7: Public Display

The flight to Chulak was uneventful. The old Goa'uld teltak cargo ship flew adequately, even if it was a little unsteady. The hyperdrive took a few attempts to get started, and it finally seemed to spur itself on when Aithris kicked the hyperdrive core at the rear compartment of the ship. The voyage itself took several hours, but the distance between the remote world Bra'tac had hidden this ship on and Chulak itself was relatively small. They came upon Chulak in short order, finding it a lush green and blue sphere against the blackness of space, covered in swirling white clouds. As they approached the planet's gravity well, Bra'tac activated the old cargo ship's cloaking device, allowing them to slip by the Calsharan ships guarding the world undetected.

Aithris spent much of the flight in the rear section, wherein the ring transporter was located. Here, he sat himself upon an old metal container, a bronze-coloured one that was adorned with intricate Goa'uld designs. Much the same was the case of the surrounding walls, adorned as they were in bronzes and golds complete with Goa'uld symbols mingled in with the intricate décor.

The Nomad warrior passed the time by speaking with the others in the team whenever they happened inside this rear room, specifically Natalia who settled down on a crate to his left and attempted to whittle away the boredom through idle conversation. That was one thing about space travel that was a constant no matter where you were or where you were travelling to: the boredom. Much time was spent waiting around, and even with hyperdrives and the like a voyage could still take a while. Thankfully, this one was shorter than most. Aithris appreciated having Natalia around to speak to. She was talking about her childhood in small-town Russia when Daniel walked in suddenly.

"We're coming up on Chulak now," he said. Aithris and Natalia rose to their feet, following the archaeologist into the forward control section. Bra'tac was at the ship's controls, hands clasped upon the glowing red orb that served to guide the ship. The viewport was partially filled with the greenery of Chulak from orbit, and against that green and blue was the familiar sight of a Calsharan frigate. Small and sleek, comprised of black metal, the ship lingered in the distance, one of a pair that were joined by a significantly larger wedge-shaped cruiser. The cargo ship's cloak allowed them to pass close by these ships without fear of discovery, even if 'close' in this respect was still tens of thousands of kilometres away.

"I know of a safe place we can land," Bra'tac announced, glancing up from the control console to Daniel and the others. John was seated in the co-pilot's chair, content to sit back and allow the old Jaffa to do the flying. He wore a somewhat grim expression, no doubt pondering all the things that could go wrong on this haphazard rescue mission. Of course, everyone on the team knew that they had gone against worse odds and come out the other end. Maybe not entirely successful, but certainly alive. Still, the potential for one's luck to finally run out was always there, lingering over the proceedings. Such was the life of one who threw themselves into danger to save others.

Aithris did not know Teal'c, had never met the man nor had he really heard much about him. However, he could understand why John and the others were so intent to save him. If he was as influential as they had told him, then to have such a man at your side would be a definite boon, especially if they held sway over an entire people. In this case, that would be the Jaffa, an ally that had clearly fallen on hard times.

Bra'tac was sending the ship through atmosphere. Waves of heat rolled off of the ship. It might have been shaking if it were not for the inertial dampeners, which saw most of the more violent forces pressed against the ship neutered. Even so, one could feel a slight vibration as the ship dove into Chulak's skies. The passage was brief, the ship making good time. Aithris watched as the clouds parted and a patchwork of green forests, plains and rocky, grey mountains unfolded before them. Bra'tac was bringing them in over one of the major continents, doing so some distance from their intended destination. Any scanners on the ground would have detected their entry in the atmosphere, cloak or not, so steering well clear of any Calsharan positions was a necessity.

Now that they were skirting the forest canopy, Bra'tac shifted the ship in the direction of the capital city. Aithris found himself admiring the landscape through the viewport, the forest ranges and hills and grassy plains reminding him of home. Sanctuary had been similar, although the red giant sun of that planet's system had seen much of the world bathed in a subtle red glow during the day. Here, Chulak had two suns, both young and yellow and ferocious, neither too different to the one Earth orbited. No doubt this made for some very warm days during the summer months.

John rose from the co-pilot's chair then, and he turned to the team.

"All right everyone, gather your gear. Travel light. No more than three magazines for your side-arms."

"There are civilian clothes in the containers in the cargo hold," Bra'tac said, without looking up from the controls. He sent them flying by a squat range of mountains, all of which were covered with dense forest.

John strolled through the door of the control area and into the hold, where the containers were stacked. Natalia and Daniel joined him, while Aithris lingered a little longer before the viewport, hands upon the headrest of the co-pilot's chair. Bra'tac was directing the ship towards a small clearing further ahead. The city was visible some distance away, nestled against a set of forested hills. Aithris found his gaze drawn to this landmark, taking note of the old-fashioned stonework that seemed to comprise much of the cityscape itself. The Jaffa, it seemed, were an odd culture, so heavily versed in warrior-like beliefs expected of more primitive societies; yet, they had the benefit of the advanced technology their former Goa'uld masters had granted them.

"I suspect your role will be to guard the ship." Bra'tac glanced at the Nomad, one eyebrow quirked in an expression of curiosity. "I will admit, I do not know much about your kind."

"Nor I of yours, Bra'tac," Aithris said. The old Jaffa slowed the cargo ship then, gradually easing it along a gentle descent upon an overgrown clearing. Outside, the ship was almost silent, emitting little more than a quiet hum. To an outside observer, they would see little sign of the ship's arrival, cloaked as it was. The grass underneath it as it landed seemed to flatten on its own, and a gentle breeze wafted up from the invisible craft as its engines idled.

"Doctor Jackson has told me a little, but I don't think that would compare to hearing it from an actual Jaffa," Aithris added.

"What you need to know, Aithris, is that the Jaffa were slaves and soldiers to the false gods, the Goa'uld. We freed ourselves of that slavery, allowing us to become masters of our own lives." Bra'tac brought the ship to a halt, before he deactivated the engines. The quiet hum died, and the clearing about the vessel fell silent. Now he turned full towards Aithris, his ageing features narrowed into a serious, if thoughtful, look.

"The Calsharans have succeeded in taking that freedom away, here on Chulak," he continued. "We must fight to reclaim it, no matter how much blood is spilled to do so."

"What about the other Jaffa worlds?"

"The Calsharan advance has slowed, from what I have learned most recently. Most of their forces are being deployed to other fronts. I could be mistaken, as very little reliable information from beyond Chulak makes it to the people here, but it would not surprise me if the enemy has engaged multiple foes in their bid for power. Such as those other aliens, the makalvari."

Aithris nodded his head. The Calsharans were fighting on multiple fronts, which would not normally be a good idea. However, their technology and their numbers gave them an edge over most of their opponents.

"This planet is our home, Aithris. Even if the Calsharans are less concerned with the Jaffa than they are with other races, we will fight to reclaim our home, and we will fight to the last breath of the last man." Bra'tac rose to his feet. "I know that your people no longer have a home. For that, you have my condolences. To have no home is almost akin to having no heart. A little piece of one's soul goes missing when their home is lost."

Aithris said nothing for the time being, surprised at the sincerity of Bra'tac's words. He was right, of course. Aithris had been feeling what the old man described ever since Sanctuary had been destroyed. And he knew he would go on feeling it for the rest of his life.

"That is why you work with the Tau'ri," Bra'tac said. "Because they are your best means to avenge the destruction of your home. Am I correct?" The man was certainly astute. Aithris found himself looking into Bra'tac's eyes, seeing the years and years of experience behind them and the wisdom it all brought. He was old, even old for a Jaffa. Looking at him, however, one would think he was much younger.

"I have to fight for those of my people who still remain," Aithris replied.

"A worthwhile cause."

The two were interrupted when John walked in, now wearing a grey robe of Jaffa make. It was a plain garment, and it covered most of him, coming with a hood that he draped over his head to better conceal his face from prying eyes.

"So, how do I look?" John asked. He seemed to be directing this question more at Bra'tac, who regarded the Colonel with a frown.

"Barely adequate," he answered. "But it will have to suffice." Both Daniel and Natalia were outfitted similarly, although Natalia's outfit was more of a shawl than a robe, coloured a deep earthen brown. Typical wear for a Jaffa woman of lower social standing. Peasant-wear, Aithris surmised.

"Some of my people will be waiting for us in the city," Bra'tac said, and he stepped around the pilot's seat. His staff weapon was leaning against a nearby wall, although he did not grab it. The Calsharans were likely to arrest an armed Jaffa, and a subtle approach was key to this mission.

"I have arranged for them to meet me at a specific location," Bra'tac continued. "They will aid us and will likely have acquired a means for us to infiltrate the fortress."

"I certainly hope so," John said. He pulled his pistol from his waist, concealed as it was under the cloak. He ejected the magazine from the hilt, giving it a final check before they headed out. "As much as I like the straightforward approach, sneaking is probably our best bet."

"I will remain with the ship," Aithris said. This part of the plan had already been worked out earlier. A Nomad was not something one would expect to see on Chulak, and the Calsharans would arrest him on sight. He was the backup on this assignment, a role he did not mind playing.

"Keep a lookout and an ear out," John told him. "We might need to leave in a hurry."

"I have to say, it's been a long time since I was on Chulak," Daniel said, and he started for the cargo ship's exit doors.

"You excited, Daniel?" Natalia asked.

"No, not at all." Daniel's voice had turned appropriately dour. "Most of the memories I have of this planet are bad ones. Same could be said for a lot of places, actually."

Bra'tac joined the team by the exit doors. He tapped a few buttons at the control panel by the doorway, each of the buttons adorned with some old Goa'uld hieroglyph. The doors slid open, allowing the warm Chulak morning sunlight to stream inside, along with the cool breeze that was billowing its way across the clearing beyond. Long, knee-height grass swayed with it and somewhere distant, a bird called, providing a rollicking, chirruping sound that carried on for a good twenty seconds or more.

Natalia paused by Aithris, offering him a warm smile. Aithris returned the gesture in his own way, pointed canines bared.

"You take care," he said to her. He worried for her, as he worried for the others. They had all worked together for months now as a team, and to him they were his friends. The only real ones he had left, with Sanctuary gone.

"I have a good feeling about this one," Natalia said. There was an extended pause between them, neither able to think of anything suitable to add. Aithris felt he ought to at least give her a handshake or something, and perhaps she felt the same. Instead, they simply stood apart a moment longer before Natalia turned to the exit and started for it.

Bra'tac looked back at Aithris, giving the Nomad a respectful nod.

"We will see each other again, Aithris," the Jaffa said. He sounded so sure of this, and Aithris could not help but feel some small measure of relief.

"I hope so," Aithris said. With those words, the team filed out of the ship, leaving him alone. Once they were out, he approached the door controls, hitting the button that saw them close and lock. Now the waiting began, which he had found to be the hardest part of all. Again, the boredom set in. He nonetheless slipped in his earpiece, ensuring some measure of communication with the outbound team. For now, however, it would be radio silence. No use risking the Calsharans overhearing any transmissions the team might make.


The capital city was somewhere John had never been himself, whereas Daniel knew the streets well. He had been through here enough times in the past, even if most of those times had seen him running from some kind of trouble. It was Bra'tac who lead the way, and the group mingled with a small cluster of civilians as they filed through the city's southern gate. The walls that surrounded the city were tall and comprised of grey stone, more akin to something one might find in the Middle Ages on Earth than for an advanced space-faring society. John kept pace with Bra'tac, head slightly downcast to keep a low profile.

Situated at the gate was a Calsharan security checkpoint, manned by four armoured Calsharan soldiers who did somewhat half-hearted checks of those passing on through. A small, spherical drone about twelve inches in diameter buzzed about the gate, elevated by some anti-gravity technology that allowed it to fly without making a noise. On it was a single bright red lens, and it took cursory scans of those passing through the gate, whether they be leaving or arriving. John worried that the gun he had concealed under the musty Jaffa robes would be detected, but nothing of the sort happened. Bra'tac, moving along just ahead of him, kept a brisk pace. He spoke low as the group filed by the checkpoint, mingling in with several others.

"Their scanners detect the energy signatures of staff weapons and the like," Bra'tac said. "I suspect your conventional firearms will not trigger any alarms, as they are purely mechanical."

"I hope so," John replied, his voice barely above a whisper. Behind him, Daniel and Natalia followed along, and the group received no extended glances from any of the other civilians. It was the Calsharan officer on duty who stopped them, just beyond the threshold of the gate whereupon a main street began, paved with stone bricks. The officer was tall and broad, with piercing yellow eyes and deep green scales. He did not wear full armour like the rank and file soldiers nearby, rather he was in attired in a smart black uniform with an armoured vest over his chest.

"Old Jaffa," the officer said, and Bra'tac stopped before him, eyes going to his own. "Do you have identification?"

"Alas, I do not," Bra'tac replied. He spoke with a careful amount of confidence and remorse. "My companions and I recently travelled here from the far away village of Caserok. We intend to pay our respects at the great memorial in the city centre, as we lost many friends and family members during the time of the rebellion."

The officer frowned. John attempted to gauge what the lizard was thinking, as to whether or not he believed the old Jaffa. It was sometimes hard to tell with these Calsharans.

"You are all from the same village?" The officer asked.

"Yes. Is there something wrong?" Bra'tac quirked one eyebrow, inviting the officer to pry further. Something seemed to convince the officer to change his mind, and he took a step back to regard the Jaffa and his entourage one more time. After a pause, he shook his head slowly and stepped aside.

"I'm getting real sick of this place," the officer said, more to himself than to anyone near him. He turned to one of his armoured subordinates standing nearby, muttering something about not being able to wait any longer before they implemented the universal ID system.

"Let us go," Bra'tac said, glancing back at John before motioning him and the team onwards. The group began to steadily trek through the city's winding streets, wherein many narrow lanes branched off of the main roads. The roads were wide and mostly paved with stone, unlike the surrounding lanes that would have been barely wide enough for a typical car. Given the time of morning, things were busy. Merchants were setting up stalls and citizens were emerging from their homes to begin their daily routines. The buildings along this main row were some of the city's older structures, displaying stone arches and columns that would have been at home in ancient Greece.

"The System Lord Chronus controlled Chulak for a long time," Daniel said. He looked about them, taking in the sights. The group stuck to the left-hand side of the street, steering clear of the Calsharan patrol that was passing down the road's centre. Four soldiers in full armour marched along, rifles held such that they leaned back against a shoulder in a typical drill arrangement.

"The old ancient Greek-styled architecture is still apparent," the archaeologist added, always one to try and educate those around him with a bit of history. Bra'tac had them headed uphill, to where the fortress-like temple was situated. That was still a long walk away, almost at the height of the hillside, the elaborate palace-like structure overlooking the city as a whole. From there, the ruler of Chulak, whether it be System Lord, Jaffa or Calsharan, could gaze out across their 'kingdom' and no doubt receive a small boost to their ego through doing so. John could just make out the tallest section of the temple, a stark stone tower that jutted above its surroundings upon the slope that went up before them. The prison complex, he realised.

"Where do we meet your friends?" John asked Bra'tac, moving to walk alongside him. They were continuing along the main road, rounding a bend as they went. Further ahead, a small crowd had formed, specifically where the street widened into a plaza of sorts.

"It is not much farther," Bra'tac answered. They came upon the plaza, a wide-open square paved with stone bricks and filled with stalls, some of which were bare and unoccupied. The heat of Chulak's twin suns was beginning to grow as the morning went on, and John could feel sweat beading upon his forehead. The discomfort was made all the more so by the robe he wore on top of everything else.

There had to be dozens of people clustered into the square. In the middle was a water fountain, comprised of a statue of a Jaffa warrior with a staff weapon in hand and a bundle of what looked like writhing snakes in the other. John realised very quickly that the 'snakes' in question were supposed to be Goa'uld symbiotes, and that this statue was intended to celebrate the Jaffa's victory over their Goa'uld oppressors.

"There was a statue of Apophis here," Bra'tac noted, having seen John's interest in the statue. The group moved in amongst the crowd, intending to pass through them. However, the activity at the heart of the crowd where the statue was located caused them to pause.

"It was torn down to make way for something more appropriate," he continued. "Of course, now the Calsharans attempt to pervert such things, turning a symbol of freedom into a means of reminding us of who rules this world now." Bra'tac glanced to John, and he pointed towards those figures gathering near the base of the statue. John followed the gesture, looking past a few rows of people to where four Calsharan soldiers had appeared. They had emerged from a sturdy four-wheeled transport, not unlike the one John had commandeered on Bedrosia a few days prior.

Between the four soldiers, they had with them a Jaffa male in a dirtied and torn grey vest and leggings. His face sported some noticeable bruises and cuts, his young features set in a pained grimace as the Calsharans herded him towards the foot of the triumphant statue. John noticed then that the base of the statue and fountain sported many large, dark brown stains, as did the pavement underneath. Dried blood, no less. As Bra'tac had said, the Calsharans had perverted this symbol of freedom into a reminder of their rule here.

The Jaffa prisoner's hands were bound behind his back. With a shove from one of the soldiers, he fell upon the pavement. Another pair emerged from the transport, specifically a Calsharan in a grey officer's uniform that suggested significant authority, more so than any of the other Calsharans around. He appeared older, his hands clasped behind his back whilst he took position a few paces from the Jaffa prisoner. The other one who joined him was an abnormally large Calsharan male in a black uniform, one that barely seemed capable of containing the bulging muscles present on his torso and arms. This one went over to the prisoner, hefting him up before throwing him against the base of the statue.

It was the officer in charge who turned to the gathered crowd. More Calsharan soldiers appeared on the nearby rooftops, rifles held at the ready in case the crowd became unruly. John sensed an air of trepidation, that the people here knew what was coming and that there was little they could do about it. John had a good idea as to what was about to happen, and it was nothing pleasant.

"I know that Jaffa," Bra'tac said, his voice grave. "He is one of Teal'c's followers." John noticed the old man's right-hand curl into a fist. His desire to intervene was apparent, and John leaned close to him as he spoke:

"You want them shooting into this crowd?" John, with a light nod, gestured to the soldiers keeping watch from the nearby rooftops. There had to be a dozen of them, scattered around the flanks. "Any trouble starts, Bra'tac, and they'll gun us all down."

"I know, Colonel Sheppard." Bra'tac unclenched his fingers and shook his head. His gaze went to the officer in charge, the one who was now standing by his burly subordinate. This one took in the surrounding crowd with an aristocratic air, back straight and head up, revelling in the position he held over these people.

"That is the Calsharan Governor," Bra'tac said. "General Lorvoss Valinno. He commands the Calsharan forces here."

Natalia, standing by Bra'tac's left, was next to speak.

"You think if we kill him…" She began, but Bra'tac interrupted her.

"Another one like him would simply take his place. We would need more than an assassination to free Chulak."

Governor Valinno spoke then, his voice reverberating around the plaza, amplified by speakers upon the trio of spherical drones that buzzed about the plaza's perimeter.

"People of Chulak, every so often I find myself in the unfortunate position of reinforcing our resolve to keep this city, and this world as a whole, secure and in a state of peace." Valinno's voice carried the deep, gravelly quality so common to Calsharan males, and yet it also sounded somewhat more refined. A man of higher education and social status, no less.

"Take this Jaffa, for instance," Valinno said, and he gestured to the Jaffa prisoner. Two of the soldiers stepped forwards to grab the prisoner by the arms, holding him up upon his knees. There was a look of fear in the young warrior's eyes, and John could feel more of it ripple through the crowd. Not everyone here was a warrior. Judging from the way some of these people were dressed, some would have had to have been simple farmers and labourers.

"A rebel fighter who ambushed and killed several of my soldiers," Valinno said. "This disturbs the peace, and this I cannot have. As Governor of Chulak, I wish, just as many of you likely do, to live in a peaceful and stable society. Peace and stability cannot be achieved when there are renegade elements at large, this partisan being among them. It is hardly sporting, for one to engage in guerrilla warfare. Were he a proper warrior from a standing army, I might be more lenient."

The crowd was silent as the Governor went on with his speech. John did sense a degree of anger from some of the Jaffa near him, but not enough to spur them to act. Not when there were more than a dozen guns pointing into the crowd, with plenty more soldiers on standby within the city.

"Society needs stable foundations," Valinno continued. He reached into a pocket on his uniform, retrieving something small and metallic from within. He held the item up, ensuring that those in the crowd could see it. "From the foundations of an old house came this nail, a simple yet integral tool necessary to keep a structure from falling apart. People such as this partisan are what will cause this society to crumble, and it is that situation I intend to avoid." He passed the nail, which had to be at least three inches long and a good ten-millimetres thick, to the other officer.

"Captain Dorvask, show these people what happens to those who disturb the peace and kill our soldiers," Valinno told his subordinate. Dorvask, the seemingly overgrown Calsharan, gave a nod as he took the nail from his commander. John frowned as he watched all of this, curious to see what they intended with it, even if all his instincts told him it would be nothing good. He detected much the same feelings from those in the crowd, many spurred to watch on like one would view a car crash or derailed train: not a pleasant sight, but not one people often turned away from. It was morbid curiosity that drove the onlookers here.

Dorvask moved in front of the Jaffa prisoner, held as he was between two soldiers. He placed the point of the nail against the man's skull, before he raised his other hand. John realised what was coming, yet he did not turn away. He had seen all manner of terrible things, but a nail driven in by hand? That was new.

Dorvask's first blow on the nail head sent it into the Jaffa's skull. The Jaffa fighter let out a pained yelp, which turned into a moan as Dorvask struck the nail in further, again and again, driving it into the man's skull. Each blow the Calsharan Captain gave carried behind it the strength of a sledgehammer, sending the old nail deep into the prisoner's brain. The Jaffa's moan trailed off, his eyes rolling back and blood rushing down his face. The final blow given by the Captain left the head of the nail sitting just out of his skull with barely a centimetre of its shaft remaining visible. There was a rush of startled gasps and stifled shouts amongst the crowd of onlookers. John noticed Natalia turn away, whereas Bra'tac simply narrowed his eyes into an expression that suggested a deep, simmering rage.

The soldiers propping up the Jaffa prisoner released him then, allowing the now lifeless Jaffa to fall forwards, whereupon he landed hard against the dirtied pavement with blood spilling out from around the nail embedded in his forehead. Dorvask turned around to view the sullen crowd, his reptilian features lighting up with a malicious smile, pointed teeth bared.

"Master Bra'tac?" Someone had approached him from within the crowd. John looked over, his gaze falling upon a young Jaffa man in dirtied civilian clothes. He spoke quietly with Bra'tac, their voices at a whisper. After a moment, Bra'tac nodded his head and then turned to John.

"My warriors await us nearby," he said quietly. "Let us depart here, before we are forced to witness any more cruelties."

Governor Valinno's face had adopted a stern expression. Whilst John, Natalia and Daniel followed Bra'tac and his compatriot back through the crowd, Valinno delivered some parting words to those assembled:

"Let this be a warning to those who would consider disturbing the peace and killing soldiers of the High Protector," he declared, voice booming. "Far worse fates will befall those who take up arms against us. Remember, we are here to help you, not to subjugate you. Together, we can build a better society for all on Chulak."

With the crowd slowly dispersing, Valinno climbed back into the transport, Dorvask following. The soldiers about the plaza remained in their positions well after the armoured car had driven away, headed back for the temple.


The young Jaffa lead the group down a few narrow, winding lanes that ran between rows of brick and stone townhouses that shared many similarities with one another, with some variations in overall frontage designs and the like. It was to a warehouse at the end of one side-street that the young Jaffa brought them, and he knocked on the front door of the rustic brick building. John lingered nearby, eyeing the surrounding street carefully, keeping an eye out for any sign of trouble. The street was otherwise quiet, with few others walking its length.

A small hatch slid open on the front metal door. A pair of mean eyes appeared, scrutinising the group before those eyes noticeably widened when they came upon Bra'tac. Without a word, the man slid closed the small head-level hatch before, with the sound of metal sliding against metal, he unlocked the large door and pulled it open enough to allow the group to file into the building. He stood aside, keeping an eye out whilst the team hurried into the dim and musty confines of the workshop beyond. Light streamed in through a handful of small windows close to the ceiling, but otherwise the place was adorned with a more subdued level of illumination, strangely appropriate given the clandestine work taking place within.

The man who had answered the door was slim and middle-aged, with short greying hair and the seal of Apophis tattooed to his forehead. There were four others in the workshop, among them one young Jaffa woman who lacked the tattoos the others carried. She was of the newer generation, one born in a free Chulak, and as such had not been 'branded' like those before her. Her long dark hair was braided, and her dark eyes contained a much friendlier look than those on the older Jaffa.

The other three were a mix of ages, from early thirties to late fifties. At least, that was what John could gather just by looking at them. Jaffa aged much slower, so a glance at their features was not the most accurate means to estimate their years.

The door slid shut as soon as the last person was in, the locks being shoved back into place. The older man who had answered the door moved about to the front of the group, and he stopped before Bra'tac. He gave the old warrior a nod, clasping his forearm in the traditional Jaffa greeting.

"Master Bra'tac," the old man said. He was dressed in plain grey and earthen brown clothes, as were the others. John looked past them to the table in the middle of the workshop, one that was adorned with all manner of weapons.

"I am relieved to see that you made it back," the old, severe-looking Jaffa said. He glanced to the humans, his expression carrying with it some obvious uncertainty. "Is this all you have brought?"

"They are capable warriors, Tesic."

Tesic regarded each of them in turn. John and the others lowered the hoods they wore, now that they were within more trusting surroundings. Or, as trusting as a bunch of Jaffa insurgents could be, given that they were being actively hunted by the Calsharan occupation forces. A healthy layer of distrust was not unusual in such circumstances.

"Three of them? We need more, if we are to raid the temple."

"I've done more with less." John spoke up then, offering the ageing Jaffa a smirk. "I'm Colonel Sheppard, by the way. And the man with the glasses is Doctor Jackson, and the woman on my left is Staff Sergeant Natalia Tarasovna." He paused for a moment, allowing the information to sink in. Tesic did not appear at all impressed by what he saw. John could practically feel the man's hard blue eyes burning into him.

In an attempt to break the increasing awkwardness, John approached the central table. He gazed down at the weapons on offer, some of which he did not recognize.

"Nice arsenal," he said. It was the young Jaffa woman who spoke next, offering him a welcoming smile.

"You are impressed?" She asked him.

"Well, I don't know. I guess I am. Half of this stuff doesn't look like the usual fare." He picked up what looked to be a hodgepodge of weapon parts stuck together. There was a sleek, shining metal shaft at the centre of this piece, with a foregrip and stock crudely welded on. The barrel ended with a curved two-pronged fork design, and it was this that John thought he had seen before.

"What is this?" He asked the woman.

"An Ori staff weapon," she answered. "I cut it down and added more practical additions. Tesic would not allow me to deface one of our own staff weapons with such items, so I did it on one left behind by our old Ori enemies."

"Huh." John pressed the stock against his shoulder, peering down a makeshift sight that had been set upon the top of the staff weapon's business end. "Does it work?"

"Of course it works."

"Young Noha here is adept at weapons-craft," Tesic said.

Natalia had paused by the table. She picked up a battered and scuffed P90 submachine gun, presumably one that had been brought here as part of a supplies shipment from Earth years ago. There were several magazines on the table for it, and the same went with the handful of Beretta pistols also situated upon the tabletop. Natalia put aside the P90 then, her attention having gone to the inert zat'nik'tel off to her right. She spun it about in her hands, getting a feel for it. She then hit the small switch on the side that unfolded the curving, snakelike weapon into its 'ready' setup.

"Zat'nik'tels are not much use against Calsharan armour." Noha leaned over, gently taking the weapon out of Natalia's grasp. "Their armour disperses the energy, weakening its impact. It would take several direct hits from a zat'nik'tel to fell a fully-armoured Calsharan."

"Did you not bring weapons?" Tesic asked them.

"We, ah, had to sneak into town," Daniel interjected, getting the old man's stern eyes directed his way. "We were relying on you guys to give us what we needed. We couldn't go around the city hauling a bunch of rocket launchers."

Tesic frowned. It seemed the situation was only getting worse, in his view. He turned to Bra'tac.

"Are you sure about these people, Master Bra'tac?"

"As certain as I can be, Tesic." Bra'tac put up a hand, a signal to cease the protests, unwilling to hear any more of Tesic's doubts about the newcomers.

John hefted up a Calsharan plasma rifle. He eyed the black-metal receiver, noticing one small detail that was not present.

"Is this an older model, or did you get rid of the lockout?" He asked, directing the question to Noha. The Jaffa woman adopted a somewhat proud look as she took the gun from him and tapped part of the receiver. Normally, the lockout device would appear as little more than a black circle above the trigger, adorned with a red light. On this rifle, there was a suspiciously circular empty space there.

"I disabled the lockout," Noha said. "It took time, and unfortunately that is one thing we have little of. There were also several failed attempts before that one."

"You'll have to show us how to do that, once this is all over." The Calsharans had beefed up their security since the incident on the Broadsword. Many of their newer energy weapons were being fitted with genetic lockouts that essentially barred any non-Calsharan from being able to fire them.

"So, is this it?" John looked to Tesic, then Noha and the other two Jaffa. Judging from the look Tesic gave him, this was indeed 'it'.

"Many of our number hide in the wilderness," Tesic explained. "We're reorganizing our forces for a full-scale strike. Our losses have been heavy these past months. Although many of us wish to see Teal'c liberated, we simply cannot spare the warriors for such a mission. This is all we are, the rescue party."

"Things are that bad, huh?"

Tesic did not reply. Bra'tac's face was grave, but he also did not provide an answer. Instead, he moved for a door at the other end of the room. Looking back at the others, he gestured for them to follow.

"Come, Colonel Sheppard. You should familiarise yourself with the vehicles we have commandeered for this mission." Bra'tac pushed open the door, revealing a small outdoor paved area situated at the rear of the workshop.

"How do we get into the temple?" John followed him, with Natalia and Daniel behind him.

"Supplies are routinely ferried into the temple, often by Jaffa labourers," Bra'tac said. The group emerged into the warm afternoon air once again, sun beaming down. There were a pair of rugged Calsharan ground transports here, each of them armoured and carrying with them a set of four large, sturdy wheels.

"The others have stolen passes that will allow us to bypass the guards at the perimeter. We will be posing as a supplies shipment," Bra'tac explained. "Once inside the grounds, we will have to move quickly to locate the prison. We must retain the element of stealth for as long as possible."

"Easier said than done," Daniel commented. John nodded in agreement. If they got into a firefight inside what was essentially the Calsharan headquarters for Chulak, they would be very quickly outnumbered and outgunned. Getting in might be easy enough, getting out is where the problems would likely start.

"We will leave tonight, at sundown," Bra'tac added. "Our chances will be better under cover of night."

"And just how confident are you that our way in will work?" John asked him. Bra'tac seemed to think about this for a moment, before he somewhat encouragingly put a hand to John's shoulder.

"Have faith, Colonel Sheppard. If things do not go as planned, I am confident that we will find a way to succeed."

"Take one obstacle at a time?"

"Cross one bridge at a time, if that is what you mean." The old man smiled. "Such sneaking around is hardly the way in which a Jaffa would usually conduct themselves, but you might say that I have learned some tricks from my friends of the Tau'ri."