Sticks and Stones – Chapter 26 - by Emma Nisbet (grnfield)
The diplomatic mission that Sam was on took less time than expected. SG-2 was back on Earth just three weeks after Jack went back to the Alpha site.
A week after they returned, the SGC received a report from the Tok'ra of an alliance being formed between the System Lords, Ba'al and Osiris. The Tok'ra had operatives planted inside a couple of Ba'al's many bases and they had both corroborated the story that the two System Lords were allied with one another.
General Hammond asked whether the Tok'ra were aware of the whereabouts of either of the Goa'uld at the present time but he was informed that unfortunately they did not. However they told him that a Ha'tak vessel had recently left the base occupied by one of the hidden Tok'ra and that both System Lords were aboard at the time.
Until they had more intel on the whereabouts of the Ha'tak there was nothing that either the SGC or the Tok'ra could do. Both sides agreed to keep each other appraised as to any findings and to ask their many allies to inform them if they should hear any rumours as to the whereabouts of either Ba'al or Osiris.
#
The following week the SGC received an emergency transmission from Chamaka. This was a lush, fertile planet designated P4M-776, SG-5 had visited it a couple of years before. Up against a lot of cultures they'd encountered, the inhabitants of Chamaka were relatively advanced. The Chamakan people were few in number but had a solid knowledge of basic building and technology and had developed some highly advanced medicines from their local plant-life. They had been more than willing to share their medical knowledge with the Tau'ri. In return the humans had shown them designs to strengthen their buildings and supplied them with schematics that could improve much of their technology.
The Chamakans had kept in touch with the SGC at regular intervals but they had missed their last scheduled contact. If they'd missed the next then the SGC would have sent a team to investigate and to check that the gentle people were indeed alright.
The message from Chamaka was extremely brief, the wormhole engaged and a radio transmission began immediately. The voice of Khyoni, one of the botanists who had shared his knowledge with the Tau'ri, was heard frantically pleading for their help. Before the transmission cut out he managed to tell them that a 'huge triangular ship' had been sighted flying low over the continent and 'large, armoured warriors' were now raiding the villages and taking the occupants hostage.
A scrabbling sound was heard and the transmission briefly broke up. When the signal returned, the listening humans at the SGC could hear Jaffa warriors issuing orders and Khyoni shouting as he was dragged away. They could only assume that the young man had locked his radio into transmit mode and dropped it when the Jaffa approached him.
General Hammond ordered that Walter page SG's 2 and 3 and have them report to the briefing room without delay. As he left the control room he spotted Sergeant Siler and requested that a MALP be prepared for immediate deployment. He then went to the meeting room to wait for SG-2 and SG-3.
#
The two teams rushed to the briefing room as soon as they received the request. The nine men and women quickly seated themselves around the large table and turned to look at the General.
George Hammond addressed the teams with a grim look on his face. He quickly explained what he knew of the situation on Chamaka and informed them that a MALP would be sent through the gate as soon as they were able to do so. He hoped they'd be able to get a clearer picture of how many Jaffa were guarding the gate in a hope that the two teams could safely go in and carry out a recon of the immediate area prior to carrying out a mission to rescue the Chamakan people.
The General was interrupted by a knock on the door. Walter entered, apologised for interrupting, and informed the base commander that the MALP was ready for deployment.
Hammond ordered that the gate be dialled without delay and the teams stood as he rose and left the room.
The wormhole engaged in its normal fashion and very soon, Siler was directing the MALP up the ramp and into the event horizon. Colonels Ferretti and Reynolds, plus Sam, Teal'c and Hammond, crowded around the view-screen and waited for the MALP to begin transmitting.
The picture soon appeared on the screen and showed that the ground at the bottom of the steps had been churned up by many frantic footsteps. A few crude clubs lay on the ground as well as a discarded staff weapon. As the Sergeant directed the MALP to scan the clearing it was became clear that there was a large fire in the distance and Sam quickly pointed out that it was roughly in the location of the nearest village.
Colonel Reynolds questioned the wisdom of burning the villages when they contained food, medicines and accommodation that the Jaffa could use.
Teal'c looked down at the young Colonel and explained that the houses would have been looted before being torched and that the Jaffa warriors had no need for comfort. They believed that comfort would make the warriors weak and less observant in their duties, so the Jaffa had only the most basic of accommodation at all times. This was a standard protocol that was constantly observed but especially while they were out in enemy territory.
The large Jaffa then pointed out that it was also a tactic used to increase submission in any captured people. They would have seen their homes and villages being defiled by the Jaffa and know there was nowhere for them to return to if they tried to escape.
Teal'c then looked back at the view-screen and pointed out a small movement. Two Jaffa were approaching from the wooded area to the right of the gate. They were heading towards the MALP at a fast run, presumably alerted by the activation of the gate. Before they reached the gate they stopped, primed their staff weapons and blasted the Tau'ri equipment into pieces.
The humans around the view-screen flinched as the MALP met its fate. Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow and turned away from the now static filled display.
The General looked around at the gathered team members, "Let's take this back to the briefing room people, there's no more to be seen here."
One by one they filed out of the cramped control room and left Walter free to roll back to his usual station.
#
Back in the briefing room the other team members were waiting. The General took his usual seat at the head of the table and waited for Ferretti and Reynolds to fill their other members in on what they'd seen on the MALP. He then leaned forwards and addressed the room.
"Well people, now that we've seen the situation around the gate it's safe to say that the young man, Khyoni, was correct in taking the risk to contact ourselves. There didn't seem to be any bodies in the clearing even though a skirmish had obviously taken place, therefore I would think it's safe to assume the Chamakans have been taken prisoner by whichever Goa'uld was onboard the Ha'tak that Khyoni reported. Teal'c you wouldn't happen to know which Goa'uld it is that we're dealing with here?"
Teal'c nodded briefly before replying. "Indeed I do, GeneralHammond. The two Jaffa warriors who destroyed the probe were both bearing the mark of the false god Ba'al."
"Ba'al," exclaimed Colonel Reynolds. "We've been searching the galaxy and not heard a peep from him and then he goes and drops himself right in our laps – who'd have thought it?"
"Who indeed," agreed Lou Ferretti. "What do you reckon they want with all the people, Teal'c?"
"I would surmise they may be using them as forced labour." Teal'c replied. "There were deposits of Naquadah buried in the hills on the far side of the continent, were there not? I believe the deduction was made that it would be impossible to mine the ore using Tau'ri machinery due to the terrain in which it lay. Would it not be feasible to assume that the Goa'uld are using the Chamakans to mine the ore?"
"Yeah, you're right Teal'c," Sam agreed. "There was Naquadah ore on the planet and a great deal of it from what I remember. Wasn't it decided that the only way to mine it would be opencast and it would have destroyed too much of the surrounding area in the process? There were several large towns that would have had to be abandoned to build the mine and the Chamakans would never have agreed to that. I can't say I blame them either, it would have been thousands of years of their heritage being destroyed for the sake of a mineral that was of no interest to them at all."
"That's correct Major Carter. The medical knowledge that the Chamakans shared with us was more than enough to keep the NID scientists happy and it was agreed that the suggestion of mining would be detrimental to any alliance in the future."
The General steepled his fingers and tapped them to his lips thoughtfully.
He looked over at the large Jaffa sitting placidly over the other side of the table. "Teal'c, would it be safe to assume there would be more Jaffa to accompany the two we saw before the MALP was destroyed?"
"Indeed it would, GeneralHammond." Teal'c replied. "I would expect there to be another four Jaffa somewhere nearby. A contingent of six warriors is usual for a task such as this; there will most probably be six Jaffa in each village until there is no-one left. The village will then be plundered before being razed to the ground." The large man paused and shook his head sadly, "It is a most disagreeable process."
"I'm sure it is, Teal'c. I'm sure it is. Now we're going to see if we can do anything for these people. We're assuming there are only six Jaffa but I'm taking no chances. Colonel Ferretti, Colonel Reynolds, I want your teams ready to go as soon as possible. I'll have two teams of marines to go with you and I want every possible precaution taken. Your goal is to go through, and take control of the gate. Once you inform us that the gate is secure, Sergeant Siler will launch a volley of UAV's through and we'll try to get an idea what's going on further afield. You'll head for the village and check out the situation there. Watch out for Chamakan refugees, if you find any then you get them back here as soon as you can. The temporary accommodation will be open and the infirmary will be standing ready to receive casualties. I'll not pretend this is going to be an easy one, you'll be walking into a war zone so stay sharp. That's all for now, dismissed."
The Colonels gathered their teams together and went to their appropriate locker rooms to get ready.
Very soon they were ready to go and the two teams met up again in the gate room where the marines were waiting for them. Sergeant Siler was off to one side setting up the UAVs and Sam knelt down to speak to him while the final preparations were made for dialling the gate.
A few minutes later the General's booming voice came over the comms. "SG-2, SG-3, you have your orders. We'll await your signal then send through the UAVs. Good luck people, and remember - no unnecessary risks." He looked behind him and spoke to Walter, "Dial it up, Sergeant."
The teams stood, watching the gate, as Walter announced each chevron. Moments after the seventh chevron locked into place the wormhole burst forwards.
"SG teams, you have a go," called the General. "God Speed."
Salutes were given and returned and the seventeen military officers trooped quickly up the ramp. Siler caught Sam's eye as she passed and nodded to her supportively, she sent him a small worried smile in return before stepping through the event horizon.
The General watched as the last of the marines went through and the gate shut down. He let out a deep breath and raised his eyes towards the heavens and offered a silent prayer. 'Please, let them all come home safe.'
He then turned, requested that Walter come and find him as soon as they heard anything and walked slowly into his office.