Rating:PG-13
Chapter 17 - Sides
January 2005,camp of the free Jaffa nation
A small splinter of wood fell to the grass which covered the surroundings of the Jaffa's camp. In a few seconds it was joined by another one and in one minute there was a whole loaf of them. Buffy was sitting on a stump, holding a knife and fully concentrating on the piece of material in front of her. A simple form, yet an object of great significance. Finishing it was so important she refused to join Bra'tac and Ry'ak on their visit to SGC. She didn't know why she needed this piece of wood with a sharp end, but she was sure about it's purpose. It was a weapon.
Buffy studied her creation and frowned, wrinkles forming on her forehead. She remembered this strange weapon from a dream she had in Colorado. It was used to kill something inhuman. Something evil. Buffy put the stake into a holster on her right leg and returned to the gate where a lunch was prepared. She had hunted down a rilon the previous day and the meat from this almost hundred kilograms weighing animal will give them enough food for the whole week. Buffy knew she better be there in time. The others couldn't start eating until she was present because the rilon was her quarry and it would be rude to let them wait too long. As she approached the bonfire, the incomparable smell of roasted meat hit her keen senses. Buffy took a huge steak from the cook and officially started the feast.
Everyone was so busy with their meal that Buffy was the first to notice the gate's symbols have lit up and the wormhole established. Buffy instinctively reached for her staff weapon. She knew it was too soon for Bra'tac to return from Tauri. The other Jaffa took positions on her left and they all waited for the visitors to appear. Not three seconds later soldiers with an unknown symbol on their foreheads began to emerge from the event horizon and opened fire at Buffy's group. Buffy soon realized they were seriously outnumbered and run for cover to the nearby trees. The five Jaffa who were previously standing next to her didn't follow her example and tried to fight back without success. Other Jaffa hurried from the camp to help but the enemy was getting stronger with every second. There was already at least one hundred soldiers in front of the gate and others were still coming. Buffy knew Bra'tac had only thirty-six warriors in his group including her and with no ships to escape their chances to survive were insignificant. Still hidden behind a tree, she heard the enemy's leader shout at his men.
"Find the slayer!"
Buffy made no reaction for several seconds after this statement, but a keen observer would recognize some kind of change in her features. Her eyes narrowed and a long forgotten fire began to burn in them, her breathing became heavier, small drops of sweat started to appear all over her body and the blood in her veins felt like it was boiling. Buffy began to focus at the soldiers. Her enemies.
Meanwhile, SGC
General Hammond entered his office to find Jack already expecting him. Hammond sat down in his armchair and waited for the colonel to start their conversation.
"So how's Washington?" Jack wasn't sure how to begin. "Is the weather nice?"
"I talked to the president. Privately." Hammond paused and anyone would recognize he made an important decision. "Now that we know the location of the slayer's home world, the president ordered me to use this information to end the conflict and we are allowed to use any measures necessary. You know what it means Jack. Of course the president has officially nothing in common with this operation, that's why I was the one to make the necessary calls. Everything will be ready in a few hours and then I expect SG-1 to carry out this mission."
Jack nodded and gave a soft sigh. "You know general, I've been a soldier for my whole life and I've done many things I'll never be proud of, but this is pushing the boundaries even on my scale. It's not like I don't wish their death for what they did but no matter what will be written in our mission reports, in case we write any, a murder is a murder."
"Believe me I've been thinking the same thoughts on my way here. I came to SGC with certain principles I hold dear and now I'm asked to forget all of them. However we're not here to discuss the value of human lives, we're here to protect out planet and to follow orders, so I expect your team to be prepared in three hours. Dismissed."
Jack left Hammond's office and headed to his own. He called Carter and Daniel and gave them the informations he received from the general. Teal'c was currently in the gym with his son and Bra'tac and Jack decided he'll tell him the news later. He knew Teal'c will probably agree with the plan, so there was no reason to bother him right now. They still had several hours.
"There is another problem Sir." Carter put her laptop on Jack's table and showed him the coordinates they received from his clone. "I compared this location with the Tok'ra celestial map and according to the map, there is no solar system on this address."
"The Tok'ra can't make a decent plan of their own headquarters. No wonder there are mistakes in the map of the whole galaxy." Jack gave out his opinion." Or are you going to tell me a new solar system appeared out of nowhere?"
"No Sir." Carter shook her head. "You're right, it's probably just a mistake in the map."
"Well then I suggest you all get some rest before we leave." Jack addressed his team. Daniel and Carter agreed and left to their own rooms while Jack went to inform Teal'c.
Meanwhile, Council's manor, Earth
John left the room he was assigned to and went to the bathroom. He felt a strange lassitude since the breakfast and it was getting worse with every minute. He took off his T-shirt and studied the wound he got the previous day during the fight with a Gur'dar. The injury itself was covered by a bandage but he noticed green trails spreading from his shoulder to other parts of his body. "This can't be good."
John left the bathroom and walked towards a room on the ground floor the SWC used as an infirmary. He noticed he now had problems to go straight forward and his legs refused to follow his lead. The only explanation was the poison the demons carried in their claws but how was it possible? He ate the damned antidote!
Dawn was talking to Giles in the infirmary and was changing bandages on one of the more seriously injured slayers when she saw John enter the room. He was barely able to keep his body from falling to the ground and as soon as he reached a bed he let himself drop on it. His whole arm and shoulder were covered with green demon skin and his eyes were turning green as well.
"Giles!" Dawn shouted and ran to John who was shaking on the bed. "What's happening with him?"
Giles needed only one short look to recognize the symptoms. "It's the Gur'dar poison."
"But he took the antidote!" Dawn took John head into her hands and made him look at her. "Did you eat antidote?"
John summoned all strength he had left and nodded. Then he closed his eyes and lost consciousness.
"Maybe he needs more!" Dawn tried keep herself from panicking. "I'll make more."
Dawn was ready to run and get the necessary supplies but Giles stopped her."Dawn. There is nothing you can do for him. This type of antidote works only if you take it before the poison."
"No!" Dawn looked at John and then back at Giles. "There is always another way. You've studied the Gur'dar. Tell me how I can help him!"
Giles took of his glasses and began to clean them. It was a ritual he never left out when he faced a problem. "The only way to heal him under these circumstances is the blood of a close person. A family member or a very good friend."
"But all his friends are on Tauri! " Dawn objected. "Can't we use someone else?"
"I'm afraid not. If the emotional bond between the donor and the victim isn't strong enough then they both die."
Dawn nodded and stood up. "I need to talk to Faith."
Dawn run to Faith's office and hoped she will listen to her. She entered the room and found Faith reading some book with mission reports. Dawn closed the door behind her so no one would disturb them.
"Faith I need to go to Tauri." Dawn blurted out. "John is poisoned and we need the blood of his friends. I think I should go myself. I feel responsible for bringing him into this situation."
Faith took a deep breath and slammed the book she was reading on the table. In the first moments Faith doubted Dawn was serious but one look into her eyes told her enough. Faith still couldn't believe the girl in front of her is really such an arrogant fool. Vi was dead because of her and she has the nerve to come here and demand THIS?
"You know I hoped Willow or perhaps Giles will have this conversation with you but it looks like I'm the lucky one." Faith tried to keep herself under control. "You want to go to Tauri? Let me tell you something, you've already ran out of the tickets to Tauri for the next hundred years. You went there for an insane mission, based on a blurry photo to find your sister but instead of Buffy you brought here your new boy-toy. You've lost a ship and one of the strongest and most experienced slayers is dead!"
"John's not..."
"I'm not finished!" Faith raised her voice. "You know vital informations about Earth and Antara and by getting captured you put the lives of everyone on both planets in danger. You feel responsible? I don't think you even know the meaning of that word so now get out of this room and be glad you're still part of this operation."
Dawn left Faith's office with a narky expression and headed to the infirmary. Was what Faith just said true? Was she responsible for Vi's death? Dawn decided to go to Tauri because she wanted to find her sister and if she had the chance to turn back time and choose again her decision would be the same. Dawn knew she messed up on Tauri. Taking John with her maybe wasn't the best idea but he was here now and he was poisoned. Was it her fault? Perhaps. Now only the blood of a close person could heal him. 'Someone with a strong emotional bond to the victim.' echoed in her mind. 'If the link between the donor and the victim isn't strong enough then they both die.' Dawn entered the infirmary, went to John's bed and sat next to him.
"No one else will die because of me." Dawn took out her knife and cut into her wrist. She put her arm above John's lips and let the blood flow into his mouth. She felt suddenly weaker, her arms and legs were getting heavier, she barely had the strength to keep her eyes opened. Dawn saw her veins turning green and her skin hardening. The process was becoming more and more painful and Dawn screamed when the green blood reached her eyes. Both Dawn and John's body began to shake violently and Dawn felt the poison take over. She gave up fighting the tedium and lost consciousness.
----
John woke up and realized the pain's gone. The wound on his shoulder was completely healed and he didn't feel the poison anymore. He stood up and noticed Giles and Willow were taking care of another patient. It was Dawn.
John rushed to Dawn's bed. "What happened to her?"
Giles turned around and John had the first opportunity to see the ripper side of his character. John was sure he would tear him to shreds if he had the time, but Giles didn't even bother to answer and just ignored John.
"She gave her blood to heal you. " Willow informed him with an expression that wasn't much more welcoming than Giles's. "She risked her life to save you. I really hope you're worth it."
John was unable to look Willow directly in the eyes. How would she react if she knew? He went to Dawn's bed and gave Dawn a gentle kiss on her forehead. It didn't take him long time to make a decision. He took Dawn's knife from the table and a bandage and left to the toilets nearby. He locked the door behind him to make sure he won't be disturbed and striped off his shirt. John put the knife where the Tok'ra transmitter was situated and started cutting. The sender wasn't very deep but it took a lot of concentration to find it anyway. He unintentionally cut through a vein and the outgoing blood soon covered his whole forearm. Finally he managed to cut the flesh around the transmitter from three sides and he lift off the skin that covered it. He used his fingers to take it out and then he put the lifted skin back into it's place. He washed away the blood, used the bandage to dress the wound and then he laid the transmitter down on the floor and used the hilt of Dawn's knife to smash it to thousand pieces.
John left the toilets and returned to Willow ready to make the next step. He knew SG-1 will soon appear on the planet. "Willow I need to..."
John was interrupted by a slayer that ran into the room and shouted at Giles and Willow." Tauri are in the warehouse! Faith needs you!"
'Too late.' John thought and followed Giles and Willow to the nearest ring transport which took them to the warehouse. He saw his former team standing next to a MALP in front of the stargate unarmed and obviously unable to move and about ten slayers aiming the ASWs at them. Willow went to a bright white crystal near the gate and touched it. The slight white light that previously surrounded SG-1 disappeared and they regained their ability to move.
"Speak." Faith snapped at Jack still aiming at him.
"Our both nations are undergoing a great struggle..." Jack desperately tried to remember the speech he was supposed to learn. "...that could lead to... Oh, let's forget the crap. You're fighting against the Goa'uld. We're fighting against the Goa'uld. It would be better to fight together. "
"You are offering cooperation? I don't remember dying my hair blonde."
"Of course we're ready to accept your demands." Daniel added.
Faith was considering the offer. She knew the SWC needed help but there was no way she'd let the Tauri get away with what they did so easily. They messed up so they'll have to make the first step."There is only one thing." Faith gritted her teeth. "I want those responsible for Verona executed. Then we can talk."
"General. Their demands are exactly what we expected." Jack said into his transmitter, then switched it off and turned his attention back to Faith.
"Consider it done."
----
Two snipers (one in Denver and one in Washington) hired by one of Hammond's friends received the message their mission was acknowledged. Hidden on roofs near the buildings where their targets lived, they loaded their rifles, aimed and fired. Both shots hit the hearts of their victims with exquisite accuracy and both snipers sent the same message back to SGC: Mission successful. General Bauer and senator Kinsey were dead.
End chapter.
A/N Well. They're not the best friends, but the conflict between slayers and SGC is over.
Review please.