Summary: Pain and sorrow have marred the once hopeful staff of the SGC. With recent changes in the staff, people are questioning the security of their positions. The Tok'ra, faced with problems of their own, depend more on their allies than ever before. Fighting among the Goa'uld has them fearing it is something more. Caught in the middle, can the allies survive an all out war? _______________________________________________________ Garshaw glared at her captors through the bars of her cell. So far, they had only interogated them on who they were and what they were doing here. The fact that they were stranded and the crashed ship to prove it had netted them a cozy cell instead of further interogation. That and the fact she was a damned good liar, as Paul was wont to say.
It was a damn sight more comfortable than the frozen cargo hold had been, only little better than the tunnels. Warm bed, food, fresh water and toiletries. They had lived in a guilded cage for the past three and a half months.
Any attempts at finding out who was holding them had lead to a sharp rebuke. What she had found out was the lack of goa'uld presence here. It was like this entire encampment was being manned by Jaffa and priests. What that said about them, she wasn't sure, just that it was highly unusual.
The symbols on the heads of the guard was also no help. Those that they could see when their helmets were down were of a variety of goa'uld. Ranging from Cronus, to Serpent guard. She had even seen a former Horus guard. Whoever had brought them here was indiscriminate.
When her cell door opened, she glanced over to see Paul being brought in. His scar had all but disappeared with the help of their healing devices. She still hadn't been able to figure out how his primta had healed itself inside his body. That was a matter for other times, right now they had a plan to enact.
Grabbing her pillow loaded with rocks and crystal fragments she had gathered during her walks, she swung it around as Paul had showed her and slammed it over the head of the guard. Even with his metal skull cap, he dropped like a ton of bricks. Smirking at Paul, she weighted the bag. "Perhaps you were correct in your acessment that we could have left a week ago."
"I told you so." Grabbing his own pillow, he spun it a few times and smiled at her. "After you, Madam."
"You know, I have studied your vernacular and have come to the conclusion I do not like it when you call me that." As she ran down the cooridor, him at her side, she glared at him. They reached the end of the golden hall and activated the door release for the other cells. "Am I right in assuming it is a vulgar term among your people?"
"Among the french it means the title of a woman." At her look, he snickered. "But I'm not french."
"I assumed as much." She hit the controls to free her fellow operatives from their cells and headed for the door. "We must hurry, the guard was alone, but will be missed soon."
"Great. Nothing like a skin of your teeth get away to give it that extra special feeling of being alive." Poking his head around the corner, Paul breathed a sigh of relief. "All clear."
"Then we are free to move on. Come on." Garshaw took the lead as they headed down the cooridor. They came around another bend and had to stop. "This is as far as they allowed me to penetrait their security. I am unfamiliar with this lay out, Major, you will have to show us the rest."
"Me? I seduced the asshole that gave me the tour so suddenly I am the guide now?" At the grumbling looks of the four Tok'ra, he glared. "Fine. But next time someone's ass is peddled, I volunteer Aldwin. He's prettier than I am." Paul took the lead, keeping an eye out for further guard activity. "Something isn't right here, there should be guards coming along by now."
"Perhaps your sexual deceptions were not as successful as you thought." Aldwin suddenly found himself with a faceful of angry Tau'ri. "Major?"
"I am better at sexual espionage than you will ever be. When I say something isn't right, something isn't right." Releasing the man, Paul turned back to the hall. "The gate room is just down that cooridor." Unconsciously, he rubbed at his gut as the primta could sense the naquadah of the gate. "There should be three guards inside."
"Very well, we can take it from here." Garshaw used a hand signal for the other three Tok'ra to flank her and watch her back, rock filled pillows at the ready. When they reached the door, they turned the serpent symbol to activate the lock. Once inside, they froze.
A large long range communications device was in the center of the gate, upon it the image of a black garbed Goa'uld was speaking. Surrounding it were all the missing guards and priests.
Staring down upon the people, the goa'uld's eyes flashed white. "Ready our forces. Soon, the time to strike back at our enemies will be upon us."
"Oh brother." Paul's words caused the collective to turn and stare at the not quite escaped prisoners.
The senior staff of the SGC, Command Council of the Tok'ra, and two dozen of Teal'c's guard stood at the base of the gate ramp as the wormhole exploded in to life. Standing in dress uniforms, the Military and the Guard presented a unified front. Off to their side were the Tok'ra, their faces set in various stages of boredem to hide their true reactions to the goings on. Their uneasy shifting began the moment the three silohets appeared in the wormhole before the goa'uld stepped through.
First through was Bastet, she took in the sight of the gathered and snorted. "Pathetic." Her customary black leather vest and skirt were replaced with a black Jaffa uniform right down to the helmet collar.
To her right, Yu stepped through, his reaction was a nuetral nod toward the Tau'ri. He spared the Tok'ra a glare that promised retribution. Adjusting his robes, he folded his arms.
To Bastet's left the third figure stepped through the gate. Hair carefully arranged to hide half his face, Daniel used it to keep his attention off the Tok'ra. His skin was dyed blue to match the freeze, another precaution he had taken to hide the identity of his host. He could kill his mother for making him come here, being here was the last thing he needed. If word slipped that he was a Tok'ra operative, this would all end in blood.
Carefully composing his face to show the rage over events, he glard down upon the Tau'ri. "Take us to your leaders."
Jack snorted at the words. "Some how that isn't what I was expecting."
Stepping forward, General Hammond gestured to himself. "I am in charge of this base. Myself, my second in command and the Ambassador from my superiors will be conducting the negotiations for our side."
"You can negotiate all you want, it will make no difference." Stepping in front of Daniel, Bastet tossed her hair in his face. "We have already decided your fate."
Daniel shoved her forward hard enough for her to fall face first on the ramp and roll down to rest at the foot. Moving with purpose, he stopped just shy of stepping on her. He put a foot on her back when she tried to stand. Smiling at General Hammond, he crushed her back down. "You have three days in which to convince the System Lord Collective that you pose no serious threat. Fail, and your world will suffer the consequences."
"Of course. Colonel." Not breaking eye contact with Jolinar, Hammond summoned Jack to his side. "Show the represenatives to their quarters."
"As you wish, sir. If you will follow me." Not looking back to see if they were, Jack headed for the exit. A nod to Teal'c had five of the guard following him.
Daniel stepped on Bastet as he stepped over her. Following Jack through the base, he felt a twinge of recognition. "I've been here before."
"Hmm?" Jack raised and eyebrow as he looked over his shoulder. "What was that?"
"Nothing, Jack. Lead away." His responce got him a harder look. Flashing his eyes at the Tau'ri, Daniel glared. "Move or be stepped upon."
Yu stood idly by watching them with amusement. Having stepped upon Bastet too, he felt much better than he had since he learned of this exercise in futility four days ago. Granting the Asguard wish that he come had set him in a foul mood that had not boded well for the Tau'ri. Perhaps there was amusement yet.
Jack continued on down the cooridors towards the VIP section. The halls and rooms had been decked out in wall hangings and torches to replace the modern features for the comfort of the Goa'uld. If it had been up to him, they would have been rotting in a cell waiting for interogation. Coming around to the final corner, he entered the long hall of VIP suits. "Here we are, children, home sweet home." Coming to the first room, he opened the door and gestured for Daniel to enter. "Sorry, it doesn't have HBO, but I hear the meditation candles and shrine to your mother are to die for."
"If they are desecrated, you will." Shouldering passed Jack, Daniel entered the room. Taking in his surroundings, he huffed. "This is not fit for swine."
"Too bad, take it or leave it." Closing the door, Jack gave it an extra slam.
"Smart ass." Raising a hand to his face, Daniel was about to touch his temple when he heard a wirring in the corner behind him. Spinning around, he tossed his bag at it. The camera fell from the ceiling, hanging only by the wires. In a boute of rage at almost being caught, he ripped it from the ceiling. Daniel opened the door, saw Jack glaring at him and tossed the offending object at his head.
Jack dropped to the floor to avoid being hit. "What the fuck?"
"I will not be spied upon!" Slamming the door, Daniel's fingers automatically triggered the lock. He quickly did a search for anymore monitoring devices and found two listening bugs. Crushing them, he drowned them in water.
When he was reasonably sure there were no more, he quickly reached a hand up to his temple. He pressed deeply until he heard a click. The moment it clicked, the blue on his face disolved in to his natural pale complexion. The sudden loss of dye in his skin made the dermis itch and he began scratching at it until the feeling subsided. By the time he was through his braids were half undone.
Completely unweaving the braids, Daniel shook out the curly hair until it frizzed about him. He knew that the first meeting would begin soon, but he had to get out of this annoying outfit. Slipping free of the travel bag, he dropped it to the floor. Next to come off was the silk shirt and shawl. After he dropped them to the floor, he reached down to undo the scarab broach on his pants.
Warm fingers on his made him pause. The familiar scent of their owner hit his nostrils and Daniel leaned back in to the firm arms. "How long had you been hiding in the closet?"
Kissing Daniel's ear, Martouf blew slowly over the moist skin. "How did you know that is where I hid?"
"I inspected the room. Your presence in the closet did not go unnoticed." Daniel tilted his head to expose more of his neck for Martouf. His breath hitched when sharp teeth nipped at the skin. "Until you had come out, I thought you a spy. You are lucky I was in a good mood, I might have damaged you."
There was a moment when Martouf let the fear run through him before he continued kissing on Daniel's neck down to his collar bone, bringing their bodies flush. Running his hands down the other man's sides, he massaged the flesh over his hips. "I have missed you so much, Jolinar, each moment has been an agony without you?"
"Which of you missed me more, Lantash or Martouf?" The calloused fingers tightened on his hips and shoved the waist band of his pants down until it rest above his thighs. Daniel gasped in pain from the strain of them on his hips, knowing they would leave bruises.
"I have." Martouf bit the flesh hard enough to draw blood before pushing Daniel forward. He prevented the man from moving away, by holding his hips sternly. Kissing down Daniel's back, he left a trail of bite marks along his spine. Each time Daniel arched away from his touch, he nipped the flesh. "I was foolish to let the fact you were not Rosha come between us."
"Yes, you were." He tried to step away again only to have his pants jerked down completely. Shivering in chilled base air, Daniel wrapped his arms about his torso. "Leave me, Martouf."
"Not again." Voice deeping, Martouf let his goa'uld heritage echo. "This time I will not let you go, Jolinar. The first time was a mistake, allow me to make it up to you."
"Can you accept the fact that I am not Rosha, that I will never be her?" When no responce came, Daniel forcefully removed Martouf's hands from his body and stepped away. Daniel forced himself to remain cold. "I think you had better go."
"Jolinar." Forcing his host to move, Lantash crawled towards Daniel. Staring up at him, he reached out and caught Daniel's ankle. "The host is lost, but I still care for you. He has no idea how to overcome his prejudices and loss, however, I am trying to help him. Please, do not toss away all we have built between us over this."
"I am not the one! Either he accepts me as I am, or there is nothing to hold on to." He wanted to reach out, to place his hands against the gruff skin of his lover's face. The pain in Martouf's eyes stole the last of the warmth in him. Instead, Daniel reached out and slapped Martouf across the face. "Do you have any idea the suffering I have gone through this past year? The one thing I had in my existance I could completely depend upon was you, and now all you can offer me is a pathetic excuse of an apology."
Martouf clutched his cheek, shock written upon his features. "Why?"
"My eyes see more than you think. I hope this host's wife was worth it!" Grabbing the Tok'ra by the collar, Daniel dragged him to the door. "Go back to your wife and child, don't you ever treat me like your whore again!"
Martouf tried to free himself of the mad grip but found himself only tossed end over end in to the cooridor. By the time he had righted himself, the door had been slammed in his face and bolted shut. Trying the handle invain, he slammed his fist against it. "Jolinar! Please, let me explain! Jolinar."
"What is the matter, your man hood fail you?" Standing in the middle of her doorway, Bastet smirked at Martouf. The guards standing along the corridor were the only things that kept them apart.
Standing, Martouf adjusted his clothes in to order. "The good will of the Tau'ri is the only reason you still breathe."
"And you as well, traitor." Stepping up closer to him, Bastet's eyes flared in anger. "It is only a matter of time before we discover your location and blow out the candle that is the Tok'ra."
"I will see your head upon the speers." A cleared throat made Martouf take a step back. Snorting in the direction of the goa'uld, he stalked off.
Bastet watched him go until he disappeared around the bend in the corridor. Crossing her arms, she smirked at the door of her enemy. "So the rumors are true. Seems you have been making a few friends."
The three goa'uld were sat on one side of the three sided table, Yu in the center, Daniel on his right, and Bastet on his left. On the second side, General Hammond sat in the center with Colonel O'Niell on his right and Ambassador Thompson in the left. At the third panel, a seat had been beamed down, but so far the Asguard had yet to make an appearance.
Jack checked his watch again with an agitated sigh. Seeing that it had been fifteen minutes since they arrived, he glanced over at the Asguard seat. To his amazement, the Asguard appeared as if summoned by his thoughts. "About time."
"I was unavoidably detained..." the Asguard's words were cut off as a hole appeared in his chest. His body rocked twice more before he slumped down in his chair.
For a moment, the room sat in stunned silence.
Standing up from the table, Daniel smirked at the weapon in his hand. "Crude, yet effective." Dropping the gun on the table, he placed a hand against his chest and disappeared. The next instant, Bastet's head disappeared and her body slid down in her seat. A moment later the door opened and slammed shut.
Hammond jumped from his seat as Jack rushed around for the emergency phone. Moving around to reach for Thor, he was shocked when the body disappeared in a white flash. "Jack, lock down the base!"
"I can't, sir, the phone in this room is dead!" Rushing for the door, he tried the handle. "Damn it!" On a thought, Jack reached in to his back pocket for the Asguard communicator. "Anyone up there, can you hear me?" Jack felt the sinking feeling in his stomach increase as the communicator went dead. "Oh shit!"
Sirens flooded the room as the red warning lights started swishing. "Unauthorized gate activation!"
"Colonel, get this door open!" General Hammond came around the table to glare at said offending object.
"Unless you got some magic lock pick, sir, I got nothin!"
"Step aside." Yu picked up the gun. After examining it, he took aim at the handle. He didn't wait for the Tau'ri to comply before he squeezed the trigger.
"Hey! Watch it with that thing!" Jack fingered the hole in his uniform caused by the shrapnel.
"Come on, Colonel!" Slapping his second on the shoulder, Hammond pulled the door open. Before he stepped through, he turned to the goa'uld. "I suggest you stay here. For your protection." Turning to Yu, he smiled. "Thank you."
Yu nodded once.
Hammond was the first out of the door. Turning to look for the guard he found them both dead on the floor, their neck's snapped. Considering how fast the goa'uld was moving, he thought it probably took only a fraction of a second to kill them before the snake had moved on. He stepped over them, they would have to deal with them later.
Rushing down the hall, he came upon the next call box junction and found it also inactive. "What the hell is going on?" Hammond glanced over to the security sensor and found the red lights off. "The security system is down! Get up to the command office and find out how the hell that happened."
"Aye, sir!" Jack saluted once before rushing off down the hall.
The General moved off down the corridor to the gate room. He had to go down two flights of stairs. By the time he reached the gate level, he was gasping for air. His labored steps and breathing increased as he rounded the corridor for the control room. What he saw made him stop dead in his tracks.
Bodies littered the control room.
The door to the control room was blocked open by the bodies of two men, one he recognized as the leader SG-3. Coming at them slowly, he searched for any weapon. The bodies had been left intact, their weapons still in the holster. George realized no one had the time to react, much less draw their weapon before they were killed.
Sighing, he put them out of his mind and entered the control room. The blast doors were closed and the dialing computer was down. Reaching up to the mic, he pressed the speaker function. "Security to the gate room. Medical team to the control room!" Releasing it, he fell back in the chair Walter should have been sitting in.
George ran a hand down his face as he took in the total carnage of the room. One of the lieutenants had been slammed against the computer banks, that explained the dialing computers being off line. It also meant that the goa'uld might still be on the base. That was put to rest when he heard the tell tale noise of the gate shutting down.
He was still sitting there in shock when Jack and the security team arrived.
Nirrti came upon her offspring standing over a holo imager in a darkened room. The image that played before her was new to her, but the images involved sent a thrill of fear down her spine. "What is the meaning of this?"
"War, mother." Daniel gestured to the image of six goa'uld mother ships surrounding an Asguard mother ship. As they watched, the mother ships opened fire on the Asguard vessel and in a few seconds reduced it to debris.
Staring at Jolinar in shock, she took a step back and reached for her Zat-nic-atel. "What have you done?"
"What should have been done a long time ago." Not looking at her, he waved a hand through the image and it disappeared. "As I have told you incessantly, the goa'uld have grown fat and lazy, the time to cull their numbers has come." Daniel clapped his hands twice and waited by the table at the center of the room.
A moment later, two Jaffa entered carrying a large metal box. They set the box on the table, bowed to both goa'uld, then turned and exited.
"I did as you instructed, the annoyance that was Thor has been eliminated." Smiling, Daniel gestured at the box. "A gift for you."
Suspiciously, Nirrti moved to the table. She set down the Zat-nic-atel and picked up the lid of the metal box. Setting it aside, she glanced inside. "Impressive."
"I thought you would like them." Moving away from her, Daniel turned his back to her. "Consider it my thank you present. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to complete my plans."
Nirrti glanced up sharply, however, the room was empty. Looking back to the box, she smiled down upon the heads of Kahli and Bastet. Raising an eyebrow, she flicked the lock of blood encrusted hair from her sister's face. "You should never have changed your host, sister."
In orbit of Chu'lak, a single Tel'tac exited hyperspace. Heading for the atmosphere, the occupants missed the Ha'tak that appeared behind it. The Ha'tak opened fire on the planet, sending blasts down like rain until the entire planet was covered.
The Tel'tac jumped orbit to avoid the blasts. It's path and trajectory sent it tumbling further in to the solar system. Inside the cockpit of the out of control ship, the occupents could only watch as Chu'lak's surface was irradiated until it glowed as bright as the sun.
In his throne room aboard the Ha'tak, Sokar gazed down upon the remains of the planet. He glanced over his shoulder at the goa'uld being held captive by his guard. "I swore to let you witness the destruction of your home before you died." Smiling, he nodded at the red guards to apply the pain stick to his back.
Apophis fell to his knees screaming from the pain, eyes and mouth glowing from the shock of the pain stick. When the guard released him, he fell forward on the deck, shaking from shot nerves. By the time he was able to open his eyes, Sokar was standing above him.
Looking down his nose at the fallen goa'uld, a smile slowly spread across his features. He raised the muzzel of the staff weapon and pointed it at Apophis' face. "Now you will die.... many times." Before he could fire, his ship rocked. "Who has opened fire upon us?"
"My lord, there is a larger vessel approaching!" Saluting Sokar, the first prime bowed his head before being thrown from his feet by the rocking of the ship.
Hissing his displeasure, Sokar braced himself against another blast. "Sound the alert, we are attacking!" Another blast knocked him off his feet and rocked the ship. "Prepare to fire!"
In the far corner of the thrown room, the long range communication's device clouded over then resolved itself in to the image of Nirrti. "Your ship has violated my territory. Surrender and I will be lenient."
The ship rocked three more times before Sokar could regain his footing. "Retreat! Sound the retreat!"
From the Tel'tac, the two Tok'ra watched in shock as Sokar's mother ship left without firing a single blast, being chased by Nirrti's controled Ha'tak until both disappeared in hyperspace.
The stargate shut down with a audible hiss leaving the Tok'ra's footsteps upon the gate ramp the only sound in the gate room. Martouf's grimace was the only reaction on their faces. Leading the group, Martouf stepped foward to meet with General Hammond. "General Hammond, I am pleased, yet wary to announce that the fleets of both Yu and Bastet will not be on their way to attack your planet as feared."
Stunned, Hammond breathed a sigh of relief. "Just where are they?"
"I am afraid that is the bad news. The combined fleets of twelve goa'uld, including those of Yu and Bastet, have been amassed under the banner of one goa'uld. A goa'uld who until now was believed dead by the System Lord Collective, his name is Sokar." The visible reaction of the Jaffa behind the General let Martouf know that the legends had suvived among the guard. "After Sokar takes complete control of the Goa'uld, the Tau'ri will be his next target."
"After, you mean with all those ships he still isn't the number one guy?" Nothing pleased Jack more than to dig in under the Tok'ra's skin. The guy had dared show his face around the SGC again and now he was doing in all his power to make the bastard's time here miserable.
Martouf was well aware of Jack's opinion. Not giving the man the satisfaction of getting flustered, he merely nodded. "Not as of yet. The Goa'uld Nirrti has proved to be extremely resistant to his invasion. Despite his superior armada, she has the more advanced technology on her side. With numbers against superior technology, they are evenly matched. If they were to continue, one or both would eventually fall under the strain of disappearing resources.
"But that is beside the point. The reason I am here is to warn you. Once one of them wins, they will complete their victory by eliminating all enemies. That means neither of our two peoples will be safe, and without the Asguard treaty to protect us, it is only a matter of when."
"Great, so we're doomed, nothing new there." Jack started to turn around but the General cleared his throat and Jack stayed. "What?"
"We have a few other things to discuss, Colonel, if you would care to join us. Just in case, that is an order, Jack." Hammond gestured toward the side door of the gate room. "If you will follow me, Ambassador."
"Of course." Martouf smirked at Jack. He knew his new title only served to make the man angrier. In passing the younger man, he could tell the Colonel was grinding his teeth. It made the meeting that was going to happen that much easier to bare.
They soon came up the stairs to the briefing room, Hammond shutting and locking the door. When he took his seat, all three sat down. "Well, gentlemen, as soon as the other concerned party arrives, I will begin."
"Other party, sir?" Jack's eyebrows went skyward. Cloak and dagger routines were generally left to the guys who had something to hide. "Who else did you invite, Satan?"
"Hi, Jack!"
"Oh, god." A shiver went down the Colonel's spine as he saw Harry enter the briefing room from the General's office.
"The president says he agrees with your asessment, General. The new bureau for the drawing room should be mahagony to go along with the old furniture." Taking a seat across from jack, Harry Maybourne smirked at his counterpart. "You seem to be a little pale this morning, Jack, something the matter?"
"Yeah, I'm suddenly feeling nasueous, General, may I be excused?"
"No, you may not." Taking the brief case from Harry, Hammond set it on the table and opened it. He pulled out a large manilla foulder and set it on the table. Opening it, he pulled out briefing packets and passed them to the other men. "These are not to leave this table unless they are back in this foulder in this brief case. What you are seeing are pictures of the security system being compromised by an individual with knowledge of the base.
"As you know, the goa'uld were here for less than six hours before things went to hell. That was a week ago. Since then, we have uncovered new information on how the base was compromised." Putting down the foulder, Hammond pushed it to Martouf. "I believe you know this individual better than the rest of us."
Martouf stared down at gray photos of himself being thrown out of Daniel's room. Sighing, he nodded. "Yes, I know him."
"It has been proven he has phase shifting technology by one of the surviving Nox. As far as we knew, there was only group of people with that technology aside from the Nox, the Tok'ra. Care to explain how this individual came to possess your technology?" Hammond's tone brokered no room for double talk.
"That is because it is not our technology. We obtained it from the goa'uld Nirrti." Pushing the foulder back to the General, Martouf allowed Lantash to take control. "Sadly, the operative that delivered us this technology was killed along side a member of our council, two other operatives, and your previous Ambassador in a mission to retrieve him and vital information he posessed."
"That explains one part, but not how you know this individual personally. Don't bother to deny it, we have a guard who swore he heard the goa'uld yell you were never to use him as your whore again." Grabbing the foulder, Harry tossed a photo of Daniel's hair covered face at Martouf. "Pretty convenient we never got a good look at his face. Though I must say his body is remarkable, for a goa'uld that is. Then again, you people pride yourselves on your beauty, don't you."
"I am not a goa'uld!" Seeing the resolved faces of the three Tau'ri, Martouf blew out a breath in anger. "He and I were once intimate. Any future we had together ended when he betrayed the Tok'ra to his mother and killed one of our operatives."
"That and the fact he found out you are married." Chewing on jerky stick, Harry rocked in his chair from side to side. His eyes sparkled in mirth. "I wondered if there was a difference between us, aside from the snake in the head and I guess I got my answer." Looking to General Hammond, he nodded. "I am satisfied that he knows nothing further. He hasn't been back among his own people long enough to have betrayed base secrets to the goa'uld. That he knew the snake behind our security breach was just an unhappy coincidence. Damned convenient, but still just a coincidence."
"Very well. We will proceed on the belief that the goa'uld was acting alone. That still leaves us with the problem of how much did he learn before escaped through the gate? I have ordered security checks on the entire base for sabotage and a new security program installed. I never want to have to deal with this large of a breech again, gentlemen."
Martouf cleared his throat to get their attention. "General, the High Council would like to know what the reaction of the Asguard has been to all of this?"
Feeling all emotion drain from him, Hammond sunk a little in his chair. "We don't know. Laia has tried contacting them, but she has gotten no responce. We believe a war between the goa'uld and the Asguard will most likely be the result, something they can barely aford."
"The Asguard would win the war, sir." At the look shared between the other three men, Martouf frowned. "Why would they not?"
"The goa'uld are many, it would take a great deal of effort and time to eliminate the threat. Factor in they are from another galaxy and they have other matters, a war is not in their best interest." Harry finished with a bite of his jerky. "It would be like you trying to fight your way out of this room. You might eventually get out, but not before we did some serious damage."