Both Jacks turned to glare at Willow as she tried to stifle her giggles. Sam, Daniel and Teal'c's lips quirked into smiles as Jack and O'Neill turned back to glaring at each other.
Before their glaring could escalate into a brawl the claxon of an incoming signal sounded throughout the room. A voice over the intercom announced, "Incoming transmission."
General Hammond hit the intercom button, "Report."
"The Asgards are sending a message, Sir. Audio only."
Jack and O'Neill immediately stood at attention, "Thor?"
"Patch it through, Captain."
Thor's voice filled the briefing room, "General Hammond, you requested information on the planet Niurin."
Willow sat up straighter and a look of awe crossed her face as she listened to Thor's voice. Sam had told her about the Asgards, one of the four races that comprised the ancient alliance.
"Yes, Thor. What can you tell us?"
"May I ask why you want to know, General?"
"We discovered their cartouche in Abydos and Teal'c told us that the planet was forbidden to the Goa'uld. We sent SG-1 to investigate."
There was a moment of silence and then Thor spoke, "Teal'c is correct. The Goa'uld abandoned Niurin long ago and have been forbidden to return. The planet has been under the protection of the Furlings for many a millennia."
Jack rolled his eyes, "Tell us something we don't know, Thor."
"There are many sects within the Furlings. The sect of Amtuth colonized Niurin with humans taken from other colonies. Some of the humans were gifted with special powers to defeat the demons that also inhabited the planet."
Willow listened intently. It seems this was how the Slayer got her abilities. She wanted to remember everything so that she could tell Giles when she got back.
Sam asked, "Are you talking about the Slayer?"
"Slayer?"
"One female born in a generation that fights the demons."
"Ah, they call her the Slayer…yes. That is one kind but there are others that have an ability. Not just the Slayer though she was the first."
"That still doesn't explain why the Goa'uld are scared of the planet and the Amtuths. Our zats and Teal'c's staff weapon worked just the same on the demons as they do the Goa'uld. They could have easily taken the planet." O'Neill interrupted Thor's explanation.
"The Goa'uld could defeat the demons but they didn't. Their plans were intercepted by the Amtuths and they destroyed the Goa'uld when they brought the humans for colonization."
Questions kept swirling in Daniel's mind, "So, you're saying that Niurin was first inhabited by demons, then the Goa'uld came to take it over but before they could completely the Amtuth destroyed them?"
"The Goa'uld's plans weren't to conquer the planet they were getting demonic allies."
That sent shivers down the spines of SG-1. Jack shuddered as the image of the robed man stopping bullets and Teal'c's staff weapon allying himself with the Goa'uld. They couldn't let that happen. EVER.
"Um, so how come there are demons still on my world? Why not destroy all the demons along with the Goa'uld. Two birds one stone and they couldn't ally themselves with the demons ever?" The question just popped out of Willow's mouth. If they had destroyed the demons there would have been no reason for a Slayer and there wouldn't have had vampires, apocalypses and so many deaths. She was beginning to hate the Amtuths or Furlings or whoever they were.
Willow's question was met by silence. Had she offended the Asgard in some way?
"You are from the planet, young one?"
Daniel spoke up, "Thor this is Willow and yes she is from the planet Niurin."
"The demons escaped into another dimension of your world and the Amtuths could not follow. That is why some of the humans were given the ability to defeat those that would return. How long have you been away from your planet?"
Jack cocked his head to the side at Thor's question. There was something in his voice that didn't sound right. O'Neill raised an eyebrow at Jack. They both wore thoughtful expressions.
"Why do you ask, Thor?" O'Neill asked.
"One of the Niurin leaving through the stargate will attract the attention of the Furlings."
"So?"
"You said Teal'c had been to the planet and now a Niurin native is gone. The Furlings will have been alerted that a symbiote had passed through the stargate and entered the planet. With the young one leaving they would only conclude that the Goa'uld have returned."
"Oh, that can't be good." Jack mumbled.
"They will have tracked where she went."
"Is there a way to intercept them and let them know it wasn't the Goa'uld and Willow is fine?" The General asked Thor.
Before Thor could answer them the gate in the control room began to shimmer. The Iris disappeared and in its place was the sparkling water of the event horizon.
O'Neill looked down into the control room, "I think it's a little bit late for that."
The water began to shimmer and a figure stepped through it. The security forces that were already in the room raised their weapons. There was a flash of bright lights and all the weapons in the room disappeared.
The personnel in the room patted down their uniforms. All their weapons had disappeared, not just the ones that were drawn.
"Huh. I thought with a name like Furling they'd be these cute little furry guys." Jack said as he watched the figure descend the ramp.
"Willow!" Daniel shouted.
All eyes turned to Willow at Daniel's shout.
Her eyes were glazed like she was holding an inner conversation. The air around her crackled with energy and her hair was flowing in an unnatural wind.
A white light flash filled the briefing room and the tall red haired woman that had come through the gate appeared next to Willow. She laid a gentle hand on Willow's arm.
Willow's eyes came back into focus and the energy around her no longer crackled. "Whoa. Head rush. It's like I'm connected to everything."
"You are." The woman said and turned to Teal'c.
The others gathered around him placing themselves between the woman and Teal'c.
"And you are?" The General asked her.
She just smiled gently, "I am Penthesilea." She turned to Teal'c, "Willow told me that while you carry a symbiote you are not fighting with the Goa'uld."
"That is correct."
"Are there others such as you that fight the ways of the Jaffa?"
"There are others that believe in the dream of freedom from the Goa'uld."
"Penthesilea? The legendary Amazon?"
Penthesilea smiled.
"Penthesilea was one of the greatest of the Amazon warriors. She was the daughter of Ares and Orithia and was very skilled with weapons and battle. She was also known for her wisdom."
"Well that explains why the Slayer is always female."