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Family Feud 

Ba’al hurried through the al’kesh…one of two ships left to him. The corridors were cool...cold, actually. He had determined that keeping the power signatures of the ships as undetectable as possible was in his own best interest. As such, only the most necessary systems...for oxygen and to run the ship’s scanners...were powered at the moment. The Jaffa were wearing heavy woolen robes over their armor. He was wearing a heavy fur robe that would keep him sufficiently warm.

He made his way toward the pel’tak…a much smaller, compact space as compared to the more spacious room on a ha’tak. The Jaffa he passed in the corridors came immediately to attention, and saluted smartly. Ba’al smiled grimly. Loyal Jaffa. Truly the ‘faithful ones’, he thought smugly.

Until they learn of the defection of their brothers, the host taunted.

Silence. The order was so reflexive it was almost unnoticed.

He stumbled, putting out one hand to steady himself, the icy cold metal of the wall burning his palm. The scope of his losses dropped down on him, the knowledge a crushing weight on his mind, and his ego. Everything he had claimed – taken as had been his right upon Apophis’ death…those he had captured in battle against weaker Goa’uld...all the ships he had built...the Jaffa army he had created – gone. All of it…gone. He closed his eyes against the wave of panic that washed over him.

Once again he fought a wave of panic. For centuries the host had barely stirred. If the feeble human did dare to make a sound, all he needed do was force the memories of the deaths of the man’s wife and family into that place where he hid. When had the damnable pest begun taunt him? He couldn’t remember for certain. He did know that the host had been growing ever stronger. Especially since he had been wounded by the Tau’ri weapon. It seemed that the host now dared to struggle physically against him. To force him to maintain control over his body. Of course I am! he declared hotly.

The idea that the Tau’ri could rid him of the burden of Apophis’ return filled Ba’al with a moment of sheer glee.

So easily…SG-1 seemed to board his ship so easily whenever they decided it was necessary to do so. In spite of capturing them…putting them in holding cells…those most annoying humans escaped every time! Even when he was certain he had defeated them – making Daniel Jackson host to one of the Goa’uld beholden to him – they had escaped from him. Rebel Jaffa had taken Jackson to the Tok’ra, and the Goa’uld had been removed. (Or so he believed…in his mind, there was no other way the human could be free of the symbiote that had taken his body.) No doubt the traitorous Tok’ra had delighted in killing Rihat.

Apophis would soon be reminded that the Tau’ri were formidable enemies. No doubt he would suffer greatly at their hands. Enjoy your victory now, Apophis. They will destroy you as well! As for the Jaffa who served the returned Goa’uld…they would seek freedom as quickly as they could.

From his very first encounter with the Tau’ri – holding the beautiful Casey Jackson as his prisoner, training her to be a slave – they had bested him at every turn. He had invested far too much time and energy taking on the First World, when he should have been building his own domain, strengthening his own planets. He should have turned his concentration on expanding his realm of control, rather than scheming to return Casey to his side. He should have focused on learning all of the secrets Anubis was keeping…and taken the knowledge of how to build invincible Kull Warriors much sooner than he had. Then there would be no nagging doubts that Amaterasu had withheld information…or simply didn’t know every detail that creating those Kull Warriors entailed. He should have taken that stolen knowledge and created…and then used…those Warriors. He would have defeated every other System Lord in the galaxy. With the Kull Warriors, and every Goa’uld in the galaxy bending knee to him, he would have been strong enough…powerful enough…to conquer the Tau’ri, and rule the First World. He had, instead, become distracted by flowing blonde hair and enchanting green eyes. He cursed the day a beautiful human captive had been brought before him. He cursed the day he had learned that humans…the Tau’ri…were traversing the stars as if they were gods themselves.

The host roared with laughter. Listen to yourself! You invaded my thoughts at every turn. Did you not think that over time, I could learn to do the same thing? As it is, your thoughts are echoing so loudly I can’t help but hear them!

Ba’al barely made it to the pel’tak. As he had ordered, a throne was ready for him. He dropped onto the seat, and grabbed the armrests with shaking hands. It was smaller than the throne on a ha’tak, and tucked into a corner, as there was barely enough room for the Jaffa who would operate the al’kesh. But it signified his position as their god.

The mocking tone shocked him. It shouldn’t have…the host had been needling him for months now. But there was a difference…a confidence that had never been present, not even in the first few minutes after The Taking.

Silence! The demand was weak at best. He was too weary to summon the anger that had always cowed the host before.

He began to shake. Barely noticed that while he was shaking, the body he controlled wasn’t. New host…I must find a new host, he thought desperately.

Once again the host laughed at him. If I control my body, you will be able to do nothing.

His fleet had been demolished before his very eyes…either through the destruction wrought by the attacks of the others, or by the shol’va who had stolen what belonged to him. He had witnessed – by keeping watch with his scanners – Apophis bring Amaterasu and Kali…the only other System Lords strong enough to be a nuisance to him…to their knees. Casey was now the Consort of Apophis, and he had no doubt that the Goa’uld had been brutal when taking her. The only consolation was knowing that Jackson had been forced to witness his wife being raped, unable to stop what was happening to her.

Ba’al closed his eyes. He had been so close. He’d felt the reins of power in his hands, had nearly prevailed and took on the mantle of Supreme System Lord.

No need for such titles now, the host laughed. There is no Empire left to rule. Just a few Goa’uld with no more strength that an old slave woman. They will die, just as you will. And the universe will celebrate your demise.

It was true…the Empire lay in ashes. While Apophis was still the strongest to remain, even he would be struck down by the Tau’ri. If I can not rule the Empire, I will find another place to rule. I will be the god I have always been. Strong. Superior to all others. I am Ba’al!

You continue to lie to yourself, Ba’al. It is time that you see the universe as it really is. And your place in it, the host said quietly.

How far he had fallen. How much he had lost! His fate, it seemed, had been sealed the moment Casey Jackson had been brought to him, bruised and in chains.

The High Priest of Apophis stared at the large communication orb that sat on a pillar to one side of the marble altar, his face reflecting his shock. "My Lord?"

"Prepare Chulak for the celebration of my return," Vanshu ordered. "Everyone is to participate. The Jaffa who have remained loyal to me will line the halls of my palace, and I will greet them myself when I arrive."

"Y-y-yes, My Lord," the priest stuttered.

"I will expect a full report on all that has been accomplished during my absence," Vanshu continued, playing the part of Apophis perfectly. "I will also expect a full accounting of all my holdings. I want a list of everything…planets that still pay tribute to me; the number of Jaffa, including those who are in training. I want to know the amount of tribute that has been paid, and all expenditures."

The priest’s face went pale. If Apophis had returned from the dead…killed in a way in which no one but a god could have survived, there was little doubt in the old man’s mind that his Master would notice any discrepancies in the records kept by the temple, and the priests within. "How soon will you arrive, My Lord?" he asked, doing his best to keep his voice from shaking. His trembling hands he hid behind his back.

"I will arrive in Chulak in less than two hours," was the brusque reply.

Less than two hours. He had less than two hours to make certain the scrolls which held record of all the temple’s business reflected what was actually in the treasury. And there would be little time to contact the priests of the lesser temples, to assure that they also ‘corrected’ their own accounts. "We eagerly await your arrival, My Lord," the priest said resignedly. "The celebration will be one worthy of your greatness. Only the mighty god Apophis could return from the dead as you have, My Lord."

Vanshu nearly laughed at the priest’s obvious disquiet. Instead, he gave a nod of his head, and waved his hand over the communication orb.

"I’d say that poor old man is about to have a heart attack," Casey giggled.

"No doubt he and the others have been skimming from all the tribute that arrived in Chulak," Bra’tac said. "I’m certain the next hour will be spent in the attempt to prevent you from discovering their theft."

"No doubt," Vanshu replied, giving into the laughter that he’d held back.

"He sure seemed surprised to see you," Daniel chortled.

"Yes, he did," Vanshu agreed. "That, my friend, is to our advantage. When the priests learn that Apophis has returned, and his first actions were to gather a fleet and attack those who had stolen from him, it will put much fear in their hearts. We need them to be afraid of Apophis…we don’t need them to try to unseat him, declare that he’s not the real god."

"They could do that anyway," Daniel argued.

Bra’tac shook his head. "Apophis struck out at his enemies before even appearing at Chulak. That is a sign of how great his anger is."

"And a pissed off god is a dangerous god," Casey said.

The old Jaffa smiled and nodded. "Indeed."

Jack, Teal’c, and Sam entered the pel’tak, and by sheer coincidence, a message came through the communication system at the same time.

"Vanshu, it is from the Tau’ri," the Jaffa in control of comms, reported.

"Let’s hear it," Jack said immediately.

Vanshu nodded. "Yes, please let us hear the message."

The Jaffa nodded, and immediately General Hammond’s voice filled the pel’tac.

"We received word from Jacob Carter that you’re well on your way to Chulak, and we’re using a scrambling program the Tok’ra have shared with us. We’re hoping this message reaches you before you arrive at Chulak. We are following the earlier suggestions of General O’Neill and SG-1. Five teams are heading out to all known trading planets, as well as several where we have treaties with the inhabitants. I’ll send out more as other teams return from their missions. The plan is to have these teams informing traders, bounty hunters and spies that one of our teams is missing. We’ll mention rumors have reached the SGC about the return of Apophis, and that we fear he has our people. We aren’t going to mention that the ‘missing’ team is SG-1. We’re hoping that that someone on at least one of these planets will inform the teams that SG-1 has indeed been taken by a newly returned Apophis. Of course the teams will be shocked and distressed at such news." Those listening could hear the smile in the General’s words.

"Hope they’re all good at acting," Jack mumbled.

"I dunno, boss," Casey said, her head tilted slightly. "About half the team members have no idea about our mission…it’s all happened so quickly that most of the teams were out and unaware of what’s going on. If the mission briefing doesn’t mention anything other than a missing team and rumors of Apophis’ return, there might be team members who won’t have to act shocked."

"Would the general, and the team COs, really keep some of the details quiet for now?" Sam asked, frowning slightly.

Jack nodded. "It’s possible. It would be considered an ‘omission in the interest of mission security and objective’. Happens on some missions when the chances of capture are high. The less a person knows, the less he or she can tell."

"…teams would be extremely angry at this turn of events. We’re hoping that news of the Tau’ri swarming the galaxy looking for SG-1 will get around, and keep the surviving Goa’uld out of the way," Hammond’s voice continued. "Four teams will be going to Chulak. We don’t know what to expect from the Jaffa and people there, so the teams will operate under black out procedures. They will have all radios set on the emergency frequency, and will respond to any messages you can send to them. We hope to hear from you soon. This is the SGC, over and out."

"Good," Vanshu sighed. "If they are not seen before we arrive, it will be far easier for them to storm the palace to rescue SG-1."

"The arrival of the Tau’ri so quickly after Apophis has captured the team and made his presence known on Chulak will further confuse those who remain faithful," Teal’c predicted. "This could lead to a full revolt against Apophis."

"If their ‘god’ couldn’t foresee the arrival of enemies," Bra’tac mused, "the priests might seize upon this as a means to discredit Apophis, to insist that he is an imposter, and not the true god."

"Well, for the first time in their lives, they’d be right," Casey quipped, to the amusement of those around her.

"So, things should fall the way we want – and need – them to," Jack said.

"Apophis must retain control for at least a few weeks," Vanshu warned. "If he is ‘disposed of’ too quickly, the other Goa’uld will become suspicious. If that happens, it wouldn’t be unexpected for them to band together to rebuild, and exact retribution for the deception. The Free Jaffa and the Tok’ra would be their first targets."

"Because the Tau’ri are too powerful to move against," Sam surmised.

"Precisely," Vanshu nodded. "If they were successful in destroying the Free Jaffa, and that isn’t totally out of the question, those Jaffa who fled today will have second thoughts about their defection. No doubt the System Lords would make it known that ‘their’ Jaffa would be forgiven their transgressions. And those returned Jaffa would fight intensely for their ‘god’ in return for that mercy."

Casey shook her head. "Perceptions," she sighed. "Just the perception of power can cause an entire group of people to just give up."

"Keep in mind, Angel," Daniel said softly, "that Jaffa have been raised from birth to believe in the power and strength of their ‘god’. No matter what they witnessed today…or heard…or even decided, those things can’t totally undo a lifetime of brainwashing. It will take time for them to fully embrace their freedom."

"Indeed," Teal’c agreed. "Only Jaffa who have questioned in their hearts – as many have done for years…even decades – can truly see the Goa’uld for what they are."

Jack clapped his hands, and rubbed them together briskly. "Right. Let’s keep thinking positively. We’ve come too far to back down now, or let concerns or fears dictate our actions."

"You are most correct, General O’Neill," Vanshu said jovially. "We’ve managed to bring the Goa’uld to their knees. Now we will concentrate on keeping them there."

"If I might say something," one of the Jaffa said shyly, from his position as ‘guard’ near the door.

"Please," Vanshu said, waving a hand in encouragement.

The Jaffa, Nar’me’teal, took a deep breath, blew it out, and then glanced around at the faces watching him. "Ever since the Tau’ri in general, and SG-1 in particular, have been going through the Chappa’ai, it has become a proven fact that never are those humans who are captured by Goa’uld held in captivity for long...mere hours, or a matter of days. I do not believe that anyone – not the Jaffa who have fled, or those who remain faithful on Chulak…or the remaining Goa’uld and those who serve them…or the traders and bounty hunters and spies who have been privy to years of rumors and stories – will doubt for one moment that the Tau’ri of the First World will not free SG-1 from Apophis. They will also be convinced that the Tau’ri will eventually kill Apophis in retribution for what he has done. I know of taverns and markets where there will be bets placed on just how long it will take the Tau’ri of the First World to once again defeat Apophis, and kill him."

For a moment, no one said a word. Bra’tac was the first to respond, his laughter filling the air around them. Teal’c’s deep voice joined in, and soon everyone was laughing.

Vanshu nodded at the young Jaffa. "You, young man, have reminded us of the very truth that allowed us to take on this operation in the first place. I would personally like to thank you for that reminder. It would seem that we needed to hear that truth spoken."

Nar’me’teal blushed, but smiled happily.

Casey beamed at him. "You just keep reminding us of that truth whenever we decide to try to over-think the situation."

"What she said," Jack grinned. "And thanks for pointing out just how successful we’ve all been in screwing life up for the Goa’uld."

The Jaffa laughed. "While we must be careful in our movements and responses, and I understand that, we can’t forget, or worse, ignore, the victories that brought us to this moment."

Jack chuckled, then turned to Bra’tac. "I suggest you find a place for this young man on that Council Teal’c tells me you’re putting together."

Although he was smiling, the look in Bra’tac’s eyes was appraising. "Your suggestion merits consideration," he told Jack. "Age and experience are not always the only requirement for leadership. The ability to see what is around one…to see the truth, is also important."

"Indeed," Teal’c said. "And a good leader also has the courage to speak the truth, even when not certain that doing so is wise."

Once again the cheeks of the young Nar’me’teal blazed with color.

Vanshu rose from his chair. "Let us take time to rest before we arrive at Chulak. There’s no way to know for certain just exactly what traps we might be walking into there."

Jack looked at Casey. "We have a great trap detector," he grinned. "We’ll have Radar take a look-see before we head planet side."

Casey dropped her eyes, and blushed at the praise from her CO.

Vanshu chuckled. "Of course. Casey, we’ll wait until we arrive before asking you to do any searches. I’m sure you’re weary after a day of pretending to be an obedient slave."

"I am a bit tired," the young seer admitted. Her fatigue was most certainly a result of dealing with the numerous emotions and memories that she’d been forced to use in order to appear to have been ‘broken’ by Apophis.

"Then let us all retire to our quarters and rest," Vanshu said. He led the way into the corridor, the others following quietly.

It had been a trying day. An interesting day. A successful day. A most…unusual day. The best part, in every mind, was that the coalition between the Tau’ri, the Tok’ra, and the Free Jaffa had accomplished the mission they had set out upon. The Goa’uld Empire in the Milky Way galaxy was no more.

The summons for all available team COs to meet with General Hammond in the briefing room was still echoing in the air as the general settled himself in ‘his’ chair at the head of the conference table. There were only four teams on the base at the moment – thirteen teams were on missions, and five were on downtime.

In just a matter of minutes those COs entered the room, and promptly took seats. They watched the general expectantly.

"SG-1 left a folder of information for us," Hammond began, diving right into the issue at hand. "They insisted that once they were taken captive, we here at the SGC would need to start looking for them. We know that the team and our allies will be going to Chulak, it’s imperative that we protect the people there, as well as protect what appears to be Apophis’ source of ‘power’."

"Taken captive?" one of the COs asked immediately, confusion on his face. "Did they walk into a trap or something? Did Mrs. J not see something?"

The general smiled. "I thought everyone was aware of what’s going on," he admitted.

Ferretti smiled. "Guess things happened so fast out there that not even the SGC rumor mill could keep up."

"So I gather." Hammond leaned forward, put his arms on the table and linked his hands. "This…situation…started when SG-1 went on a rescue mission to bring back SG-7 and the archaeologists who had been kidnapped by slave traders."

"I remember reading the memo about that," Major Newsome said. The others nodded, they, too had seen the report.

"One of the details of the official mission files is what ‘set off’ this…situation, for lack of a better word," the general continued. "That detail was learning about the clone Ba’al had created. One of himself. His plan, we believe, was to send that clone out to attack the other System Lords. When they joined together to strike back, and killed the clone, Ba’al would sweep in and take complete control of the Goa’uld Empire."

"Damn!" Colonel Dixon hissed. "A Ba’al clone?"

"It gets better," Hammond chuckled. "SG-1 suggested, and the President and I fully agreed, that it was obvious that Ba’al had no idea his clone had survived the attack on his ha’tak. That’s where the clone was created, by the way, and the main reason we wanted that ship completely destroyed."

"I remember that mission well," Colonel Dixon chuckled. "That ha’tak blew pretty as you please!"

Chuckles filled the air.

"So, just how did we get that information? Who ‘shared it’ with us?" Major Evans asked.

"A Tok’ra agent who was serving as a spy on Ba’al’s ship, and managed to ‘escape’ with the Goa’uld before the final explosions. He," the general flipped through the notes that filled the folder in front of him, "a Tok’ra named Taseem, made arrangements to have our people captured as a way to get the news to us about the clone," Hammond explained. "In their mission reports, SG-1 suggested that telling Ba’al that his clone was alive and well, and simultaneously telling the clone exactly what he was, would set the two on a collision course, which would alert the other System Lords to what was happening. The President and I fully agreed with their assessment. The President wanted SG-1 to plan a mission to do exactly that. The plan they came up with seemed simple enough. SG-1 and SG-7 managed to find both Ba’al’s, and delivered their messages."

"That’s why both of those new 304s were suddenly ready to go, both at the same time," Dixon surmised.

"Yes, it is," Hammond confirmed. "The idea of leaving Earth undefended for the amount of time it would take for the mission was…unacceptable."

"As usual, things went tits up for SG-1," Ferretti grinned. "They escaped from Ba’al…but they had a bit of an adventure on the way."

"So what’s new?" Major Newsome asked, his cheek twitching.

The general smiled as well. "While our people were telling Ba’al and his clone about one another, the Tok’ra and Rebel Jaffa were spreading rumors that Ba’al was working on something in secret, something dangerous. The intimation was that it was a new warship," Hammond told the men. "So the System Lords were already stirring against Ba’al."

"Who let the cat out of the bag?" Evans asked.

"Two Goa’uld who were on Ba’al’s ha’tak when the news was delivered." The general frowned, and checked his notes. "Excuse me, it was the clone’s ship. They overheard several of the Jaffa who had been on the pel’tak when Doctor Jackson and Casey ‘sauntered in’, as General O’Neill described it."

Ferretti sat back in his chair. "Sure wish I could have seen that!" More laughter ensued.

"Two days ago I received word from Jacob Carter and Master Bra’tac that Pedram Hussain…the man SG-1 rescued from another reality, and a man who looks exactly like Apophis, had received word that Ba’al had taken off to one of his planets, and that the System Lords were amassing there to take him on." The general nodded at the folders on the table in front of each of the men.

Each CO opened the folder and began reading. Eyes widened; surprised glances were exchanged.

Colonel Dixon cleared his throat. "So ol’ Apophis returned from the dead, did he?"

"Yes, Colonel, he did," Hammond confirmed. "And according to the report we just received from General O’Neill, the little civil war we started has had some very interesting results."

"Such as?" Newsome asked.

"Ba’al survived-" Hammond started. Groans of disbelief rose around the table. "He doesn’t have more than two small ships left to him…not more than a few hundred Jaffa, and there’s no certainty those Jaffa will remain loyal. Nearly all of his Jaffa turned on him, most before the battle. Others simply took the ships they were on and…left."

"You’re shittin’! Er…sir," Dixon sputtered. "Sorry, sir."

General Hammond held up a hand, a wide smile on his face. "I know it’s a shock. Apparently no one connected with this mission, and certainly no one here, had even considered such a thing could happen."

"So, Apophis and the other System Lords did ol’ Ba’al in?" Dixon asked, closing the folder.

"Yes, they did. ‘Apophis’ then turned on the two System Lords who were still enough of a threat to be a problem. They have little more than half a dozen ships between them. Consensus is that none of the Jaffa or servants will remain faithful, not after what they’ve witnessed today." Hammond checked his watch.

"Which two, sir?" Ferretti asked.

"Amaterasu and Kali. Amaterasu was probably the most powerful, after Ba’al," Hammond replied. "Kali had a little more than the others."

Major Evans had been reading the last page of the report. It was a roster of all the Goa’uld the teams of the SGC had encountered or had heard about, and their current ‘status’. All but half a dozen were listed as ‘deceased’. "We actually wiped out all these Goa’uld?" he asked, tapping the sheet of paper with one finger.

Hammond smiled. "It seems that we did. We need to remember – and this is from a detailed report Doctor Jackson provided – that Ra destroyed a large percentage of the Goa’uld in a fit of anger when he was tossed off Earth. And, according to Tok’ra records, that’s when the bickering between the System Lords began…and more were killed in those battles. When Ra was killed, the rules of the Empire pretty much went out the door, and those System Lords were striking at one another with impunity. Doctor Jackson believes, and I see no reason to doubt his deductions, that the surviving System Lords exaggerated their strength…to their Jaffa and to their religious leaders. As such, their true strength was actually an ‘unknown’ factor. Not knowing that we were hearing nothing more than propaganda, we believed that our enemy was much stronger than they actually were."

"Probably hiding the truth from themselves as well," Ferretti muttered.

"I wouldn’t argue with that," Hammond smiled. "Seems the Goa’uld are very good at self-delusion."

"And no one bothered to actually check those facts," Dixon surmised.

"We were basing our intelligence on what we heard, particularly when teams were captured," Hammond said, "and on the intelligence reports we received from the Tok’ra."

"Well, that was our first mistake," Ferretti grumbled. "They’ve never been real forth-coming, in spite of our treaty." The Marine frowned. "Ya know, if the Tok’ra have been fighting the Goa’uld as long as they say they have, they were pretty lazy about keeping decent records on who had what…or they’d have known about all of this decades ago."

"Or longer," Newsome huffed, shaking his head. "Do we know these ‘facts’ are accurate?"

General Hammond smiled. "I have access to an incredible source of information. She assures me that this list is indeed correct." Four faces lit up with smiles. If Casey Jackson said it was so, then no one would doubt her.

"So, there’s what…" Evans paused, and counted names from the list, "a grand total of six System Lords?"

"Six Goa’uld," Hammond corrected. "According to the rules of their own Empire, they’re little more than minor Goa’uld now. And by the way, we’re not certain how many of the minor Goa’uld who were serving those System Lords are still alive."

"If they were on the ships the rebels took, I’m betting they’re floating in space somewhere," Ferretti offered.

"That is a possibility," Hammond agreed. "Now, it’s a well known fact that when one of our teams goes missing, we send our people out to find them."

"So…we’re going to ‘rescue’ SG-1?" Dixon surmised.

"Yes, we are," Hammond responded. "However, it’s not widely known that Apophis has returned. Tok’ra agents have been whispering about rumors regarding Apophis, but they’ve made certain that the stories were told in such a way as to leave more doubt than belief in those who are hearing these rumors. By now those agents have received orders to whisper about Apophis’ return, and to make certain those rumors are accepted as fact."

Heads moved up and down in understanding.

"We’re going inform our spies that one of our teams is late for check-in on what should have been a routine survey mission," Hammond said. He checked his watch. "In fact, those messages went out about thirty minutes ago. We'll be asking that they let us know if they hear anything. In the meantime, we’re going to get a message from the Tok’ra that Apophis has returned, and he managed to find and capture SG-1. They’ll also tell us that the Goa’uld is on his way to Chulak."

"And we’re going to do…what, exactly?" Newsome asked.

"Well, as we haven’t heard from the Tok’ra just yet, I’ll be sending teams out to the main trading planets, to look for any information that might be out there about our missing team," Hammond said. "I’ve already sent out recall orders for the teams on downtime. They’ll be here within the hour. They’ll be going on that mission."

"So we’re going to Chulak?" Ferretti assumed.

The general nodded. "Bra’tac has managed to keep a few Rebel Jaffa under wraps on Chulak, to keep abreast of what was happening there. He’s been in contact with them, and while most of the Jaffa and their families continued to declare themselves loyal to Apophis, they don’t seem too happy to learn that he’s returned," Hammond reported.

"Easier to be loyal to a ‘god’ who isn’t there making your life miserable," Ferretti said.

"That’s a fact," Evans agreed.

"So how did the folks on Chulak hear about Apophis coming back from the dead?" Dixon asked.

The general grinned. "It seems Apophis contacted his High Priest, and demanded a celebration of his return to be planned, and a ceremony to mark his return to be performed as soon as he arrives."

The men chuckled.

"We don’t know what to expect from these people," the general continued. "Apophis and his ‘fleet’ will arrive at Chulak within a few hours."

"So, we should be thinking about getting in there, and setting up for a rescue?" Colonel Dixon asked.

"Yes, Colonel, you should. Have your teams ready to embark in fifteen minutes. Keep out of sight until you get word from General O’Neill. We don’t want anyone from Chulak to know you’re there, until the minute you’re freeing SG-1."

"Yes, sir," Dixon acknowledged. "In and black."

Hammond nodded. "Exactly. Your teams need to embark as soon as possible. Dismissed."

The team COs jumped to their feet, and waited until the general was in his office before speaking.

"Damn," Newsome said quietly. "It sounds as if they really did it!"

Ferretti chuckled. "Yep, that little family feud SG-1 and SG-7 stirred up just brought about the end of the snake empire. We’re gonna have to have a hell of a party when the dust settles."

"How does Mrs. J always say it…we’ll party for weeks when the Goa’uld drop dead?" Evans grinned.

"Well, not all of them are dead," Ferretti replied. He grinned from ear to ear. "But close damned enough!"

"Let’s get our boys together. We need to be in place and ready. When General O’Neill gives the word, he’s gonna want us to hit hard and fast," Dixon predicted.

"Yep," Ferretti replied. He led the way to the elevator.

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