Chapter 2 last chances
Goa'uld Command Ship Divine Right
For Ba'al things were beginning to look more pleasant, enough to bring a wide cat like grin to his slender face. He noted absently he had been grinning for the last hour, but with the trials he had endured lately he considered himself deserving of some jovial relief, especially at the expense of his enemies.
The mission had been a staggering success with the bare minimum of losses and the maximum of gains. His source among the sorely misguided Tollan had proven entirely accurate and well worth the patience. He had to admit that the Tollan did have an enviable grasp on science which often eclipsed Goa'uld knowledge, especially as Anubis was now gone leaving the Goa'uld without any new wonder weapons.
Of course Ba'al had been happy to scavenge what he could from Anubis' misfortune, raking over his territory and assuming leadership of the disorganized forces left behind by the great System Lord. Overnight Ba'al had becoming a truly major power and rival to any other system lord, even Lord Yu who had commanded the forces arrayed against Anubis.
For a while it looked like Yu and Ba'al would go to war in a conflict to decide who would be Supreme System Lord and inherit Ra's crown and glory. But that goal was torpedoed by the death of Yu the Replicator attack and his defeat at Dakara. A massive rebellion had broken out, and much to Ba'als surprise a significant number turned Sho'vah and inflicted a staggering defeat at the vital world of Dakara, effectively creating a Free Jaffa state which was still at war with the Goa'uld.
So Ba'al and the remaining system lords set aside their differences to fight the Jaffa, and in the process try to acquire an advantage or two in battle. Something Ba'al had just done. He was a firm believer in technology over numbers, well proven by his fearsome Kull warriors and uprated warships.
This new Tollan technology held the promise of a conclusive victory not just over the Free Jaffa but also the last few system lords, and those meddlesome Tau'ri, and just maybe the Asgard too. Most system lords wouldn't have cared or would have made it a trinket or curiosity but Ba'al was a man of vision, and that vision was total domination.
Ter'ak stood to attention as Ba'al arrived by the room deep in the warship where the device was being held.
"Anything to report Prime?"
"No my lord, all is as you commanded."
"Very good, you may leave and finish selecting your champion warriors for our new quest."
"So shall it be my lord." Ter'ak bowed and then confidently departed the scene leaving Ba'al by the door. Still grinning the Goa'uld entered his code and let the heavy doors part.
The grin faded when his obscenely expensive Unas leather boots crunched into a half eaten chicken on the floor just within the doorway.
"Nerus!" he bellowed. "For your sake I hope you are not covering the device I have killed for in grease!"
From somewhere in the room filled with tables full of technology, some from Anubis, others from the Tollan and some even from the Tau'ri a jowly head shot up.
"No no my good lord, I haven't touched it, really!"
Ba'al shook the food off his boots and proceeded into the room, Nerus rushing to meet him.
"Where is Persephone?" Ba'al demanded.
"Oh, she is examining the device, her hands are clean." The opulent Goa'uld scientist smiled, strings of food stuck to his teeth.
"Do you ever stop eating you repulsive little man?"
"Eat, drink and be merry." Nerus kept grinning.
"You would do well to recall the rest of that phrase." Ba'al said coldly, then brushed past the lesser Goa'uld.
A few paces further on he found the device, typically Tollan in appearance with a bright metallic sheen and smooth over all shell. It was fairly small but held a promise far beyond its humble look.
"Persephone, is it ready?"
The second of Ba'al's scientists, and the most preferable, stood by the device. She was quite a figure and pleasing to Ba'als eye, and her knowledge coupled with that made her a true prize to jealously guard.
"It appears functional and works on a method similar to a Stargate." She reported matter of factly. "We can hook it to the hyperdrive and establish a wormhole to your chosen destination."
"Very good." He smiled. "If this works you will be richly rewarded." He moved close to the blonde female. "My patronage can be, most generous."
Persephone stepped back. "It will work my lord, but I would suggest more time to test it."
Ba'al smiled widely under his beard. "We have plenty of time yet. You have my coordinates, test the device, send a probe, whatever you see fit."
"It is a remarkable break through my lord."
"Only if used correctly." Ba'al responded. "The Tollan would have wasted it on science, now I will give it true meaning."
Nerus bobbed beside him. "Where is it we are going my lord?"
"That is not your concern. Getting us there and back should solely occupy your thoughts." He paused. "That and dinner no doubt."
"As you will my lord."
"Yes, I do will it. I advise you not to disappoint me, when I become upset I begin cutting things off, things that do not grow back."
Nerus laughed nervously. "Of course my lord, of course!"
With a condescending sneer Ba'al turned his back and left, sealing the door behind him.
He was halfway to his quarters when the steady ping of an alarm sounded. Immediately he found a communication port and raised the command deck.
"Ter'ak? What is happening?"
"My lord, the Sho'vah are here."
He grunted in annoyance, the Free Jaffa could ruin everything. "How many?"
"So far sixty six vessels of Ha'tak class."
Which outnumbered Ba'al greatly.
"Prepare for battle, I am on my way."
With a flutter of his lengthy coat he spun on his heel and walked briskly through the corridors, loyal Jaffa and Kull soldiers passing him by on their way to their assigned locations. His fleet had great power, but numbers were on his enemies side and with such an advantage they could earn victory.
He took his chair in the Pel'tac, Ter'ak standing proudly by the ship controls.
"Let me address them." Ba'al ordered.
With a nod Ter'ak opened a channel.
"Ships of the Free Jaffa Nation, welcome to my home."
For a while there was silence, then a face appeared on his screen.
"Your hospitality is not required."
Ba'al laughed as he recognized the man. "Why Master Bra'tac, not dead yet?"
"How can I sleep easy in my grave with scum like you still drawing breath?"
"Charming as always."
"I give you this chance to surrender, to spare the lives of the warriors under your banner."
"It is you who will spill the blood of your brother Jaffa." Ba'al said. "Unless you join me of course, return to your roots. I can give you anything you wish."
Bra'tac's eyes glinted with a coldness even Ba'al felt.
"I wish from you one thing, your head on a silver plate still sharing a look of total terror as you fall to your former slaves."
"Would you settle for gold instead? A wife maybe?"
The Jaffa Master ended the message.
"He should learn to cheer up." Ba'al sighed. "Status?"
"Sho'vah ships on approach, arming weapons."
"Did we recover our warriors from the planet?"
"Yes my lord."
"And the Kull warrior facilities?"
"Packed into the hold of this ship my lord."
"Excellent work Prime, you honor me."
"To live is to serve."
"Then serve me now, fire on the traitors."
Ba'als flagship opened the battle with a terrific long range volley, its heavy weapons overpowering the lead Ha'tak in a few seconds shredding the rebel ship with cannon fire. Moments later the rest of Ba'als fleet joined with superior ranged weaponry. However the advantage would be short lived as the Free Jaffa accelerated quickly into range.
"Ter'ak, what is left for us to load onto the expedition ships?"
"Ten thousand slaves, food stores for a further six months, some additional spare parts and the last three Death glider squadrons."
Which meant the fleet he was going to take through the portal to the new universe was in fact ninety percent loaded anyway.
"Persephone." Ba'al opened a channel.
"My lord?" she answered after a moment.
"Hook the device to the main power grid."
"But the tests…"
"Are irrelevant, we are leaving. Now."
He actually thought she might argue, but wisely did not.
"Yes Lord Ba'al."
The line shut down leaving Ba'al with a plan.
"The expedition ships will withdraw and gather by the flagship."
"Yes my lord."
"All other vessels will attack."
"As you will."
Ter'ak sent the orders, dispatching the regular ships of the fleet into battle with a foe more than three times their size, their deaths were certain. Yet his god had commanded it, and so it would be. Their sacrifice would buy time, and time would let his master secure a final victory. The sacrifice was not in vain.
The lights and gravity dimmed slightly across the ship, prompting Ter'ak to check his systems.
"Temporary power loss my lord, it seems to be restored now."
"Persephone, can I assume that was the device?" Ba'al asked.
"Yes my lord, we are ready."
"Then activate it."
A sudden blue spark or energy burned in space behind Ba'als ship, flickering and glowing for a moment before bursting into a blue and white vortex like a type of fixed hyperspace window. It roiled and burned with energy like a pale hurricane staring balefully at Ba'al.
"Order the fleet through. One at a time."
He watched intently as the first Ha'tak headed to the rift, waiting to see what happened. The vessel moved closer, tendrils of energy snaking past it as it crossed the horizon and vanished.
"Ter'ak?"
"No explosion my lord, all systems seemed stable."
"Persephone?"
"The device is within parameters."
Ba'al chuckled. "Good, send through the other ships, faster."
Ship after ship crossed the horizon as Ba'als other forces expended themselves before Bra'tacs guns. The burning wrecks lighting a path to Ba'al's staging world. The Free Jaffa were progressing but too slowly to catch the System Lord. With the fleet gone Ba'al's Command ship was the last to leave, the blue tear folding closed behind it.
"What was that?" The second asked.
"I do not know." Bra'tac frowned. "Did the sensors record it?"
"Yes Master."
"Then I believe we should take this information to our friends in the Tau'ri, such knowledge will be valuable to them."
"Many on the council will not wish to share."
"Many on the council can kiss my ass." Bra'tac chuckled. "As the Tau'ri General O'Neill would say."
"They are an odd people."
"But noble warriors, and lateral thinkers who may unravel this puzzle. But first we must take this world and liberate those who yearn for freedom. Prepare ground forces, freedom will not be denied."
Tollana
A few hours later
There had been a time when Orthan had taken his home for granted, had barely noticed the glass buildings and pale fabricated stone of his city. It had been little more than a back ground to his life, a scene setting that he passed by and walked around far too busy to take notice of.
Since his escape from Calphina he had done nothing but look at the sky, the trees, the nearby belt of forest and meadows, and the architecture itself. He observed the clouds gradually breezing overhead, savored the cold tingle of the autumn rain that stopped and started every so often and breathed deep the crisp clean air of Tollana.
He had come so close to losing it all, to never having the chance to just stop and enjoy the world his race had provided for their civilization. It was an oversight that he was happy to correct.
"Director Orthan?" a young voice drew his gaze.
"Yes?"
"The Curia is ready for you, if you would follow me?"
Orthan nodded and eased up and away from the bench, taking a long inhalation of the moisture heavy air with a deep sense of humility.
"Lets go then shall we?"
He followed the young government representative as the sky grew overcast and blue grey above them.
Even thought he Curia was a benevolent body and one of the most pacifistic and even tempered leaderships in the galaxy they still had the gift of making Orthan feel two feet tall. Their expressions were fairly genial and not in the least accusing but the scientist could already sense he was being measured and judge to determine his worth.
It was he guessed a sign of authority. Whoever the people were and whatever their personalities the body of the Curia itself was an auspicious and renowned institution with tremendous power and influence. Those who wielded that power were considered the wisest and most even tempered of the Tollan, a group who were already tremendously wise and cool minded.
Orthan stood in the austere chamber facing the members of the austere body and waited.
"First I would like to say how pleased we are you survived." Travell announced from the central position on the Curia. "Your achievements are justly renowned and have advanced the quality of Tollan science."
"Thank you." Orthan bowed his head.
As leader of the Curia Travell was the coolest and most calculated member of the government, her silvering hair and slightly gaunt face betraying her advancing years. Yet beneath that resided a sharp mind, a critical and clinical collection of thoughts constantly weighing up paths for her race to take that would be to Tollana's advantage.
In that respect she was a politically as any other human government leader, but her icy wisdom and dedication to the Tollan way of life did tend to raise her above most.
Her record however was far from spotless, and while the full details of her life were not commonly known she had found herself in a very difficult position when faced with the Goa'uld Tanith, disciple of Anubis.
She had come close to dooming the Tau'ri in order to save her race, a decision she reviled but could not adequately go against without outside help. By sheer chance Earths SG-1 had been on Tollana at the same time as Tanith was preparing his final move and had managed to thwart him.
The price for Tollana had been high, while Tanith's fleet was destroyed by concentrated fire they had resisted the by now obsolete Ion cannons long enough to cause great damage to several major cities. While Anubis was clearly to blame there were those who pointed the finger at SG-1 and that had cooled relations with Earth, which if anything should have been very friendly after the Tau'ri teams help.
Travell still held her place on the Curia despite the disaster though her influence had waned somewhat and she often found herself locked in debates with fellow members, especially Narim. Tanith's attack had turned the already isolationist Tollan even more in on themselves to the point where they had virtually vanished from galactic politics.
It was a situation that suited Travell just fine but the recent events looked set to shatter their icy confines.
"We have taken the time to read your report thoroughly; do you have anything to add?"
"Nothing, that is the full account."
Travell nodded. "Then you will not mind answering a few questions?"
"Not at all Chancellor."
"I'll start with the obvious one," Narim began. Of all the Curia members he was the one who seemed least composed due mainly to his fairly recent appointment and a lack of long term political training. He also recognized exactly how dire this situation could become. "How did they know?"
"That I do not know." Orthan said. "Our colony, our research, our goal, all were completely secret. Unknown to most even here on Tollana."
"Everything was done quietly." Narim stated. "The funding, raw materials, personnel transfers and communications. All of it was buried, hidden and explained away. Nothing could be traced."
"Evidently we missed something." Travell remarked.
"I suggest we have a leak." Orthan countered. "Not a flaw in our processes but a person, someone feeding information to the Goa'uld."
"Impossible!" Narim responded passionately. "Who of our people would willingly betray us? Especially after they murdered tens of thousands."
"Perhaps more than one?" Jolla another member of the Curia wondered.
"No, just one I'd guess." Orthan deduced. "Too few knew about this, and any spy ring or group would be easy to detect. It is one person on the inside."
"The list of suspects is few enough." Travell reasoned. "We will immediately investigate; this security breach is completely intolerable."
"Further I want to send a mission back to Calphina." Narim announced. "To comb over the wreckage for clues."
"It is still too dangerous." Orthan said. "Ba'al is still there."
"Actually this no longer appears to be the case." Travell said. "Ba'al has made alternate plans."
Orthan blinked. "How do you know this?"
"We still have some friends in the galaxy." Travell smiled. "Narim, play the message."
The chamber darkened a little as a holographic image of a blonde female shimmered into life, almost believable enough to touch.
"Narim, you do not know me but I have heard much about you." The apparition said. "Through our mutual friends, the Tau'ri."
Orthan glanced at the Curia who remained impassive.
"Do not reply to this message, I am risking much by sending it but the situation is dire. I am Anise of the Tok'ra and at this moment I am onboard Ba'al's warship."
Orthan's mouth opened in shock.
"I have just examined a piece of technology taken by Ba'al from your people, a device I am told allows travel beyond the dimensional barrier. I gather by now you know it is missing, we are returning to Ba'als staging world where he intends to test the device."
The image froze as Travell paused it.
"We later learned that Ba'al activated the device when attacked by Free Jaffa forces under Bra'tac. Where he has gone we do not know for sure, however the message continues."
Anise began speaking again.
"I have the coordinates for the destination he will travel to, I am sending them now. If you cannot recover it in time you must inform the Tau'ri. Narim, you know as well as I do they have a cunning and ingenuity that has been demonstrated time and again. They are the only ones who can recover this device wherever it goes. In the past they have crossed dimensions, interacted with other universes. They have experience we do not have, you must tell them. I will tell you more when I can."
The image disappeared.
"She was probably still on the ship when it fled Bra'tac." Narim reported. "There have been no further messages and the Free Jaffa have found no Tok'ra operatives when they liberated the planet."
"Which now poses the question, what do we do next?" Travell asked.
"We should make the Tau'ri aware and ask for help." Narim said.
"Futile." Another member dismissed. "They will not help us."
"With the possible consequences? Of course they will."
"You over estimate them Narim, not all Tau'ri are like Major Carter."
"And how would you know Jolla? You've never met one!"
"Order gentlemen." Travell said calmly. "I can see this requires more debate. We will inform the Tau'ri, Narim, I trust you are willing to go?"
"Of course."
"As to whether we ask for help, that is a topic for later. The session is closed, tomorrows agenda will discuss possible Tau'ri aid. Until then we will attempt to recover the device ourselves. That is all."
The Curia rose and began to leave allowing Orthan to also depart. He was in some turmoil, a mix of pride that his device had worked so well and horror at the possible future he had unleashed.
"Director Orthan?"
He recognized the same young man who had fetched him earlier.
"If you would go to this location, my superior wishes to talk."
"Who is that?"
"Be there and find out."
The rain was pouring down heavily darkening the pale buildings with running water. It had the effect of emptying most of the city as people sought shelter from the unexpected down pour. Even Tollan meteorologists could sometimes be surprised. Orthan arrived at the meeting place, a covered walkway by the river that was totally deserted.
Almost totally deserted.
"Director Orthan, I am glad you agreed to this."
The figure was swathed in black cloaks, but the scientists recognized the voice at once. "Chancellor Travell?"
"Walk with me." The leader said quietly. "The Curia will debate for days possibly even weeks on how best to handle this, by which point Ba'al will have too great a head start."
"Perhaps, but we need to decide what happens."
"I already have." Travell informed. "This is a crisis and demands swift and decisive action. I have taken that decision myself."
Orthan frowned. "What about the Curia?"
"Eventually they will agree with me, but we don't have the time. We will ask the Tau'ri for help."
"The Tau'ri hate us, we almost let their world be attacked and then covered up their role in helping us."
Travell nodded. "They have a right to be hurt by our actions, but Anise is right, they know what they are doing in these difficult situations. We are not a violent people; we don't have the mentality to fight well. They do."
"You think it'll be down to a fight?"
Travell glanced at him. "I doubt Ba'al will return the device he killed thousands of our people for just because we ask nicely."
"Likewise I doubt the Tau'ri will risk lives for us just because we ask politely."
"True, but this device in Ba'als hands threatens them as well as us."
"They will tell us to clean up our own mess and wash their hands of us."
"Which is why we make them an offer." Travell said. "Cold Fusion systems and if required, brand new ion cannons."
Orthan stopped dead in his tracks. "Ion Cannons!"
"If that is their price." Travell stopped beside him. "Do you realize the depth of our mistake? The full consequences this mistake will have for billions of lives?"
"But it is our greatest law! No technology to lesser races!"
"I am aware of that." Travell sighed. "And that is why the Curia will take so long to realize what must be done. But the simple fact is we have followed this law to deny responsibility for future mistakes. Well now we have made our biggest mistake and we must act, however we can."
"You can not give the Tau'ri such weapons!"
"The Tau'ri already have weapons of this power." She said. "Read the reports, they have commissioned a hyperspace warship with Asgard shields. They have also begun work on Naquada bombs, our Ion cannons are toys compared to what they could achieve with such devices."
"But that is nothing to do with us."
"The drive is." Our first mistake killed two worlds, by letting Ba'al have this device we could have allowed him to kill hundreds, even thousands of worlds. I will not let that happen."
Orthan exhaled. "Can they help us?"
"The Tau'ri? Well they are our best chance. I want you to go with Narim, make this offer."
"Me?" Orthan gasped. "Why me?"
"Because if they accept you will rig the second prototype drive to their starship Prometheus and join them in retrieving Ba'als stolen goods."
"I'm not a soldier Travell."
"No, but if something goes wrong you are the only one who knows enough about the drive to fix it out there." She paused "And while we will give Ion cannons to Earth I don't want them to keep the drive. I trust them more than Ba'al, but even so."
"I understand."
"Narim knows nothing of this. Do not tell him until later, he probably would not approve of such political machinations and would rally support to stop it before we could propose it. However they are vital to the survival of several worlds."
"I do not like this." Orthan grimaced.
"I understand, but each of us has sins to atone for. I am responsible for the damage to our relations with the Tau'ri and the reason it is so hard for us to ask them for help. There is no simple solution, but this is preferable to what happens if we do not ask for help."
"I should go then." Orthan nodded.
"You have Ba'als location. Go and stop him. Bring both devices back if you can, but if not you will destroy them. Remember the price we all pay if something goes wrong. We can't send anyone else to support you."
"I understand."
Travell bowed. "Good luck, everything rests on this deal."
It was not what Orthan wanted to hear.