I is for Ideology
Written for Allies Alphabet Soup: Two women from two different cultures have an exchange of ideas. Set sometime after Family, with minor spoilers for The Broca Divide and other S1-2 episodes. ~930 words. Rated PG.
I is for Ideology
"The first time we met the Tau'ri," Ledora said thoughtfully, "we assumed they were gods. Surely only the divine could travel through the Light."
Drey'auc's mouth twisted. "So it has been with us, for too many generations." Her right hand drifted from the small potter's wheel and stole to her belly, unconsciously stroking the skin above the creature that suckled at her life force. "We believed Apophis was divine because of the tools he wielded. We did not see that we were his tools, and too often the source of his might."
Ledora politely averted her gaze from Drey'auc's curse, even as her people had always shown mercy for the Touched by sending them away to spare them from others' stares of pity or disgust. "The Tau'ri insisted they were not divine, but I did not believe them until I saw that they, too, could be Touched by our curse. They cured Doctor Jackson and all of our afflicted brethren, but their ability to heal proved only knowledge, not godliness." Her own fingers moved with casual skill, shaping wet clay into graceful curves. "How did your people discover the truth?"
Drey'auc bent her head over the wheel again, and Ledora allowed the delay as the woman gathered her thoughts. "Teal'c might say with you that it was the Tau'ri and their actions," she said at last.
"But you would not?"
"No." Drey'auc suddenly straightened, and Ledora saw the gleam in her dark eyes. "I do not dismiss the Tau'ri, for they have indeed done much. But their goals are not ours."
Ledora frowned, uncertain. "They seek to battle those that would be gods, as you do."
"Yes."
"And they offer aid."
"Oh, yes." Drey'auc's lip curled. "They are most generous."
"I do not understand," Ledora admitted honestly.
Drey'auc rose from her stool, turning away from her amateur efforts at the wheel. "I do not like the chafing burden of gratitude," she said quietly. "The Tau'ri have fought against Apophis and achieved victory, yet Chulak has suffered grievously. Many of our strongest and bravest were lost over Tau'ri. Bra'tac and Teal'c both promised us that Apophis was dead, yet he returned to slaughter us anew and nearly destroyed my son. I know that war breeds many losses -- how could I not, after so many years? -- but our losses are not the Tau'ri's, and they seem to care for us only where it touches upon their own needs."
She paced restlessly to the door and peered out at the bright day. "My son is out there," she said, her voice more bitter now. "He runs in the sunlight of your world. But that is none of my doing. The Tau'ri wished to keep Teal'c happy and by their side, so they took my son and brought him here, where he sees no other Jaffa child and is only trained when Bra'tac or Teal'c remember his needs. And for this -- the loss of my home and husband, the dismissal of the shame I fought and the path I was forced to take -- I am expected to be grateful. All our efforts, all our pain, mean nothing to them. They only see themselves as our saviors, and I would not trade one master for another, not even a benevolent one."
Ledora thought she understood now, just a little. "In a way," she offered, "I was glad that the Tau'ri asked us to offer sanctuary, first to the Tollan and then to others, like you. An exchange of aid lessens a presumption of debt. If we assist the Tau'ri, they look upon us as equals, rather than supplicants."
Drey'auc's gaze suddenly dropped. "I apologize." Her fingers, still stained with clay, twisted together. "I do not wish to spurn your kindness."
Ledora gave a soft laugh. "I did not take it as such. A woman may accept a gift, especially in need, and still be wary of what might be demanded as thanks." She rose and joined Drey'auc at the doorway, shading her eyes from the everlasting brilliance that flooded the courtyard. "But you have not yet answered my question. If not the Tau'ri and their actions, what showed your people the truth about those that claim to be divine?"
"For long and long, we spent our husbands and sons on futile wars," Drey'auc answered obliquely. "I do not believe that I alone dried a warrior's tears in the dark of night, or that other women did not wonder why, if our lords were divine, our husbands needed to teach us how to fight for our lives if wars were lost. It is true that many never stopped to question, and perhaps they never will. But obedience was never wholly blind, even if eyes were willfully kept shut. The Goa'uld wanted skill in their Jaffa; they forgot that skill demands thought."
She smiled suddenly. "So I would say, Ledora, that the truth was known long before the Tau'ri arrived on Chulak. Yet we could do nothing with that truth until the Tau'ri offered a choice that we had never had before. If we truly owe the Tau'ri, it is for the chance to choose to follow truth."
"Choices," Ledora agreed, "are the greatest freedom of all." She clasped Drey'auc's hand. "I am glad you are here with us now, even if that choice was not completely your own."
"Not my own choice, no, but I am content that I and Ry'ac still live. " Drey'auc gave a firm nod. "And when the time comes, I will choose what is best for my son... and for myself as well."
I is for Ideology
"The first time we met the Tau'ri," Ledora said thoughtfully, "we assumed they were gods. Surely only the divine could travel through the Light."
Drey'auc's mouth twisted. "So it has been with us, for too many generations." Her right hand drifted from the small potter's wheel and stole to her belly, unconsciously stroking the skin above the creature that suckled at her life force. "We believed Apophis was divine because of the tools he wielded. We did not see that we were his tools, and too often the source of his might."
Ledora politely averted her gaze from Drey'auc's curse, even as her people had always shown mercy for the Touched by sending them away to spare them from others' stares of pity or disgust. "The Tau'ri insisted they were not divine, but I did not believe them until I saw that they, too, could be Touched by our curse. They cured Doctor Jackson and all of our afflicted brethren, but their ability to heal proved only knowledge, not godliness." Her own fingers moved with casual skill, shaping wet clay into graceful curves. "How did your people discover the truth?"
Drey'auc bent her head over the wheel again, and Ledora allowed the delay as the woman gathered her thoughts. "Teal'c might say with you that it was the Tau'ri and their actions," she said at last.
"But you would not?"
"No." Drey'auc suddenly straightened, and Ledora saw the gleam in her dark eyes. "I do not dismiss the Tau'ri, for they have indeed done much. But their goals are not ours."
Ledora frowned, uncertain. "They seek to battle those that would be gods, as you do."
"Yes."
"And they offer aid."
"Oh, yes." Drey'auc's lip curled. "They are most generous."
"I do not understand," Ledora admitted honestly.
Drey'auc rose from her stool, turning away from her amateur efforts at the wheel. "I do not like the chafing burden of gratitude," she said quietly. "The Tau'ri have fought against Apophis and achieved victory, yet Chulak has suffered grievously. Many of our strongest and bravest were lost over Tau'ri. Bra'tac and Teal'c both promised us that Apophis was dead, yet he returned to slaughter us anew and nearly destroyed my son. I know that war breeds many losses -- how could I not, after so many years? -- but our losses are not the Tau'ri's, and they seem to care for us only where it touches upon their own needs."
She paced restlessly to the door and peered out at the bright day. "My son is out there," she said, her voice more bitter now. "He runs in the sunlight of your world. But that is none of my doing. The Tau'ri wished to keep Teal'c happy and by their side, so they took my son and brought him here, where he sees no other Jaffa child and is only trained when Bra'tac or Teal'c remember his needs. And for this -- the loss of my home and husband, the dismissal of the shame I fought and the path I was forced to take -- I am expected to be grateful. All our efforts, all our pain, mean nothing to them. They only see themselves as our saviors, and I would not trade one master for another, not even a benevolent one."
Ledora thought she understood now, just a little. "In a way," she offered, "I was glad that the Tau'ri asked us to offer sanctuary, first to the Tollan and then to others, like you. An exchange of aid lessens a presumption of debt. If we assist the Tau'ri, they look upon us as equals, rather than supplicants."
Drey'auc's gaze suddenly dropped. "I apologize." Her fingers, still stained with clay, twisted together. "I do not wish to spurn your kindness."
Ledora gave a soft laugh. "I did not take it as such. A woman may accept a gift, especially in need, and still be wary of what might be demanded as thanks." She rose and joined Drey'auc at the doorway, shading her eyes from the everlasting brilliance that flooded the courtyard. "But you have not yet answered my question. If not the Tau'ri and their actions, what showed your people the truth about those that claim to be divine?"
"For long and long, we spent our husbands and sons on futile wars," Drey'auc answered obliquely. "I do not believe that I alone dried a warrior's tears in the dark of night, or that other women did not wonder why, if our lords were divine, our husbands needed to teach us how to fight for our lives if wars were lost. It is true that many never stopped to question, and perhaps they never will. But obedience was never wholly blind, even if eyes were willfully kept shut. The Goa'uld wanted skill in their Jaffa; they forgot that skill demands thought."
She smiled suddenly. "So I would say, Ledora, that the truth was known long before the Tau'ri arrived on Chulak. Yet we could do nothing with that truth until the Tau'ri offered a choice that we had never had before. If we truly owe the Tau'ri, it is for the chance to choose to follow truth."
"Choices," Ledora agreed, "are the greatest freedom of all." She clasped Drey'auc's hand. "I am glad you are here with us now, even if that choice was not completely your own."
"Not my own choice, no, but I am content that I and Ry'ac still live. " Drey'auc gave a firm nod. "And when the time comes, I will choose what is best for my son... and for myself as well."