Disclaimer Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

Teal'c sat in his room, the scent of the candles filling his nostrils. He could feel the faint draft from the ventilation system brushing over his skin. Turning his attention inward, he could sense his blood flowing through his veins, traveling to his cells with nourishment.

He could feel his symbiote exerting its influence on his body, repairing damage. Some caused by injuries, others simply by his age. Were it not for his symbiote, he would likely be dead by now. If not by various wounds and injuries sustained over the years, but from the simple fact that he was over one hundred years old.

The day would soon come when his symbiote would not be able to repair the damage any longer. Perhaps an injury would be too severe or, like Tek'mate Bra'tac, he would grow too old and a primta would reject him. Or, equally likely, his symbiote would mature and the SGC would be unable to procure another one. Either way, he knew he had only a couple of decades left in his life. If the fates were truly fortunate, perhaps he would live to see Ry'ac find a wife and have his own son.

But that did not matter, he told himself as he heard the klaxons blare through the speakers in the hall. He was not doing it for himself; he was doing it for his son. Ry'ac would serve no false god. The telephone by his bed rang and he jumped, his eyes flying open. The device rang so rarely that it was enough to startle him.

"This is Teal'c," he answered, reaching up to pick up the receiver. "I am on my way." He hung up the phone and started to blow out his candles. In less than a minute he stepped out of his quarters and into the hallway.

<><><><><>

Teal'c strode purposefully down the corridors, noting how the personnel stepped aside. He knew some of them moved simply to ease his passage, while others stepped aside out of fear of what he was and what he represented.

Despite his years of service to the SGC, he was still a Jaffa. A member of the people who represented the SGC's greatest enemies.

True, most Jaffa fought at the behest and command of their Goa'uld. But the Goa'uld only gave the orders, the Jaffa carried them out. They Jaffa fired the staff weapons that created the widows and orphans of the SGC personnel. The Jaffa raided planets, executing innocents and taking slaves.

He knew that while he was accepted by most of the people at the SGC, there were a few that would never trust him. He knew it, and accepted it.

Arriving at the entrance to the briefing room, he nodded to the SF then entered the large room. In a habit that was decades old, he scanned the room searching for any threat. O'Neill and Major Carter were seated on the right side of the table, their backs to the Stargate. General Hammond occupied his normal position at the head of the large oak table while Daniel Jackson and Rak'nor sat at Teal'c's left. All five of them looked up at his arrival, their expressions welcome.

"Teal'c, thank you for joining us," General Hammond said.

Teal'c nodded. "Rak'nor, I was not expecting you to visit. Is something amiss?" he asked.

"You could say that, Teal'c," Jack said quietly.

"There has been a growing discontent among the Jaffa refugees," Rak'nor reported.

"Is something wrong with the new planet?" Teal'c asked. The new base for the renegade Jaffa, a small moon called Teylana, had been chosen by the Tok'ra after Yu's attack had forced the Jaffa to flee their refuge. The SGC had been keeping the refugees supplied with food and medical supplies.

"The planet, no," Rak'nor said. "However, there is much discontent amongst the Jaffa. Many of them fear that they have been abandoned by the Tau'ri and by you, Teal'c."

"What?" Jack asked. "We haven't abandoned them. We sent supplies just last week."

"That is not what I refer to Colonel O'Neill. We are grateful for the food and medication you have given us, along with sanctuary on the new world. But many Jaffa grow weary of waiting to strike against the Goa'uld."

"I thought that…well, time is definitely on your side," Daniel said.

"Normally it is, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said.

"But these are not normal times," Rak'nor spoke up. "Doctor Jackson, when we left the service of our Goa'uld, we also left our sole source of replacement symbiotes. Every day that goes by without us striking out, is one more day less that we have to live. Just last week one of our number died because his symbiote matured and we had no replacement."

"Which means, the Jaffa rebellion has less than ten years of life left to it," Sam said.

"Most likely, less, Major Carter. Within five years, we will not be of a sufficient number to be an effective fighting group."

"The Tok'ra are aware of your situation, Rak'nor," Hammond said. "If they happen to secure a source of symbiotes, you will be the first to know."

"Wait," Daniel spoke up. "What about the females? Correct me if I'm wrong, Rak'nor, but Jaffa women don't carry symbiotes do they?

"Females?"

"We know that priestesses do but…Teal'c, does Drey'ac have a larva?"

"She does. Many Goa'uld do not consider a female to be a suitable host for a primta. Some however, have no choice. Others choose females hoping that the larva they carry will be of less strength than those carried by a warrior and therefore less of a threat when it matures. This does carry a price. As with the Goa'uld, a larva interacts with a female's body, preventing a pregnancy or the carrying of a child to term. Most Jaffa females do not carry a primta for just that reason."

"That still means that about half of your rebellion will be out of commission in five years or less," Jack said.

"Indeed, O'Neill," Teal'c agreed.

"Most of the women and all of the children aren't effected by the shortage of larvae," Sam spoke up.

"Women and children can not be warriors," Rak'nor said. "Not even among the Tau'ri." He shot Sam an apologetic look.

Sam made a face, as if she were biting her tongue. Jack shot her a knowing look. "We have a saying here on Earth, beggars can't be choosers," she said.

"A woman would not be a worthy adversary. Lacking the strength and resilience imbued by a symbiote, she would be easily defeated."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Jack quipped.

"Using your weapons, yes, women would be at a certain disadvantage," Sam agreed.

"But," Daniel spoke up. "Not all weapons rely on brute strength. General, if we could arm the Jaffa women with guns…they'd be just as effective as the men with their staff weapons."

Hammond turned to Jack, "Colonel?"

"Possibly more than effective, sir," Jack said. "They've done ok so far, and add to that the element of surprise, it could work. That is, if no one has a problem with …what did K'tano call them? Primitive right?" He said, his animosity for the man evident even now, months after his death.

"I believe, if some do have reservations, another demonstration by Major Carter may sway them," Rak'nor said.

"Very well," Hammond said. "SG-1, you're to accompany Rak'nor back to the encampment. Colonel, I want your opinion on the feasibility of such a prospect. If you believe that the people are truly receptive, then I can see about having a weapons officer permanently attached to Teylana. You can ship out when ready." With that, the general gained his feet, signaling the end of the briefing and retreated to his office.

<><><><><>

Sam stepped through the gate; quickly moving out of the way of the FRED that she knew was following her. Just like the last time, they'd come visiting the renegade Jaffa; they came bearing arms and supplies. She just hoped that the mission would have a better outcome than the last one, which ended with Teal'c having to fight K'tano to the death right before an all out retreat in response to Yu's attack.

"No welcoming committee?" Jack asked, scanning the trees that lined the clearing.

He turned to Rak'nor, "Even though this moon isn't listed in the yellow pages, a sentry or two…"

Six Jaffa stepped out of the trees, their staff weapons held at the ready but not armed, "Six is good," he finished as Daniel smothered a smile and Teal'c shared a smug look with Rak'nor.

The young Jaffa stepped forward and clasped the hands of one of the approaching sentries.

"K'Lem. All is well?"

"Indeed, Rak'nor," K'Lem said, looking curiously at SG-1, focusing on Teal'c.

Teal'c inclined his head in greeting. "K'Lem."

The man ignored him, the snub noticeable even to the humans. "Come, Rak'nor. We have much to discuss," he said.

Rak'nor threw Teal'c an apologetic look, then followed K'Lem towards the encampment.

Jack looked at his team and rolled his eyes. "This is gonna be SO much fun," he quipped, motioning them forward.

Biting back a grin, Sam worked the controls, moving the FRED forward.

<><><><><>

Sam sat next to her teammates in the largest tent of the camp. Jack and Daniel were seated at her side, Teal'c with Rak'nor on the opposite side of the low table. They'd arrived in the camp just in time for the evening meal. Teylana's position in the solar system giving it shorter days than Earth, maybe eighteen hours as opposed to the twenty-four they were used to. A woman offered her a tray and she took a small amount of roasted meat, more from a sense of being polite than real hunger. As far as her stomach was concerned, it was three in the afternoon, not dinnertime.

"Where would be a good place to set up shop in the morning?" Jack asked; carefully sipping at the goblet of wine he'd been served.

"Shop?" K'Lem asked.

"The firing range?" Jack prompted.

K'Lem shook his head. "Rak'nor, to what is the human referring?"

Jack shared a look with his team. "Rak'nor?"

The Jaffa sighed quietly. "K'Lem, I have asked the Tau'ri here to aid us."

"They have delivered their food, what more aid do we need?" The man spat. Unlike Teal'c and Rak'nor, K'Lem was of Caucasian descent, his dark brown hair pulled up in a long topknot and his brown eyes hard and cold. Teylana's climate was on the cool side as opposed to what they were used to on Earth but K'Lem was wearing long pants, a sleeveless tunic and calf high boots. His body was lean and Jack could see a wiry strength in him that was different than Teal'c's bulk.

"I thought we were here to help train people," Daniel said.

"Train us? What do you think you can train us on? Your primitive weapons?"

"Uhm…primitive weapons that can kick your ass?" Jack said, his irritation showing through.

"K'Lem, Rak'nor led us to believe that the Jaffa here desired training on Tau'ri weapons," Teal'c said.

"Not just the Jaffa, the women," Sam said throwing the gauntlet out in the open. It was more than obvious that K'Lem not only had a problem with humans, but women as well. She figured if he was going to blow up, he might as well get it over with.

"The women?" he asked, his voice full of amazement.

"Us?" One of the serving women asked, her tray of food temporarily forgotten.

"Yeah, anyone who wants to," Sam said.

"Women do not fight," K'Lem declared, crossing his arms over his chest.

"She does," the woman said, setting down her tray. "You can teach us how to fight? How to defend ourselves?"

"We can," Sam said, smiling at her. "What's your name?"

"M'Rena."

"Silence woman," K'Lem ordered. "Tend to your duties."

"Why can not my duties include defending myself and my people?" she asked, shooting him a cold look.

"That is a man's place."

"And who will defend us when the men are gone?" She demanded.

"This is the 'aid' from the Tau'ri?" K'Lem sneered. "A leader that ignores us and friends that wish to turn our women into warriors? For this we have risked our lives?" He got to his feet, kicking his plate of food aside.

"K'Lem…" Rak'nor started.

"No." He sliced the air with his hands. "I will have no part of this. If you wish to destroy our people, you shall do it on your own," he declared, storming from the tent.

"Teal'c…I…"

"There is no need to apologize," he said. "This is a concept that I had a difficult time accepting when I first joined the Tau'ri. It goes against every belief that we are raised with. However, I believe for our people to be free, we must change our beliefs. I have served at Major Carter's side for five years, and she has proven that she is a most capable warrior. I would trust her with my life. I believe that there are Jaffa women who possess the same capabilities."

"He's not going to cause trouble is he?" Jack asked torn between wanting to help and not wanting to be caught in the middle of a Jaffa civil war.

Rak'nor shook his head. "I do not believe so. K'Lem is most passionate however, in his heart he does want freedom for his people."

"Well, keep an eye on him. The last thing I want is for us to get stuck in the middle of a war. Carter, why don't you and your friend go see if you can find some more volunteers while Teal'c, Daniel and I go find a place to set up a training range."

<><><><><>

"Teal'c?" Daniel followed Teal'c's gaze to a man amongst the group that was looking right back, "You know that guy?"

Teal'c bowed his head slightly and the man repaid the gesture before turning back to the group to talk.

"O-kay," Jack said looking at Teal'c, "Friend of yours?"

They resumed walking, Teal'c calm and his face giving up no secrets as ever.

"Bibra," he answered, "He was a serpent guard. Master Bra'tac recruited him."

"Speaking of…where is Bra'tac?" Jack asked.

"He is off-world with Ry'ac. There are portions of a Jaffa's training that must be conducted in solitude," Teal'c replied, his sadness at not being able to see his son evident in his voice.

"That's uh…that's gotta be weird," Daniel said, looking back at Bibra. "Having Bibra here."

"Indeed," Teal'c said unenthusiastically, "I was the one that trained him."

<><><><><>

Sam snapped the empty clip into the P-90 and looked up at her students, pleased to see that they were at least paying attention.

"Any questions?" she asked her small group of students.

She and M'Rena had been able to find about a dozen women willing to be trained, although she noted that there were several more hanging back at the edges of the small clearing, obviously interested but seemingly afraid to come forward. Most likely because of the handful of men, including K'Lem who were also observing the class.

"So, this…. gun differs from the staff weapons?' M'Rena asked, holding up the weapon in her hands.

"Right. Staff weapons fire a burst of flame and energy, the P-90 fires a projectile." She frowned at their blank faces at the word.

"Have you ever…thrown a rock at anyone?" Some of them nodded. "Think of the bullet as a tiny rock." She pulled a clip out of her vest and took a bullet out of it. "It may look small and harmless, but the gun is capable of projecting this at a high velocity. And it can circumvent conventional Jaffa armor. These are armor-piercing bullets, specially engineered to penetrate metal. And they have a far greater range than staff weapons."

A couple of the men watching the training openly snorted, their demeanor openly mocking. She could see that their behavior was intimidating some of the more uncertain women, one or two of them fading back into the trees. Inwardly she sighed and rolled her eyes. As much as she wanted to, she knew nothing could be accomplished by antagonizing the men. Nothing she could say would ever change their minds. When dealing with guys, it was usually best to simply put your money where your mouth was.

"Why don't we go and see if Colonel O'Neill's found a good firing range and I can show you what I mean by armor piercing bullets," she said. The women nodded and got to their feet, a couple struggling with the rifles making Sam glad she'd not given them loaded weapons.

They trooped across the encampment losing a couple of women and gaining a few children along the way. Earlier that morning the colonel and Daniel had found a large clearing about a half-mile away from the camp. The clearing was lined on one side by short range of low hills, making a perfect safety zone to stop any stray bullets. There were a couple of small trees in the middle, which the guys were removing up and setting up some makeshift targets.

They'd thought about using the normal training area like they had before, but Rak'nor had suggested that the women would find it easier to practice if they didn't have to do so under the close scrutiny of the men.

Sam scanned the clearing, her eyes lighting on the colonel and Daniel sitting on the ground at the edge of the clearing. She excused herself from the women and made her way over to them.

"How's it going?" Jack asked as she sat beside them.

"Pretty good, sir. All things considered." She shot K'Lem and his group of sycophants a glance.

"Is he a serious threat or just bluster?" Jack asked.

"I think mostly bluster," Sam answered. "He's…"

"Got a little staff weapon envy?" Jack interrupted, causing her to grin.

"Oh yeah."

"Well, that's to be expected," Daniel said. "Their society is definitely patriarchal. These women becoming warriors threatens generations of beliefs. I mean, look at how long it took Earth…"

"You mean IS taking Earth," Sam interrupted. "There's still places at home where a woman is nothing but a baby machine. It's been fifty years since we got the right to vote and join the military. And these people don't have that long. Without more symbiotes, they're all going to die."

"Daniel had an idea about that," Jack said.

Sam turned to Daniel, "Oh?"

"Uh…yeah. The Tok'ra were able to get Sho'nac a new symbiote," Daniel reminded.

"Right."

"Well, they have spies everywhere. What if they could…form an alliance with the Jaffa."

"What kind of alliance?" Sam asked.

"I think it's safe to say that it's fairly easy for a Jaffa to infiltrate a Goa'uld's ranks, probably easier than a Tok'ra," Daniel said.

"You mean, for the Tok'ra to have a Jaffa army?" Sam asked incredulously.

"Why not?" Jack asked. "Enemy of my enemy and all that."

"The Jaffa can spy for the Tok'ra in exchange for the Tok'ra procuring new symbiotes," Daniel said.

"What about the mature ones?" Sam asked, bringing up the question they'd all been avoiding. It was easy to think of the Goa'uld like rats or some other pest. In reality, they WERE sentient creatures. When a Goa'uld matured, it had to take a host or it died. It took one life to preserve it's own. Which made it easy to see the Goa'uld as parasites or monsters when in reality they were just as sentient as humans, perhaps more so given their genetic memory. Every symbiote possessed a genetic memory and could access thousands of years of its predecessor's memories and experiences.

Jack shrugged. "Either the Tok'ra use them for intel, or they do whatever they do with them right now. As long as I don't get one of them in my head, I don't really care."

Sam met Daniel's eyes and they both held their tongues. They didn't like the Goa'uld, not by a long shot. But they also had had enough bad experiences at the hands of the system lords to not be really sympathetic to the creatures' plight.

"What did Teal'c say?" Sam asked.

"We haven't asked him, why get their hopes up?" Daniel said.

"We could contact the Tok'ra, see what they think before putting the idea before Teal'c and the rest," Sam said.

"Yeah," Jack said, his well know feelings about the Tok'ra coming forth. "You got these women ready for some live fire exercises?" he asked Sam.

"Yes, sir. They know the basics," she affirmed.

"Cool." He got to his feet. "Why don't I take over for a bit and you and Daniel go visit Dad."

<><><><><>

Sam exited the wormhole, squinting into the setting sun. She hurried down the steps, clearing the way for the people that were following her.

"And they say gate-lag is a myth," Daniel said, shooting her an understanding look. It'd been noon on Bethage, the current Tok'ra base.

"So are the Roswell Aliens," she said, glancing at her watch. It was mid morning Earth time. If she did too much more of this planet hopping she'd be catching up on her sleep for weeks when she got home.

"Aren't you the kid that used to pull seventy-two hour study sessions?" Jacob reminded casting a glance at his two Tok'ra companions. Anise had joined their group along with the Tok'ra Jah'Mas, host to the symbiote Shi'mial, chosen to open negotiations for an alliance. Anise was coming along to take a few samples and see if the Tok'ra could devise a way to free the Jaffa from their dependency on immature Goa'uld.

"I could do a lot of things years ago that I can't or won't now, dad," Sam said as they walked away from the gate. Remembering their arrival earlier, she scanned the trees, looking for the sentries. Right on schedule, she saw one of them emerge from the trees. He waited until he knew that she saw him, then faded back into the greenery.

"Nice sentry system they got," Jacob said.

"You can't blame them for being cautious," Daniel said. "The Tok'ra do the same."

"Any cautious race guards their Stargate," Anise spoke up.

"The Jaffa have good reason to be cautious," Jah'Mas said. "Yu nearly destroyed them last time," the Tok'ra said, jogging a bit to catch up.

"We did?" Daniel asked, frowning at Sam.

"Yu as in the system lord," Jah'Mas said, in a condescending tone.

"Little joke," Daniel explained.

Jah'Mas nodded. "I see. The lack of humor led me to believe otherwise," he said before turning his back and walking on ahead.

Daniel nodded. "Right…okay."

Sam grinned at Daniel and watched Jah'Mas walking on, his eyes observing every inch of their surroundings. Jah'Mas was a tall man with a sturdy hard look about him, perhaps an inch or so taller than Sam. His face hadn't seemed to venture beyond a grave expression since they had met him, his lips pouting in a sulky manner when he wasn't talking. His blonde hair was excruciatingly neat and combed back, making the sharp features of his face stand out all the more. In a way he almost seemed to be a less amiable and disgruntled version of Martouf. Sam pushed down the sad feeling of loss at the sudden appearance of Martouf in her memories and zoned back to the present conversation. Namely Anise.

"Of course, had they exercised more caution in who they told of their location, perhaps Yu would not have found them so easily," Anise said haughtily.

Sam sighed and rolled her eyes. Including the scientist had most definitely NOT been her idea. Yet, she felt that she really had no choice. Janet and others on Earth had been working on ways to circumvent the symbiote for years and had had no luck. If Anise could truly free the Jaffa from their dependency, it was more than worth having to put up with her. And she privately agreed with the woman. In her opinion, the Jaffa were far too trusting of new recruits, needing nothing more than their word that they wished to rebel.

"Well, given that they're not staging attacks against the Goa'uld right now, secrecy shouldn't be a problem," Daniel said. After Yu's attack and thanks to the Tau'ri subsidizing their food, the Jaffa didn't have to raid for supplies. The lack of traffic through the gate did cut down on the chances of spies getting the word out, and also removed the incentive for the Goa'uld to attack.

They arrived at the camp just as the sun set, using the myriad of cook fires to guide them. Sam led the Tok'ra to the large tent SG-1 had been given, not missing the curious and sometimes downright hostile stares from the Jaffa. She couldn't blame them. To most of the Jaffa, the Tok'ra were mortal enemies. And she knew exactly how they felt. Being in this camp, surrounded by Jaffa was enough to make her skin crawl, literally.

Thanks to Jolinar, she was able to sense the presence of another Goa'uld, and being surrounded by a few hundred symbiotes made her feel like she was standing under a high-tension line.

"Well, that was fast," Jack said as they entered the tent.

"Colonel?" Sam asked, setting her gear down on her pallet.

"The last time we asked the Tok'ra for a favor, they debated for days," he said, taking his gun apart, the cleaning supplies spread out on his bedroll.

"Glad to see you too, Jack," Jacob said.

"Jacob," Jack acknowledged. "So, I guess this means the Tok'ra are willing to consider an alliance?"

"It is very possible that such a partnership could prove mutually beneficial," Jah'Mas said, walking around and exploring the tent, picking up things and turning them over in his hands.

Jack reached out and slowly took back one of the objects Jah'Mas had been handling. "Really?" Jack said as in 'who the hell is this guy?'

"Jack, this is Jah'Mas. He's host to the symbiote Shi'Mial," Daniel introduced. "He's been given the job of negotiating the potential treaty. And you already know Anise."

"Oh yeah," Jack said. "You looking for time bombs?" he asked the woman.

"No, colonel. We are here to gather information," she said coolly.

"Anise has been trying to find a way to end the Jaffa's dependence on symbiotes," Sam said.

"I have been doing experiments on my own, however lacking the access to live subjects, there is only so much I can do," the blond Tok'ra said.

"These aren't 'subjects'," Jack said. "These are people."

"Of course, colonel," she agreed.

"So, how did the lessons go, sir?" Sam said, hoping to break up the impending 'debate'.

"Not bad," Jack said, snapping his P-90 back together. "They're better than some recruits I've had. Still having a little trouble with the spectators though." At least all it had been was some verbal harassment and hecklers, he thought.

"You can't expect things to change overnight, Jack," Jacob said. "You're trying to buck centuries of tradition."

"Yeah, well if they keep this up, their traditions are gonna end in about ten years or so," Jack said, getting to his feet.

"What does Teal'c think?" Jacob asked.

"We aah…we haven't exactly told him yet," Daniel said, causing Jacob to look at him skeptically.

"Don't you think that was sorta important?" Jacob asked. "Teal'c is their leader, we can't do anything without his approval."

"Teal'c'll go for it," Jack said. "He's enough of a realist to know that they need to do something."

"About what, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, stepping into the tent with Rak'nor at his side. Sam was sure it hadn't taken long for word of their arrival to spread through the camp.

"Teal'c," Daniel interrupted. "You remember back in the briefing room, when we were discussing your problems…the lack of symbiotes."

"Of course. General Hammond also believed that should the Tok'ra secure a source of new symbiotes, we would be the first to acquire that knowledge."

"And you will be, Teal'c," Jacob said.

"What we've come up with is maybe a way for you to help each other," Daniel said.

"Please explain," Teal'c requested.

"Well, the Tok'ra can't always infiltrate everywhere that they need to go. Goa'uld are suspicious of their own kind. However…a Jaffa can, blend into their ranks, gathering information and then get it out to the Tok'ra," Daniel said.

"You want us to spy for the Tok'ra?" Rak'nor said looking quite horrified.

"Pretty much," Jack confirmed.

"I was not aware that the acquisition of symbiotes came at a price," Teal'c said, bristling a bit.

"They don't, Teal'c," Jacob said. "Any symbiotes we come across will be given to you and your people."

"Then why mention an alliance?"

"Teal'c, don't you think it's time we all started to work together?" Sam asked.

"I was under the impression that was what we were doing."

"We are, Teal'c," Daniel said. "This would just be a more efficient way."

"It seems to be a way to endanger Jaffa lives," Rak'nor protested.

Teal'c looked at Rak'nor and back at Jack, "I concur with Rak'nor, O'Neill," he said defensively.

"Dal Shaka Mel, Teal'c," Jah'Mas said, stepping forward. "Do you think these people would rather die helping the Tok'ra and Tau'ri or spend their lives waiting for their symbiotes to mature, running the risk of being turned into a host?" he asked.

Teal'c paused, looking the man appraisingly in the eyes. "This is a decision I can not make on the behalf of these people. I will not choose the course of action for their lives."

"Well, in that case you may as well walk out amongst them now and take their symbiotes from them and crush them along with any chance they may have of surviving. These people will die," Jah'Mas said with a curious smile.

Teal'c remained silent for a while and then looked at an uncertain Rak'nor. "We will need time to think about this," Teal'c replied.

"By all means. But do not take too long. Remember, time is something these people…nor yourself…possess. It's an easy choice. The Tok'ra or death. Death…or the Tok'ra," he smiled again.

Jack snorted, "Trust me, he's gonna need time to think about it."

<><><><><>

Sam sat down on the ground and accepted the dipper of water handed to her by one of the Jaffa children. Her group today was a little bigger than yesterday, and noticeably younger. She still had her group of hecklers hanging on the edge of the clearing. But at least their number hadn't grown. Of course, they had other distractions today as well. Teal'c, Jah'Mas and Daniel were making their way around the camp, searching for recruits, while Anise and Jacob were trying to find volunteers for her research.

Freeing the Jaffa from their dependency on the larval Goa'uld would be a fantastic thing, but not something that she held out much hope for. As advanced as they were, the Tok'ra were horribly behind in any kind of medical research. Them having symbiotes and use of the healing device pretty much made searching for medicines a waste of time. Who needed a better aspirin if you never got a headache?

She felt more than a little regret that the Tollan were gone. Personally, she thought that they were more likely to help the Jaffa than the Tok'ra. But…they weren't an option any more.

"You look troubled, Sam," M'Rena said, sitting beside her.

Sam smiled, "No. Just thinking. How does it feel?" She nodded towards the P-90 in the woman's hand.

"Odd. But…satisfying," she said. "For all of my life, I have watched the men go off to fight. My father, brothers, my sisters' husbands. And all of them have not returned, their lives forfeit to the whims of a 'god'," she spat. "My mother once told me that it was our lot in life to survive our men, that it was our duty to comfort and support them." She paused and looked Sam in the eyes. "I am promised to be wed upon the next full moon and I do not want to bring another generation into slavery. If using this will help my sons grow to be old men who live to see their grandchildren, then I will use it," she vowed, gesturing with the gun.

"You will not use it for long," a woman said, moving from where she had been behind them.

"Jarinda? What do you mean?" M'Rena asked the woman.

She was an older woman, either without a symbiote, or like Bra'tac, nearing the end of her time as a host. Her caramel colored face was lined and creased. She wore her long black hair pulled back in a severe knot, exposing a regal neck and ears that were pierced, but not adorned at the moment.

"Jarinda, I know this may seem strange to you, but women can fight just as well as men…" Sam started to say.

The woman sliced the air with her hand, silencing her. "Jaffa women know well how to survive, we must or our race would have perished millennia ago."

"Then, what do you mean?" M'Rena asked.

"This rebellion will not survive. If we are not killed by our symbiotes, we shall fall victim to the betrayals of deceivers among us. All this rebellion will accomplish is for us to die free," she said sadly.

"Deceivers? I thought…" Sam broke off as a series of out cries were heard in the distance. She cast a glance at her students, then clambered to her feet and hurried towards the disturbance.

Anise was backing out of a tent, a group of Jaffa surrounding her. Sam looked around for her father, relieved to see him jogging towards the group.

"What's going on?" she demanded, noting that Anise was edging towards her, obviously seeking to put Sam between the Jaffa and herself.

"This hataka…"

"She attacked my son!"

"She wishes to kill us."

"WHOA!" Sam yelled, holding up her hands to forestall the flood of complaints. "One at a time." She stepped aside and shot the Tok'ra scientist a cold look. "What did you do?" she demanded.

"I did nothing," she protested. "I was merely seeking to gather samples," she said.

"I forbade her to touch my son, and she subdued him and took her samples anyway," one Jaffa complained, cradling her toddler son tightly in her arms.

"Anise…"

"He is the only Jaffa here who does not have a symbiote that is pre-puberty. His samples are valuable as a baseline."

"You can't take samples from a child without its parent's consent," Sam protested.

"I caused the child no harm."

"What happened?" Jacob demanded.

"I will not let this Goa'uld near my son!"

"I am not Goa'uld!" Anise insisted. "I am Tok'ra."

"You treat us in the same way a Goa'uld would."

"Dad, I thought you were going to keep an eye…?" Sam turned accusingly to her father.

"Excuse me for having bodily functions," he replied.

Sam sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Ok. Anise, why don't you take a break from your work and…"

"Perhaps she could learn to use your Earth weapons?" M'Rena suggested.

"Yes. That's a great idea, M'Rena," Sam said, clutching to the excuse. "Could you take her to the training ground and show her the basics and I'll be along in a bit." M'Rena nodded and grabbed Anise's arm, pulling the Tok'ra behind her.

Sam turned to the gathered Jaffa. "I'm sorry she ignored your wishes but if your son is the only youngster here without a symbiote, it could make a big difference between finding a cure for your symbiotes or not." Sam turned to Jacob. "My father, he's fought at Teal'c's and my side for years. Teal'c trusts him. Will you let him gather the samples? I promise he won't do anything you don't want him to do," Sam said, shooting her father a warning look.

"Yes, I promise," Jacob said, his voice conciliatory.

The gathered Jaffa muttered amongst themselves then the leader stepped forward. "Very well, but I shall accompany him."

"Fine," Jacob said, stepping forward and picking up Anise's discarded sample bag. Sam watched the group break up then sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She should have known that Anise would be trouble. And they'd have to deal with her sooner or later. But it'd have to be later; right now they had more pressing problems.

<><><><><>

"We do not have traitors among us," Teal'c quietly insisted.

"Teal'c, I'm just repeating what I heard," Sam said, glancing at the other people gathered around the small fire, eating the evening meal. "Some of the women think that there are traitors here."

"All the Jaffa here are loyal to the thought of freedom," Rak'nor said.

"Or themselves," Jack muttered.

"O'Neill?"

"Look, Teal'c. I know that I can't do the whole looking into the eyes thing but…no one thought there were any traitors last time either," he said, pointedly referring to K'tano and his deception.

Teal'c sighed. "You are correct, O'Neill," he admitted.

"Ok, what are we going to do about it?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel?"

He shrugged. "Call me silly but I think simply asking them if they're planning to overthrow Teal'c or betray us to a Goa'uld will probably not…go over too well," he quipped.

"Perhaps we should avail ourselves of Major Carter's report with the women," Rak'nor suggested.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Master Bra'tac once said the greatest security vulnerability did not come from the palace, but the local brothel," Teal'c said.

"Pillow talk," Jack translated.

Rak'nor nodded. "A warrior will often tell his lover things that he will die before revealing to his enemy."

"A sting?" Daniel said. "We ask the women what they know, identify some suspects and then see if we can find some evidence."

"I don't know how open they'll be," Sam said. "What I heard was just in passing."

"They might be more open if they don't know they're being overheard," Jacob said. "Obviously they don't trust me or Anise but…Daniel is just a run of the mill human."

Daniel frowned, "I…am?"

"A human they don't all know can speak the language," Jacob said.

"So, if Daniel hangs around with Carter, maybe helping out with the next class, he might overhear something," Jack said. "Ok. Daniel?"

Daniel eyes darted from one person to the next as he contemplated the next item on the list of reprehensible or embarrassing things done while working for the U.S government.

"You want me to hang around and spy on some women," Daniel said flatly, "Well, guess it could be worse."

<><><><><>

Teal'c walked with Rak'nor through the sleeping camp, his ears picking up the sounds of people asleep, or other wise engaged. He did not want to admit it, but he feared that Major Carter was correct. There were spies among them. How? How could they make a mockery of their desperate fight for freedom by betraying them?

Was the petty tributes and comforts of being a favored of the Goa'uld enough to make a man condemn his people to perpetual slavery?

The betrayers would eventually be betrayed, he knew. The Goa'uld certainly hadn't cared if they murdered their spies when they attacked K'Tano's compound. If it were just the betrayers, he would not care. But these hatakas were condemning hundreds of women and children to death as well.

Rak'nor sighed. "Freedom does not seem possible on nights like this."

Teal'c turned to the troubled man. "It is a difficult road, but one we must take."

Rak'nor shook his head. "True, but when we carry the enemy within us, the path is all the more difficult. We must overcome the Goa'uld, yet we need them for our very survival. It is a cruel twist of fate."

Teal'c sighed and nodded slowly. Rak'nor smiled and placed his hand on Teal'c's shoulder. "I will leave you. I do not wish to drain your optimism from you."

Teal'c smiled back and gave a bow of his head as Rak'nor turned to go.

Teal'c continued to walk around alone in the cool night. He walked past a small group of men kneeling on the ground, playing a game of chance. It was a common sight in a camp, one he had participated in more than once. But instead of seeing the bonding of warriors or camaraderie, he saw a potential for betrayal in their whispered conversations.

They were like the human disease of cancer, slowly, insidiously destroying the rebellion from within. And if he wanted the rebellion to flourish and his son to grow into freedom, it was a disease he had to destroy.

<><><><><>

K'Lem stood at the edge of the clearing and watched the latest group of females practice with their 'weapons'. It just seemed…wrong. Females were not supposed to defend themselves or worse, attack enemy forces. Did they have no faith in their men? Were they that afraid that they felt they had no choice but to bear arms themselves?

He could perhaps understand the fear of the few that had no men folk to protect and provide for them. But not the rest. He knew these women; they had brothers, fathers, men who would protect them. And M'Rena. How could she? Didn't she realize that when she took up arms herself, she told the whole camp that she had no faith in his abilities as her betrothed to protect her? She may as well have spit in his face, he thought as he watched her show Deana now to work the Tau'ri weapon.
"Is this how far we have fallen?" A voice muttered. K'Lem turned to see another Jaffa standing next to him, his arms crossed across his chest. "Women acting as warriors," Bibra explained. K'Lem recognized him, one of Apophis' former serpent guards. From the man's arrival at the camp, he'd been the most vocal in his concerns about Teal'c's leadership of the refugees.

"It seems that way."

"They have said they will not withhold ammunition. Colonel O'Neill gave his word," K'Lem protested.

"Yes. Let us take the word of a human. The same human that has killed our brothers. They are no better than the Goa'uld. Slavery to a new master is still slavery. It is better to die free than to live under a new master."

K'Lem watched the lessons, fighting the urge to flinch as Deana fired her weapon. He saw her smile broadly at M'Rena who nodded confidently. M'Rena never smiled at him any more. She never spent time with him or even acknowledged his existence.

"I am not the only one who feels this way," Bibra said quietly.

K'Lem turned, giving his full attention again to the man.

"There are others, many others who have no faith in the Tau'ri. They want us to hide here like frightened children until they can use us to aid them. If there are enough of us, we can take control of this camp. We can banish Teal'c and the others and set off on our own. We can find a source of symbiotes and insure our survival. We will be ruled by no one but ourselves," he said quietly.

K'Lem stared ahead of him in silence, contemplating this future.

"We will attain TRUE freedom," he said. "Tonight, at the pool as the moon rises," he answered in response to K'Lem's interested look. K'Lem nodded his assent and the man faded back into the crowd.

He watched M'Rena take the weapon from Deana and show her something. When they were joined, what would he tell their children? Would she consent to be joined? Or would she now rather join the fight? What if she were killed or captured? He knew what Jaffa did to their enemies, how they treated their captives. No. That would not happen to her. Not to his M'Rena.

<><><><><>

Daniel stood at the edge of the clearing trying not to look like he was eavesdropping on the small group of women gathered nearby. It was how he'd spent a good portion of the day, trying to look like he was assisting Sam while what he was really doing was straining his ears trying to overhear something important. So far he had gathered absolutely nothing about any traitors. He figured that either Sam had been wrong in what she'd overheard yesterday, or maybe that they knew that he could understand their language and were keeping their mouths shut. Then again, even if they didn't know he could understand them, they might be reluctant to speak around him given his association with the Tok'ra, who they definitely didn't trust.

He heard a burst of laughter and glanced at the small group of men gathered, watching the training. One of them slapped the other on the back and the rest laughed. They were obviously buddies, friends. Just like most of the SG teams back on Earth. They only really trusted one of their own.

<><><><><>

"And?" Jack enquired as they gathered for dinner.

"Well…so far I've gathered a wealth of knowledge about someone named Saker and his skill in…well, conjugal matters, T'Sayla's difficulty in conceiving a child and several intriguing recipes that won't harm the sensitive stomach," Daniel said raising his eyebrows in amusement of the information he brought forward.

"Did you write 'em down?" Jack asked, fumbling a bit with his plate of roasted meat and fresh bread.

"Jack, my point is…they're not going to spill anything,"

"Because…"

"How many times have we talked about the camaraderie of the SG teams? The…closeness. These Jaffa are the same way. They'll never betray one of their own," he said.

"But, Daniel, the spies in their midst could cost all of them their lives," Sam said. "All it takes is one to go through the gate and tell one of the system lords where they are and it's all over."

"Yeah, and if a member of the SGC took a few surveillance tapes to the local news, we'd be shut down in a heart beat."

"No one would do that," Sam insisted.

"And none of these Jaffa would turn their brethren over to a system lord. They might however, go off on their own."

"What would that achieve?" Jack asked. "Their only strength lies in their numbers."

"It's also their greatest weakness, sir," Sam spoke up. "If they find a source of symbiotes, there's more people wanting a limited supply."

"But the Tok'ra are going to take care of that."

"Yes, sir. Eventually, but…with the Jaffa rebellion, the Goa'uld are guarding their larvae more closely than they did a few years ago. They know that the Sholva Jaffa have an Achilles heel, and I think it's a weakness they'll exploit."

"Then that should be all the more reason to agree to the alliance with the Tok'ra," Jack said, scarfing down the last of his dinner.

"It's not going to be that easy, Jack. These Jaffa have seen the Tok'ra as the enemy for millennia."

"Well, I'm not ready to invite any snakeheads over for a barbecue, with the possible exception of dad," Jack nodded towards Sam. "But I can still recognize a tactically sound idea." He got to his feet and brushed off his lap. "I'm gonna take a walk. We'll talk to Teal'c and Jacob when they get back. Maybe we can see if there's something we can do to press the issue." He exited the tent, walking out into the gathering night.

Sparing a few glances at the various small groups of Jaffa, he made his way out of the encampment and towards the low hills. He felt the need to find a little solitude and think. He was getting more than a little frustrated with the whole situation. Why the hell did the Jaffa have to be so damned hardheaded? He could see where they were coming from; he wasn't exactly over whelmed with trust for the Tok'ra himself. But they were literally the Jaffas' only hope. Their conundrum was something he'd thought about a time or two. Teal'c may have several more years with Junior, but Jack knew the day would come when the little snake would be all grown up and Teal'c would need anther symbiote. He knew the NID was probably salivating at the prospect of getting a snake of their very own, but Jack didn't care about that part. What he did care about was that a member of his team was literally living under a permanent death sentence.

He arrived at a small pond fed by a stream that the camp used for their water source. He found a fallen log and sat down, absently picking up small stones and lobbing them into the water. He let his mind wander, content to simply watch the rising moon reflecting off the ripples created by his activities.

He only just heard a faint sound and turned, coming face to face with the business end of a staff weapon.

<><><><><>

"Where's Colonel O'Neill?" Sam asked, accepting the mug of coffee Daniel held out to her. "I thought he had last watch?"

"So did I," Daniel said, frowning and yawning. "He didn't show up so I pulled a double," he complained. "I figured he just stayed out too late last night and overslept."

"He never oversleeps," Sam said, abandoning her coffee and getting to her feet. "Something could be wrong. When was the last time you saw him?"

"Last night at dinner."

"It's not like him to wander off. I'm going to find Teal'c and dad." She made her way through the camp, yawning again widely and wishing she'd have brought the coffee with her. She hadn't slept well the night before. It wasn't the accommodations; their tent could almost be described as luxurious, even if it lacked a bit on the privacy front. Her problem wasn't her surroundings, per se; rather who was occupying those surroundings. Jaffa. Too many Jaffa.

She'd just been getting used to the omnipresent buzz of symbiotes when she'd started hearing rumors about traitors. Now when she looked at one of them, she tried to see into their eyes and divine if they were 'good' or 'bad'.

And she wasn't the only one. She could feel a rising tension in the air. Apparently the rumor of the traitors had spread and the camp was quickly becoming a powder keg of suspicion and distrust. Given the inherent passionate and violent nature of Jaffa warriors, Sam had a bad feeling that if they didn't find the traitors soon; things were going to get nasty.

Spying her father and Jah'Mas with Teal'c talking to a small group of Jaffa, Sam picked up the pace, jogging over to meet them.

<><><><><>

"And you never faced risk when you fought for Sokar?" Jah'Mas asked the Jaffa not bothering to disguise his frustration. What was it with these people? They wanted freedom, and they moaned about the lack of symbiotes, yet they appeared reluctant to do anything about it.

Did they think a mother ship would just drop out of the sky full of larvae, or that they could find and keep their own queen? Or maybe they thought the humans would defeat the Goa'uld in the next year or so AND find a way to eliminate their dependency on larvae. Of course that would happen. And Ba'al was in the running to be the next High Chancellor of the Tok'ra.

"My good man, when your symbiote matures, you will die, leaving behind a family. Who will protect them when that happens? It won't be you…" Jah'Mas let his frustration take over.

"Jah'Mas," Jacob said. "If Wahnon doesn't want to join us…"

"He can sulk here until his primta takes him over and his friends kill him in self defense," Jah'Mas interrupted. "If that's what he wants, so be it. I will go and waste my time on other worthy causes, perhaps talk to someone with more sense, such as that tree," Jah'Mas stalked away.

Teal'c looked at Jacob, eyebrow cocked in amusement.

Jacob shrugged, "He's a complicated guy," he said as he and Teal'c followed behind Jah'Mas.

"Demanding a Jaffa risk his life to further the Tok'ra cause is not much different than what the Goa'uld demand of us," Teal'c said pointedly.

Jah'Mas spun, his eyes ablaze. "There is a difference," Shi'mial said. "We do not see the Jaffa as mere commodities."

"Then how do you see us?" Wahnon demanded loudly.

"An invaluable resource. Yes, there are risks to infiltrating a Goa'uld's ranks. But it is no greater of a risk than the Tok'ra take on a daily basis. We, both host and symbiote, risk our lives looking for and acquiring symbiotes to keep Jaffa alive."

"Dad?" Sam said quietly, not wanting to interrupt, "Things going well?" she asked rhetorically, smiling slightly at her father's rolling eyes.

"Did you need something?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"Have you seen Colonel O'Neill lately?"

Jacob shook his head. "Not since last night. Why?"

Sam's reply was lost in a rush of shouts and screams. Instinctively, Sam reached for her weapon only to have her hands come up empty. She felt her dad edge closer as the camp erupted in a flurry of activity. Within seconds, they were surrounded by a large group of Jaffa; their staff weapons primed and ready. Recognizing the odds, she and the Tok'ra surrendered.

<><><><><>

Jack wrenched his wrists, trying to loosen the bonds that held them behind his back. He could feel the rough hemp of the rope cut into his skin even through the gloves he wore. He cursed himself for being eighteen kinds of stupid as he struggled. The signs had certainly been there, the discontent, the secrecy, but he'd ignored them. They'd underestimated the Jaffa's resolve, and now could pay a high price.

They'd caught him by surprise last night. The last thing he'd expected was to find himself at the business end of a staff weapon. Fortunately, they hadn't wanted to kill him and had been content to merely tie him up while they continued their plotting. He couldn't understand all of what they said, but their actions were unmistakable. He'd been around long enough to recognize a coup when he saw one.

All he could hope was that their not killing him was a good sign that they weren't going to massacre the 'non-believers' but maybe just subdue them.

"Your friends won't be harmed," K'Lem said, standing a few feet away. He'd been given the task of guarding Jack while the other fifty or so traitors went to carry out their coup.

"Yeah, y'know, you're not really gaining my trust here," Jack replied dryly, still struggling with his bonds.

"They don't want to kill them, just for them to leave us alone," K'Lem insisted.

"You could have asked," Jack groused, his fingers finding a small shard of stone. Trying not to look like he was concentrating on anything, he picked it up, trying to make his numb fingers work the way he wanted them to.

"And you would have left…just like that?"

"Yes."

"And the food?"

"It'd still come."

"So you say," K'Lem snorted derisively.

"Yeah, so I say. Look, there's still time to stop this. Untie me and we'll go warn the camp."

"So you and your team can use your weapons to remove the traitors…permanently," K'Lem sneered.

"So we can stop this nonsense before someone gets hurt."

K'Lem stalked over and slapped Jack hard, making him fall over and the stone slip from his fingers. "Be silent," he ordered. He stood there for a moment then stomped away, sitting down on the other side of the fire.

Gritting his teeth, Jack lay there, fumbling for the sharp stone. Finding it, he set to working on the ropes again. So much for talking, he thought hoping that K'Lem was telling the truth and that he wasn't going to get back to the camp to find a massacre.

<><><><><>

"You'll get us killed," Jarinda whispered harshly, tugging at Sam's sleeve. Sam shot the woman an annoyed look and shook her arm, trying to make her let go.

She let the two pieces of tent slide together and turned to face the rest of the prisoners. "There's only a couple of guards," Sam whispered to the gathered women. "We can take them."

"Take them where?" Anise asked.

"We can get out of here and help the others," Sam explained wishing again that the scientist hadn't come.

"What can we do?"

"Get the weapons and find the colonel first," Sam said. "His disappearing has to have something to do with this. We find him, then we find Teal'c and the rest of the Tok'ra. If we can't help them, we get to the gate and get some help."

"You're going to get us killed," one of the women protested. "They said they wouldn't hurt us."

"Yeah, I've heard that before," Sam snorted. "If you don't want to help, fine. Anyone who would like to get out of here, follow me."

"Stop!" Jarinda declared. "Guards!" She called out. The tent flap opened and the two guards that had been standing outside hurried into the tent. "The Tau'ri plots to escape," the old woman spat.

"Jarinda? What are you doing?" M'Rena asked, grabbing the old woman's arm. She shook off M'Rena's grasp and met Sam's eyes. Jarinda spun, grasping one of the guard's knife from its sheath and stabbing it into his chest in one smooth move. Taking advantage of the distraction, Sam attacked the other guard quickly disarming him and knocking him to the ground where the other women leapt upon him and tied him up. "Perhaps now is a good time to show me these weapons of yours?" Jarinda asked.

Sam smiled. "A couple of you keep an eye on these two, the rest of you, come with me."

<><><><><>

"This is the last of them." The Jaffa released his hold on Jah'Mas' collar, sending the Tok'ra stumbling into the hijacked command tent. Jacob and Teal'c held out steadying hands and kept him from falling to the ground.

"You know, you're not going to make many friends by behaving like barbarians," Jah'Mas snapped as he smoothed out his clothes.

"Take it easy Jayme," Jacob calmed the irate man.

"Jayme?" Daniel said with a bemused expression.

"Zat?" Jacob replied instantly.

The Jaffa had been most efficient in their coup. Anyone that wasn't a member of their group had been quickly subdued, rounded up and imprisoned in small groups. They'd spent the last several minutes finding the Tok'ra and separating them from the rest. They still hadn't brought Sam or Anise to the tent yet and Jacob hoped that was because Bibra and his followers were living up to their normal sexist ways and that nothing else was wrong.

"Why do you do this? You harm your own people!" Rak'nor said looking into Bibra's hateful eyes.

"I harm my own people?" Bibra's eyes blazed, "You align yourself with those that will make slaves of you and show me to be a traitor? You are worse than this Sholva that first declares himself leader and then leaves with the Tau'ri," Bibra's voice was low and angry.

"I implore you Bibra, stop this now," Rak'nor pleaded.

"You are making a grave error," Teal'c said. "The Tok'ra are our only chance for survival."

"We don't need the Tok'ra. We shall insure our own survival," Bibra spat, brandishing his staff weapon.

"How? By stealing symbiotes?" Teal'c asked.

"If you don't believe in this alliance, why don't you just leave?" Daniel asked.

"Why should we run from planet to planet? You, Teal'c, shall leave and take these hataka with you."

"I will not abandon these people to you," Teal'c declared. "The Tok'ra are our best chance to live, to experience the freedom for which we fight."

"Jona se que," Bibra spat, standing before Teal'c.

"Bibra!" Rak'nor said in shock.

"Jona se que!" Bibra shouted in Teal'c's face.

Teal'c sighed and nodded. "Jona se que. But if I prevail, you and your followers will leave."

<><><><><>

Jack felt the rope give way and his arms jerk forward. His eyes darted across the clearing, hoping that his sudden movement had gone unnoticed by K'Lem. Much to his relief, the Jaffa was still seated several yards away, meditating.

Carefully, Jack brought his arms to his side and rolled his shoulders to ease out the cramps. Now all he had to do was get to his feet and run away. Piece of cake. No problem. Easy as pie. Without Clem Kadiddlehopper catching him…yeah, there always had to be a loophole.

Knowing that time was literally a luxury he didn't have, he slowly got to his feet and started to edge away. This was worse than when he had to sneak back into the house when he was a kid.

Ten steps, fifteen, twenty…just when he could sense the edge of the clearing at his back, a sharp crack split the air. K'Lem's eyes flew open and Jack glanced in horror at the broken twig under his boot. Meeting the Jaffa's eyes, Jack spun and ran.

Branches whipped his face and leaves blurred into nothingness as he pounded his way down the path. His body, reacting faster than his conscious mind could comprehend, jumped over fallen logs and around decaying stumps. He didn't even know if he was headed in the right direction, but it didn't matter. What was important was getting away.

He could hear his ragged breath; feel his heart pounding in his chest. Hearing a muttered curse, he knew that K'Lem was gaining on him. Forcing himself to run faster, his boots pounded into the dirt. He felt something wrap around his legs and he crashed to the ground, the air rushing from his lungs.

Survival instincts kicking in, he rolled, raising his scraped hands to defend himself. He saw K'Lem raise his meaty fist…and pause as the muzzle of a P-90 pressed into his forehead.

"You know what these can do…get off him," Jack heard Carter order.

The Jaffa raised his hands in surrender and stood up, slowly moving back.

"K'Lem, what are you doing?" One of the women demanded.

"M'Rena…"

Jack got to his feet, still breathing heavily. "Good…timing," he gasped as a couple of the Jaffa women disarmed K'Lem, binding his hands behind him.

"They've taken over the camp, sir," she reported, holding out a rifle.

"Figured that. Teal'c? Daniel?"

Sam shook her head. "They were rounded up too."

"Let's see if we can stop this before it gets any more out of hand than it already is." He nodded at K'Lem. "Bring him with us. He tries anything, shoot him," he ordered Sam. Accepting some extra clips from Sam, Jack led the way back to the camp.

<><><><><>

Teal'c took off his robe, scaling down to his fatigue pants and T-shirt. He watched Bibra do the same, then pick up a large knife; similar to what O'Neill called a machete. He threw the knife, setting the blade into the ground at Teal'c's feet.

Teal'c bent over and picked it up, still feeling the blade quivering in the palm of his hand. In the corner of his eye he could see the other Jaffa forming a large circle, each jockeying for position and a good view, while roughly delineating the battle ground.

Bibra accepted a knife from one of his supporters, and then slipped into a fighting stance. Teal'c did the same and they circled each other. Teal'c felt the noise and cheers from the crowd fade as his attention was focused solely on the man across from him.

He knew Bibra. His opponent was tall and lean, his lack of bulk lending him speed and agility. Bibra lunged and Teal'c quickly sidestepped whipping up his knife to strike. At the last second, Bibra twisted and Teal'c's knife cut harmlessly through the air.

Teal'c spun, raising his knife to block the blow he knew was coming. Their knives met and the clang of metal rang out over the cheers and shouts. Teal'c set his feet and pushed, making Bibra stumble back.

Taking advantage of his opponent being off balance, Teal'c thrust, his blade skimming along Bibra's side, drawing first blood.

The Jaffa backed off, sweat rolling down his face. His hand went to his wound and he drew it back slick with his own blood. "You can withdraw your claim," Teal'c offered.

Bibra shook his head and wiped his hand off on his pants. He again dropped into a fighting stance and Teal'c did the same. They again began to circle each other, each watching the others' movements, looking for some weakness, some clue as to what their next move would be. Teal'c barely registered a change in the attitude of the crowd as he saw Bibra lunge. Sidestepping, he thrust out his foot, causing his opponent to trip and go flying into the crowd. Teal'c heard a sharp scream and spun to see Bibra lying on top of one of the spectators. Just then the sharp report of bullets silenced the crowd. The gathered Jaffa split, revealing a ring of warriors with their weapons aimed at the crowd.

"Teal'c! What the hell's going on?" Jack demanded, striding into the circle.

"O'Neill…"

"NO!" A harsh cry silenced Teal'c. He looked to see Bibra cradling a figure; a blood stained knife in his hands. "Mother!" Bibra cried, stroking Jarinda's pale face.

Sam hurried forward, quickly assessing the barely conscious woman. She looked up to Jack and shook her head.

"You did this!" Bibra accused, staring at Teal'c.

"It is not his knife I see," Jah'Mas said, joining them, the tent with the Tok'ra and Daniel having been liberated first by Sam and her platoon.

Bibra ignored the Tok'ra. "You should have left," he accused Teal'c.

"No," Jarinda whispered painfully. "You should have listened to him," she told her son.

"Mother…"

"I buried your father because he would not listen. I have outlived all of my sons. I had hoped to see you find a wife and your son born into freedom."

"Sam, can't you do anything?" Daniel asked.

"If we were back on Earth, maybe but…"

"Let me try." Anise stepped forward, a healing device on her hand.

"Anise?"

"This device has its limits, but perhaps it can help." She looked to Bibra for permission. The Jaffa looked down at his fading mother, then nodded. Anise raised her hand and the small device flared into life. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

Teal'c watched the old woman gasp and moan then arch her back as her eyes flew open. She slumped back down as the healing device snapped off, Anise slumping visibly. Jacob stepped forward and helped her to her feet.

Jarinda's eyes fluttered open. "Bibra?"

"Mother?"

"I was dying." She moved her hand over her now healed wound, exploring through the torn, blood soaked material. "You?" She asked Anise who nodded in response. "This is what the Tok'ra offer us, my son," she said.

"What?"

"Life," Jah'Mas said. "We ask you to help us. To be our allies. There will be no slave, no master. The sooner we defeat the Goa'uld, the sooner you defeat the Goa'uld."

"Bibra," Jarinda urged.

The Jaffa looked at his healed mother; unshed tears that would have been used for mourning only seconds ago, making his eyes shine. He looked at Jah'Mas and nodded.

Jah'Mas reached out his hand and helped both Bibra and Jarinda to their feet. The Tok'ra negotiator turned to Teal'c. "I think now would be a good time to talk."

Teal'c looked at the expectant faces of his people and nodded to Jah'Mas, "We shall."

<><><><><>

The gate came to life in its usual terrifying yet mesmerizing fashion as the Tok'ra and SG-1 stood with a small group of Jaffa men and women.

"You gonna be okay?" Jack said to Rak'nor.

Rak'nor looked at the Tok'ra and then Teal'c. "The fight for freedom is not an easy one, but hopefully with the help of the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri it will be a successful one."

Teal'c smiled. "I leave these people in your care Rak'nor, but remember that my friends and I are never far behind you."

M'Rena stepped forward with a smile and hugged Sam. "Thank you for all you have done. You could not give us anything greater than the ability to protect our children."

Sam nodded. "It's your right M'Rena."

Jack smiled and nodded at the group before turning to his team. "Shall we?"

Jacob nodded to Rak'nor. "It might not be easy Rak'nor, but it'll be interesting," he said with a smile.

Rak'nor laughed good naturedly and then nodded to Jah'Mas. "Interesting is better than dead." Jacob, Anise and Jah'Mas turned to follow SG-1.

"Wait! You," Jarinda called out making everyone turn around. She walked up to Anise and took her hand. "I wanted to thank you again."

"You have done so already, there is no need," Anise said impassively.

"To offer the chance of life to the dying is always worth thanks. I thank you." Jarinda smiled and then turned away.

Anise stared after her for a moment and then called out. "Freya and I thank you also then."

Jarinda looked back and smiled.

THE END

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