Serpent's Vow

17: Conditional

Tok'ra. Well, he supposed he was a Tok'ra in the strictest sense. He snickered.

"That  would depend," he said, not bothering to hide his interest. "What would  this technology be used for? I may not be in my office, but I do still  represent Kaiba Corporations and we don't build or distribute weapons to  the military of any country anymore."

General Hammond's grin wasn't big but it was quietly confidant. "Not a weapon," he said patiently. "A power generator."

Which could be used for a weapon.

"The  Asgard gave it to us to use to contact them using the Stargate,"  Hammond continued. "The problem is it was only designed to be used  once."

"Implying it's already been used once. Why do you need it  now?" Seto asked with a thoughtful frown. "I'm guessing this has  something to do with this solution you came up with to deal with those  disturbances."

Elderly eyes as sharp as needles narrowed at the way Seto referred to the inter-reality travelers, but Seto ignored it.

"We  are sending them back," the general said firmly. "But they came here  because their Earth has been taken over by the Goa'uld. Sending them  back there with their world as it is now would be a death sentence."

"Effectively  solving the problem for good," Set drawled. "Except you let your  bleeding heart interfere and decided to lend them a helping hand."

"Tok'ra?"  the colonel, Jack, said voicing all of his doubts in the single word.  The general sighed and refused to rise to Seto's jab. Grumbling under  his breath, the colonel lowered his gun and spoke.

"We fix the  generator so it can be used to contact the Asgard of their Earth," he  said, waving his hand to one side, "have them stop the Goa'uld's  invasion, we come back," he continued, waving in the other direction,  "and they stay there." He shrugged. "Everyone wins."

True. It  sounds too easy, though. Still, Seto always did enjoy watching a System  Lord be taken down a notch or two, particularly when force was involved.  He may not like the Asgard, but he would enjoy watching the little gray  bastards eradicate the System Lords.

Nevertheless, "The Asgard  may have helped you in recent years," Seto said sternly, "but they were  useless to us 5,000 years ago." He lifted his chin and looked down his  nose at the colonel. "What makes you think the Asgard in their world  will be as willing to help them as they are here and now?"

"Hey," the colonel said, holstering his gun and grinning carelessly, "they're not that bad."

"Debatable."

Still,  Seto considered the offer seriously. If he helped, then he had the  opportunity to have a close-up view of the Humans in charge of the  Chappa'ai. Theoretically, he could have access to the Chappa'ai itself.  If he played his cards right, he might even have the chance to travel  through it. That would be an experience. If he was unlucky, or lucky  depending on how he looked at it, he might even see a familiar face out  there among the stars.

Someone like Heru'ur.

The twinge in  his chest at the thought of the System Lord was unexpected and  pointless. The snake had lied, cheated, and betrayed him. He'd paid  dearly for it. Seto didn't regret his actions then or now.

"Fine.  I'll help," he said, forcing his meandering thoughts to the back of his  mind where they belonged. "With conditions," he added with a smirk.  "First, I'm allowed to leave when we're finished."

"That can be arranged," Hammond said. "On the understanding we have a way to contact you."

"Naturally,"  Seto nodded in acquiescence. "Second, I want passage through the  Chappa'ai. Not to stay," he said quickly, holding up a hand to forestall  the arguments he knew were coming. "Earth is my home and I have no  intention of abandoning my home, by brother, or my company. But," he  lowered his hand, "I am interested in learning more about these...  Tok'ra."