Fic, Alternate Lines of Duty, PG-13, 5/6
I feel bad, sitting outside the healers rooms, waiting while they look at the results. I really want Jolinar gone...but one the other hand...part of me feel sorry for her, despite her taking me against my will. And part of me will miss her. I've gotten used to having someone to talk to, and I can't deny that having access to her knowledge - and permission to study all the Tok'ra know about Goa'uld technology - is a big temptation.
Pushing these thoughts aside, I remember something Jolinar had mentioned earlier - that most of the Tok'ra were born Tok'ra.
[Jolinar? What did you mean by 'most of the Tok'ra are born Tok'ra, but you converted from Goa'uld?']
[I meant it exactly as I said it. The vast majority of the Tok'ra were born by one queen - Egeria - who was originally Goa'uld. She changed, and realized the error of her ways, the error of the ways of the Goa'uld. She changed her offspring, so they would share her beliefs, that they should only take willing hosts, share the body with the host, and fight the System Lords for a Galaxy where no one is enslaved or suffer.]
[Wow, that's...that's really impressive! How did she change them?]
[As you may know, my kind have genetic memory, and queens have the ability to make extensive changes to the genetic makeup of their offspring, changing the memories and adding or subtracting to them.]
[So most of the Tok'ra have never chosen this? They are incapable of not wanting to be Tok'ra?]
[Yes, they are indeed, loyal for life. Of course, there is also free will, but it is difficult to go against your genetic programming - and I would imagine it is even harder when you know you are fighting for the good of the Galaxy. A few of us, however - Garshaw, myself...Egeria of course...and Cordesh, as well as about a handful others - we were born Goa'uld, and for various reasons we changed and became Tok'ra.]
[You should be proud of that, Jolinar! You changed on your own! It must have been very difficult!]
[My host helped me, and my good friend, Egeria supported me. In return, I supported her fledgling resistance as well as I could.]
[So you was part of starting the Tok'ra?]
[Egeria has that honor. I merely assisted her with my military.]
I am amazed at what I hear, but before I can talk about it further, one of the healer steps out into the corridor we're sitting in. I get up. 'What did you find out?'
'Jolinar is still weak, both from changing hosts twice in half a year, and from the amount of damage the ashrak did with the hara'kesh, before he was stopped. With our assistance, she will be able to leave you in a few weeks. Earlier than that, it will be highly dangerous.'
'I see...' I hadn't expected having to remain her host for weeks more, but I find to my surprise I am...relieved? 'Well, we'll...get along, I suppose. I should go and talk to my team mates, and tell them what you said.'
'So we could be out of here very soon? Well, that's good news! I don't like being locked up! By snakes, even!' Jack sighs. 'Sorry...Jolly, I guess...you're folks have been treating us okay, but it's still a bit...unsettling, okay?'
Jolinar grins. 'I understand.' She raises an eyebrow. 'Jolly? That is...different.'
'What about you? I'm assuming Sam's coming back home with us?' Daniel asks.
Jolinar gives me control.
'Well, Jolinar can't leave me for another couple weeks, so I'm...staying, I guess.'
'In that case we're staying too! Hell, it's not like we're all that eager to go home and get court martialled!' Jack exclaims.
[Jolinar, I have been thinking...do you think there is any possibility of an alliance or some sort of cooperation between our people?]
Jolinar hesitates. [Maybe, though many would be against it. They would fear that what we got out of it, would not be worth the extra danger from someone knowing about us, and from maybe even knowing where we stay.]
[Maybe we don't need to know where your bases are, just how to contact you? But I realize that could still be used to capture some of you...isn't there anything we can offer that would make it worth it to you? Tech, intel? Common missions?]
[We cannot use non-Goa'uld tech, at least no extensively. We work from within the Goa'uld ranks, and so we have to make it seems as if we are Goa'uld. Our scientists may possible want to work with your scientists, and in some areas may learn something new, simply because two groups of people can come up with ideas that the other group did not...and you may have found tech that is interesting to us, even if your own is too primitive. Perhaps we should talk to Anise, or Malek, and recruit them to the cause of convincing the Council of the advantages of a treaty. As for intel...I doubt you know much we do not know better. Common missions...yes, perhaps, as we sometimes needs humans for playing slaves...or we could use more people for shock troops and sabotage, but again, it would mean opening up and risking exposure and betrayal - even if your people would not betray us, you could be captured and forced to do so. Made hosts to Goa'uld, and the knowledge taken from you.]
[Okay, I will pretend I am not insulted by what you said...] I sigh, realizing Jolinar is right, at least in some of it.
[Even if I do not agree with it all - I might find the risk worth it, simply for more allies against the Goa'uld - then I am hardly a typical Tok'ra. Most would call me rash, daring, impulsive...even those who agree with some of my ideas.]
I 'laugh'. [Sounds like we might get along just fine - even if I...mostly...follow orders.]
[So do I...as long as the orders are sensible!]
[I need to talk to my team mates - they are looking at me strangely.]
[Yes, I see that. Well, tell them that we will attempt to gather support for some sort of cooperation with your people. That should help you to not be court martialled when you go home, correct?]
[I think so.] I turn my attention outwards again. 'Sorry, guys, I was talking to Jolinar.'
'Yeah, we kinda guessed.'
'Isn't that odd?'
'No, not really.' I smile at them. 'Not any longer, at least. Well, about the court martial - there may be a way out. Jolinar and I thought it would be a good idea for our two people to cooperate in some way. Treaty, alliance, whatever. I mean, we both fight the Goa'uld, right? Now, we don't know how open the Council is to cooperating - but we also don't now if our leaders are interested, so we thought...we could at least suggest the idea? That should be worth enough that we're - maybe - not punished. As hard, at least.'
'Possibly.' Jack agrees. 'It's a good idea, but what do the Tok'ra want? And what would we get?'
[Jolinar?]
She takes control. 'The Tok'ra would want hosts, more than anything. That is what we need the most...'
'Hosts! That's not gonna happen!' Jack almost yells.
'Maybe not at first, but what about people who are sick, wounded, dying, but that could become healthy and strong again if we healed them? Becoming a host would mean they would be healed, if they were not too weak.'
'I'm sorry, but I don't think so..we'll check, though.'
'I understand.'
'What about tech?'
Jolinar starts telling them what she and I just discussed.
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Pushing these thoughts aside, I remember something Jolinar had mentioned earlier - that most of the Tok'ra were born Tok'ra.
[Jolinar? What did you mean by 'most of the Tok'ra are born Tok'ra, but you converted from Goa'uld?']
[I meant it exactly as I said it. The vast majority of the Tok'ra were born by one queen - Egeria - who was originally Goa'uld. She changed, and realized the error of her ways, the error of the ways of the Goa'uld. She changed her offspring, so they would share her beliefs, that they should only take willing hosts, share the body with the host, and fight the System Lords for a Galaxy where no one is enslaved or suffer.]
[Wow, that's...that's really impressive! How did she change them?]
[As you may know, my kind have genetic memory, and queens have the ability to make extensive changes to the genetic makeup of their offspring, changing the memories and adding or subtracting to them.]
[So most of the Tok'ra have never chosen this? They are incapable of not wanting to be Tok'ra?]
[Yes, they are indeed, loyal for life. Of course, there is also free will, but it is difficult to go against your genetic programming - and I would imagine it is even harder when you know you are fighting for the good of the Galaxy. A few of us, however - Garshaw, myself...Egeria of course...and Cordesh, as well as about a handful others - we were born Goa'uld, and for various reasons we changed and became Tok'ra.]
[You should be proud of that, Jolinar! You changed on your own! It must have been very difficult!]
[My host helped me, and my good friend, Egeria supported me. In return, I supported her fledgling resistance as well as I could.]
[So you was part of starting the Tok'ra?]
[Egeria has that honor. I merely assisted her with my military.]
I am amazed at what I hear, but before I can talk about it further, one of the healer steps out into the corridor we're sitting in. I get up. 'What did you find out?'
'Jolinar is still weak, both from changing hosts twice in half a year, and from the amount of damage the ashrak did with the hara'kesh, before he was stopped. With our assistance, she will be able to leave you in a few weeks. Earlier than that, it will be highly dangerous.'
'I see...' I hadn't expected having to remain her host for weeks more, but I find to my surprise I am...relieved? 'Well, we'll...get along, I suppose. I should go and talk to my team mates, and tell them what you said.'
'So we could be out of here very soon? Well, that's good news! I don't like being locked up! By snakes, even!' Jack sighs. 'Sorry...Jolly, I guess...you're folks have been treating us okay, but it's still a bit...unsettling, okay?'
Jolinar grins. 'I understand.' She raises an eyebrow. 'Jolly? That is...different.'
'What about you? I'm assuming Sam's coming back home with us?' Daniel asks.
Jolinar gives me control.
'Well, Jolinar can't leave me for another couple weeks, so I'm...staying, I guess.'
'In that case we're staying too! Hell, it's not like we're all that eager to go home and get court martialled!' Jack exclaims.
[Jolinar, I have been thinking...do you think there is any possibility of an alliance or some sort of cooperation between our people?]
Jolinar hesitates. [Maybe, though many would be against it. They would fear that what we got out of it, would not be worth the extra danger from someone knowing about us, and from maybe even knowing where we stay.]
[Maybe we don't need to know where your bases are, just how to contact you? But I realize that could still be used to capture some of you...isn't there anything we can offer that would make it worth it to you? Tech, intel? Common missions?]
[We cannot use non-Goa'uld tech, at least no extensively. We work from within the Goa'uld ranks, and so we have to make it seems as if we are Goa'uld. Our scientists may possible want to work with your scientists, and in some areas may learn something new, simply because two groups of people can come up with ideas that the other group did not...and you may have found tech that is interesting to us, even if your own is too primitive. Perhaps we should talk to Anise, or Malek, and recruit them to the cause of convincing the Council of the advantages of a treaty. As for intel...I doubt you know much we do not know better. Common missions...yes, perhaps, as we sometimes needs humans for playing slaves...or we could use more people for shock troops and sabotage, but again, it would mean opening up and risking exposure and betrayal - even if your people would not betray us, you could be captured and forced to do so. Made hosts to Goa'uld, and the knowledge taken from you.]
[Okay, I will pretend I am not insulted by what you said...] I sigh, realizing Jolinar is right, at least in some of it.
[Even if I do not agree with it all - I might find the risk worth it, simply for more allies against the Goa'uld - then I am hardly a typical Tok'ra. Most would call me rash, daring, impulsive...even those who agree with some of my ideas.]
I 'laugh'. [Sounds like we might get along just fine - even if I...mostly...follow orders.]
[So do I...as long as the orders are sensible!]
[I need to talk to my team mates - they are looking at me strangely.]
[Yes, I see that. Well, tell them that we will attempt to gather support for some sort of cooperation with your people. That should help you to not be court martialled when you go home, correct?]
[I think so.] I turn my attention outwards again. 'Sorry, guys, I was talking to Jolinar.'
'Yeah, we kinda guessed.'
'Isn't that odd?'
'No, not really.' I smile at them. 'Not any longer, at least. Well, about the court martial - there may be a way out. Jolinar and I thought it would be a good idea for our two people to cooperate in some way. Treaty, alliance, whatever. I mean, we both fight the Goa'uld, right? Now, we don't know how open the Council is to cooperating - but we also don't now if our leaders are interested, so we thought...we could at least suggest the idea? That should be worth enough that we're - maybe - not punished. As hard, at least.'
'Possibly.' Jack agrees. 'It's a good idea, but what do the Tok'ra want? And what would we get?'
[Jolinar?]
She takes control. 'The Tok'ra would want hosts, more than anything. That is what we need the most...'
'Hosts! That's not gonna happen!' Jack almost yells.
'Maybe not at first, but what about people who are sick, wounded, dying, but that could become healthy and strong again if we healed them? Becoming a host would mean they would be healed, if they were not too weak.'
'I'm sorry, but I don't think so..we'll check, though.'
'I understand.'
'What about tech?'
Jolinar starts telling them what she and I just discussed.
Next -->