Chapter 06

"In Vino Veritas'

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AN: This chapter was meant as a short little filler chapter, dealing with the aftermath of what had happened in part 2A. Naturally it got a little out of hand. It's still one of my shortest ones for this part, but nowhere near as short as I originally intended.

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"Incoming wormhole," Tech-Sergeant Walters called out loud, as below him in the gate room the large Stargate swung into action, "off world activation has begun!"

Beside the gate iris and the various SG teams the SGC kept a company sized unit of heavily armed soldiers permanently stationed at the base in case the iris failed. At least half a platoon was always present fully armed in or next to the gate room. Usually at a more relaxed stance during normal operations, although always taking up action stations whenever the gate was activated off world. As was now the case.

One squad each had taken up position around the two heavy machine guns that were beside the gate ramp, each trained at the gate. Elsewhere inside the Mountain other troops were at the ready to reinforce the forces at the gate room. Or to contain a possible breach if it were to happen.

It was standard practice really. An SG-team returning home ahead of schedule could mean that someone (usually the Goa'uld) was hot on their tails. It was even conceivable that the Goa'uld had caught them and forced them to use their codes to help the Goa'uld storm into the base. Henceforth the armed presence.

It wasn't ideal. Ideally no one would have the main point of possible enemy entry so close to their control room and the main base. But the base had been planned and laid out in other, more innocent times. When it was thought that the gate would only lead to only one other location in the galaxy. Not a nearly inconceivable multitude of destinations. Ideally the gate room should be separate from the main base. Deeper into the mountain, connected to it only by a single corridor. One that could be blown up, cutting off any potential invaders. Even more ideally would have been to have all off world travel via a different forward operating base altogether and use the Earth gate only to go back and forth to the off world base. Originally this had been the basic idea behind the alpha site.

But the pattern had been set beforehand. The Goa'uld could no longer be misled by operating from an off world location, they already knew where Earth was. The Stargate didn't just go to a single destination, but to many. The gate room hadn't been built with possible alien invasion in mind. But most important of all, there was never enough money to go for the most ideal setup. Since the Stargate program had to be kept secret it was constrained by having to be hidden inside various black programs. That put a limit on what could be done. To make things worse there were some influential politicians on the Hill who were downright hostile to the Stargate program and actively opposed it. Including but only Colonel O'Neill's 'favorite' senator.

So the SGC had to make due with what it had instead of wishing for what it didn't have. As the event horizon flashed forward the men of the US Air Force 167th Special Operations Group (technically also the parent unit of most SG-teams) aimed their rifles towards the gate. They had done this many times before, with only rarely anything hostile happening. Most likely they would stand down afterwards without a shot having been fired. But one never knew. The SGC was into some seriously funny business after all.

A lone figure stepped through the Stargate and it closed down within a second after it. The man was dressed in a Jaffa warrior's battle armor and carried a staff weapon.

"Stand down," an authoritative voice called through the speakers.

In response the armed soldiers lowered their rifles as the lone figure that stood on the Stargate ramp descended. Some of the soldiers stood aside and a large man with a dark skin and a gold tattoo stepped through their ranks.

"Tek matte Bra'tac," he said in a ritual greeting as he lowered his head.

"Teal'c!" Bra'tac responded, fabled Jaffa war master and leader of the free Jaffa resistance, smiling as he saw his old friend again, "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise," Teal'c smiled as he and Bra'tac clasped each others wrists. The men around them took that as their cue to further stand down. Shouldering their weapons after having emptied their weapons chambers. Then the door behind them opened and the base commander General Hammond came in, followed by Teal'c's fellow team members colonel Jack O'Neill and Daniel Jackson.

"Master Bra'tac, on behalf of the SGC and the people of Earth I welcome you to Earth again," General Hammond said as he extended his hand to greet the Jaffa combat master. Bra'tac still looked somewhat uncomfortable as he accepted Hammond's hand but by now he had known the Tau'ri for several years and learned some of their peculiar customs. It still felt strange to shake hands in a greeting but Teal'c had explained to him that the extension of the open hand was originally a Tau'ri warrior's greeting. And in all things of the Tau'ri Bra'tac nowadays deferred to Teal'c. After all, he lived here.

"I accept your invitation, General Hammond," Bra'tac said, "especially since it was extended in such short notice."

"The people of Earth still owe you a great debt," Hammond said and turned towards the armed men, "at ease men!"

The armed guards returned to what they were doing before, passing the time before being relieved and talk about what they were going to do once they would go on leave.

"O'Neill, Dr. Jackson, still in good health I see," Bra'tac said as he turned towards Teal'c's fellow team members.

"Still alive and kickin' I see," Jack grinned as he gave Bra'tac a small two fingered salute.

"So where's the formidable Major Carter?" Bra'tac said as he looked around for the blonde major.

General Hammond looked towards Jack for a moment.

"Major Carter has been temporarily re-assigned," he said.

"It's a temp thing," Jack grinned sardonically, "but I'll tell her you asked for her. It will make her feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

"So, Master Bra'tac," Daniel asked, "what brings you to Earth?"

"It's just gotta be some major crisis," Jack smiled smug.

"I do have need of your services," the Jaffa war master said looking somewhat uncomfortable.

"Didn't I say so," Jack grinned impishly.

"He just asked for our help, Jack," Daniel protested.

"He's Bra'tac, Jaffa war master extra-ordinaire," Jack said as he nodded towards Bra'tac, "if he needs our help then surely it's gotta to be big."

"I'm flattered that you think so highly of me," Bra'tac said, "but it is a matter of the gravest concerns."

"See?" Jack said smugly.

"Colonel," General Hammond said, giving O'Neill a disapproving look.

"It is a Jaffa internal matter," Bra'tac said.

"Ah, so it's Teal'c you want then," Jack said as he gave Teal'c a playful pat on the shoulder. Causing the large Jaffa to give the colonel a short perturbed glance.

"If you have need of my services I will be happy to help, Master Bra'tac," Teal'c said as he gave Bra'tac another bow of respect.

"I never doubt your dedication to the cause, old friend," Bra'tac said as he put his hand on Teal'c's shoulder, "but unfortunately I don't think you can be of much help in this matter."

As O'Neill and Teal'c exchanged looks of amazement Daniel put his hands together, bringing the tips of his index fingers to his lips.

"If you don't mind me asking then, Bra'tac, if it's not Teal'c you want, then why are you here?"

Bra'tac gripped his staff weapon with both hands as he leaned on it.

"I have come to this world looking for the one who calls himself the disciple of Aldur."

The SG-1 team members again exchanged puzzled looks. This time it was Hammond who broke the silence.

"Let's talk in my office," he sighed.

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"It happened not that long ago," Bra'tac said as they had congregated in Hammond's office. The Jaffa had been offered a chair but preferred to stand and lean on his staff weapon as he told his story.

"When the Goa'uld Amūn had been cast down it was only inevitable that another Goa'uld would try to take over his territory."

"It is standard procedure," Teal'c interjected, "the Goa'uld that kills his rival gets his territory."

"Only Amūn wasn't killed by another Goa'uld," Daniel said sitting to the right of general Hammond, "which means that normal rules don't apply, right."

"So what happens then I mean?" O'Neill asked curiously, "Surely some of this has happened before. Surely one of these snakeheads managed to get into a fatal accident at one time, right? Or flew into a sun by accident?"

"A Goa'uld that has a fatal accident just goes into a sarcophagus, O'Neill," Teal'c said, standing next to Bra'tac, "accidental death is extremely rare amongst the Goa'uld."

"Surely one of them managed to get his sorry ass accidentally blown up at some point?" O'Neill muttered annoyed as his suggestion had been shot down.

"Goa'uld technology does not malfunction, O'Neill," Teal'c said deadpan.

"Since an accidental Goa'uld death rarely happens there are no clear cut customs as to who gets the former territory," Bra'tac continued, "that is what helped them. There is the precedent of a son taking over the territory of his former father but Amūn had no living offspring when he died. His territory was considered to be of little worth by the others. A few inconsequential worlds, not enough resources to make it interesting. In short, little worth fighting over. His only real prized possession were his well trained Jaffa."

"I thought they didn't want to be taken over?" Daniel asked looking at Hammond, "Didn't they give us that Ha'tak as a prelude to a possible alliance?"

"Little came of it," Hammond replied leaning back in his chair, "there was little we could offer them that they could use in their struggle. SG-8 visited them once and brought back a representative. But he left more then two months ago. We haven't heard from them since."

"They call themselves the Sons of Priya now," Bra'tac said.

"Priya," O'Neill asked dumbfounded as he looked around, then he noticed the look of recognition on both Hammond's and Daniel's face, "you know who he is, Daniel?"

Daniel and Hammond looked at each other briefly.

"Uh, um, yeah," Daniel said uncertain, "sortish."

"They claim they serve a new God now," Bra'tac said, "one called Priya. I know of no such Goa'uld."

"Um, yeah," Daniel said as he scratched the back of his head, "um, that's because, uh, he's a she and um, she's not a Goa'uld."

"Oh," Jack groaned as he began to massage the temples of his head, "why do I have this sinking feeling I'm not going to like the answer."

Hammond got up and walked to his secret files cabinet and began twisting a combination lock. Then he opened it and took out a file and put them on his desk as he sat down again. Jack leaned over so he could take the file. One look at the subject matter was enough for him to groan.

"Not him again?" he said dejected, "Is there no end?"

"Well, Jack," Daniel said in a tone that tried to put a positive spin on it but couldn't, "as it so happens Priya is the Saiyan goddess of War."

'This just keeps getting better and better," Jack sighed dejected as he let his head down.

"I know of Saiyan mercenaries, but how did a deity they worship end up amongst the Jaffa?," Bra'tac asked bewildered, it was clear the Tau'ri knew more about this then he did.

Teal'c gave Bra'tac a quick synopsis about what the SGC knew about Saiyans. Who they were, how their homeworld had been destroyed, what they could do and how some of them had ended up on Earth. And how one of them had been involved in Amūn's demise. After which Bra'tac looked at Hammond.

"Why was I not told of this before?" Bra'tac said accusingly.

"You must understand, master Bra'tac," Hammond said as he got up trying to allay the Jaffa war master, "the existence of this Saiyan, this Belmovekk, it is as great a state secret as this facility is."

"So is your alliance with the Tok'ra," Bra'tac countered unimpressed, "yet we know of them as well. I thought we were allies, General Hammond."

"We are, Master Bra'tac," Hammond said, but the Jaffa war master turned his back to him.

"He has given these Jaffa a religion of war, General Hammond," Teal'c said towards Hammond, "surely that concerns us as well in the Jaffa resistance?"

Teal'c's tone was less accusing, but accusing nonetheless.

"Hey, don't look at me," O'Neill said holding up his hands, "I didn't know it either."

"I did," Daniel said hesitantly. Causing all to look towards him.

"You, Daniel," O'Neil said shaking his head, "you knew?"

Hammond reached for his desk and picked up the book.

"I asked Daniel to look into it," he said and gave the book to O'Neill who read the cover.

"The gospels of Priya," Jack read out loud, "Cool! Does it have cartoons?"

"There is still a lot we don't know," Hammond continued, "when Belmovekk delivered us the Pride of Amūn there was much he omitted from his story. We still don't know anything as to how exactly Amūn was killed, as the ship's records were purged. Or about this new religion he introduced. Which is why I asked Dr. Jackson to look into it."

"As religions go it's actually quite a benign religion," Daniel said as he took the book from Jack's hands.

"There are no benign religions," Bra'tac snorted in disgust.

"Not every religion is a Goa'uld perversion, Master Bra'tac," Hammond said in a defense of what probably were Earth's native religions.

"In many ways this religion is not so much an organized religion as it is more a code of conduct," Daniel continued, "It seems almost designed that way, which is most interesting. It goes into all sorts of details governing daily life, goals to live by, things to..."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's all fascinating," Jack interjected, "and I'll be sure to watch the movie once it comes out. So the weird haircut brigade was very busy in the past. What I'd like to know is what's going on today! Those Jaffa, they got curbstomped, right?"

Bra'tac looked puzzled at Teal'c, who returned a subtle don't look at me look.

"Curbstomped," Bra'tac asked Jack uncertain.

"You know," Jack said, not sure how to explain it, "trounced upon, blitzkrieged over, desert stormed, gone French on us?"

Bra'tac turned to Teal'c.

"How can you work with these people?" he asked surprised, "Sometimes I don't get a word of what they are saying."

"With practice, Master Bra'tac," Teal'c replied smirking, "with practice."

"What the good Colonel is trying to say, Master Bra'tac," Hammond said, "is that he thinks those other Jaffa were defeated by the Goa'uld."

"Then why does he not say so?" Bra'tac asked dead serious.

"He's Jack," Daniel said looking away as he suppressed a sigh of exasperation.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

"I take offense to that," Jack said holding up his right hand, "I know there was an insult in there somewhere."

Bra'tac shook his head dejected and turned around, to peer through the glass window of Hammond's office.

"No," he finally said.

"No what, Bra'tac?" Jack asked.

"No, those other Jaffa did not get…, as you say..., curbstomped," Bra'tac said, still looking through the door window, "far from it."

"They didn't? Then what's the problem?" Jack asked surprised.

Bra'tac walked to one of the walls which had a large map of the galaxy and pointed with his staff to a position too high to reach for him to point too directly.

"Amūn's former territory lay here," he said, then pointed to a patch next to it, "next to it lay the territories of two minor Goa'ulds. Kang and Kodos. When Amūn died they were the only ones who could be bothered to lay claim to it. Surprisingly they even went to war with each other over it."

"Neato," Jack sniggered, "maybe we should do that more often."

"Only we didn't," Daniel interjected grinning, "it was, as you say, the weird hair brigade, remember?"

"Don't cramp my style, Daniel," Jack said shooting a quick glance at the archaeologist.

"While they were engaged with each other the Sons of Priya easily managed to hold their own for a while," Bra'tac continued, "but more then a month ago the rivaling Goa'uld reached an accommodation. They would carve up the territory and the assets. Against this combined onslaught the Sons of Priya stood little chance. But then they decided upon a daring plan."

"It is standard Goa'uld behavior to fight your invading enemy for every piece of territory. Instead the Sons of Priya fell back, drawing in the Goa'uld forces deeper in their territory. Naturally they smelled victory and gave chase with everything they had. And fell into a trap."

Just when they thought their victory was complete the Sons of Priya launched a counterattack from behind enemy lines. They had hidden most of their forces in a solar system the Goa'uld deemed worthless. From there they simultaneously struck both capitol planets and invaded them both. Proving why Amūn's Jaffa were considered the best, they quickly routed the defending garrisons and killed both Goa'uld. Through the test of combat a Goa'uld's territory belongs to the victor. So even now they are busy absorbing the former Goa'uld territory and their Jaffa to their own."

"Good for them," Jack said approvingly.

"Indeed! "Teal'c endorsed, "It is a great victory. A great victory to our cause."

"A great victory indeed," Bra'tac said wistfully as he turned around, looking anything but pleased.

"I don't understand," Hammond said looking puzzled, "if they've won, then what is the crisis?"

Bra'tac looked at Teal'c.

"It would have been a great victory indeed for the Jaffa cause if they would have recognized it, Teal'c" Bra'tac said, "Unfortunately for us they do not recognize our cause."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I don't understand," Daniel said even more surprised, "surely you're both fighting a common enemy?"

"It gets worse," Bra'tac continued, "word of their victory is filtering throughout the galaxy. So far the Goa'uld seem unsure as to how to proceed and have ignored it. Seemingly taking comfort in the fiction that this is a victory of this Priya, instead of it being a Jaffa victory. But the word is spreading amongst the Jaffa. Many Jaffa who where inclined to join the resistance suddenly have become very interested in these Sons of Priya. With copies of her gospel being sighted on several planets and installations."

Bra'tac reached into his tunic and reached for something which he threw on the table.

"I found this in one in one of my resistance strongholds," he said disapprovingly.

"We cannot have two rivaling Jaffa resistance movements," General Hammond said as he took Bra'tac's copy of the gospels of Priya in his hands. Unlike his copy it was written in the native script of Chu'lak, but it carried her symbol on the front.

"Does this mean we go on a mission to these guys?" O'Neill asked Hammond eagerly. Truth be told he was spoiling for a mission ever since Sam got re-assigned and they had to sit at the SGC twiddling their thumbs.

"That won't be necessary," Bra'tac said holding up a hand. "I have asked for a parlay with the Sons of Priya to sort out our differences. And while they refused to join in a joint cause they did agree to send a representative to Earth and hear what the disciple of Aldur will say. As he killed Amūn under the trials of combat his word will be final."

"Belmovekk?" Hammond exclaimed, "why him? I thought he abdicated that responsibility?"

Bra'tac leaned over.

"General Hammond, you can never really abdicate that responsibility. He told them to fend for themselves and they did."

"What a sec," Jack interjected "we killed tons of Goa'uld. Why don't we have an empire in space shouting our names and willing to fight for our cause?"

Teal'c gave Jack the look. The look that said how could you even say a thing like that!

"Don't give me that look, Teal'c," Jack said aggrieved.

"You're not Goa'uld," Bra'tac said deadpan.

"Excuse me," Jack said as he reached for the file on Hammond's desk and took out a picture, "and this fine specimen of the weird hair brigade is?"

"He was Goa'uld at the time," Teal'c said in the tone, the one that implied that Jack should have known better by now, "he defeated Amūn in battle."

Jack shook his head dejected and leaned backwards in his chair as Daniel leaned over towards Bra'tac.

"Let me get this straight," he said, "you want us to bring forth the Saiyan, so hopefully he will speak out and tell these Sons of Priya to join with you in your cause against the Goa'uld?"

"Yes," Bra'tac nodded.

The SG-1 team members and Hammond looked at each other.

"That might be a little bit complicated," Hammond eventually said.

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Life had a funny way of throwing you a curve ball Willow thought. Until recently she was just normal. If you can count somebody who's a member of that very abnormal group of supernatural fighters of all things supernatural called the Scooby Gang as normal. Someone who dabbled in the supernatural herself from time to time. Granted, she may not have the power to fight the supernatural in hand to hand battle and blow up stuff with her life force. And the now ex-Scooby member Cordelia Chase had labeled her the Zeppo, the useless one.

But what happened to her recently had changed the balance of power within the group. Suddenly the things that had eluded her for all this time happened. She had moved things with her mind. Fought things with just the power of her will.

Since then however, she had not yet exhibited the same amount of power. Firstly it seemed that the power of sorcery was linked to your emotional state. Deep intense anger brought forth the strongest form, the dark side as Xander couldn't help but dub it. Since that day she had no need to become so angry so her powers, although increased formidably from before, were not yet on that same level.

Secondly Belmovekk had insisted she train full time with him to get rid of that annoying noise he claimed she made. In the aftermath of Willow's blooming Oz had asked that he be paired with Willow from now on, much to Faith's chagrin. But the Saiyan would have none of it and both Buffy and Giles had backed him up. Instead Belmovekk took Willow under his wings full time, forcing her to skip school. Giles had made it so that she still received her homework assignments and that her finished homework got graded. But for all intents and purposes she now went wherever the Saiyan went.

And he went to a lot of places in the aftermath of the Scoobies' encounter with Gero's androids.

No sign of the bodies of the other two androids were found after the battle. Even though a phone call Belmovekk had made netted him the help of the local army base within ten minutes and the arrival of additional federal law enforcement agencies after that. At one point Willow had seen so many agencies she hadn't even heard of before she wouldn't have batted an eyelid if she had been introduced to special agents Mulder and Scully.

Today she found herself sitting cross-legged to the left of Belmovekk in a large aircraft hangar. Before them stood an old F4 Phantom jetfighter that Belmovekk insisted she'd lift while making as little of the noise he so detested as possible. Which was a very hard thing to do. Willow had little doubt she could lift the aircraft if she exerted herself. But doing it silently made it next to impossible.

Usually Belmovekk stood for no objections in training. Willow had seen enough training sessions in the gravity room where he had pushed the others until they threw up. Her training was turning out a little different. He didn't require her to lift the aircraft from the start. He just made sure there were plenty of other things for her to start with incrementally. Anything ranging from large boxes to spare aircraft engines and loaders. So far she had mastered moving a heavy wheeled tool box halfway across the hangar without making the noise he so much dreaded. But it made her sweat like she'd just run a marathon.

"Good," Belmovekk nodded approvingly as the tool box came to a stop, "now try something bigger, young lady. That work bench for instance."

The work bench he pointed to was easily twice as heavy.

"You've got to be kidding me," Willow panted heavily, "I can't lift that! It's not possible!"

Belmovekk shook his head dejected, then sighed and leaned over towards Willow.

"It is all in your mind, young lady," he said as he reached out and caressed her cheek, "the point of training is to force it to come out when you will it to be."

"But it's so hard," Willow objected. Belmovekk smiled at her.

"Of course it is," he said, "if it was not so, everybody could do it! And I know you would rather do it without my silly restrictions. But it is absolutely imperative that you learn to be silent. Sorcery is rare on this planet, yet magic is abundant. Too abundant! Since magic is about using borrowed power, with or without consent, it only stands to reason that sorcerers will get preyed upon in this world. I once heard a saying that said it pays to advertise. Somehow I doubt this goes for the likes of us."

Despite what he'd said Belmovekk could see that his words had failed to give Willow heart. So he put his hand on her knee and squeezed it gently.

"Take heart, young lady," he said gently, "I know it is difficult. When I was taught by Belgarath I drove him mad. When I tell you to move something you eventually move it. I am a Saiyan however. When he told me to move rocks, huge boulders, I all to often fell back on using my chi instead. Oh, the many rocks that I inadvertently blew up instead of just moving them. It was most fortunate for Belgarath that he was already grey haired, or I would surely have caused him to turn so."

Willow's saddened frown turned to a slight smile.

"See," Belmovekk grinned, "it is not so bad. We all bungle. But if you dare to look stupid and are willing to make mistakes the only limits to your power will be inside your mind."

He then pointed towards the aircraft.

"I have faith in you, Willow Rosenberg," Belmovekk whispered in her ear, "you have great potential. You erected a forcefield that stopped an android many times stronger then even Buffy in its tracks. You have the power. We know that now. Forget that bench. It is not worth your attention. The only worthy adversary in this building is that flying machine."

"But…," Willow tried to say

"Hush," the Saiyan said as he put a finger on her lips, "that is your doubt talking. The thing that kept you weak until now. That is not the real Willow. It is only a part of you. You are more then the sum of your parts. We all are. Now do not speak. Just close your eyes. Do not think. As you did instinctively that night. Draw in your power in a controlled manner. Draw in the power from your surroundings. Draw it in to augment your will."

Willow did as she was told.

"Not from me, of course," Belmovekk said gently but sternly.

"Sorry," Willow replied. As she gathered in the power she felt a tingling sensation, also like her hair was standing upright in a coup de Saiyan. Which it probably was, as she felt that strange breeze again that no one felt or noticed but she.

"And now?" she asked.

"Hold it for a moment," Belmovekk spoke in her ear.

"I feel like I'm flying apart her," she said, "it's quite overwhelming!"

"It can be, is it not?" the Saiyan chuckled, "it is why I prefer other methods of fighting. Chi is more natural to me."

"Uh, flying apart here," Willow said somewhat urgent.

"You must be careful how you release that power, young lady. The trick is to control it You must send it out underneath the aircraft and below you simultaneously as I have taught you. But only, and I repeat, only at those two points. Nothing must spill lest you alert half of southern California that you are here."

"Uh, can I please do it now?" Willow said even more urgently. It really felt like being in the center of a hurricane. Only without the calm that usually comes with being in the eye of the storm.

"Go," Belmovekk spoke in her ear. Willow opened her eyes and spoke the word.

"Fly," she said as she released her Will. She experienced a surging feeling as her Will was released. Before her eyes the F4 Phantom, a heavy aircraft even after being heavily cannibalized for spare parts and suffering from years of trainee mechanics having been trained on the thing, slowly rose into the air.

"You're doing it," Belmovekk said exultantly next to her, "you're doing it!"

"I'm doing it," Willow said as she began to babble, "I'm doing it! I'm doing it! I'm…."

"Mind your control," Belmovekk said as he pointed towards the aircraft that had begun to wobble.

"Ooh," Willow yelped and returned her attention towards the aircraft. And it steadied.

"How am I doing?" she asked triumphantly, "Pretty good, eh?"

"It is still a bit noisy," Belmovekk said somewhat frowning, "a bit more then I would like, but a marked improvement."

"Why can't I hear those noises," Willow said still struggling with keeping the aircraft in the air.

"I find that strange myself," Belmovekk mused, "normally you should hear a rushing sound, ranging from soft to loud depending on the amount of will or control being used."

"I did felt something," Willow said as she began to pant again, "quite a lot actually. But no noise."

Meanwhile the Saiyan contemplated her reply.

"I suppose that if you cannot hear anything, which I find odd, it becomes all the more important that you learn to control yourself. Like a deaf person who must learn not to shout."

Willow had no reply to that and Belmovekk said nothing further as he thought about it some more.

"This just has to violate about half a dozen laws of physics," a sudden voice said behind them.

CRASH!

With a load noise the F4 Phantom, venerable veteran of the Vietnam War, fell to the ground, breaking one of the legs of its undercarriage.

As the two looked over their shoulders they found a blonde woman in a blue US air force uniform staring at them. Belmovekk gave a sigh of exasperation as he got up.

"I thought I gave strict orders that we would not be disturbed, Major Carter," he said somewhat vexed.

Few people on this planet had stood before an annoyed Saiyan, knowing fully well what they could do, and dared to annoy them even further. But then again, few people had stared down crazed Goa'uld warlords either. And while major Samantha Carter knew that the many Goa'uld she had faced were deep down just impotent schoolyard bullies, they were still bullies with enough power at their call to lay waste to a planet. So she didn't flinch when it came to a staring contest. After all, she had blown up a sun. How many Saiyans could say the same thing, right?

"With all due respect, Belmovekk," she said standing her ground, "last time I checked Vandenberg was still an US air force base, on which you are still a guest, not in command."

Belmovekk stared at her and she stared just as hard back. Then he shook his head and turned to Willow.

"I think this may be a good time for you to do more of your homework," he said, "the major and I have things to discuss."

Willow nodded and grabbed her backpack. Then she quickly walked past the major. Who then walked over to inspect the damaged aircraft.

"With all due respect, Belmovekk," she said," this may be an old written off airframe, it's still US air force property you've damaged."

"Nothing would have happened had you not interrupted us," the Saiyan shrugged, "besides, it will give your technicians something to do. It is not as if your flying machine will do anything else but give them entertainment."

Sam wanted to say something but decided not to say it. Instead she turned around and faced the Saiyan.

"What was going on in here?" she asked, "Iit looked like a recreation of the Dagobah scene from Star Wars. Only this time it wasn't some old Jedi master doing it. It was her, wasn't she? That girl, she's not just a witness you're trying to protect, is she?"

Like her Belmovekk looked like he wanted to say something but didn't at the last moment.

"She is in my care," he said softly, "they all are."

"What are you doing with her?" Sam asked.

"Nothing that is of no concern to you," Belmovekk said offhand and turned away.

"She's a citizen of the United States of America," Sam said pointing towards where Willow had disappeared, "you're not. In fact you're not even from this planet. That makes it my concern!"

Belmovekk looked over his shoulder.

"She is gifted, Major Carter, she needs guidance. Lest she destroys herself."

Sam thought it over for a moment. Then it clicked within her.

"Do those other kids need guidance as well?"

The Saiyan didn't immediately reply and resumed his stare again.

"Blessed are those who are ignorant, major," he finally spoke, "for they at least can sleep easy at night."

Sam took a step towards the Saiyan.

"You know, if I want too I will find out what's going on."

"You may not like what you learn, major," Belmovekk replied, "but in the off chance that you do find out be sure to send me a copy of what you have learned. Because even I have not fully learned the whole truth yet."

Belmovekk turned around and made for the exit. But before he left he stopped next to Sam.

"Since I am your guest I would consider it a personal favor if you kept what you learned here to yourself, Major," he spoke softly.

"I can't lie to my superior officer," Sam replied.

"I am not asking you to lie or withhold information from your superior, Major," Belmovekk said, "I trust Warleader Hammond. Tell him if you wish. However, I do not trust most of the other branches of your government. It has too many branches with sinister initials. I do not wish to expose the girl or her friends to them. It was bad enough that I had to bring her here already. Please, Major Carter, let this stop with me. If they come after anybody, let it just be me."

Sam didn't reply as the Saiyan walked away towards the hangar doors. Then she remembered something.

"Wait!" she yelled and ran after him.

"What?" he asked as he turned around to face her. Sam reached inside her pocket and pulled out a cell phone which she held out to him.

"It's General Hammond," she said, "He wants you to call him."

x

x

As the event horizon of the Stargate disappeared a lone Jaffa on the ramp was left standing to face a wall of armed soldiers pointing a wide array of weaponry on him. It was to be expected so he didn't take offense.

"Stand down," an authoritative voice shouted and the soldiers did as ordered, lowering their guns. They parted and a portly baldheaded man came through them. Unlike the soldiers in their green camouflage uniforms this man wore a pale blue uniform. Tau'ri warriors were known to wear rank insignia on their shoulders and his identified him as a general. Which would technically make him the First Prime of the SGC. But the Tau'ri command structure was complicated. It was said even the General of the SGC was but one of many, with a series of higher generals even above him, in something called the pent-a-gong. And above that was the supreme leader of the Tau'ri, a being who named himself pres-e-dent. It boggled the mind. It also boggled the mind that with such a complicated command structure the Tau'ri had managed to get so far.

But then again they had, so maybe there was something to say for it after all.

Behind the portly General he could see familiar faces. The great Warmaster Bra'tac, the Shol'va Teal'c, which meant that the smirking Tau'ri solder behind Teal'c was probably the infamous Colonel O'Neill, as infamous for his sharp tongue as he was for his great skill in battle.

"On behalf of the peoples of Earth I bid you welcome," the portly General said as he held out his right hand.

"On behalf of the Sons of Priya I accept," he said and took the General's hand into his. Behind them Colonel O'Neill barked an order to the troops.

"Honor guard! Atten hut!"

The troops who only moments before greeted his arrival with pointed guns now formed up in a line and all presented their weapon in identical fashion. Which was interesting to behold. It would seem the Goa'uld were not the only ones who insisted on pomp and ceremony.

"How may I address you," General Hammond asked.

"My name is Emissary An't'lac," he replied cordially.

"Always big on the apostrophe," he could hear Colonel O'Neill sigh softly.

"You must excuse the good colonel," General Hammond said as he gave O'Neill a brief scornful glance, "sometimes his mouth gets the better of him."

'Colonel O'Neill's wit is as legendary as are his exploits," Emissary An't'lac said amiably as he gave O'Neill a slight bow, "like many of my fellows I mourn that we did not get a chance to meet each other on the field of battle, Colonel O'Neill."

"Maybe we can bust some Snakeheads together," O'Neill said with an impish grin, "just give us a call, we'll come by bringing some beer."

"You know Master Bra'tac of course," General Hammond said next and emissary An't'lac gave an even greater bow to the Jaffa warmaster.

"Tek matte Bra'tac," he said respectfully, "Amūn always spoke highly of you, Master Bra'tac, often saying Apophis was a fool to replace you. Had he not already the service of a fine First Prime I am sure Amūn would have taken you into his service."

Bra'tac just nodded in return but said nothing.

"I'm sure by now you also know Teal'c and Dr. Jackson," General Hammond said as he continued his introductions. The emissary nodded towards Daniel but looked past Teal'c.

"The Shol'va is known to us," he said blandly, then looked around him, "I miss the Disciple of Aldur. Where is he? I very much desire to see him."

"If you could follow me please, Emissary An't'lac," General Hammond said, "We will escort you to your final destination."

"So he is not here then?" Emissary An't'lac asked as Hammond led the group out of the gate room.

"Well, he is somewhere on this planet," O'Neill muttered, speaking the next part softly, "unfortunately."

"Colonel O'Neill will escort you and Master Bra'tac to the nearest airbase," Hammond spoke, "and from there he will go with you to Vandenberg airbase, where the Disciple of Aldur currently is."

"I see," the emissary said as the group halted next to an elevator and stepped inside. This was the first of two elevator shafts that led to the surface. One series of elevators serviced the actual base, a separate elevator connected the base to the outside world.

"You know, when the Disciple of Aldur delivered us the Pride of Amūn there was much he left out of his story," Daniel asked, "the ship's records were also purged. For instance we still know next to nothing of Amūn's demise."

"Amūn-Ra," the emissary corrected.

"Pardon?"

"It was Amūn-Ra the Disciple of Aldur vanquished. And I do not know how Amūn-Ra perished, for I was not directly present at the time."

"Does it matter what his name was?" O'Neill asked as the elevator doors opened and the group entered, "Amūn, Amūn-Ra, it's still the same Snakehead, right?"

The emissary turned to Jack, a quick pang of anger on his face before it disappeared.

"Colonel O'Neill," he said sharply, "Amūn-Ra was the death of us all. Including you, as he was on his way to Earth to exterminate this planet. Amūn however was a good and honorable God, who presided over the marriage of me and my wife. I will have no ill word of him."

Shooting a quick glance of annoyance at O'Neill, Hammond, An't'lac and Bra'tac left the elevator as it arrived at the base top floor

"He still worships him!" O'Neill spoke softly towards Daniel and Teal'c before also leaving the lift.

"Indeed," Teal'c said before following O'Neill. He did not like this so-called emissary. But Bra'tac considered the alliance crucial so Teal'c would play nice and ignore the veiled barbs and insults.

Having left the base elevator the group now went through a corridor and past a checkpoint before halting at the next elevator. The one that would take them to the surface.

"So how fares the Pride of Amūn?" Emissary An't'lac asked Hammond, "She was my old command before we gave her to the Disciple of Aldur."

"She's, um, tied up at one of our bases at the moment," Hammond said, a bit hesitant to reveal that the Ha'tak was currently being gutted by technicians at Area 51, "but we hope to have her into service again before the end of the year."

"Probably why we haven't lost her by now," O'Neill whispered to Daniel.

"I'm sorry to hear that," An't'lac said as the elevator doors opened and Hammond led the group in, "but I'm sure she will serve you well in whatever capacity. She's a fine and proud vessel."

"I'm sure she is," Hammond replied courteously.

"I am curious," Bra'tac asked as Hammond pressed for the top floor, "how will you rename the Pride of Amūn? Teal'c has told me the people of the Tau'ri have a tradition of renaming a ship once you acquire her."

"We're still in the process of coming up with a good name," Hammond coughed slightly uncomfortably.

"It's still in the committee," Jack said grinning, "red tape and all. Even though I suggested a perfectly good name for…"

"Colonel," Hammond sighed annoyed, tired of Jack's constant rehashing of this old argument.

"I'm sure you will think of something suitable," An't'lac said graciously, then he turned his head towards Hammond, "would it be possible for me to visit the Pride of Amūn before I leave? I think I may have left some of my belongings on board."

The doors of the elevator opened.

"I'll see what I can do," Hammond said as he gestured them to move on, "at the very least I can send for your belongings."

"Of course," An't'lac said amiably.

Hammond led the procession to two more series of checkpoints until they reached the surface. Where An't'lac took a moment to look around and take in the homeworld of the Tau'ri.

"The sunlight is more yellow then I am used to," he finally said.

"It took me some getting used to as well," Teal'c said in agreement, but An't'lac ignored him. Teal'c shot an annoyed glance towards Bra'tac but he made a soothing gesture.

"Now, if you excuse me I must take my leave of absence," Hammond said and pointed to a group of armed humvees waiting near the gate, "I will leave you in the good care of Colonel O'Neill. He will escort you further and take you to the Disciple of Aldur."

x

x

Willow sat in a large conference room behind a large round table doing her homework. Normally she liked doing homework, as it helped her relax and unwind. But now she found it hard to even concentrate. In a small side room Belmovekk sat behind a desk, staring at a large map of the western United States in front of him. She could see him sitting through the glass panels. He hadn't moved for hours. And truth be told his constant brooding was beginning to take its toll on her as well.

"Hi there," a voice suddenly said behind Willow. Willow looked around and saw the blonde US Air Force major looking over her shoulder. Ever since she had caught Willow and Belmovekk practicing magic in the hangar Willow had noticed the major keeping an eye on her. To say that having her suddenly hover over her shoulder was making her nervous was an understatement.

"What are you doing?" the major asked smiling.

"I, uh, I, um, nothing really," Willow stammered unsure.

"Really," the major smiled, "from here it looks like you're dealing with some deadly math formulas."

Willow looked down. The major was right. She had been staring at her math homework for probably more then an hour.

"Need some help?" the major asked helpfully.

"No I-I'll be fine," Willow replied nervously.

"Well, if you need me, just yell," the major said, "they say I'm quite good with math."

"S-sure," Willow replied. Don't count on it though, she thought.

That was smart, Samantha Carter thought as she left the girl and walked away. She approached alien life forms better then that. The moment General Hammond had sent her out here to help the Saiyan troublemaker find his elusive androids she was struck by the appearance of the girl at his side. He claimed she was the only witness to have seen those androids and as such had to keep her safe. But to Sam that story sounded as hokey as the premature appearance of those doomsday androids.

She had seen the girl before when SG-1 had arrived in Sunnydale earlier that year. Granted she had struck her as timid. But the files Davis had gathered on the kids showed that she was the smart one. She was also the smart one in a group of kids that regularly hang out with a Saiyan. When one of the other kids, the girl Faith, had exhibited strange powers Sam had surmised that this may have been the case for all of them. Once the immediate crisis had been over SG-1 had quickly returned to business as usual. But not Sam.

Never the one to shy away from a mystery that made no sense Sam kept studying their case files. Now if one girl had strange Saiyan like powers it stood to reason the others would also. The blonde girl, she just oozed strength and confidence. So she was probably trained as well. And probably better as well since she had showed utter contempt for Faith. Those two boys, they also had looked quite confident, so that completed the group. But Sam just couldn't place the redheaded girl. Until today.

When doctor Frasier had examined the Saiyan she hadn't found any hidden technology that could explain his power. The only abnormalities found were a tail with strange glands and strange readings at the cellular level. It had been tempting to blame the Saiyan's power on his tail glands. But she had studied the pictures Davis had taken of the other Saiyans and they had no tail. Okay, the small one did have one in the past but he no longer had one today. That left the cellular level readings.

It was when she found Teal'c doing a strange series of martial arts movements that it all clicked together. Upon asking he claimed it was something he had seen those kids do. If a Saiyan's power did not stem from advanced technology, nor from being ascended, and that humans could do similar things if they subjected themselves to a grueling training regime it stood to reason that anybody could learn to do it.

Which in turn meant that it could be a potent weapon in the struggle against the Goa'uld. Maybe humans could never hope to emulate a Saiyan but if one Saiyan could bring down a Goa'uld then surely a large force of trained humans could do similar. It would mean no more scrounging for technology on dangerous distant worlds, or having to beg for scraps of alien technology from advanced races. She was about to go to General Hammond with her theories when she found herself detached on this mission. And then she caught the girl being taught to levitate things.

Which caused a monkey wrench to be thrown into Sam's plans. Because before she had assumed that anybody could learn it. But then the Saiyan had said the girl was special. That all the kids were special. That would mean Saiyan like powers were not for everybody. That only a select few could hope to master it.

It would also mean that those select few would be highly sought after. Highly sought after by the likes of the NID. A fate Sam wished onto nobody. It would also explain why the Saiyan tried to protect those kids so fiercely.

Which was why Sam desperately wanted to ask the girl what the Saiyan had meant with her being special. Having failed in her initial approach Sam thought of ways she could approach the girl when her cell-phone went off. She reached for her cell phone and brought it to her ear.

"Carter," she said.

"Base security here, 'mam," a voice said, "Lieutenant Osborne."

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

"There's an unauthorized visitor here to see you."

"Oh," Sam said surprised.

"Well actually, he's not here for you," Osborne's voice spoke somewhat apprehensively, "he's here to see a certain Movekk."

"Movekk?" Sam said even more surprised, "I don't know any Mo…."

Sam suddenly turned towards the room where the Saiyan sat staring at the map.

"Keep him there," she said and quickened her pace, "I'm coming to the gate!"

"Uh, ma'am," the Lieutenant said unsure, "I'm not at the gate. I'm standing at entrance B of the command center."

Sam stopped right in her tracks. She herself was inside the large command center of Vandenberg Air Force base. One of the US closest guarded installations, as this was the place where the US Air Force launched its military satellites into space. If somebody had managed to make an unauthorized entry this far into the base it meant a major breach of security.

"How on earth could this happen, Lieutenant," Sam said as she resumed her run towards entrance B.

"Damned if I know, ma'am," Osborne replied, "He just fell out of the sky like he had a parachute or something. Only he had none."

x

x

SLAM!

Belmovekk turned around to see Vegeta standing behind him and a package lying on the desk next to him. Behind Vegeta, Belmovekk could make out Major Carter and a pair of apprehensive base MP's.

"Next time get somebody else to deliver your messages," Vegeta said annoyed as he folded his arms across his chest. Belmovekk looked at Vegeta, then at the package and reached for it.

"If it bothered you that much then why did you not let Yamcha do it?" he asked as he began to open the package.

"Puhlease," Vegeta snorted as he looked away, "that loser is nowhere to be found these days. The one time he gets the hint and takes a hike is the one time he could be of some use." Vegeta turned around and gave a bored angry scowl towards the major and the pair of MP's.

"Do you mind!" he said annoyed.

"Could you please leave us, major?" Belmovekk asked as he gave her a courteous smile. Not that it persuaded the good Major.

"Again," she said as she stood her ground, "last time I checked this was still a US Air Force installation in the United States. And neither of you two is a US citizen."

Vegeta let out a loud snort and turned towards Belmovekk with a 'what are you going to do about it' look.

"Major, please," Belmovekk asked politely, "as a courtesy, I need some privacy here with my fellow. You can see us through the glass panels and I promise to tell you everything you need to know later."

Major Carter said nothing for a moment. Then she turned around and signaled the two MP's to follow her. Then the three of them took up station outside the office where they could still see what went on inside.

"You're way too tolerant with these insects," Vegeta snorted in disgust as he watched them take up station.

To his surprise Belmovekk did not reply as he examined the contents of the package instead and took out a printed file. He then reached inside his clothes and took out a pair of reading glasses and began to read.

"Aren't you going to say they have their uses?" Vegeta eventually asked, "It is considered traditional."

"Do you want me to?" Belmovekk replied reading a file

"Har har," Vegeta said annoyed.

"Suit yourself, my Prince," Belmovekk said never having taken his eyes from the file.

Vegeta shook his head and walked up to the large map covering the wall. A few pins were sticking from it, otherwise it was a standard, be it a very large map of the Western United States.

"I still can't get over it, that you've conspired with these insects," Vegeta remarked, "how can you work with the likes of them?"

"I would think that after two years and a half of living with Bulma and her parents you might see differently," Belmovekk remarked, his eyes still glued to the file.

"They're different," Vegeta replied offhand.

"Of course they are, my Prince," Belmovekk replied slightly rueful, causing the Prince of all Saiyans to look over his shoulder and give Belmovekk the mother of all death glares.

"You're mocking me, Movekk," Vegeta growled angry, "you're forgetting your place."

"And what exactly is my place?" Belmovekk asked disinterested.

"I am the Prince of all Saiyans, you owe me respect Movekk!" Vegeta said out loud as he turned towards Belmovekk and put his hands on the table, "I know you may think it doesn't mean much, with you and Kakarot being the only other survivors. Beside me that is. But my title transcends even the death of our world, as does the respect its due!"

"Titles are meaningless," Belmovekk replied unimpressed, "I should know. I have at least a dozen myself. I might even be the king of something somewhere, although I'm not entirely sure though."

"Prince of all Saiyans transcends whatever peasant title you may have garnered on that backwards peasant world you've been hiding under," Vegeta scoffed unimpressed.

"If that makes you happy," came Belmovekk's unimpressed reply, "besides, why stick to the title of Prince of all Saiyans, my Prince? I have it from good authority that the only thing faster then the speed of light is monarchy. As it transfers as soon as the last king dies. Since your father is dead, why not King Vegeta of all Saiyans?"

Vegeta was taken aback by that answer and thought of that for a moment. Then he shook his head.

"Kings must be crowned," he said, "and I do seem to be lacking the Azarg-Marg to crown myself King of all Saiyans."

"A coronation is just the affirmation of the status quo," Belmovekk shrugged, "once King Vegeta perished with planet Vegeta you became our king by default. My liege."

Vegeta thought of that.

"No," he said shaking his head, "no king has ever ruled without being crowned on the Azarg-Marg. Since I cannot be crowned king I remain the next best thing, Prince of all Saiyans."

Belmovekk let out a loud snort but continued to read on.

"I could say that the real reason you cling to your princely title is that it gives you all the privileges and none of the responsibilities," he said, "as a prince you are free to do as you wish. As King of all Saiyans you might actually be expected to do something else but chase your own selfish desires for a change."

"Say otherwise," Vegeta growled as he leaned over.

"Let us speak of it no more," Belmovekk smiled as he looked up towards Vegeta for the first time since he had began reading the file.

"Damn straight!" Vegeta muttered and turned around, arms folded across his chest.

"Hey, wait a sec, wait a sec," Belmovekk exclaimed as he put down the file, "what do you mean that we and Kakarot are the only Saiyans left? What about my children!"

"Touched a raw nerve?" Vegeta said smirking over his shoulder, "they're half-breeds. You know the law regarding half-breeds, Movekk."

"That law died with our home planet," Belmovekk said pointing an accusing finger at Vegeta.

"Our laws stands until repealed by either the King or the Council of Elites," Vegeta shrugged, "but if you like, As Prince of all Saiyans I can give you special dispensation and declare them to be of good Saiyan stock."

"I think I will pass, my Prince," Belmovekk said, returning his gaze to his file, "or there will be no end to the price I end up paying. Besides, there is nothing wrong with my betrothed. After all, she gave birth to a Slayer."

"I wonder when you would mention her," Vegeta sighed, "usually you can't resist mentioning the brat."

"You seem to like her," Belmovekk countered, "I hear you visit from time to time to spar with her."

"For a human she has potential," Vegeta said begrudgingly, "you've trained her decently well and she might even surpass Yamcha one day. Although probably more because he allows himself to slack off then on a conscious effort on her part."

Vegeta stared at the map again and Belmovekk continued to read.

"Alright, I have to admit," Vegeta suddenly said, "some of these humans are of some value. Your precious Slayer, Bulma's parents, Bulma herself. When she's not being a stubborn ass. But why these humans?"

Vegeta turned around and pointed towards outside, where Major Carter and the MP's stood waiting

"They have resources," Belmovekk said without looking up, "what they lack in strength they make up for in heart and numbers."

"They are from the government of this insignificant mudball," Vegeta countered, "now thanks to you they know of our existence."

Belmovekk looked up again and over his reading glasses.

"What makes you think I alerted them to our presence," he said.

"Well, you contacted them," Vegeta replied. To which Belmovekk shook his head.

"As you may have noticed we Saiyans have a hard time going unnoticed on this planet," he said, "we tend to stick out when we fly and blow up stuff. Or did you really think it had all gone unnoticed?"

"They are but insects," Vegeta scoffed but Belmovekk cut him short.

"Even insects notice when something really big is going on. Kakarot has been leaving a footprint since, well, forever. You are not hard to miss either. Did you know that they detected the arrival of Freeza's ship? And that of Kakarot's and mine? For the past months a specially modified flying machine called an AWACS has been keeping an eye on any strange movement in the air. It has been modified so it can track even a human or a Saiyan in flight. Why do you think I brought that android's body by car? They know more then you think, my Prince. They would have found us anyway. All I did was make sure it were the right people."

"They knew of Kakarot's arrival?" Vegeta said surprised.

"They even knew of Freeza's arrival and who that horned freak was," Belmovekk said and turned around to wave towards Carter through the glass wall, "that woman is part of a team that investigated the remains of Freeza's ship within hours of our departure. They even took Kakarot's and my ship back to their base."

Vegeta looked at the woman, for the first time without his angry scowl.

"She's just as smart as Bulma," Belmovekk said, "she came up with the software that allowed their flying detector to be able to track our movements. Which has turned out to be a good thing. It allowed us to keep track of the androids."

Belmovekk stood up and walked to the map and pointed to Sunnydale.

"When the other android was taken out their detector aircraft was in the air. It detected two persons flying away to a north, north-easterly direction. Touching down in this mountain range, the Sierra Nevada. Persons matching their descriptions were later seen boarding a bus in Reno to a place called Las Vegas."

"The pleasure city," Vegeta nodded, "I have been there. One of Bulma's stupid ideas. The lights there burn more brightly then a full blown big bang attack."

"I have been there also," Belmovekk nodded, then turned around and signaled Major Carter to come inside, "It is a gaudy place. But the humans seem to like it."

"If humans are strange, Las Vegas seems to attract some of the strangest of them," Vegeta said as Major Carter came in, "only your place and San Francisco attract weirder ones."

Vegeta leaned over towards Belmovekk.

"There are men kissing and holding hands in parts of San Francisco, Movekk. I have seen it with my very own eyes. It is un-natural!"

"I agree," Belmovekk replied and both of them shuddered in disgust.

"Did I hear that right or is the mighty Saiyan race afraid of gays?" Carter said ruefully.

"It is just not natural, commander," Belmovekk said shaking his head, "some things are just an affront to common decency."

"Any man caught fornicating with another man would be killed publicly on planet Vegeta," Vegeta said frowning, "his house scattered to the wind and the members of his house left to live out in shame."

"How about lesbian women?" Sam asked but Belmovekk shook his head and Vegeta just snorted at such a stupid question, "I can't believe such big strong men can be such bigots."

"Let us not ponder such trivial matters," Belmovekk said dismissively as he went back to the table and picked up the file he had been reading. Then he turned to Vegeta.

"Have you read this, or talked to….?"

"Puhlease," Vegeta snorted, "I hardly understand half of what that woman goes on about. Since you've read it and at least made some sense of it, why don't you enlighten me."

Belmovekk handed the file over to Major Carter and then turned to Vegeta.

"It is now confirmed that these androids are not the androids we were warned about," he said.

"They're not?" Vegeta said surprised, "those aren't the concoctions of that diseased Gero?"

"Oh, they are," Belmovekk said, "just not the ones that we were warned about."

"It says here they're cyborgs," Carter said as she looked up from the file, "I thought they were going to be fully robotic?"

"Cyborgs?" Vegeta asked flabbergasted.

"It means a human base with cybernetic implants in a more or less 50/50 ratio," Carter explained, "it's actually quite ingenious once you…."

"Oh shut up, woman!" Vegeta said dismissively, then turned to Belmovekk, "you're right, she has to be smart. She's just as annoying as you know who."

"I don't get it," Sam said as she the tapped the file, "if these aren't the androids we were expecting, then why did these emerge?"

"It would seem that when I, um , inadvertently blew up the good doctor's old laboratory in Mongolia he learned of it and became suspicious," Belmovekk said as he scratched his hair looking slightly uncomfortable.

WHACK!

"I told you nothing good would come of it," Vegeta said as he hit Belmovekk hard on the back of his head with so much force it causied the glass windows of the room to shake, "but did you listen? No! Mister 'I want to nip it in the bud prematurely'!"

"Auw!" Belmovekk said as he reached for the back of his head.

"I told you not to do it!" Vegeta said angry, "But no, you just had to do it! You were even willing to kill me as well, even though I am still your superior."

"Uh, kill? Superior?" Major Carter asked uncertain what to make of it.

"As you probably already know I am Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans," Vegeta said proudly as he raised his chin up contemptuously. As he did Belmovekk leaned over towards Carter and whispered into her ear.

"Total pure blooded Saiyan population remaining in this universe, three."

"Whisper all you want," Vegeta snorted unimpressed, "I am still your better. And that includes her as well."

"Well, I at least tried to stop him before he releases those androids," Belmovekk said nodding with the back of his head towards Vegeta, "unlike a certain someone who just stands back and does nothing, even shouting that he will kill anyone who stops the coming of Gero's androids."

"Pfft," Vegeta again snorted unimpressed.

Major Carter looked from Belmovekk to Vegeta to Belmovekk again.

"Why on Earth would he do such a thing?" she asked horrified. Belmovekk leaned over again and looked Sam right in the eyes.

"Because he wants to test himself," he smiled as he gave her a wink.

If Sam had been a cartoon character her jaw would have dropped to the floor.

"T-t-t-that's stupid!" she exclaimed.

"But it is the Saiyan thing to do," Belmovekk nodded as he smiled even more, "fun is it not?"

Sam reached for the back of a chair to steady herself. The idea that anybody would willingly risk the extermination of the human race, just so he could test himself was utterly alien to her.

"It gets even better," Belmovekk said as he now grinned from ear to ear, "the other one, who is not here, he wants the exact same thing!"

Sam turned the chair around and sat down on it, her head spinning from what she had heard.

"Now while I admit my actions were rash and in hindsight not that smart, they did net us an opportunity," Belmovekk said as he began to pace, "it has drawn the good doctor out of his hiding. Well, by proxy that is. My associate who investigated the dead android managed to access its memory banks. When the good doctor learned of the destruction of his old lab he felt fear. He feared that his old rival had come after him."

"Kakarot," Vegeta snorted, "only it wasn't Kakarot's doing, it was yours, Movekk."

"Who's this Kakarot, he's talking about," Sam asked, "and why does he call you Movekk? I thought your name was Belmovekk?"

"Vegeta only ever calls us by our Saiyan names," Belmovekk replied, giving Vegeta a quick glance, "mine changed when I became Aldur's disciple. And Kakarot, well, let's just say he fell on his head as a baby and forgot his real name."

"The moron!" Vegeta snorted again as Belmovekk continued.

"Anyway, fearing that his old nemesis was after him again Gero panicked."

"He activated his androids prematurely," Sam said but Belmovekk shook his head.

"No, he activated a trio of older models. They have nowhere near the power of the final models but they were the only option left to him. Fearful of his rival he just had to know what was going on and sent these three out to find out what happened. But by doing so he gave us the means to find him. Locked within these androids is the key to finding him."

"What, he was stupid enough to leave the location to his laboratory in their memory banks? Again?" Vegeta asked in utter amazement.

"No," Belmovekk said as he took something from the package, something round, shiny and small, "he feared that they might get caught. They weren't exactly made for stealth or subterfuge. They were the only androids he had available and he had no time to build new ones. He did what he could, programmed them to maintain a low profile at all costs. To hide when discovered. But ultimately they were flawed. So he could not run the risk to leave them with information that could be traced back to him.

"But if these androids have no knowledge where he is, how could they ever hope to report back to him with the results of their mission?" Sam asked, "Do they radio in, or use email?"

"The good doctor does not believe in those means of communication," Belmovekk said as he looked at Sam, "he is paranoia personified. He knows that some governments listen in on all radio traffic. That the government of this country intercepts all email and cellular phone traffic. So he gave the androids an alternate means to contact him. And it is on this little diskey."

Belmovekk held up a little disk.

"That contains the means to find Gero?" Vegeta said as he raised an eyebrow.

"After a fashion," Belmovekk said as he held the disk up in the light, "it is heavily coded. Our associate could not break the encryption."

"Why don't you give it to me?" Sam asked as she held out her hand, "I'm pretty good with codes myself. As is Daniel. And we have other means."

"If it were that easy I would just give it to you, Major," Belmovekk said and pulled the disk into his fist, "the reason the code cannot be broken is because it is incomplete. When we killed this android the others tried to remove the diskey. At first I thought it was to deny us critical information. But it is more urgent then that. Gero gave each android a piece of the puzzle to contact him. Only together could they contact him. If one of them was lost or captured then whoever has him cannot use the information unless he has all three androids. It also means that without this diskey the other two cannot contact Gero either."

"Then I guess it's stalemate then," Vegeta said cheerfully, "they can't report back and you can't find them It would seem that my date with destiny is still secure."

"How can you even think like that?" Sam erupted, "The future of humanity's at stake!"

Vegeta let out another loud snort.

"I think you confuse me for somebody who actually gives a damn," he said completely serious.

"You must excuse the good prince," Belmovekk shrugged, "he is suffering from a one tracked mind."

"We must find these androids," Sam said as she turned and moved towards the map.

"My thoughts exactly," Belmovekk said. Sam looked at the Saiyan.

"It's become all the more important that I take this diskey back to the SGC," she said, "even if it only has a third of the information, there might still be ways… Maybe our allies, the Tok'ra…"

"What, those sniveling worms have still not been exterminated?" Vegeta snorted again. Causing Belmovekk to look angrily at him.

"If you have nothing useful to contribute then please go somewhere else, my Prince!"

The last two words dripped with sarcasm. But Vegeta hopped on the desk and leaned back smirking.

"What, and miss all the fun?"

Biting back a curse Belmovekk turned his back towards the Saiyan Prince.

"I cannot give you the diskey, major," he said to Sam.

"Why not?" Sam asked surprised, "like I said, we could do some good with it."

"Isn't it obvious? That little thing is the one thing those other two wind up dolls need to contact their boss," Vegeta said cheerfully, "Sure, they've gone into hiding for now, but you can bet your ass that they're going to try and recover it. And while Movekk can easily fend them off, they're sure to make mincemeat out of your pathetic bunch."

"I take offense to that," Sam said vehemently, "we fought against several Goa'uld and killed many of them!"

"I've worked for a few of them," Vegeta said unimpressed, "they're insects. Even that loser Yamcha could probably take them on."

"I blew up a star once," Sam said, like a small child upping the ante with ever bolder and crazier claims.

"Whoop-de-fuckin'-do," Vegeta snorted still unimpressed as he hopped off the table and made for the exit, "I'm off to find something to eat."

As the Prince of all Saiyans left with the two MP's on his trail Sam turned to Belmovekk.

"Five years," she said shaking her head in disgust, "you'd think that after five years of having to suffer the Goa'uld there was no way for anybody to top their arrogance and then he comes along."

"He is right though," Belmovekk said as he looked towards where Vegeta had disappeared.

"What, right in that the SGC wouldn't stand a chance in stopping those androids if they tried?"

"That too," Belmovekk nodded in agreement, then he put his hand on his stomach, "but also in getting a bite to eat. I am feeling peckish myself."

x

x

It was dark by the time the US Air Force C-12 carrying SG-1 and their Jaffa guests touched down at Vandenberg. It was soon followed by the pair of F-15's that had escorted the C-12. Naturally the F-15's earned heaps of scorn from their Jaffa guests at their primitiveness. But by now O'Neill was used to it. Besides, it wasn't as if the Jaffa had developed any of their own advanced technology themselves. In fact it wasn't even theirs to begin with.

As the plane was marshaled into a parking area O'Neill could see a group of armed humvees waiting for them, together with the ubiquitous Major Davis. Armed troops took up station around the aircraft as a movable stair was rolled up to the plane's door.

"Welcome to Vandenberg, Jack," Davis said as he greeted SG-1 after he had greeted their Jaffa guests first as they exited the plane.

"Davis," Jack nodded, then he introduced the major to Bra'tac and An't'lac. After which they made for the vehicles, with Davis, Jack, Daniel and the emissary going for one and Teal'c and Bra'tac for another. The armed soldiers boarded the armed vehicles.

Once everybody was onboard the small convoy drove off. The emissary of the Sons of Priya had so far said little but he seemed quite interested in the humvees. While the one they sat in was a standard people carrier, the others were armed with a rooftop machinegun and a soldier behind each of them.

"I wonder," he asked, "would it be possible to acquire a few hundred of these vehicles?"

Jack and Davis looked at each other. Then Jack turned to the back while Davis concentrated on driving.

"I suppose it might be possible," he said, "but what do you need them for?"

The emissary leaned over towards Jack and put his elbow on Jack's chair.

"We are thinking of establishing a fast raiding force," he said and pointed to one of the armed humvees, "we would equip them with proper staff cannons of course. That way they can attack lightly defended targets or support our own troops better. After all, they do seem to be able to fit through a cha'pa'ai."

"I see where you're going," Jack nodded. The design and layout of the SGC prohibited the deployment of support vehicles larger then the remotely operated vehicles it currently used. Jack could think of a few instances where having armored vehicles backing them up would have made a difference. Or allowed them to explore more of a planet then the small area an SG could cover on foot. Which was downright silly and short-sighted if you think about it. But like with everything it was all a matter of funding. And the war with the Goa'uld devoured a lot of that funding.

Since rebuilding the SGC was out of the question there was a plan of basing a fleet of vehicles on the alpha site. It was caught in red tape at the moment but if these Jaffa placed an order it might actually help push that proposal along as well.

"It might be possible," Jack said, "but bear in mind these babies don't get much mileage from the gallon."

The emissary raised an eyebrow.

"I think what Jack's trying to say is that unless you have a steady access to petroleum you might experience some, um, operating problems," Daniel said to the emissary.

"Our previous envoy mentioned your dependency for fossil fuels," Emissary An't'lac said, "it would go without saying that we would install our own superior powerplants."

"No need to get snotty," Jack called back.

"Snotty?" emissary An't'lac said as he raised an eyebrow.

"It's not like you developed the technology yourselves," Jack said, "its Goa'uld technology."

"And they stole it too," Daniel quickly added.

"It is as it is," An't'lac shrugged, "wherever our technology comes from, it is still superior to most of yours."

"I'm curious though," Daniel asked, "why don't you build a fleet of fast attack vehicles yourselves?"

"Until now the Goa'uld never used any," the emissary replied, "and as Colonel O'Neill so graciously rubbed in, we have no habit of developing technology ourselves. Nor did we have the resources to do so. Amūn's realm contained only one industrial world and there was a limit to the things we could build. Amongst the worlds we recently took there is one more industrial center and a shipyard. We will put it to use to upgrade your vehicles and if need be build more."

"Baby steps I guess," Jack said and then turned to Davis, "Where's Carter? I'd thought she'd be here?"

Davis gave a slight pause, then he shrugged apologetic.

"There's been a development," he said concentrating on his driving.

"What, you've found a lead?" Jack asked.

"Sortish," Davis said unsure, "more like a second Saiyan dropped in and she has her hands full at the moment."

"A second Saiyan?" Jack said incredulously.

"I've never seen people eat so much," Davis said, his mind still having problems comprehending, "they must have eaten enough for a whole platoon! And they're like bloody Hobbits! The cooks barely have time to wash the pots or they go for another round."

"Commissary complaining then?" Jack grinned and Davis broke out a grin himself

"Well, we've had one over for two weeks and the head cook complained that he was going to retire. With the second present I suspect he's probably put his head in the mincer by now."

"So who's the second?" Jack asked, "The simpleton or the short sour one?"

Major Davis rolled his eyes.

"His royal highness, Prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta," Davis said derisively.

"As in the Vegeta we were so desperate to find several months ago?" Daniel asked from the back.

"The very same," Davis said as he as the convoy left the runway system and drove past a checkpoint that guarded the control centers that ran the launch pad, "Would you believe that according to the AWACS data he lives somewhere near San Francisco?"

"I always thought there was something wrong with that place," Jack muttered.

x

x

It was in the canteen of the large Vandenberg control center that SG-1 and their Jaffa guests came face with the two Saiyans. As they approached the canteen they could hear the sound of loud singing. Stepping through the commissary doors they found Sam sitting behind a table, a large tankard in front of her, looking both bored and taken aback at the same time. Sitting behind another table in the opposite corner sat a red headed teenage girl behind a root beer. A girl that looked suspiciously familiar, while looking like she had no idea what to make of the main spectacle.

In the center of the commissary the two Saiyans stood on a large table like they were recreating the Camelot party scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Each holding a large tankard, about a dozen empty bottles before them on their table. And they were singing at full volume and swaying their tankards as they danced arm in arm. By the same table lay two passed out US Air Force MP's. Their tankards fallen over, with drink being spilled all over and between them. Loudly the two Saiyans sang.

There was once a maiden so fair, Lettuca was her name

Who served as a serving wench, in her father's tavern

The tale of her beauty spread wide and far, the gem of Amar

She had the most supple breasts, a face and a tail to die for

From far and wide suitors came to feast on her spectacle

But woo to the man who thought of going any further

For her father guarded her jealously and slayed anyone

Who dared to lay a finger on her

So drink, drink, drink

Feast and be merry

For tomorrow may come your end

To the halls of your fathers you'll go

Tests and judgment awaits the true warrior

So until then drink, drink, drink!

Poor poor Lettuca, fairest maiden of Amar

Was also the most lecherous maiden of that land

But her father beat up any boy who dared to look funny at her

And he was thrice champion of that land

In desperation she swore an oath onto the Goddess

To finally bed a man, the first one she could get her hands on

So drink, drink, drink

Feast and be merry

For tomorrow may come your end

To the halls of your fathers you'll go

Tests and judgment awaits the true warrior

So until then drink, drink, drink!

Now it so be, that her father had a rival

Drago was his name, strongest man of Ambar

She sent him a notice that her father had cursed his name

As soon as he learned Drago flew to Amar and challenged the poor man

As the two went outside and fought a battle for the ages

Finally alone she found that no man was left inside the tavern

So drink, drink, drink

Feast and be merry

For tomorrow may come your end

To the halls of your fathers you'll go

Tests and judgment awaits the true warrior

So until then drink, drink, drink!

Poor Lettuca, finally alone, and still no man to bed her

When suddenly in would walk Bahgoon

He was neither fair, strong nor rich

His teeth were poor and mangy was his tail

But he was the first man she could lay her hands on.

And so Baghoon took that which could never be replaced.

So drink, drink, drink

Feast and be merry

For tomorrow may come your end

To the halls of your fathers you'll go

Tests and judgment awaits the true warrior

So until then drink, drink, drink!

The two Saiyans stopped singing and faced each other

"Strength and victory!" Belmovekk said as he raised his tankard, soon followed by the Saiyan prince.

"Strength and victory!" Vegeta yelled in agreement. Then both Saiyans emptied their tankard in one go and crumpled them like they were made from cheap thin plastic and threw them away.

"You have arrived!" Belmovekk called out cheerfully as he saw SG-1 and their Jaffa guests and jumped off the table and came towards the new arrivals, his hands spread out in greeting, "An't'lac!"

The Saiyan lifted the Jaffa emissary up in a big bear hug hat seemed to squeeze the life out of him.

"It is good to see you again," Belmovekk said heartily, "how are the others?"

"Fine," An't'lac gasped short for air, "please, Golden One, I, …."

"Oh," Belmovekk gasped as he understood the Jaffa couldn't breathe so he let go. An't'lac dropped on his feet and began to pant heavily as he clutched for his chest.

"You must excuse me, good An't'lac," Belmovekk said as he began to dust off the Jaffa, as if his bear hug had made him dirty, "I sort of forgot. It would seem I have had a considerable amount to drink."

"No surprise there," O'Neill whispered as he leaned over towards Teal'c, "if you light a match you could probably set his breath on fire."

"Indeed," the large Jaffa said stoically.

"And you must be the Jaffa Warmaster Bra'tac," Belmovekk said as he next turned to Bra'tac.

"I am he," Bra'tac said unperturbed as he carefully examined this Saiyan that stood drunken before him. So far he wasn't terribly impressed by this example of the warrior race he had been told about. Still, he needed his help to sway the Sons of Priya so he nodded respectfully.

"And you must be the team mates of the good major," the Saiyan said as he gestured to the table he had danced upon, "come, have a drink with us!"

"Maybe not," O'Neill said as he held up his hands, "technically we're still on duty."

"Nonsense," the Saiyan said as he picked up a set of tankards from a table which previously weren't there, "we have cause for celebration! Is it not, Vegeta?"

"Speak for yourself, Movekk," Vegeta said as he accepted the first tankard. His previous cheer mostly gone by the intrusion and he hunched on the table, eying the newcomers wearily.

"Come on," Belmovekk said cheerily, "surely you are not staying because of the weather. We finally have a lead again on the good doctor, and we have wine, women and song."

Vegeta said nothing but wearily eyed the newcomers as he took a swig from his tankard.

"Look I told you," O'Neill said as the Saiyan held out a tankard towards him, "we're on duty."

"Do not be such a grumpy old man," the Saiyan said as he pushed the tankard into O'Neill's hands. To Jack's surprise the thing was heavier then he'd expected. Not because the liquid was so heavy but because it seemed to be made from solid cast iron.

"He is an old man, Movekk," Vegeta sniggered, "perfectly good waste of good Ta'ree!"

"Hey, I resent that," O'Neill said.

"Then prove it," Vegeta smirked before taking another swig, "it's a warrior's drink."

O'Neill stared into his tankard. The purple foamy liquid absolutely stank to high heaven with alcohol. You could probably strip paint of walls with it and cause Boris Yeltsin's liver to give up and start packing just by looking at it. That is if old Boris still had one.

"That's probably because it probably takes more courage to drink this then it takes to charge into no man's land on the first day of the Somme," Jack said as he wearily sniffed the liquid.

"Human weakling," Vegeta snorted and emptied his tankard. Then he crumpled it and threw it behind him where it landed with a loud clang. Which caused O'Neill to re-examine his tankard cause Vegeta casually crushing a cast-iron tankard like it was a plastic cup was the first indication he had seen of a Saiyan's strength. He could see that Bra'tac and Teal'c also had noticed it.

As the others wearily contemplated if they dared to drink this Saiyan brew Jack walked over to Sam, who seemed to sit a bit desensitized behind a tankard of her own.

"Carter," he said grinning, "I see that you're at the center of every party."

"Sir," Carter said for the first time taking notice of SG-1's arrival

"At ease, major," Jack said, then he noticed her eyes looked a bit glazed, "have you been drinking, Carter?"

"Just a few sips, sir, " she said apologetic, "they were, um very insistent."

"I can understand," Jack said as he put down his tankard on the table.

"They've been going on for more then two hours, sir," Sam said as another loud clang signaled the end of another emptied tankard, "drinking, swapping old stories and there's the singing. I'm sure that if you had arrived earlier Daniel would have been thrilled. So far they've sung at least the tales of Bratha the brave, Leek the Magnificent and Batata the Conqueror. And those are just the ones I think I could name. Then they progressed into more base drinking songs like Mahmata the warrior's whore, King Vegeta's a cheap bastard, Freeza's dirty bastards and I think something called Kull the fighting idiot. I'm not quite sure what the last one was about though. It seems to be about some utter weakling who somehow gets all the lucky breaks. It's hard to tell though, as every damn song has the same chorus. That same, stupid, chorus!"

"Keep up the good work, Carter," Jack said and patted her on the shoulder, "be sure to sleep it off tomorrow. You're relieved."

"Thank you, sir," Sam said and got up, when suddenly O'Neill tapped her on the shoulder.

"Who's the girl?" he asked and nodded towards the red headed girl, "I'm sure I saw her somewhere before."

"One of those kids from Sunnydale," Sam replied, "remember? He claims she's an eyewitness he has to protect."

"By drinking himself senseless?"

"That's why I say claimed, sir," Sam said as she slowly walked away. She then suddenly stopped in her tracks and keeled over. Jack tried to prevent her from falling but was too late, then both Daniel and Teal'c came running.

"Another becomes one with the universe!" Vegeta smirked victoriously as he hopped off the table.

"Ta'ree seems to have that effect on people," Belmovekk shrugged as he handed Vegeta another tankard out of nowhere.

"Try humans," Vegeta sniggered.

"Maybe if she hadn't drunk your witches brew," Jack said accusingly as he and Daniel tried to lift up Sam's semi-unconscious body, "as you may have noticed, she's not part of your weird haircut brigade."

"I don't feel so good," Sam moaned.

"Alright," Belmovekk said as he let out a regrettable sigh and snapped his fingers, "I guess it is an acquired taste after all."

Suddenly all the tankards that everybody wisely had set aside began to overflow with white foam.

"O'Neill," Teal'c said as he picked up one of the tankard and had a whiff, "this has turned into beer."

"Oh my god," Daniel said in that excited way he got once he made a new discovery, usually on some far away world, and not this time holding up a tankard himself, "he's right, Jack."

"So he changed the phony booze into phony beer," Jack said unimpressed, "big deal."

"But Jack," Daniel said excited as he pointed to the tankard, "it means he has the power of omnificence!"

"So he's Q," Jack said as he helped Carter sit down on the chair she had previously been sitting upon. Then, on an impulse he reached for Sam's tankard and had a whiff himself. Then his face brightened and he had a sip.

"Not bad," he admitted as he looked at the foamy beer

"I hope you do not mind," Belmovekk said as he hopped back on the table and sat down next to a passed out MP, "I used a foreign brand. For some reason your American beer tastes worse then sewer water."

"Hey, I resent that," Jack protested aloud, "our beer does not taste like sewer water!"

"My bad," Belmovekk shrugged, "cat's piss then?"

"I don't believe it," Jack said as he threw his hands into the air, "I'm getting a lecture on beer from some drunk alien who drinks paint thinner."

"Ta'ree, you stupid fool," Vegeta snorted as he positioned himself against a wall, wearily keeping an eye on everybody as he sipped from his tankard. Gone was his cheery mood and back in was the 'you're all worthless insects' scowl that helped remind O'Neill that this was still a being that at one time had murdered an entire planet's population. And probably even more then that one. The other Saiyan still seemed cheerful though

"So, what brings you here?" the Saiyan said as he made himself comfortable on the table, "Warleader Hammond mentioned something about some internal Jaffa dispute?"

Emissary An't'lac grabbed a chair and sat down next to a neighboring table.

"The Jaffa resistance has approached us with talk of an alliance, Golden One," he said, "when we were facing the combined onslaught of two Goa'uld lords nobody came to our assistance but now that we scored a major victory over the Goa'uld and expanded our territory they come to us for aid."

"There was little we could offer in assistance," Bra'tac interjected, "we have no fleets. What little we have we must conserve until the final battle with the Goa'uld."

"With all due respect, Master Bra'tac, I'm sure that those of us who died will rest better now that they know of that poor excuse," the emissary said sarcastically.

"I could not give what I do not have to give," Bra'tac spoke defensively, "unlike you we have no fleets to command."

"Then of what value is your alliance?" An't'lac remarked as he looked away.

"Do not belittle Warmaster Bra'tac," Teal'c said as he came to Bra'tac's defense, "he has been resisting the Goa'uld before you were born!"

"The Shol'va speaks but I do not hear it," An't'lac said as if Teal'c wasn't there. Now it was Bra'tac's turn to come to his friend's defense.

"Emissary," he said calmly but sternly, "if you have any respect for me, then please extend a little of that to Teal'c as well. Calling him names solves nothing."

"Out of respect for your reputation I will," An't'lac said and bowed towards Bra'tac.

"See, we're getting somewhere," Jack said hopeful. Then Teal'c spoke again.

"What happened before is of no consequence, emissary. What matters is that we combine our forces against a common enemy and not hide behind false religions."

The emissary of the Sons of Priya got up and kicked back his chair in anger.

"Be silent, oath breaker," he yelled angry, "you speak ill of that which you have no comprehension! Our word and our faith is all that we have and you reneged on both!"

"Look, An't'lac," Bra'tac said as he again tried to placate things, "Teal'c meant no offense. But he is right. This is no time to stick to the old ways. The Goa'uld are false gods who will stop at nothing to crush our cause."

"I will not be talked down to by an oath breaker," the emissary yelled as he pointed to Teal'c.

Meanwhile as things progressed into a shouting match Jack shook his head dejected.

"There must be some kind of way out of here, said the joker to the thief," he softly sighed to Daniel.

"I don't get it," Daniel said, "why are they even fighting? They both have the same enemy."

"Never underestimate the power of old grudges and petty feuds," Jack replied, "divide and conquer. The oldest trick in the book."

Then Jack turned towards the Saiyans. The short obnoxious one now just looked bored beyond relief. The equally annoying other one, who on paper was their ally, however looked odd. Like his attention was elsewhere, like he was listening to something else.

"Aren't you going to do something?" he asked the Saiyan, "after all, this is your mess we're having to clean up here."

"I did not create this situation," the Saiyan protested.

"Yes you did," Jack said as he pointed to the shouting emissary, "you set their lot free to fend for themselves and gave them some hokey religion! I don't know if you've been up there lately but the Middle East is tame by comparison!"

"Do not speak to the Disciple of Aldur that way," Emissary An't'lac said as he came to the defense of Belmovekk.

"I don't care if he's Kahless the Klingon emperor, the Wizard of Oz or the Cylon Imperious Leader," Jack said aloud as he pointed towards Belmovekk, "as long as he's on my world I get to talk to his Saiyan weirdness the way I want to. And he if he doesn't like it he's free to walk with you back through the Stargate!"

Suddenly it was very quiet, except for a loud snigger coming from Vegeta as he barely could contain his laughter. Then Belmovekk hopped off the table towards the three Jaffa.

"Commander O'Neill is right, I guess I am responsible for what happened," he said, then he turned towards An't'lac, "you must work together with the resistance."

"They're oath breakers, and they belittle our new faith…," An't'lac protested but Belmovekk held up a hand that signaled him to stop talking.

"A warrior's oath is his honor," he said, "but what if the person you gave the oath to has no honor?"

"It does not matter," An't'lac said resolutely, "an oath is still an oath."

Belmovekk looked unsure what to say. And again it struck O'Neill as if his attention was slightly diverted before he spoke again.

"That is true," he said, then he stepped next to Teal'c and put his hand on Teal'c's shoulder, "but the only Goa'uld you knew was Amūn, An't'lac. As Goa'uld go Amūn was quite honorable himself. Teal'c however served Apophis. And Apophis was the antithesis of everything Amūn stood for. In fact, Amūn was the antithesis of everything the Goa'uld stood for. Apophis, like all the other Goa'uld, had no honor. He sent his Jaffa into battle without caring anything for them. To him they were just tools. You cannot judge Teal'c by the same experiences you had."

Then Belmovekk turned to Teal'c and Bra'tac.

"You two must understand that Amūn was nothing like Apophis. As Goa'uld go he was, shall we say unique? Even in death he still instills some respect in his former Jaffa. Even though by now they do understand he was no a real god."

"If the Goa'uld learn that we are in alliance with the Jaffa resistance they will come after us in force," the emissary spoke, "as it stands the fiction that the Goddess Priya rules us is what allows them to ignore their recent defeat."

"They will come after you sooner or later," Bra'tac said as he pulled a copy of the gospel of Priya from his pocket, "more and more of these turn up amongst their Jaffa. There will come a point when they can't ignore this and act."

"You mean these actually circulate amongst Jaffa out there," Belmovekk said as he reached for Bra'tac's copy, "can I see it?"

Bra'tac gave him his copy and Belmovekk began to study it carefully. It looked like the one he had given to Amūn's Jaffa. But there were subtle style differences. Like the translation or how it was clearly copied over by hand.

"We did not send these," An't'lac said as he pointed to the gospel and then to everyone's surprise he touched his forehead in a ritual gesture.

"Then how does it spread?" Belmovekk asked as he gave the book back to Bra'tac.

"As was expected some Jaffa left us for Chu'lak after Amūn's fall," An't'lac spoke, "some of them probably carried the gospel back home. Chu'lak is the great crossroad. As our homeworld Jaffa from all Goa'uld lords come and go there."

"I still don't get the appeal," Jack said, "It's just a book for chrissakes!"

"Be careful, O'Neill," Bra'tac said as he pre-empted An't'lac from verbally biting Jack's head off, "you are a fighter, not a warrior. You do not understand. I have read the gospels and I can see why some would find it appealing. It speaks to the blood. The blood of a warrior. It sings of testing oneself in battle. A battle that is both honorable and worthy. "

"No wonder we kick your ass in battle all the time," Jack muttered as he shook his head dejected.

An't'lac looked towards Belmovekk.

"If the Goa'uld come after us in force we will not be able to stop them. While they are predictable they cannot be relied upon to make the same mistakes Kang and Kodos did. Come with us Golden One!"

"Now you've done it, Movekk," Vegeta sniggered smugly. Belmovekk shot a quick deathglare Vegeta's way before looking at Willow, who so far had kept a very low profile. And wisely so.

"I can not," he said to An't'lac, "I have said this before, I am needed here."

"If you'd like I think we could cover for ya," O'Neill smiled as he patted the Saiyan on his back, "after all, couple of robots, nothing we haven't handled before, right?"

As Belmovekk shot another annoyed deathglare towards the Colonel, An't'lac folded his hands together in front of him like in a prayer.

"Golden One, if you can't come with us…"

x

x

"My head hurts," Belmovekk groaned.

Both he and Vegeta were sitting alone in the commissary. It was now very late at night, a few more empty bottles stood on the table and everybody else had left.

"Ta'ree can have that effect," Vegeta grinned as he picked up his cup.

"It did not used too before," Belmovekk said as he rested his head on his hands on the table.

"That's what you get for being such an old man," Vegeta smirked, "time has taken its toll on you. All 4000 years."

"You are a cruel man, my Prince," Belmovekk moaned.

"So they say," Vegeta shrugged as he took another sip, "of course, that's right before I kill them, of course."

Belmovekk looked up, an odd look on his face.

"Do you regret any of the people you killed, Vegeta?"

Vegeta thought it over for a moment while he took another sip.

"No," he said straight faced, "every world I cleansed deserved what it got. You know the saying: he who can't live by the sword…."

"…. is doomed to die by one," Belmovekk said sullen, then he looked downwards.

"Look," Vegeta continued, "Freeza was first and foremost a businessman. He was never interested in battle and conquest for the sake of honor or glory. He wouldn't know what to do if either of them bit him in that mangy tail. Every world he had us attack, that he ordered me to attack, pissed off somebody else enough for them to pay that horned freak. So either they should have strengthened their defenses or been more subservient. The only thing I regret I have is that I wasn't the one who offed that horned son of a bitch."

"So it is that simple?" Belmovekk asked.

"What else is there?" Vegeta shrugged as he emptied his cup and threw it on the table. Then he reached over and swatted Belmovekk on the head.

WHACK!

"Auw!," Belmovekk yelped as he reached for where Vegeta had hit him, "Torak's Teeth! Why the hell did you do that for?"

"Movekk, you're an idiot," Vegeta exclaimed, "You let those insects trick you into promising to train their men. It was what he wanted all along!"

"But the Goa'uld….," Belmovekk tried to say but Vegeta cut him off.

"Don't be a fool and fall for sappy stories! Those worms don't care one bit about what happens to a bunch of former losers of theirs. But that guy wanted you to train his men. And when you agreed to it you opened the floodgate. No wonder the other one also wanted you to train his. And then that insolent human wasn't going to be the last idiot standing."

"I know," Belmovekk said and hit the table with his forehead, "what in Aldur's name am I going to do!"

"Well, if you have to train these insects," Vegeta mused, "why not give them the training we gave to our auxiliaries?"

Belmovekk's face lit up.

"Of course," he said, "I forgot! Auxiliary training!"

Besides taking on mercenary jobs for Freeza the Saiyans had indulged themselves in a little conquest here and there. It had never been a large empire, mostly farming worlds to provide for their massive food demands and the odd craftworld to fashion them with equipment like their spacepods, battle armor and scouters. Over time the Saiyan kings had learned that the easiest way to rule was through proxy and a low profile. As long as the subjugated races provided what the Saiyan race needed they were left to their own devices. Which usually also benefited the local rulers as well. Since they were the ones whom the Saiyans put into power in the first place.

Of course there were always a few local malcontents that didn't like the status quo and which caused trouble. At first this meant that at least some Saiyan warriors had to be maintained locally. But that tended to remind the locals that they were a subjugated race in the first place and caused more malcontents to come forth. Eventually one king came to the conclusion that it was better to outsource local security to the locals as well. A training regime was developed that would teach basic fighting techniques and attacks to non-Saiyans. It was basic and at best a warrior trained like that would measure no more then 500 if he trained for most of his life.

But it was enough to deal with local troublemakers and if the local auxiliaries ever turned against their masters they would still be no match to any dispatched Saiyan force. Only a true master of martial arts could unlock the hidden secrets and the Saiyans made sure to kill anyone who tried to become one. It was considered win-win. Originally Belmovekk had considered teaching it to Xander as the boy was so, well, weak. In the end he was offered another option and the possession thing eliminated that option once and for all.

But auxiliary training would be perfect for the Jaffa and the SGC warriors. After all, it wasn't like they were facing anything special with chi skills anyway. Above all, it was relatively short. Train them for a couple of months, after that, they could teach what they had learned to others themselves and they'd be out of his hair.

"Auxiliary training it is then," Vegeta said, "after all, it wouldn't do me no good if those tin cans come along and I found you're not at my side because you're too busy training half the universe."

"Technically they could be cyborgs," Belmovekk countered, "and I'm not going to let it come that far. I will find and kill Gero before he can unleash those androids."

"Who cares what they are," Vegeta shrugged, "for now waste your time searching for Gero. I cannot stop you. But once I become Super Saiyan there will be no more of this foolish search. And you will start training again, Movekk. All this looking around and helping insects is making you fat."

"If you say so, my Prince," Belmovekk said as he reached for his own cup and gulped its content down.

"I think it is time that I go back, Movekk," Vegeta said as he got up, "I enjoyed the Ta'ree. Is there any left?"

Belmovekk leaned over and grinned.

"I will make you a whole case if you hereby decree my children to be full Saiyans," he said and pulled a pen and a piece of paper out of nowhere, "just sign on the dotted line."

Vegeta thought of it for a moment, then he accepted the pen.

"I do this only because you serve some of the best Ta'ree in this galaxy," he said, "and I expect you to send me a full crate from time to time."

"Deal!" Belmovekk nodded and Vegeta signed, "Even though technically it's the only Ta'ree you can still get in this galaxy. And beyond."

"You might still get some," Vegeta said as he threw away the pen, "Freeza only destroyed our homeworld. The tributary worlds he just added to his own empire. They might still make some."

"They do?" Belmovekk said surprised, then reached underneath the table and pulled out a create of Ta'ree bottles, "here you go, my Prince."

"Don't mind if I do," Vegeta grinned victoriously as he reached for them, "now this is how you should have negotiated! I enjoyed our little get together, Movekk, we should do it more often."

"Your place or mine?" Belmovekk smiled as he pocketed the document.

"Mine of course," Vegeta snorted, "one cannot carouse with children present."

"Yours it will be then," Belmovekk echoed.

Belmovekk and Vegeta left the commissary and found a small army of MP's waiting outside of its doors. Escorted by the MP's they walked out of the building where Vegeta flew off. Having seen the Saiyan Prince off Belmovekk retreated to his own quarters he'd been billeted in on the base.

No sooner had he closed the door behind him when he was suddenly no longer in his room. Instead he found himself transported into a large dark cavernous hall. A scream was heard and the deep bassy sound of a large gong followed. Before him a black robed hooded priest held up a bloody heart to a large polished iron mask hanging over a fire. Then he threw the heart into the fire and began to chant, soon followed by a choir of equally black robed and hooded priests. Then one of the priests turned around and took of his hood, revealing a familiar face.

"Well, that was interesting," Amūn said impressed, "they actually do that?"

"Does it have to be now?" Belmovekk said annoyed as he let himself fall on a stone slab which he hoped was his bed in the real world, "and yes, they actually do that."

"Gruesome," Amūn nodded as he turned his head and saw a corpse being dumped into a fiery pit, "you know my Saiyan friend, I have seen many kinds of Goa'uld debauchery but never did I behold actual human sacrifice."

"Probably because you are not real Gods," Belmovekk said as he rubbed his hands across his face as he was tired, "deep down you still crave for ordinary pleasures be it on a larger scale. The perversions of real Gods however run deeper."

"I suppose," Amūn nodded, "why is this place in your memory?"

"I was never allowed to really purge the world of that kind of filth," Belmovekk said as he pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed, "but I was allowed to do small things. Not attack the religion itself. But as long as I didn't overdo it individual temples were allowed. While it was extremely satisfying to obliterate a Grolim temple, one of my favorite things was to sneak in and make the fires go out."

"Where's the fun in that?" the Goa'uld asked flabbergasted. Belmovekk opened his eyes and looked at the fire.

"You see, these Grolim bastards sacrifice a human every hour to Torak and they make sure they are not the ones being sacrificed. But if the fire does go out in a dedicated temple it meant the temple itselfwas defiled. It had to be rededicated with massive new human sacrifices."

"I fail to see where this is leading," Amūn said as he gestured around him, "I thought you abhorred human sacrifice."

"Ah," Belmovekk smiled as he held up a finger, "normally I would, but Torak himself decreed that in order to re-dedicate a temple only Grolim sacrifice would suffice. The way I see it, the more of their own kind they had to butcher, the better."

"Crafty," Amūn chuckled. Then Belmovekk yawned.

"Why did you bring me here, specter? I am tired and in no need to play games."

"There are many things but I have to say it was good to see dear An't'lac again," Amūn smiled.

"You brought me here to say that?" Belmovekk said giving the Goa'uld an annoyed look. Lately his 'alter ego' had begun to appear in scenes from his memory inside his mind, rather then appear in the real world. Forever bringing them on at ill opportune moments of his choosing. He understood why but at times it was very annoying.

"Wouldn't you?" Amūn said as he moved aside, "An't'lac served me as a flag officer for decades. It's like finally seeing an old friend again. One you never expected to see again. One who's real, not some strange evil ghost that's taunting us."

Belmovekk shrugged and reclined on the slab.

"Fair enough," he said as began to take off his shoes. Amūn turned away and said nothing for a while. Then he spoke again.

"I think Anubis is still alive."

Belmovekk stopped untying his shoe laces.

"What makes you think so?" he asked surprised, "I thought you killed the bastard?"

Amūn looked over his shoulder.

"My Jaffa could have survived on their own if they hadn't drawn attention to themselves. But by beating Kang and Kodos they have. The other Goa'uld should have come down on them."

"Vegeta seems to think otherwise," Belmovekk countered but Amūn scoffed at the reply.

"Vegeta couldn't care less, Saiyan. Your fellow is only concerned with becoming a Super Saiyan. He's hardly the best pundit to lay your ear to. When it was just my former territory they could ignore my Jaffa. It was of little importance. Now enlarged by Kang and Kodos' territory it has become more interesting for some of the greater Goa'uld. Especially with this Priya nonsense spreading. The only reason I can think of that nothing has happened so far is that something else is keeping them busy."

"That is a big leap to assume it is Anubis."

Amūn turned fully towards Belmovekk and pointed up to the ceiling. Which in this case was still the domed roof of the temple of Torak.

"I tried to take over your body because I learned he cannot be killed through normal means. You can kill his body, destroy it, but his spirit would endure and live on, eventually taking over a new host body. I thought maybe using your life force might do the trick. Now…."

Amūn shook his head dejected.

"He is alive and he's trying to take over Ra's vacant title. I'm convinced of that now. Only a major power struggle amongst the Goa'uld could keep them from ignoring both this affront and the threat of this new religion."

"I will pass on your suspicions to the good major tomorrow," Belmovekk said as he laid down in full on the slab, "I was sent to Earth to fight a battle here. Not wage war across the galaxy. Let Warleader Hammond handle his problems and I'll mind mine."

"This new religion could potentially undermine the Goa'uld," Amūn said looking away, folding his arms across his chest, "I am surprised it wasn't part of Anubis' vision."

"It has me surprised as well," Belmovekk said as he closed his eyes, "it seems a little too convenient. I suspect something is tampering again. And I have a good idea who."

"Your much vaunted Necessities," Amūn replied, then snorted, "Priya, pitiful excuse of a goddess. What do they see in her? She doesn't even exist in any corporeal form!"

"They needed something after you died," Belmovekk replied, "it was either that or have them fall apart once I left them and I couldn't have that on my conscience."

"She's not even real, did you know that," Amūn snorted, "she's just an Ancient who crashed on your planet long ago and pretended to be a goddess. So she could impress the gullible natives."

Belmovekk opened an eye and looked at the Goa'uld spectre.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked Amūn wearily as he squatted down next to his slab.

"Remember the battle on that abominable plain in your mind," Amūn said as he tapped the Saiyans head, "where you killed me? You never heard what that man said when you passed out."

Belmovekk brought one hand to his chin and mused over what happened. Besides him, Amūn and Giles there had been one other person present. He had asked Giles about it afterwards but the Librarian had always refused to speak about it, nor name that person. And in the state that he was in at the time he never managed to get a good view of him.

"When you passed out that man translated the writings on that temple door," Amūn continued, "it spoke of an Ancient expedition that got stranded on your world. All those gods you grew up with as a child, they were all false gods. The Ancients used their superior technology to pretend they were gods. Buying time so they could build a stargate that would transport them back home. That was the secret to that damn temple, gateway to the Gods. It's a concealed stargate."

Belmovekk looked flabbergasted for a moment. Then he shrugged and closed his eyes.

"It matters not," he said calmly, "firstly it happened long ago and Vegetasei is gone. Secondly, even if they were Ancients then they gave us some good rules to live by. The gospels of Priya will serve your Jaffa well and would have served my own people if they had not strayed from them over the centuries. Thirdly, who says that whole hallucination came from my mind? Your mind was also there at the time and for all we know we both contributed to that delusion. I have never been inside that temple. Nobody has. For all I know the whole Ancient link is something that came from your mind to fill in the gaps."

It was now Amūn's turn to be lost for words.

"Tell you what though," Belmovekk said as he closed his eyes again, "I am still surprised that you urged me to have your Jaffa work together with the Jaffa resistance. Or that you wanted me to begin training them. For someone who went to such great lengths to prevent the vision of Anubis from happening to save his kind, you were awfully quick to help those Jaffa against your own."

"They are still my Jaffa," Amūn said indignant, "and as such they are still my responsibility. We made an oath together. They would serve me and I as their god would look out after them. That transcends any bond I might feel with my fellow Goa'uld."

Belmovekk opened an eye to look at Amūn, but the dead Goa'uld was gone. No longer was he inside Torak's temple lying on a slab, instead he now lay on his bunk in his quarters

"I really must stop drinking this much!"

x

x

In the gate room of the SGC the event horizon erupted and then stabilized into a wormhole. As it did An't'lac escorted by Daniel and Jack walked up to the ramp.

"So when can we expect your 'recruits' to arrive," Jack asked as they paused before the event horizon. While he somewhat liked the idea that that crazy Saiyan would now train some of the SGC's finest he wasn't to thrilled to have a group of Jaffa on the lose on Earth. Especially since that drunkard refused to do the proper thing and train them at the SGC where they could be contained. For now at least they could be contained as that Saiyan had agreed to use Vandenberg as their training ground as long as the search for those androids went on. But after that he had made it clear he would go back to Twin Peaks by the sea and the recruits would just have to follow.

So now Hammond was already checking if it was possible to have that weird Sunnydale army base be brought under the Air Force's control. Teal'c seemed happy with the prospect though wherever it was. He even planned to attend as many lessons as was possible himself. And although he never would admit it to anyone, secretly Jack wouldn't mind taking a few lessons himself. The thought of being able to do Superman kind of things appealed to Jack, even if it was just the 'light' version. But that damn alien had the gall to claim he was too old. Which he probably was. Still, if you've fought and won against Goa'ulds, Replicators and other weirdoes that had to account for something, right?

"We'll send word once we selected our candidates," the emissary smiled amiably.

"Yeah right, like you haven't already got your short list," O'Neill snorted, "you got exactly what you came for, didn't you?"

The emissary just smiled that amiable smile that made Jack want to beat it off his damn face.

"I'm curious about one thing though," Daniel asked, "why did you call him Golden One all the time? Is there something specific to that honorific?"

"If the Golden One has not revealed that to you, then it is not my place to tell you," An't'lac smiled at the both of them. Then he stepped through the gate and disappeared. Jack then turned towards Daniel and shook his head

"As God is my witness, Daniel," he said dejected, "the only thing worse then a Jaffa warrior is a Jaffa diplomat. God help us once we start meeting Jaffa lawyers."