"What do we do about Acan while we go search for the Tok'ra?" Jack asks. "I guess it's going to seem weird that we trek around with a tied-up Goa'uld."
"Weird and dangerous" Jolinar says.
"I am certain Bra'tac can help us," Teal'c says.
"Will he not risk Apophis discovering?"
"Bra'tac is resourceful." Teal'c smiles.
"Okay, then let's go ask him!" Jack says.
"It would be safest if we do not all go. Remember, the chaapa'ai is guarded." Teal'c says.
"Right, what do we do about that?" Daniel asks.
"We could do as we did before. I will dress as a Serpent Guard. I will pretend I am bringing the prisoner Acan to my Lord Apophis." Teal'c says.
"And if they don't believe you? Or if Acan says something stupid? No, Teal'c we can't let you go yourself." Jack says. "Apophis hates you even more now, after you went there with SG-2 and rescues Rya'c and tricked Apophis!"
"Then I will go with him." Jolinar says.
"If you're captured Apophis won't like you, am I right?" Jack asks.
"He hates me, and not just because I am Tok'ra. It is personal. I was once his underling, and betrayed him."
"Great. Absolutely not, Jolinar! You're not going!" Jack says.
"It is unlikely I will meet Apophis, especially after you blew up his ships. He is weakened and will be focused on protecting his palace."
Jack sighs. "All right, Teal'c, Carter and Jolinar, and myself will go to Chulak, bringing the snakehead. Jolinar, what is a safe place for Daniel and General Carter to stay while we're gone?"
"Samantha suggests they should go to the place called 'Land of the Light'."
"Good idea. Okay, take this, General." Jack hands Jacob his sidearm.
"Sure, thanks. Listen, Colonel - one thing, I think it will make things easier if we stick to first names. Rank and last name gets cumbersome and it's not like this is a normal chain of command situation." Jacob says.
"All right, Jacob, then." Jack smiles. "Let's get going."
Daniel went to the DHD and dialled the address for the Land of the Light.
After a brief stopover on a planet that had a minimal presence of Serpent Guards, they were in possession of a uniform that would fit Teal'c and one that fitted Jack - as well as two staff weapons and two zat'nik'tels. Jolinar had her hand device, but would not be wearing it openly, since they did not dare have her pretend to be a Goa'uld. There were too much of a risk if they were taken to Apophis or Klorel, since they would recognize them, and a strange Goa'uld bringing a prisoner and showing up with two Serpent Guards would be guaranteed to be taken to Apophis or Klorel.
So Sam/Jolinar pulled a cloak over the cargo pants and long-sleeved shirt they had worn for the heat back in Mexico, before they escaped on the teltac found under a palace there.
They had painted a nice look-a-like Apophis sect symbol on Jack's forehead, so he was not forced to keep his helmet up. Teal'c, on the other hand, would likely be recognized, and would keep his face hidden.
Acan had his hands tied behind his back, and a gag in his mouth, so he did not say anything stupid.
Sam/Jolinar also had their hands tied - or so it seemed, since their ties were just for show, since they were pretending to be prisoners as well.
They were ready to go to Chulak!
They stepped out through the wormhole on the planet Chulak, and were immediately met by a small group of Jaffa guarding the Gate.
"Jaffa, kree! What is your business?" The leader asks.
"We are bringing these prisoners to our Lord Apophis. One is a low underling of the cursed Cronus, and the other is a local priest who supported him. Both were caught on Jamnir, where they were trying to incite the population against our Lord Apophis." Teal'c says.
Jamnir was the small, unimportant planet where they had killed two Jaffa and taken their uniforms.
"Traitors!" the Jaffa spat and glared at Sam/Jolinar and Acan. Acan flashed his eyes at him and the Jaffa took a step back, clearly a little worried what a 'god' could do, even if tied up. "You better hurry to the palace. It will soon be evening."
"Of course." Teal'c bowed his head lightly and gave Acan a push so he started walking.
Behind him, Jack gave Sam/Jolinar a shove too, just for show. She played along and gave him an angry glare, to which he returned an amused smile.
"Okay, do you know where we can find Bra'tac?" Jack asks, when they had gotten far enough away that the Jaffa at the gate could not hear them.
"I do not." Teal'c responds. "He will find us."
Sam snorts. "Nice plan. I hope he finds us quickly."
They could no longer be seen from the Stargate, and Jack unties the hands of Sam/Jolinar.
"It's getting dark," Jack says, as they look out over the largest city on Chulak. "Which is good, I guess."
"Indeed." Teal'c says. "This way."
Jack shakes his head and follows, as does Sam/Jolinar - and Acan, albeit unwillingly.
"I sense a symbiote - other than Acan and Teal'c," Sam tells them in a low voice.
"Teal'c!" Bra'tac exclaims, jumping out from the shadows. "What are you doing here? And why are you bringing these humans?"
"And hello to you to, Bra'tac," Jack says.
"Tek matte Bra'tac." Teal'c says, bowing his head in respect.
"And who is that one?" Bra'tac looks at Acan, then takes a step back in surprise as he flashes his eyes. He looks angrily at Jack and Sam/Jolinar. "Hasshaks! You have brought a Goa'uld here?"
"We were kinda hoping you knew of a place to store him, so to speak," Jack says.
"Kill him!" Bra'tac raised his staff weapon and activated it.
"No stop!" Jack exclaims.
"He's... well, the host is someone from Earth," Sam says.
"A friend of yours? He is gone now. There is no way to get him back. It is more merciful to kill him, and far safer." Bra'tac tells them.
"I wouldn't call him a friend..." Jack grimaces. "But it would be better not to kill him. In the long run. I think."
"We're hoping he will put in a good word for us when we return to Earth. The host, that is." Sam explains.
Bra'tac shakes his head. "The host is gone. You must understand that. However, if you wish me to keep the Goa'uld in a safe place, I will, even if I find the decision foolish and dangerous." He turned away from them and started walking towards the Stargate. "Come."
"Where are we going?" Jack asks.
"To a safe place. Did you think that could be found here on Chulak, human?" Bra'tac says.
"We can't go back past those guards!" Sam warns.
Bra'tac scoffs, but doesn't answer, and they follow him, worried.
~Can this person really be trusted?~
~He's never shown any indication not to, even though I'll admit he's a bit, eccentric. Teal'c was his apprentice. Bra'tac also saved us when we were captured on Apophis's ship.~
~In that case I shall follow his lead. For now, at least.~
Bra'tac walks straight up to the Stargate, and the two guards that are currently guarding it.
"Jaffa, kree! Out of my way!" He orders.
"Bra'tac, were these prisoners not going to be taken to Lord Apophis?" One of them asks, fingering his staff weapon.
Bra'tac makes a quick movement and fells both guards with his staff weapon. He looks down at the groggy guards. "Master Bra'tac is the correct way to address me!"
He goes to dial an address.
"Um, Bra'tac?" Jack says. "If you're letting them live, won't they talk?" He adds, in a low voice.
Jolinar has taken over control from Sam, and she bends down and picks up the zat from one of the fallen guards, then unceremoniously shoots him, thrice.
"What are you doing, human!" Bra'tac exclaims, as Jolinar shoots the other guards thrice as well, vaporising him along with his colleague.
"Letting them live would have jeopardized our mission," she says, using Sam's voice.
Bra'tac hits the center button hard, clearly not pleased. "That decision was not for you to make."
"Well, I, for one, feels much safer." Jack says. "Where are we going?"
"Follow me." Bra'tac walks ahead into the wormhole.
The others shrugs and follows, with Teal'c pushing Acan ahead of him.
A/N: to various reviewers, thanks for your reviews and interest in the story.
To some of the anonymous reviewers - I guess you know which ones:
There is already a warning in capitals at the beginning of the story that it may become Sam/Jolinar/Martouf/Lantash, and the first chapter only had Jolinar talk about her mates. I am not going to add Martouf/Lantash to the list of characters since there are only room for four in the list, and I will not add them instead of one of the others, since he/they may not even be in the story, and if so it will be minimal.
In addition, the story is not marked as Sam/Jack as someone claimed - just because I list Sam and Jack as characters in the story. I realize that many people do not use the "pairing" function for the characters, and that is annoying for me too, as I try to sort out the Sam/Jack ship from the fic I want to read. However, that does not mean that a story is automatically Sam/Jack just because both of them is in the story and the characters are listed.
I am not going to answer any further anonymous comments about how much Sam/Jolinar/Martouf/Lantash or Sam/Martouf/Lantash suck as a ship. More than 3/4 of the Stargate SG-1 on ffnet is Sam/Jack, that should be enough that it can be permitted for me to write a few fics about another pairing without people complaining too much.
Also, please stop sending me pm's and making comments on this and other stories about how much you hate Martouf, and that goes for on Livejournal too - and on my email that someone apparently has dug out from somewhere.
Thank you.