De'kara

Vik'lars' home

Vik'lar slowly paced around his adequate docile, with a fellow council member in the room as well. Old even compared to Jaffa standards, Al'kan was none the less a respectable Jaffa, still capable of a good fight. He represented a sizable faction, with views similar to Vik'lar's followers, but they had never worked together before. Vik'lar hoped to change this by consolidating the two together under his banner. Having collected his thoughts Vik'lar turned to his fellow council member, and hopefully, new ally.

"Al'kan, thank you for coming despite the late hour," Vik'lar began. "I am afraid I have troubling news."

"And what news would that be, brother Vik'lar?" Al'kan said sagely from his position in a traditional Jaffa chair.

"Can you not feel it, Al'kan, how the Jaffa callout for strong leadership? You know, just as well as I do, how deeply corruption and ineptitude runs throughout the council."

To this, Al'kan said nothing and waited for Vik'lar to continue.

"The other members have strayed from the path of freedom, seduced by power, like our former Go'ald captors before them." Vik'lar picked up his dagger and began slowly pacing about the room, observing the dagger from every angle. "You are aware of my story, you have heard about my own struggle for the freedom of all Jaffa. You know of the personal sacrifices I myself have made to free us from the bondage of those who abused their power."

He pointed the dagger at his scarred eye for effect before he continued. "Yes, I at one time worshiped the false gods as we all did, but I saw them as they truly were. Nothing but power-mongering beings, and I fought against them to secure the freedom of our people from our unjust enslavement. And now that we are free, the council members have allowed themselves to grow weak and fat on the power given to them. They have allowed themselves to fall under the influence of the Tau'ri and Tok'ra; they have betrayed the Jaffa people. I will not sit back and allow our people to suffer under the yoke of new oppressors, just because of a bunch of inept and power-mongering Sho'vas!" With that, Vik'lar threw the dagger with a strong flick, and it embedded itself into the wooden table.

Al'kan's face remained featureless. "I will not deny that the council is corrupt," he said slowly, "or that the other council members do not always do what is best for the Jaffa people. Yet, I fail to see why that is a clear motive to remove the council, as you seem to be suggesting. Despite their unwarranted greed, a majority of the members are nonetheless the wisest of Jaffa, and their decisions usually turn out for the best, regardless of who benefits from them."

Vik'lar stopped pacing and sat down in a chair opposite from Al'kan. "Then how come the all wise council attacked the Be'nox, when we both know that it is not them that we should be attacking? The Be'nox are a threat, but are not our immediate concern."

"I did not hear you speak so vocally about the matter when the issue was discussed, Vik'lar. As the only sitting member to have actually witnessed the Be'nox, one would expect you to have been opposed to the plan. And yet, it even appeared that you supported the attack on them. How can you account for this?"

Vik'lar was silent for a few short moments, giving the appearance of carefully selecting his words. He leaned forward, and spoke in a voice that was quiet, and urgent. "I did not speak out, because I was warned by Nadia prior to commencement that it would have been… in my best interest, to not intervene on the matter."

Shock appeared on Al'kan's face. "Nadia said this to you? I cannot believe that she would say something like that. Threats and subterfuge are below her."

"Then you have been misled by her guise, Al'kan," Vik'lar replied, "and perhaps not for the first time."

"So, you believe that Nadia wanted to send the fleet to attack the Be'nox all along? For what purpose?"

Just then, another Jaffa hurriedly entered the room, a look of concern on his face. "Brother Vik'lar, Brother Al'kan, please excuse the interruption, but the fleet has just returned."

Al'kan stood, while Vik'lar remained in his chair. "What news do they bring?"

The Jaffa briefly looked at the floor, unsure of how to say it. "Of the 599 vessels sent, only 41 have returned."

Al'kan sat back in his chair and did not speak. Vik'lar turned his head towards the Jaffa. "Thank you, brother. That will be all."

Bowing his head in compliance, the Jaffa quickly exited the room. Looking at Al'kan, Vik'lar gave the council member some time to recover before he went on. When he did, his voice was soft and somewhat hushed, but the iron in his tone could not be mistaken. "Brother Al'kan, this must end, now. The council is no longer able to serve the needs of the Jaffa. They work to undermine our strength so that the Tau'ri and Tok'ra may dominate us, just as the Go'ald did. The only option for the continued survival of the Jaffa people is the dissolution of the council."

"Yes, you are completely correct," Al'kan agreed. "The council no longer serves us. I must go now, and speak to some of the other members."

Vik'lar nodded his head, and Al'kan left. Vik'lar waited a few moments until he was sure of Al'kan's' departure, and then he went over and barred the door. After doing so he went into his sleeping quarters. From underneath his bed Vik'lar withdrew a heavy wooden chest. Around his neck, he wore a string and key, which he removed and unlocked the chest. Vik'lar then opened the chest and placed the key once more around his neck. In the chest was an inlaid velvet bed with various knives and daggers. Vik'lar picked up one, a knife with a bare handle and a curved blade that ran to a sickle at the end. He gazed upon it for a few seconds, twirling it around in his hand, then gently laid it back in its place. Along the edge on one of the corners of the bed, there was a little raise, invisible to the casual eye, and Vik'lar reached out and touched behind it. There was a small click, and the entire back end of the bed became raised, and Vik'lar grabbed it and pulled the bed from the box, revealing an open space at the bottom. Lying there was the object he sought. It was a small, gray sphere, and to all appearances, completely ordinary. Yet, when Vik'lar reached down and grabbed it with his hand, it began to glow. Vik'lar removed the sphere from the box, held it in both of his hands and closed his one good eye. Soon the sphere hummed, and a darkened, miniature humanoid figure appeared over the sphere. Vik'lar opened his eye, and spoke.

"All is going according to your plan, my Lord. The council has attacked the Be'nox, and the fleet has been wiped out, as you have predicted. The council has been weakened, and it will not be long before the council crumbles and I am placed as the undisputed ruler of the Jaffa."

"Excellent," said the figure in a deep voice. "You have served your god well, Vik'lar. Proceed with the plan, and resume contact once you have dealt with the council."

"Yes, my Lord," Vik'lar humbly said as the figure disappeared.