35th of Ihom, 6546 A.S.
(October 24, 1999)
Uslisgas, Asteria
Shortly after Ruarc had returned to Uslisgas from Vorash, bringing word of the earthshakes that had severely damaged the Tok'ra base, and called for aid, Daniel stepped into the Stargate on Ardea and emerged on the citadel of Uslisgas. For a few moments, his mind caught up with Sha're and their son Abydos, Daniel did not realize the full import of the situation into which he had just stepped.
A few paces out from the Stargate, Daniel finally looked up and around and realized something was wrong—terribly wrong. It was mid-afternoon, and at that time of day, even mid-week, the large defensive hall which enclosed the Stargate usually rather quiet, occasionally even deserted, save for maintenance workers or cleaners, with only the usual patrolling guards in the outer hallways. Sometimes there were a few other people waiting to return through the Stargate or having arrived before him, but Daniel usually seemed to find all the quiet hours to travel at.
Today, the opposite was true.
The great hall was bustling, full of people—soldiers, healers, engineers, more healers, more engineers—moving hither and thither and full of pallet upon pallet piled high with supplies, some of which looked much like construction or bracing equipment. Organized chaos were the words that first entered Daniel's mind, as he looked out upon all the people and all the anti-gravity pallets. Nothing normal that he knew of should account for all this.
Something, somewhere, he feared, had gone terribly wrong. This had all the hallmarks of a rescue mission or disaster relief.
A harried looking Dovahkiin engineer, his wings pulled tight to his back, waved Daniel out of the comparatively clear path straight in front of the Stargate. Once he was clear, the Stargate began dialing out. Now thoroughly confused at what could have happened in his absence—I've not even been gone half a day!—Daniel threaded his way through the crowd of people and supplies until he could exit the main hall into the outer 'labyrinth.' Out there were yet more people and yet more pallets of supplies, some marked as water or Asgardian emergency rations. Okay, this is really bad. There were so many soldiers present among the other workers. Could one of the Furling bases in Avalon have been attacked?
Get back to Headquarters and find Sujanha.
She'll know what's going on!
It took Daniel much longer than usual to reach Headquarters from the Stargate. The area of the citadel between the Hall of the Stargate and Headquarters was unusually full. The transporters, he was told, were reserved for those involved in whatever was going on, so Daniel was forced to jog across to Headquarters, instead of beaming across instantly. Strangely, Headquarters was unnervingly silent. How busy the building was usually was determined by how many members of the High Command were on-world at any particular time, but things had not been this quiet when he dropped something off in Sujanha's office early that morning before leaving for his circuit of trips to Abydos and Ardea.
What the h**l happened?
Finally, as Daniel stepped off the lift onto Sujanha's floor, he finally saw signs of life. Asik, Jaax, and Ruarc were all standing in the doorway to the Commander's outer office. Ruarc, leaning heavily against the doorjamb, looked exhausted, and there were dirt streaks all over his tunic and trousers. His black fur was … no longer black in places, and some sections even almost … sparkled. What? The three were speaking so quickly that Daniel had trouble understanding them, hampered by arriving in the middle of the conversation.
Hearing Daniel's footsteps, Ruarc broke off from the conversation and spun towards Daniel, his ears pinned back in great agitation. "Good!" His voice was just as stressed as his posture indicated. "You're here!"
"Uh, yeah. I just got back. What happened?" Asked Daniel, his own unease and confusion heightened by Ruarc's clear agitation. "I've never seen the citadel so on edge and crowded. Was there an attack … somewhere?"
Ruarc shook his head sharply. "No. The Commander was called away to Vorash this morning, and not long ago, the planet was wracked by severe earthshakes, though the continent the base is on is not believed to be prone to such tremors. The Tok'ra tunnel system … there are widespread collapses. People are trapped all over. It's a disaster. We are mobilizing assistance."
That explained the sparkling fur … crystal dust.
(Assistance after natural disasters or attacks was one hallmark of Furling treaties both within and without the empire.)
Not prone to earthquakes?
But it happened when Sujanha is there?
Is this an assassination attempt? If so, it would be the second during her career, the first being the one that had almost killed her during the Great War.
Or coincidence? He could only hope so.
Daniel gulped. He was not prone to claustrophobia, having been in many tight spaces during his digs in Egypt—some of the tunnels beneath the Step Pyramid were particularly … confined—and his explorations in Abydos' pyramids. Yet, the thought of being trapped in those tunnels was … ugh. "Talk about suspicious coincidence," he muttered. "Ragnar and the Commander, are they alright?"
I'm assuming they both survived, or you'd be acting a lot differently!
"My brother is trapped but uninjured. The Commander is trapped in a chamber, at least one level below him." Ruarc replied. "She has not said so specifically, but my brother does fear that she is injured. Potentially how severely, we do not know. She is … not a good judge, in any case."
Not a good judge?
Because of the aftermath of the poison and all that?
Daniel nodded, filing away Ruarc's last comment for future thought, and then asked, "So, all the people, we're sending aid?" That was clear from Ruarc's earlier comment, but this would pull the conversation back around and hopefully provide some more information of what exactly they were doing and how I am or might need to be involved.
"As quickly as possible," Ruarc replied. He paused and turned back to the two other aids. "I'll keep you updated. You have your orders for now."
Asik and Jaax made dual tones of assent, and then Ruarc made for the lift, motioning for Daniel to follow. "We are sending troops, engineers, and healers as well as ships to Vorash in all haste," he said, as they rode back down to the main floor, "in case those tremors were not caused by natural means, which could precede an attack."
Not by natural means.
Daniel made an incredulous face. "That's a thing, causing tremors artificially?"
I should probably not be surprised by now.
"Yes," Ruarc replied, as they stepped outside onto the citadel. "We have such technology, though it was created to counter tremors, not cause them. Tremors can also be induced with sufficient explosive force in the right locations."
But either would require that there's a traitor among the Tok'ra or a Goa'uld-operative made it through the Stargate past the gate guards OR snuck past the Furling sensors in orbit around Vorash.
Can any ships sneak past the Furling sensors? I'd bet my next pay-check Goa'uld ships couldn't. Asgard, maybe? But Goa'uld, I doubt it.
The Tok'ra have had spies before. This wouldn't be the first time. And there would be no shortage of Goa'uld, angry at lost territory or afraid of meeting the same fate of the System Lords who had already fallen before the Furlings, who would be happy to see Sujanha die.
Daniel shuddered at the thought that possibly someone had intentionally set off the tremors that had wrecked the Tok'ra tunnels. "Why can't our ships just beam the injured and trapped out?" He asked, slightly out of breath as he power-walked to keep up with Ruarc, who was probably only making tracks for the Stargate, not flat out running, because of the crowds.
"The short, simple answer: beamings happen sequentially overtime and cannot easily be coordinated between ships. There are probably not even enough ships to do so anyway. Without studying the tunnels and the collapses first for weak points, beaming out people could shift debris enough to cause further collapses and just compound this disaster."
"Uh, bad idea then. What am I supposed to be doing, exactly?"
"For the moment, nothing," Ruarc replied. "High Commander Algar is in command until Sujanha is freed, and he has his own aids. As soon as she's freed, she'll need you by her side again."
Assuming she's not injured and doesn't land herself in the hospital …, uh, healing halls?
Well, knowing her, she'd try to work anyway if she wasn't unconscious or something. (Sometimes Sujanha's work ethic was rather … excessive.)
The crowd in the Stargate facility had lessened upon their return but was still larger than usual, several groups apparently having already left. Ruarc and Daniel went through the Stargate with the next group leaving for Vorash.
The sight was staggering.
The entire landscape of Vorash had changed, not just because of the influx of men, machines, and supplies. The dunes had shifted. Gaping holes had appeared where tunnels beneath had collapsed or broken open, exposing them to the sky above and letting sand pour in.
Daniel stared out at the scene, aghast, too shocked for words.
Daniel spent hours on the surface of Vorash, helping where he could. Sometimes that was helping move debris or being an extra pair of hands for the healers. Other times that involved translating between the Furlings and the Tok'ra who did not speak English until more translators could be brought in from Uslisgas. By evening, Daniel was exhausted, and Ruarc sent him up to the Oshrocco to get some food and a few hours' rest.
The Oshrocco was one of the Furling fleet's 10 mercy ships, equivalent in function to the United States Navy's hospital ships. As the name implied, those ships were massive, floating hospitals, over a mile-and-a-half in length. With a massive complement of healers from all the races of Asteria, each ship could hold about 5000 patients at a time, even containing stasis pods for transporting severely wounded people back to Asteria for more advanced treatment. The Oshrocco was flanked by five noticeably smaller warships, including Sujanha's flagship, guarding the planet in case of attack.
Daniel ate a quick sandwich and then found a free bed in a room set aside for resting workers. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, and it seemed like only seconds had passed when a hand shook his shoulder and jolted him from sleep. He opened his eyes to see Ruarc standing like a shadow beside the bed. "The cavern where the Commander is trapped has almost been reached," his friend said.
Suddenly wide-awake, Daniel bolted upright and swung his feet over the side of the bed. "Thanks for waking me. How long was I asleep?"
"Several hours," Ruarc replied. "You were exhausted." He looked little better than he had hours earlier. Had he rested at all? Or had he been on the surface all this time, waiting for news about his brother and Sujanha?
Unwilling to wait longer for news or to remain on the Oshrocco until Sujanha was freed and beamed up, Daniel and Ruarc beamed back down to the surface of Vorash. Much had changed since Daniel had arrived hours earlier. Some parts of the planet's surface now bore a striking resemblance to the archeological sites in which Daniel had participated on earth a lifetime ago. In some locations, it looked like the Furling engineers had simply dug straight down through the sand dunes in order to reach trapped survivors, instead of taking the time to clear out and shore up the damaged tunnels and make their way through the tunnels, clearing debris away as they went.
In those intervening hours, Jacob-Selmak had also appeared. He explained to Daniel that he had been recalled early because of the emergency and the suspicious circumstances of the event. The three men stood together near the hole which led down to the region near where Sujanha and several Tok'ra were still trapped.
A corridor near the main chamber where Sujanha was trapped was breached first. (That area had less overlapping tunnels above it, enabling easier access.) Two Tok'ra with minor injuries were pulled out as well as, surprisingly, a snarling and impatient, though thankfully unhurt, Ragnar, who must have not been as far from Sujanha's position as he had thought. The two brothers embraced heartily, but soon their delight soured, as Ragnar began to speak to his brother in a hushed voice, his eyes filled with unease and concern.
Hard to identify your position when it's pitch black, and you can't see squat.
Same general hallway or not, multiple tunnel collapses meant he couldn't have gotten to her, anyway.
Jacob-Selmak was the first to pick up on the change in mood between the two brothers. "What's wrong?" Jacob asked, leaning towards Daniel.
Daniel had turned away back toward the hole, allowing the two, usually restrained, brothers a little privacy. At Jacob's concerned question, he turned back quickly, his face filled with puzzlement, having missed the contents of the hushed conversation.
"Su … the Commander hasn't answered her comm for hours," Ragnar was saying, and now he turned away from his brother towards the others, "though I spoke to her multiple times earlier."
"How was she then?" Daniel asked.
"All business, as you say. She asked after us, was concerned for her companions. She spoke of no injuries to herself."
"Not that that means much…" Ruarc muttered under his breath … in English.
Jacob, who was currently in control, looked puzzled at Ruarc's comment but chose not to comment. Ruarc's comment was similar to the one he had made earlier about the Commander being a poor judge of the severity of her own injuries. Daniel again wondered exactly what he meant. Yes, she had a high pain tolerance—she had to in order to function some days—and nerve damage, which could make sensing some things an issue, but tactically speaking, shouldn't she need to be able to judge her own issues to know when she needed to relinquish command temporary to get treatment? Overlooking injuries or misjudging their severity because of adrenaline overload was a thing—they'd seen it plenty at the SGC—but adrenaline only lasted so long. Were there other reasons Sujanha might not want to say things with an audience, reasons the brothers might not be mentioning or factoring in? But yet, Ruarc was focusing on Sujanha's judgment of her own injuries.
The brothers returned to their hissed discussion, switching back into Furling.
More time passed. Daniel wished for his old watch or his chronometer. Finally, a shout echoed up from the work zone. The four carefully approached closer to the hole, wary of getting in the way or dislodging loose debris at the edge. Within minutes, three floating pallets were carefully extracted from the tunnel depths, one covered respectfully by a cloth. On the other two were Sujanha and a blond-haired woman in the brown uniform of the Tok'ra.
The three pallets, along with Ragnar and Ruarc, Jacob-Selmak, and Daniel, were immediately beamed up to one of the med bays aboard Oshrocco. The body was taken away to the morgue, and the nameless Tok'ra woman and Sujanha were immediately transferred to two high-tech beds, which had holographic screens projected on the wall behind, displaying the vital signs of the injured occupants. A Lapith healer immediately began to treat the Tok'ra, while Kaja, Sujanha's personal healer—Daniel had not seen her since Sha're had been brought back from Abydos—appeared from the hallway.
"The air was growing thin in the tunnels," Ragnar rumbled to the Lapith healer, "even for me."
As Kaja ran a Furling healing device over Sujanha's body, the Tok'ra seemed to begin to stir slightly, as if starting to regain consciousness, and Jacob stepped towards her. When he came within a pace of her bed, which was just a few feet away from Sujanha's own bed, Jacob suddenly jerked backwards, a look of consternation and surprise filling his face.
What just happened?
A split second later, Kaja made an exclamation of surprise, her face a textbook picture of shock.
Ragnar and Ruarc exchanged uneasy glances and tensed. "What's wrong?" Ruarc growled.
Jacob seemed too shocked for words, but Kaja replied wordlessly, bringing up a 3D holographic screen above Sujanha's prone form. Her injuries and other abnormal readings were highlighted in red, which stood out harshly against the blue of the hologram. Daniel's gaze first was drawn by the torrent of red on her back and within the right side of her chest, barely even noticing the red coating her feet and already tracing up her legs. A split-second later, he caught sight of a red form, unmistakably that of a Goa'uld symbiote, curled around her spinal cord.
For a moment, Ragnar and Ruarc both froze, their eyes full of bewildered surprise. Daniel was flabbergasted. His brain seemed to hit the pause button.
What?!
How did that happen?
"Would someone like to explain this to me?" Sujanha's very protective, very no-nonsense healer asked, her tone turned biting with shock, stress, or surprise—or a combination of all three—stabbing one finger toward the holographic screen. "To treat her, I have to know …
"Kelmaa is uninjured, but Malek's host is dying," Ragnar broke in, muttering half to himself, half to the others in the room.
Ruarc whirled towards his brother. "What!?"
"Kelmaa is uninjured, but Malek's host is dying," Ragnar repeated, rubbing his face with one paw. "That was one of the first things the Commander told me when I raised her on comms the first time."
"Which would make that Kelmaa," continued Ruarc, gesturing toward the woman, who had settled down without ever regaining consciousness, "and the fallen one …"
"Loknu," Jacob finished. "Loknu was the body we recovered. He and Kelmaa frequently worked together. They were both … bio-chemists." He seemed tense. (If this were earth, there probably would have already been drawn guns and a lot of yelling.)
Daniel was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Sujanha suddenly had a symbiote. What on earth happened down there? She got along well with all the usual Tok'ra operatives—Martouf-Lantash and Jacob-Selmak, especially—and there was a deep level of trust between the Furlings and the Tok'ra, but this was … new. She had never spoken of considering becoming a host.
"We are sure this was consensual?" Kaja asked. "The Commander never spoke of considering becoming a host."
"The Tok'ra do not take unwilling hosts," Selmak snapped.
Except when they do, Jolinar being case in point, even if those circumstances were … complicated. Daniel corrected mentally, remembering those nerve-wracking days. That's the party line, Selmak. He doubted that this was non-consensual—any symbiote would know the cost to the alliance of such an attack on the Furling Supreme Commander—but he was reassured to remember that Furlings hosts were advanced enough to fight for control of the body.
"There is no reason to assume in haste that this was not a consensual blending without evidence of what went on in that room," Ruarc said, stepping forward to calm everyone. "Kaja, care for the Commander's injuries as best you can, factoring in the symbiote's presence. As soon as either of them awakens, have us sent for."
Kaja nodded and turned back toward the unconscious commander, muttering something under her breath. Jacob-Selmak, Daniel, and Ragnar all stepped out or, rather, were shooed out of the room by Ruarc, who followed them into the hallway outside the private treatment bay, letting the door slide shut behind them, sealing in the noises and smells common to hospitals.
"Brother," said Ruarc quietly, "Please find somewhere private for us all to speak. I will join you shortly. Until I return, Jacob-Selmak, please do not speak of this development to anyone."
This would be easier if we were on the Valhalla.
It took less than ten minutes for Ragnar to find an unused meeting room one floor up. The room was small but workable. A large round table with six chairs took up almost the entire floor space. The lights were … clinical, but there were holographic 'windows' that could piggy-back on the bridge sensors to show views of space and the planet below.
Agitated, Ragnar began to pace the circuit of the room as soon as everyone was inside and the door slid shut behind them. "I never should have left her side," he raged in English.
"There was no sign before this that Vorash was prone to earthquakes," Jacob began, taking a seat at the table, "and our base was not built near any fault lines. You could not have known."
That makes this even more suspicious. Daniel considered the timing of the earthquake a little more, before the image of that hologram with all that red superimposed itself across his eyes. "How badly is the Commander injured?" He asked, deciding to speak in English after a moment's hesitation.
Ragnar paced the circuit of the room for another minute or two before finally he stopped and stared at Daniel. "Severely. Quite severely for her," he replied.
Daniel understood what was not being said, what Sujanha's bodyguard might not want to say even in front of Jacob-Selmak, who was probably the most trusted of the Tok'ra. Though she rarely got sick, Sujanha's health was more fragile—her body was weaker—because of the repercussions of being poisoned during the Great War and never fully recovering. Those symptoms were usually manageable during everyday life, but they meant that with serious injuries, she was already working from the disadvantage of a weakened body.
"Even with your technology?" Jacob questioned. "And Malek?"
Ragnar nodded.
Jacob hesitated momentarily, his eyes distant, before asking cautiously, "Are her injuries fatal?"
Ragnar shook his head vehemently. "No, but she will probably be down for multiple weeks. Our scanners showed multiple broken ribs and internal damage, though how severe I do not know. She also has debris lodged in her feet. Those wounds are infected, and the infection has entered her bloodstream. It will take time for her to heal. High Commander Algar will rule the fleet in her place until she is recovered and can return to duty."
That could kill a human without proper treatment and even with, sometimes.
Jacob bowed his head, and Selmak came forward. "Algar will rule?"
"Unless a situation occurs, which makes it seem wiser for Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard to rule, instead." Ragnar confirmed, a comment which puzzled Daniel. How could the Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet also rule as the Supreme Commander of the Furling Fleet? Politics and history that I don't know about. The alliance between the two races was ancient and strong, and yet … how would that even work? How is that even a thing? Why is it?
The conference room door slid open silently, and Ruarc entered. "I have sent messages to Supreme Commander Anarr and High Commander Algar to come with all possible speed." He spoke as a greeting. "This situation is going to be a political nightmare when word gets out." He sank into a chair and then looked across at Jacob-Selmak. "Tell me about Malek." There was an aura of command about him, an ease with ordering happenings and people. Daniel wondered, for the first time, what Ruarc's rank had been with the Imperial Guard.
"In what respect?" Jacob asked. "His personality? His position among the Tok'ra? What he is like as a partner?"
"Anything and everything that you deem relevant," Ruarc replied. "Whatever prompted the lady to make this choice, the repercussions are potentially immense, and the politics more complicated than you can imagine. I need to be able to give Supreme Commander Anarr a report when he arrives."
Imagine the fallout if one of the Joint Chiefs took a Tok'ra symbiote?
It would be a disaster.
"As for their blending and Malek's personality," Jacob began, "I think this will either be a match made in heaven, or they'll want to kill each other within a week. Malek's a good kid, but he's young. He's smart, cunning, dedicated, loyal, detail oriented, and extremely protective of his hosts, but he is also stubborn as a mule, blunt to the point of rudeness, and arrogant with the manner of a bull in a china shop." He paused, thinking for a moment. None of the others spoke. "Malek is a high-ranking member among the Tok'ra. Occasionally, he works as an operative, but his main positions are as a biochemist and data analyst."
Match made in heaven … might need to explain that idiom later.
Okay. A lot of idioms I may need to explain later. Ruarc, Ragnar, and Sujanha all spoke fluent English, but most idioms were culture specific, and unless Daniel used such phrases, their knowledge of idioms was quite limited. And we usually speak Furling, and I don't carry over those phrases. Furling has its own.
"For the good of our alliance, would your High Council be willing to let him go?" Ruarc asked. From the look on his face, he seemed to have the basic idea of what Jacob was saying, even though Daniel guessed that most of the English idioms would have gone straight over his head.
Jacob frowned. "It depends on what you mean by let him go. He would be greatly missed, but I believe we could do without him on a daily basis, as long as we still had access to him occasionally." The last part was emphasized.
"There would be no thought of restricting your access to one of your own people," Ragnar assured him, breaking into the conversation. "Our king will not allow her to join your people as others of us have done."
What Jacob-Selmak did not know was that Sujanha was not just Supreme Commander of the Furling Fleet and a High Councilor of state. That alone would require her staying in more protected territory and would prevent her joining the Tok'ra, aside from her health issues. Sujanha was also the third in line to one of the most powerful empires in the known universe. With only children following her in the line of succession, there was risk involved anytime she strayed beyond her own flagship or Furling-controlled worlds.
"When you speak of political ramifications, to what do you refer?" Selmak asked, taking back control smoothly.
"Nothing that will impact the alliance," Ruarc replied, scrubbing his paws across his muzzle, "but …" Here, he hesitated. "It is almost certain that the Commander will be asked to step down."
Why? Is this another political mess that can be chalked up to Janth causing trouble? Sujanha and Ruarc were always circumspect, very circumspect, in what they said about the other High Councilor, but it was clear that there was bad blood between the two. It seemed sometimes that Janth straight up had a bone to pick with her or something, given the way he repeatedly went after her or the measures she supported.
"Or be forced to step down." Ragnar muttered angrily under his breath in Furling, words so low that only Daniel sitting next to him heard.
The door chimed a warning and then slid open a moment later, silhouetting Kaja in the doorway. Her arrival prevented Selmak from asking any questions that Ruarc's revelation almost certainly had prompted. "Kelmaa has awoken," the healer said to Ruarc. "She is asking for you or your brother. The Commander is still unconscious."
Ruarc gave a nod of acknowledgment—Kaja then departed—and rose from his chair, motioning for Selmak to follow. Another gesture was directed at Ragnar, who stayed in his seat. Once the door had slid shut behind the two men, Daniel turned to his friend. "Could the Commander really be forced to step down? I thought High Councilors held their posts for life?" asked Daniel in a torrent of words. "Ruarc told me."
"Except in rare cases, they do," Ragnar confirmed, rising from his chair and returning to his restless pacing. "And yet, in those rare cases, it is possible to unseat a serving High Councilor with a united vote of the remainder of the High Council and the approval of the reigning monarch."
"Has that ever happened before?" Daniel asked cautiously, realizing that he was wading into a complex and controversial issue.
"Twice in recorded history," Ragnar replied immediately, "although on eight occasions it has been put to a vote of the Council. It is a measure only used in severe circumstances. Such a measure is generally viewed as a disgrace upon the one against whom a vote is called."
And they'd do that against Sujanha, seriously? She's …
"Could they get enough votes to force her out? Would Commander Anarr really vote against his own sister?" I know their relationship is weird, but …
"I think it would rain water on Drehond before the Council actually received a unanimous vote, but if the vote were close or if the King requested that she step down, she might actually step down without forcing the issue to not cause division," Ragnar replied. Considering Drehond, the homeworld of the Dovahkiin, was a fire world covered in volcanoes and lava runs in extremes even of Netu, it was not going to be raining water there like ever.
"When was the last time a vote was called?"
Is this an antiquated custom, or has it been used recently?
"In 6483 A.S., fifteen years after the Great War," Ragnar replied, his voice trailing off into a growl at the end, "when the Commander was still on medical leave."
They tried to unseat her while she was on medical leave? Seriously?
Why try to unseat her, anyway? She's said to be one of the best fleet commanders that the Furlings have had in generations. Everyone loves her. The soldiers would follow her to hell and back.
"Hold up! Hold up! I think I missed that history lesson when I arrived. And why would they want to unseat her, anyway?"
"Politics, Daniel!" Ragnar replied with a heavy sigh. "You already heard some about her feud with High Councilor Janth. Politics is always complicated no matter the race or system of government." True. "As you know, Sujanha was poisoned during the war and barely survived. She returned to the front lines too soon, and her health has never been the same. By the end of the war, her health was shattered, and she collapsed. The healers gave her a year to live. My brother and I had watched her health steadily decline for decades. By the end of the war, she already could hear the Sea of Night lapping in her ears. We gave her months, at best, but she proved herself too stubborn to die and lived for two months, six months, and then a year. A year stretched into several, which stretched into a decade."
"A decade of medical leave from the military would be unheard of on earth," Daniel noted. "But when you live as long as you do, I guess it's not as surprising."
Ten years is a good chunk of my lifespan, a huge chunk of someone's career. You just couldn't do that on earth.
"Medical leave as extensive as that is unusual among us, but we were dealing with injuries, illnesses, poisons entirely news to us during and after the Great War. That summer, after the commander had spent fifteen years with Dovahkiin with limited contact with Uslisgas—any stressors, anything but rest could have sent her straight onto the pyre—one of the High Councilors"—Janth, let me guess?—"put forward a motion to have Sujanha retired—removed, really—from her duties as Supreme Commander, citing her long absence; poor health, which had no guarantee of ever fully recovered even if she survived; and the ongoing disruption of the chain of command."
"Those points sound … reasonable." Daniel had a sense Ragnar was omitting some details, though. He thought through those points again, and something seemed off.
"For one who knew much less than he thought he did about the operations of the fleet, perhaps that would be true," replied Ragnar pointedly, finally retaking his seat after pacing several more circuits of the room. "Supreme Commanders and High Commanders have taken long absences from the fleet before when necessary, and no war was ongoing at that time, and when there is no war, there is, in theory, less for a Supreme Commander to do on a day-to-day basis, unless you are Sujanha with an eye for fine details and a tendency to look over matters with, what was that strange saying of yours, a fine-tooth comb."
You do remember some English idioms!
"As to the second point, the Commander's health was a concern, true, but the fact that she had even survived for fifteen years was a miracle and an excellent sign in her favor. And anyone who knew her well knew that if her health remained shattered, she would have stepped down on her own. She cares for her men too much to risk them. As to the last point, the chain of command was no more disrupted by her absence than it was by the numerous other absent slots further down the chain. By the time Sujanha took command, becoming Supreme Commander or High Commander was essentially a death sentence, and many commanders of lower ranks were also lost … frequently."
A death sentence?!
Daniel was quiet for several long minutes after Ragnar finished, trying to digest it all. "So why," he finally asked, "do they still want to unseat the Commander?" That's the key point.
"Several reasons that largely tie back to politics," Ragnar replied with a half-sneer and flash of teeth. He was often the most expressively protective of Sujanha and the least fond of politics. "Her health is still a major issue to some. Transferring power from a retiring commander to their chosen successor is less complicated than when a commander unexpectedly dies, not that she is likely to. With Malek's presence, some will also likely deem her judgment and loyalty to the Empire compromised, and her choice to become a host will only confirm her, in the minds of some, as a maverick and a risk-taker."
"Sujanha?" Daniel exclaimed, forgetting to even call her by her title. "She goes over every plan with a fine-tooth comb, as you already noted. She can take days to approve simple plans. She is about as far from a maverick and a risk-taker as one can get."
"Compared to many on the High Council, she is quite young, so is her brother, for that matter, and she was the youngest Supreme Commander in history when she rose to power. It took many risks and much … creativity … to win the war against the Great Enemy, risks that would have greatly hastened our end if they failed but were our salvation against the long defeat.[1] Her methods were effective but not always popular, though she has no need of them against the Goa'uld."
"Necessity is the mother of invention," Daniel muttered.
"True," Ragnar replied. "Some on the High Council also feel that the presence of her and her brother gives the king too much influence over the council."
Daniel looked at Ragnar askance. "Isn't the whole point of the High Council to assist the king after the empire grew too large for one man to rule alone?"
"Yes, but the High Council is supposed to be able to stand against the king and overrule him if the worst happens, Maker forbid, but it requires a unanimous vote of the council."
"Which, at the moment, would require both the second and third in line to vote against the king …" Daniel winced.
Though I can't see her going against her principles for the sake of family alone.
"Yes, and thus you see why Furling politics are quite complicated."
Within twenty minutes, Ruarc and Selmak returned alone. Daniel and Ragnar broke off their conversation, leaving the young man with much to contemplate. Life will never be the same again. That much was certain.
"Kelmaa confirmed that the blending was consensual. Loknu was dying, and the Commander thought it would be dishonorable not to offer him a chance to live." Sounds like her. "Kelmaa was quite concerned for the Commander and had not realized she had been hurt. She also had a message from her for me to give to the High Command," said Ruarc. "The bad news is a rumor is already spreading."
As Selmak started to speak, Daniel leaned over toward Ragnar and quietly asked in Furling. "How could she not have known she was injured that badly?"
"Easily," Ragnar replied, "Between her high pain tolerance, her talent for compartmentalizing, and nerve damage, she just does not always recognize the extent of her own injuries. More than once I've seen her push through and keep working, even when she should be on bed rest or in the Healers' Halls. There is a reason Commander Anarr assigned us to her, and it is not just because of external dangers."
Ragnar's judgment proved correct, and Sujanha was on bed rest for about a week-and-a-half (Furling time). Daniel found that week to be one of the longest and most complicated of his recent life. On the second day after the rescue on Vorash began, the expected High Council meeting took place, and the expected vote was called. Before she could even testify in her own defense? The resulting attempt to force Sujanha to step down failed 7-4. Even so, the political controversy still raged. Algar would remain as Acting High Commander until the king passed judgment on his own. It was not like she would be returning to the front while bedridden, anyway.
During that week-and-a-half, Sujanha and Malek met with several members of the Tok'ra High Council, regarding Malek's new position and Sujanha's status as host. Whatever went on left both Sujanha and Malek extremely frustrated. The result was that the Tok'ra would have free access to Malek whenever possible, but Malek would be available for no missions, and most, if not all, work that he did would be done in Asteria or Furling-controlled territory.
Around the same time, Daniel had his first meeting with Malek. Sujanha seemed the same as ever, if perhaps somewhat quieter and more introspective after the blending. Malek seemed to be fitting in well with her, despite the abrupt transition. The exact cause of the earthquake on Vorash was still undetermined, though after much work and many interviews, most were inclined to believe that its suspicious timing was coincidental, not indicative of sabotage. Still, the Furlings and the Tok'ra were on high alert for the time being.
On the fourteenth day after the Vorash earthquake, Sujanha with Daniel, Ragnar, and Ruarc returned to Uslisgas, leaving Algar and Anarr in charge of the war against the Goa'uld. Daniel watched Sujanha closely as the four of them walked to the Stargate on Ushuotis. She seemed to be moving reasonably well, though not quickly and still cautiously. Her last lingering look at Ushuotis before they stepped through the Stargate was almost wistful.
This very well might be the end of an era for her.
The Stargate building was nearly deserted when they all stepped through the Stargate onto Uslisgas. The main hall was quiet. It was late in the evening, and the lights were low. The great statues of long-dead heroes cast long shadows across the floor. Sujanha was looking around more than she had ever had before while coming through the main hall, and Daniel suddenly noticed … she's looking at this room like she's never seen it before. Wait. He studied her closely again and noticed that she was carrying herself differently than she usually did.
Malek must be in control.
A couple of minutes later, Daniel stepped up beside Sujanha-Malek as they exited and looked out over the sprawling city from the top of the staircase. Malek glanced at him and bowed his head, and then it was Sujanha, looking at him instead.
"I am not sure," Daniel began, looking up to the stars, "that we ever fully value all that we have until we either lose it, almost lose it, or see it through someone else's eyes."
"I think you are right," Sujanha replied softly. Usually standing for extended periods was hard on her, but she seemed content to just stand there for the moment looking out over the city. "Malek is amazed. Uslisgas, it is so large. There are so many people, and it is all above ground, no more hiding. Even during the Great War, we never had to hide like the Tok'ra do."
Daniel could only nod. She was quiet for a few long minutes and then turned to Ragnar and Ruarc, waiting a few paces away. "Let us all return home," she said. "I will determine tomorrow's activities tomorrow."
"Of course, commander," Ruarc replied.
Ragnar and Ruarc left for their own apartment, and Daniel and Sujanha beamed out to the countryside to their home. Though it was fall on earth, spring was in full bloom, literally, on Uslisgas, and the flowers in Sujanha's small garden were blossoming, scenting the air with their fragrance. The house 'autopilot' greeted them as they stepped inside.
After Sujanha replied, asking for any messages that had come for her since last she was there, Daniel asked, "Do you need anything from me tonight, Commander?"
"Sujanha," she murmured. She seemed somewhat distracted. Daniel wondered if she was talking to Malek.
"Pardon?"
"You may call me by name in private, if you wish, Daniel," Sujanha said, giving him a small smile. She was mimicking human body language again. It didn't really work on her: too many teeth. "You have lived with me for quite some time and proven yourself quite invaluable to me. You need not call me by any title in private unless you are more comfortable doing so."
"Sujanha, then," Daniel replied. The arrangement would be similar to hers for him. Sujanha had started calling him Daniel in private but usually still referred to him as Doctor Jackson in public, except when speaking to those with whom they were both quite familiar, like her bodyguards, other aids, or Jacob-Selmak. "Do you need anything from me tonight?" He asked again.
Sujanha shook her head. "No, I will show Malek where everything is and then retire to rest. Rest well. I will see you tomorrow."
"Sleep well."
Daniel expected Sujanha to quickly become stir-crazy or start climbing the walls, metaphorically speaking, being on medical leave, but to his great surprise, she did not. For the next four days, she happily spent her time puttering around the house or reading through an extensive selection of the books in her library, probably for Malek's sake. She was a quick reader. Except for going out to walk in the garden once or twice a day, she rarely stirred from the library except to eat. Ragnar and Ruarc were frequent visitors. Their orders, Ragnar told Daniel once with a toothy grin, were to guard Sujanha, not the Supreme Commander, so her current leave did not change their assignment. The benefits of carefully phrased orders!
Daniel used the downtime to catch up on some research at the Great Library, mainly on ascension, which the Furlings called the 'living death.' Though much ink had been spilled by the Furlings on the issue, Daniel also found actual Ancient texts on the subject among the massive collection of documents in the library. He found himself fascinated and intrigued by the concept, though also somewhat confused. More reading is in order. He also used the downtime to visit Sha're and Skaara at length and spend most of a day on Abydos, visiting Kasuf and playing with Shifu, who was growing like a weed. Watching his son grow, seeing him pass those baby milestones, reminded Daniel of how much Sha're was missing of her son's life. It made him sad.
By the morning of the fifth day, Sujanha was finally becoming stir-crazy. After centuries of war, sitting still and doing little except reading was no longer familiar. Her seeming boredom was solved when, after breakfast, the door chime sounded as Sujanha and Daniel were finishing their tea.
Malek, who had been the one in control, pulled back, and Sujanha retook control. "Who is it?" She posed the question to the 'autopilot.'
"Ruarc," was the reply.
Is there a camera out on the porch? How does it recognize faces?
"Let him in," Sujanha replied. "I need to change the settings," she added, half to herself, "to let them in automatically."
"I bring a message," declared Ruarc, as he entered the kitchen, "or, rather, a summons."
Sujanha did the Furling equivalent of raising an eyebrow. "Speak," she said, waving her bodyguard to a seat at the table.
"The High King wishes to speak with you after Judgment today, now that you have had time to rest and regain your strength. It is time, he says, to put this political controversy to rest."
Judgment, another politics lesson I missed?
"One way or the other, it is time it ends," Sujanha agreed, glancing across at the chrono hanging on the wall. Both of them were on different schedules, since Sujanha was on medical leave and no longer rising almost at the crack of dawn, and it was currently about half past the 8th hour. From the way she was tapping her claws on the table, she seemed to be deliberating something.
"Do you want to attend Judgment?" Ruarc asked.
"My seat is Algar's at the moment."
"True," replied Ruarc, "but with the Crown Prince absent…" He let his voice trail off, insinuating a point that Daniel did not get.
Daniel was glancing back and forth between his two friends, struggling to keep up with the conversation. They were speaking too cryptically for him to follow with his non-existent knowledge of what 'Judgment' was in the Furling context or what the Crown Prince's absence had to do with anything.
"Yes," Sujanha acknowledged, "but the High Council has been in enough turmoil over me these past weeks. The High King would probably prefer if I did not appear and risk making things worse." Her voice was almost hesitant.
Politics again?
"It is your choice." Ruarc noted. "However, with the Crown Prince and your brother off-world, the seat at the king's right hand is yours by right of birth, not simply by appointment as the High Councilors and the High Chancellor hold their chairs."
"True." Sujanha was silent for several minutes. "Very well. I have not been in quite some time. Do you wish to come with me, Daniel?"
"Uh, explain to me what I'd be going to, and then I'll decide." His voice went up at the end as if Daniel himself wasn't sure whether he was making a question or a statement.
"Your pardon, Daniel. My duties have prevented me from attending Judgment since soon after you arrived, and the issue never came up otherwise." Sujanha paused, thinking, "You told me once of Midgard and its past empires. You spoke of the Romans and of Caesar." Her pronunciation on the less familiar words was lacking, but Daniel understood what she meant. "Judgment is like 'Appeal to Caesar.' Anyone from across the empire, no matter their race or status, can bring a matter before the King for judgment, not just court cases. These cases can vary from the political to the mundane. Usually, some members of the High Council are available to give advice to the king, if warranted, and there are also seats for the monarch's spouse and for the highest ranked member of the royal family present."
"Sure! I'll come!" Daniel would happily jump at the chance to learn more about the Furlings. There was always more to learn about them and probably would be, no matter how long he lived with them. "When does it start, and how long does it last?"
"Judgment happens on the third and seventh of every week. It starts at the 10th hour and lasts until the 14th hour usually. Visitors are not required to stay the whole time. Portions of the palace are open to the public, and Ruarc could show you around, if you would prefer."
The Imperial Palace was located on the acropolis, some distance from headquarters and the other buildings that Daniel usually frequented. Daniel and Sujanha beamed to the Acropolis at half-past the 9th hour and were met by Ruarc, who had gone ahead to find his brother, and Ragnar, and the four walked together the short distance across a small garden toward the palace walls. We're not beaming straight to the palace. Interesting. Unless … there're jammers that prevent that. Like with the Stargate. That they were walking a longer distance was an encouragement. Sujanha had not said anything to such an effect, but Daniel thought that she seemed to be feeling better, stronger. Malek was still figuring out how she could help, but sometimes her just being able to take control and spare Sujanha her constant pain for a time seemed to help.
The Imperial Palace was as striking up close as it had seemed on that first trip to headquarters with Sujanha when he had seen the sprawling complex from afar. The palace was built up to the edge of the cliff with some buildings overhanging the cliff face or even being built down the cliff face itself. The garden they were crossing abutted one small entrance in the tall defensive wall that encircled the three sides of the palace complex which were not protected by the cliff face. Beyond the wall, high towers and multi-level buildings peaked up over the top.
With Sujanha present, the group passed the guards and went through the gate into the palace complex unimpeded. The entire setting reminded Daniel of old European palaces and of some artists' illustrations of Troy, especially given how blindingly white the stones of the buildings were. The building style, however, reminded Daniel more of his time in the Middle East.
"It's huge," he murmured in awe.
Daniel had not even realized he had spoken until Sujanha replied, a rare catch in her voice, "Our family was much larger before the Great War. There are only seven of the blood left."
After another minute of walking under the long shadow of the walls and then threading their way between several outbuildings and past more grassy courtyards and well-organized gardens, they came to the largest of the buildings at the center of the complex: the Imperial Palace itself. Sujanha led them through a richly decorated gate, carven with motifs that Daniel did not recognize. It again seemed to be a secondary entrance.
Is she trying to slip inside unseen?
The passages inside were narrow and lit with blue lamps with beautifully engraved globes that cast strange shadows across the floor. There were no decorations on the walls, making Daniel guess that these were service passageways or the servants' areas. Though trying to judge by earth standards when it comes to palaces and the treatment of servants is likely to get you into trouble. A handful of people passed them, greeting Sujanha with kind words and scrupulously polite bows. Their dress, almost identical to Sujanha and her bodyguards except for no military insignia, gave Daniel no clue as to their status. They seem totally unsurprised to see Sujanha down here, wherever here is, so she's probably done this before.
Once they rode a lift up several levels, they emerged into an area that was more obviously royal. This was the palace proper. The architecture inside was somehow straightforward and elaborate at the same time. Somewhat Gothic in style, the ceilings of the floor they were on were towering, supported by massive rib vaults. Archways could be seen down several hallways, leading off into other chambers. Some sunlight filtered in from the outside through small, colored windows high on the walls, but most of the lighting came from those blue-flame lamps.
Why blue?
While the architecture was very Furling, adapted to the function and importance of the building but still similar to the other buildings on the Acropolis, the artwork and decoration that Daniel could see was more eclectic but not gaudy.
"Gifts from other races," Ruarc whispered to him.
Sujanha split off from them, hulking Ragnar at her heels. Ruarc led Daniel in the opposite direction. "We need to go find a place to stand," he said as a warning. "There are no seats, but no one is expected to stay the entire four hours."
The throne room was massive, at least 30 feet across and 90 feet long, with a towering ceiling, maybe three stories high, with massive rib-vaults supporting the ceiling. Narrow vaulted colonnades, above which were the balconies, stood on either side of the main hall. These two large balconies, on the second story, ran the length of the throne room. It was to one of these balconies that Ruarc led Daniel. There was already a crowd there, but Ruarc was quickly recognized, and people made way for the two to make their way to a place along the rail.
The pillars ran up the walls until they merged into the rib-vaults that supported the high ceiling. At the far end of the room was a wide dais that ran the width of the room. On the first level of the dais stood eleven chairs, five on one side and six on the other. Between these sets of chairs was another taller dais with only three chairs: the monarch's throne (the most elaborate); another seat on his left land, which was draped in green cloth—the queen's throne. Is green the coloring of mourning?—and another seat on the king's right hand. The room was lit by large windows set high above the balconies.
A crowd was already assembling in the hall, and there was a soft drone of voices. Sujanha was sitting, poised, on the upper dais, though the king's chair was empty. Several of the High Councilors were also present. Chief Scholar Inga, the only one of the High Councilors who looked human, had taken a seat on the far left of the lower dais. I've seen her at the library a lot. Iarum Disoze, the Iprysh Chief Engineer, was speaking to someone who Daniel thought was Chief Minister Janth, who was a source of frequent frustration to Sujanha. Vaazrodiiv, the Dovahkiin Chief Armorer, was crouched on the steps by Sujanha's side.
At the 10th hour precisely, the High King of the Furling Empire entered the throne room. Ivar was a Maskilim like his son and cousins. And I thought Sujanha was tall! Daniel was 6 feet tall; Sujanha was, at least, a head taller than he was; and Ivar seemed taller still, though it was hard to judge precisely given the sharp angle from which Daniel was observing everything going on. His fur was a desert tan and patterned with a variety of darker spots. He moved with a loping feline stride. I wouldn't want to meet him on the battlefield just from the look of him!
Ivar took his seat and brought the meeting to order. Cases were judged slowly and carefully, one by one. There was no hurry or rush to judgment, just methodical testimony and detailed questions. From time-to-time Sujanha or one of the other High Councilors were consulted for their opinion. Over the next two hours, the cases ranged from theft to property rights to inheritance struggles.
After two hours, however, Ruarc and Daniel slipped away from the balcony, and Ruarc gave Daniel a tour of the palace rooms that were open to the public. One fascinating room was a great hall, whose walls were covered with elaborate paintings of historical scenes. It was used to entertain large crowds during major events. A nearby smaller hall was just as striking for more personal reasons. This other hall … its walls were covered with paintings of people … deceased members of the royal family. Ruarc pointed out the figures of Sunniva, the king's late wife, as well as Atar and Ioldis, the parents of Sujanha who, her bodyguard revealed, had died within a year of each other during the Great War … while Sujanha was still a child being raised off-world at an allied court.
She never got to see them before they died?
Does she even remember them?
After finishing the tour of those rooms, Ruarc and Daniel went down to the Great Square to buy lunch and pass the time, looking at the shops. Just before the 16th hour, they were recalled by Ragnar and returned to find Ragnar and Sujanha waiting for them in the shadow of the wall around the palace complex. Sujanha looked exhausted but reasonably pleased.
"How did your meeting go?" Daniel asked.
"Well enough," she replied. "The High King and I spoke for some time. He asked many questions and was pleased with my answers, I think. He has not yet made his decision, but I deem he will rule in my favor."
"When will you hear?" Ruarc asked.
"Tomorrow. One way or the other, this will be over by tomorrow. What time is it?" She changed the subject abruptly.
It's usually the waiting and the uncertainty that's always the worst.
"The 16th hour, almost exactly," Ragnar rumbled, double-checking the time on a chrono he pulled from a pocket.
"I want to stop at Headquarters before going home. I am missing my pocket chrono and a book. I think I must have left them in my office when I left for Vorash."
What was supposed to be a brief trip to Headquarters quickly became an extended affair. Despite her political conflicts with the High Council, Sujanha was extremely popular with both the Fleet and Army. As soon as news spread that she had arrived, what seemed like half the building congregated to greet her, ask after her health, and inquire as to when she was going to return. Algar was not unpopular by any means and was an extremely competent and reliable lieutenant, but Sujanha was … Sujanha. By the time the four were able to escape Headquarters, almost two hours had passed.
"Will you need us tomorrow?" Ruarc asked.
"Likely not," Sujanha replied. "But if something unexpected occurs, I will send word for you, and as soon as I hear word from the High King, I will let you know, one way or the other."
"Then we will bid you goodnight, Commander, Daniel. We will return to our quarters."
At home, Daniel and Sujanha ate a quiet dinner of leftovers and then parted ways, Sujanha off to her library, Daniel back to his room to work on his journals. About an hour later, a shout pulled his mind away from writing his description of the day's events.
"Daniel, come down, please!" It was Sujanha's voice calling him. Why she had not used the 'autopilot' to give him the message, he wasn't sure. There was a strange tone to her voice, also, which concerned him. It was strange enough that she was shouting through the house.
Have I ever heard Sujanha do that?
Daniel quickly stuffed his feet back into his boots and hurried downstairs. Sujanha was standing in the entrance hall next to Ruarc, who was supposed to be at home with his brother and off-duty. Not here. Not now.
"What's wrong?" Daniel asked.
"Nothing is wrong," Sujanha replied. There was almost a gleam of tears in her black eyes.
"I have news, Daniel, very good news," said Ruarc. "The procedure to free Goa'uld hosts has been declared ready for use. As soon as the High King passes judgment upon the Goa'uld for their crimes, their hosts, including your wife, can be freed."
Daniel physically staggered, as at last he finally saw his dream of being reunited with Sha're and with Skaara about to become a reality. He put a hand out to steady himself against the wall, and Sujanha stepped towards him, concern in her eyes.
"The darkness is almost over for them, your wife and brother both," said Sujanha, slipping one paw under his elbow, since he was looking (and feeling) rather shaky. "Healing can soon begin."
[1] LOTR reference.
