10: Dawning Alliance
by Chaoseternus

When Enerina is sent to investigate why every gate in an area of space will not establish a wormhole, she finds something totally unexpected...

Twenty-Two

“"Do you think he's serious?”"

The heavy... make that excessive 512bit encryption currently used for important intersystem communication chewed up bandwidth something fierce, as a result the quality of the images shown were staticy and blurred, still, there was no mistaking the incredulous and gob smacked expressions on the faces of Hammond, who had asked the question, Adama and Thompson.

O'Neill had already thought about this, and nodded straight away, “"yeah, I think he's serious but not in the way he's telling us”"

“"Explain!”" Thompson barked, a little on edge at the thought of a hostile mothership hanging around in a system whose PDF forces were still shattered after the battle with the Aschen.

“"I don't think he's interested in having us fight at his side, I think he is more interested in how many ships and Jaffa he can move if he doesn't have to worry about defending against us”"

Hammond nodded, his expression thoughtful, “"he's knows that having him between us and the bulk of Anubis's forces is in our best interests..."

O'Neill nodded, “"and we don't exactly have a history of breaking agreements anyway. He wants to fight his enemies one at a time. Having us forced to assist him by treaty as and when we can is just a bonus and one he probably isn't that interested in. He's more interested in this flank suddenly becoming secure”"

Thompson nodded, “"makes sense, but how do we know he can be trusted?”"

O'Neill shrugged, “"Maktenos doesn't have a history of violating agreements either and this one is in his best interests”"

“"We need to talk to whatever agents we can find, Tok'ra Remnant, Free Jaffa, anyone who is in Maktenos's forces and is willing to talk to us and see what happens if we sign. If he wants forces this badly, then they will already have been warned and could move within minutes of that dotted line being signed”" Hammond commented.

“"Agreed, but that doesn't tell us he can be trusted”"

O'Neill shrugged, “"Any over Goa'uld, even most Tok'ra I would say watch your back at all times, but Maktenos… I just don't know”"

Adama broke in, speaking for the first time, “"He is under heavy pressure from Anubis, the very fact that he is here suggests he can be trusted for the moment as he is showing weakness and from what I have heard, Maktenos doesn't like to show weakness. So long as Anubis is pressuring him, I don't think you need to worry. Enlightened self-interest will keep Maktenos honest. If he starts to gain the upper hand over Anubis though..."

“"Then we worry"” O'Neill mused, finishing off Adama's sentence.

He paused, then shuddering inwardly, he glanced almost defiantly at the screens and the waiting faces of his seniors, "“I recommend we sign, but maintain full Intel watch on Maktenos and his forces”"

“"Agreed"” Adama added, almost instantly.

Hammond and Thompson nodded, “"how long do we have to make a decision?”"

“"Not long, he's getting antsy already"” O'Neill replied.

“"Fine,"” Thompson nodded, “"I'll have to take this direct to the PM then, Hammond?”"

O'Neill hid a smile as Thompson blinked, obviously catching sight of Hammond , already on the phone to Flight Ops, calling for a plane to Washington .

“"Answers that one then..." Thompson looked straight at O'Neill, "“We'll try to get confirmation from the Government to you ASAP, but if necessary, I am authorising you to sign on behalf of the RSS nations, a chance like this, to scratch one enemy of our list, even only temporarily, is too valuable to be missed”"

“"Agreed”" Hammond glanced momentarily up from the phone, his hand covering the mouthpiece, "“I am authorising you to sign on behalf on the US , but only if he goes to leave before I can get confirmation from POTUS understood?”"

O'Neill nodded, "“Understood”"

Adama smiled, moving to one side so Roslin could take his place in front of the camera, “2General O'Neill, on behalf of the Colonial Government, I am authorising you to sign this treaty”"

O'Neill nodded, rising from his seat, "“I need to give Maktenos a progress report before he decides to leave, get me full authorisation and fast”"

His screen blanked out.

Five hours later, it was done.

Six hours later, the first reports of major fleet movements by Maktenos to the point of virtually stripping entire segments of his space of forces started to arrive through hurried burst transmissions through the gate.

The pattern quickly became clear; Maktenos was sending everything in areas formally threatened by the Tau'ri to the frontlines with Anubis, leaving a very skeletal force behind.

The Tau'ri Commanders breathed their first signs of relief as it became clear that Maktenos hadn't left anywhere near enough forces on the border to threaten their interests. Now they only had Anubis, The Secessionists and the Aschen to worry about, neither of whom individually were believed to have as many ships as Maktenos.

For the Tau'ri at least, the war had cooled down slightly.