Cleaning Up After The Ancients - Chapter 90

Chapter 90 - An Hour In The Life - Part 3

The Jaffa

Of the many things Teal’c had experienced across his years serving the false gods and while working to overthrow them, there was little doubt in his mind that the political process was the most annoying. 

He had returned to Dakara directly after the Ancient had finished informing the Tau’ri about the threat of the Ori with the expectation that his words would be heard and they could begin preparing to fight once more for their freedom. 

Reality however had not nearly been so kind, it had taken five days before all members of the high council were willing to gather to even discuss the issue. And in that time the Ori’s prior’s had been hard at work, visiting enough of their worlds that Teal’c could tell from the tome’s scattered across the council table that the seeds of discontent had already been sown.

“You would ignore the warning Teal’c has brought to us?” Bra’tac demanded, glaring at Gerak in a clear attempt to cow the man for his affront.

Gerak slammed his hands onto the table and rose to his feet in challenge. “Warning!? All Teal’c brought us is words.”

“And how is that any different from the Ori?” Teal’c inquired calmly, raising a single eyebrow at the other man. “At least the words I bring do not come with the expectation that we once more worship at the feet of false gods.”

“And who says they are false?” Gerak shot back. “Would you say Ascension is not real?”

That was a trap, and a masterfully laid one given Gerak knew Teal'c would not refute that which he had more than once seen with his own eyes.

“Ascension being real is not in question.” Bra'tac interjected, and Tea'lc gave his mentor a half nod of thanks. “What is in question is the promises made by this,” He glanced down at the books they’d each been provided with a scornful gaze.”Origin.”

“Indeed.” Teal’c agreed.

Ka’lel turned to him. “From the stories Ishta has told, you have experienced first hand the Ancients ascending someone, correct?”

“On more than one occasion.” Teal’c confirmed with a nod.

The woman turned her gaze back to the rest of the high council. “Then the answer is simple, these Ori can prove their words by ascending one of their followers in front of us.”

“I would certainly find that an acceptable compromise.” Rak'nor agreed, the challenging smirk he directed at Gerak making it clear to all in the room that he held no real belief that the Ori or their servants would actually agree to do so.

“Bah.” Gerak scoffed, lowering himself back into his chair with a scowl before grabbing one of the books and holding it up. “The Book of Origin claims true faith and understanding are what allow the Ori to ascend those who follow them. If accurate, would you have us all sacrifice our chance at it just because the power they show is not enough?”

“The Goa’uld too showed power.” Bra’tac countered smugly. “What was it in the end however but technological trickery? The next time one of these Priors arrives, ask them to prove their power by disrobing and throwing all they came with into the forming vortex of the Chappa'ai.”

“Even that would not be enough.” Teal’c added calmly as he remembered back to one of his more deadly experiences with SG1. “The false god Nirrti once used an Ancient device to create Hok’tar capable of many of the same feats that rumors say the Priors themselves are.” 

Bra’tac grinned, making a mocking gesture with one of his arms. “There, you see.”

“What about this so-called Ancient?” U’kin suddenly digressed, staring intently at Teal’c in a way that made the hair’s on the back of his stand up. “If the stories are true, could he not provide the same as which the Ori are offering?”

Teal’c hid the immediate distaste he felt at the almost mercantile way that was suggested, knowing at least some of the council was likely to weigh the possibility as a relevant avenue of pursuit given the likelihood of the Free Jaffa Nation having to fight the Ori if they refused their advances.

“I do not know.” He confessed. “When I left Earth, the Ancient was in the process of providing technology to the Tau’ri that he believed may be effective in standing against the Ori.”

It hadn’t seemed particularly important to focus on at the time given experience had taught him that it was almost sure to be the Tau’ri themselves actually getting things done at the front lines of whatever fight ended up happening.

“Then perhaps we should meet him and hear what he has to offer for ourselves.” U’kin stated, the number of agreeing nods from the rest of the high council telling Teal’c all he needed to know about how much more they were likely to get done till either that occurred or something more immediate occurred.

Rising to his feet, Teal’c offered a nod of acknowledgement to the council. “Then I will return to Stargate Command to relay the council's wish.”

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The Major

The offer to show Teyla around Earth had been a spur of the moment thing that John Sheppard had expected to be able to work out the details of over however many months it took the IOA to approve her visit. Unfortunately it seemed the IOA hadn't gotten that particular memo, because they had seemingly fast tracked both the Athosians permission to come to Earth, and her ability to travel beyond the walls of the SGC.

At least, so long as they kept in mind their driver was only authorized to take them to places within the city limits of Colorado Springs.

“It is nice to be under the sky again after so long underground.” Teyla said, glancing out the car's window to watch the buildings pass with a look of relaxed appreciation.

“Yeah.” John agreed with a nod. “Say what you will about the Ancients, but they knew how to build their stuff so you never really feel cooped up.”

And he really wished he knew how they did it, because just being in Atlantis all but killed the near constant urge to be out doing things that had wrecked his first marriage.

Teyla turned a slight smile to him. “I must admit, I never believed such a place could so quickly begin to feel like home.”

Even though John knew she didn't mean anything insulting by it, he still winced slightly as her words reminded him once again of the rather small size their current quarters possessed.

“You know, once we get back I was thinking about taking advantage of the newly opened up areas of the city to switch my quarters to someplace with a bit more room.”

“Oh?” Teyla prompted with an arched eyebrow.

The lack of any easily readable response was enough for John to bite back a curse, as he'd really been hoping for something to help show him which way he should go with things now that he'd put that out there.

“Saw some really nice ones when we were doing the security sweep of Evan's building.” He continued with a grin. “The penthouse in particular has this really great view of the bay.”

Teyla tilted her head slightly. “And a penthouse would be?”

“It’s what we tend to call the top floor room of an apartment building.” John explained. “Because of the way buildings are shaped, it’s usually the largest single unit in the building with the best view.”

“I see.” Teyla mused, glancing back out the window for a moment in silent compilation before turning an odd smile to him. “I suppose given the availability it would not hurt to move somewhere a bit larger than our current quarters in the main tower.”

It would also make it a lot easier for them to eventually move into a single place together, but he wasn’t sure if Teyla was even thinking about that sort of thing yet.

“Though I should warn you in advance, John.” Teyla continued in a slightly playful tone as she sat a hand on his thigh. “My people consider a couple moving into long term lodgings together to be a sign of engagement.”

He gave the Athosian an awkward smile, somehow unsurprised that she had followed his line of thought like that. 

“Not really considering that for right now.” He explained so she wouldn’t think he was the type to rush into relationship milestones like that. “But it’s good to think ahead with that sort of thing.”

“It is.” Teyla agreed with another odd smile as she glanced past him. “But I believe we have arrived at O’Malley’s.”

Following her gaze, John let out a silent sigh of relief at seeing that they were turning into the military owned bar’s parking lot. “Gotta admit, I’m really looking forward to a real beer after so long.”

An almost imperceptible wince flashed across Teyla’s features before she offered him a somewhat uncertain smile. “I think I will try some of those carbonated drinks Aiden speaks so fondly of instead.”

John cringed slightly, the memory of the last time they had gotten drunk together still not one of his proudest moments even if it had ended in a way they were both sort of happy with. 

“You know what, maybe I’ll have a coke too.”

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Author’s Notes: Jaffa politics, the gift that keeps on giving. Meanwhile Teyla’s still fighting with herself over whether she should inform John of the pregnancy or wait till she’s more certain there won’t be an early miscarriage. A sad liklihood for someone who grew up in civilization like her's.