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    * * * * * *

"Maj. Gorowitz, I would like an explanation."

"Sir, I think GoldenBird, one of the friendly natives, should go ahead with us to the infirmary."

"Major, I don't think I need to point out to you the problems with this picture, but I will anyway. Two dragons are in the Gate room and...where is Capt. Frome?"

Terry closed his eyes for a moment, asking Nora's forgiveness for not having been able to stay completely in control.

"Sir, Capt. Frome gave her life heroically, saving the life of one of the native's newborn children when two mountains finally gave way and avalanched us. Two dragons were able to put their young down and lift Lt. Harris and me away, but Capt. Frome literally died saving the one she carried. In return for her life, the dragons required us to take the baby Lt. Harris had been carrying to safety."

"Are you telling me these dragons are sentient?"

"Oh yes, sir. They have a unique social structure and their own code, but they're friendly and quite intelli..."

Terry broke off as GoldenBird lifted Syla and flew around the Gate room in tight circles.

"Major! Where are Capt. Mason's pants?"

Terry closed his eyes again and just sat down on the ramp, his head in his hands.

He would not laugh.

It was not funny.

He began thinking of really sad things to keep from even smiling, but nothing was working.

His doctor was flying around the top of the room and her pants were on the ground beside him.

Moreover, the General wanted an explanation.

 

* * * * * *

 

Martouf scratched the little spot in the back of his neck that was just incessantly tickled by the tag humans insisted on attaching to their clothing to show who had made it.

*We will have to ask them not to put such things on the clothing they make for us. They would be most distracting during battle.*

*I agree. They will be arriving in a few moments.*

*Yes...*

No more words were necessary as the Tok'ra waited for SG-1's plane to land.

As soon as Dr. Jackson's phone call had come through, Martouf, Jacob, and three SGC SFs headed for the airport to wait for them.

"Can't wait to see what Jack looks like now."

Martouf raised an eyebrow at Jacob, curious as to it's reasoning.

"I do not understand."

"That's right, you zoned out after I said Jolinar was coming home."

A slight trace of color appeared on Martouf's cheeks and Lantash chided him for being so easily teased.

"Then explain."

"Apparently, Colonel O'Neill is able to push people out of their bodies and take over, making that person like he was. Floating around, etc...and he booted what Dr. Jackson called a Shifter. He said it looks like a cross between a Tok'ra and a Goa'uld."

"Descendants of Isis?"

"That's what Selmac's thinking. They called from the airport and George had some difficulty hearing them. Then, when he called the President to update him on the situation, apparently the aide George had talked to earlier hadn't passed on his call so George had to explain everything all over again. I don't think either man was very impressed."

"Humans have strange ways to rule their world."

"You don't know the half of it."

"I know General Hammond does not wish it, but I am going to try to convince Daniel to join the Tok'ra. Even if it is only for a short time."

"Good luck. I just wish I knew what was going on with Sam. George said something about her was mentioned, but then they had to run to catch their flight."

"I am sure they were simply mentioning each person's status to allay fears that more than just O'Neill's demise had occured."

"Maybe. Still, I can't help but get this feeling in my gut. Martouf, I can't lose her again."

"I understand. I will do whatever Daniel requires of me in exchange for removing Jolinar from this world. It is entirely too dangerous and alien for me to be effective at all."

Jacob smiled.

"Now you know how I felt when I first woke up with Selmac in my head."

* * * * * *

 

"Why weren't you watching her?"

"We were getting ready to infiltrate the SGC and get Tesaf out. I thought you would've planned for her insane trip. You knew she'd do it."

Kaden growled, hoping his host's wife would stay in the bathroom as long as she normally did.

This might take awhile and he did not need interruptions from her.

"Do you have any idea how large a hole this puts in our plans? We needed O'Neill alive."

"I told you we shouldn't have set the frequency so high. Asgard technology is unstable enough without us enlarging the power supply."

"They had to be able to communicate over long distances. There was a chance SG-1 would've been sent straight back out on a mission. Now, what especially worries me is that O'Neill somehow, reportedly, entered Arlin and pushed Peri out of her body. That means we have to assume he's had access to all of the plans Peri knows about, since we don't know if he's able to read her mind. He knows what Arlin knows for sure."

"For sure? We don't know anything about them for sure, now."

"On the contrary. We know they're coming home and that the Tok'ra want to take them offworld. That is probably the best solution."

"How are we going to find out where mother is if O'Neill goes offworld?"

"No, no...you weren't listening. The Tok'ra will only be interested in taking SG-1 offworld. As long as O'Neill is in a civilian, he won't be part of SG-1. You know how pathetically nervous Arlin gets at the slightest problem. That will stunt O'Neill since he'll have to suppress Arlin to get anything dangerous done. Dr. Corvores is a civilian and will not be joining SG-1. We get the both of them and George won't know I had anything to do with it."

"Mother's gonna be so mad when she gets back."

"I would rather die by her hand in person than wonder what's possibly being done to her long distance. Wouldn't you?"

Onar ducked his head as Mish took over, tired of not being in the conversation.

"He feels the same and so do I. Now they've got Arlin and that's bad, but we can handle that. What I'm worried about is what Maybourne's gonna do when he finds out all that blood wasn't just for the tests on the Asgard. Tesaf is in the SGC and so, if you don't mind, we'll be sneaking in there and getting him out. A vampire we've been feeding and Maybourne, who's getting rather suspicious, is a bad combination. Far more deadly than the Colonel figuring out the rest. If O'Neill does find out about Tesaf, we have to make sure we spring him first. What did the General say about having a vampire captive?"

"Other than the fact that it had attacked one of the visiting Tok'ra, nothing. I thought that was rather odd since he usually over-informs me."

"Bill?"

"Get going, then. I want you in and out as fast as possible. Maybourne said the Asgard were in the cells where they were supposed to be so at least part of the plan is going correctly."

Kaden ducked his head, letting Bill take over to get ready for bed.

The dark room fit his mood and the sight of his host's wife was not one he wished to have while sleeping.

Once Neris was back, that would change.

Harli Cliston would make an excellent host for his Queen...the Queen of all living queens.

He remembered when she had whispered to him the teachings of Isis.

He was young in comparison to her, only on his third host when she told him of the humans and what he suspected now were vampires, had risen up and literally pushed the Goa'uld off Earth.

So many had died in that final act of rebellion.

Even more had been grotesquely wounded, but still got back up, slowly healing until less than three days later, they were whole again.

Myths abounded both of the Goa'uld and creatures that couldn't die.

He hadn't believed them.

At first, even when Neris had begun telling him about it, he had doubted, choosing to believe he and the others he had met were simply the newest level in human evolution.

Superior.

To accept what Neris said, though, was to accept that he was not better, only different and that, instead of being special and unique, he was simply one of thousands like him...even if they were far away.

Years had dulled the stories until he'd joined with Bill and guided him expertly to the Presidency.

Iraq and then the Stargate...

He'd changed from Bill to Harli when she went on strategically planned personal plane trips, wishing to check on his children who at that time had been scattered across the globe.

He would forever kick himself, never believing that the same O'Neill he had been trying to interrogate without raising suspicion was the same one who had volunteered for a suicide mission that would take himself and his precious knowledge through the Gate and more than likely never return.

His thoughts were interrupted by Harli's deep snore.

How Bill could sleep through that needed a much deeper understanding than he was capable of.

* * * * * *

Nora stood with Greg, not that he had any clue, who was ordered to stand underneath the still circling dragon so that whenever it eventually decided to land, Syla could make use of the folded clothes in the Lieutenant's hands.

This was the most insane day of her life...after life...whatever...

Nora was itching to try to take someone's body, just to see if it was only Gorowitz's she could take or if with just a little care, she could enjoy a body whenever she wanted.

They might even have a funeral for her...now that was creepy.

What if she took over whoever put the wreath into the wormhole...participating in her own memorial service...

Who would hold the wake?

Would there be one?

Already, muted comments about SG-13's run of luck or curses were spoken whenever the person didn't think they would be heard by those in question.

Nora heard, though, and festered...as soon as she could do it without raising too many alarms, at least until she was good at it and understood it more, she was gonna take a body and have some serious fun.

First, though...watching the people in the room watch Syla fly around...now that was a show.

* * * * * *

"You must not go."

"Send the signal so that we may leave immediately."

"We are most sorry."

Drey'auc's eyes went cold when the man still hesitated.

She refused to name him even in her mind.

Rya'c laid, unconscious in her arms and she was going to take him through herself.

This time, Chulak customs would be forgotten.

Tau'ri women were equal to their men.

Both Janet and Samantha had talked to her about how differently women were treated on their world than on hers.

Teal'c had put what they had said aside, telling her it was not for her ears.

It was time for Teal'c to realize he had a wife and son whom were worth more than an occasional visit.

A wife...he had retaken her as his wife, saying he'd forgiven her for putting their son's wellbeing above her vows to him, yet he barely spoke with her when he did visit and she was tired of not truly existing.

Her son had stopped being the loving, obedient son he'd once been.

He still kissed her goodnight, but it was casual, with no meaning.

He was not cruel, simply...

Drey'auc sighed as she remembered how little Rya'c respected her now that he was old enough to see how little respect his father had for her.

Rya'c, to fend off his boredom and prove he no longer needed her, had become more and more reckless until finally, probably on a challenge, he had fallen in the Land of the Dark and she had found him unconscious when he was late for dinner.

Now, he would deal with his father and his father, well...he would deal with her.

She would not leave his adopted world again.

 

* * * * * *

 

George sat in his office, looking at the small dragon asleep on his desk.

It had refused to go with anyone who was not a member of SG-13 and he was clueless how to deal with the situation.

Lt. Harris sat across from him, obviously uncomfortable with being alone in the General's office and George suppressed a smile.

He had asked for options and opinions and so far, the Lieutenant had done nothing but offer the dragon as a possible mascot for the SGC.

The sound of the Gate activating had him out of his office and practically tumbling down the stairs.

Staring at the now empty chair, Greg was thankful for the merciful respite.

"Sir, we're receiving the standby IDC. It could be from any of the three worlds we gave this code to."

George tightened his jaw knowing it could easily be a trick.

"Full defense team to Gate room."

"Yes, sir."

He looked out the window, watching as the big guns were set up with efficient speed and the iris opened.

A moment later, a familiar woman half-carrying, half dragging, a young man appeared.

"Medical team to Gate room."

George hurried out of the control room, waving his hand in answer to the question the technician asked.

"Defense team, stand down."

This was just not his day.

"Ma'am, ,if you'll send Rya'c with the doctor, we'll have him checked thoroughly. What happened?"

Drey'auc squared her shoulders, fighting decades of teaching as she looked this important man in the eye.

"My son fell and I have decided we will remain here from now on."

George saw her determination and forced himself not to say anything just yet.

This could be worked out later after all the other issues were tended to.

Drey'auc, taking his silence as assent, relaxed with a small smile as she stepped forward.

Her foot froze, inches above the ground as a creature from the oldest myths flew overhead, a woman in its grasp.

As she watched, it circled one last time before landing on the Chaapa'ai, the woman gently lowered first before it wrapped itself around the stone to hold on.

Falling asleep quickly, its rattling snore caught the attention of anyone who had not already been watching and Drey'auc turned to the General in wonder.

"These creatures live here? On this world? You are truly a blessed people."

"No. We think they were here a long time ago, but this one and a baby dragon who's currently napping on my desk, are from a world one of our teams visited."

"Then I have chosen the best time to come here. I have always wished to see the many peoples Teal'c has encountered."

"Ma'am, I think it would be best if you go ahead to the infirmary now."

"May I have a change of clothes?"

"Absolutely."

George felt like his smile was going to fall off his face if she didn't take the hint soon and go with the waiting medic.

"Very well."

"Thank you."

The medic smiled a bit as Drey'auc looked again at the dragon before following him.

Barely noticeable jitters began in her stomach.

She had expected to be sent back immediately, but she knew the General was only the first test.

Teal'c was going to be very angry when he found out that she'd defied him again.

Sometimes it truly seemed as if she was simply the mother of his son and not his wife.

Drey'auc sighed lightly, but with not a little fear.

She'd allowed her own anger and hurt feelings to give her courage.

Now she wondered whether she'd been foolish.

This time, she was not able to say she was doing this for their son.

She was doing this for her.

* * * * * *

Martouf ducked his head, ignoring the warning look Jacob sent him.

He was tired of Lantash's impatience and while he wished to greet Jolinar, he would wait for a more private time to say hello.

His symbiote, however, was not going to wait.

Opening his eyes, Lantash was momentarily disoriented when he couldn't see.

Then, smiling, he pushed away Jacob's hand.

"It would only be a momentary curiosity, surely, should someone have seen the light."

"Except when your voice echoes and while some people ignore one curiosity, two...they tend to notice."

Lantash moved closer to where the team would show, almost rocking on his heels in his desire to see his mate.

*What if Daniel is in charge?*

*Undoubtedly he will be. Jacob is uncomfortable with me having priority so obviously Daniel will, as well, and Jolinar cannot simply override him.*

*There.*

*I see them.*

Jacob realized, his eyes going wide, just what Lantash was going to do and he broke into a run to catch up with the fast moving Tok'ra.

* * * * * *

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