Chapter Seven
Commander Sache was satisfied. He had been successful in evading the Segaran forces, having moved most of his troops to the countryside when it was obvious they could not save the city. Now that the bombing was no longer a threat, they were ready for a counterattack, one he knew the Segarans never expected. The enemy did not have their spy in place any longer. The Huns had figured out who it was, and the man was now dead.
They had suspected him for a long time and had kept an eye on him, feeding him disinformation occasionally. But they had never expected the Segarans to move so quickly after the Stargate had been activated. They had been ill prepared to face a full-blown invasion of Huna.
The Huns had not been as successful as the Segarans in gathering intelligence during the past few years. They had, however, been prepared with stockpiles of ammunition in secret bunkers for such an attack. Secret tunnels and well-positioned civilian spies inside the city were proving to be invaluable.
Multiple strikes were planned, one of them the Ancient ruins area. They needed control of the Stargate back so that they could contact Earth and obtain medical assistance. The promised medical supplies were one of the things they needed most at the present time, and he hoped that now they would be more willing to share advanced weaponry.
Sache was ready to give the SGC anything they wanted in return for their help. He knew that they were aware of their situation since he had seen the Colonel and Teal’c escape. He also knew that the other half of the Earth team was being held prisoner in Huna, and that Colonel O’Neill would be desperate to get them back.
Sache respected and admired the alien Colonel. They had hit it off immediately, just as Dr. Jackson had hit it off with unfortunate Dr. Trenis.
The Hun archeologist had been taken prisoner and tortured to death by that murderer, Adros, his spies had informed him, and he was well aware that the Segaran commander was now beside himself with fury at having been removed from command.
A furious Adros was an extremely dangerous Adros, not that he would be harmless under the best of circumstances, but Sache hoped Bregan would be able to remain in command.
If the diplomat lost control, things could get extremely messy… or rather, messier.
-----
Bregan was in the middle of a long distance conversation with the Segaran President when he heard a commotion outside his office. He then heard his secretary cry out and something shatter.
Moments later, his door was kicked open by a big, burly soldier that wasted no time in grabbing the little diplomat by his shoulders to drag him from behind his desk. The receiver in Bregan’s hand just clattered down to the floor and a self-possessed, calm Adros strode slowly into the office, picking it up and cutting the communication by hanging up.
“You have just been officially relieved of command, Bregan,” the commander informed him coolly.
“That’s impossible! I was just talking to the President…” Bregan started to protest in indignation, but was brusquely interrupted.
“The President has no longer any control over Huna,” Adros smiled spitefully. “I do.”
“You are mad! What do you think you are doing? You can be executed for this!” Bregan was shaking with anger and impotence, not quite believing his ears.
“I am trying to retain control of the occupation, you imbecile!” Adros yelled in his face. “There have been multiple attacks in strategic areas of the city and they are being successful. They already regained control of the Stargate thanks to your incompetence!”
“Why was I not informed?” Bregan asked shakily, flabbergasted by the devastating news.
“I am telling you now, as I am also telling you that you are now my prisoner. You will remain under custody until this situation has been resolved and I have been able to reassert our dominance over Huna and over the Stargate.”
Adros dismissed Bregan immediately after this, turning his back on him and ordering the soldier to remove the stammering diplomat.
Bregan didn’t resist. He knew he was dealing with a mad man, and he valued his life enough to keep his mouth shut for the time being.
-----
Adros paced the command office in deep thought, approaching the only window and glaring through the glass at the ugly Hunan city.
He had known it would come to this. He had known the stupid bureaucrats would ruin everything, so he had been ready. A military coup had been the only solution, and it was now up to him now to use the necessary measures to succeed. His people would thank him in the end. They would eventually realize that he was right and that they depended on him to get what they wanted.
A smile of satisfaction crossed his dark features. They were already working on it. Although they had lost control of the Stargate, he knew they could get it back.
-----
The two Segaran diplomats raised their hands in dismay and fear when they finished stepping through the Stargate. Hun soldiers were pointing weapons at them, and an elegant, tall man in obvious command was serenely regarding them, his hands formally held behind his back.
“I am Commander Sache. I assume you know me,” he addressed them seriously.
“We know who you are. What has happened?” the woman diplomat responded at once.
“We have taken control of the Stargate back, as you can see, as well as other strategic areas of Huna. It will not be long before your army is forced to surrender. An air attack is under way over Segara as well, in retaliation for yours. We are, however, only targeting military sites. We’re not willing to inflict the carnage on your people that you inflicted on ours. We… are civilized,” Sache explained, his voice low and stern.
“Please understand that our government’s only intention was to…” the woman tried to explain, but Sache lifted a hand to silence her and she fearfully obeyed.
“What your government’s intentions were are no longer relevant. What it inflicted on my people is what counts. But do not fear; I am not planning to be as pitiless to you as your people have been to mine. Although our President is dead, I’m not planning to have yours killed. You both will also be safe as long as you cooperate. I only need from you the means to contact Earth.”
“We do not know how to contact them. They will be contacting us in one hour. We are supposed to confer with Bregan, our Presidential Representative, and return to Earth once Colonel O’Neill comes to pick us up to continue our negotiations,” the Segaran diplomat answered, unconsciously stepping in front of the woman in a futile attempt to shield her from danger.
“Your Presidential Representative has been relieved of command by your military commander, Adros, and is being held captive. I do not believe your President is aware of this fact yet, by the way,” Sache informed them quietly.
“That’s terrible! He cannot do that!” both diplomats reacted in alarm.
“He has done so, nonetheless. You will remain under custody here until Colonel O’Neill returns. Then you will accompany us back to Earth in order to negotiate cease of hostilities between our countries, as well as a solution to your old problem,” Sache instructed them in a no nonsense tone.
“We are not authorized to…” the woman started to protest, but the Hun brought up his hand once more.
“You will do a great disservice to your people if you do not take this opportunity to reach a solution to your problem. Bregan, as well as your government, are no longer in control of the situation. A madman is. If you want to prevent further bloodshed from both sides, you will do as I say.”
Sache calmly stood there, just waiting for the diplomats’ response and knowing that they had no choice.
They exchanged brief looks and finally nodded in acceptance.
-----
Daniel first knew that something was wrong when he heard distant gunfire again. A few minutes later, it seemed to be getting closer.
An hour dragged on, and he could still hear the signs of conflict coming closer and closer to their building. He tried to peek through the window, but he could only see smoke coming out from various spots in the city. Something was going on, and he felt it was not going to bode well for him and his still sleeping teammate.
“Sam! Wake up!” he shook his friend lightly, whispering with his face very close to hers.
She immediately opened her eyes and looked at him in alarm, sitting up right away. “What is it?” she whispered back, trying hard to shake herself fully alert.
“Something’s going on, Sam. There are signs of fighting in the city, where there were none before. I think the Huns are fighting back… trying to take back the city,” he knew he was babbling, but he was suddenly apprehensive and wanted her to be ready for anything.
Sam was about to say something when the door abruptly flew open, four soldiers entering the room with weapons aimed at them. Daniel quickly helped Sam up and tried to shove her behind him, but she would not let him, standing stubbornly to his side.
A most unwelcome sight then followed. Adros entered the room with a smirk on his face, followed by a bound Bregan, being manhandled by a soldier twice his size.
“As you can see, things have returned to normalcy. I wanted you to know that for certain. Mr. Bregan, please inform our guests of our situation,” he ordered the little man, not deigning to look at him.
Bregan looked reluctant, but answered in a firm voice, “Commander Adros has unlawfully taken command of the Huna occupation. We are all at his mercy, so expect none,” he warned them with sincere-sounding concern.
“Very well put, Bregan. Thank you,” Adros smiled sarcastically, still looking at his two alien prisoners and ignoring the diplomat. “Take him back to his room!” he then ordered the brawny soldier, who wasted no time in dragging the poor man out by the neck.
Sam grasped Daniel’s arm in trepidation, probably worried as much for him as for herself, and he covered her hand with his, trying to reassure her but feeling just as much horror.
As usual, he started talking, trying to buy some time. “I understand you are interested in information regarding the Stargate. If you’d like to list the items in order of importance, Sam and I could start…”
Daniel was stopped by a loud guffaw, Adros evidently extremely amused with his proposal. He chuckled for a few moments, looking at his two victims with cruel anticipation.
“No need for lists, Dr. Jackson. It will be simpler than that. You both will answer my questions or suffer the consequences. The first one is, who would like to go first?” he asked menacingly and with a nasty smile, eagerly waiting for a response.
Daniel did not miss a beat. “I will!”
“No, Daniel! You’re injured, you can’t…” Sam protested immediately, and Daniel could see her fear clearly reflected in her blue eyes. She clearly knew what Adros was capable of. But Daniel knew as well.
“So are you,” Daniel insisted, looking at her levelly.
She stared back at him, despair in her eyes.
-----
Sam stared back at her friend, trying to summon the authority to order to back down and let her handle the situation, but realizing that the Daniel she thought she knew was different now.
When had he become a soldier? Sometime, when they were not looking, the geek boy had become a strong man. Jack would be so proud! Still, she could not let him.
“No, Daniel,” she said gently. “What he’s most interested in is the weapon technology in the museum. Only I can tell him about that,” she explained, a strange look in her eyes.
She could tell that he knew that she was trying to tell him something, but he clearly still did not want to allow Adros to get his hands on her again.
“Sam…” he insisted.
“Trust me, Daniel!” she interrupted in a louder tone.
Sam knew she had to distract the sadistic man away from Daniel. Not only was he still hurt; she also knew that Adros would try to use them against each other. She had to draw him away from here, to the museum, where she could maybe escape.
Adros had been watching the exchange with gratification, evidently enjoying himself immensely. “This is extremely touching, but I have a simpler solution. Why don’t we all play together?”
Sam turned wary eyes on him. He was smiling widely, enjoying both teammates’ reactions of alarm. He then ordered the four soldiers to handcuff both prisoners and sit them face-to-face across the one table in the room.
“You don’t have to do this! Just ask me anything! I will tell you!” Daniel assured him.
Sam knew he was bluffing, of course. He would tell lies, and Adros surely knew it as well.
“Yes, you will, Dr. Jackson, sooner than you think.”
Sam swallowed hard, knowing this man was just as evil as any Goa’uld she had ever met.
-----
Jack stepped through the Stargate with a sour look on his face, expecting to find the two Segaran diplomats waiting for him. His sour look turned into one of delight when he faced a smiling Commander Sache instead.
“Sache! God, I’m so glad to see you!” he cried, stepping over to his friend and grasping his hand in greeting.
Sache seemed pleased by the Colonel’s reaction and smiled even wider.
“As you can see, Colonel O’Neill, we are trying to remedy our situation, but we were hoping we could count on your help to do so quickly,” the Commander wasted no time.
Jack nodded and noticed the two Segaran diplomats meekly standing aside, watching the two soldiers. “What about them?” he asked.
“They will accompany us to Earth, if you will allow it, to try to negotiate a cease fire and a solution to the problem that has precipitated these events. This is something we should have done long ago.”
Jack realized that the soldier standing before him was much more than a military commander now. He was now the nation’s true leader.
“Colonel O’Neill! You must know that your people are no longer safe!” Edrana informed him in consternation. “Commander Adros has taken over command.”
The woman looked horrified, and Jack felt his world come crashing on his head.
“Let’s go!” he replied, turning to the DHD and dialing Earth at once. They did not have much time!
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]