Skaara

After a brief look sideways at Isabel, who was starring intently at the controls before her, he directed his attention again straight ahead and admired the marvellous view. The cargo ship was travelling in hyperspace and we were covering unimaginably great distances in mere seconds and minutes.

There was not much time left before we reached our destination. He only wished he could remember something; anything would help. To go on an undercover mission without any significant memories didn't seem like an overly brilliant idea. However, after all the bad things that he has been told about the Goa'uld so far, how could he refuse to participate on this mission? Besides, he was sure that Isabel and Selena would be a more than capable escort.

Despite the current state of things he was not very nervous. Klorel's presence was really helping a lot in that regard. In fact, they were helping each other. The mere fact that they could face all the events together was reassuring. Therefore it had not been that terrible to hear that they just had to wait for their memory to return and that the healers were not able to help them. Besides, their memories could return any minute. There was definitely hope.

Furthermore, how could he be nervous about the fact that he was travelling to a Goa'uld planet when Isabel/Selena was sitting beside him? He just had to look at them and the mission on Baal's planet seemed like some vision of a surreal future that might never come to pass. Let alone that one look into her lovely, enchanting eyes and he felt like she had put a spell on him, making it impossible to think of something else than her.

"As you have already been told we can go to the first five sensitive areas in Baal's planet together and I will pretend to be your loyal Goa'uld servant. However, to the last two ones I can not accompany you because only high ranking Goa'uld have access and they are not allowed to have company due to Baal's security measures," Isabel's voice interrupted his musings.

He said nothing and after some seconds she continued.

"Since we do the first part of the mission together it should not be so difficult to accomplish the second part alone. After all, since only high ranking Goa'uld are allowed in those areas, you will most likely not encounter many people anyway."

She gave him a reassuring smile, but he could see her worry for his well-being in her eyes.

"I wonder what her feelings are for us," he asked his symbiote in his mind, once more pushing aside any thoughts about the mission and turning his attention to a far more interesting topic. "I'm just too afraid to ask her bluntly. If we could only remember if there were ever some clear hints that it could be more than friendship between us."

"Therefore it's the better if we wait a little bit. Maybe our memory will return very soon and then we would be able to plan our future action more effectively and enhance our chances," Klorel replied calmly, very calmly, for he had given the same answer twenty-seven times already in the last few days. This was not the first time this topic of conversation had been discussed between them.

Several hours later…

…in which neither Klorel nor Skaara had been able to find another topic for their mental discussions and after Klorel had gone to the cargo's ship ring room in order to change his clothes.

"It's so uncomfortable," Klorel groaned and pulled at his red and golden coloured Goa'uld outfit. "I didn't really notice that on our flight to the Tok'ra base, but after wearing the Tok'ra outfit for several days, there is certainly no way to find this dress in any way comfortable."

"We only have to wear it for the next few hours."

"Thank god. I'm really looking forward to puting my Tok'ra uniform on again," Klorel stated, looking down at his outfit. "Furthermore it's so pompous. At least we only wear it for this mission and it is not my regular clothing. Anyone who would willingly wear such clothing is clearly insane."

"Indeed."

Several minutes later, after innumerable and fruitless attempts to become more comfortable in the long Goa'uld robe by pulling mercilessly at it, Klorel rejoined Isabel and her symbiote in the cockpit. Watching her, he realized that it didn't matter if the woman wore a Tok'ra uniform or a dress in Goa'uld style, she was beautiful.

"We have finished the landing procedure. Let's go," Isabel stated some time later and switched control to Selena.

Klorel, accompanied by Selena, walked down a corridor in a manner that he hoped would appear very arrogant and stern and therefore, typical for a Goa'uld.

At four of the five sensitive areas where they could go together, they already had been and had downloaded data that appeared very sensitive and valuable at first look. So far their mission had been a full success and they hadn't encountered any trouble so far.

Even Baal, to whom Klorel had to immediately report the results of his diplomatic mission, did not notice anything amiss. He had not been aware that the diplomatic filed had been faked, or the fact that Klorel was not in possession of his memories. Whether due to Klorel's talent as an actor, or due to the fact that Baal never paid much attention to his minor Goa'uld, he didn't know. Baal never paid much attention to them at any time, unless they appeared to be thinking of overthrowing him and attempting to take his place as System Lord.

Nonetheless both, Klorel and Skaara, were looking forward to the completion of their mission and the relatively safety of the cargo ship.

Much to their relief there also didn't occur any problems while they were busy downloading information from the computer at the fifth sensitive area they had visited so far.

"I only wish we didn't have to go to our last two destinations alone. Why can't all the information we need be accessible from one computer terminal? Baal must be really paranoid that he has installed such a system. Secrete economic information here, secrete military information on the other side of the palace. What sense does that make?" Klorel moaned internally and wished once more that he was already be back in his nice little rooms on the Tok'ra base. Even though it was annoying not remembering his quarters, or the personal belongings they had assured him were theirs, he longed to be there.

"No, it makes no sense. At least Baal prevents that certain Tok'ra operatives can complete their mission in almost no time."

Several golden-coloured corridors and the encounters of dozens of bowing, timid human servants later, they finally stood before the entrance to one of the two areas which Klorel and Skaara would have to visit alone.

to be continued…