Epilogue

The planet was lush and green on the poles and slightly arid along the equator. It was small – barely big enough to even be considered a planet – and it was completely uninhaited by anything larger than a small horse-looking creature that was the premier predator, but it was perfect as far as Melony and Talon were concerned. Melonyville was a good planet for a secret base, but this planet was going to e her base of operations, and here was where she was meeting the leaders of her army for the first time.

She was standing on a grassy knoll, her 5'9 inch frame dwarfed by the massive Jaffa warrior standing at her side. Tao was impassive, but she knew him well enough to know that he was very satisfied with what he was seeing. She had to admit that she was, too.

750 plus Jaffa were ranged out in front of her and her first prime. Not all of them were first primes that had been taken over from the shattered system lords, but a lot of them were. The majority were. The rest were the ranking Jaffa of those system lords who had died with their first primes on their ships as well. These would control her armies, and all of them were waiting to hear what their Goddess would demand of them.

Mitchell turned slightly, looking behind her. The Jaffa didn't know it, but they were in the shadow of the most dangerous little ship in the universe. Well, they would have been, had any of them actually been able to see it. Tao was the only one who knew it was there, and only because he'd been on the planet when she'd arrived. On the bridge of the ship, watching things but unseen by anyone – including Tao – were five spectators.

A week after Mitchell had finally woken for good, she'd left through the Stargate, carrying a pack, and driving one of the ATVs that had been used to save her life so long ago. They'd sent her to Melonyville, and Jack and Brad had both petitioned to go along with her – and were denied. She'd go alone. But she'd be back soon, she promised them.

A week later, she'd shown up at the front gates of Cheyenne Mountain, and had walked in looking tan and far more fit than she had looked when she'd left. When asked how she'd arrived, she'd told them her ship was in orbit around the planet and that she'd 'beamed' herself down using technology that was fairly similar to the transportation devices that Thor and the Asgard tended to use. She told them she couldn't stay long, and this time she'd invited a few people to come with her – for a single trip that wasn't going to take too long, but was definitely important.

Daniel Jackson was sitting in Melony's command chair. The archeologist was still pale, and still sported casts on his arm and leg, but the painful burns on his back and legs had finally healed enough that he was able to get around a bit, and he was the first person Melony had invited to come along. He deserved it, after all. More than anyone. Fraiser hadn't been exactly pleased to allow him to leave her infirmary – she was already incredibly protective of him, but now that the two of them were considering a relationship, she was even more prone to want to keep him close – and Mitchell had had to use pretty much all the persuasion she could to get her to allow him to come. And eventually she had.

Brad was standing behind Daniel, leaning against the chair and watching intently as Melony surveyed her troops. The young Major had been worried that she'd leave him out, but Mitchell knew that Brad deserved a chance to see the fruit of all that had been happening the past 6 months. After all, he'd made his own sacrifices, and Melony knew it.

Beside Daniel, Jack O'Neill was sitting in the co-pilot seat. He was watching just as intently as everyone else, but his hand was thrumming nervously on the arm of his chair. He didn't like having this many Jaffa around him, even if he knew they didn't know he was there. And even if Melony was in complete and utter control of what was going on – and there was no doubt that she was.

Teal'c and Samantha Carter were also there, watching. Teal'c because he'd pulled Mitchell aside and requested that she allow him to watch as the future of his people was explained to them – the majority of them, anyways. He wanted to see what she had in mind for them. Sam was there because the rest of SG-1 was, and it didn't seem fair to leave her standing at home when the others were coming. Besides, she could check out the technology of the little ship first hand on the way to the rendezvous planet.

As they watched, Mitchell nodded her head slightly to Tao, and the First Prime raised his hand. All the Jaffa were instantly still, watching and waiting. Mitchell stepped forward, but Talon was the one who spoke.

"My Jaffa... a change has swept through the ranks of the system lords. A change that has been needed for a long time, now. You Jaffa have been used for a long time to fight the battles of others. Battles that for the most part have held little or no honor. Battles and ambushes on the people who your former masters would have on their knees in front of them, groveling in fear.

"There is no honor in this. No honor for you. No honor for the system lord. How much honor does it take to kill a simple villager who is carrying no weapon? How much honor do you gain enslaving a person who has nothing to begin with? These days are over."

She was silent for a moment, giving them a chance to think about what she'd said. Most of them had been party to killing or enslaving entire towns and villages, and Mitchell knew the Jaffa well enough to know that they didn't enjoy such things. Not all of them, did, anyways. Not even most of them did. As she'd said, there was no honor in doing such things. They'd done them because their Gods had demanded it of them. But Melony had other demands to make of them, now.

"From now on, the Jaffa armies under my control will be a powerful force," she said, firmly. "They will protect those weaker than them. They will build up those around them, instead of tearing them down. Which is more honorable; to kill a villager or to protect them from those who are more powerful? Which will bring you more satisfaction? Good men do good deeds, and you are all good. If you weren't, you wouldn't be standing here in front of me."

That wasn't completely true, of course. These were the lucky ones who hadn't been killed in the take-over, but Melony and Talon both knew that appealing to their honor was the best way to get through to the Jaffa, and that what they were implementing would be wildly popular with these people, because honor was everything to them.

There were nods all around, and many shocked looks. Also, however, there were smiles on the faces of those who had already figured out what she was telling them. No more killing for no reason. No more slaughtering of innocents. These were things that had left a bad taste in the mouths of the Jaffa, and now their new Goddess was telling them that they left a bad taste in her mouth as well, and she wouldn't be requiring it of them. This was a good change! The murmurs began, and Mitchell allowed them to continue for a long moment before she raised her hand for silence.

"You are the leaders of my army. I expect you to be examples for the people who look up to you. If you have a problem, you will bring it to Tao, who will bring it to me. You have all sworn to uphold my commands without knowing what I wanted from you. Now that you know what I demand of my Jaffa, I will give anyone who desires it the chance to change their oath and leave my service."

She paused again, but no one made a sound. Most of them were more than willing to follow her and those few that weren't sure would soon either be swayed or would soon be excused from her army by Tao – who would watch over the army closely for Mitchell.

"She's very smooth," Daniel murmured from his chair on the bridge of the little ship. They'd all been able to hear quite plainly what was being said, and they could see the responses of the Jaffa ranged out around them.

Jack nodded.

"She always has been."

"Things are definitely not going to be the same, are they?" Sam asked, her hand resting on Teal'c's shoulder. The big Jaffa was half-tempted to join Mitchell's army himself. Just because he liked what she was proposing so much. Of course, his oaths were elsewhere, so he wouldn't, but he would let her know that if she needed his services, he'd come willingly.

"They are not," Teal'c agreed. "They will be better."

The Jaffa were the premier race of fighters in the known universe, and with them in such capable hands, Teal'c had no doubts about the future of his people.

As they watched, Mitchell dismissed the Jaffa leaders, sending them back to the ships they came in on and reminding them to contact her and Tao if there were any problems. There wouldn't be, though. She knew it. Tao knew it. The hard part was over, and the building could begin.

Mitchell gave Tao his final orders as well, and then watched as he boarded his own ship – one that was going to soon be delivering his family to this new planet that he would pretty much be in charge of. More Jaffa and their families would come, and then more, and soon – within the next few years – this empty planet would be a thriving colony. Mitchell smiled, and felt a smug satisfaction from within, as Talon watched the beginning of the end of Goa'uld oppression.

When the planet was deserted once more, Mitchell walked over to the ship and slid her finger along the device on her wrist. It wouldn't do to crash headfirst into it just because she couldn't see it, after all. A second later, it came into view and she smiled. Jack had named her ship for her – and to cement that name, he'd painted it on the side of the ship the minute she'd introduced him to the security system so he could get close to it.

Fuglier.

Ah, well.

She waited for the hatch to open, then climbed on board and joined the others on the bridge. It was crowded, but comfortable, and Jack got up so Daniel could take his seat and relinquish Melony's to her.

"Well done, hotshot."

She smiled, and touched Brad's hand just for a moment as she walked past him and sat down in her command chair.

"Thanks, Jack. It's not completely finished, but it's a good start."

They felt vibrations through the powerful ship when she started up the engines, and those that weren't seated braced themselves slightly for take off, even though the inertia dampeners were doing their job and no one was jostled.

"Where to, now?" Daniel asked, wondering if she had more to do just then.

"Home." Melony said, sighing and leaning back in her chair just a little. It felt like she'd been awake for days.

"Got a trip to South Dakota to make?" Jack asked, smiling.

"Something like that."

She had a lot to do. Spend time with Brad. Work on getting a start on the defenses that she had planned for the earth. Spend time with Brad. Maybe see about getting Jack to finally have that talk with Major Carter that he'd been putting off for far too long. Spend time with Brad. Maybe attend a wedding – of course, that depended on Janet Fraiser and Daniel Jackson, but she was pretty sure that relationship was going to work.

[You're like your own personal dating service] Talon said, teasing her.

Hey, it's not my fault I want to see the people around me as happy as I am.

[Are you happy?]

She looked around her little ship, which was full almost to bursting with people. More importantly, it was filled with people she loved.

Are you kidding? Things couldn't be better.

[They could] Talon said, giving a mental chuckle. [And someday they will. That was the whole point of what we've done]

I look forward to it.

[Me too. Let's go home, hotshot]

She smiled and palmed the thrusters toggle, and the little ship took off. On the bridge, the people started to make themselves comfortable, and Mitchell reached into a pouch next to her chair and pulled out a small packet, which she tossed over to Daniel, who caught it easily.

"What's that?" Brad asked, sitting down on the floor next to her chair, where he could be close to her and still be out of the way.

"Coffee." Daniel said, getting awkwardly to his feet and heading for the maker.

Jack smiled. No matter what else was going on in the universe, some things would never change. And he wouldn't change them if he could.

The End

Author's note: So! How'd you like it? I just want to thank those of you that were reading this and were patient with me while I was getting it out. I know it took longer than most of my stories do to finish, but it was fun for me to write and I appreciate the reviews that you kept putting up! I haven't decided if I'm finished with Melony or not – there might be another story or two in her future – but I don't know yet. Let me know what you liked, and what you didn't, because that helps me write a better story next time.