XOVER: Changing of the Guard 5: Terms of Engagement 17/19 [PG13]
Ecolea (ecolea@wt.net)
Fri, 21 Jun 2002 00:20:55 -0500
"The signal's getting stronger the closer we get to those abandoned =
factory buildings."
"Uh... Sam?" Daniel queried nervously. "Would those by any chance be =
Hazardous Materiel Warning signs?" He pointed to one of the big orange =
placards nailed to a tree along the path they were walking.
Carter shrugged. "Could be. But the only real hazard the scanner shows =
is an ever increasing level of neutrinos."
"Perhaps there is no true jeopardy," Teal'c suggested. "It would not be =
inconsistent with Goa'uld strategy to create a superstition of perilous =
evil surrounding a thing they wished kept hidden."
"Then what's that smell?" Daniel asked sarcastically.
Samantha wrinkled her nose. "Chemical byproducts," she responded. "Looks =
like this place used to be a manufacturing center. There's probably a =
toxic waste dump around here."
"Toxic?" Daniel's voice cracked.
Carter frowned distractedly as she pointed the scanner at one particular =
building and re-calibrated the machine, refining her readings. "I =
wouldn't build a home here, but it's safe enough -- as long as we're not =
planning to set up housekeeping."
"Or go swimming," Daniel commented, shuddering slightly as they passed a =
very large, eerily glowing pond. "Guess the Gallisians aren't big on =
environmentalism."
"Don't worry," Carter grinned. "You can put it in your report when we =
get back."
"I certainly will."
They moved silently through the woods, their dark clothing, originally =
worn beneath their Gallisian fashions, helping them to remain hidden.
"That's it," Carter finally said, crouching behind an overgrowth of =
weeds on the outskirts of a neglected, decaying plaza.
"What is?" Daniel asked.
"The north building, just beyond that fountain. That's where I'm getting =
the strongest readings."
"Which means?"
Carter sighed. "I'd have to get closer, but I suspect the Gallisians =
have been developing some pretty advanced weaponry involving neutrinos."
"You're talking about a neutron bomb?" Daniel asked, horrified.
"With a signal this strong," Carter shrugged. "I'd say they have a =
stockpile of them."
Daniel was speechless at the idea, though Teal'c's curiosity was now =
piqued.
"Tell me of this weapon?" he asked as they carefully made their way =
toward the building under cover of darkness.
"Well, technically," Carter explained, "the neutron bomb isn't so much a =
bomb -- as in a weapon of mass destruction like a nuclear warhead. It's =
a weapon of mass murder. Neutrinos are short-lived atomic particles. =
When released in substantial amounts they eradicate life -- all life -- =
from insects to animals and people, almost instantaneously."
"And the best part," Daniel added disgustedly. "Is that it leaves =
everything else intact. No property damage. You can kill the tenants and =
just move right on in."
"Such a weapon is without honor," Teal'c stated, frowning deeply. "I see =
no use for it."
"Oh, there's a use all right," Daniel nodded. "Not honorable, but =
expedient."
"And there's no defense against it," Carter added.
"Then perhaps the Gallisian people seek to use this weapon against the =
Goa'uld," Teal'c suggested.
Carter shook her head worriedly. "I hope not. The end result could be =
catastrophic, even for them. Just a shift in the wind and the target =
would be whoever set it off."
They went silent as they reached the eastern edge of the building, =
moving cautiously around the perimeter, seeking an entrance.
"I don't like this," Carter whispered as they found one half boarded =
window. "Why no guards?"
"It's an industrial waste land," Daniel responded. "If you were =
Gallisian would you come here for fun?"
"That's not the point," Carter explained. "We sometimes use the same =
strategy to keep civilians out of secure areas. But there are always =
guards posted somewhere."
"What if what you're reading is just an old weapons stockpile?" Daniel =
asked. "Guarding something that's never going to be used might draw =
attention to it."
"That's not how it works," Samantha muttered. "Old stockpiles tend to =
become unstable and because of that are the most heavily monitored and =
guarded. Still, we have to check it out. Teal'c?"
The Jaffa took point. Even without his staff weapon, Carter felt he was =
still the most capable.
And what if they did run into trouble?
Daniel put a shaky hand on her shoulder as the moonlight disappeared =
behind a few scattered clouds. "I have a bad feeling about this," he =
whispered as they moved inside, surrounded by the enveloping darkness.
Chapter 32
Methos had been right. His never before seen or heard of mime routine =
was the major attraction at the party, though Jack and his long knives =
and flaming torches juggling act garnered its fair share of attention. =
Like the rest of the performers, O'Neill wandered about the mansion, =
since the partygoers felt free to wander as well. Here and there he =
found pockets of people. Some preferred to chat with their own clique, =
while others, tired of dancing or visiting the food tables, made their =
way out to the gardens. It was there he met up with Nolly at their =
pre-arranged time and destination behind a monument sized hedge.
Jack nodded as he looked around and was pleased with the older man's =
forethought. It was isolated here and the shrubbery would help to muffle =
the sound of their meeting.
"So, where's this contact of yours?" O'Neill asked.
"Within the house," Ulkurt answered. "I had to wait until I spotted him =
to know his location for the rest of the evening."
"Am I expected?"
"Yes," Ulkurt nodded. "His charge generally makes a brief appearance at =
these functions to keep up a semblance of sociability then secludes =
himself in one of the upper rooms with a few of his toadies."
"His charge?" O'Neill asked worriedly.
"Sub-Minister Pashti," Nolly explained. "But you needn't be anxious," he =
went on calmly. "I'm told that once Pashti and his chosen few withdraw =
to their inner sanctum the guards remain outside. And since my contact =
is in charge of Pashti's security tonight, he may leave his post to =
escort you out once you accidentally wander in."
"Sweet," O'Neill nodded. "So, where's Pashti now?"
"On the third level. Take the rear stairs and make a right at the end of =
the corridor. There is an antechamber leading to the grand library. When =
you enter, begin your routine as if you were merely another entertainer =
looking for an audience, my contact will be the one who stops you."
"So, I can trust this guy not to give me away?"
"Of course!" Nolly responded, deeply offended. "I would trust him with =
my life."
"I'm happy for you, Nolly. The question is, can I trust him with mine?"
"And with the life of your friend," Ulkurt stated with great dignity.
O'Neill merely nodded. He was not so easily convinced. "So, does this =
contact of yours have a name?"
"Certainly," Nolly smiled proudly. "He is my nephew, Laliam."
***
Jack left Nolly in the gardens, ignoring his instructions to take the =
rear stairs. Stealth was for people who were sneaking, and he was just =
another entertainer wandering about the party looking for folks to =
entertain.
He passed Methos on his way to the main staircase, smiling inwardly as =
the large crowd around him seemed mesmerized by his antics. He nodded =
once as he caught the Immortal's eye and Methos, being Methos, mimed the =
hand signals for watch your ass -- passionately.
O'Neill rolled his eyes and started juggling the glowing spheres Nolly =
had purchased for him as he made his way up the stairs, hopping up two =
steps then jumping down one and turning to catch them. Applause followed =
him all the way up to the first landing. He paused only once, to =
secretly entertain a small group of youngsters, who should have been in =
bed, but were watching Methos perform from behind some draperies at the =
top of the grand stairs.
They grinned and giggled as he pulled gels from behind their ears, =
giving them to the children then ordered them back to bed. If anything =
went wrong he certainly didn't want these precocious innocents caught in =
the crossfire. Happily, now that they felt they'd somehow been included =
in the festivities, the children disappeared down another corridor and =
O'Neill continued on his way unobstructed.
Nice, he thought as he reached the uppermost level of the mansion. The =
way was clear and it seemed most of the guests preferred the spacious =
lower levels to the maze-like floor plan he now confronted. Still, his =
sense of direction was excellent and he moved through the house as if he =
knew exactly where he was going.
As O'Neill turned the last corner, passing the entrance to the rear =
stairs, he felt that certain indefinable something that often alerted =
him to danger. He shook his head trying to fathom this new sixth sense =
he seemed to have acquired. Not the one he'd always had -- that =
soldier's sense that something wasn't right that had served him so well =
in covert ops -- but a new sense. One that seemed to be associated with =
Immortals now that he thought about it.
He'd felt it once before, Jack suddenly recalled. When he'd warned =
Methos to watch his head after they'd first arrived on Gallisia. Gotta =
be spending too much time around 'em, Jack thought wryly. Or maybe it =
was something Joe Dawson had once said. That some Watchers, on first =
meeting an Immortal, seemed to develop the ability to spot one, even if =
that Immortal was as innocuous in appearance as say, Adam Pierson. =
O'Neill had jokingly referred to it as Spidey Sense. The kind of =
extrasensory perception only geeks and dweebs acquired after being =
bitten by the Watcher bug.
As he approached the antechamber leading to the great library, O'Neill =
noticed the doors were open and he suddenly found himself putting away =
the glowing balls in favor of his juggling knives. Spidey Sense or not, =
Jack didn't like the feel of the place, or the...smell!
That was it, he realized with an inward shudder. No extra sense at all, =
but the unkind scent of death that hung in the air. Not of old rotting =
corpses, but of new death. Fresh blood, urine and feces.
He moved cautiously to the entrance, sheathing the dulled juggling =
blades in favor of the highly sharpened one he'd brought along. And then =
he saw them. Five bodies. Pashti's entire security force from the look =
of it. Which one was the old man's nephew he couldn't guess, but it =
looked to Jack like they'd never even had a chance to defend themselves.
The sudden jolt of an energy weapon unexpectedly seared into his back =
and O'Neill turned as he fell to the floor, cursing himself for a fool =
-- then dying with an expletive on his lips as he recognized his =
attacker.
Chapter 33
"I knew this was a bad idea," Daniel gasped as he awoke.
"It is never wise to allow oneself to be ambushed, Daniel Jackson," the =
Jaffa commented, raising an eyebrow.
Nearby, Carter moaned and Teal'c waited patiently for the two Tau'ri to =
fully recover.
"That's not exactly what I meant," the archaeologist muttered as he =
turned to help Carter sit up.
"Where are we?" she asked, looking around, trying to get her bearings.
"I believe we are being held in a Gallisian prison facility," Teal'c =
responded. "The bars blocking our exit make this rather difficult to =
dispute."
"Gallisian?" she wondered aloud. "We were hit by zat fire coming around =
that last turn. I'm sure of it."
"Indeed, Major Carter," Teal'c agreed. "It must then be assumed that the =
Gallisians are in fact collaborating with the Goa'uld."
"Now, wait a minute," Daniel argued. "We use zats and we're not in =
league with the Goa'uld!"
"Neither am I. But some of my people must be."
The voice came from deep within the shadows of the large cell. And a =
tall, fair-haired man, unshaven and wearing a rumpled Gallisian uniform =
stepped out of the darkness towards them.
***
This is gettin' old real fast, O'Neill thought as his eyes snapped open. =
His back felt sore from where he'd been hit, but he was sure he wasn't =
really injured. The thought made Jack uneasy and he pushed it to the =
back of his mind. The clash of swords coming from somewhere nearby =
finally caught his attention and he pushed himself to his feet, catching =
his breath as he raced to find the location.
He found them in the library. Methos and the man who'd shot him dueling =
up a storm -- quite literally, as sparks flew from their weapons and the =
air around them crackled with energy. Unfortunately, they appeared to be =
evenly matched, O'Neill thought worriedly. Worse, he somehow sensed that =
the other Immortal was very nearly Methos' equal in age, strength and =
power.
And then it came. The blow O'Neill had always dreaded. The other's =
weapon plunged deeply into Methos' sternum and he dropped his sword, =
falling to his knees in agony. Without hesitation the winner drew back =
for the final blow, unaware, as Jack came up behind him, of the knife in =
the colonel's hand that swiftly cut the other man's throat.
"Sub-Minister Pashti, I presume?" O'Neill asked dourly as the Immortal =
turned to face him, clutching at his bleeding neck.
Jack smiled grimly and yanked the hand away. "Bye, bye," he said coldly, =
slicing deeply at the open wound until he could see a glimmer of light. =
And then again he cut, staring calmly into the horrified eyes of the =
Immortal who'd nearly killed his friend.
The head tipped back, bright white light blasting upward then outward as =
electricity crawled around the room seeking to ground. Both men stared =
in shock as it passed over Methos and focused on Jack, who shouted in =
astonishment as the Quickening suddenly engulfed him.
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