Two months earlier
"Selim, this isn't a good time."
"I am truly sorry, Dr Jackson, but I was forced to find some form of communication."
Daniel looked at the willowy Toak'ra in amazement.
"By suddenly appearing out of no-where in my bathroom?"
Selim/Osatahar blushed and turned as Daniel scurried past her to his bedroom, hands clutching the towel wrapped around his waist.
"As I have said, I am very sorry, but it was urgent to speak with you."
"Well, Selim," Jackson poked his head out the door and glared at the intruder, "you could have always just used a telephone."
Selim cocked her head to the side, "that is the contraption used to carry the voice from one place to another, much like a radio?"
"Yes," came the muffled reply, as the still-sudsy archaeologist threw on a shirt and pants, "just like it – you've used them before. It's also called a phone for short."
"Ahh, I see now."
Daniel shook his head and kicked a pile of dirty clothes on his floor looking for a pair of clean socks. The clothes started to move in the direction he had kicked them, then they started floating and began folding themselves and drifting into piles of similar colours.
"Um, Selim… is that you doing that?"
The Toak'ra's voice came from the hallway, a relief to Daniel, with an almost amused tone in her voice. "It is not physically me, Dr Jackson. I am using my new powers, they are quite intriguing."
"Okay, well… how about starting to tell me about why you are here?"
The invisible hands that were folding the dirty laundry seemed to falter as a few random socks dropped and motion stopped for a second.
"It is something that must be discussed in person, I am afraid."
Daniel sighed and grabbed a pair of floating socks.
Emerging fully dressed, while still somewhat damp, Daniel guided Selim through his apartment to the small living room that was filled with books, maps, strange pieces of artifacts, and a dusty looking TV. Stacked on top of the TV were equally as dusty movie cases with such titles as Star Trek, Star Wars, Dune, Tomb Raider, Indiana Jones, and, strangely enough, the first full season of The Sopranos.
Selim traced the lettering on the boxes then frowned at the thick layer of dust that had been rubbed on to her finger.
"This is an interesting place of living, doctor. It is extremely un-military like."
Daniel chuckled, "that's a nice way of saying that this place is a sty."
"Well," Selim grinned, "I suppose so."
"So what's so important, Selim?"
The young woman bowed her head and her eyes flashed alarmingly.
"We have intercepted messages from the systems lord Bashir concerning his brother Akil Anwar and his younger sisters Dajimila, Inayat, Nilofer, Nadira and Jahanara Salima."
"That's a pretty big family for the Goa'uld. I've heard of Bashir and Akil – what's important about their sisters?"
Selim's eyes flashed signifying intense emotion, "You still have trouble seeing women as a threat – a common Tau'ri fault."
Daniel put up his hands in surrender, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I said anything."
Selim sighed and blinked as Osatahar took control of her body.
"Selim doesn't mean to be rude, Daniel, and I'm sorry that we surprised you, but I am still unsure of your technology and preferred to go about this my own way."
"It's okay, Osatahar; I completely understand… sort of. Well, anyways, what is the big importance about two minor system lords and their sisters?"
Osatahar grinned, "I think I should let Selim answer that one, it's a 'doozey of a tale' as some might say."
"Thank you, Osatahar," Selim took over the conversation, "for the introduction. Well, doctor Jackson, as you know the Goa'uld rarely are in good relations with siblings and most often kill one another in childhood or in wars against one another in competition for their parents' power, status, and approval. Unlike most, however, the children of Dilawar and Zehna worked together for much of known time building armies of Jaffa and conquering many worlds. They ruled their systems differently than others, too.
"Instead of the general 'worship me or die' thing, they took a more peaceful approach and created wonderful civilizations of Jaffa and Tau'ri on several planets. Slavery was not an issue here – they kept their armies, but the soldiers were not fearful. The Dila'hna family remained such this way for many centuries – they set up constitutional monarchies and their subjects grew prosperous. All was wonderful but for the two youngest children - Akil Anwar and Jahanara Salima, who fought between themselves constantly."
Selim paused to allow Daniel to soak up this information.
"Akil Anwar wished to mobilize the Dila'hna's Jaffa and take over nearby systems and overthrow the then lowly Apophasis. Jahanara Salima wished to dissolve the military and retreat into silence – allowing the system lords to battle amongst themselves and to stay out of their way. Eventually, Akil Anwar attacked Jahanara Salima, breaking the trust of his family. Squabbled broke out amongst the children – Dilawar and Zehna attempted to stop the foolishness of their offspring, but things escalated out of control and Akil Anwar killed them. I will shorten this story as much as possible, but as it is now – the children of the house of Dila'hna joined together once more with the exception of Jahanara Salima. They are assembling a collective force and are steadily becoming a terrible threat to the galaxy."
Daniel whistled and leaned back in his recliner.
"That was a doozey of a tale. So are these Dila'hna still as good to their subjects, and what happened to this Jahanara Salima?"
Selim/Osatahar sighed.
"Does the name Jahanara Salima have any meaning to you?"
"Ummm, it's old Arabic – Jahanara is a title, 'Queen of the univerce', and Salima means happiness or security. So I'm assuming that this particular Goa'uld was an important sibling, probably had the favor of her parents in order to be named that way, and from your description of her personality, either the Salima referred to the state her people were in or her own personal security in her position as favorite."
Selim smiled, "that is very close, very close. Yet you tend to use the past tense."
"Well, I can only assume that she was killed in the war," Daniel shrugged, "or she is in hiding."
Selim/Osatahar clapped her hands in joy, "there you have it, Doctor Jackson. There you have it indeed."
Daniel looked confused, "I've got what?"
The beautiful woman that was one of the oldest among the Toak'ra drew herself up to her full height and made a sweeping motion with her hand.
"Doctor Daniel Jackson, you know me simply as Selim – Selim is a 'nickname' as you call it. My full name is, as you may now be guessing, Salima Jahanara Dila'hna. Also known as Nanaea, Anahita, and Artemis"
Daniel was stunned and all he could think of was a simple, resounding, 'oh.'
Selim/Osatahar smiled.
Gate Room - Earth
Sam had managed to roll O'Neill off of her and into the rest position – he had only one visible wound, to the surprise of Samantha Carter, but it was a terrible one. A slender and twisting shard of metal had impaled itself in his back, possibly damaging his spine and who knows what kinds of internal damages it was doing to him.
The blond and blue eyed major looked around the chaotic gate room in despair.
How had this happened?
Goa'uld world
Daniel opened his eyes only to wish he hadn't.
Standing over him with glowing eyes was a rather pissed off looking Goa'uld holding a ribbon device out in front of him, aimed at the captive archaeologist.
"Where, is my sister?"
Daniel blinked and felt like his stomach was rushing up his throat.
"Your sister… who are you?"
But Daniel already knew who this Goa'uld had to be and was punished for it.
"You will tell me where my treacherous sister is or I will cause not only you but your Jaffa companion to know the feel of skin being pulled from the bone and limbs slowly torn off."
Another bout of bright white pain seared Daniel and the young man screamed in pain, "I don't know where she is, I don't know."
The pain stopped and Daniel went limp in the chains that held him up against the cold stone wall. A face with gleaming eyes came unnervingly close to his and smiled.
"I am not convinced – perhaps I should allow my dear brother Akil come and interrogate you. He had such a… deeper relationship with my wretch of a sister," the Goa'uld whispered in an almost snakelike voice. "Or you could save yourself and your companion and tell us now. Either way we will find the traitor Salima, whether you decide to help us on your own free will or no."
Daniel, in a rather unstable mental state due to the torture of his broken body, did the only thing he could think of. He did the 'what would Jack say now', looked at Goa'uld he now knew for certain to be Bashir and grinned lopsidedly.
"You call her Salima and not the name your parents gave to her – Jahanara, Queen of the universe? That's some amusing complex if you ask me – jealous of your own sister."
The Goa'uld responded to the 'Jack way' in the only way possible, and Daniel soon passed out once again into blissful oblivion.