Chapter 15: In the Line of Duty

Dec. 12, 1997

Planet Nasaya, 30 lightyears from Earth – 10 am

A month had passed and the Initiative base was slowly being converted to house Stargate Command. General Hammond had gotten word from his superiors a week after the trial of Senator Kinsey the approval to do just that. The President had wanted to make sure that Buffy and her people had the support of the U.S. government in protecting the world. So not only did Buffy now patrol with a battalion of clones, there were now SG teams, when not offworld that patrolled the town of Sunnydale as well.

Though the members of the SG teams and much of Stargate Command had to quickly come to terms with the reality of their world. Some had requested transfers to other commands, but most stayed. They saw battling demons and vampires no different than battling the Gou'ald.

Then SG-1 happened into the midst of an attack on a world. They radioed back to Hammond and requested the Valkyrie, one of only two ships able to traverse that distance quickly, to be sent. The Valkyrie after spinning up its Jump drive had jumped to Nasaya and despite being outmatched was taking on a Goa'uld mothership while on the surface Tara, Dawn a detail of the Valkyrie's soldiers and SG-1 tried to evacuate the fleeing villagers.

"Let's go, Dawn," Tara called out to her Padawan. "Those gliders are coming back around!"

"This man's alive!" Dawn called back.

"Cannot wait!" Jack said.

A Death Glider fired as it swept past the active Stargate. The least critical were sent back to Earth. The most critical were loaded onto a shuttle which was preparing to take them up to the Valkyrie.

Daniel who stood on the stairs leading to the event horizon, ducked to protect himself from the attack. When the glider passed, he stood and waved for the remaining Nasyans. "Okay, come on, come on. Don't panic, we'll have you out of here in a minute."

"Teal'c!" Jack said as he handed over a boy. "I'm going back for Mast Maclay and Padawan Summers." He turned and ran toward Dawn and Tara.

Daniel hurried away from the Gate to two villagers, one of whom was badly burnt and unconscious. "Go, go, I got him … Dr. McCoy, I have one alive, but I think he's gonna wish he wasn't."

"Get him on the shuttle," McCoy called back. He had and a detail of medical personnel from the Enterprise had come with the Valkyrie for the more immediate cases that needed medical attention. "I will take a look at him on the Valkyrie."

Daniel nodded as he ran toward the shuttle.

Tara rushed over to Dawn. "We have to go," she said.

"One more minute," Dawn said as she continued to perform CPR. She listened to his breathing and then took a breath. Again she listened and then lowered her head to give him one last breath when suddenly he grabbed her head. As Dawn struggled she felt something enter her mouth. And then the man's hand fell away as Tara knelt next to Dawn and checked for a man's pulse. She didn't notice that Dawn's eyes glowed.

"He's gone," Tara said as Jack ran up to them. "Come on, Dawn."

Dawn turned to face Tara, dazed and both Tara and Jack saw blood on her lip.

"You alright?" Jack asked.

Dawn nodded. "Yeah."

"Let's get you up to the Valkyrie," Jack said as Tara nodded in agreement.

They ran to the shuttle as Jack called into his radio. "Teal'c once everyone is through, go on yourself. Daniel and I are coming back on the Valkyrie."

"Understood, O'Neill."

A short time later the Valkyrie was heading out of system away from the Goa'uld as it spun up its Jump drive.

"Dawn? You okay?" Tara asked as she led Dawn to the ship's medical bay.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said.

"We'll let Dr. McCoy determine that," Tara said.

USS Valkyrie, Briefing Room – 11 am

In the ship's briefing room Sam, Daniel, Jack, Buffy and Commander Wilson were discussing what happened on the planet.

"There hasn't been any Goa'uld interference on the planet for over three centuries. The Nasyans are a … were a peaceful people. They were eager to form an alliance and aid Earth in setting up a research outpost. According to the Nasayan's I've interviewed so far, there was no warning this attack was coming. They didn't even spot the mothership by the time the Gliders assaulted the village."

"It's not normal for the Goa'ulds to suddenly just show up and wipe out peaceful people for no apparent reason, is it?" Buffy asked.

"No," Daniel answered.

"CIC to Captain Summers."

Buffy stood and walked over to the intercom on the wall. "Summers, here. Go ahead," she answered.

"FTL is spun up and we are ready to jump."

"Jump," Buffy said. She returned to the table and sat down. She motioned for Daniel to continue.

"There is usually some reason, most often they seem to attack civilisations that are advancing to a point where their technology could be a threat, but that wasn't the case here."

"Maybe they found out we were coming," Wilson suggested.

"Well, how could they know?" Sam asked. "Or more importantly, why did this particular Goa'uld care?"

"They might have been a little concerned because the Republic just kicked the crap out of Apophis," Jack replied.

"It is a possibility that merits interviews to determine what was going on," Buffy said. "What's the status of the Nasyan survivors?"

"We're not sure how many we got through the Gate," Jack said. "But there are about fifty people in the medical bay."

"Our medical staff as well as Dr. McCoy's are treating the critical now," Wilson said.

"The ones on Earth are going to be waiting relocation," Jack said.

"Then I will need to talk to General Hammond and my mom," Buffy said. "We might be able to relocate them to Hapes."

"Also just so you know, Dawn is in the medical bay," Daniel said. "Tara reported that Dawn had a bit of blood on her lip. And that she had felt that Dawn had been dazed."

As they concluded the meeting for now, to be reconcluded when Buffy could talk with Hammond. Buffy headed straight to the medbay where she found Dr. McCoy stood beside Dawn holding a tricorder and scanning her. "Well?" she asked McCoy.

"Externally Dawn is in perfect health," McCoy said. He knew that this Dawn was not Marie. But old habits died hard. He had been referring to his Dawn by her first name instead of her rank and last name in their original reality so as not to confuse anyone since there had been two Commander Summers. "But internal scans have revealed something unusual."

"What?" Buffy asked as McCoy handed her his tricorder and she looked at the tiny screen.

"A parasitical growth is wrapped around her spinal column," McCoy said.

"Parasitical?" Jack said as he looked at Sam.

Sam came up behind Buffy and he looked over Buffy's shoulder at the tricorder's screen. "Captain, I suggest you restrain Padawan Summers. She's a Goa'uld."

Dawn's eyes flashed. "You will take me to a Stargate."

"Dawn?" Buffy asked.

"I command you," Dawn said as her eyes glowed.

A security officer, who stood at the nearby door, raised his weapon and aimed it at Dawn.

"Take her into custody," Buffy said. "And keep her under constant guard."

"Yes ma'am," said the security officer.

Stargate Command, Briefing Room – 2 pm

Buffy sat with Tara, Jack, Hammond and Joyce. "How did it get in Dawn?" Joyce asked.

"According to Dr. McCoy," Tara said. "There was no visible signs of external entry. She was giving mouth to mouth to a Nasayan."

"Are you saying it entered through her mouth?" Buffy asked.

Tara shrugged. "I'm not sure. But it's possible."

Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose. "There was blood on her mouth remember?"

"So it entered Dawn through the back of her throat," Buffy said. "Okay. General, I think we should make sure the one in my sister is the only one that came back either through the Stargate or on the Valkyrie."

Hammond nodded in agreement. "Agreed. And once you return to the Valkyrie I suggest you allow no one off or on the Valkyrie either to Earth or Hapes until we've confirmed there is no more. I will do the same for this base."

"What would a Goa'uld be doing in a Nasyan man in the first place?" Tara asked.

"It could have been a setup, trying to get a spy into one of us," Jack replied.

"What are we going to do about Dawn?" Tara asked.

"We're going to get that thing out of her," Buffy said.

Jack sighed. "That didn't really work with Kawalsky. We tried and in the process it killed him."

"Alright, I will get Dr. McCoy, his team and the Valkyrie's own medical staff researching on a way to successfully remove it," Buffy said. "I'm going to go talk to it."

Valkyrie, Brig – 2:30 pm

Buffy entered the brig and up to the door of Dawn's cell. She nodded to a guard who opened the door as she entered.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"Your tactics will not work on me," Dawn said. "You must let me go."

"No."

"You really have no idea why this is happening."

"Why don't you explain it for me," Buffy said.

Dawn sat down on the cot and crossed her arms defensively across her chest, her face hidden by shadows.

As Buffy stood there glaring at her sister, Dawn stared back at her.

"Let me go," Dawn said as she stood up and approached Buffy. "Let me go through the Stargate. I will find another host and send your sister back to you."

"You can do that?" Buffy asked. "Leave a host without killing them?"

Dawn nodded. "Yes. It is possible, but not easy. I could die, but I promise I will try."

"According to others on the scene, the Nasyan man died when you left him," Buffy said.

Dawn closed her eyes. "The Nasyan man died first, that is why I left him. He was beyond my natural abilities to heal."

"What were you doing in him in the first place?" Buffy wondered.

"Dawn's mind would be intact. She would return to you as you knew her before," Dawn said.

~Goa'uld,~ from within her own mind Dawn tried to communicate with the Goa'uld that held her hostage.

~I told you, Dawn. I am not a Goa'uld. I am a Tok'ra. We are a resistance movement within the Goa'uld,~ the Gou'ald said.

~If what you have been saying is true, let me talk to Buffy.~

Dawn bowed her head and when she looked up she smiled. "I'm here, Buffy. I know you can't trust it's really me. But it is."

"I'd say prove it, but the Gou'ald can access your memories and according to our allies can even mimic human speech," Buffy said. "There is no way to prove it."

"How about this," Dawn replied. "I am in love with Tara."

"WHAT!" Buffy screamed.

"There is no reason for the Goa'uld, or as she calls herself—a Tok'ra, to tell you that," Dawn said.

"You could be trying to trick me," Buffy said. "I've been informed you can speak like us, Goa'uld."

"Then get Marie here," Dawn suggested. "She should be able to empathically tell us apart."

~A wise call, Dawn,~ the Goa'uld said.

Buffy sighed as she pulled out her communicator and flipped it open. "Captain Summers to the Enterprise. I need to talk to Commander Summers."

"Marie here, Buffy. What is it?"

"I need you to beam over to the Valkyrie," Buffy said. "I need your empathic abilities."

"On my way."

Thirty minutes later Marie stood in front of the cell staring at her twin. "I can sense two minds," Marie said.

"Can you tell who is who?" Buffy asked.

"I can give you a guess based on what I am sensing," Marie answered as she looked toward Buffy. "Whether or not their lying or not type of thing."

"Then read me right now," Dawn said. "I am Padawan Dawn Summers of the Jedi Order. And I am currently host of a Tok'ra that calls herself Jolinar, who has information valuable to their resistance movement."

Marie looked at Dawn as she empathically read her twin's emotions and could tell that there was no lie in what Dawn had said. "As far as I can tell that is Dawn and from what I am feeling from her she believes what she just said."

"Okay," Buffy said. "Can we switch to this Jolinar?"

Dawn nodded as she bowed her head. When she looked up at Buffy her eyes flashed. "I have no reason to lie to you, Buffy. And what Dawn told you is true," Dawn said.

Buffy looked toward Marie who nodded. "I can sense differening emotions between the two but Jolinar too is telling the truth. I believe that Jolinar is actually not a Goa'uld."

Buffy sighed. "Alright," she said. "Give me the coordinates of your world or base … and we will take you there. At which point you can leave Dawn for a willing host. Till then you will be under guard."

"I understand your predicament. And will accept your terms."

"First though were you the only one on Nasaya?" Buffy asked.

"I believe there may have been an Ashrak tracking me," Dawn said.

"An Ashrak?" Marie asked as she got the feeling that Jolinar was willing to sacrifice itself for Dawn if this Ashrak came for her.

"An assassin."

Buffy sighed as she flipped open her communicator. "Captain Summers to General Hammond."

"Hammond, here."

"After questioning Dawn I have found out another may have come either through the Stargate with tha Nasayans or on the Valkyrie. We're going to search up here."

"Understood, Captain. Have you learned anything from the Goa'uld?"

"Apparently she isn't Goa'uld but instead Tok'ra. From what we've learned so far they are a resistance group against the Goa'uld. She has agreed to give us the coordinates for their base. We will then determine if she is telling the truth."

"I advise caution. I would hate to tell your mother that you are MIA."

"Plan to be," Buffy said. "Summers, out." She turned back to Dawn. "The coordinates if you please."

"If you will show me to your pel'tak, I will gladly put in the coordinates," Dawn said as she bowed her head. "She means the bridge, Buffy."

"Guard, you and I will escort her to the bridge," Buffy said as she glanced at Marie. "Marie see what you and Dr. McCoy can do about making sure this Ashrak is not onboard."

Valkyrie, CIC – 3 pm

Buffy, Dawn and the security guards stepped into CIC. Wilson frowned upon seeing them. "Captain, a word," he said as he and Buffy stepped to the side. "What is she doing outside of the brig?"

"I'm taking a chance," Buffy replied. "She's either going to lead us to a Goa'uld stronghold. Or she is going to introduce us to some resistance fighters called the Tok'ra."

"That translates to against Ra," Wilson said as Buffy looked at him. "Dr. Jackson and Captain Giles have been teaching me, at my request, the language known as Egyptian. I was to pass it along to our officers so everyone is familiar with the enemies language. You might contact Dr. Jackson or Captain Giles to confirm."

Buffy nodded as she pulled out her communicator and flipped it open. "Captain Summers to Captain Giles."

"Go ahead, Buffy."

"Giles, I need verification on a word translation. Tok'ra."

"It's ancient Egyptian. The word means against Ra. Why do you want to know?"

"The Goa'uld that currently inhabits Dawn said she was a member of a resistance movement by that name."

"If that is true and this Gou'ald or another of her faction, if she does fight against the Goa'uld, could have had a hand in the creation of the Slayer."

"Let me ask her," Buffy said as she walked over to Dawn followed by Wilson. "Jolinar, do you know what the Slayer is?"

"I saw the term in Dawn's mind," Dawn said. "I did not know you were she though. Nor did I know what the term meant till Dawn provided me the description. Yes I know what the Slayer is. Or as we called her Naesche. But we are not the ones who created the first Slayer. I have inputed the coordinates into your computer."

Buffy moved over to a navigation console and nodded. "The computer shows we will need to make a series of three jumps."

"May I stress caution, Buffy."

"Always am, Giles," Buffy replied. "Summers, out." She closed her communicator and walked over to the intercom. She checked to see how McCoy and Marie were with the determination of the absence of the Ashrak. They had determined it wasn't onboard and Marie had taken the initiative to inform Hammond.

"Alright," Buffy said. "Marie, Dr. McCoy…"

"Dr. McCoy returned to the Enterprise with the Nasayans we had onboard," Wilson said. "Captain Carter remains onboard though."

"Alright," Buffy said. "Marie, Captain Carter, and I will escort Jolinar to the surface upon arriving at the planet. If this is the Tok'ra then we don't want to potentially anger potential allies. That said we are going to be cautious."