Chapter 19 - Moonlighting
Martouf was surprised when Jolinar told him that she was departing a day early to prepare for the mission to escort Dru'ri and Reyfa to the latest Goa'uld outpost that they had recovered. Jolinar said shortly that she just wanted all the options to be covered, though, and nothing more was said.
Once through the gate, it didn't take long to see the type of mission they would be dealing with.
~So now?~ asked Sam. She and Jolinar had spent their day of rest contemplating the situation, and had determined that Heru'ur would be their first priority. As a powerful enemy of Apophis, it did not seem likely that he wished to take Abydos; Quetesh, on the other hand, had few slaves or worlds. If they could eliminate Heru'ur from the list, things would be much simpler.
Jolinar drew out the notepad device with all the latest information that the Tok'ra sent with their operatives. A few touches to the screen, and up came an interactive map of the worlds that Heru'ur controlled.
~Wow,~ said Sam, for a moment overcome by the vastness of just this one Goa'uld's domination. And the SGC thought to destroy all the Goa'uld?
*We need not look at all of this,* said Jolinar, flicking a few buttons and switches to narrow the parameters. *The Tok'ra do not usually put operatives on slave worlds unless there is reason to suspect a strategy involving them, but we do know their locations.* She brought up a few, scanning the most recent reports on activities, but found nothing.
~So are we going to watch all these for news of the arrival of new prisoners?~ asked Sam.
*Yes,* said Jolinar. *These worlds have not had a change in many months, so anything new would be of interest to us. Of those worlds where there are no Tok'ra, though, we will have to be more active.*
~Well, can we assume that after three days there will be something?~ asked Sam. Jolinar gave a wordless response. ~Right, there would be no point in moving them from place to place unless they were high risk or of bigger importance.~
Jolinar copied down the remaining addresses and moved into the tree-line. Opening the case that she had brought for this mission, she pulled out the uniform of a Goa'uld underling and began to change into it. This one was less "god-like" and more subservient; high-ranking servants would not be sent to a slave world, nor were they to be found there.
After squeezing the black skirted long-coat over body-tight black pants and sleeveless vest, Sam gave a little sigh and then gave herself over to being part of yet another role. Jolinar took a moment to accustom herself to the outfit and all it signified, then put the case into a secure location and walked back to the DHD. Sam had to admit, this outfit was less regal than last time but it felt almost comfortable.
Jolinar dialed the gate, and soon they were through.
Abruptly, Sam was glad that she had buried her mind behind Jolinar's, as she saw how vast the settlement on this world was. It had never crossed her mind to think of how many slaves each Goa'uld would need to keep up a life like that, not only for necessities but for all the construction of ships and bases. All this time they had been focused on the Jaffa, or the populations of a few worlds, nothing beyond that. This gate had, oddly enough, been set up on a small hillock in a valley probably twenty or more miles wide. It was shallow and nearly flat, but as it curved towards the top every dwelling could be seen, and there were thousands of them.
*This place does not serve a huge purpose in the Goa'uld structure,* commented Jolinar. *They are probably artisans, or possibly this could be merely a breeding colony.*
Ambling her way forward, slightly swinging her arms along with the leather coat, Jolinar approached the nearest Jaffa leader, affecting an ease along with her elegance.
He bowed his head. "We were not expecting one of you," he said.
"Then there is no recent development of any kind?" asked Jolinar, glancing over the valley.
"None, as expected," said the Jaffa. "Is not the scheduled appearance in many weeks?"
"Our lord does not subscribe to mere mortal schedules," said Jolinar with a lazy smile. "That is all." This being finished, she walked past him to the DHD and dialed out.
*Strike one,* she said.
Sam would have raised her eyebrows in appreciation if she could. This could work.
The next planet was composed of large farming plots, and the Goa'uld servant in charge ogled Jolinar quite thoroughly before revealing that, no, there was no news to report. Sam could feel that, had she not considered the mission more important, Jolinar would gladly have ended his eyesight for good.
There were only a few more of Heru'ur's worlds that were solely devoted to his slaves, and on all of them Jolinar and Sam struck blank. Even after making a few more dangerous trips onto other more likely worlds, it seemed that Heru'ur was doing nothing but preparing for war.
*It is a shame that we cannot reveal these findings to the Tok'ra,* said Jolinar. *Our operatives have not the ability to make such a tour as we have; it would be of use for them to understand the broader scenario. But it must be lost.*
By the end of the day, they returned to the original world with absolutely nothing. ~We didn't check everywhere, I know, but Heru'ur didn't seem like a big possibility in the first place from what you've said,~ said Sam as they settled down for the night, once again in Tok'ra garb.
Jolinar said nothing.
~What is it?~ asked Sam.
*In some fashion, I had wished for the solution to be with Heru'ur,* said Jolinar.
~Why?~ asked Sam, tired but leaping at the chance for Jolinar to be open without being forced to be so.
*For one, Heru'ur would not have been so careful about a mere few thousand new slaves,* said Jolinar, lying back on the mat under the stars. *And infiltrating Quetesh's dominion will prove more difficult; she has only a few servants, and they will likely be known to her Jaffa.*
~And?~ asked Sam.
*There is no and,* said Jolinar.
~Really?~
*I am weary, Samantha, and I wish to rest.*
Sam sighed. ~All right, then. Reyfa will be here early tomorrow, and she may be suspicious if we look tired. But Jolinar, I don't know what you're so secretive about, but I think I'll need to know it someday.~
*And I hope you will not need to,* said Jolinar.
Nothing further to say, they both fell sleep almost immediately.
ooooooo
Daniel had to admit, of all of his teammates, Mckay was the best one to get stuck with for a long period of time. No, he had to quantify that—as long as Mckay had something to do. The night out with Dixon and his family had gone over well. Dixon had two sons and a girl, all under eight, and they had been all over the team. Jack had ended up playing soccer with James and Bobby Dixon, and Abby had gravitated between Teal'c and Mckay—putting makeup on the former's bald head, and working at getting reactions from the latter. Daniel had been surprised but not displeased, and had spent most of the evening either observing the hijinks or talking with Dixon's wife Clara.
The only unfortunate repercussion had been that Abby Dixon, who had enjoyed climbing up on Mckay's lap and giggling at his disturbed and uncomfortable faces, had also been carrying a light virus. Mckay hadn't noticed anything the day after, but after Dixon's revelation this morning he had become frantic with worry—so much so that his scientific comrades evicted him from the lab. Not because he was contagious, but because his frequent temperature taking and downing of vitamins drove them nuts.
Daniel had offered sanctuary in his own lab, which though Mckay balked at the dustiness that could aggravate any symptoms, he eventually accepted out of necessity. Daniel could pretty much ignore him, unlike when Jack or Teal'c hung around. Jack, because Daniel kept looking up to see him juggling his paperweights or poking at things on the shelves. Teal'c, because his absolute stillness and silence were worse than noise.
While Daniel was looking at more of the text from the device that had skewered Jack's shoulder in the gate room, he had no idea what Mckay was up to. Whatever it was, that tablet computer of his was getting a lot of work.
There was a knock on the door, and Dixon walked in as soon as Daniel looked up. "Thought I'd find him here," he said, nodding towards Mckay.
"Yes, what?" asked Mckay without looking from his work.
"Phone call," said Dixon, nodding to the wall phone.
"Really?" asked Mckay.
"No, I have an alien device that measures energy," said Dixon dryly.
Mckay didn't answer, but instead grabbed a disinfectant wipe from the container near him and used it to pick up the phone.
"Yes, hello?" asked Mckay, putting it just next to his ear.
Daniel watched, and saw as Mckay's face went confused and then bewildered all in a second.
"No, why?" he asked. Pause. "I don't do dancing."
Daniel's eyebrow rose, and he looked to Dixon in a little confusion.
"Yes, well, we probably have a mission that day too," continued Mckay. He listened for a moment. "Um, maybe? Look, we can talk about it then, right? Okay. Okay. No, I won't forget. I promise. Okay. Bye." He hung up and put the newly clean phone back on its stand.
"Who was that?" asked Daniel.
"Abby," said Dixon, shrugging. "She has extra tickets for her dance recital."
"She's two!" said Mckay. "How can she have a dance recital at two?"
Ignoring Mckay, Dixon shook his head and walked out.
Daniel, a little surprised, just sat for a moment. While it had been no surprise that Mckay's tone had been half-sighing, he still treated her with more respect than 90% of the world.
"I don't get kids," muttered Mckay, dropping the wipe into the trash can next to him.
"She likes you," commented Daniel, going back to work.
"And I don't get that," said Mckay. "How is it that the only women who like me are too young and ones I tried to avoid?"
"Fate," said Daniel. He looked up to meet Mckay's look, blinking innocently.
Mckay got the joke finally, and then just sighed and looked back down at his work. Daniel half-smiled to himself.
ooooooo
The gate activated early in the morning as the fog still lay on the forested valley, and Reyfa came through with a wide grin on her face. Like Jolinar, she was in the traditional off-world gear of a Tok'ra but carried an extra case of equipment.
Jolinar stepped forward, and then stopped short. Right behind Reyfa, Anise came through the gate before it shut down with a final last flash.
"Everything good?" asked Reyfa.
"I did not know that Anise would be joining us," said Jolinar, barely refraining from a frown. "Why am I needed if you are already accompanied?"
Anise stepped forward, her own off-world gear a little more fitting than the Tok'ra usually preferred, but nothing compared to her on-base dress. She was almost as tall as Sam, but held herself so that she looked Jolinar in the eye. "It was a last minute change—of no problem, I assume, unless you are a stickler to the plan, which would certainly be breaking type."
"It was only a question, not a protest," said Jolinar in a steely tone, her own gaze just as cool on Anise.
"I only come because my previous project ended early and this seemed like it would prove interesting," said Anise with a light sigh. "I cannot imagine why you chose to be the escort."
Jolinar did not give an answer.
"How did you find everything yesterday?" asked Reyfa, breaking the film of tension between her two companions.
"The terrain is steep but solid," said Jolinar. "There is shade and a firmly packed trail that winds sufficiently."
"That's good," said Reyfa smiling. "How is Samantha?"
~I'm fine,~ informed Sam.
"She is well," said Jolinar. "Dru'ri?"
"She does not enjoy travel," admitted Reyfa, "but will be pleased once we get there, I am sure."
"Freya was willing to let Reyfa do all the research on this matter," commented Anise. "But as Reyfa herself said, the more minds the better—Freya was easily convinced."
"Let us begin," said Jolinar, waving with one hand to the tree-line.
This planet was once the site of a Goa'uld lab, or so the information said, but the rings that made the journey a matter of seconds had been ruined in an earthquake, leaving only the trail that the slaves had traveled. The lab could be seen far off, but it was a good ten or twelve miles of steep ground. And because the exact state of the planet and the trail was unknown, it was advised that no Tok'ra go alone.
"How far did you travel up the trail yesterday?" asked Reyfa as they began.
Jolinar half-lied without hesitation, "It would not have suited to check only the trail—but I did scan the general area and make a few readings."
"I did not expect that you would take it so seriously," commented Reyfa, adjusting how she carried her bags as the trail turned up the hill. "I was not aware that this was how you spent your missions."
"It is not my first choice," admitted Jolinar, keeping her long strides a little slower so as not to get ahead of Reyfa's smaller step. Anise was a few steps ahead and did not join in, something that Jolinar seemed to passively appreciate.
They continued on for a while in silence. The trail was indeed well used but not well-kept, and there were several branches and logs to traverse. The forest around them was old and musty, the bracken deep on each side of the trail, and the buzz of mosquitoes just in the distance. At the moment the air was cool and not breezy, but if the clouds quickly burned off, Jolinar predicted that it could become stuffy.
After nearly a half an hour of silent travel, Sam nudged for Jolinar to let her take over. "Reyfa, do you know anything about the nature of what went on at this laboratory? Is there a reason why it was abandoned?"
Reyfa turned, her face lighting up at speech again. "Did not Jolinar tell you, Samantha?" she asked.
"Jolinar didn't see reason to ask," said Sam, smiling. "I trust there is some information?"
"Oh, we know a fair amount," said Reyfa. "Our source implied only that it fell into disrepair, and since anything of grave importance would have been attended to, we can guess that it was of lesser importance to this Goa'uld."
"Why are the Tok'ra interested, then?" asked Sam curiously.
"We do not have the same priorities as the Goa'uld," said Reyfa with a slight shrug. "We cannot know how to judge its importance on such subjective information. This will only be a two day mission in any case."
Sam nodded, hopping over the next small log. "I guess it's a shame you don't have the death gliders," she said.
"Neither would the Goa'uld," said Reyfa. "Only warriors are trained to fly them—or if by necessity the System Lords themselves."
"Really?" asked Sam. "That seems a waste."
Reyfa grinned. "Indeed."
"Are you at all familiar with Goa'uld ships, Samantha?" asked Anise suddenly.
"Uh, yes," said Sam. "I've flown in a death glider, actually."
Anise turned her head to look back, one curved eyebrow rising significantly. "I assume you were not piloting?"
"No, why?" asked Sam.
"The proper skills take some time to learn, though admittedly the basic functions do not require intensive training," said Anise. "It would not be efficient for either the Goa'uld or the Tok'ra to spend so much training time and expertise for those who may never need it."
"Okay, yes, that makes some sense," said Sam, helping Reyfa get her bags over a particularly large log. "But on Earth, all our teams had basic firearm training just in case, even though we don't expect hostility on other planets."
"You carry weapons to every new planet?" asked Anise, standing to wait for them a few steps beyond. "And you are not considered dangerous on sight?"
Sam smiled a little as all three walked on. "Our weapons do not look like Goa'uld weapons," she said. "Unless we brandish them, most people don't even notice."
"And how often do you brandish them?" asked Anise.
"Well, that depends," said Sam, frowning a little. "The team I was on, especially, had bad luck in that regard."
"Hmm," said Anise, and then nothing.
"What does that mean?" asked Sam curiously.
"I am wondering how much of that bad luck could have been avoided by a higher concentration of non-military personnel," said Anise. "That is all."
Sam could hear Jolinar begin to grumble a little. "You don't like the military," she said, not sure what she thought of Anise.
"They are useful, but only under certain circumstances," said Anise. She turned her head to the trail ahead, and continued walking.
"Are you not military and scientist?" asked Reyfa, looking to Sam.
"Yes," said Sam. "I guess it's a little hard for me to think of them as separate."
Reyfa had a thoughtful look, and then said nothing.
Apart from a few choice comments from Anise, or attempts at conversation from Reyfa, the rest of the day was silent with walking. The sun did rise, burning off the clouds, and soon tiny rivulets of sweat were running through Sam's hair and down her neck. Reyfa's crinkly hair grew a little limp, her steps less perky, and Sam ended up carrying one of her bags as well as Jolinar's. Anise neither said nor showed any sign of tiring, and her hair still lay flat and shiny on her head. Jolinar had taken control again, and rolled her eyes at this observation from Sam.
After stopping at a stream for a quiet lunch break, they continued on a few more miles until they reached their destination. While there was a ziggurat type entrance and gate structure, most of the lab was dug into the hill behind. There was a simple keypad to open the door.
"Well, do we disable it?" asked Sam.
"No need," said Anise, running her hand over the wall near the entrance. "There are writings here, clues for knowing the password."
"Really?" asked Sam. "Why would the Goa'uld make it so easy?"
"It is not," said Anise, tossing a glance at Sam. "Unless one knew advanced science, these clues would be gibberish." A couple more minutes of looking at the text, and then Anise input an eight-digit code. Nothing happened. She input another one, though, and a blueish shield fell.
"So far so good," said Reyfa.
Sam had to admit, by this point she was curious herself and not thinking about yesterday's mission. The corridors were dark, but Reyfa and Anise had tiny Tok'ra versions of flashlights. There were a few corridors to various chambers, but it wasn't a big complex. The first room was empty, but after looking around for a minute, Anise said that it had not always been so—it had been cleaned out. The second room was had a few machines, but the power was run down, and Reyfa opened her first case to begin work on getting them up and running. Jolinar and Anise continued on.
The third room appeared to be for communication, but there were more machines in the fourth room. Anise began exploring that one while Jolinar went to the last room. There was only one machine in this one, semi-circular and filling most of the back wall. The presence of a very large screen indicated some kind of computer, and Jolinar pressed a couple keys. It had barely any power left, and what came up appeared to be records of the workings of this base.
*As I expected.* said Jolinar with a sigh.
~We don't know yet if they weren't working on a weapon,~ said Sam.
*I didn't say I was hoping for a weapon,* protested Jolinar.
~You didn't have to,~ said Sam with a barely cheeky grin.
While the scientists worked on getting the base working again, Jolinar and Sam walked out to explore the nearby area. There was no path to the top of the hill, and when Jolinar reached the top there was nothing in any direction except the gate below. They stood for a moment, silent, listening. Even with the more attuned hearing of a Tok'ra, there was no sound anywhere. They saw a few birds flying, but none were singing.
*A very abandoned world,* said Jolinar. *Good—our presence will not last long.*
~But nothing to do, unless you let me join them,~ said Sam.
*Can you read Goa'uld?* asked Jolinar.
~Oh,~ said Sam. ~But I probably should learn, and now is as good as ever.~
*If Anise can tolerate your ignorance,* said Jolinar.
~I don't have to work in her room. And she seems a little, well, I don't know the right word,~ said Sam, ~but not enough that you should be so antagonistic towards her.~
*There are many decades of provocation, believe me,* said Jolinar.
~Well, that might make sense if she really doesn't like the military,~ said Sam.
They stayed up on top for a while, letting the breeze cool their still-flushed face. The sun was at its highest, but it wasn't too hot, especially in the cool cave-structure. The grass was mossy and warm, and they sat on it for a few minutes to soak up the sun. The warmth was much easier when there was a breeze to counter it, and when the sun's rays were not diluted by a canopy of trees.
Later that afternoon, Sam asked Jolinar to help her with the Goa'uld. Even given that Jolinar was trying to be helpful, Sam grew frustrated after an hour. She just wasn't Daniel. Leaving it, she went on to something more serious.
~Now what do we do about Quetesh?~
Jolinar sighed, but accepted the turn of subject. *It is true, I know more of Quetesh than most Goa'uld. As such, I believe I know how to gain my way onto her worlds. We shall try her slave worlds first, of course, and that will be easier.*
~Wait, first?~ asked Sam. ~Where else would the Abydonians be?~
*Quetesh is a god of perverse pleasures, so there is no telling to what purpose she will put them,* said Jolinar grimly.
Sam had to bite back a further question. ~Okay, so you have a plan.~
*A long shot, but yes,* said Jolinar. *We will speak of it further when the time comes.*
As there was nothing more for Jolinar to do, Sam went back down to the Goa'uld database to practice what Jolinar had taught her of Goa'uld. Not only was she having difficulty with the language itself, but the whole new alphabet. It didn't help that this database was hardly at a third-grade reading level.
After a little while, before Sam had gotten completely frustrated again, Anise came into the chamber.
"Jolinar?" she said.
"Samantha, actually," said Sam, turning around.
Anise nodded, a little bit of hardness on her face dissipating. "Good."
"What's your problem with Jolinar?" asked Sam.
"I do not understand," said Anise swiftly, frowning.
"You two seem to have a bit of rivalry going on, which doesn't quite make sense," said Sam, her hand moving back and forth to indicate what she was talking about. She wasn't being quite honest—she had a good idea, she just wanted to hear it from Anise.
"It is nothing personal," said Anise lightly. "She is warrior, among other things, and I am not—also our philosophies beyond those two points are often just as opposite."
"Ah," said Sam, nodding. "What did you come here to say?"
"You are not carrying your communication device," said Anise, stepping forward and handing it to Sam. "The Tok'ra dialed the gate and tried to contact you."
"Oh," said Sam, taking it. "Thank you."
"Perhaps it would be better to be careful next time?" said Anise with just a slightly raised eyebrow. She turned, and left the room.
~They probably want you,~ said Sam, giving control to Jolinar.
"Yes?" asked Jolinar into the device.
"We did not wish to disturb you on your mission," came Ren'al's voice through the Tok'ra radio.
"There is nothing to interrupt," answered Jolinar.
"As we suspected, good," continued Ren'al. "Then you should know, your next mission may be a little more engaging. You remember Cordesh, of course. We had removed him from his host and were attempting to access his memories, but he escaped custody by forcibly taking a host."
Both Sam and Jolinar flinched. "And?" asked Jolinar.
"We know that he has not yet escaped the planet," said Ren'al. "But we also know that he took supplies, and as a former member of the Council he is well aware of the layout of the planet. We expect that he is planning some sort of subterfuge or attack in order to reach the gate."
"I will be there tomorrow, then," said Jolinar after a second's pause.
"That is most welcome," said Ren'al. "Your first-hand knowledge of this type of operation will be useful."
As Jolinar put the radio back in her pocket, she sighed a little. *There may be a slight delay in our other plans,* she said. *I had a feeling that we could not keep them up.*
~It won't take too long, I'm sure,~ said Sam.
*You have not tried to track anyone before,* commented Jolinar. *Especially across a desert planet.*
Sam did have to agree on that point. For herself, she was willing to be patient for a little as they planned to rescue the Abydonians, but she didn't know if that would last if she saw Sha're again soon. She could only deal with one issue at a time, though, and so decided to face that bridge when she came to it. Which would be tomorrow. Time flew when there were missions to be undertaken.
—
Author's Notes: Just a couple small ones for this chapter. Firstly, any hostility or disapproval you may feel going in Anise/Freya's direction is entirely biased because of Jolinar's personal relationship—Sam, obviously, never met her without Jolinar's emotions being present. Anise may be a little tactless, but I think she's a very interesting character and doesn't deserve the abuse from some parts of fandom. Secondly, and more importantly, the issue of Tok'ra communication. We don't get a clear picture of this in the show, and indeed at times it seems almost contradictory. At some point in the show, it's very difficult to get a hold of the Tok'ra in the field without physically contacting them—judging by Tok'ra technology and other hints, however, my deduction was that they had more immediate and thorough communication before Cordesh's betrayal blew their security. As that didn't happen in this AU, their network is still intact.
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