He goes to the Sky, on the Wind [✱21]

Posted on Sun Jul 6th, 2025 @ 1:26pm by Captain Rovak & Lieutenant Colonel Shoka & Lieutenant Onda Duros & Petty Officer 3rd Class Atrali & Lord Akhenaten & Lord Typhon & Lady Hera & Atonu & Tyr
Edited on on Sun Jul 6th, 2025 @ 1:28pm

1,331 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Serpent's Tooth [3]
Location: JAG Courtroom
Timeline: 1600 - MD11

The closing arguments from both sides had not taken long. The prosecution focused on the fact that negligence, abuse and disregard for life were the standard operating procedures of each of the Atenist leaders, and their governors and first primes had supported that. The defence had countered that the accusations were vague and specious, and that the Federation had no right to judge the cultural practices of Goa’uld and Jaffa, any more than they would hold Klingons responsible for death and bloodshed from their own internecine conflicts.

Rovak had taken until the evening to consider all the facts and claims, and visited with the empanelled jurors who had sifted through thoughts of the witnesses for deception.

Finally at around 1900 hours he returned, and the court was reconvened.

“Thank you all for your patience. I would also like to thank the defence and prosecution for the services to this cause. As I stated at the beginning, this was not a trial to determine criminal responsibility, it is to evaluate the claim for extradition made by the Alliance of Free Worlds.”

“In considering these claims, we have evaluated testimony, evidence and the truthfulness of the witnesses and defendants. While I acknowledge that much of the information offered in defence was inadmissible, I feel it necessary to point out that the evidence suggests there have been what we would consider the perspective of Starfleet as missteps from both sides.”

“When rendering a verdict however, one argument has rung the truest throughout this process. The United Federation of Planets does not take sides in the conflicts of parties neutral to us. We have, in good faith, accepted the claim of asylum made by the Atenists. While I do not doubt that Goa'uld culture engages in practices we would consider questionable, and there have been further missteps since their arrival, that claim remains valid, and I am not satisfied that there are grounds to extradite any of the accused.” The crowd murmured as Rovak paused, many of the Tau’ri struggled to conceal their shock and unhappiness. Tyr in particular put his fingers to the space between his eyes and shook his head for a moment, his eyes closed.

Both Atonu and her father Akhenaten raised their head in identical gestures of prayer to the Aten.

“While I acknowledge that there may be reason to doubt the character, intentions and honesty of some of our guests, that alone is not sufficient for me to order their exile. I hope that in time –“ Rovak was distracted suddenly by something flashing on the surface of his lectern.

“Excuse me, I am receiving an urgent communique.” Rovak said, reviewing the message that was coming to him. He looked up for a moment to the audience, as if in disbelief, then read what he had seen again. He seemed uncharacteristically unsure of himself, and took a moment to inhale and exhale.

“I have just received word that at 1903 hours today, Lieutenant Eris sh’Rhavar died of injures sustained during Hera’s insurgency. With that in mind, I order the immediate extradition of Lady Hera.” Rovak said, banging his gavel. There was further shock and surprise within the viewing crowd, and some unrestrained celebration from the Tau’ri that caused Rovak to bang the gavel again and call for order.

Hera sat in place seething. Her eyes glowed so brightly that the light seemed to shine out through her face, until the holofeed of her was cut.

“While this brings a conclusion to proceedings, I understand that our visitors from the Alliance possess technology that allows hosts to communicate unimpeded. I am therefore ordering as a further concluding step that before any are released, all hosts to Goa’uld symbiotes be contacted to ascertain their consent to serving as hosts. If they do not consent, they will be removed and allowed to return to their home Galaxy.” Rovak banged his gavel once more.

While the mix of shock among the starfleet crew and relief among the Tau'ri consumed their attention, few noticed that Typhon seemed to be reaching into his own mouth. After some fidgeting and resistance, he removed one of his teeth, at which point Rovak noticed. Before he could do anything or give any orders, Typhon activated some kind of device hidden within the tooth, and vanished in a flash of light like that of the Tau'ri transporters. The hologram remained active broadcasting from his cell, but he was no longer there, a moment later the image of security officers in the cell appeared where Typhon had sat in the dock, looking incongruous as they entered with phasers drawn, cutting the broadcast.

Before Rovak could get his hand to his combadge, a message came through.

"Captain, somebody just beamed to one of the Atenist vessels. There is a shuttle departing, heading straight for the anomaly." It was the penetrating avian voice of Petty Officer Atrali.

"Activate a tractor beam." Rovak ordered.

"Trying sir, the systems are not yet restored."

Another voice came through Rovak's combadge. It was Shoka, the Tau'ri XO.

"Captain Rovak. We will take care of this." Shoka's stern voice announced. The channel closed before Rovak could say anything cautionary.

Rovak brought up the visual on his lectern LCARS display, showing the view from the station towards the anomaly. A highlight appeared to show the small shuttle moving quickly towards it.

A single luminous bolt, like a jellyfish made of light emerged from the Bra'tac, honing in on the fleeing shuttle. Before the shuttle could reach the anomaly, the glowing drone intercepted it, and the shuttle burst into a brief flower of fire that vanished just as quickly into a cloud of irradiated debris.

"The transport has been destroyed, sir." Atrali confirmed. "There are no life signs."

"Retrieve anything resembling biomatter. We must make certain of Typhon's fate." Rovak said, suddenly aware of the strangeness that none of the rest of the court was aware had just happened, other than Lieutenant Onda, whose shock at hearing of Lieutenant sh'Rhavar's death had transformed into confused surprise as Typhon vanished. He approached the bench.

"Sir?" Onda asked.

"There has been a development." Rovak said, stepping down from the bench and leaving the room. "Please see that the senior staff are gathered in an appropriate space." Rovak instructed, knowing that the conference room was still out of action after the combat there.

A few minutes later, Rovak arrived in the morgue, where Tyr and the medical hologram Doc were overlooking what seemed to be Typhon's remains. What little was there was unsightly, it was less than half the total mass of him as Rovak remembered it, and the rest was either burned or vacuum desiccated.

"It's definitely him. Symbiote's here too." Doc said as the Captain reached the examination table.

"Will your people wish to take the remains with you?" Rovak asked Tyr.

"No. It will be enough to know that he is dead." Tyr responded, still reviewing the data on the biobed.

"This could have been resolved peacefully. Now an innocent man is dead alongside the Goa'uld Typhon." Rovak said.

"Perhaps." Tyr said, looking to Rovak. "But for those who have been host for centuries, rapid senescence and death are the immediate consequence of removal. Many also find living with what they have seen with a System Lord controlling their body undesirable. I am sorry that this has happened, but it is conclusive. In most cases, the mind has simply withdrawn and atrophied. It would not have been my decision, but in many ways, this could be seen as a mercy."

"Thank you for your assistance, Mr Tyr. Please tell your Colonel that it is my hope you will all depart as soon as possible." Rovak said, turning to leave.

"Of course, Captain." Tyr said. Though there was no indication in his tone, he felt a great disappointment in the obvious decline in the relations between their two people, at least as far as Captain Rovak was concerned.

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