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Family Feud

Vanshu was busy in the office of the High Priest. No doubt he would be there most of the night. The bad news, Casey huffed mentally, was that Apophis’ lo’taur was expected to remain near his Master, should the Master have desires that required immediate attention.

Aron escorted the seer back to Apophis’ chambers. "I will be right here, should you need anything," he said gently.

"What I need is my Husband," Casey replied snippily. She shook her head, then forced a weak smile. "Thank you, Aron. I appreciate your offer."

The Jaffa smiled. "At least try to get a bit of sleep. We do not know what the day will bring."

"Daniel needs sleep, too," Casey said worriedly.

"I have no doubt that Vanshu is quite aware of that fact. I’m certain he’ll send the lo’taur to his quarters soon," Aron said comfortingly.

"Thanks," Casey said again. With another small smile, she opened the door and slipped into the room.

Several candles were burning, filling the space with warm light and the scent of Jasmine. Or at least something that smelled similar to Jasmine. A quick investigation of the rooms proved that she was alone…something that was both a relief, and somewhat worrisome. She dared to peak into the room that was the private chamber of Apophis, and found it to be just as gaudy as any of the rooms she had seen on Ba’al’s ship. To one side of the room was a small alcove, with a curtain that could be pulled closed was, at that moment, still open. A narrow bed waited there...for the lo’taur. She shivered slightly.

It wasn’t intentional. She was doing her best to not think about what the real Apophis would do. But the images were there anyway, dancing in front of her eyes…the servants dressing her for bed…bringing her in to Apophis. Daniel waiting in the corner – ordered to do so by the Goa’uld…unable to stop what was about to happen – forced to witness his Wife being taken by the Goa’uld. She could almost feel the hands on her…removing her robe…forcing her to…

She gave a tiny gasp, shook her head, and raced from the room. She barely had the presence of mind not to slam the door. She slipped into her own chamber…not quite as gaudy as that of Apophis, but she certainly wasn’t impressed by all the gold. Way too tacky for me!

The barely audible click of the door alerted her to the fact that she wasn’t alone. She was still looking around for a suitable weapon when Gin’ra stepped into the light of the nearest candle.

Casey put a hand over her heart. "You startled me," she admitted, her heart pounding against her ribs.

"I apologize for doing so," Gin’ra said, offering a warm smile. "I just learned that you were brought back here. Let me help you undress."

That cold, icy fear raced up her spine once again. "Oh…well…"

"Do not fear, child. Apophis will not return for several hours. He is quite consumed with going over every detail of his domain," Gin’ra said, reassuringly.

"Well, he’s been gone awhile. No doubt he wants to know what’s happened while he was gone," Casey said dryly.

Gin’ra chuckled. "I am sure he does. I would like to know if the High Priest was able to…correct…any discrepancies."

She stared at the slave for a moment, and then giggled. "I’d like to see his face when Apophis starts asking him about those discrepancies!"

"As would I," Gin’ra replied chuckling as well. "Now, let us get you into something a bit more comfortable, and take your hair down."

With a nod, Casey followed the woman to the large wardrobe, tossing the gold sandals aside. "Can we lose those things?"

The slave chuckled. "I will see what I can do."

Casey waited patiently while Gin’ra located a simple silk gown. It resembled a tank-top. The only difference was, when she unfolded it, the material reached the floor. Gin’ra carefully removed the jewelry she’d worn, then helped her out of the dress. She slid the nightgown over her head. "Much better," she declared quietly.

"Good," Gin’ra nodded. She led Casey to a stool in front of a large mirror. The vanity held an assortment of jars and bottles, each one a crystal delight.

"Oh, how lovely," Casey whispered, her fingers moving over one of the jars. In spite of the situation, she could still appreciate beauty and exquisite craftsmanship when she saw it.

"Yes, they are lovely," Gin’ra agreed. Nimble fingers gently pulled the pins from long blonde hair. Then she began to brush it, working from the roots to the tips with long, soft strokes.

"You don’t have to do this," Casey objected. "I can brush my own hair."

Gin’ra smiled. "I am sure you can. But it is expected of me."

Casey turned slightly on the stool. "When it’s just us, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do."

The smile on the older woman’s face widened. "You would treat me as…as…"

"As an equal," Casey confirmed. "I mean, technically we’re both slaves here. But…I don’t want you, nor Doora, to have to work any more or any harder than necessary. Especially if it’s to do something I can do for myself."

Gin’ra handed the brush to the young seer. "Would you like me to stay with you?"

Casey worked the brush through her hair. Being alone meant dealing with far too many unpleasant thoughts. Company would be most welcome. "You wouldn’t mind?"

The slave patted the arm of the woman who was her mistress. "I do not mind. I promise to slip out if the lo’taur is able to come back before Apophis returns to his chambers."

She could feel the blood drain from her face. This was a trap, she just knew it! Now what the hell was she supposed to do? Daniel was her Husband. He was a slave to Apophis the same as she was. And there was no way in hell that Apophis would allow them to have any stolen moments together.

Taking the young woman’s hand, Gin’ra patted it tenderly. "Not all who live in Chulak have remained faithful to Apophis," she said, her voice not much more than a whisper. "Not all who live in Chulak were…faithful…before the death of Apophis."

"But, you’re a slave in the palace," Casey argued.

Casey tightened her fingers around the hand that held hers. "I’m so sorry," she whispered.

"You are Tau’ri," Gin’ra continued. "And even now those from your world search for you."

Well, Casey thought, word sure does get around quickly out here!

"We know…well, those of us who do not believe Apophis is a god…know that your people will rescue you." The confidence in Gin’ra’s voice brought a smile to the lips of her young companion.

"With luck, we can take Apophis out, too," Casey replied.

Gin’ra chuckled. "That would make a great many of those here in Chulak happy. The news of his return has not been hailed with great excitement."

"There are more rebels here than those loyal to Apophis realize, aren’t there?" Casey asked.

Gin’ra frowned. "I suppose one might believe that," she said slowly. "If such a thing were true, it happened slowly, over the course of time. The absence of Apophis, and the brutality of his Priests was quite…illuminating…for many."

"Gin’ra, if there are rebels here, we can either help them take Chulak as their own, or we can help them find a Free Jaffa village to move to," Casey offered

"What if that number is more than…fifty?" Gin’ra inquired cautiously.

"Then we take more than one hundred people with us. It doesn’t matter how many…only that they choose freedom," Casey said softly.

The servant closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were filled with tears. "You give me much hope, Casey."

Casey smiled. "To be honest, you’ve given me a lot of hope as well. If there are rebels in Chulak, maybe they’ll help my friends when they come to rescue me and my Husband…and our other friends."

Gin’ra nodded. "The lo’taurs for two Goa’uld."

An unexpected yawn prevented Casey from being able to answer.

"Come, you must rest. Try to sleep as much as you can," Gin’ra said.

"I promise," Casey replied. She frowned slightly. "Gin’ra-"

The older woman patted the seer’s shoulder. "What we have spoken of will be between just the two of us, I promise."

She cocked her head sideways…almost cried at what she was able to see. This woman was holding desperately to the hope that SG-1 would be the salvation for the people of Chulak who longed for freedom. "Thank you," Casey whispered.

Gin’ra made certain that her charge was comfortable, then blew out the candles, leaving only the moonlight from two windows to light the room. "Sleep, Casey."

"You get some rest as well," Casey said.

"I will," Gin’ra chuckled. The door closed quietly behind her.

I so need to talk to Daniel, Casey grumped. And Vanshu. We have more than just a charade to deal with!

Daniel slipped into the room. Two sets of double doors, one on each side of the room. He checked the room to his right, opening the door slowly…not willing to wake any slave who might be slumbering nearby. Two candles, quite low in the holders now, lit the room with warm, yellow light. Which reflected and bounced off the gold that seemed to cover damned near everything. Typical Goa’uld. Talk about ugly!

He hurried out of the room, glanced around to make certain there were no sleeping bodies in the ‘main’ room, then hurried to the other set of doors. He carefully opened one and stole into the dark room. His breath caught in his throat…moonlight danced off her blonde hair. He stripped quickly, making certain the clothes were nearby…to be grabbed in a rush if need be. Carefully slid under the blanket, and ran his hand over her hip, disappointed to feel silk between his fingers and her skin.

Casey…alarmed by the fact that there was someone else in the bed with her…tried to sit up, a scream working its way from her throat to her mouth. A hand tamped tightly over her mouth.

"Shh…it’s me, Angel," Daniel whispered.

In a flash the urge to scream was gone, and she threw herself into the arms of the man she loved. "Daniel!"

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I’m fine," she replied. Even in the dim light of the moon, her Husband was able to see the frown on her face.

"What-"

"Just a minute, Stud Muffin," she whispered. With almost frantic movements Casey pushed the blanket away; managed to get to her feet in spite of the gown being rapped around one foot. She pulled the garment over her head, the silk falling to a puddle on the floor.

He grinned when she slid back into bed, his hands already moving over her body, one hand caressing her breast.

"Is Vanshu here?"

"No," Daniel replied, shaking his head. "It seems that the High Priest was concerned about letting me, an infamous member of SG-1, see anything that pertained to the wealth of Apophis. The old bastard even reminded his ‘god’ that SG-1 had been held prisoner before, on one of his ships, and we managed to escape. So, logically, SG-1 will once again magically escape from Apophis, and take all that knowledge about the planets he claims, and how many sheep he owns, and which vineyards are producing better than the others home with us."

She couldn’t contain her giggle. "How did Vanshu handle that?"

"Well, he ranted a bit about being a most powerful System Lord, and the only remaining System Lord in the galaxy, and that his palace was much easier to defend than his ship," Daniel replied.

"But the priest insisted," Casey assumed.

"There was a bit of back and forth, and then Vanshu stared at me for a couple of minutes. Then he asked if I thought I could escape from him. I told him I’d never give up the hope of my teammates and I being rescued," Daniel said.

"So, here you are," the seer sighed.

"Here I am," he agreed happily.

"There are more rebels here than even Bra’tac is aware of," Casey informed him.

Daniel jerked slightly. "And how did you find this out?"

"Both of my ‘maids’ are rebels," she replied easily. "And they’re holding out hope that SG-1 will free them not only from Apophis, but from the religious hierarchy that has been as oppressive as the Goa’uld ever was."

Daniel ran a hand over his face. Nothing like tossing a wrench into the whole works. A pretty big wrench, at that.

"This is going to change how we have to do things. We can not let these rebels knock off Apophis, not yet, anyway," Casey fretted.

"We’ll talk to Vanshu as soon as he returns," Daniel promised. He stretched out, and made himself comfortable. "Until then, you need sleep, and I need sleep."

She snuggled into his arms. "Sleep," she murmured, then closed her eyes.

It was only a matter of a few breaths before both Husband and Wife were wrapped in the arms of Morpheus, safe in one another’s embrace.

Dawn was just breaking, the sun peeping over the mountains that surrounded the city. Gin’ra opened the door and peeked in. She smiled to see the signs of two bodies in the bed. She heard movement in the corridor, and rushed into the room, carefully closing the door behind her.

"Casey," Gin’ra whispered. She gently shook the seer’s shoulder. "Casey, wake up. We must hurry. Your Husband must be in the bed of the lo’taur in the next few minutes, or Apophis will catch you both."

She sat up, the words causing her stomach to churn. No one could know that ‘Apophis’ wasn’t really Apophis. "Daniel…"

"I’m awake," he said quietly.

Gin’ra found his clothes – handed them to the handsome man. "Hurry!" When she saw the gown Casey had been wearing wadded up on the floor, she picked it up and shook it out. "Let me help you get this back on."

Grateful for the ‘distraction’ that would keep the maid’s attention on his Wife and not the fact that he was naked, Daniel hurriedly pulled the clothes on. "I love you, Angel."

"I love you," Casey whispered in reply. She fought the tears that tried to fill her eyes. It isn’t real! she told herself firmly.

"Get back into bed. I will wait in the other room. When Apophis arrives, I will tell him you are still sleeping," Gin’ra said.

Casey nodded and hurried to obey

Not certain there wasn’t already a servant or slave waiting in Apophis’ chamber, Daniel entered slowly. Nope…still empty. He opted to keep his trousers on, but draped the vest on a nearby chair, then carefully rumpled the narrow bed…making it look as if he’d spent a restless night there. Just in case another servant or slave was with Vanshu...one not on the side of the rebels.

He almost missed seeing his duffel hidden under the low bed in the alcove. He pulled it out, and found a note from Jack.

"Daniel, I’m assuming you took my advice and spent time with Casey while we were on our way here. She didn’t want you to worry, but she had me bring along a vial of the Hathor serum. I suggest you dose yourself as soon as you think you need it, no guarantee you’ll be able to be with Radar. Jack."

Daniel rolled his eyes. He was going to have a discussion with his Wife about her penchant to try to protect him. He found the flashlight that hid the serum. Considering it had been at least sixteen hours since he’d been able to be with her, he figured a shot now would be in his best interest. He quickly injected himself, then stuffed the flashlight into the bottom of the pack, and shoved it under the bed.

Vanshu strode into the room, noting straightaway that one of the servants was waiting, sitting on a low stool in the corner. "Where is my Consort?"

"She is still asleep, My Lord," Gin’ra replied, her voice calm.

"Wake her. Bring her to me immediately," Vanshu ordered. Then practically stomped into Apophis’ chamber, not waiting for a response.

The servant blanched at the command. No matter how much she might wish to intervene, there was no way to stop what was about to happen. She could only hope that Casey was strong enough to survive not only being raped, but knowing that her Husband was fated to witness the act.

Casey was sitting up in the bed when Gin’ra entered the room. "I heard," she said softly.

Gin’ra’s eyes filled with tears. "Would that I could take your place at this moment," she said, her voice choked with emotion.

The comment was as unexpected as the gentleness while preparing her for the feast had been. Tears filled Casey’s eyes. "It’s okay. I’ll get through this. We’ll get through this," she said.

The servant nodded. "I will take you," she said, reaching for the seer’s hand.

For not the first time since her arrival, the kindness she was being shown almost overwhelmed her. "Thank you," Casey whispered.

The two women crossed the main room. Gin’ra knocked timidly on the closed door. "My Lord?"

"Send her in," Apophis’ voice ordered.

Gin’ra squeezed the slender fingers her hand held. "I am so sorry," she murmured.

Casey nodded, then took a deep breath. Gin’ra opened the door, and she stepped into the chamber.

"Leave," Apophis said, staring at Gin’ra. "I want no one in these rooms until I call for you. Do you understand? No one. Tell my personal guard that I want no one in this part of the palace, other than the Jaffa assigned to guard duty."

"Yes, My Lord," Gin’ra said, bowing low. So, you don’t want anyone to hear the screams of that young woman as you rape her in front of her Husband. For this, you will pay, Apophis, she thought angrily.

A moment later Vanshu smiled as the outer door of the apartment slammed shut. Daniel and Casey were already sitting on the sofa near the wide window, one that looked out on a beautiful garden. That garden was completely deserted at the moment.

"We need to talk," Casey said immediately.

Vanshu frowned. "What has happened?"

"There are a lot more rebel Jaffa…and rebel citizens…in Chulak than even Bra’tac is aware of," the seer responded.

The Tok’ra’s frown deepened. "This could be a problem."

"That’s what I was afraid you were going to say," Casey sighed.

"Bra’tac has already sent word that there’s the chance of a rebellion. What we can’t do is allow that revolt to happen before we’re ready for Apophis to be killed," Vanshu said worriedly.

Daniel shook his head. "Maybe we’re looking at this the wrong way…viewing it as if this could interfere with our plans. What if we adjust our plans to fit with the circumstances?"

"I’m not sure I understand," Vanshu replied.

"We’re going on the assumption that Apophis needs to remain alive and powerful in order to keep the remaining Goa’uld from banding together to try to destroy him," Daniel said. "What if we allow this rebellion to take place? It would only confirm to those Goa’uld that no one…not villagers or town folk, not traders, not bounty hunters…not one human is afraid of the Goa’uld any longer. We saw how many of Ba’al’s ships just disappear? Who says that can’t or won’t happen to Apophis? Especially if the people and Jaffa of Chulak rise up against him?"

The Tok’ra began to pace the room. "I see the point you are making. My concern is that the rebellion would offer the perfect opportunity for the other Goa’uld to attack."

"Not if there are rebel ships near the planets where they’re hiding. The Goa’uld make a move, bring their ships into orbit, or if they’re already there, to leave orbit, and the Rebel fleet completely destroys them," Daniel proposed.

Vanshu nodded. "It would certainly prevent those Goa’uld from ever being a problem again," he allowed.

"So, we let Bra’tac and Teal’c find out who the rebels are. Those two can have any and all rebels organized and waiting word to attack. We could even count on them to help our teams when we’re ‘rescued’."

"The only problem," Casey said slowly, "is that these people want Apophis dead. I’d rather Pedram and Vanshu live to see another day."

"As would I," Pedram smiled.

"Hi, Pedram," Casey said brightly. That tingle that she always felt before a vision began to tickle the back of her head. Her hand shot out toward her Husband. "Download," she whispered.

Daniel jumped to his feet, then lovingly pulled her into his embrace. "Nice and easy, Angel," he said softly. "Deep breaths…in…out…in…out…that’s it. Don’t grab for it, just let it flow."

Casey locked her gaze with his, the love in his blue eyes calming her. She took deep breaths, following his lead. There! A flash of light, and it was over. Casey closed her eyes.

Vanshu watched and listened with intent curiosity. He had heard about the seer, and her abilities. He was well aware that she had offered information to the Tok’ra that only she could find…could see…and that information had saved the life of a loyal operative. It was fascinating to watch her.

Continuing to move his hands slowly up and down her back, Daniel studied his Wife’s face, watching for any hints of what she might be seeing.

When she opened her eyes she smiled, leaned up and kissed his chin. Then she turned her attention to Vanshu.

"Daniel is right. We let the people of Chulak rise up against Apophis. The catalyst will be when SG-1 is rescued," Casey said. "When they see that their mighty god still can’t keep four Tau’ri in custody, it’s going to blow the whole thing open. Even those who are loyal to Apophis are going to be so pissed off that we manage to escape, that…while they might not fight against you…er…Apophis, they aren’t going to fight for him, either."

"We’re still stuck with a way to kill Apophis without harming you and Pedram," Daniel frowned.

Let Apophis escape in a shuttle, Pedram said. Then report that the ha’tak waiting destroyed the craft.

"An interesting idea," Vanshu admitted, then explained the idea Pedram had shared with him. "We must find a way to discuss this with the others."

Casey smiled. "Well, we have to just sit here and wait for awhile. I should probably scream in protest a few times. Then, you just order Aldwin and Lorraine to join you here. Of course they’ll bring their lo’taur. Teal’c and Bra’tac could ‘accidentally’ show up, something about getting more Jaffa trained or something like that. We keep M’zel, Adal, and Aron on guard out there, to keep anyone from just wandering into our little conflab."

Daniel chuckled. "Not half bad, Angel."

Vanshu laughed as well. "I believe that you have planned other such missions."

"Well, not the whole mission," Casey muttered, her cheeks rosy.

"Let us begin. By now…" Vanshu broke off, looking away from the green eyes that watched him.

"Right," Casey said. She took a deep breath. Then let out with a blood curdling scream. Both men jumped out the sound. She cried out again, then moaned softly. Then another scream.

Vanshu slapped his hands together, the sound echoing in the room as if someone had been struck.

Again Casey cried out.

Daniel glanced at the bed, and frowned. The ‘sound effects’ have to be convincing... With a wide grin, he pushed both hands against the foot of the bed, and began to push it rhythmically into the wall. He glanced at his Wife and nodded. Chuckled when she began to cry out, as if in pain.

Vanshu ended the performance by knocking a jug off the table near the bed. The three stood and grinned at one another, certain that they had convinced anyone who might have been listening that Apophis had taken his Consort…and against her will.

"I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m hungry," Casey announced.

Vanshu laughed. "I too, would appreciate a meal."

"Count me in," Daniel agreed.

The Tok’ra opened the door to his chamber, then the door to the corridor. Aron stared at him. "Just another performance," Vanshu assured the Jaffa.

A single nod of his head was the only response.

It was all he could do to keep from laughing. "It seems that Casey was far more convincing than we dared hope. She is well. It was actually all her idea."

Aron remembered the seer insisting that SG-1 needed to ‘look’ the part of being captured during another cooperative mission. He also remembered the disquiet in M’zel’s eyes with each slap he delivered before the team was taken to ‘Osiris’. He smiled. "Yes, I can believe that."

"We would like to eat now," Vanshu said. Then frowned. "Have you and the others been able to eat?"

"Yes," Aron replied, offering a smile. "We have. Thank you for your concern. She is truly unharmed?"

"She is truly unharmed. Just hungry," Vanshu said.

"Thank you," Vanshu said. He turned to go back into the room, then paused. "Your concern about Casey eases the worry I carry."

"How so?" Aron asked inquisitively.

"If anyone, particularly one of the priests, should decide to…harm…her, I can rest assured that you or one of the other Jaffa will defend and protect her," Vanshu explained.

"With our lives," Aron said softly. "Her insights have saved the lives of many Jaffa. None of us will ever forget the debt we owe her."

Vanshu nodded his understanding. "Make certain the cooks provide an ample supply of food. Oh…and send word to Aldwin and Lorraine that ‘Apophis’ wishes to speak with them…now."

"I will do so." Aron saluted, gave a slight nod, then hurried down the corridor. As was expected, a dozen Jaffa – seven were rebels from the ship, five were devout locals – stood at attention, waiting to carry out any tasks that Apophis had for them. He snapped out orders, watched to make certain the five local Jaffa were responding as quickly as they could, then returned to guard the door to the chambers where his allies waited. He smiled grimly. The sounds would have been muted, but he had no doubt those resident Jaffa had heard the same things he had. It would go a long way in convincing those around them that Apophis had truly returned.

Twenty minutes later, the sitting room of Apophis’ quarters was filled with co-conspirators. Lorraine and Sam had arrived first, only minutes before Aldwin and Jack walked through the door.

A large, low table in the middle of the room was covered with a variety of fruit and pastries, and everyone was helping themselves to the bounty.

Vanshu wiped his hands, then looked at the faces around him. "I have some good news."

"I’m all for that," Jack said, talking around a mouthful of sweet pastry.

"Stop talking with your mouth full," Casey grumped, just before she swallowed the bite of apple she’d been chewing.

 "Pot, meet kettle," Jack retorted.

"Can we stay focused here?" Daniel said, frowning at the two.

"Sure." Jack grinned, then looked at Vanshu, who was watching with amusement. "So, what’s the good news?"

"I was afraid that we might find that the priests of Apophis had maintained control of several planets," Vanshu said. "It wouldn’t be unheard of for the High Priest to continue to ‘rule’ in the absence of his ‘god’, if that ‘god’ was away. This High Priest certainly attempted to do so. But…any tribute that was collectedly was done so sporadically. Not only were these ‘taxes’ collected in a rather hodge-podge manner, but there were very few Jaffa who did the actual collecting...not in numbers large enough to totally threaten the villagers. Several of the villages began to refuse payment. And the High Priest simply allowed it."

"That’s…odd," Daniel said.

"I agree with Danny. That’s odd," Jack said. "What happened?"

Vanshu struggled to keep from smiling. "It seems there were not enough Jaffa willing to walk through the Chappa’ai, even to a ‘controlled’ planet."

"Why not?" Sam asked, a look of confusion on her face. "If the planets were owned…ruled…whatever…by Apophis, why wouldn’t they walk through the ‘gate?"

His grin broke free. "Because they were convinced that the Tau’ri or Rebel Jaffa lurked behind every Chappa’ai, determined to kill them or convert them," Vanshu replied. Pedram was laughing loudly in his ‘ears’.

Eyes widened. Casey’s jaw actually dropped open. Jack looked thunderstruck.

Daniel was the first to make a sound…a chortle of laughter that escaped before he could stop it. "Oh, that’s rich!"

"Surely the priest told you this as a means to cover his own ineptness," Karinda said, once Lorraine had been able to stop laughing.

"He was not," Vanshu chuckled. "In fact, he reported that he and the other priests had held several meetings concerning the dangers of sending Jaffa through the Chappa’ai, for any reason."

"Even to get prim’ta?" Micah asked.

"Even so," Vanshu confirmed.

"Wait…if they didn’t go out and get prim’ta…how have they kept the Jaffa alive?" Jack asked.

"From what the priest told me, there was a large sepulcher of larva in the temple. When the symbiotes matured, they took hosts from among the people of Chulak," Vanshu said. "This was not taken well by the people."

"No shit," Jack muttered.

"So, where did those Goa’uld go?" Casey asked.

"From the names on the roster that I saw, they were all minor Goa’uld. All of those names were the same as the names on a list that the Tok’ra keep, a record of the Goa’uld who have been killed. Only two names were new to me," Vanshu replied.

"So, we have two unknown Goa’uld running around out there," Jack grumbled.

"We don’t know that for certain," Sam countered. "We know there were at least a dozen Goa’uld on the ships that the Jaffa took."

Vanshu nodded. "It will not take long to find these Goa’uld, if they still live."

Jack nodded. "The Jaffa who just...took off...weren’t afraid of Ba’al, or any of the other Goa’uld. A minor Goa’uld is going to be nothing more than a temporary obstacle to gaining their freedom. I’d be willing to bet that those minor Goa’uld are dead."

"Very possible," Karinda allowed.

"What about the two who arrived just a matter of hours before Apophis?" Micah asked.

Vanshu frowned. "To be honest, I haven’t ‘met’ them yet. I was told they had served Apophis before his disappearance. But the names…I don’t recall hearing the names."

"I will find out who they are," Karinda said firmly. "I will also let them know that they will be subservient to Micah and I…as we are older Goa’uld who have also worked for Apophis for many years, but have done so covertly."

Vanshu nodded. "Yes, that will certainly place you above them in the hierarchy."

"Okay…why?" Jack asked curiously.

"Only a truly loyal Goa’uld, one who has proven his or her devotion and compliance, are trusted enough to go ‘undercover’ as you call it," Vanshu explained. "It would be too easy for a low ranking Goa’uld to be sent on a mission – in order to spy, or cause unrest among slaves, or to sabotage any building projects – to turn on their Master in return for being raised to a higher ranking."

"Goa’uld being Goa’uld," Jack nodded, understanding the reasoning.

"Will that piss those two off?" Daniel asked.

"Without a doubt," Micah replied. "However, their status is so low that they barely rank above the Jaffa. They will be angry, but there will be little they can do about the situation."

"Well, they could try to kill you," Casey pointed out.

Micah smiled. "Apophis would expect such treachery. And because of that, Karinda and I will be offered a squad of Jaffa for our protection. Those Jaffa will report to us, and will obey our orders…so long as our commands do not counter those of Apophis."

There was a knock on the door. For a moment, everyone held their breath.

"My Lord, I must speak to you," Bra’tac’s voice, slightly muffled, called.

Vanshu let out the breath he’d been holding. "Enter!" he said.

Bra’tac walked into the room, Teal’c at his side. The rattle of their uniforms caused the hearts of four of the people in the room to wince slightly – an experience induced reaction.

"It’s not real," Casey breathed, so quietly that no one in the room heard her.

Daniel frowned, not sure if she’d said something or not. "Angel?"

She forced a smile. "It’s nothing," she told him, wrapping both hands around his wrist.

He took note of her actions. She only grabbed him like this if she was worried about something. Or scared. He leaned closer to her. "It’s not real," he whispered.

She nodded, then looked at him, holding his gaze with hers for a long moment. "There are moments when it feels far too real," she whispered in return.

He kissed the tip of her nose. "I know, Case," he replied in kind.

Jack frowned. "Something you two need to share with the class?"

Casey shook her head.

Daniel, however, watched her for a moment, then turned to his friend. "Just reminding ourselves that this isn’t real. There have been a few times it feels too damned real."

"Say the word, Danny, and I contact Ferretti and have him break us out tonight," Jack said firmly.

Casey shook her head again. "Not until we finish what we’ve started, Jack," she said. "The fact that it feels so real means that anyone and everyone watching will believe that it is."

"Very true," Bra’tac nodded. "Already there are rumors of Apophis taking Casey just this morning."

Vanshu, Daniel, and Casey exchanged glances, then began to chuckle.

"What?" Jack asked.

"We did a little audio performance for anyone lurking out there and listening," Daniel explained. "Casey screamed a few times, did some moaning like she was in pain, cried out a bit…then Vanshu made it sound as if he’d struck her…or me, whichever. I made the bed hit the wall…needed the right sound effects. Then Vanshu knocked a vase off the table, and everything went quiet."

"Then I ordered a meal," Vanshu finished.

"Very good," Bra’tac nodded with approval. "No one will doubt that Apophis has indeed taken Casey, nor will they question his actions regarding her or his lo’taur."

"Okay. So…now what?" Sam asked, grinning at Daniel’s explanation of what the three had accomplished.

"Well, we have a bit of a problem," Casey said.

"Don’t wanna hear it, Radar," Jack said immediately.

"Actually, Jack, we’ve already worked out a plan to deal with the problem," Daniel said.

"Okay…what’s the problem, and what’s your plan?"

Vanshu cleared his throat, then looked at Bra’tac. "How many Rebels are here in Chulak, who obey your orders?"

The Jaffa Master frowned. "Seven."

"You might want to revise that number," Casey said. "I’m willing to bet the number is pretty close to every Jaffa in this city. And the civilians who live here as well. Both of my ‘maids’ are rebels."

Bra’tac’s eyes went wide. "You are sure of this?"

"Pretty much. Gin’ra told me that there are more rebels than the priests know about…and there were more here than Apophis knew about before he was killed," Casey replied.

"Why did they not join us?" Teal’c asked aloud, a frown on his face.

"It’s one thing to not believe," Casey said, her voice soft. "It’s something else entirely to act on those feelings. Or even admit to them."

Teal’c nodded. "This I do understand," he said quietly.

"I would assume that the number of rebels grew after the demise of Apophis," Vanshu said. "It would certainly rock one’s belief to have one’s god killed so easily."

Bra’tac nodded slowly. "Indeed."

"Casey had a download before you got here," Daniel said, looking at the faces that watched him expectantly. "The catalyst for the rebellion that’s going to happen will be when SG-1 is rescued."

"It would be difficult to continue to believe in the strength of your god if he’s unable to keep four prisoners subdued," Karinda agreed.

"So…when do I contact Ferretti?" Jack asked.

Vanshu frowned. "Are you willing to wait for a day or so?"

"Sure, I suppose," Jack answered. "Do you have a specific reason?"

"I do," Vanshu said. "We will ask Bra’tac to contact his Rebel fleet. They must take up positions above the planets where the now weakened Goa’uld are hiding."

"So that if they decide to use this rebellion to strike against Apophis, we can destroy them completely," Bra’tac said, easily surmising the plan.

"Yes," Vanshu affirmed.

"I can send word in the next hour. The ships will be in place by the end of the day," Bra’tac promised. "I am already expecting reports from four of our ships."

"Very good," Vanshu said. "Now, Casey also thought it would be beneficial for you and Teal’c to see to it that training for your chal’ti begins right away."

"That will be another reason for the people to grow unhappy," Teal’c said. "It will require all chal’ti endure the ceremony of Prim’ta."

"They’ll all be implanted with a Goa’uld larvae," Jack sighed. Then frowned. "Still have a lot of those things around here? There aren’t any left on P3X-888, as far as we know."

"There is a lake where Goa’uld thrive," Bra’tac said. "There are female Goa’uld who spawn there frequently. Priests collect the larvae, and keep them in a sepulcher. They are the larvae used in the Prim’ta ceremonies."

"And this has been going on, in spite of Apophis being gone?" Jack asked. He wasn’t at all sure he was ready to hear the answer.

"It has," Bra’tac confirmed.

"Well, as soon as this little rebellion is over, we’re gonna get some of that handy-dandy snake killer and dump a few hundred gallons in that lake," the team CO declared.

"In the mean time, we can send for some tretonin," Daniel suggested. "The whole point of the little war we started was to get rid of the Goa’uld. We don’t need a new batch of them out there."

"Are we sure that there are only a couple of unknown Goa’uld out there?" Casey asked, tugging her lip between her teeth.

"Not with one hundred percent accuracy," Vanshu admitted. "However, there have been no reports of any Goa’uld attempting to become System Lords."

"Thank the Tooth Fairy for small favors," Jack sighed.

Vanshu wiped his hands on one of the large, linen napkins. "It seems that we will continue with our pretence for awhile longer. Bra’tac, I will leave it to you and Teal’c to see about the chal’ti, and begin the training. Also...contact those you know to be rebels. Learn if they are aware of any of neighbors who have turned away from Apophis. We need to know who...and how many...want freedom, and who are still loyal to the Goa’uld."

Bra’tac nodded. "I will see to it immediately. It would be better if Teal’c were to remain here. As your First Prime, his place is at your side."

"Of course," Vanshu said. "For now, Micah and Karinda will see to it that our minor Goa’uld know their place."

"We will oversee the slaves and servants in the palace," Karinda offered. "I have done that before as a Goa’uld in service to a System Lord."

"Very good."

"We will need to appear less than observant," Micah said. "Not inept…just so sure of our control over the slaves and servants that we don’t need to pay attention to every detail. That will allow the rebels to continue to plan."

"We should be able to gather enough information to know who at least a few of the leaders of the rebels might be," Karinda added.

"Again, very good," Vanshu said. "I want to go over the records of Apophis’ holdings again, to make certain I can remember every planet listed. We can visit those places when this is over. From what I’ve learned, I believe most of them have already claimed their independence. We must make certain that they have what they need to maintain that sovereignty."

"I agree with that," Jack nodded.

The Tok’ra looked at Casey. "You will be resting. I doubt anyone will expect to see you before the meal tonight," Vanshu said gently.

"Maybe I’ll play a game of twenty questions with Miss Eloise. Just to make sure nothing is going to go tits up on us," Casey grinned.

Daniel bit back a sigh. ‘Playing twenty questions’ with her spirit guide didn’t involve searches. And he didn’t want her attempting any search until he was able to be with her.

"Play twenty questions. But nothing more," he said firmly.

"Daniel…I can’t do a search without you! You know that!" Casey insisted.

Her declaration eased the tension in his shoulders. "Good," he said, not hiding his grin.

"I’ll let someone know if I have to do a search," Casey promised, wrapping her hands around the strong hand of her Husband.

"What about downloads?" Jack asked. It was usually a good thing for Daniel to be with the seer when that happened as well.

"I’ll see if I can’t convince whoever sends the downloads to give me a break," was the flippant reply.

"Ha ha. Just…be careful," Jack said.

She understood that it was his concern for her that brought about the ‘order’…his tone of voice left no doubt to the fact that’s exactly how her CO viewed his comment. "I promise," she vowed quietly.

"Let us begin," Vanshu said. "We do not need tongues wagging about this meeting." He rose to his feet. "The High Priest objected to your presence last night. However, in my wisdom, I will simply have you wait on the other side of the table."

Daniel snickered. "Think that will stop his protests?"

"I doubt it. But it will allow me to keep you in the room. I will ask you to listen carefully, and try to remember all that you can." Vanshu smiled. He turned to Daniel. "Remember, Apophis just took your wife, raped her in front of you. Again."

The archaeologist nodded. Once again thoughts of how the real Goa’uld would jeer and taunt him if this situation was real filled his mind. He didn’t realize how pale he looked as he walked just behind the Tok’ra.

Within minutes each of the co-conspirators were carrying on with their deception. Their lives depended on convincing those loyal followers that they were exactly who they claimed to be.

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