Cleaning Up After The Ancients - Chapter 159

Chapter 159 - Time of Tok’ra

Walking into Stargate Command's main briefing room, Eventus was more than a little surprised to see Doctor Weir and Major Sheppard sitting in the room across from a man and two women that the Lantean guessed from their somewhat eclectic manner of dress, were the Tok'ra.

The man, who was seated at the table in a center position between the two women, was a tall somewhat roguish looking blond with a square jaw and clean shaven face that left him looking distinctly young. To his left was an equally tall dark haired woman with a somewhat severe face who looked distinctly like she found this whole situation tiring. And on the other side, a slightly shorter young blonde woman who looked distinctly familiar to Eventus even though he couldn't quite place why.

“Eventus.” Weir greeted, rising to her feet with an apologetic look on her face. “I'm sorry to spring this on you when you just got back, but the Tok'ra believe it couldn't wait.”

“Though they're being kinda cagey about just what it is.” Sheppard added with a scowl.

“We would be more than happy to explain after you allow us to meet with Yami.” The older Tok'ra woman put forward with clear annoyance.

“And we've been telling you that's not our decision to make.” Sheppard scowled at her.

It was obvious to Eventus from that statement that there was something more than the obvious going on since bringing the Tok’ra to the landing bay to talk with Yami wouldn’t have violated any of their agreements on the subject.

“And the one who can make that decision is at last here.” The older Tok’ra woman nodded to him. “I am Garshaw of Belote.” She gestured to her right. “This is Delek and Anise.”

That last name was enough to connect the dots for just why Eventus had thought the blonde woman looked familiar. So he offered a smile and nod to the trio as he walked over to settle down into one of the table's empty end seats. 

“Eventus Iuxta Devera.” He introduced himself.

“We're aware of your identity.” Delek said with an impatient tone. “Now that you've returned, you must allow us to interrogate the Goa'uld Yami, her potential knowledge of Ba'al's plans could be vital to stopping his return to power.”

Pursing his lips, Eventus considered the abrupt request for several seconds before deciding he wasn't a fan of the Tok'ra's authoritative demands.

“No.” 

“You must forgive Delek.” Anise interjected apologetically as Garshaw shot a cowing glare at the man next to her. “He has been hunting for any trace of Ba'al since he went to ground after the battle of Dakara.”

“I understand.” Eventus said, heavily suspecting the Tok'ra's own paranoia about working with others was probably what was really keeping them from figuring out where Ba'al was hiding. “But any interrogation you could do is going to be less efficient than what I can accomplish once I get her back to Atlantis.”

Even assuming they brought one of their memory reading devices along, the difference between its capabilities and what his people's technology could do was dozens of generations apart.

“Which is likely what Yami was hoping for when she approached you.” Garshaw put forward cautiously.

“Garshaw is right.” Anise nodded. “While your people's rehabilitation system was known to be quite effective, I fear your lack of knowledge about the complexities of the Goa'uld would put both you and the Tau'ri at great risk.”

Blinking in surprise at the unexpected bit of knowledge, Eventus turned a focus stare on the young host. “You know about our rehabilitation system?” 

“Anise is our foremost expert on your people.” Garshaw answered smugly.

“Only because I had the privilege of meeting a pair of them while studying the ruins on Tak-la-mash.” Anise corrected in a put upon tone.

Eventus blinked again, not having expected any of the Tok’ra would have actually run into any survivors given the relatively short length of they had been around. “One wasn’t Janus, was it?”

“No,” Anise shook her head. “They claimed their names were Johanas and Jehenna, though I suspect they were being less than truthful.”

“That was our equivalent to John and Jane.” Eventus explained for the sake of the humans present. “How long ago did you run into them?”

“A little over seventeen hundred years ago.” Anise returned curtly.

“Probably not Moros then.” Eventus mused, mentally filing that away to investigate later.

“It was not.” Delek confirmed, before expanding on his statement upon noticing the confused look Eventus was shooting him. “His visage is known to us through memories inherited from Egeria.”

“Huh,” Eventus muttered. “Surprised they met.” He furrowed his brow as a sudden thought hit. “Do you recall if he had a hexagonal sphere with him about this large,” He held his hands about a foot apart. “That looked like it was made of multicolored crystal?”

“No.” Delek said simply.

“I guess it was too much to hope for.” Eventus sighed, focusing back on Anise. “So what is it about the Goa’uld that I don’t know that would make taking one to Atlantis an unacceptable risk?”

They did know a lot more than him about the Goa’uld after all, so it was entirely possible there was actually something that he didn’t know that would put them all at great risk.

A series of complicated expressions quickly flashed over Garshaw’s features before settling into a grimace. “It would put us at too great a risk to say.”

Eventus felt his eye twitch. “So you’re saying it’s something that puts us at great risk, but would also put you at great risk for us to know?”

“It is knowledge that could easily be used against us.” Anise explained apologetically.

Sheppard shot Eventus an annoyed look as if to say see what we’ve been dealing with.

“You must understand,” Garshaw continued with a tired sigh. “Even if you are trustworthy, there are many potential methods to bypass your will and seize any information we might give you.”

“Which is a fair concern given the Tok’ra’s circumstances.” Weir interjected as she glared reproachfully at Sheppard. 

It could be considered a fair concern in general Eventus supposed, his own people had been similarly circumspect with certain knowledge during the Wraith war because the Wraith often made it a point to pull what they could from the minds of anyone they captured.

“Well, I’ve already accepted Yami’s request for judgement. So without something that violates the precepts around that I’m sorry to say your request that I don’t bring her back to Atlantis will have to be denied.” The corner of his lips quirked slightly as a possible solution to several of the practical issues with Yami staying in Atlantis presented itself. “Though if one of you wishes to become Yami’s social guarantor, that is something that would be something I am more then happy to arrange.”

“Social guarantor?” Garshaw repeated with a frown. “I regret to say I am not familiar with that phrase.”

Eventus grinned, leaning forward slightly in his chair and clasping his hands together on the table. “Basically it means I am inviting one of you to come to Atlantis and follow Yami around to make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.”

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Author’s Notes: Cut to Deker and Garshaw raising their hands and saying “not it” while Anise shoots them both dirty glares. Though to be fair, both she and Freya will secretly enjoy the experience since they're kind of the Daniel Jackson of the Tok'ra.