'Are you sure about this, Sam?' Daniel wrinkled his nose nervously.

'I'm sure.' Sam said. She shivered. 'I think the chair was meant to control the weapon just like it controls the drones in Antarctica. It's still tied to it. I can…I can feel it inside my head.'

Jack looked back at her sharply. 'Maybe you should get out of the chair, Carter.'

'Yes, sir.' Sam focused on deactivating the chair and stepped away from it hurriedly as it righted its position. She sighed in relief.

'I'm going to take Mitchell and find Teal'c; bring him up to date so he can inform the Jaffa High Council about Ba'al's interference.' Jack said. 'You two stay here and work out how we shut that weapon off.' He pointed at the chair. 'Do not touch that.'

'So how are we supposed to find out how to disarm the weapon if we can't use the chair?' Daniel asked exasperatedly.

'I don't know, Daniel, but I don't want to take the risk of Carter accidentally destroying all life in the galaxy.' Jack said.

'The General's right, Daniel.' Sam said crossing her arms protectively. She sighed. 'Those schematics had to come from somewhere in this system, right?'

'Right.' Daniel agreed. 'But without using the chair it will be like…like finding a needle in a haystack and what about finding out what's going on with you?'

'Try another way to get the info, Daniel.' Jack's eyes glanced toward Sam. 'Sorry, Carter.'

'I understand, sir.' She said.

Jack ignored Daniel's exasperated sigh as he picked up his stuff and made his way back out of the chamber. He clipped the P90 back on as he made his way down the passageway and back out into the Dakara sunlight.

Mitchell straightened from his position by the side of the passageway. 'Sir.'

'You're with me, Mitchell.' Jack said.

'Sir?' Mitchell looked back at the entrance before he took a couple of running steps to catch up with the General.

'Do you know where this Council building is?' Jack asked as he flung his baseball cap back on over his short crop of grey hair.

'Yes, sir.'

'Well, lead the way, Mitchell.'

'Yes, sir.' Mitchell was surprised at the pace the General was setting and he almost struggled to keep up.

Jack looked over at the younger officer and smiled at the well hidden curiosity; he knew Mitchell was too good an officer to let it get the better of him. He cleared his throat. 'You're probably wondering what's going on?'

'I'm a little curious, sir.' Mitchell admitted.

'We had a visit from the Tok'ra last night.' Jack said.

'The Tok'ra?' Mitchell frowned. 'I thought they had abandoned the alliance with us since the attack on the old Alpha site.'

'Oh they have. Rule number eight, Mitchell; never trust a Tok'ra. They always have a hidden agenda.' Jack sighed. 'They told us the weapon on Dakara is still active probably down to Ba'al's interference. Carter's just confirmed it. We're off to tell the Jaffa Council the good news.'

Mitchell grimaced. 'Let's hope they don't kill the messengers, sir.'

'Yes. Let's.' Jack muttered.

The Council session was breaking up and the leaders of the Jaffa were spilling out of the meeting chamber as they entered. Jack slowed down to a normal pace, his eyes searching for Teal'c. He saw him a moment later, almost at the same time that Teal'c caught sight of him across the crowded corridor. The two team-mates cut a swathe through the crowd to reach each other with no regard for anyone else.

'O'Neill,' Teal'c began urgently, 'Colonel Carter…'

'She's OK, T.' Jack said quickly realising the assumption the Jaffa had jumped to on seeing him. 'She's back with Daniel looking over the Ancient systems. Actually, that's kind of what I need to talk to you about.'

'O'Neill.' Bra'tac greeted him with strong forearm clasp. 'It is good to see you again.'

'Always a pleasure, Bra'tac, but I need to talk to you and Teal'c on a matter of urgency.' He glanced around at the interested looks they were garnering. 'In private.'

'Of course. This way.' Bra'tac hid his own curiosity and led the way to an ante-chamber.

Jack paused at the entrance and turned to Mitchell. 'Watch the door and make sure we're not disturbed.'

'Yes, sir.'

Jack joined the two Jaffa and closed the door. 'Sorry for the melodrama,' he waved a hand at them, 'but we had a visit from the Tok'ra last night.' He quickly filled them in on what Delek had told them; that they had received information that the Ancient weapon was not destroyed as they had been told.

Teal'c and Bra'tac exchanged a concerned look.

'That is a serious charge.' Bra'tac said.

'It's a serious problem.' Jack said without any sign of his usual humour.

'The Tok'ra are mistaken.' Bra'tac insisted huffily. 'I was present when the Council voted. The machine was to be destroyed.'

'But you didn't actually see it destroyed?' Jack checked.

Bra'tac shook his head. 'I did not. Only three of our Council members were tasked with overseeing the destruction of the weapon but…I cannot believe they would lie to the rest of the Council about this.'

'I'm sorry, Bra'tac. I didn't want to believe the Tok'ra either,' Jack sighed, 'which is why I got Carter to check.' He held Bra'tac's gaze. 'The weapon is still active.'

'Are you certain, O'Neill?' Teal'c asked.

'Teal'c, the chair in that Ancient chamber you guys found is hooked up to that damn weapon.' Jack said pointing in the vague direction of the old monument. 'Carter could tell it was working. She thought she was going to set the thing off.'

Teal'c's jaw worked furiously as he assimilated the information. 'Colonel Carter would not lie about this.' He said to a devastated Bra'tac.

'I know, old friend.' Bra'tac admitted.

'Listen, we think this was all Ba'al's doing.' Jack said waving his hand. 'Who exactly said they witnessed the destruction of the machine?'

Bra'tac sighed. 'Byn'c, Gerek and Cral'k.'

'Cral'k.' Jack repeated. 'Cral'k as in the guy who tried to kill Carter Cral'k? Ba'al's spy Cral'k?' He motioned with his hand. 'Isn't it possible Cral'k was responsible for not following through on destroying the thing?'

'You believe Cral'k was acting on Ba'al's orders to defy the wishes of the Jaffa High Council.' Bra'tac surmised.

'I do.' Jack said.

'What of Byn'c and Gerek?' Teal'c murmured.

'I cannot believe Byn'c would have lied to the Council,' Bra'tac said, 'but Gerek…he has a chequered past, hmmm?'

'He does?'

'He was the First Prime of a minor System Lord in the service of Ba'al at the time of the rebellion.' Teal'c confirmed.

'Another Ba'al connection.' Jack pointed out.

'We should inform the Council immediately.' Teal'c said.

'I agree, old friend.' Bra'tac said. 'I will see to it. O'Neill, you will stay and speak of this to the Council.' He swept out before Jack could reply.

The General turned to Teal'c ruefully. 'I guess I'm staying.'

'Indeed.'

Jack nodded. He poked his head around the door and ushered Mitchell inside.

'Sir?' Mitchell asked.

'Bra'tac's getting the Council together for a big pow-wow session which I'm guessing isn't going to be very pleasant. I need you to head back to Colonel Carter let her know what's going on and tell her that we definitely think Ba'al had something to do with the weapon not being destroyed; Cral'k was one of the few Jaffa with responsibility for destroying it.' Jack said. 'Tell her I'll be staying here for the discussion and then I plan to head back to the SGC. Teal'c will update you guys on the outcome.'

Mitchell nodded. 'Yes, sir.'

'Dismissed.' Jack confirmed and returned Mitchell's salute.

The Air Force officer was half-way back out of the door when Jack called his name stopping him in his tracks.

'Sir?' Mitchell asked.

'Remind Daniel and Carter that they are not to use that chair.' Jack said firmly. 'And Mitchell? Rule number nine is don't trust Daniel and Carter not to touch something when I've explicitly told them not to.'

Mitchell nodded and left.

'What's the betting they use the chair?' Jack sighed.

'I will not take that bet, O'Neill.'

'How do you think the Council will take all this?' Jack asked perching on the shiny wooden table.

Teal'c's eyebrow quirked upwards. 'I do not believe the Council will be pleased.' He scowled. 'It is proving most difficult to rid ourselves of Ba'al's influence.'

'There is a permanent way to deal with Ba'al.' Jack said almost lazily.

Teal'c met his eyes in complete understanding. 'Indeed.'

Bra'tac swept into the room. 'We are ready. You will come with us, O'Neill.'

Jack followed the Jaffa out of the ante-chamber and down the wide ornate corridor with its giant urns and imposing statues to the Council room. It was a circular space with two curved semi-circular tables behind which sat the various Council members. Bra'tac indicated for O'Neill to stand in the centre and took a seat. Teal'c chose to remain by Jack's side and the General was pleased at the presence of his friend.

'Bra'tac, what is the meaning of this?' Gerek stated angrily. 'It is forbidden for outsiders to address the Council.'

'I believe an exception is needed on this occasion.' Bra'tac insisted. 'General O'Neill has vital information regarding our security here at Dakara.'

'I would hear him speak.' Ilyia, the only female Jaffa on the Council, spoke up.

'As would I.' Byn'c said.

Gerek waved a large hand and pursed his lips. 'Very well. Let him speak.'

'O'Neill.' Bra'tac nodded at the Tau'ri General.

Jack found his mouth suddenly as dry as the Sahara as all the eyes of the Jaffa focused on him. 'Hey. How are you all doing?' He cleared his throat noisily and got to the purpose of his visit. 'We received some information about our favourite Goa'uld, Ba'al…'

'Where did this information come from?' Byn'c asked.

'The Tok'ra.' Jack admitted.

There was a wave of muttering around the room.

'Look,' he said talking over them, 'I'm not keen on them either but their information came from an operative in Ba'al's inner circle so could we all move on from our mutual dislike of the snakes and get to the point?'

'An excellent idea.' Gerek said leaning back and steepling his fingers in front of him.

'Ba'al arranged it so the Ancient weapon on Dakara was not destroyed.' Jack said forcefully.

'This can't be true,' gasped an elderly Jaffa.

'Cral'k was entrusted with the destruction of the weapon, was he not?' Teal'c asked.

'As was Byn'c and Gerek.' Ilyia said her green eyes flashing at the two Jaffa.

Gerek rose out of his seat angrily. 'Are you accusing me of being an agent of Ba'al?'

'I don't think I said that.' Jack turned to Teal'c. 'Did I say that he was an agent of Ba'al because I don't think I said that?'

'Hasak!' Gerek shouted.

'Gerek.' Bra'tac intervened. 'There is no doubt that there are questions to be answered by you and Byn'c. You were tasked with Cral'k in overseeing that the weapon was destroyed.'

'The weapon was destroyed.' Gerek said. 'I witnessed the explosion within the chamber holding the control table.'

'Whatever you saw was a trick.' Jack replied forcefully, stabbing a finger at him. 'That weapon is still active.'

'How do you know this?' Byn'c demanded.

Teal'c answered. 'The Ancient chamber where we found Colonel Carter after Cral'k's attempt to kill her contains a chair that controls the weapon. Colonel Carter used the chair and verified the Tok'ra's information to determine its veracity before the Tau'ri brought this to the attention of the Council.'

There was another outbreak of loud voices and a lot of comments being directed at the direction of the grey haired human standing in the centre of the room.

'Hey!' Jack yelled. 'Ba'al didn't allow this information to leak by accident. He's trying to screw things up between us with this which is why we verified the intel before we informed you. Are you going to let him win?'

There was a moment of total silence.

'O'Neill is right.' Bra'tac said. 'Ba'al knew this information would create dissent amongst us. We must unite and not allow him a victory here.'

Byn'c sighed. 'Gerek and I were obviously tricked by Cral'k.' He gestured. 'I have no excuse. Cral'k offered to arrange everything and we allowed it. After Anubis's attack,' he sighed again heavily, 'there was much to do.'

A disgruntled Gerek sat back down. 'I also have no excuse to offer.' His dark eyes glowered angrily.

Bra'tac patted Byn'c's shoulder. 'We can understand. The question is what we do now. The weapon is still active and must be destroyed.'

'Must it?' Gerek asked. He spread his hands out wide. 'Is destroying the weapon the right thing to do?'

'Oh, here we go.' Jack muttered under his breath.

'The weapon is too powerful…' Bra'tac began.

'And do we not need that power now?' Gerek said thumping the table.

'We have already made this decision, Gerek.' Byn'c argued.

'An emotional decision made in the turmoil of Anubis's attack.' Gerek insisted.

'Didn't you learn anything from that?' Jack asked unable to keep quiet. 'Anubis almost pressed the button that destroyed all life in the galaxy.'

'Well,' Gerek's dark eyes were filled with hostility as they met Jack's serious brown gaze, 'we know what the Tau'ri would like us to do.'

'Would we prefer to destroy a weapon that could take out all life in the galaxy? Yes, we would, I won't deny that.' Jack retorted. 'But actually it makes no difference to us.' He lifted a hand and smiled smugly. 'We have a counter-measure.' He watched in satisfaction as the Jaffa were shocked into silence by him for the second time.