As soon as the rings were safely disengaged, Ray took off towards the ship's auto-doctor. The auto-doc functioned much the same way as the healing device, but could get deeper and heal more serious wounds. Once someone with a symbiote keyed it on, it stayed on, releasing the joined person from having to stay connected to the machine. It was not, however, a sarcophagus. There was no soul-stripping Goa'uld technology in this ship, no sir-ee bob.
Ray began getting Major Carter settled in the auto-doc, and then noticed that he'd lost his shadow. Glancing behind him he saw the Jaffa child standing very still, hands tight around the butt of the zat. The object of his consternation sat quietly, head cocked to the side with curiosity. Ray grinned.
"R ya'c, son of Teal'c, meet Franklin, son of Diefenbaker."
The white wolf barked.
Rya'c almost shot him.
Ray took pity on the kid and called off his dog. "C'mere, Frank." Franklin trotted over and looked up at Ray questioningly. Behind him Ray could feel Rya'c breathing easier. He ruffled the wolf's fur, glancing sideways at the taut face of his young shadow.
"Be nice." He told the wolf sharply. "Dief's gonna ask us about you when we get home, and you don't want that kind of trouble."
Frank barked and laid his head on Ray's knee.
"Go ahead." Ray told Rya'c. "Look around."
Rya'c ducked his head a little, considering, then he moved off through the hold, examining things and taking stock of his surroundings.
Major Carter was in the machine, tucked away all nice and neat. For a wound of that depth it would probably take at least ten to fifteen minutes to get the thing healed completely. Ray continued to pet Franklin.
Near the back door of the scout-ship's hold, a dark-haired man sat at one of the ship's seats, his immaculate gray suit oddly contrasting with the dark metal and scuffed silver around him. At his feet sat a lithe blonde man, wearing black pants, a black turtleneck, and a shoulder holster with the dark butt of a gun poking out of it. The dark-haired man smiled down at his partner and rubbed his hand over the cross strap of the holster, massaging the blond man's back.
I keep telling him he doesn't need this, being dead and all, but I think he just f eels undressed without it.
Ray grinned. Napoleon Solo had carried his symbiote Shir before him, and the fact that his ghost continued to hang around tickled Ray's sense of humor. He still wasn't sure why Napoleon and his partner Illya Kuryakin both appeared to him, when Fraser was the one who was carrying the symbiote Illya was once joined to. But when he asked Illya, the blond ghost simply rolled his eyes. Napoleon had answered the question by saying that Illya obviously wanted Ray's body.
Ray sor t of hoped that that had been a joke, although he and Illya had had some major sparkage before the spy's death.
Then again, that might be one good reason for Illya to steer clear of Fraser right there.
The boy is brave. Illya was watching the kid, his ice blue eyes strangely gentle. He deserves to know what's going on. And it would be the best strategic move for you and Benton as well.
Rya'c disappeared into the cockpit. Ray kept an eye on the door.
"What'dya mean? I should...what? Tell him everything? I mean" he looked sharply at the two men before looking back at the door to the small scout's cockpit, "you want I should just lay it all out?"
Illya looked straight at him and nodded, then looked up at Napoleon who was thinking it over.
I agree. Napoleon said s lowly. He looked at Ray and tilted his head slightly. By committing to helping the soldiers down there you have exposed our entire operation to possible scrutiny from the US Military and, if your not careful, US Intel ligence. The FBI, the CIA and, in p articular, the NID would be overjoyed to get their hands on this technology, and you still have living relatives in the US.
Illya picked up the warning. Napasha is correct. You will need to control the information that the soldiers take back. The child is the perfect vehicle. Explain things to him. He will become, perforce, your champion on Earth.
And he has de facto diplomatic immunity. Napoleon capped the argument. No one would dare try to take him from his father, and I'l l just bet the members of their organization have had their run-ins with the NID at the very least. They'll close ranks to protect him.
Rya'c poked his head back in. Oblivious to the considered regard of two non-corporeal ex-spies, he came forward, e yes alight at the wonders of the small craft. Ray leaned against the auto-doc, looking at him and slowly petting his wolf.
"Hey Frank," Ray murmured, without taking his eyes off the young Jaffa, "you up to taking a group through the Gate?"
Franklin barked twice.
"Greatness. Let me get a hold of Frase."
Illya Kuryakin, the acerbic Russian currently leaning against his partner's knee, had been Fraser and Ray's mentor in all things guerilla during the last part of his life. He had also been something o f an electronics and science whiz during his stint as an U.N.C.L.E. agent, and with the help of his symbiote -- among others -- he had created these fabulous little communicators. They fit snugly in one's ear Ñ good for running and shooting Ñ and they cou ld pick up even the quietest sub-vocalizations. Which was good for hiding and fleeing.
Ray keyed his comm. "Yo, Frase. Where you at?"
"We've taken over the Gate room, Ray. The Jaffa are gone, presumably headed ba ck to one of their bases, but the ordinary people are confused. We need time to sort them all out - get them all back to their respective planets. But I'm not sure how long we can keep this many people here without being discovered."
"I think I got a solution to that. We can send them to P-6 like we planned."
"Ray, our people at Purgatory 6 will take it somewhat amiss should a mass of unidentified refugees start pouring through the gate. Without someone to explain the situation, I fear a possibly leth al miscommunication."
"Yeah, that's why we send Franklin with 'em. Everyone knows the wolf. If Frank's with 'em, they'll know we sent 'em." Ray glanced back at Franklin. Franklin barked. "Frank thinks it's a good plan."
"Franklin thinks the Starg ate is a theme park attraction." Fraser sighed. "All right, Ray. It's the best plan we have at the moment."
"Greatness. Leave Seleen and Dion - and can I just say, they're so gonna need code names if they're staying with us - leave them some weapons and go to the ring site. Major Carter is in the auto-doc, basting away. I can't leave her. I'll ring the wolf down."
Ray's voice became very serious. "Frase, you gotta hurry. You gotta get to that Dr. Jackson guy. He's way too pretty. Vosk has psychotic glee comin' outta his pores, and tha t is never a good thing."
"Understood, Ray. I'm leaving now to get to the ring site. Give me thirty seconds, then ring Franklin down. I'll send off the villagers through the Stargate, then I'll track Dr. Jackson down." Fraser's voice was tight. Former hosts of both Trev'van and Shir had had bad experiences with Vosk, Trev'van in particular.
"I believe your assessment to be frighteningly accurate. Dr. Daniel Jackson is indeed in serious trouble."