet was deserted, there was nothing to find. Unable to put it off any longer, Tamlin hesitantly stepped up to the communication orb and signaled his patron System Lords.

Anger greeted his words of failure. "You've made us look like fools Tamlin. Return at once, we will deal with you personally. Jaffa Cree!" The System Lords commanded.

Tamlin's arms were tightly grabbed by Jaffa.

At the SGC, Methos smiled and reported to the weary group of listeners that the Goa'uld had left the planet and were returning to their own systems, Tamlin in custody.

"How do you know?" MacLeod whispered.

"I'm eaves dropping." Methos said and tapped his head.

Several days were spent making sure the Tok'ra were settled on their new planet and that the Goa'uld had fallen for the trick. Just as things were calming down, Methos felt Cassandra's thoughts on Alpha Blue. He sighed in irritation, couldn't anyone stay at home and out of his hair?

*****

Cassandra tucked her feet gracefully under the chair of her first class seat. She smiled and accepted another glass of champagne from the flight attendant and turned to look out the window. She sipped at the bubbling beverage and thought about what had prompted her to leave her sanctuary in Donal Woods and make this International flight.

Ever since the Alpha Blue had introduced himself to Immortals and ended the Game, Cassandra had wanted to meet him in person. She'd been intrigued by the ancient Immortal's prospective on life which he shared with them through the link. He never preached his beliefs, but he did ask questions that allowed the Immortals to challenge their own views and see things more clearly, or perhaps just differently than they had before. In his mental conversations with them, he demonstrated a balanced way of looking at things, and a charming sense of humor.

When a young Immortal had died in the car accident several months ago, she'd known where to find Alpha Blue. Knowing that Alpha Blue had been in Seacouver, she had no doubts that Duncan MacLeod would be in his circle of friends. Her Highland Solstice Child continued to be an influence for good. She smiled maliciously at the thought that Methos would long since have crawled under a rock in the remotest part of the world by now.

Firmly shoving Methos from her thoughts, Cassandra thought about the Immortal babies. It was exciting to think about the idea of Immortals being able to have babies. Alpha Blue had explained their origins to some degree but Cassandra wanted to know more. Although she understood that she couldn't bear Immortal children, she had plenty of experience as a healer and midwife. She'd decided to make this trip and learn more about how Immortals had babies and offer her help to organize the effort to keep the Immortal Race alive.

Cassandra had used the Voice on her Watcher and been told that Duncan had disappeared for several months, only returning to Seacouver occasionally. Duncan's friend and Watcher Joe Dawson would know where to find him. She was determined to wait for Duncan, and hopefully meet Alpha Blue.

Several hours later Cassandra checked into her hotel suite and unpacked. After taking a meal in the luxurious restaurant of the hotel, she made arrangements to have a rental car delivered to her the next morning. She'd begin her search at the bar that Duncan had taken her to when they'd gone looking for the Horsemen, the one owned by the Mortal Joe Dawson.

At the SGC, Methos leaned back in the chair he was sitting in and gently probed Cassandra's mind. She was determined to meet Alpha Blue. He sighed and looked over at the Highlander laughing with the other members of SG-1 as they ate their dinner. How would MacLeod react to Cassandra's visit?

Amanda, Cassandra's in town. Can you do me a favor? Methos thought. He silently spoke with the Immortal thief in Seacouver for several minutes before he closed the link.

"MacLeod, how do you feel about a trip home this weekend?" Methos asked.

*****

Amanda was waiting at Joe's when Cassandra entered. Amanda recognized the woman from the description she'd been given. She raised a brow at the arrogant yet dismissive appraisal the Witch gave her. Amanda hadn't been told the whole story of Cassandra and Methos, but she instantly knew that she didn't like the Witch with a grudge against Methos. She sent a thought to Methos through the Immortal link before stepping forward to introduce herself to the Immortal woman.

Amanda and Joe supervised Cassandra's first meeting with the Immortal babies and surrogate mothers. Cassandra had been allowed to ask a few questions but Joe and Amanda kept the meeting short. Amanda's next job was to tell Cassandra that Duncan would be at the bar before it opened on the upcoming Saturday.

*****

Cassandra parked her rental car and walked in the unlocked door of the bar at ten that Saturday morning. She greeted the mortal and took the cup of coffee he offered her. Telling her to help herself to more, Joe went into his office closing the door behind him. She sat at a table facing the door and waited for Duncan to arrive. Soon she felt the presence of an Immortal.

"Duncan, you're looking well. The end of the Game has been good to you." Cassandra said as she recognized the Highlander walking in the door of the bar. She stood up and embraced him.

"Good for all of us. How are you Cassandra?" Duncan said with some trepidation. Cassandra's greeting seemed friendly enough but how would she react when her questions were answered?

"Never happier. I saw the Immortal children. They're beautiful!" Cassandra said gently. Confusion was reflected on her face as she asked, "but they're Immortal already. How can they have had their first death and still be growing?"

"They haven't had their first death, these babies are special. They'll stop aging when they're fully grown." Duncan said. He didn't want to tell her about the babies being Betas or the details of the Ancient breeding program.

"I'm told they were fathered by Amanda's great, great grandfather. Who is this old Immortal?" Cassandra asked as she gracefully returned to her chair and gestured at Duncan to be seated.

Duncan sat down next to her and took her hands in his. "That's part of the reason I'm here; Amanda's grandfather doesn't want to be known. Let it be Cassandra."

"But why? The Game is over. Alpha Blue's made it safe for Immortals to continue our lives without the fear of the Game. That's part of the reason I came here, I wanted to meet Alpha Blue. Have you met him?"

"Aye, he's a good man." Duncan said, preparing to physically restrain Cassandra when Methos came in the door.

Methos felt Duncan and Cassandra's thoughts. She was adamant about meeting Alpha Blue. With a sigh, Methos pushed open the door.

Cassandra looked at the door when she felt the slight Immortal buzz. It must be a very new Immortal to have such a faint Quickening buzz, she thought. All thought of Quickening sizes fled at the sight of Methos, Cassandra stood and shook free of Duncan's grip. She snarled, "You! I shouldn't be surprised to find you hiding behind Duncan's sword, but I'm surprised that he lets you be anywhere near those babies."

Methos kept his face blank. "Sit down." He commanded in a quiet voice as he walked towards the table.

Cassandra surprised herself by unthinkingly obeying. Trying to recover her equilibrium, Cassandra verbally attacked. "Why are you here Methos? Trying to steal back your thunder? You're not the oldest anymore, now you're just a murderer and a coward!"

"Cassandra I'm not going to ask you to forgive me, but you need to let go of this anger." Methos said quietly. Watching Cassandra intently, his body poised to react as he sat across from her.

"Are you worried that I'll go to Alpha Blue and ask that you be punished?" Cassandra said haughtily.

"Let it go, you're only hurting yourself." Methos said.

"Are you afraid Methos?"

"I'm afraid for you Cassandra." Methos said gently.

"I'll never let it go, you monster!" Cassandra growled. Before she could stand, Methos caught her wrists and firmly held her in place. Cassandra tried to pull her hands away. "Do something Duncan!"

Duncan looked at the calm expression on Methos' face, and then he felt Methos linking with his mind. I won't hurt her. He felt Methos link with Cassandra's mind and bring it into their link.

Cassandra, I'm Alpha Blue. I'm sorry I hurt you but I wasn't myself, that's not an excuse, it's an explanation.

Duncan saw the images as Methos sent them to Cassandra.

Cassandra saw Methos joking and laughing with several Immortals in a large well-lit facility. She wondered when this memory was from. The white linen clothing that they wore was nothing she'd ever seen before. Methos looked so young, not in his eternally young body, but in his eyes. His eyes reflected a young soul, excited, open and full of fascination and enthusiasm. Not the world-wise and guarded eyes that had haunted her nightmares since her capture and enslavement by Death. She saw the camaraderie he shared with the other unknown Immortals, felt the brotherly bond he felt for them.

In a different place and time she saw a young Immortal attack Methos. Methos easily took the sword from the other Immortal and when the other Immortal made a surprise move during a swing, Methos cut off his head. She felt his surprise which quickly turned to confusion, grief, and then self-revulsion when the Immortal didn't revive. She felt the very first Quickening as it overwhelmed Methos. She felt his confusion and panic when a memory-less Methos ran in fear from his home until he found the tribe of nomads. She felt his gradual calm as he released his unremembered reasons to fear and replaced it with a respect and fondness for the nomads. She saw Methos moving through the years, losing the people and villages he'd adopted to disease, war and the elements. She saw him taken prisoner and made into a slave time and time again. She saw his constant pain, starvation, torture and countless deaths. Each time he endured only to escape and heal from his pain. She felt him growing and healing after each rebirth. Learning new languages, reading, absorbing everything he could find to challenge his mind. Millennia of learning and healing.

Then she saw him in a village, a peaceful merchant. He was drugged and taken into a bright and unnatural place. She felt his fear return ten fold when he saw a face that had haunted his nightmares for millennia, a gray face with large black eyes. A hairless dome on an alien body. He was kept drugged, more than his Immortal body could fight and she felt his fear take control. She felt rather than saw, several long years worth of drugs and fear. Drugs to make him sexually driven to accept the women they offered, more drugs to keep him docile and confused. She felt his fear turn into anger when he finally escaped. She saw him meet Kronos for the first time and understood why he created the Horsemen. He was afraid! He wanted Brothers at his back to prevent the aliens from finding him. She saw him vent his fear and rage as the Horsemen became monsters. Centuries of this before she saw her mortal self killed and taken prisoner. She felt Methos' confusion that she could feel love towards him after she'd stopped resisting him. She felt his guilt when Kronos demanded she be turned over to him. She felt Methos' anguish but could feel his fear for her safety. He had really tried to save her. She watched herself escape and knew that he had allowed it. She saw that his rage had been dissipated by her influence. She watched as he trapped Kronos in a grotto and fled from his brothers. She saw herself attack him in Duncan's Dojo. She felt his relief that she still lived! Later in Bordeaux, she felt his sorrow that his brothers hadn't been able to change from what they'd been thousands of years before. She felt his guilt and pain when he sided with Duncan and the Mortals and planned his Brothers destruction, knowing when he did it, that his actions had created them in the first place.

She felt his fear return when a year ago he looked upon the alien face that had terrified him millennia before. She saw how much he'd changed when he controlled his fear and listened to the alien's explanations.

She felt his mind gently hug her through the link before he released her hands. She opened her eyes and looked at Methos and saw his sad eyes, tears still wet on his cheeks. She looked over at Duncan standing close by, also with tears in his eyes.

Cassandra wrapped her arms around herself.

Ask your Goddess. She heard Methos say in her mind.

Troubled by what she had been shown and torn by the desire to reject those images, Cassandra closed her eyes. She breathed deeply until she could control her body and mind and begin the meditation that would bring a vision to her.

She saw herself standing at a fork on a path; the path to the left was a barren and dead landscape, the path to the right led towards greenery and life. She looked back the way she'd come and saw Methos walking towards her. He was followed by hundreds of Immortals, some she recognized, and many she didn't. Mixed in the group following him she saw some Immortals that had died, Darius the Priest and Rebecca her friend. These much loved friends smiled and waved at her as they followed Methos. Methos stepped onto the green path and stopped, looking back at her. As Methos stopped at the fork with her, the Immortals that had been following him continued down the green path.

When the Immortals had disappeared over the horizon, Cassandra looked at Methos who was still patiently standing there, his eyes clearly saying that he was waiting for her to make a decision. He silently pointed towards the path the others had gone down, gesturing for her to follow. When she hesitated, he pointed down at her feet. She was standing on the barren and dead path, a crevice widening between her and the green path. Methos extended his hand over the widening crevice.

In her vision she spoke to Methos. 'You can't be trusted.'

A voice she recognized as that of her Goddess spoke. 'Would you forsake everyone you have loved, everyone you have trusted for a man that hasn't lived for thousands of years?'

'He's still the same evil man. He made me trust him once. I trusted that he would keep me safe!' Cassandra shouted in her vision.

'Is he the same man? Or did you see a tiny part of a very complex man who was still trying to find himself? Did Methos abuse your trust or did you attribute promises to him that he never made? Did you imagine him to be what you wanted when you fell in love with him?' The Goddess' voice said gently.

'I never loved him!' Cassandra said vehemently.

'Is that why your dreams are full of him since you learned that he lived. Why do you feel his hands on you, not in fear but in remembered desire? How long can you continue to fool yourself my Child?' The Goddess' voice reprimanded.

'It was a conditioned fear response.' Cassandra argued. The Goddess' voice was silent. 'He gave me to Kronos.' Cassandra continued angrily.

'Did he? Or did he prevent a battle that would have killed both of you? He took you prisoner and he raped you. He made you accept him as your master, but you chose to love him. You've let go of the anger you felt towards the other Masters that treated you the same way, but you've held him in your heart all these years. What he showed you was the truth Child. You've seen that he's suffered everything that you've suffered, many times over. Not an excuse as he says, but an explanation. You've colored the memory to allow your conscience to hold onto your anger.'

Cassandra looked over at the still silent dream Methos. 'Why does he have so much power over me?' Cassandra wondered.

'He is the last of the Four. Your instincts recognized this when he didn't know it himself. Will you continue on the path you stand on Cassandra, or will you choose life?'

In her visions Methos suddenly stood beside her, his open hand once more extended. 'Choose life' she heard the Goddess' voice repeat. Cassandra thought about what she had seen and felt from Methos' memories. She remembered her past. She'd acted according to the times because that had been the way the world was back then. Bowing her head, she accepted that she had given him the power to haunt her dreams. Could she forgive him?

'Will you stay on the path you are on or will you chose life?' The voice of the Goddess demanded.

Cassandra took a shuddering breath, tears rolling down her cheeks. 'I choose life.' She said and reached out hesitantly and took Methos' offered hand. Instantly she was on the green path and walking with the other Immortals, her hand interlaced with Rebecca's instead of Methos'. She felt the link with all Immortals, rich and invigorating in its sudden return. It filled her with the warm and comforting feeling that she'd come to appreciate over the past year. She looked around frantically for Methos and spotted him at the head of the line. He was looking back over his shoulder and met her eyes. He gave her the slightest of approving nods just as she felt that familiar mental hug through the link. In that instant his body glowed with an immense power that startled her, his eyes reflecting the mysteries of the Universe.

She blinked and her vision faded. She looked at the silent man sitting across the table from her. "What was that?" She asked.

"Not me, your Goddess."

"You saw?" Cassandra said in surprise.

Methos nodded his eyes full of concern.

Cassandra remembered the glow that had surrounded him in her vision and could now sense the immense but subtle power emanating from him. She narrowed her eyes and analyzed the vision. Her vision had shown her that Methos was taking up the role he'd been born to, and was leading the Immortals on the path of life. With just the brief glimpse of his power she'd seen, she realized that he controlled the Immortal link that she took such delight in. Needing to feel it again, Cassandra reached through the link and recognized the strength and calmness that flowed from Alpha Blue/Methos. She nodded.

Methos spoke aloud. "Cassandra, I deeply regret what I did to you. You're an amazing woman. You've had such an influence on my life; I can only imagine what you might have been able to do if I hadn't been so broken when I found you."

Methos? Duncan thought through the link. Methos looked at him. Thank you. Duncan thought.

Methos felt Duncan's gratitude for being gentle with Cassandra and especially for letting him 'see' what Methos had been sharing with Cassandra. Duncan had felt the emotions that Methos had lived through. Methos stood and put a hand lightly on Duncan's shoulder. Stay with her, she'll need a friendly shoulder right now.

With that, Methos left quietly. Which one of the Asgard are you? Methos mentally asked of the alien life form he'd sensed communicating with Cassandra.

I am Lorelit of the Asgard. You are the new ancient one that Thor speaks of?

I am Methos. How long have you known Cassandra? he asked as he walked slowly towards his car. It looked like Cassandra and Duncan would remain in the bar while he made his escape.

We've been monitoring Cassandra for several thousand of your years. As we have in many primitive cultures, we've used a human form or spirit to guide and nurture in a positive direction. Being a long lived species ourselves, we never suspected that she wasn't representative of the Tauri. Only recently has Thor told us of the special beings created by the Ancients.

Oh? And how many has Thor spoken of this to? Methos asked trying to keep his thoughts calm.

Thor has only spoken of this with the High council. There are only twelve of us, I am a member of that council.

Keep it that way, I don't want this getting around the Universe, the Goa'uld might not react nicely to the word that there is another Ancient in town.

Rest assured Ancient one Methos, we will speak of it to no one. It is an honor to speak with you.

So tell me about your conversations with Cassandra. Methos said determined to get an insider's perspective on Cassandra's relationship to her 'Goddess'.

*****

Cassandra watched him go, her expression confused.

"He's a good man Cassandra." Duncan said.

"Did you know about this Duncan, is that why you saved him?"

Duncan shook his head. "In Bordeaux I only knew that he was my friend. I was there when the alien found him again and learned parts of what we just saw."

"What were the tests?" Cassandra asked, suddenly wanting to know more about the enigmatic man that had haunted her for millennia.

"He was being tested by the Being that created us. The Being was testing for compassion, loyalty and love. He passed all the tests." Duncan said with conviction.

"He feels stronger than I remember." Cassandra said distracted. So much had happened today and she was still emotionally reeling from the impact.

"He is stronger, and we are too. Can't you feel it through the link? He's sending us some of his power."

Cassandra thought about it and nodded. "What about the children? Alpha – I mean Methos said that there were three Immortal children born."

"Two of them were his." Duncan said hesitantly. How would Cassandra take this news?

"And the mothers? Did he force the mothers?" Cassandra asked, her irritation growing. Out of habit she couldn't imagine any woman wanting to lie down with someone that had been Death. Correcting her thoughts, she took several calming breaths.

"You met them; did they look unhappy or forced? Methos had more trouble agreeing than they did. The mothers even volunteered to have more of his children, but for genetic reasons, it can't be the same two parents."

Methos didn't seem like a family man, or a fatherly type for that matter Cassandra thought. "I'm going back to my hotel now; I need some time to think."

*****

After a nearly sleepless night, Cassandra woke late in the morning. She'd argued with herself all night, going over in her mind what she'd seen and heard. Sadly she wasn't any clearer in her own mind about what to do about Methos and her feelings.

After her second cup of coffee she took a deep breath and prepared herself for the only thing she could think of; asking Methos some questions.

She reached through the mind link and spoke his name. Methos?

Mmmhum? a sleepy voice answered through the link.

In any language, Methos' half asleep, early morning greeting still brought a memory of the Horseman's camp, and Cassandra was surprised to discover that this wasn't a bad memory. Her mind flashbacked to an early morning at the camp; she could practically feel the animal fur that caressed her naked skin, hear the sounds of the horses' occasional soft snorts and shifting from the picket line where they were tied. She could smell the low floating smoke and hear a few snaps from the campfires that had been banked overnight.

It was the quiet time before the slaves woke to begin the chores. The warmth of the furs and in the strong virile body stretched along her length. His strong arm was draped over her body possessively, his nose nuzzled into her neck. She'd run her fingers softly and gently over his strong arm, over his shoulder if it was close enough.

While never as affectionate as later husbands and lovers had been, Methos had treated her better than the other slaves were treated in the camp. In the few months she'd been a prisoner, she'd grown to feel safe wrapped in the comfort of those arms. Although she was a slave, she was the envy of the other slaves for she was the favorite of Methos, Death of the Four Horsemen.

Shocked at these thoughts, Cassandra stifled those and sent a mind probe into Methos' mind.

Despite his sleep filled mental response at her call, Methos' natural mental shields were incredibly strong and resisted Cassandra's strong and insistent mental probe.

Cassandra stopped when she felt Methos' amusement.

Satisfied? Methos sent in amusement.

Yes. Cassandra said disconcerted at his amusement at her very strong and controlled probe. No one had been able to resist her directed mental probe.

If that's all, can I go back to sleep? Methos sent.

I want to know more about the Immortal babies. Cassandra said.

Okay, what do you want to know?

They're already Immortal. Duncan could only tell me that they were special.

They are, their bloodline isn't as diluted by Mortal blood but their children and on down the line will be born as pre-immortals.

Because you were one of the original four, your children are the closest to the genetic design. Cassandra said analyzing what he'd said.

Are you up for a brief field trip? MacLeod can come along if you like.

Cassandra thought about this for a moment. As long as Duncan comes. She agreed.

Give me an hour and we'll pick you up at your hotel. Methos sent.

In a short time, Methos was up, showered, and eating breakfast while Duncan showered. In the allotted time frame, they were entering the lobby of Cassandra's hotel. She met them there, and together they walked to the hotel's parking garage. In the privacy of the garage, Methos held each of their minds and moved them to the Complex.

Methos had thought about it after leaving Joe's bar the day before. Cassandra was more likely to believe a tremendous display of his powers than the advanced technology of the shuttle. He was going to downplay the alien aspect of the Project Watchers and emphasize their task of breeding Immortals.

Inside the Complex's control room, Methos released Cassandra and Duncan's minds.

Cassandra looked long and hard at Methos. She'd struggled briefly at his mental hold but quickly determined that she couldn't break free. While her mind had been held, she could feel Duncan's comforting presence. He wasn't alarmed at this turn of events. When Methos released their minds, she'd found them standing in a high tech command room. Computers and monitors lined the walls.

"This is the Gathering Place." Methos said solemnly.

Cassandra gasped and looked to Duncan for confirmation.

Duncan nodded. "I've been here before Cassandra. This is the place we were meant to Gather."

Methos commanded the computers to display the recorded pictures as he began his story in a monotone voice.

Methos' voice sounded flat to Duncan, as if he were reciting a grocery list that he'd already repeated dozens of times instead of the painful story of his past.

"Thousands of years ago I was brought here with the other three Alpha Immortals, the start of a new Race of Immortals. At first, we were excited about being here. It was new and different from what we'd known, but we quickly settled into a routine. In retrospect, it was very cold and clinical but we didn't know any differently."

Cassandra saw pictures of the four original Immortals on all the monitor screens; smiling and relaxed, their eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. The picture stopped at Methos' picture and she stared long at his image. She saw the youthful enthusiasm in his eyes.

"Our purpose here was to breed Immortals, and our keepers were quite serious about their responsibilities. We were free to move about during the day, to study, read, or exercise but were locked in our rooms at night. No pictures, no windows, no carnal pleasures. We only saw the altered women when we became fertile, then we were put into a secure room and monitored until they became pregnant. We weren't permitted to have sex with anyone but the altered women."

Now the monitors showed Immortals doing things together or lounging around in a common area. Then it moved to show shots of sleeping Immortals in small, sparse cubicles.

"This went on for three thousand years. Then the foreign invaders came, that was why we were here, to protect against these invaders. We did our job, getting outside this place for the first time since we'd come, we fought the invaders and repelled them."

Cassandra saw images of an army of Immortals attacking an army in what looked like ancient Egypt.

"Once I saw the world outside, I wanted to know more. There was so much to see and do, and I wasn't willing to go back to the rigid, controlled atmosphere here. While our keepers were still collecting up the other Immortals, I kept walking into the sunset. Several of my like-minded children went with me. As soon as the keepers noticed we were missing, they came after us. They had no trouble finding us using locators in the back of our necks."

Methos rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "You have them too." He said and the monitor switched to a map with two dots, one green and one yellow.



"Unhappily, we were returned. I tried to convince my keepers that I wasn't needed here now that there were some mature Immortal children in the breeding program, but my being an Alpha overruled all my arguments to our keepers. Over time my irritation grew, and a few times I resisted a breeding. I tried to explain that I wanted more; the women brought to me spoke of families, love, and marriages. I asked why we were kept sequestered from the world, why we were prevented from having families of our own. My keepers told me it was not what we were designed for and drugged me into compliance."

"The other Alpha's protested my treatment and our keepers finally agreed to stop the drugging, on the condition that I continue to be escorted to the breeding room. That's what set off the Immortal that attacked me. We had several generations of children that were grown adults, with the raging hormones that come from being healthy and fit. I'm sure you can imagine how they felt about that MacLeod." Methos said with a teasing smile directed at Duncan.

Duncan smiled at the first sign of Methos' normal wry humor. He could indeed imagine how frustrated he'd be as a grown man with no access to women!

"They were looking at two thousand years of frustration before they'd be allowed to breed. They all knew what was going on in the breeding rooms. I was fertile and the keepers came to get me in the common room. The keepers were escorting me through the room when the young Immortal jumped up and said if I didn't want the woman, he'd be happy to take over for me. When he was ignored by the keepers he got angry and pulled a sword he'd hidden in his clothes. I took that first Quickening and forgot who and what I was. I only knew that I wanted out."

Cassandra looked at the screen as it showed a terrified Methos on a medical table. The scene changed to Immortals running in all directions.

"My locator was destroyed during the Quickening so they couldn't track me. They only caught up with me a few times. They'd made a note in my records that I'd been delusional so when they found me, I was quickly sedated. I was only revived when I was fertile. They'd lost the other Alpha's to head hunters before I'd been captured in the Bronze age. So they took great care to keep me undamaged."

The monitors showed pictures of Methos in a room with nothing but sleeping furs. He was rocking like a distraught child, his eyes blanked of expression. The intelligence and amusement normally shining in his ancient eyes was replaced by an obvious drugged dullness.

"I built up a tolerance for the drugs and kept it secret. I was able to escape and disappeared again. Our keepers decided that next time they would send the women to me when they found me. It took them several centuries, but when they found me again, they followed that plan this time. Without knowing it, I fathered six children. Over the years I fathered more. They didn't catch up to me too many times, but it was enough to revitalize the program."

"Right now there are only sixteen Immortals that can produce children. Six of them are celibate monks that I've approached about having children. So far they've declined, for reasons I can easily understand. Seven are extremely violent, right up there with Caspian on a sick-o meter and the mortal women wouldn't be safe even with the compulsion I inserted. Of the three remaining Immortals, one is a drooling vegetable from a pre-Immortal injury, another's a shaman that's traveling through the Amazon on a personal quest, and then there's me. We're a couple of centuries from having any more fertile Immortals to contribute to the gene pool."

Oh. Her thoughts of healthy Immortal babies just needing to find good homes with loving Immortal parents dissolved into wishful images. She was silent for several long moments as she thought about what Methos had told her. In curiosity she asked, "How many children do you have?"

"Right now I have just over thirty sons and daughters and about three hundred grand or great grand children. I'm capable of producing an Immortal child once a month. The others would be less prolific, maybe one a year."

Methos had the computer put up a list of all of the Immortals and the family lines they came from. Cassandra scanned the list, surprised at some of the names she saw in the Blue line that indicated they were Methos'.

"I'm telling you this so that you can understand my hesitations about baby Immortals. It took a lot of effort by three very special, determined women to convince me that it could work for the two babies you saw; the Shaman is the father of the third. I'd be happy to give you Immortal names and backgrounds if you still think there's something you can do, but I can't see any acceptable options and I won't pressure the others."

Having said everything he was going to say about the subject, Methos gave Cassandra a tour of the building. When they were finished, he took them back to the garage of her hotel. With a simple 'Goodbye', Methos and Duncan left.

Cassandra returned to her room, her mind spinning with what she'd seen and heard. She could try talking with the six mature Priests; perhaps use the Voice on the seven violent mature Immortals. But Methos was right, it didn't look hopeful. She could understand his hesitations and respected that he wouldn't procreate on command anymore.

Her thoughts returned to Methos. He was so different from the image she'd held in her mind for millennia. There was no way she was going to forgive him for what he'd done to her and her people. That was too deep a wound for her to overlook, but she felt she could finally believe that he was no longer Death the Horseman. The afternoon's conversation had convinced her that he wasn't a danger to the world anymore.

Cassandra sighed. There wasn't much she could do now but return home.

As Duncan and Methos reached the Dojo, Duncan put a comforting hand on Methos' shoulder. "I understand what you were trying to tell me on Gaea, what you were showing me and Cassandra today. I'm sorry Methos. There was no way I could have understood before today."

Methos nodded. Duncan watched as several emotions flashed across Methos' ancient eyes. Unable to find the words he was apparently looking for, Methos just shook his head. "I need some time alone, I'm going to take a walk. I'll catch up to you later at Joe's."

Methos turned and slowly walked away from Duncan, his stride slow and meandering. Duncan watched until Methos turned the corner and was gone from view.

Duncan continued to stare in the direction Methos had gone. Duncan flashed back to when O'Rourke had tried to use Joe and Amanda to take Duncan's head. When Duncan had died from a gunshot wound, he'd had a dream, something that had never happened to him during an Immortal death. In his dream, Fitz and repeatedly said "Look up MacLeod, Look up!" Duncan distinctly remembered that the first thing that he'd seen upon reviving was Methos' face. Dazed, Duncan had asked where he was, unable to separate the dream from waking. After explaining they were in Paris and that Methos had saved him, though he'd gotten him shot, Methos had casually said that you had to take the rough with the smooth.

You take the rough with the smooth. Simple words. Wise words. True words.

As silent as the sun rising, as unstoppable as the tide, Methos had become an important part of Duncan's life. Methos had risked everything to bring back Duncan safe and whole from the terrible Dark Quickening; risked his head, his last hours with Alexa, even his very soul. It hadn't taken a Light Quickening to make Methos a good man; he'd done that on his own.



Continued in Best Laid Plans – 6

Hope I'm not dragging this out too much for you! (Snicker snicker!)

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