Beyond the Iris: A Stargate Story

Chapter 12

Sam

"Daniel called me this morning," Jack was sitting at the mess hall table across from me eating a bowl of cereal and reading a copy of last week's newspaper.

"He landed safely I assume?"

"He did, there was snow in JFK that delayed his flight, but he seemed oddly chipper about it," he smacked his lips and squinted down at his crossword puzzle.

"Oh, he must be looking forward to finding an answer of some sort." I feigned ignorance. I had walked into Eleanor's office this morning to request a device in holding and even though she seemed just as casual as any other day, I recognized the glittering flames in her eyes, flushed cheeks from more than just Christmas spirit. I was just better at masking my affairs after years of keeping it secret. I also took notice that Daniel mysteriously disappeared the same time she did the night of the party. It could have been coincidental but something in my gut said otherwise.

"Right," he looked up at me with a knowing glance and back down at his crossword. "Are you ready to go see Jacob?"

"My pack is all set, Teal'c is getting SG-5 and 18 ready."

"I'm glad we are now U-Haul for the Tok'ra," he rolled his eyes and stood up handing the crossword back to me.

"You missed number 16," I pointed out. "9 spaces down."

"No I didn't."

"You just wrote in Sam Carter."

"Well that's the Times' fault then isn't it?" He cleared his throat snatching the paper back, "Outstandingly good of its kind; of exceptional merit, virtue, etc," he crumbled up the paper and tossed it into the trash. "Sam Carter."

We walked into the gate room seeing the gate already primed and ready to step through. The glimmering blues like a gelatinous puddle coaxing us to pierce through to the other side. Jack gave me an exasperated look.

"Play nice sir," I returned a pleading glance and we walked through.

The sand spread under me, sinking my footprints down into an uneven gait. There was virtually no one on the surface except my father to welcome us back with a conflicted look on his face. Sandy dunes towered over him casting shadows across the ground and camouflaging the entrance into the Tok'ra settlement. He greeted us warmly, but something in his hug felt mournful. I gave him the same look that he often gave me as a child, the you can tell me anything look, but he just motioned for us to follow him below.
The various crystallized under the surface shafts led into larger corridors in a maze of rooms. It always reminded me of an ant colony underground, building temporary homes and packing up to move when the seasons changed. We followed him into a meeting room and sat down, he instructed us that Teal'c and the other SG teams had to stay behind. Jack played along and watched as the doors closed behind the three of us.

"Don't get mad," he started.

"Wonderful." Jack folded his arms across his chest and sighed. "What now Jacob."

"The Tok'ra as a whole have voted to no longer ally themselves with you. There have been too many instances of Jaffa raiding Alpha-sites and to be frank, they don't feel confident in your ability to defend Earth against Anubis' growing forces."

"And how do you feel about this all?" Jack cocked his head to the side. "I keep hearing a lot of 'they.'"

My father looked down, and when he lifted his eyes I saw Selmak there. When my father had announced his cancer treatments were failing some years ago, the Tok'ra agreed to take him in, Selmak in particular. The Tok'ra symbiote had joined with him, and they were a great partnership.

Selmak's voice started, "I do feel that there is a leak in your organization, but I do not agree with cutting our ties as many of my people do. This is a time when we need all of the help we can get. We are the only ones who see that."

"Thanks Selmak, but I'm asking Jacob," Jack's cold tone was not surprising. He didn't agree with the Tok'ra on many issues, and felt they were just a few steps from being Goa'uld themselves. My father's head nodded and I saw him back with us in his eyes.

"Selmak and I are a united front Jack," he glanced over at me, "and we're going with them for now. Because of my ties with Earth they are already suspicious enough of us, but my place, our place is here."

"Is this goodbye then?" My voice was wavering and unsure, he was my father, and I knew that the rare opportunities I saw him were already a blessing seeing as his death ticket was dealt years ago. But this, this felt final.

"For now," he looked back empathetically. "But not forever, and we will not be giving you our next location. We will come to you when the time is right." Jack stood up from his seat, his jaw clenched but the picture of calm washed over all his features.

"It's been peachy Jacob, thanks for the heads up. I'll just pack up the troops and go home early." He opened the doors and walked out leaving me there with my father. There wasn't much we could say, we both knew the situation. Jack agreed there was an informant somewhere in the SGC, there was no doubting it. Until we found who it was though we couldn't just stop, we were in an ongoing battle against Anubis, Ba'al and other system lords under them. Gate travel information had been restricted to 48 hours in advance, but even then something felt wrong.

I followed Jack back through the gate, heading home, ready to hear his wrath as he tore through the SGC finding out any information on who was costing us lives. In his mind he had a vendetta to fulfill for us all and I wasn't about to stand in his way.

Ba'al

It was crumbling into a pathetic mess. I couldn't believe it, the all powerful Tauri Stargate Command, all it took was a single plant and now a well timed secondary, it was too easy. They were scrambling like the little rats they all were, rushing and clamoring for scraps being thrown at them. The great Colonel Jack O'Neill, the one who defeated Apophis, the one who took down Ra, was at a loss as to what he could do. The shol'va Teal'c following his lead, scuttling around his feet, both of them ready for me to crush them, to bring devastation once and for all on the Tauri.

Anubis has instructed me not to act yet, that this was all part of an ongoing plan of action. The drawn out torment was delectable, but I wanted death to O'Neill and he wanted Jackson. There was no reasoning, I didn't quite understand why. Jackson was nobody consequential; he was nothing more than a thorn in my side, but if that's the bargain to be made I would easily comply.

"They are here to speak with you my lord," my first prime walked in bowing in my presence. I gave a curt nod and stood from my golden throne, walking back to the communications center. An orb was floating in the center of the room and I saw the new face through it looking back at me.

"Maher," I smirked, "it's so nice of you to finally arrive to the party."

"Hello my lord," the man nodded in response. "I apologize for my absence."

"The last I heard from you, Lytta was introducing us. Your skill at infiltrating the Tauri Stargate Command was most impressive."

"Thank you my lord," the man's maniacal leer spread across his face, clearly pleased with my praises. "I have brought you information."

I stood there waiting, as he also beamed boastfully back through the clouded orb in front of me.

"Well?" I hissed and he shook his head apologetically.

"Yes, yes my lord. The Tok'ra are falling. They have cut ties with us here at the SGC. I read the mission reports myself."

"And they were not doctored?" I was impressed if his information was indeed factual.

"No, I have it on very good authority that the Tok'ra no longer trust Jack O'Neill's judgment. However," his face fell in worry and nervously he looked around, "I may not have information for some time. Lytta may be compromised, many here are being questioned on obvious information leaks in regards to timed Jaffa attacks." I had worried that my hand may have been too heavy when swiftly taking out allies of the Tauri.

"I assume you will then use your best judgment." I gave a curt nod and shut the orb down. With a flick of my hand I summoned my first prime. "Call Lord Anubis, I have a plan that will please him greatly."