Chapter 2- City in the Sky
The village of the White Tiger Tribe looked less like a village and more like a small city nestled in the branches of the trees to Jonas. Cetaesa led him up a spiraling staircase that wound about the trunk of a massive oak and climbed up into the brightly colored canopy. The homes were built into the trees, supported by thigh- thick branches, and consisted of platforms built around the trunks. Each tree was like its own little island, connected by a series of hanging bridges, and each island blended in very well with the foliage. No wonder Jonas didn't see it until they were there.
"Amazing," he commented. "Your whole tribe lives up here, in the branches?" Cetaesa, clearly pleased, smiled broadly at Jonas just before turning towards a wooden suspension bridge. Something in her smile made Jonas go breathless for a moment before he followed.
"Yes," she answered. "Our people made our homes in the branches for safety. The jaffa used to patrol this area heavily. It was easier for us to hide in the trees than on the ground. The farmers' fields are still down there, but now, everyone lives up here. From the outposts, we can see men coming from miles away. We call this place Jana'nuta, or City in the Sky." Together, they walked across the slightly swaying bridge over to another platform.
"City in the Sky," Jonas repeated. "Well, I'm impressed." He wasn't sure if it was the city, or the tour guide, who impressed him the most.
He'd only met a short time ago, but Jonas seemed oddly drawn to the lovely huntress. She was certainly beautiful, and exotic. As they walked through the city together, he noticed how the sunlight caught the soft golden highlights in her hair. He watched how she moved with a natural and deadly grace, a dancer and a warrior combined into one. Her voice was soft but commanding, like steel layered in silk, as she pointed out places of interest. Her presence was exciting, and intoxicating. Wrapped up in these thoughts, Jonas didn't even notice that Cetaesa had led him to the platform where Jack, Sam, and Teal'c were standing by, waiting for him.
"Jonas!" Sam called. "You're ok!" Her words shook him out of his reverie. He blinked a couple of times to clear his head.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," he replied. "How long have you been here?"
"We have been here only an hour, Jonas Quinn," Teal'c told him. "We were brought here by the Hok'taur shortly after we discovered you were missing." Jonas looked at Teal'c, wide- eyed with shock.
"I was missing?" he returned. "I thought you guys disappeared off the face of the planet." He motioned over to Cetaesa. "This is Cetaesa, of the White Tiger Tribe." The huntress inclined her head graciously.
"I am pleased to meet the friends of Jonas Quinn," she intoned. Jonas smiled and turned towards her.
"These are Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter, and Teal'c," he introduced. "We are from a planet called Earth and represent an organization on that planet called the SGC." Solemnly, Cetaesa nodded.
"I understand from Jonas that you are here to form an alliance against the Goa'uld," she intoned. "You will have to speak with the Elders. Remain here while I speak with them on your behalf. If they desire to see you, I shall return. In the meantime, there will be food and water brought to you. Please do not stray from this island. The ForestRunners are everywhere, and they will detain you and bring you back if you try to escape." Jonas looked at Cetaesa in shock.
"Detained?" he asked. Cetaesa smile lightly.
"Fear not, Jonas Quinn," she assured him. "It is for your, and our, safety. Until the Elders make a decision on your presence, it would be safer if you stayed here. Many of my people frown on the appearance of newcomers through the chapa'ai. They will believe you are Goa'uld, and try to kill you. It would be most unfortunate if you died here." With another smile, she turned off towards another bridge and crossed it.
"Well, they are certainly an interesting people," Jack commented. Jonas turned towards the group.
"They are Hok'taur, Jack!" he exclaimed. "I was talking with Cetaesa-"
"You and 'Cetaesa' sure have gotten friendly," Jack noted. "First name basis already."
"Jack, please," Jonas begged. "On our way here, she told me about her peoples' history. Apparently, they were brought through the Stargate from Earth by a Goa'uld named Khnum. Well, he started experimenting on them, and they found out. But not before Nirrti came and defeated Khnum and picked up where he left off."
"Wait a second here," Jack interrupted. "Are you telling me these people are the Hok'taur? The advanced humans Nirrti was trying to create?" Jonas smiled and nodded his head vigorously.
"Yes!" he answered. "But, you see, they defeated Nirrti. She made them powerful, too powerful. They drove her off. Nirrti was trying to find a way to recreate the Hok'taur elsewhere because she couldn't return here for fear of death."
"And Nirrti didn't tell anyone else of their existence because she wanted a Hok'taur host for herself," Sam reasoned. "She was probably also ashamed of having been beaten by her own creations."
"So she fled," Jonas finished. "That was a thousand years ago, Sam. Think of how they might have evolved since then."
"Then they are in danger," Teal'c chimed in. "The Goa'uld may be looking for them. If they have a gate, there is always the threat of the Goa'uld returning. If they are truly the Hok'taur, then our coming here puts them in grave danger."
"Teal'c's right," Sam added. "If rumors of this place get out, Anubis will hear them, and he will find them. He will destroy or enslave these people."
"The Goa'uld will not dare set foot on this planet," Cetaesa interrupted as she walked back across the hanging bridge. "We were careful to hide all evidence that this planet even existed. I do not know how it was that you manage to get here through the chapa'ai, but here you are." A frown creased her forehead.
"We got the address for this planet from a stone tablet on the planet of Abydos," Sam told the huntress. "The Stargate here on this planet is but one of thousands in the universe. Some of those worlds the Goa'uld have been to. Some, they have not."
"The bottom line is," Jack interjected, "that the Goa'uld don't like us. And they will use anything- and anyone- they can get their hands on against us. Including you. If you are who you say you are, they will take some of you as hosts and enslave the rest. You will find no peace."
"We put you in danger by coming here," Jonas told Cetaesa, turning to face her. "A powerful System Lord named Anubis has taken a particular interest in the Taur'i. If he tracks us here, he will find you." He turned back to Jack. "We have to get these people out of here." Cetaesa frowned at Jonas.
"We are not going anywhere," she told him sternly. "And you will come with me now. The Elders wish to speak with you." As if on cue, a dozen men, armed with the strange zat bow Cetaesa was carrying, leaped out of the trees and landed on various platforms, all with arrows aimed at SG-1. Jonas stared at Cetaesa in disbelief, while she looked back at him with anguish reflected in her jade eyes.
"I am sorry, Jonas," she apologized. "But the will of the Elders cannot be ignored. I was directed to relieve you of your weapons and to lead you to the Elders' Hall." Slowly, she moved closer to him and pulled the zat blaster out from his belt. She was so close that Jonas could smell the fragrance of her. When she turned away, her hair brushed against his face, soft and scented of lavender. He closed his eyes in an effort to remember the scent of that perfume.
Cetaesa, a few feet away from Jonas now, looked at the zat blaster curiously before hooking it onto her own belt. "Bring them," she ordered. "Ensure none of them try to escape." Not looking back, she started across the bridge. The men came in closer and, upon taking all of their weapons, ushered them across the bridge behind her.