by Geonn Cannon
“That’s a pretty big allowance.” Sam thought of trustees in Earth prisons who were allowed certain freedoms, but she doubted any of them would have been given the keys to the front gates. “What if you decided to shut them off the next time a ship comes in? Let everyone go home?”
“They know I would never do that,” Lokelani said. “I won’t discuss this further. I hope you understand.”
Not to mention you have this palace and a stable of slaves who look at you like a queen, Sam thought. She gestured at the opulence around her with the glass. “The people in charge… the Overseers… they don’t mind you setting yourself up like this? Living it up in a palace, running your own private militia. You’d think they would want their prison to be more of a punishment.”
“Oh, they have no idea how we live, nor do they care. They haven’t set foot on this planet since they originally set it up, and that was so many generations ago, I doubt any of them even know what it looks like. They rely on their guards for reports, and as we don’t make a fuss, they ignore us.”
“So the guards can be bribed? Negotiated with?”
Lokelani shook her head. “No single officer has the power to sneak you aboard a ship. If you disabled one, stole his uniform, and boarded the return vessel in his place, you would be immediately discovered. They only recruit males, and the first thing that happens when they board the vessel home is they turn in their gear. All of their gear, including the uniforms.”
Sam’s hopes of simply disabling the sensors to escape were dashed. “Huh. That’s… very thorough.”
“Yes, I would say so. The few women who attempted such a plan were sent back specifically to tell the rest of us why it would never work. I don’t want to destroy your hope, Fraiser, but this rock has been occupied by the most cunning criminals the universe has to offer since the Goa’uld were using Unas for hosts. Every possible angle has been explored, every weakness exploited. If there was a way out, it would not still be touted as inescapable.”
“Alternatively,” Sam said, “the Overseers might go out of their way to ensure that reputation survives. Maybe going so far as to cover up any successful attempts.”
Lokelani nodded slowly, a professor humoring a slow student. “Yes. I suppose that is a possibility. Tell me, Fraiser, if you were the first woman to escape from Viaxeiro, how long would you keep silent? How long would you hold your tongue before using it to impress someone in a tavern or to sell your services to a client? Have you ever heard even a hint of someone making such claims? No. You have not. If there has been a successful escape, I would say the Overseers eventually caught up with whoever it was and ensured they were unable to brag by turning their conviction into a death sentence.”
Sam grimaced and sipped her water.
“Here are your options, Sri Fraiser. You can live here in relative comfort, or you can put your life at risk by planning an escape that will at best be futile or at worst result in your death. I’ve made my choice and I’m very happy with it.”
“You make a convincing argument.”
Lokelani shrugged modestly. “I’ve had many years to perfect it. I’m sure you have many other questions. Such as accommodations. Space is at a premium and I’m afraid as new condemned, you and Sri Mal Doran will have to make do in one of the subservice rooms we call cold-waters. They’re actually quite nice. Once you’ve been here for a while, you can make arrangements to transfer into better living quarters.”
“How long does it take to arrange something like this?”
Lokelani laughed. “Quite a long time, I assure you. Food, clothing, medicine, things of that nature are brought in by supply ships. Those items are delivered to the canteen by guards, and from there you can negotiate for what you need. There are people here who I’m sure will help you figure out that process.” She tapped her fingers against the side of her glass. “It’s natural to focus on thoughts of escape and return to your past life. To cling to who you once were. I want to tell you in the kindest way that it simply isn’t possible. This is your life now. It’s not one you’ve chosen, but it’s only bad if you fight it.”
“Just relax and accept it.”
“Exactly.”
Sam took another drink to disguise her sneer. It sounded an awful lot like placing a live frog in cold water and slowly raising the temperature. Before long the frog would be boiling with no idea what had happened.
Lokelani finished her drink and stood up. “Now… let’s talk about you, Sri Fraiser. Like I said, I hear stories from the guards. Other condemned tell me things about their cohorts, rivals, partners, and so on. I’ve heard a story about every single woman sharing this city with me. But you… I’ve never even heard a whisper of your name.”
“Well…” Sam cleared her throat and touched the cuff of her sleeve to her lips. “I told you before, I haven’t been around long enough to build a reputation. I’m new.”
“Yes, so you said.” She leaned forward and fixed an unblinking gaze on Sam. “But in my position, it pays to know as much as possible. So tell me… who exactly are you?”
Sam drained her glass of water.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
VALA EXPLORED the streets of Viaxeiro, trying to get her irritation under control. The town was nice enough, one of the nicer settlements she’d seen. She passed people sitting outside their homes, gathered in pubs, or participating in some sort of brutal game that involved maintaining possession of two different discs at the same time. She watched the game for a moment before recognizing a few of the players as former marks, at which point she quickly covered her face and walked in the opposite direction.
In a way, she was annoyed at herself for blowing up at Sam. Of course Tanis’ plan wasn’t ideal. She hated the idea of killing anyone, although that was tempered by the fact their intended target was a Goa’uld. They had such little regard for human life that she wasn’t going to lose any sleep over one of them dying. She was certainly capable of arranging for one to die even if she didn’t pull the trigger herself. And if doing it meant freedom for her and Sam, then it was a worthy endeavor.
Then again, it was another example of Sam dismissing her.
Then again again, Sam technically outranked her and therefore she had the final say.
Then again again again…
Vala growled and pushed her hands through her hair, shaking her head to dismiss her rambling thoughts. She retraced her steps back to where she’d started. Tanis was coming outside as Vala arrived and stood beside the building as she caught up.
“There you are,” Tanis said.
“Here I am,” Vala muttered. “Where’s Shein?”
Tanis gestured toward the cold-water with her head. “Resting. I was hoping to chase you down. Get a chance to talk without Shein or… your new friend… listening in.” She stuffed her hands in her pockets, petulant and barely bothering to disguise her irritation at who Vala had arrived with. “I can’t believe you threw in with them. What happened to the Vala I knew?”
“Two years is a long time. I mean, look at you! Last I saw, you had a ship full of treasure and were on your way home. You were going to get a ship, win that big space race, go legit. What happened?”
Tanis smiled. “Like you said, two years is a long time. I was able to buy the best ship I could find. Oh, it was fast, Vala. There were times I thought it was faster than going through the Stargate. And the Loop of Kon Garat was still a few months away. So I decided to take the ship for a little test run.”
“And you got carried away.”
“No,” Tanis said, “and then the Ori showed up, and our cowardly Serrakin occupiers decided it made more sense to bend the knee than to fight back.”
“Oh. Right, I heard about that. I was a bit distracted around that time.” She looked at Tanis. “Your people just gave in? I thought you had warships. A whole flotilla.”
“We did. I presume we still do. But our leadership didn’t want a war.” She scoffed and shook her head. “Our planet went from being
controlled by the Goa’uld, to the Serrakin, and now the Ori. I’m starting to think I was born onto a planet of milksops. All the more reason to remain here on Viaxeiro where at least I’m surrounded by cutthroats I can respect.” She looked at Vala. “What about you? What have you been up to that you show up here with a Tau’ri?”
Vala feigned breeziness. “Oh, where to start…”
Should she bring up that she was at least partially responsible for bringing the Ori to this galaxy? Or that her daughter was their leader? She was already risking what remained of their friendship by being a member of SG-1. Revealing her connection to the Orici risked completely alienating Tanis. She decided to go with a broader version of the truth.
“I went to Earth because of Daniel Jackson. I figured without you to keep me company, I could use a new pet. I hadn’t the slightest idea of the dangerous life he led! All I wanted was some treasure, and I ended up bound to him by the kor mak bracelets.”
Tanis laughed. “I told you those things were more trouble than they were worth.”
“Well, I had to stick around Earth and join them on missions, which means I was… I was with them when this Ori threat began. I couldn’t just sit idly by and watch when I could actually do something to help. So that’s what I did. I’m not doing it because I’ve suddenly turned over a new leaf! I’m still the same woman you knew. The Ori are just objectively bad guys, like the Goa’uld are, and I know SG-1 is the best chance we have of defeating them.”
Tanis sighed heavily. “At least tell me you’re making life hell for that Colonel O’Neill jerk.”
“No, he’s not on the team anymore.”
“Dead?”
“Promoted.”
Tanis shrugged as if that was the same difference. “I guess I have a little more respect, since you’re not working with that guy.” She smiled coyly. “What about that cutie, Jonas? Is he still around?”
“No… and what do you mean ‘cutie’? I thought you were…” She nodded back toward the cold-water where they’d left Shein.
“I am. But cute is cute. If you thought teasing this Daniel guy is fun…” She grinned predatorily. “You would have eaten poor Jonas alive.”
“Sounds fun.”
They had reached the edge of the street and Tanis faced her. “So, the plan. Are you in? Shein and I have talked about this for a long time, but we didn’t think the two of us stood a chance against her on our own. You always had a knack for making the impossible come true. And as much as I hate to admit it, Shein is right. Having a member of SG-1 on our side might make all the difference.”
“Two members,” Vala reminded her once again.
Tanis winced. “Sorry. I’m not ready to make that a reality yet.”
Vala put her hands on her hips and looked at the sky. “The way I see it, Samantha doesn’t want to agree to a plan that involves killing. Not lightly, anyway. But sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do. You have to convince us Lokelani is as bad as you say she is.”
“Give her time,” Tanis said. “Right now, you’re new. She’s going to be nothing but nice to you for a while. But eventually someone is going to make her angry, and that will be the last you see of that person. No one knows what happens to them, but vanishing is bad enough to keep me in line.”
“How did you find out? You couldn’t have been here long enough to discover her secret on your own.”
Tanis shook her head. “I didn’t. Shein has been here for a while. Long enough that she gained the trust of some old-timers who brought her into their confidences.”
Vala said, “So this is third-hand knowledge?”
“It doesn’t take much to see the evidence once you know what to look for. I bet that’s where your friend Samantha is right now. Confirming the truth about what this place really is.”
“And what’s that?”
Tanis said, “This might once have just been an ordinary prison, but the Ori and your Tau’ri buddies have made it something else.” She held her arms out to either side with a sardonic smile. “This is Viaxeiro, the last Goa’uld stronghold in the known universe.”
~#~
Sam hated thinking on her feet. She could figure out gadgets and computer systems at the drop of a hat; that was easy for her. She assumed it was like most people attacked a jigsaw puzzle. She saw the mess in front of her and began rearranging the pieces until the bigger image began to make sense. Technology was always different but it all had to work because of the same physics. She might zap herself a few times or need a couple dozen attempts before she got everything in the right place, but she usually got there eventually.
But building a lie out of whole cloth, fabricating a story that made sense and might be believable to someone else as the truth, was harrowing. She’d been impressed with her own quick thinking for coming up with the name Fraiser, but now she had to create the character’s backstory. She was given a little time when Lokelani’s Cai Thior ladies - Guards? Servants? - brought in three trays of food. Sam really was ravenous, and she took the chance to examine the offering. She didn’t know if the flat pieces of bread were intended for sandwiches or to be a tortilla, but she piled scraps of meat and vegetables onto it before folding the ends together and taking a bite. She was embarrassed by how quickly she devoured the makeshift burrito but not enough to stop her from making another.
Lokelani chuckled at the sight. “Transport can have that effect on people,” she said. “Sometimes getting here takes hours, other times it takes days. We’re only so much chattel to them and they often forget we have some very basic needs. Please, take as much as you wish.”
Sam finished her second burrito and began making a third. She was aware Lokelani was staring at her in anticipation of a response to her question. Her patience would run out soon, and Sam had to give her an answer or risk suspicion. She folded up the third burrito, wrapped it in a cloth napkin, and placed it in her satchel.
“I don’t have a reputation as a thief because, before the Goa’uld fell, I was an upstanding citizen. I was… I was a member of my planet’s militia. And I started a relationship with my commanding officer. We were discovered when the Ori showed up and I was kicked out.”
Lokelani frowned. “Whatever for?”
“Our, uh, militia has rules about that sort of thing. And since he outranked me, I was the one who got cut loose.” She cleared her throat and wished she’d gone with a different lie. This one was much too close to reality for her liking. “That meant I couldn’t join the fight when the Ori came, so I set out to find other ways to stop them. I met Vala and she took me under her wing.”
“I see.” Lokelani thought for a moment. “I feel Sri Mal Doran makes a habit of taking in strays. From what I hear, they’re either potential marks or decoys she uses to make her own escape if a job goes wrong.”
Sam said, “Hard to imagine a job going more wrong than this.”
Lokelani chuckled softly and nodded her head. “You make a valid point. But the warning stands. Now that your association with her has led to this place, I would advise you to rethink your partnership.”
“And fall in with you?”
“You could certainly do worse. Vala will be your friend for as long as it suits her needs. She’ll support you and encourage you. But the moment you’re worth more to her as a sacrifice, that’s all you’ll be to her. Every partner she’s ever worked with came to regret it.”
Sam knew that was a lie, given how Tanis seemed to be fine with running into her again. On the other hand, Vala was very open about the fact that most of her partnerships crumbled because of betrayal. She kept her voice neutral.
“It’s interesting how you know so much about her reputation given the fact you’re trapped in here. Exactly how long have you been a prisoner here, anyway?”
Lokelani waved her hand dismissively. “Time is extremely relative and difficult to measure here. Most planets use an orbital system, but Viaxeiro doesn’t have standard days and nights. The light overhead dims
for a while so we can sleep, and then brightens for a ‘day’ period. It takes some getting used to. And by the time you’ve adjusted it’s hard to tell how much time has passed out in the rest of the universe.”
Sam said, “That sounds like a very longwinded way of not answering my question.”
Lokelani’s smile never wavered. “I have been here a very long time, dear. And I’ve brought in other condemned, like you, and I’ve asked them for updates about the rest of the universe. I listen to their stories. I keep myself informed. I know all about how the Goa’uld fell and the rise of the Ori. I was told about the scourge of the Replicators. I know all about the meddlesome Tau’ri.”
Sam took a sip of water to keep from reacting.
“Information is key, Sri Fraiser. Even here, even now, with no hope of ever rejoining the universe at large. One must always know where the chips have fallen. Just in case.”
“In case…”
“This prison is ruled by a group called the Overseers. There’s always a chance they will be toppled. If they are, we’ll likely only find out when the supplies and guards stop showing up. At that point, things will get very interesting here.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Meaning what?”
“Anarchy, Fraiser.” Lokelani stood and went back to the bar to refill her glass. “The food would quickly run out, along with the other things brought to us by the ships. People will revert to who they were before. Thieves stealing from thieves, murderers killing to take what someone else has. That day is going to come, and keeping tabs on the state of the universe helps me prepare.”
“Do you think such an overthrow is likely?”
Lokelani shrugged. “I hope not, of course. Would you like another drink?” Sam refused and Lokelani walked back to her seat. “But as I said, it’s inevitable. Some said the Goa’uld would never fall. Those same people would have said the Alterans would never lose power, or the Five Races would rule until the Great End of Things. Power always changes hands. One simply has to be patient.”