A/N: Thanks to those out there for your kind reviews. Sorry for the delay on this update, but there are only two chapters (might break it to three) after this. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and I hope you like the ending (and twists, in general).
Teal'c narrowed his eyes as the glare on the bright copper pot flared. The young boy carrying it looked ridiculously small for the task; tottering his way down the street with the oversized cooking vessel firmly enveloped. In spite of this, his grip remained sure and he continued along the teeming street with brow set in concentration, hurriedly withdrawing from the square. Smells of cooking food, fruits and game flowed freely from the restaurants, and stands surrounding the bustling marketplace. People churned around the stationary post that was Teal'c like eddies in a stream, filling the air with an endless supply of chatter and laughter. Teal'c loosened his grip on his staff weapon, pinching it loosely between his thumb and forefinger, sliding his hand down to rest on the trigger. Seeing this, these people—these jaffa; it is most satisfying, indeed. Teal'c smiled broadly, and then did something he couldn't remember having done before, something he didn't believe he would ever have in him—he sighed in abject contentment.
Cronus had abandoned this community of jaffa here millennia earlier after withdrawing from this region of space. The jaffa had been left amongst the abandoned human slaves as a… a fifth column, as the Tau'ri put it, to ensure that naquadah collection would continue after his departure and to prevent any resistance should he return. That return, though, had never occurred. Without a supply of symbiotes, these jaffa lived the duration of their lives without developing a dependence on goa'uld larva, though they were as vulnerable as any other being for it. Over time, they had endured plagues, floods, quakes and fires; enough calamity to shake their confidence in the all-seeing eye of Cronus. Their faith that had held in his absence for a thousand years was eventually shaken. They had released the humans from captivity, and the two cultures had built a peaceful society together. In truth, it was more accurate to say that the two societies coexisted and interacted, but were otherwise separate.
The jaffa city, and the outlying settlements, was clustered around the stargate; the human settlements some distance away. The jaffa had kept their unique culture, but developed a way of life free from the desire for, in fact deep disdain for, the false gods. So much so, that they had even studied the stargate as a technological and an archeological relic, and the arrival here of SGC personnel had been greeted with a mixture of caution, curiosity and excitement. They had developed an instant rapport with these people, trading information about their history for that of the greater jaffa rebellion—a fact about which they could not have been happier. Contact with the human culture had been more scant, and recent. Teal'c was still reserving judgment there.
General O'Neill had come with SG-1 and SG-5 to meet leaders from both peoples and to negotiate a trade agreement… for the mammoth stockpile of ancient naquadah that still existed. O'Neill's childlike enthusiasm at acquiring the glut of ore was… amusing to the point of distraction. Even a discreetly intensified boxing session had failed to curb his enthusiasm; not that Teal'c would injure his friend in an attempt to reduce his cloying gloat—more than once, at any rate. Hopefully the business of actually negotiating the material's acquisition would have the dampening effect he could not achieve. For the time being, Teal'c was content to spend time amongst these jaffa, learning from and speaking to them. To his mind, this society was what all jaffa should strive toward; and, in spite of their isolation, they had remained formidable warriors. A group of chak'ti on their way to bashaak, drew near, the cacophony of their staves beating in time with their steps through the market. The young boys ground to a halt before him, gawking at his presence. He allowed himself a small smile as one of the boys smacked the one in the lead with in the ankle with his staff. With a start, he nodded and the group bowed before him in respect. Teal'c returned the gesture as they scrambled onward.
Watching them continue, Teal'c rubbed his brow furtively. These jaffa had not branded themselves in many generations, however knowledge of the practice and it's practical aspects had survived. Finding himself among them without more pressing matters at hand—such as their survival—he had availed himself of their generosity and had the gold seal removed from his forehead. The feel of the breeze on his full face or sweat across his brow was an alien, though welcome sensation. In that vein, he spied a member of SG-5 walk into the market a distance away, halting just at the edge of the open area. He was dressed identically to Teal'c, in green field kit, carrying a staff weapon of his own. The man's face turned through the crowd, searching. Teal'c felt no need to make his presence known—he would be found soon enough. The man's eyes wandered through the crowd, finally locking with his own. With a grin, he called out over the crowd. "Father!"
Ry'ac slowly plied his way though the mass of people, narrowly avoiding a screeching gaggle of young children that an old man was chasing away to play elsewhere—anywhere but the area surrounding the cart bearing his goods. This was his first mission with SG-5 and the first time that Teal'c had been at his son's side through the stargate since the younger man had made the decision to move to Earth. In many ways, he was a younger reflection of himself; his face, the staff weapon and the BDUs an odd match. The sight of it on his son was… alien. His decision had been a difficult one, and Teal'c had tried to remove himself from it, leaving his son to choose his own path. It was important that Ry'ac find for himself the best way to serve the jaffa, and the alliance, cause given all that had happened recently. Now, though, with Ry'ac entering his second month as a member of the SGC, Teal'c felt a certain unabashed pride. Pride, not only that his son had chosen the same path as he, but that he had seen the wisdom and strength of that path, making his home on the same world as his father. Ry'ac's services had been accepted with gratitude; he had the respect and admiration of those with whom he served; he had earned a place on one of the SGC's coveted advance teams and, most importantly, the situation seemed to greatly agree with both Ry'ac and Teal'c's daughter-in-law.
Teal'c smiled as his son managed to sidle up next to him after breaking through a loud throng of old men arguing over a petty wager. "Kel sha, my son."
Ry'ac returned a sideways smile. "Kel sha, father." His smile deepened. "You appear to be lost."
"I am, in fact, exactly where I intend to be." Teal'c crossed his free arm over his elbow. "Earlier, I spoke to several elders and was on my way to join O'Neill in the negotiations. What brings you here?"
"General O'Neill asked if I would open the stargate so that he could send a message to the SGC."
"I have been near the gate for some time. Would not it have been simpler for me to do this?"
A sly smile spread over Ry'ac's face. "I believe it would have, father. However," Ry'ac reached over to his crossed wrist and lifted the sleeve, pressing a button on the translucent blue surface. "I believe this device must be activated to function correctly. Though, my experience with Tau'ri technology is still limited—it is possible that I am in error." A small squawk of static issued from the minute speaker on his vest as the radio synchronized itself to the encryption on the channel they were using. It was a flaw that Colonel Carter promised would be resolved immediately. The sound would be an unacceptable liability in battle but the other features of the new radios, including the built-in GDO, made them worth the temporary inconvenience.
"Indeed, you are correct," Teal'c said through a bare smile. However… in spite of Ry'ac's humor and relaxed manner, the remainder of his body betrayed him. It was subtle; perhaps only a he or Kar'yn would have noticed. He gripped his weapon warily, and his jaw muscles never fully joined the remainder of his face in levity. Obviously, something troubles the boy. Teal'c took a step forward, gripping his own weapon more seriously and raised an eyebrow. To his son's credit, he did not require further prompting.
"O'Neill does not trust the human leader, Symons. He said that Symons gave him… 'a bad vibe'."
Teal'c felt his own jaw set. O'Neill's instincts about people were very good, and rarely incorrect. A thought, though, crossed his mind. "What of the others who were in attendance?"
"Myself, Lieutenant Morgan and Doctor Jackson also agreed. Major Rand says he is hiding something but is not certain it pertains to the negotiations. The general requested that we… discreetly increase our observations."
"Indeed." There would have been far greater value in spending the balance of my time observing the humans and not indulging my… vanity. A small sound interrupted Teal'c's self-flagellation.
Ry'ac's radio beeped softly on his wrist. He reached out and depressed the VOX switch. "SG-5, niner, SG-5, two check in," Rand's disembodied voice asked.
"SG-5, two checking in. I am here Kyle," Ry'ac replied.
"Ry, I'm might need some backup. Bring your dad too, if you found him."
Ry'ac looked down at his wrist, flipping through a series of functions. "I have your position. We are on our way." Before he could heft his weapon to move, the voice called back. Teal'c didn't bother to check his own as it would have taken him a moment to switch to from SG-1 to SG-5 locator signals.
"Come up through the woods, not the ravine. And Ry?"
"Yes Kyle," Ry'ac said shooting his father a concerned look.
"Make it quiet."
"Understood," Ry'ac said after a pause.
Teal'c exchanged a quick look with his son before the pair silently slipped out of the bustling market. It was extremely strange for them to be called in such a way. The peculiar commander of SG-5 rarely did anything conventionally, but what he did was usually with good reason. Like O'Neill, his instincts were usually correct. Teal'c felt the cords of his neck tighten slightly.
They had learned many routes through this town, and were able to make their way out of it without drawing an excess of notice. By the time they made their way into the forest; the chill of the open air had descended completely, whistling through the skeletal trees and thickening the black mud to near freezing. The iron gray sky further shaded itself as they approached a wooded ridge. Beyond must be the ravine that Rand had mentioned.
They approached in silence, with Ry'ac occasionally checking their bearings. Far from any trod paths, the layers of dried leaves and shed branches grew thick as they neared the peak of the rise, slowing their progress. As they neared the top, they could see the wintry valley below, set in black mud, bare stands of trees and dry, brown grass. At the edge of a cliff drop-off to the ravine, they found a peculiarly arrayed mound of leaves. From a distance it could have easily been mistaken for a natural feature—excluding, of course, the exposed black sword hilt protruding into the dismal afternoon. Major, or Lieutenant Commander Kyle Rand lay prone, peering out over the valley. His distinctive sword was slung in its sheath across his back. Ry'ac blithely rolled his eyes at the sight. Despite the assurances of others, he was still most doubtful as to the use of such a weapon. He shall learn quickly, Teal'c thought with a mischievous smile.
Rand's sharp copper eyes were focused at something far across the ravine. Teal'c knelt beside him. "What have you found," he asked.
Rand sighed and jerked his chin outward. Teal'c drew his binoculars and peered out. "Midway to the tree line, straight ahead."
There… the portion of land indicated. The soil was discolored and smooth. "This area has been recently disturbed. It is quite large."
Ry'ac knit his brow, glancing between Rand and the area indicated. "You do not require," he held out his hand inquisitively, "binoculars?"
"He does not," Teal'c answered, stepping on his son's words. "Of what are you concerned?" He shifted to rest an elbow on his bended knee.
Rand looked to Ry'ac, who had been looking out through his own binoculars. "Ry, you remember our first visit?"
"Indeed, I do."
"Look… I don't know, twenty degrees to the left. Notice anything?"
Ry'ac's eyes widened slightly as he pivoted his body. "Was there not a village here?"
"Yeah." Rand smacked his lips softly.
Teal'c looked to Kyle with swift alarm. He rolled over half way, shedding his layer of leaves. He fished into the cargo pocket along his leg, his hand withdrawing a brittle, white mass, passing it over to the senior jaffa warrior. Teal'c knit his bare brow—with a start he tried to pull his attention away from the strange feeling on his face and back to the matter at hand. The material smelt oddly and felt strange. Ry'ac sampled the material himself, breaking the mass into powder between his fingers. Teal'c turned back, noting the mild look of disgust penetrating Rand's neutral mask. "What is this substance?"
Rand rolled up to sit on his haunches. "It's called quicklime," he said with a sigh.
It was an unfamiliar word: quick… lime. Why the concern? "What its use?"
Rand paused, his brazen eyes staring unblinkingly. After a moment, they softened a modicum. "It's a caustic compound. There are plenty of decent uses for it but it's most notoriously used to speed decomposition."
The connection was made. Teal'c narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw, the latter popping softly in the whipping wind. "You believe the village was razed, and the residents placed in a mass grave."
Ry'ac dropped beside them. "Why would anyone do such a thing?" He snapped his head toward himself and Rand.
Rand bit his inner cheek thoughtfully. "Oh, lots of reasons; none of them sane."
"Do you believe this is what the humans have been hiding?"
Rand turned his hat around backwards. "I'm starting to think so." He shook his head and swore under his breath.
Teal'c's eyes darted over the area. "How could they conceal a crime such as this?"
Rand reached down and tapped the nearly frozen ground. "Winter's practically here. There's going to be hardly any travel between these outlying villages and the main city," he jabbed his thumb back over his shoulder in the city's direction. "Eliminate the village and most people won't even notice something that small out here is gone."
"Those that do will have neither the weather nor the supplies to look further into it, or alert others. This seems likely to me as well." Teal'c ground his heel into the mud, allowing his lower body to expend his rage on the thickening concretion. "You do not appear greatly surprised."
Kyle brushed the remaining quicklime off his gloved hand, smacking it against his knee. "No, it's not that, but this isn't my first dance, T."
Ry'ac raised an eyebrow in exasperation. "How does this relate to dancing?"
Teal'c shot his son a glance. "It is a Tau'ri euphemism meant to convey experience with the situation at hand."
"I understand." The disgust filtering across Ry'ac's face was palpable. "How shall we proceed?"
Rand bobbed his head. "No, we can't. We need to be careful, though; keep this off the radio and talk to the general face-to-face."
Ry'ac balked. "Surely we cannot allow this to continue."
Teal'c turned toward him. "We will not. However, Major Rand is correct. We do not yet know if all the humans of this world are involved, or merely a faction." This is beginning to try my patience. Ry'ac is a skilled, experienced warrior, but he must learn to trust the Tau'ri as I have. Teal'c was forced to remind himself that he had had much to learn about their ways himself. Unlike him, until recently Ry'ac had spent little extended time amongst these humans. Fortunately, his teammates and O'Neill appeared to realize this as well, and were using these opportunities to teach and share. He is learning—and understanding—and seems to grow more comfortable and enthusiastic in the process. However, the process is… difficult. A flash of motion interrupted his thoughts, and he was apparently not alone.
"Father…"
"I see." Teal'c watched through his binoculars as a small jaffa child ran through one of the stands of trees at the bottom of the ravine. A single human in gray uniform was in pursuit, brandishing a weapon and a determined look on his face. The echo of a young girl's scream crossed the distance, assailing his ears. He chanced a glance at Rand, who was lifting his marksman's rifle to his shoulder.
He turned a knob on the scope. The device clicked three times and he sighted down the weapon. "I've got him." Rand's body relaxed and his breathing paused.
Teal'c looked back down his binoculars, wary of what he may see. The girl was slipping in the mud. Her dress, whatever color it had originally been, was brown with dried dirt near the top and soiled with damp black mud at the hem. She was slipping, crying out as she came to the churned-up section of soil and her footing failed her. The soldier paused and took aim with his weapon. A shot sounded, echoing through the small valley with angry fervor, like a thunderclap. The soldier dropped the rifle, and slid to the ground, planting his face in the mire; his limp limbs twisted akimbo. As his body settled, his head lolled to rest, exposing the missing section of the man's braincase to their view. The girl's howls of grief and fear drifted on the rising wind. Teal'c's blood pressure rose, but he lowered the device in his hands, not needing to view the display of gore.
Teal'c turned to watch Kyle, the flurry of emotions running behind his copper eyes. Snow was gently beginning to fall in fat flakes; those that fell on the extended barrel of his rifle melted instantly on the still-hot surface. With a slight pause, he slung the weapon and turned toward him on the balls of his feet. "Why don't you guys repel down and get her. I'll stay here, cover you."
Ry'ac turned on his heels, to face his commander, a look of total respect in his eyes, at long last. "Shall we return her to the city?"
Kyle nodded. "Yeah. I'll report to the general, we'll meet up there." Rand met Teal'c's eyes, implicitly seeking approval.
Teal'c nodded. "Very well. You will not accompany us," he asked as he and Ry'ac assembled their equipment and drove their pitons into some of the available stone.
Rand blew a stream of air out through his nose. "She probably witnessed what happened down there, and watched the back of a man's head explode. Humans did that. She isn't going to want to see a human face any time soon." He tipped a fake salute as they positioned themselves on the edge.
Ry'ac nodded and together they made their way down the cliff face in silence. The snow was beginning to quicken its fall by the time they reached the floor of the ravine. Near the cliff, the ground was rocky and broken. Quickly and cautiously, they crossed a small, frozen stream, making their way into the muddy field, guided by the horrible cries of the child. As they neared the stand of trees, the cries reduced to a sob. They hastened further, driving themselves forward, past the discarded body of the soldier that had been hunting her like wild game. They came upon the girl: her deep brown eyes staring vacantly into the distance, still against her muddied olive face that was being cleansed by the tracks of her fast falling tears. Her dark, sullied curls were gathered about her face, serenely catching the falling snow.
Ry'ac knelt, quickly withdrawing an emergency blanket from his vest. He shook the reflective material out, clenching it from being carried off on the wind. Teal'c walked over and helped him secure the blanket and quickly enveloped the child. He withdrew a pair of hand warmers from his equipment and moved to place them near major arteries, fearful she would be entering hypothermia. At his direct touch she seemed to notice him for the first time, cringing.
Teal'c took her chin and spoke softly, lightening his deep baritone voice. "You have nothing to fear. I swear that no harm will come to you." After a moment's pause, she nodded her assent, her eyes taking on a semblance of life, once more. He activated and placed the warmers and wrapped the blanket tightly around her, scooping her into his arms. With a sob, she curled against him into a ball, burying her face in his shoulder; she became but a small parcel in his massive arms. She was silent, but he could feel the gentle sobs coursing through her. The conflict between pity and rage within him was echoed in Ry'ac's face. Ry'ac soothed her, gently stroking her neck with the back of his hand, as the two of them exchanged expressions of naked fury contrasted with the gentleness of their hands.
She jumped and froze as Ry'ac's wrist radio issued its annoying tone, carrying Rand's voice after it. "I told you. I haven't seen any jaffa since this morning, in town. I thought they were out here, but… well, it's not the first time I've been wrong. Looks like they've all run away." Teal'c and Ry'ac looked back toward the bluff. A number of gray figures surrounded Rand and, even from this distance, it was obvious that they had weapons trained on him. His hands were held high in the air. His voice no longer carried on the communications device, but the occasional tone and inflection echoed across the open area.
Ry'ac removed his hand and gripped his staff weapon. "Father, he cannot be asking that we leave."
With a flash of speed, Kyle dropped his hands. A glint of steel caught the gray light as he vaulted over a number of the soldiers. Rand was leaping high over the area, dropping the nearest enemy before he took to the air again. It was impossible to see any detail form here, but he accelerated to his full speed sparingly, doing so only when the party of soldiers fired on him. Teal'c permitted himself a grim smile. Weapons of that kind were ineffective, both against and by someone when the person in question is fully capable of moving faster than the projectile they fire; hence, the sword. Today, the gift from the Tok'ra was proving its worth in battle. He cut down each of the men one by one in blurs of extreme velocity. However… he is doing so far too sparingly. He has defeated larger groups of better-armed opponents before, and more swiftly. Teal'c knew that moving at full speed was difficult for him; it required concentration and was immensely draining on his strength. He was fighting in such a way as to conserve that strength, either to face a much larger enemy than was apparent or… as an intentional diversion. Or both.
Ry'ac seemed to be thinking as he, scanning the horizon swiftly. There: a small vibration in the ground and sound from the opposite end of the ravine. It grew in intensity and pitch until it seemed to slow and quiet. Teal'c did not need to see to understand: vehicles and troops. They were watching the battle on the bluff as he and Ry'ac were. His neck muscles tensed in anger as he looked down at the shivering bundle in his arms. "We must go—quickly."
Ry'ac set his jaw. "Go with her father. I will not leave Major Rand to face these hashaak alone."
Teal'c shifted his gaze back to the bluff. Rand was moving in full form now, his blade swirling around the mass of gray surrounding him as it grew at an alarming rate. The rumbling began anew. "I feel as you, but I cannot carry and protect this child alone. Major Rand has purchased time for our escape." Teal'c locked eyes with his son. "Do not make his efforts fruitless." With a terse nod, Ry'ac recovered both staff weapons and they began the dash across the field, to the safety of cover in the forest. Avoiding the mass of boulders and moss, Teal'c paused before diving into the brambles, turning back toward the cliff.
Shifting the precious cargo in his arms, he withdrew his binoculars and focused them on the area of his interest. Rand's sword stuck in the soil at his side and a double ring of soldiers, weapons trained inescapably at him, had surrounded him. Rand was breathing heavily and shuddering, clearly exhausted and overexerted. One of the soldiers, an officer from his appearance, stepped forward. He seemed to speak something, to which Rand appeared to laugh with a sarcastic grin. The officer then drew his sidearm, pointed it at Rand's head, and fired. The weapon's violent call echoed through the ravine, seeming to sustain for an eternity. Kyle Rand's body slumped to the ground and rolled down the cliff, bounced off the face and crashed into the frozen stream in the ravine below. It shattered the layer of ice and sent a spout of water into the air, brightly reflecting in the dying afternoon light.
