This story was saved by FicSavers.Com
http://www.ficsavers.com
 

Snake in the Horse's Shadow
Chapter 04: Chapter 4

By: Lord Raa

 
Previous Chapter - Index - Next Chapter
 

Snake in the Horse's Shadow

By Lord Raa


Disclaim-me-do: There's a fine line between entertainment and a hostage situation.


Part 4


"What are you looking at me like that for?" Ranma asked as he became the centre of attention.

"You took out a death glider with a salad fork?" O'Neill asked.

"Yeah. It wasn't flying that fast."

"How?" Carter demanded. "Just how can you take out a moving death glider with a piece of cutlery?"

"The easiest way is to stab it into the cockpit canopy while smiling like this," Ranma explained with a psychotic grin on his face. "That usually scares the pilot enough so he crashes. Sometimes though, you get a brave pilot and you have to prise open the canopy and start laughing."

"Oh, so you're just making them crash?" the blonde Captain asked, nodding in understanding. "That makes sense. Wait, you said that was the easiest way. How else have…"

"Carter, not now," O'Neill interrupted. "Let's eat, shall we?"

"Oh, you're a no-nonsense, take charge type of guy, I like that," the Baroness smiled. She gestured for everyone to take their seats. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. So then, who is Colonel Jack O'Neill and what does he do?"

The Air Force Colonel smiled back and gave a truncated history of his life so far and his time with the SGC.

"Interesting," Liante smiled. "So, about this ore you want, how much do you want to take back with you?"

"As much as we can, Baroness," Jack replied.

"I think that we can spare… 20kg for every day you let us keep Ranma."

"…I should have known," Ranma muttered under his breath.

"…" O'Neill was at a loss for words.

"Just the night then, you can have 15kg to go in the morning," the Baroness smiled pleasantly. She cast a look between Tiante and Ionas, gauging which of the two senior officers wanted Ranma more.

"Well, I suppose if we're staying the night…"

"Oh that's just perfect," Ranma said bitterly, throwing his cutlery on the table. "I understand that I still need your help, but you've always had the best part of the deals we've done. I don't expect stuff for free, but I saved all your lives when Apophis attacked and I got lunch. You took care of my shoulder and you insisted on stripping me naked.

"And in order to use your Stargate to bring my father home, you make me get you some trinium ore. But that's not enough for you – you need to pimp me out. You know, some people would think that saving your lives from a Goa'uld invasion fleet would be enough for all the things you did for me."

The martial artist stood up from the table and stormed out, nearly tearing the door of its hinges.

"I see what sort of people you are now," Baroness Liante said, clearly disappointed with how things had turned out. "I was testing you."

"Err, one question: does Ranma know about the Iris?" Daniel asked.

"What's this Iris?" Colonel Ionas asked.

"It's a defence mechanism we've installed on our Stargate. If you don't broadcast the right signal, it won't open and matter can't reintegrate at our end," Carter explained.

"So does Ranma know about this Iris?" Ionas asked.

"I don't think it's come up…" the blonde trailed off in horror as she realised that the brash martial artist might kill himself. "We've got to find him before he dials home!"

Baroness Liante nodded and clapped her hands to get the attention of her servants and bodyguards. "We need to find Ranma before he activates the Stargate. If we don't, he could die."

The Baroness' retinue scattered to relay the message and scour the area for the martial artist.

O'Neill grimaced at the way the situation was playing out and looked at SG-1. "We're going to help find Ranma. I don't suppose any of you know how to track down a ninja?"

"I am unaware of any methods for tracking down a ninja," Teal'c answered. "But I will assist in any way I can."

Rosetta slipped away from the others and out of the building.


Every available member of the Baroness' armed forces, some 250 men and women, started to search the building and surrounding area, with the fastest horsemen charging off to the Stargate, hoping to stop Ranma from travelling to his certain doom.

In the room SG-1 had been assigned, Jack O'Neill handed out the thermal imaging equipment to his team.

"Sir," Carter started.

"Not now, Carter. I know I screwed up," the Colonel said checking the battery on his own goggles. "It's not that I don't want Ranma to go home with his dad, but the situation is complicated."

"I understand that sir, but if we can't let Ranma go with his knowledge of the Stargate program, what are we going to do?" the blonde asked.

"That is the complicated thing, Carter."


In a hilltop clearing, Ranma sat on his back, looking up at the stars. He sighed wistfully.

"I know, Pops, I know. I should have put up with their crap for a bit longer, but I'm so close to getting you home."

There was a rustling to his left.

"Go away if you value your legs," Ranma warned.

The rustling continued.

"This is your final warning; I'm not in a good mood."

A redheaded woman emerged from the undergrowth. "I'm sorry, Ranma, but the Baroness has ordered everyone to search for you."

"Why?"

"Because if you dial your Stargate without sending a signal through, you'll die," the woman explained.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ranma sighed. He turned his head. "Rosetta, how did you know I'd be here?"

"I…err, I'd rather not say," Rosetta blushed.

"Rosetta, I told you I'm not in a good mood right now."

The redhead sat down next to Ranma. "Ranma, what's up?"

The martial artist scratched his head. "I'm tired and I want to go home with my father."

"Why don't you make a home here?" Rosetta suggested, hoping that Ranma wouldn't see the blush on her cheeks.

Ranma sat up and smiled at the redhead. "Rosetta, I know you like me."

'He knows I like him! Now is this where he tells me he likes me?' the Captain thought, her stomach somersaulting.

"And I do like it here; it's got nice weather and the food is excellent and most of the people here are nice," the Japanese man smiled. "But it's not home for me."

"But… but it could be if you let it…"

"Rosetta, I promised my father I'd get him home. What's the longest you've ever been away from your home town?"

"Eight weeks, when I went through basic training," the redhead replied.

"It's been ten years since I last saw my planet, Rosetta. My father doesn't know if any of his friends are still alive. I don't even know if I've still got family back in Japan," Ranma sighed.

Rosetta could only think of one thing to do when she heard that. She embraced Ranma tightly, resting her head on his chest.

"R-Rosetta?"

"I'm sorry, Ranma, I…"

The martial artist smiled gently. "Thank you, Rosetta. I needed that."

The Captain smiled. 'Does this mean he'll be kissing me now?'

"Here, let me give you something."

'He's going to do _that_?' Rosetta's eyes widened. "I… I'm not sure that I'm ready for that…"

"Sure you are," Ranma insisted as he lifted the petite redhead in front of his lap.

The Captain had heard all sorts of wild tales about Ranma and braced herself for the worst. Rosetta thought back to the rumours from the fertility offering that was made during Ranma's last visit, how the dozens of girls had collapsed from exhaustion after he'd finished with them.

How he gotten up to eat his fill before walking off to have his way with Admiral Tiante and then Colonel Ionas.

Captain Meinos blinked when she realised that Ranma wasn't touching her body, only her hair. "R-Ranma?"

"Don't worry, I'm nearly done," the martial artist said before reaching over and removing the string from his own pigtail. After a few quick hand movements, he had finished his work. "There we go."

"What did you do?" Rosetta asked turning to face Ranma. "Y-you let down your hair!"

"And I've put yours up, Rosetta."

"Why?"

"This is going to sound really weird, but," Ranma's voice held a tone of embarrassment, "But I always thought of you as the little sister I never had."

"You do?" Rosetta asked, her heart sinking.

"Yeah, there's just something about the way you act that makes me think that it's how you would have grown up with me. Best. Little. Sister. Ever," the martial artist rubbed the top of Rosetta's head playfully to punctuate his words. "Come on, let's go back."

"Yeah," the Captain sighed.

"Well, if you're going to take that attitude, I won't carry you home."

"Oh… you twisted my arm, Ranma."

Ranma scooped Rosetta up in his arms and strolled back to the Baroness' manor, inadvertently removing the Captain's cape.


Teal'c was searching a hillside when he heard someone approaching him. He looked up to see Ranma carrying Rosetta in his arms.

As the Jaffa was about to signal Colonel O'Neill, Ranma stopped.

"Rosetta, you go on ahead back to the Baroness, tell them I'm fine, but I'm still thinking things over," the martial artist said as he set the redhead on the ground.

"What's up, Ranma? What are you going to do?"

Teal'c knew he had to prepare himself, but he wasn't quite sure what for. He'd seen Ranma kill with ease, but the way he'd gently set the girl on the ground suggested he wasn't filled with murderous rage.

"I'm going to talk with that man there," Ranma replied. "Don't worry, Rosetta, we'll just be talking before we head back to the Manor."

Rosetta looked between the two warriors. "Just talking? I saw how angry you were…"

"I promise that I won't attack anyone. Not promising there won't be a fight, but if there is one, I won't have started it."

"Ok, but you better come back soon," the redhead warned, glaring at the Jaffa.

"You know I can take care of myself," Ranma smirked. "Now run along, I want to talk in private."

When they were alone, the martial stepped towards Teal'c. "So then, Teal, what's your story?"

"Teal'c," the dark-skinned warrior corrected.

"Sorry," Ranma held his left hand up in deference. "So, Teal'c, how did you end up with these guys?"

"I was First Prime of Apophis and had been ordered to kill a number of humans," Teal'c explained. "I was convinced to save them by Colonel O'Neill and SG-1. After that I joined the SGC."

"So you betrayed Apophis? Wasn't he your god?"

"A false god, and I did it to free my people."

"I see," Ranma nodded. He ran his hands through his long hair and sighed. "How do you feel about O'Neill?"

"He is my friend," Teal'c replied honestly. "We have risked our lives for each other and would do so without hesitation."

"How do they treat you?"

"They treat me very well."

"So they let you have a life of your own, outside of the Stargate?" the martial artist asked. "If say, you want to go out to see a film, they let you?"

"The Stargate is not common knowledge on your world, neither is the existence of intelligent non-humans," the Jaffa explained. "Because of that, I cannot leave the base freely, unlike the other members of the SGC."

Ranma stopped. "Wait, so you're a prisoner?"

"I am sure that the situation would be different for you and your father, Ranma."

The Japanese man was about to counter that when Teal'c's radio burst into life.

"¬Teal'c, we need you back at the Stargate – we're under attack!¬" Carter screamed into the radio.

"We'll be there," the Jaffa said. "We must go."

"…" Ranma sighed. He shook his head, mentally cursing his inability to refuse help to a woman in danger. "Stargate, right… it's in that direction."

The pair ran off to the west, heading towards the battle.


Ten armoured Jaffa warriors emerged from the Stargate and started their attack on everyone they saw. The leader noticed that there were some humans dressed differently and ordered fire to be focused upon them.

As the volley of energy blasts made SG-1 scurry for cover, Carter turned to O'Neill.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"I'm just fine, at least it's only ten right now," the Colonel smiled sarcastically before returning fire. He ducked when the enemy fire started to chip away at the stone wall he and Sam were using for cover. "Damn it, we're pinned down and I left the grenades in our room."

Sam returned fire and grimaced when her MP5 ran out of ammo. She ducked back down and started to reload. "Sir, it gets worse – I'm down to my last 30 rounds."

"Same here, Carter," O'Neill grunted as he cocked his own weapon. "Do we have an ETA for Teal'c and Daniel?"

Before the Captain could answer, their radios crackled into life.

"¬Colonel O'Neill, I found Ranma and we are heading towards the Stargate,¬" Teal'c informed them.

"See, sometimes things do go right for us," Jack smiled.

"Kree!" the lead Jaffa shouted. "We are here for the Baroness. If you value your lives, you will surrender her to us now."

Jack turned to Carter. "We've got 60 rounds between us, plus side arms. We don't know when Teal'c will get here or where Daniel is. Options?"

There was the faintest of landing sounds a metre behind the two officers. A cocky voice spoke up. "It's only ten Jaffa, what are you worried about?"

"Oh, and what do you normally do in this situation?" the Colonel asked.

"Well, I don't think they're from a major System Lord, so one of two things will happen when I stand up and do this," Ranma smirked. Standing up he shouted out at the attackers. "Kree Jaffa!"

The helmets on the Jaffa opened to get a better look at the long haired man standing defiantly before them.

"This planet is under the protection of the Ha're Kek, you can leave now or you can remain here in pieces!"

"The Ha're Kek are an excuse made up by incompetent Jaffa for their failures!" the lead Jaffa countered.

There was a whooshing sound and one of the Jaffa fell to the ground, its head rolling away.

"And I suppose that didn't just happen?" Ranma smirked. He started to approach the Jaffa. "This is your last chance, leave now or die."

"I obey my lord Bes'Ter and no other!"

"Then you all die today," the martial artist said sadly, clapping his hands together three times in prayer.

"Kill him!"

Ranma looked up at the staff weapons that were pointed at him and smirked.

"You pair," he said over his shoulder, "watch and learn. Three, two, one: it's go time!"

The martial artist ran at full speed towards the Jaffa, jinking left and right to avoid the predictable firing patterns. Then he disappeared from view.

"Wait, where is…" O'Neill trailed off when he saw Ranma reappear in the middle of the Jaffa and start punching them unconscious.

Three seconds later, Ranma was wearing a cocky smirk as he stood over the Jaffa's stunned bodies. "So then, about our deal to get me home?"

"We're very sorry about earlier, Ranma, but the situation is complicated," the Colonel apologised. "The Stargate is a secret back home."

"And that's my problem how? I don't care if people think you're trying to make turkeys fly or dealing with these jerks," the martial artist said, casually kicking an insensate alien in the head to highlight his point. "You said you'd get me and my father home."

As he tried to decide what the right course of action was, Jack noticed that there were some members of the Household Cavalry rushing towards them. He sighed in defeat.

"Let's get everyone together and go home. That includes you, Ranma. I can only promise that we'll get you and your father home, not that you won't be asked a million questions by a hundred different people."

"Thank you," Ranma bowed. "I'll see if I can get you some ore."

"Ranma, what's going on?" Lt. Falco asked, noticing that there had been a struggle.

"Lt. Falco, you'll be glad to know that we'll be leaving soon," the martial artist smiled.

"What?" another horse rider demanded. "You are coming back, aren't you? You're the reason I joined the Household Cavalry!"

"Really?" Lt. Falco turned to her teammate. "I never did get why the Baroness insisted I join the Household Cavalry."

"Not this again," Ranma sighed. "I should've kept my mouth shut about my name."

"What do you mean, Ranma?" asked O'Neill.

"It's not something I'm going to talk about now."

Colonel Ionas arrived with more cavalry and Teal'c.

"You didn't leave any for us, Ranma," the raven-haired woman pouted playfully.

The long haired man shrugged. "Sorry about that, Colonel, but you know how I don't like these jerks at the best of times."

"I take it you'll be leaving now?"

"Yeah. Oh, and apparently these guys are Bes'Ter's Jaffa. They wanted the Baroness," Ranma explained. "I only killed one of them, so you can get some answers if you want."

"Oh, people to interrogate, the Baroness will be happy," Ionas smiled. "Wait, why didn't you kill them all?"

"I didn't know who knew the gate address where they came from. I needed a backup plan in case these guys changed their minds about letting me go home."

"But they have an 'Iris' to protect their Stargate, without a code you'll die."

"They do? That would have ended badly," Ranma said nonchalantly. It was easy for him to joke about this, since he'd never intended to use the Stargate to go home. He would have just stolen a ship and done it the old-fashioned way.

Carter turned to O'Neill. "Sir, that would have…"

"Tell me something I don't know, Carter," Jack said, cutting her off. He looked around. "Where's Daniel?"


To be continued...

Pre-read by Chi Vayne, previewed on various intertubes.

Now, it is time for some omake.


"Jack, there's something that's been bothering me." Daniel turned to O'Neill.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. How come we can understand Ranma? I mean, he's Japanese right, so when did he learn how to speak English to the point where we can understand him so easily?"

"That's a good point, Daniel. Let's ask Carter, maybe she knows."

The men walked to Captain Carter's office and knocked on the door.

"Can I help you, Sir?" the blonde asked with a cheerful smile.

"Yeah, it's about Ranma," O'Neill said, scratching his head. "How come we can understand him?"

"Well, I think that it's because this is sci-fi, Sir. In science fiction, you either speak in subtitles or in English. Given that this is a written story, subtitles don't really work in this situation," Cater explained.

The two men looked at each other and nodded in understanding.

 
Previous Chapter - Index - Next Chapter