Chapter 69 - Paradigm Shift
Two days later, and Jolinar itched for something else to do. Even Sam was starting to feel trapped. Vala had progressed well, recalling a few more things that seemed to bring a hint of stability to her. It had also helped that Sam and Jolinar figured out that, rather than being childish short attention span, Vala was very adept at turning away or changing the subject to guard her still-unhealed self. When she talked. More often it was guarding herself from looks. Thankfully few of the Tok'ra paid much heed to anything but their work.
Vala had stuck to Sam and Jolinar almost like a burr, though, even after Sam finally got her speaking to her father. Selmak had wisely stayed out of the way for the sake of Vala's fragile sense of safety, but Jacob had been interested without poking and prodding at her. Vala had shown an intense kind of interest in this, as with everything Sam did around her. Sam couldn't be as interested.
She felt like this was a road she wasn't needed on. She felt like maybe Vala could do it without her. And she felt like she needed Jolinar closer to her than this, and Jolinar just couldn't connect with Vala; it wasn't her fault, or Vala's, or Sam's. But Jolinar agreed with Sam that something more needed to happen.
And then they heard the news, and were swiftly up to the main Tok'ra level, leaving Vala reluctantly half-playing checkers with Jacob. Sam could have wanted any news, but this was better than any.
Lantash was coming down from the Council chamber when they approached, briefing already given. His face lit on seeing them and his step quickened—unsurprising considering that their last meeting was almost three weeks before, when they were only five steps away from death. Jolinar smiled and pulled him quickly into an embrace upon reaching him, feeling a warmth that she'd forgotten she could always rely on.
"Something wrong?" he asked, surprised at the impulse.
"I missed your presence," Jolinar explained simply.
He nodded, then said softly, "You look well," looking down at her face with a smile.
Jolinar leaned up for a kiss, not long, but it was an intimate touch and the healing felt very real. Sam couldn't help but think how little human contact they had received recently—mostly giving it, since Jacob hugged his daughter less now than before.
The brightness in Lantash's look faded a moment as he brought up a finger to trace the scar on her face.
Jolinar put up her hand over his. "Never mind this; one of but a few reminders."
"I should be thankful it is all Quetesh will leave behind now," he said, still holding her gently close to him, hand resting at the small of her back.
"Have you eaten?" Jolinar asked.
When he shook his head, she turned in his embrace towards the corridor. He rested his arm around her shoulders as they started to walk. Sam was only a little surprised to feel how quickly she and Jolinar were at a kind of peace, despite their need for something to distract their mind more fully.
"What news did you bring back?" Jolinar asked eagerly.
Lantash sighed, but not heavily. "Things are moving at a great pace. Which seems to be your gift, my love, though it is not a disaster."
Jolinar merely nodded, and for all that Sam had been grateful for the speed, she could see how a habit of that would be killing.
"Quetesh simply disappeared, from our position," he continued explaining. "I, Martouf, and the other Goa'uld under Quetesh's rule. Her visit to Dorieth was not on impulse, but the evidence leading towards it as a possibility were couched in less obvious terms. In hindsight, we could see her intent, though. And with no word, and with the Dorieth gate refusing to open—there was the immediate thought that she would not return."
~Is that normal?~ Sam asked.
*The Goa'uld live for any opportunity to seize control, if it is at all within their power. Though, this is a little hasty.*
"What do they plan?" Jolinar asked out loud.
"Nothing original," Lantash said. "Quetesh's plan involved an attack on Ba'al's fleet, as her main rival. Now, her lieutenants are going after a similar strike. There is very much the air that they are postponing the final struggle for power until that battle is over, and there is a secure fleet to war over."
Jolinar and Sam said nothing, thinking too much over all the options. The entire goal of the Tok'ra was about not taking out single Goa'uld because of the power-vacuum result, but this was not the same. It had only been a few days, and with no defined leader no immediate danger yet.
"Will you look for a way to take power and keep everything in balance?" Jolinar asked, even as her brow was still furrowed with thought.
Lantash snorted, and then Martouf took control. "Nothing is decided yet," he said with a wry smile, looking to her. "But I believe the Council wishes, having gone this far, that Quetesh's empire be fully disabled as said the original plan."
Jolinar nodded, and as Sam thought about it, she realized that they couldn't have been happy with any other decision. Some Abydonians were still in the fleet, on the flagship at least. "So then," Jolinar asked, "what for now?"
"We heard of all that is on Dorieth," Martouf said. "Including the situation with the Jaffa. Your tactics worked to some extent, and without Quetesh, the Jaffa on that world are allying with the freed slaves."
Jolinar lifted her eyebrow, and Sam's heart leapt a little. Per'sus hadn't explained that fully. "Really?" Jolinar voiced Sam's reaction.
Martouf nodded briskly. "It is a surprise to the Council. The slaves on Dorieth seem to have imprisoned the Jaffa at first, to prevent a war. But after a day to cool their heels, many of the Jaffa were disposed to go along with their new freedom. Those who were most violently against it were separated from their peers, and at last report all but a few were working together with the freed slaves to set up defenses and rebuild the planet."
~Wow,~ said Sam. She supposed there was a lot more bitterness than that, but it wasn't as if the Jaffa'd had a choice. It was the best news they'd heard in a long, long time. It meant that change could happen, and stick.
"The Council hesitantly proposes that perhaps the Jaffa can be acquired to take down the rest of Quetesh's empire," Martouf said.
Jolinar frowned. "On what motivation? They have driven Quetesh away, what more can they wish?"
"It was a very hesitant proposal," Martouf said simply.
~But it's the right way. It has to be.~
Jolinar agreed, saying aloud. "Then we are still needed for this mission, if only to make the case to the Council. There are many important options." She had been glancing down, as Sam's thoughts started racing towards the Free Jaffa, and Jolinar had almost thought of the word alliance, but looking back up, Martouf was giving them a look. "What is it?" she asked.
"I should not be so pleased to see you wishing to get back in the action," said Martouf, smiling. "But I, Lantash as well, think it does you well. Some, at least."
Jolinar felt it too, the fresh rush of blood, the activity of the brain. "It is difficult for us to heal passive and alone," she admitted.
"I am surprised we did not see it sooner," Martouf said lightly, and his arm around her shoulders squeezed slightly.
After they ate, and after Sam and Jolinar returned to Vala, they still felt the affects of the fresh news. And Sam paused to wonder if maybe, maybe, they should be urging Vala towards being ready for a new task, not towards full healing first. Maybe she as well needed something to do after a certain plateau.
ooooooo
The sirens blared in the SGC at 1 in the morning, and Daniel jerked awake before the first peal had reached its peak. Shifu burst into tears, and Sha're scooted from Daniel to pick him up immediately. A short shared look of worried eyes, and Daniel darted from his bed to grab the phone.
"Possibly enemy sighting above Earth; please report to emergency stations," said the repeated message on the line.
Daniel couldn't put the phone back for a couple seconds, just stood and listened to it repeat a couple more times. Enemy sighting, was that attack or invasion or both, and what defenses would they have?
"An enemy ship," he explained quickly to Sha're as he grabbed a BDU jacket.
"I will be prepared to depart with Shifu," Sha're said quickly, their son wailing in her arms at the siren still blaring.
"I—I need more information," Daniel said, pausing, thinking maybe he shouldn't be leaving her.
"Then go, go," she urged, making a pushing motion with her free hand. Then, "Wait," she said, and moved to his nightstand. Daniel had forgotten his glasses.
Thanking her under his breath as he put them on, Daniel then ran up to the control room. He and Teal'c were the only members of SG-1 there, but surprisingly he saw a bleary Bill Lee and also Clare Tobias, looking over Walter's shoulders.
"What is it?" Daniel asked quickly, slightly breathless.
"Explosion!" said one of the gate techs, eyes wide as it was the only word on his mind.
"A big Goa'uld ship blew up halfway between Mars and Earth," Clare said more smoothly, still looking at the screen. "Those space watch systems that Mckay set up right after he joined your team? Well, this is now the second thing they've picked up. The first one, when your wife came, was a bit of a coincidence. But since then, everything's been refined, and we caught this much farther out."
"Wait," Daniel said, confused. "I'm only half-awake, I know, but was it just an explosion? What does that mean?"
"We're trying to get a closer look, but the debris is messing with things," said Lee, arms crossed.
"Okay, this camera might have something," said Walter. "I can't expand it much, but look at this."
Daniel leaned over the scientists' shoulders as they looked close, and saw Teal'c looking from the other side. He looked...well, stoic. Daniel wouldn't have expected anything else before they got a good lead.
"Oh sh—" Lee said, jumping a little.
Daniel squinted, eyes a little tired at first. Then he saw it—beyond the debris of a ship exploding in space, the silhouette of a Goa'uld mothership. Just like Apophis', less than a year ago.
"I should call the General, right?" Walter asked, voice wavering a little.
"Yes, yes!" said Lee.
Daniel, Teal'c, and Clare weren't panicked yet.
"No, wait," Clare said, even as Walter was out of his chair and towards the phone.
Then, right before their eyes, the mothership vanished in a burst of light, jumping into hyperspace.
"Whoa," said Lee.
"What happened to the other ship?" Clare asked, frowning.
"The first thing we caught on camera was the explosion," Walter said, still standing by the phone. "The other ship would have had to be behind it."
Daniel frowned too, a thought popping into his head.
Teal'c said it first. "It is most likely that the second ship fired upon the first, and then left upon the conclusion of its purpose in this system."
There was a pause, all of them looking to the now empty screen, then back at each other.
"Why?" asked Clare, putting up her hand.
"The Goa'uld have rivalries," Daniel said, trying to think it through even though he just wanted to yawn. "Maybe one had an interest in Earth, but the other only wanted that ship destroyed."
"Yeah, maybe," said Lee, hopeful, one arm crossed over his chest and supporting the other, which he rested his chin on, leaning back thoughtfully.
"Then we were really damn lucky," Clare said, breathing out, though not entirely convinced.
Daniel saw that Walter was still calling Hammond, though no longer looking about ready to panic.
"Still nothing," Clare said, looking back at the screen.
"I do not doubt that all is as it appears," said Teal'c calmly. "This is not a ruse such as the Goa'uld are likely to use."
Daniel really did yawn then, jaw stretching to its limits. "I need to tell Sha're that, before she has all our things packed," he said.
"Well, I probably won't be able to get to sleep tonight anyway, so I'll just stay here and keep watch," said Clare.
"And I will return to my kel'no'reem unless there is true danger," said Teal'c with a nod.
Daniel walked back towards his and Sha're's room as the siren stopped, leaving things more quiet. He was almost certain, but one thing had him wondering. Who could it have been? Who would have been coming to Earth, and who would have attacked them? It often worried him at how little they knew of Goa'uld politics. Then again, of all the Goa'uld that Daniel knew for certain were aware of Earth, he wouldn't mind if any of them had just been destroyed.
Unfortunately, they'd probably never know for sure.
"What is it?" asked Sha're.
Daniel paused, seeing her fully dressed, Shifu cradled in her wrap, and a duffle bag in her hand. "Nothing urgent," he said, resisting another yawn.
She sighed. "Oh, Dan'yel, I almost thought that we were back on Abydos with such news."
"Don't worry," he said, putting his arm around her and kissing her hair. "I still trust that things won't get that bad here; we're safer."
"Maybe one day I will believe it," Sha're said, stripping her hastily put-on clothes.
Daniel took Shifu from her arms and nodded. It would be nice if they had less reminders that things could go wrong, even if they didn't.
ooooooo
"The major issue facing us is the quantity of ships," Martouf explained, sitting with Jacob and Sam in Selmak's quarters, the day after they had returned to base.
"Right," Sam said, nodding. "As soon as you take out one, they'll figure it out, but you can't take out more than one at once without the resources."
Martouf sighed, acknowledging it. Jacob said something then, but Sam and Jolinar were in their own head, and the answer seemed obvious. Why not get the Jaffa? Why not the Doriens, for that matter? Sabotage was just as good as infiltration, sometimes.
Sam glanced over to see how Vala was doing. She was quiet, but watching everything with sharp, intense looks. As always now, she seemed to be working hard to build a wall of neutrality, to keep what was truly going on inside her invisible. But she was no longer hesitant and fearful, and Sam couldn't help but feel more concerned about Quetesh.
~I feel ready to speak to the Council,~ Sam said to herself. ~Martouf and Lantash will be leaving in a couple days; that will be important.~
Jolinar agreed, but they didn't feel the need to explain this to Martouf or Jacob, not yet.
It was simplest to find Garshaw, and so they did that the next day in the early morning. Jolinar thought she saw a little tautening of Garshaw's jawline as she approached, but she was open enough in her words and tone. "Yes, Jolinar?"
"It is not a request for a mission," Jolinar opened with, getting that point out of the way. But she paused, exhaling a little, feeling Sam want her to expand, and feeling the slight need for herself as well. "It would not be...wise...and I think that you know that."
Garshaw slightly raised an eyebrow, but nothing distinct.
"But for a mission already assigned, there are aspects we fear will be overlooked," Jolinar continued. "Quetesh's fleet—it is supposed to be made ineffective, yes?"
Garshaw nodded, adjusting her stance and appearing slightly more interested.
"Samantha and I believe that there is a way to accomplish that simply," Jolinar said. "But it requires trust, which means a slight risk. The Jaffa, and the people of Dorieth, may be of great help."
"In what capacity?" Garshaw asked, her arms lightly crossing over her chest.
"The same as our operatives," Jolinar explained, looking her straight in the eye. "They wish for freedom, and some have won it already. What reason is there not to use such will and such numbers again? Speak with them, and let them know what they can do, and I have no doubt that they will flock to the challenge."
"You are suggesting an alliance, Jolinar," said Garshaw pointedly. "With people who have had no time to show any tendencies that may be judged."
Jolinar shook her head sharply. "What tendencies need to be observe if they volunteer? Their capability cannot be denied."
"Their motivation?" asked Garshaw.
"That is simple," Jolinar said. She and Sam had caught onto this point only this morning, but now it seemed obvious. "Dorieth is now a settlement of free Jaffa and slaves, because they won it for themselves. Their further help may win them a piece of Quetesh's fleet to defend themselves, if they work well so that a plan succeeds."
Garshaw's eyebrow fully raised then. "What plan could possibly let the fleet survive?"
"A coup, Garshaw, not a destruction," Jolinar said. "Think of what happened on Dorieth. Instead of provoking a riot that would destroy Quetesh, we brought the Abydonians to a better understanding of the stakes, and their intelligence led them to a near-bloodless struggle. It is what we wish, as the Tok'ra, is it not? Less collateral damage?"
"But this cannot be achieved yet," Garshaw objected, even as her face was more serious than incredulous. "This random happenstance on Dorieth cannot be repeated; slaves do not become effective armies all in an instant."
Sam came forward. "That is the point, Garshaw. The Abydonians had been free for over two years when Quetesh captured them. They remembered that freedom. They passed it on. They can still do so, and I believe they would want nothing more. Remember that some of them are still captive aboard the fleet."
Garshaw frowned.
Jolinar would have pushed forward, but Sam decided that there was enough to think upon in that.
"This is not your mission anymore," Garshaw said, but not harshly. "Remember that."
Sam nodded, as Garshaw turned without another word.
They couldn't help continuing to think about things as they carried out another day. Sam sat with Vala as Larys released her from medical care, then found her a room of her own on base. His look to Sam over Vala's shoulder said that it was still in her hands and she needn't worry about precedent.
Vala sat on the simple Tok'ra bed. "Why are there no doors in this place?" she asked. The more days past, the more Sam noticed that her questions were more direct. Not curious, though.
"There is no point in privacy," Sam said. "It's—something you can't really explain so well. Everything is shared, willingly."
Vala did not look convinced, but Sam couldn't see why. Sometimes, when their minds could no longer focus on the one mission, Jolinar wondered what went on behind those eyes of Vala's. They had been so raw with fear and damage in the first days, but what was in them now was not healing, only a kind of mask. Sam thought that a mask was a sign of some strength, even if it was painful if it was necessary.
"I am surprised that it is not more interesting here, then," Vala answered in a low tone.
Sam smiled, but she wasn't sure it had been meant as humor.
The room didn't change much of Vala's behavior, though. She didn't seem shy, necessarily, but she was always near Sam or Jacob now. Sam hadn't heard Selmak in a long time, as he still held back for Vala's sake.
And then, though, there were other concerns. Martouf and Lantash were asked to wait a day longer on base, as the Council had contacted Dorieth. Jolinar felt slightly miffed to be out of the loop, even as she and Sam understood that there was no obligation to them at all, despite it being their idea.
Garshaw had, in fact, gone herself to speak to the leader of the Doriens. It was actually a combined leadership between Kasuf and Creot and Nirishi, as well as Kronon the Jaffa. They had been so eager on the first word of a possible full rescue and defeat, that Garshaw had returned almost forced to seriously consider the viability. The Council were not convinced that it was wise, though, however tempting.
"We need much more," Garshaw explained.
As Selmak explained after the meeting, they expressed more caution than they felt, because they thought that they should. "Change, Jolinar. It comes slowly. This is major, and even though there is precedent in this mission, they would be more comfortable in the usual pattern."
"But here I am, and I cannot hold to that," Jolinar said with a slight sigh.
"I do not object to that," said Selmak. "In cases. This is one."
Sam was sure, though, that she could give the Council more. And to that end, she was asked to provide more than just what was on Dorieth. What was the long-term of this plan? ~We need to go back to Chulak and Bra'tac,~ Sam said.
But Sam and Jolinar were not the only ones with a surprise when they went through the gate again, back to peaceful Chulak.
"The false god Apophis is dead, by Sokar's might," said one of the Jaffa at the gate, leading them to Bra'tac.
Sam was shocked, though Jolinar less so. *Such things happen, even without the Tok'ra's influence.*
~And likely the Council knew, but we had no reason to,~ Sam said.
Then, they were before Bra'tac.
"Samantha," he said in opening, not quite friendly but with only minimal caution.
"Bra'tac, I am here with thanks," Sam said, smiling a little. "Your advice was well, and I have good news to report. A whole planet of Jaffa is now living free, alongside the slaves they once ruled."
Bra'tac stood stunned for a moment. "What do you speak of?"
"Of Dorieth," Sam said. "Our last visit, our mission, do you not remember?"
"I had no ideas that it might succeed," said Bra'tac, almost under his breath.
Sam did smile then. It was hard not to, when there was such anticipation and good luck just within their grasp. "I always knew that you had a chance, Bra'tac. You and the Jaffa. This has been a long time in coming to you."
"Then I thank you, Samantha," said Bra'tac, finally looking as if he had come to grips with the fact. He came forward to clasp arms with Sam, as the Jaffa around them started murmuring in excitement. "You led this, and we will be grateful once we hear from our free brothers."
"And that is only part of it," Sam said, continuing. "There is a chance for more that you can do, more Jaffa that you can free."
There was a pause, and all of their eyes were on her. "How can this not be merely an impulse?" Bra'tac asked, politely blunt.
"The world that was freed belonged to Quetesh," Sam said. "The Tok'ra have slain Quetesh, and now her empire is unsteady. The Tok'ra cannot take advantage of this alone. They are willing to think of joining with you to not only defeat her once and for all, but also to take advantage of the ships that would be left without captains. Think, Bra'tac, of all the ships that could defend the Free Jaffa. With such safety, think how your movement would grow."
Bra'tac eyed her slowly for a few seconds. "You have given this much thought, and these words much practice, I believe."
Sam smiled again. "Yeah, a little. But Bra'tac, how can we help it, when it is such an opportunity looking at us in the face?"
"I must hear more details of this opportunity," said Bra'tac finally, and gestured that Sam should come into the building.
*All this planning of ours may have been worth it,* Jolinar said satisfactorily. And as they looked around at all the Jaffa here, free-thinking and free-acting, they only saw evidence that they had always been right. When all was hanging in loose balance, and with time speeding away from them, they had to act fast. But the exhilaration was just the climax of something Sam had been thinking about for months now, and there was more planning to do after that.
This time, there would be no rash one-person mission. This time there would be a goal planned out to the last small detail, and all resources would be used. Sam was sure she could convince both Jaffa and Tok'ra to make this work, and it was just the focus that she and Jolinar had been looking for.
—
Author's Notes: In case it was unclear, the scene from the SGC's point of view was the event from "Serpent's Song". Given that he could not use the alliance with the Tok'ra to his advantage, though, Apophis tried to get them involved more directly. Sokar's not an idiot, though, so it failed, and Earth stayed clear.