"Overcoming" by deejay435
Title: Overcoming
Author: deejay435
Rating/Warning: PG13 for mild violence.
Spoilers: In the Line of Duty, Pretense, Last Stand, Death Knell.
Set mid season 8.
Recipient: geonncannon
Request details: Wants: 1) At least a little humor to go with any
action. Keep it balanced 2) Off-world explorations and 3) Sam as team
leader, whether set in Season 8 or because Jack is elsewhere. Doesn't
want: 1) Excessive violence, 2) Over-the-top humor and 3) Character death
Only the warning klaxon and Walter’s voice over the base PA announcing
an unscheduled off-world activation was able to rouse one Lt. Colonel
Samantha Carter from her work. She sighed as she looked up to the
flashing red light, reluctantly setting her wrench back into her tool
kit. Once she hit the door she was already jogging to the control room,
arriving just moments ahead of Daniel and Teal’c. "Walter? What have we
got?"
Before the gate tech could answer her, General O’Neill bounded down the
steps, flashing a quick grin to his former team. "You should hear how
twitchy the president gets when he hears those alarms over the phone.
What have we got, Kids?"
Walter half-turned in his chair to address both superior officers,
"Tok’ra IDC Sir. Ma’am."
"Great! Open the Iris, Colonel." Jack grinned down at SG1’s leader as
she pressed her palm into the iris key, "Maybe Dad can pry you out of
your lab for a few hours."
"Sir…" The General’s latest attempt to get Sam to reduce her work hours
had involved his yo-yo and several attempts at a ‘round the world’ trick
that had nearly decimated her workbench. She’d slipped his yo-yo into
her pocket after his third unsuccessful try. His mumblings of
"insubordination to a superior officer’s personal distraction device"
had been met with only a chirped "Yes sir!" before Sam’s full attention
was back on her work. "I…"
"O’Neill…" Teal’c’s interruption spared Sam from coming up with a
response, she looked up in time to see an unfamiliar woman striding down
the ramp. She turned to the General, a frown forming on her face.
"That’s not Dad."
Jack lifted a brow as he watched the SFs raise their weapons to greet
the newcomer, "No, it isn’t. I thought the rest of them weren’t speaking
to us anymore Carter?"
After a pause Sam shrugged, her eyes darting back to the woman now
standing facing several automatic weapons. "Not in any meaningful way,
they’re not, Sir. Not since Delek ended our alliance with them."
"Maybe they want to discuss re-negotiating, Jack?"
"Sure Daniel, and I’m the new owner of the Minnesota Wild hockey
franchise." He leaned into the microphone, addressing the troops in the
gate room below, "Stand down." Turning, he shrugged to SG1, "Let’s go
see what she wants. Bet they need something."
"Jack!"
"Daniel."
Sam rolled her eyes at their bickering as she and Teal’c followed them
into the gate room. Jack and SG1 moved in front of the line security
guards to greet the woman, "So," Jack drew out the last syllable of the
word, lifting his arms in greeting as he addressed the woman. "The
Tok’ra. Long time, no see. To be honest, when we got your call, we were
expecting Jacob and Selmak."
The Tok’ra woman stood at the foot of the ramp, hands folded over her
stomach. The monotonous tan of her long garment did little to hide
tension in her stance, or the way her hazel eyes darted about the room,
seeming to take in each person, weapon, and block of gray concrete in turn.
"General O’Neill, Colonel Carter," the women held Sam’s eyes for a
moment, "Selmak and Jacob had duties with the council, or I’m sure they
would have preferred to be here in my place." When Sam nodded, the woman
continued, "Dr. Jackson. Teal’c. I am Belda; I have come to request your
aid."
"Of course you have!"
Sam frowned at the General just as Daniel mumbled a reprimand under his
breath, though neither had much effect on Jack who just swept his arm
toward the stairs to the briefing room, "After you. Carter, you and the
boys might as well sit in on this too."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack sat at the head of the briefing table, Sam and Teal’c on one side
of him, Daniel and Belda on the other. Jack’s fingers moved slowly over
the varnished surface before he smirked up at the group. "Look at this.
Just like old times. So, Belda, what can we do for you?"
"I require your assistance in locating a missing Tok’ra. His name is
Regarus, he was last on Lemnos, a planet once held by the Goa’uld
Hephaestus."
Sam frowned as she turned to the woman, "That’s not a Goa’uld we’ve
heard of. He isn’t a System Lord. Daniel?"
The team’s archeologist shook his head, "No. I haven’t heard of him. Not
as a Goa’uld, anyway. There was a Greek god Hephaestus. He was patron to
smiths and an inventor. Interestingly, he was the only physically
imperfect god. He was lame, and unattractive. And cast out of Olympus
because of it. He landed on the island of Lemnos, where he built his
great forge. He was actually married to Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty
which was…"
"All right Daniel, I think we got it." Jack turned back to their
visitor, "So. This Hefalump guy gets kicked out by the System Lords and
goes to Lemnos and starts a workshop?"
"Well, yes," Belda agreed, "At it’s most basic. He was a minor Goa’uld,
swore allegiance to whichever System Lord showed an interest at any
given time. But he was working on…something to facilitate changing that.
Regarus was sent undercover to try to find out what Hephaestus was
planning."
"And you don’t know if he succeeded."
"No, Colonel Carter, we do know. He did succeed. But Among Hephaestus’
experiments was a device to control weather. The one he created was
imperfect, and caused the weather on Lemnos to become very erratic,
severe, and dangerous."
"Yeah," Jack nodded, "We’ve seen the havoc weather devices can cause."
"Have you?" Belda paused for a moment before going on, "Then you can
understand how frightened the people were. How they rushed to their
‘god’ begging him to protect them. They were very angry to find out that
Hephaestus was as impotent as they were in controlling the weather. They
rioted. And Hephaestus was killed. Regarus managed to escape."
"Then I do not understand, Belda." Teal’c spoke for the first time since
the Tok’ra’s arrival, "If he escaped, then how is he still lost on Lemnos?"
"Because he returned. After several months, he judged that the chaos
would have tapered, and that he would be able to slip in, unnoticed.
Hephaestus was working on another device that would defeat other
Goa’uld. Regarus went to retrieve it."
"Some kind of weapon?"
"I do not know, General O’Neill. He only told me that it was very
important."
Sam leaned back in her chair, shaking her head slowly. "One thing I
don’t understand. If Regarus went to find some…" she glanced at O’Neill
and shrugged her shoulders, "weapon…why isn’t the Council looking for
him? Any weapon one Goa’uld could use against another would be just as
useful to the Tok’ra."
"They aren’t convinced that Regarus’ find is valuable."
Sam frowned, shaking her head again. It didn’t seem like the Tok’ra
council to pass up a chance to have anything that might be of use
against the Goa’uld. "Why not?"
"Because he wouldn’t tell anyone what it was. It wasn’t deemed worth the
risk."
"Oh, here we go…" Jack rolled his eyes as he looked between Sam and
Belda, "Carter, no offense to Dad, but this is just typical. Some
arrogant Tok’ra won’t play nice with the others and gets himself into
hot water. The council won’t sanction going after him out of spite, but
they send Belda here to get SG1 to do it for them. Tell me why I should
risk my team for Tok’ra politics?"
"Jack. Even if that’s true…" Daniel removed his glasses, rubbing the
bridge of his nose, "Even if it’s true-we might be able to use the
weapon…or whatever it is."
"Until the Tok’ra sweep in and claim it for their own?" Jack shook his
head, "How long will that take, Daniel?"
Belda was quite for a moment before answering, "Perhaps the council
might demand the device, or Regarus will intend to keep it. I give you
my word that I will not. Either way it is still in your best interest to
help me. Because if there is a weapon, we need to get to it before
Anubis does."
Sam turned to Jack, meeting his gaze. "Sir. She is right about that. If
there is something that can be used to elevate one Goa’uld above the
others, we need to keep it out of Anubis’ hands."
"Yeah, Carter." Jack sighed, "When you put it that way…SG1 has a go."
"Thank you, sir."
Jack gave a curt nod, "You leave at 0800. Daniel, see what else you can
dig up on this Hef guy before you leave. It might be useful. Dismissed."
As the others filed out of the briefing room, the General called out to
Sam, "Carter. Give me a minute."
"Sir?"
"You know this could be a trap."
"Yes, sir. Though given the state of our alliance with the Tok’ra, if it
is a trap, whoever set it is probably not expecting SG1."
"Even so, I wish I was going with you."
"Sir," Sam stiffened, "We can handle this, you know."
"Relax Colonel; I have faith in your abilities. I just…wish I was going
along, that’s all."
Sam glanced through the glass wall separating the briefing room from
Jack’s office, his in-tray was overflowing already, and Walter was there
adding more to the pile. "I understand sir," she turned back to him and
smiled, "We’ll bring you a souvenir."
"Yeah, well," Jack grinned as he turned back to his office, "Just make
sure it isn’t one of those ‘My old team went to Lemnos, and all I got
was this T-shirt’ things. My closet is already overflowing."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wormhole snapped closed behind Teal’c as Sam made her way down the
stone steps leading to Lemnos’ gate. The platform that held the Stargate
was at the edge of what once must have been a large town; broken
cobblestones of several streets shot out from the dais like the spokes
of a wheel. Beyond the circle where they stood were dozens of stone
buildings, some two stories tall. Many were damaged, roofs collapsed,
walls caved in, doors and windows smashed; a few were no more than the
crumbling stone foundations that had once supported the structure. Sam
couldn’t see any that were unscathed. The streets were surprisingly free
of debris, though a layer of soot and dust coated every surface, and
seemed to linger in the air severely limiting visibility.
Teal’c stepped off the platform to stand next to Sam, head turning
slowly as he surveyed their surroundings. "This town would appear to be
deserted."
"Maybe," Sam agreed, "Belda said that the weather anomalies started over
a year ago. People might have migrated out of the cities thinking they’d
find cleaner air."
"If there is any," Daniel joined the pair, brushing dust off his jacket,
"If this is from any major volcanic eruption, it could cover this entire
continent."
"Would the residents of this town be aware of that, Daniel Jackson?"
"Probably not."
Sam nodded, "All right then. We’ve got to find somebody if we’re going
to find out what happened to the Regarus." She pointed her P90 down a
street to their right, "That way. The buildings are farther apart, it
might lead out of town. Teal’c, you have our six."
"Very well, Colonel Carter."
"Keep your eyes open, Daniel."
They encountered more of the same as they made their way down the narrow
street Sam had chosen. Everywhere there were derelict buildings without
doors or windows, tattered cloth hanging from some of the frames. The
only items on the street were an occasional bench or pot made of stone.
They explored some of the buildings as they moved toward what they hoped
was the town exit. The first few buildings had been stripped of all but
the largest furniture, great chests and huge bed frames were all that
remained. As they moved further from the gate, even these were gone;
leaving only splinters and shards of wood where the furnishings once
stood. As desolate as it was, Sam knew the state of the buildings meant
they were going in the right direction. People had come this far back
into town for their large furniture, probably to be used as fuel.
It was more than an hour before the tightly packed buildings began to
give way to dirt fields and dying trees. The cobbled street they had
followed stopped just at the edge of town, leaving only a path in the
dirt barely discernable from the fields around it. Despite evidence that
people had once lived in the town, they’d seen no sign of habitation in
the time they’d been on Lemnos. Sam paused outside a small stone
building near the head of the path, motioning the others behind it. She
pulled a pair of binoculars from her vest, scanning the countryside
before them. "There’s very little cover from here out. The good news is
that leaves fewer places to catch us in an ambush."
Daniel lifted his eyes to the gray sky, his tone dry. "Very reassuring."
Sam glanced at him with a smirk before stowing her binoculars back into
her vest. She rested her hands on her weapon and turned back toward the
path. "All right lets…."
A noise interrupted her, she stopped as she neared the corner of the
structure, holding up a hand to signal the others to silence. She nodded
toward the building and listened for a moment before she heard a soft
rustling again. She gestured Teal’c around to the back of the building,
while she and Daniel flanked the front entrance. They rounded the door
carefully, the mag lights on their P90s cutting into the gloom to reveal
a room empty but for the remnants of a stairway that had once led to a
loft overhead. Sam gestured Daniel to the right, while she rounded the
structure from the left, their lights coming to rest on a figure
crouched behind the steps.
The girl that looked up at them from eyes hidden behind thin arms was no
more than fourteen. She appeared undernourished; her thin cheeks making
her brown eyes seem too large for her face. Her clothing, like nearly
everything else, was dusty but showed signs of frequent mending. She was
curled so tightly under the remnants of the steps that had Sam and
Daniel not heard the rustling in the small building, they might have
missed her. At their appearance, the girl shrank back into the steps,
gasping softly as splinters pierced her skin.
"Hey," Daniel crouched next to her, reaching a hand halfway across the
space to the child. "Hey. We’re not going to hurt you, are we Sam?"
"No, of course not." The girl’s eyes widened as Sam reached for her
radio, "It’s all right. I’m just calling our friend, to tell him that
everything’s okay in here." She mimicked Daniel and crouched to the
girl’s level, smiling at her as her finger touched the radio button.
"Teal’c?"
"All is clear here, Colonel Carter."
"Here too. We’ve found a little girl. We’ll be outside in a bit. Carter
out." She sat back on her heels as Daniel reached for the child again,
his hand hovering in the area between them.
"I’m Daniel. This is Sam. We’re explorers." He smiled, "Can you tell us
your name?"
It wasn’t until Sam nodded; adding her request to Daniel’s that the girl
answered. "Litta...Melitta."
"That’s a pretty name," Sam held her hand out to the girl as well,
"Melitta, why don’t you let us help you out of there?"
For a moment, the girl moved only her eyes, which focused intently on
Sam. Finally she lifted her own hand, placing it in Sam’s. "Good," Sam
squeezed her fingers gently and with an apologetic shrug to Daniel, she
helped the girl slide out into the open. "Are you all right Melitta? Did
you get hurt hiding back there?"
"No." Melitta didn’t release Sam’s hand as she stood, her eyes darting
around the room. "I don’t know you. You…have you come from far away?"
Sam nodded, "Yes. We came through the Stargate. The Chappa’ai." With
that, the girl snatched her hand from Sam’s, darting back behind the
staircase.
"You have come to avenge Hephaestus!"
"No!" Daniel shook his head, moving to intercept Melitta, "No, no, of
course not! We’re not here about Hephaestus. We don’t support the
Goa’uld. We’re just…looking for someone who might have been lost here."
Melitta looked from Daniel to Sam, "You’re looking for a friend?"
"Well," Sam shrugged, "A friend of a friend. We were told he might be
here. We just want to make sure he’s all right, and help him, if we can."
"All right," Melitta nodded, gesturing toward the door. "Then I will
take you to Mother."
The girl’s home was across mucky fields where little grew, but Melitta
proudly pointed out new crops, planted from seeds saved from before the
catastrophes. Sam walked ahead with her, while Daniel and Teal’c watched
their six. Not wanting to spook the girl, Sam chatted easily with her
about trivialities in her daily life. By the time they reached the
girl’s home Melitta was grasping Sam’s hand, beaming at the woman. She
led Sam gingerly over boards laid to the front door, explaining that the
dust would often hide holes in the ground, causing accidents. She pulled
a blanket away from the doorway. "Mother. I’m back."
An older woman stood over a rickety stove at the far end of the room,
pulling wet cloths out of a pot and hanging them on ropes strung across
the corner. A baby lay sleeping on a pallet near the door, and a young
boy piled wood near the stove.
"You’re late Litta, I hope you found…" Her words trailed off as she
turned, reaching a hand out to yank the boy behind her as she spotted
first Sam, then Daniel and Teal’c following her into the room. "Melitta!
Who are these people?"
"They’re travelers Mother, from the Chappa’ai, looking for a lost friend."
"Please," Sam squeezed the girl’s hand gently before stepping forward,
"We didn’t mean to get your daughter into trouble. We’re just looking
for someone who might have come here in the last few weeks. We’re not
here to cause trouble."
The woman skirted the side of the room to pick up the baby, "Anything
new causes trouble. Why’d your friend come here?"
Daniel stepped forward, "He was…he was here before, and left something
important. He came to get it back." He held up his hands before the
woman could react, "He…he wasn’t with Hephaestus. In fact, he’s one of
many people working against the Goa’uld. That’s why it’s important we
find him."
"No one stood up to the Goa’uld until the time of the catastrophes."
"You are incorrect," Teal’c spoke for the first time since encountering
the girl, "Perhaps on Lemnos no one challenged the Goa’uld, but on other
planets there are great rebellions. People of this galaxy are fighting
the Goa’uld daily. And often winning."
"You are Jaffa!"
"Indeed. But I do not serve the Goa’uld."
"You fight them?"
When Teal’c nodded the woman eased her hold on the boy. "And you win?"
"Often."
The woman turned sharply to the young boy, "Davain! Find your father and
uncles. Tell them we have guests." She turned back to SG1, gesturing to
chairs at a table, "Sit. We’ve already had a meal today, but you can sit
and wait. My husband will know the answers to your questions."
"It’s all right," Sam smiled at Melitta before taking a seat, Daniel
following suit, while Teal’c remained standing near the door. "We’ve got
our own food with us. We’d be happy to share." She reached into her pack
pulling out several protein bars and laying them on the table. "I can’t
promise they taste any good, but they’re filling. Go ahead."
Melitta looked at her mother, who nodded brusquely, before reaching for
the foil wrapped packages. She took one for herself, and handed another
to her mother before taking the seat next to Sam’s. The mother sighed,
pocketing the protein bar, "I’ve got laundry to finish."
"I’m sorry about this," Melitta whispered to Sam, "She wasn’t always
like this. It’s just hard to know who to trust these days. Ariston runs
everything, but there are others…groups who don’t like how he’s doing
things. They’re always fighting. We try to stay out of it, when we can.
But Ariston controls the springs, it’s all the fresh water around."
"We understand," Sam gave the girl’s arm a pat, "Don’t let it bother
you. Eat your protein bar. I think that one’s supposed to taste like
peanut butter." At the girl’s puzzled look she grinned, "Daniel, I’m
going to have a talk with Teal’c, could you explain peanut butter to
Melitta?"
"Sure. Hey!" Daniel pulled a piece of paper from his pack, "Have you
ever played tic-tac-toe?"
Sam rose from the table to join Teal’c by the door. "There’s not much
cover between here and the town, did you see which way the boy went?"
"Indeed. He ran toward the rear of this house, I could no longer see him
when he crested that hill."
She leaned against the doorjamb, her eyes scanning the yard they had
crossed, "That’s likely the direction someone will approach from.
Everything else around here is too open; there would be no way to sneak
up on us from anywhere but there."
"Indeed. I will keep watch."
"I know you will Teal’c."
As Sam coached Melitta into winning her fifth game of tic-tac-toe, games
Sam knew Daniel had to be losing purposely, she heard Teal’c’s call from
the doorway.
"Colonel Carter, several men approach."
Melitta’s mother spoke quickly, "Oh, that’s just my husband and his
brothers, come home for their supper, I expect."
Sam stared at the woman, her too-quick reassurance setting off alarm
bells. She nodded, rising with one hand on her weapon, "We’ll just get
out of their way then. Daniel." She glanced down at his weapon as she
strolled to the other side of the door from Teal’c.
As two men entered the room, Melitta jumped from the table, "That’s not
Father!"
"Quiet girl!" One man reached out to slap Melitta as the other turned to
face Sam and Teal’c, whose weapons were pointed casually at them. Behind
the men, Daniel had his side arm out and ready.
"Stop!" Sam lifted her weapon, "I think it would be much better for your
friend if he didn’t touch the girl."
The man growled, facing Sam, "Ariston wants to see you. He didn’t say
anything about not hitting the girl."
Sam frowned, her nose wrinkling in distaste, "I think we’ll pass."
"Yeah? Thais?"
Thais reached out quickly and yanked Melitta to him, his knife going
quickly to her throat as the girl’s mother screamed. His partner pulled
a zat from his tunic and grinned at Sam. "You were saying?"
Sam lifted her P90 higher, "Let her go."
"Thais will cut her, Lady. You know he will. And we got others outside."
Teal’c half turned toward the door, covering it and the room, nodded,
"That is true, Colonel Carter."
"Yeah?" Sam glanced at the girl for a moment, then back at the man, "If
he cuts her, neither of you will make it out of here alive. How many
outside, Teal’c?"
"At least ten."
"Armed?"
"I see only knives and objects which appear to be spears."
"No problem then." Sam pointed her gun at Thais, gesturing him away from
the girl. "Let her go."
The man’s eyes narrowed, "The girl will still be dead. Be doin her a
favor, if you ask me. And if we come back without you, Ariston’ll kill
us. Don’t much matter to me which one of you does it. So do your best,
Lady. We’ll see how many of you my men can take out before we go, eh?"
"Please!" Melitta’s mother cried out, "Please! Ariston has your friend,
the one who came through the Chappa’ai recently. I know he does! No one
knows where he’s keeping him but Ariston…not Thais or Kopris here.
Please, don’t let them kill Melitta!"
Sam stared at Kopris, eyes narrowed. She had no doubt he would kill the
girl, even if it cost him and his men their lives. Then they’d still be
no closer to their objective of finding Regarus and his weapon. The
local people would be turned against them, Ariston would be alerted to
their presence, and an innocent girl would be dead. If they went to meet
with Ariston, they might find out something useful. "All right. We’ll
come with you. Let the girl go."
Kopris gave a nod to Thais who shoved Litta to her mother. Both men
ignored the family then, their eyes back on Sam. Kopris gestured toward
the door with his zat. "After you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ariston had taken up residence in Hephaestus’ pyramid, setting himself
up as some kind of overlord for the planet. The pyramid was on the other
side of the town from the girl’s home, but Kopris took the long route,
skirting the town, leaving the team no cover at all, should they try to
escape. Which was probably the point, but just now Sam had no intention
of trying to escape. If anyone would know there whereabouts of Regarus,
it was likely to be Ariston. And if either the Goa’uld or the Tok’ra had
been working on a weapon, it would be in the pyramid.
Though their captors, Thais in particular, used the long walk to regale
SG1 with tales of their leader’s benevolence and desire to help the
people of Lemnos, Sam couldn’t help but be reminded of Pyrus. He too had
been hailed as a hero when he’d rid his planet of a Goa’uld, only to
enslave them for centuries. The more Thais went on about the wonder that
was Ariston, the less Sam was inclined to believe the "hero" had any
benign motives at all.
Her instincts were born out as they approached the pyramid and were
suddenly surrounded by half a dozen more men, all of these armed with
zats. Kopris stepped forward, reaching a hand out to Sam. "We’ll take
your weapons now."
Sam shook her head, eyes narrowing as she faced the man, her P90 coming
up as she spoke. "I don’t think so." From the corner of her eye, she
could see Teal’c doing the same.
"I wasn’t asking." Kopris waved his hands and Sam could hear the tell
tale hiss of several zats arming.
"Uh, listen," Daniel was the only member of the team whose weapon wasn’t
pointed at one of Kopris’ men. "We just want to talk to Ariston; we’re
not here to get in your way. We’ve come with you willingly, there’s no
reason for us not to keep our weapons."
"If all you want to do is talk, you’ll hand over your weapons. Now. Then
we’ll take you to Ariston." Kopris turned back to Sam, "Or we’ll shoot
you with these, and while you’re unconscious we’ll still take your
weapons. Would you rather walk, or be dragged, to see Ariston?"
Sam knew she could take out Kopris before any of the others got a zat
blast off, and Teal’c could certainly take at least one of the others.
However, as much as she might be tempted to shoot a man who would use a
child as a hostage, there were still men behind them, with zats as well.
Much as she disliked him, Kopris had a point. Much better to walk in
with some semblance of free will to see Ariston, then be dragged in as
unconscious prisoners. "Teal’c, stand down."
Teal’c gave a slow nod, removing his gun and his own zat and handing
them wordlessly to Thais. He stared at the man for a moment, holding
Thais in his gaze before the other man backed down and turned away.
Daniel handed his weapons off, glancing nervously at Sam who was still
staring at Kopris.
"This is a sign of good faith." Sam slowly unclipped her P90, her words
slow and tight. She stared at Kopris as she handed him her weapons, "We
expect you to return it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ariston was lounging on the throne as SG1 was escorted into his
presence. He was a tall man, with long black hair. Though he dressed in
the style of the other people the team had seen, homespun garments
becoming threadbare with use, he held himself with the same regality as
did the Goa’uld. Were it not for his clothing, Sam could almost believe
Ariston was a Goa’uld, arranged imperially on his throne for their
benefit. He smiled slowly as they entered, sitting up and leaning
forward, "Welcome to Lemnos. We don’t get many visitors. I am Ariston.
I’m told you have questions."
Sam instinctively straightened; chin held high as she addressed the
self-proclaimed ruler of the planet. "I’m Colonel Carter, from Earth.
This is Doctor Jackson, and Teal’c."
"A Jaffa?" Ariston frowned at the tattoo on Teal’c’s forehead, "Why was
I not told the strangers brought with them a Jaffa? What god do you serve?"
"I serve no false god." Teal’c stood with his hands clasped behind his
back, "All Goa’ulds are false gods."
"A Jaffa without a master? Hephaestus knew of no such thing."
"Then perhaps Hephaestus was not well informed."
Ariston laughed, "Perhaps not. It’s certain he wasn’t as powerful as he
claimed, or he could have saved us from the storms. Maybe he wasn’t all
knowing, either." He turned back to Sam, beaming widely, "Come. I’ve
prepared a feast in honor of our guests. We will talk better well fed,
won’t we? I’ll answer what questions I can as we eat." He bowed low,
eyes on Sam.
She glanced at Daniel and Teal’c with a shrug, and then followed the man
from the room. Behind her Teal’c continued to glare at their host as he
led the way to an antechamber. "I do not trust him."
Daniel grinned, "You’re just sore that he’d never heard of the infamous
Shol’va."
Teal’c responded with a lift of his brow, "Even so, Daniel Jackson, I
believe we will gain much by being on our guard."
"Always Teal’c. Always."
The table was elaborately set for four, the goblets and plates inlaid
with gold and gems. Kopris and his men, clearly not invited to share the
feast, stood back against the walls as women and children came in
carrying platters piled high with dried meats and fruits, and vegetables
preserved in something like vinegar. Crystal clear water flowed from
gold pitchers. Sam eyed it all with a deepening frown. The people
outside the pyramid ate so little that their ration bars seemed like a
banquet, and yet there was more than enough food here to feed the people
in this room three times over.
"You do not look pleased, Colonel Carter. I know the food is plain, but
it is all that we have."
"It’s not that," Sam took the seat he gestured to, next to the one
Ariston chose for himself. Daniel and Teal’c lowered themselves into
chairs opposite them. "It just seems like…quite a lot. I’m sure…your
people would appreciate some of this."
Ariston just waved away her concern, "We are all used to sacrifice in
these times, Colonel Carter. Do not concern yourself with it. Eat.
Enjoy." He lifted a bit of meat wrapped in a pepper like vegetable and
popped it in his mouth before washing it all down with a long draw of
water.
Once Sam saw the man drink from the same pitcher from which she and her
team had been served, she lifted the glass to her lips. It was much
nicer than the water in their canteens. "Ariston. You know we’ve come
through the Chappa’ai to Lemnos." At his nod she continued, "We’re
looking for someone who came through before us."
"Are you? We don’t guard the Chappa’ai as we should. My men are spread
so thin as it is."
"Yes," Sam glanced up at Kopris for a moment, "I’m sure they are. But we
believe our…friend was coming here." She wasn’t going to mention
Regarus’ objective. She hoped that Ariston and his men had been only
low-level servants of the Goa’uld and wouldn’t know anything about his
specific experiments.
Daniel nodded, taking up where Sam left off, "Yes. He’s an archeologist,
like me. We study other cultures and their artifacts. He…might have been
interested in the pyramid."
"Oh. Well we have had no students coming through to study us or our
things. I am sorry." Ariston lifted a handful of dried fruit into his
mouth, "However, now that you mention artifacts." He straightened
suddenly, all joviality gone from his features. "Perhaps you would be
willing to help us?"
Sam frowned, automatically setting the goblet back on the table, "I
don’t know if we can."
"Oh. I’m sure you will find a way." He looked at his men, snapping his
fingers quickly. "Bring them."
Kopris nodded, turned, and left the room, returning in moments carrying
a large covered tray. He shoved the platters of food and goblets of
water out of the way with one hand, drenching unlucky guests in a spray
of water and boiled vegetables as he did. He ignored Daniel who jumped
up from the table, brushing the mess from his BDUs, and set the tray in
front of Sam. Kopris lifted the cover to reveal a healing device, a
ribbon device, and a hand held object that Sam had never before seen.
Ariston gestured to Teal’c as he turned to Sam, "You know of the gods
and their ways. Tell us how to use these."
"I can’t." Sam sat back calmly in her chair, "I’ve never seen them before."
"Look closer, Colonel Carter. Perhaps you’ve just forgotten, there are
many worlds beyond the Chappa’ai," Ariston picked up the ribbon device,
"It would be a shame if you had merely forgotten."
She just shook her head, mouth tight as she answered. "No. I don’t know
what they are."
"Oh. Well, we do. We’ve seen them used. This one," he slid his hand into
the ribbon device, "tortures. I’ve seen Hephaestus use it many times.
This," he placed the ribbon device down and picked up the palm sized
object Sam was unfamiliar with. "This one kills. Very quickly and
quietly. No mess, like the first. I don’t know how useful this one would
be to me just now, it only kills other Goa’uld." Sam’s eyes snapped to
Daniel’s for a moment, before returning to Ariston’s.
"We’ve never seen something that can kill a Goa’uld as quickly as that."
"Haven’t you?" Ariston shrugged, placing his hand on the last object.
"This one heals. Don’t you think that would be useful to my people?"
"Of course."
Ariston rose quickly from the table, knocking his chair across the room
as he did, his voice rising. "Then why won’t you tell me how to control
them?"
"Because you can’t use them." Sam sighed, "Only the Goa’uld can."
"I am afraid I don’t believe you." Ariston’s voice was once again as
soft and pleasant as it had been since they’d met him, but his eyes
still glinted darkly. "Kopris."
Kopris reached out and grabbed a fistful of Sam’s hair, viciously
yanking her half out of her chair.
"Sam!
"Colonel Carter!"
Before either Daniel or Teal’c could move, Kopris’ men had once again
surrounded them, zats out and ready.
"Those," Ariston informed them conversationally, nodding at the zats,
"We know very well how to use." He turned back to Sam who glared at him
from beneath the big man’s hand. "Now. How do we use them?"
"You can’t," she spat back at him.
"Take them to the cell." Four of the men surrounding Daniel and Teal’c
moved in to subdue them as Kopris yanked Sam up by her hair. Teal’c
shook off one of the men, raising his fist to strike; Thais immediately
zatted him, leaving him unconscious on the floor. Two more men moved in
to help carry Teal’c, the others shoved Daniel ahead of them.
"Kopris," Ariston motioned to the man as he led Sam away, "I’d like a
word with Colonel Carter before she joins the others."
As he turned to comply Sam twisted, pressing his knuckles against her
scalp to loosen his grip, then bending his hand back until he released
her. She ignored the sounds of zats charging to glare at Kopris. "I can
walk myself." She pulled her jacket straight, and then strode across the
room to face Ariston. "You wanted to talk?"
Ariston chuckled, "Well done, Colonel. Just remember, we have your
friends. In fact," he leaned foreword until his face was mere inches
from Sam’s. "You might do well to remember that as you think about
helping us. That," he gestured to the hand device, "isn’t the only way
Hephaestus had of torturing people. You wouldn’t want me to demonstrate
that with your friends, would you?"
"No. Of course not." Sam remained where she was, not backing up as
Ariston leaned into her space, "But it won’t make a difference, I can’t
tell you how to work those devices."
Her only answer was a sigh, "Very well. Take her to the others." He
waited until Kopris has escorted her to the door before calling out
again, "Colonel Carter? Regarus is dead. He wouldn’t tell me how to work
the devices either. Think about that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Teal’c was already sitting up, beginning to recover from the effects of
the zat when Kopris shoved Sam roughly into the cell. Daniel jumped up
to keep her from stumbling. "Sam, are you all right? Why the hell did he
keep you?"
"Relax Daniel, I’m fine." She glanced down at Teal’c, "What about you?"
Teal’c let his head dip slightly, "I am well, Colonel Carter. But I,
too, am concerned as to why Ariston kept you behind."
"Mostly to threaten you guys," Sam moved to the cell bars, "You know,
torture, murder, listening to his minions go on about how wonderful he
is." She gripped the bars, tugging at them experimentally. "The usual."
Daniel held a hand down to Teal’c who used it to rise easily from the
floor. "How original."
Teal’c moved to inspect the rear of the cell, "Villains rarely are,
Daniel Jackson."
"Got anything back there, Teal’c?"
"I am afraid not, Colonel Carter."
Sam nodded, slipping her arm through the cell bar, stretching for
something on the outside wall. "The control panel’s out of reach. Daniel?"
The archeologist had climbed onto the cell’s lone bench, running his
hands over the panels of hieroglyphs that made up the walls. He turned
back to Sam, shaking his head. "Nothing. These panels don’t come off."
"Great," Sam wriggled her arm back into the cell, "Our luck that
Hephaestus would be one of the Goa’ulds that actually had secure cells.
Okay then. We wait."
"For?" Daniel dropped back to the floor, glanced around the cell for a
moment before shrugging and taking a seat on the bench.
"For Ariston to send for you to be tortured, of course, Daniel."
Daniel lifted his eyes to the ceiling of their small cell, "Of course.
Why didn’t I think of that?"
Teal’c moved to his side, hands clasped behind his back and bowed in the
other man’s direction. "I do not believe that Colonel Carter intends to
allow you to be tortured Daniel Jackson. Even if Thais does seem very
eager to share more of Ariston’s glory."
Sam grinned at Teal’c, "No. I don’t. But when he sends his guards to
take you to be interrogated it’s going to be our chance to escape."
Daniel sighed, "What about Regarus?"
Sam shook her head, "Ariston told me Regarus is dead and that he thinks
Regarus was a Goa’uld. And since we told Ariston Regarus was our friend,
he must think we’re in league with the Goa’uld." She sighed, "At this
point, Ariston’s belief that we know how to work those devices is the
only thing keeping us alive."
Daniel nodded, "Okay then."
Sam nodded, "All right. I have my knife…" At Daniel’s look of surprise
she just grinned, "They didn’t search us." She reached down to pull it
from a boot sheath. "Be ready. We won’t get a second chance."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Ariston’s men arrived hours later, the team was ready. Sam sat
slumped near the cell door, Daniel crouched at her side. Teal’c stood
opposite them, on the other side of the cell.
"She’s hurt," Daniel looked up and spat at the men. "What the hell did
Kopris do to her when he brought her back here?"
The two guards glanced at one another, one turning to eye Sam warily.
"Ariston did not order her to be injured."
"Yeah, well Kopris obviously didn’t listen. She’s hurt. She could be
dying here." Daniel scowled, "Don’t just stand there; help me! She’s the
only one who can answer your boss’ questions!"
With that, one of them bent to get a better look at Sam. Teal’c sprang
on the other man then, clubbing him with both fists on the back of his
head. As he did Sam reached swiftly up, revealing her hidden knife, and
plunged it into the first man’s leg. As he fell, she pulled his zat gun
from his hand. She grimaced as she took the hilt of the knife and pulled
it from his flesh. "Sorry about that. Teal’c?"
The Jaffa was standing, the other man’s zat already in his hand. "He is
unconscious."
Sam slipped the first guard’s zat into her thigh holster, "Good. Our
objective is that hand device Regarus came here for. We’ll start looking
in the throne room, and that side room next to it. Teal’c, take point.
I’ll watch your six." She glanced down the corridor again, "Ready
Daniel?" At his nod she stepped into the corridor, "All right. Move out."
The trio traveled steadily through the corridors of the pyramid;
communicating easily with mere glances and gestures. Between Sam and
Teal’c they avoided discovery all but once. Those men they subdued
quickly, and hid their stunned bodies in an unused room. After procuring
one of their weapons for Daniel, Sam zatted the lock from the outside
ensuring they wouldn’t get out for a while. As they neared the throne
room Teal’c stopped, holding up his fist. After a moment he turned to
the others, voice low. "Do you hear that?"
Sam nodded. "Staff weapons. If Ariston had staff weapons…he would have
threatened us with them already."
"Indeed."
Sam glanced in the direction of the blasts, "Someone else has come to
join the party."
Daniel nodded, his voice strained, "Anubis."
"Great. Just when I thought we’d have a Jaffa free mission." Sam glanced
at the tall man standing beside her, "No offense Teal’c."
"None taken, Colonel Carter."
She nodded toward the corridor leading to the throne room, "They’re not
expecting us, we have that on our side. We can’t let Anubis’ forces get
that weapon."
She stepped forward, zat ahead of her as she turned the corridor already
firing, taking out two Jaffa. Daniel and Teal’c followed, each firing
their own zat guns. As they strode ahead Teal’c reached down and took
one of the Jaffa’s staff weapons, holstering his own zatnikitel.
Sam crouched by the door to the throne room, Daniel behind her, Teal’c
across from them. Two Jaffa had taken up flanking positions several feet
inside the door behind which SG1 was hiding. Two more had Ariston on his
knees before a figure now occupying the throne. When the Goa’uld turned
his head Sam narrowed her eyes. Zipacna. They’d seen little of the
Goa’uld since Skaraa’s trial on Tollana, though Tok’ra intelligence had
named him as the one responsible for the attack on Revana, costing both
Lantash and young Elliot their lives. It seemed the rumors of his
service to Anubis were true. Well then, Sam thought, he’d picked the
wrong Goa’uld to back.
The Goa’uld held the device SG1 was searching for.
Fortunately, Sam guessed, he didn’t seem to know what the object did, or
he wouldn’t be bothering with questioning Ariston.
She tapped Daniel’s leg and caught Teal’c’s eye, gesturing toward the
two Jaffa nearest the door. She grabbed her zat more tightly in her
hand, wishing they’d been able to find their own weapons as they escaped
the cells. She’d prefer to face a Goa’uld with her P90. She held up her
free hand, counting down from three fingers.
At one she rolled into the chamber, leaving room for Daniel and Teal’c
to storm in, each taking out one of the sentries by the door. Sam
ignored the others, aiming for Zipacna. A zat wouldn’t kill him; she
doubted it would even stun him more than momentarily. However, it might
confuse the other Jaffa long enough for Teal’c and Daniel to take them
out, and paralyze Zipacna enough so he couldn’t beam out with
Hephaestus’ weapon. The energy discharged from her weapon, hitting
Zipacna square in the chest just as he was turning toward the sound of
Daniel and Teal’c’s guns. He fell backward, the weapon dropping from his
fingers.
The Jaffa holding Ariston dropped the man and fired their staff weapons
at SG1 even as Daniel and Teal’c fired back on them from behind Sam’s
position. Ducking beneath the fire Sam was halfway across the room when
Ariston jumped up, snatching the Goa’uld weapon from the floor. She
barely registered the Jaffa falling before the man was pointing the
weapon at her. "Give it to me, Ariston!"
"No!" He growled at her as he moved back toward the wall, "This kills
those things," he nodded toward Zipacna who was already climbing to his
feet. "Stay back."
She ignored him, counting on the weapon being useless to a human and
moved forward, firing her zat at him as she advanced. Zipacna lunged for
the fallen Jaffa, and she could hear the discharge of a staff weapon
behind her as she dove on the unconscious human and ripped the Goa’uld
killing device from his hands.
She turned to see Daniel crumpled on the floor, Zipacna raising his
staff again in Teal’c’s direction. Instinctively she lifted Hephaestus’
weapon, pointing it at the Goa’uld and depressing the small button on
its top.
Zipacna seemed to be surrounded by a bright light for a moment, before
falling to the ground motionless. Teal’c moved to kick the staff weapon
away from him, as Sam raced to check Daniel.
"He is dead." Teal’c looked up to where Sam knelt next to their
teammate, her hands pressing against a wound in his stomach. Her eyes
were stricken as she met his.
"He took a direct hit, Teal’c. I…" She stopped, took a shuddering
breath, and then straightened her back. "He’s bleeding badly. We have to
stop the hemorrhaging. And we’re going to need to make sure there aren’t
any more Jaffa around." She pulled her jacket from her shoulders,
folding it into a pad and pressing it against Daniel’s abdomen. "Hang on
Daniel. Hang on."
Teal’c rose, his face grave as he assessed Daniel’s condition.
Wordlessly he collected the staff weapons, laying one near Sam’s feet.
"I will find our packs, and retrieve the medical supplies Colonel
Carter. And I will make certain no more Jaffa have accompanied Zipacna."
"The Jaffa in here?"
"I am afraid they are all dead as well, Colonel Carter." Sam knew Teal’c
would have preferred to give them the chance to join the rebellion. "I
will take that one with me," he strode to Ariston, lifting the
unconscious man to his shoulder, "And find a place of safety in which to
keep him from troubling us further."
Sam nodded, pressing harder on the still bleeding wound. "Dammit Daniel!
Don’t you dare die on me again. Do you hear me? You hold on till we
contact the SGC, do you hear me?"
Later she would never be able to remember exactly how long she knelt
there with Daniel’s blood soaking her jacket before Teal’c returned,
packs in hand, and pushing a reluctant Thais ahead of him.
"Colonel Carter. Thais informs me that there are no more Jaffa in the
complex. Few of Ariston’s men remain; the others have run to the
village. Kopris is dead. Zipacna arrived by Al’kesh. I am unaware if
there is a mothership in orbit." He dropped one of the packs next to
Sam, reaching in to pull out a medical kit.
Sam nodded, pushing her hair back with one bloodied hand, leaving a
crimson streak behind. "We don’t have much time. His vitals…" she looked
up to meet Teal’c’s eyes, "They’re weakening." He wouldn’t survive the
trek to the gate, that much was clear. And Sam was afraid Daniel
wouldn’t last the time it would take for Teal’c to return with help.
"Are our radios there?"
"They are."
"Good. Take one with you. I want you to go to the Gate and bring back
help." Sam glanced up at the Jaffa, pulling gauze from the packet of
medical supplies, "Make sure it’s on. We’ve missed at least two
check-ins with the SGC. If they call to check on us before you get back
to the Gate they can get a rescue team here that much quicker." She
pulled her jacket away from Daniel’s stomach, frowning at the size of
the wound. Her voice shook as she added, "Hopefully soon."
Teal’c rose with a nod, "Very well Colonel Carter."
Sam knew it was futile. Daniel wouldn’t last until Teal’c made it out of
the pyramid complex, let alone through town and to the Stargate. She
blinked her eyes furiously as she looked up at the Jaffa. She didn’t
need to tell him to hurry; she knew Teal’c would do no less than run the
entire distance.
"Excuse me." Both turned toward Thais who had moved quietly to one side
of the room. He approached them now, hands clasped around the healing
device. "I know you said you didn’t know how…but…" He held the device to
Sam who took it slowly, staring at it with huge eyes.
After a moment she lifted them to meet Teal’c’s gaze. "I haven’t touched
one of these things since Daniel…" Her voice broke off as she looked
down to slip the device hesitantly over her palm.
Teal’c crouched across from her, "I have confidence in you, Colonel
Carter."
She nodded and held the device over Daniel’s stomach, squeezing her eyes
tight in concentration. After a moment she opened them, the healing
device was still inert. She took another breath and held it for a
moment. It shook as she blew it out. "The last time…the last time I made
it worse."
Teal’c gave a slow nod, "But you will not this time. Even Selmak was
unsure if a healing device could cure such wounds as Daniel Jackson
sustained on Kelowna. It was not your fault, Colonel Carter."
"It was," Sam whispered, but she lifted the healing device again
nonetheless. To not try surely would kill him. This time when she closed
her eyes a weak light glowed from the device, but the wound on Daniel’s
stomach remained gaping, and his breath continued in shallow gasps.
"Dammit!"
Her eyes landed on the fallen Goa’uld, "I could use the damn weapon! Why
was it so easy for me to kill, and so damned hard to save Daniel’s life?"
Teal’c’s hand came out to rest on Sam’s shoulder. "Colonel Carter." He
waited until she turned back, her eyes once again locked with his. "It
is always an easier matter to kill than to heal. Killing merely requires
a great burst of power. It does not require control. I am confident that
you have both."
Sam nodded and took a deep breath. This time when she let it out it was
steady. She gave Teal’c a small smile of gratitude before holding the
healing device once more over Daniel’s still form. As she did the device
glowed a deep red, and Daniel’s wound closed before their eyes. His
breathing evened out after a few moments, and his pallor seemed to subside.
Sam dropped her hand wearily, letting the device fall to the floor. She
pressed her fingers against Daniel’s neck; relief flooded her as his
pulse beat steadily beneath her skin. "He’s better." She nodded at the
Lemnan man who stood off to the side, "Thank you."
Teal’c rose then, "I will go to the Stargate for assistance, I will
return as quickly as I can."
"I know you will." Sam sank into a sitting position, Daniel’s wrist
cradled in her palm, "And Teal’c? Thanks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wormhole snapped closed behind them as Daniel was wheeled away to
the infirmary, protesting all the way that he was fine and didn’t need a
gurney. Sam stood with Teal’c and Jack at the bottom of the ramp,
watching as Dr. Brightman pushed him out of the room and down the corridor.
"I believe Daniel Jackson is going to make a full recovery."
Jack grinned, "Sure sounds like it."
Teal’c bowed to Sam, then Jack. "I will accompany Daniel Jackson to the
infirmary. The doctor may need details about the nature of his injury."
"Thanks, T." Jack turned and glanced at Sam, pointing to her scalp. "You
sure you’re all right Carter?"
Her brow furrowed in confusion for a moment as she lifted her hand to
her head, fingers combing through crusty dried blood. "Oh. I’m fine sir.
It’s not mine." She brushed her hand against her BDU pants. "Sir. One of
Ariston’s men did end up assisting us. So did a little girl we met.
Anubis knows about Lemnos now and…"
"Relax Carter. SG3 is staying behind to help relocate the planet’s
inhabitants. I’m sending SGs 11 and 13 to help."
"Thank you, sir."
"Belda is waiting in my office. I’ll tell her about Regarus." Jack
glanced up at the third floor observation window. "Go get yourself poked
and prodded Carter. Briefing is at 1500."
"Yes sir." Sam nodded and turned toward the door, slipping her hands in
her pockets as she did. Her fingers closed around a small metal oval.
"Oh! Sir?" She turned back to Jack, "I almost forgot your souvenir." She
tossed the device to him, "Regarus’ device. It’s similar to the device
the Ashrak used to kill Jolinar, except it works instantly and quietly."
"Sweet." Jack closed his fingers around the object, looking up to meet
Sam’s eyes. "Excellent work, Carter."
Author: deejay435
Rating/Warning: PG13 for mild violence.
Spoilers: In the Line of Duty, Pretense, Last Stand, Death Knell.
Set mid season 8.
Recipient: geonncannon
Request details: Wants: 1) At least a little humor to go with any
action. Keep it balanced 2) Off-world explorations and 3) Sam as team
leader, whether set in Season 8 or because Jack is elsewhere. Doesn't
want: 1) Excessive violence, 2) Over-the-top humor and 3) Character death
Only the warning klaxon and Walter’s voice over the base PA announcing
an unscheduled off-world activation was able to rouse one Lt. Colonel
Samantha Carter from her work. She sighed as she looked up to the
flashing red light, reluctantly setting her wrench back into her tool
kit. Once she hit the door she was already jogging to the control room,
arriving just moments ahead of Daniel and Teal’c. "Walter? What have we
got?"
Before the gate tech could answer her, General O’Neill bounded down the
steps, flashing a quick grin to his former team. "You should hear how
twitchy the president gets when he hears those alarms over the phone.
What have we got, Kids?"
Walter half-turned in his chair to address both superior officers,
"Tok’ra IDC Sir. Ma’am."
"Great! Open the Iris, Colonel." Jack grinned down at SG1’s leader as
she pressed her palm into the iris key, "Maybe Dad can pry you out of
your lab for a few hours."
"Sir…" The General’s latest attempt to get Sam to reduce her work hours
had involved his yo-yo and several attempts at a ‘round the world’ trick
that had nearly decimated her workbench. She’d slipped his yo-yo into
her pocket after his third unsuccessful try. His mumblings of
"insubordination to a superior officer’s personal distraction device"
had been met with only a chirped "Yes sir!" before Sam’s full attention
was back on her work. "I…"
"O’Neill…" Teal’c’s interruption spared Sam from coming up with a
response, she looked up in time to see an unfamiliar woman striding down
the ramp. She turned to the General, a frown forming on her face.
"That’s not Dad."
Jack lifted a brow as he watched the SFs raise their weapons to greet
the newcomer, "No, it isn’t. I thought the rest of them weren’t speaking
to us anymore Carter?"
After a pause Sam shrugged, her eyes darting back to the woman now
standing facing several automatic weapons. "Not in any meaningful way,
they’re not, Sir. Not since Delek ended our alliance with them."
"Maybe they want to discuss re-negotiating, Jack?"
"Sure Daniel, and I’m the new owner of the Minnesota Wild hockey
franchise." He leaned into the microphone, addressing the troops in the
gate room below, "Stand down." Turning, he shrugged to SG1, "Let’s go
see what she wants. Bet they need something."
"Jack!"
"Daniel."
Sam rolled her eyes at their bickering as she and Teal’c followed them
into the gate room. Jack and SG1 moved in front of the line security
guards to greet the woman, "So," Jack drew out the last syllable of the
word, lifting his arms in greeting as he addressed the woman. "The
Tok’ra. Long time, no see. To be honest, when we got your call, we were
expecting Jacob and Selmak."
The Tok’ra woman stood at the foot of the ramp, hands folded over her
stomach. The monotonous tan of her long garment did little to hide
tension in her stance, or the way her hazel eyes darted about the room,
seeming to take in each person, weapon, and block of gray concrete in turn.
"General O’Neill, Colonel Carter," the women held Sam’s eyes for a
moment, "Selmak and Jacob had duties with the council, or I’m sure they
would have preferred to be here in my place." When Sam nodded, the woman
continued, "Dr. Jackson. Teal’c. I am Belda; I have come to request your
aid."
"Of course you have!"
Sam frowned at the General just as Daniel mumbled a reprimand under his
breath, though neither had much effect on Jack who just swept his arm
toward the stairs to the briefing room, "After you. Carter, you and the
boys might as well sit in on this too."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack sat at the head of the briefing table, Sam and Teal’c on one side
of him, Daniel and Belda on the other. Jack’s fingers moved slowly over
the varnished surface before he smirked up at the group. "Look at this.
Just like old times. So, Belda, what can we do for you?"
"I require your assistance in locating a missing Tok’ra. His name is
Regarus, he was last on Lemnos, a planet once held by the Goa’uld
Hephaestus."
Sam frowned as she turned to the woman, "That’s not a Goa’uld we’ve
heard of. He isn’t a System Lord. Daniel?"
The team’s archeologist shook his head, "No. I haven’t heard of him. Not
as a Goa’uld, anyway. There was a Greek god Hephaestus. He was patron to
smiths and an inventor. Interestingly, he was the only physically
imperfect god. He was lame, and unattractive. And cast out of Olympus
because of it. He landed on the island of Lemnos, where he built his
great forge. He was actually married to Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty
which was…"
"All right Daniel, I think we got it." Jack turned back to their
visitor, "So. This Hefalump guy gets kicked out by the System Lords and
goes to Lemnos and starts a workshop?"
"Well, yes," Belda agreed, "At it’s most basic. He was a minor Goa’uld,
swore allegiance to whichever System Lord showed an interest at any
given time. But he was working on…something to facilitate changing that.
Regarus was sent undercover to try to find out what Hephaestus was
planning."
"And you don’t know if he succeeded."
"No, Colonel Carter, we do know. He did succeed. But Among Hephaestus’
experiments was a device to control weather. The one he created was
imperfect, and caused the weather on Lemnos to become very erratic,
severe, and dangerous."
"Yeah," Jack nodded, "We’ve seen the havoc weather devices can cause."
"Have you?" Belda paused for a moment before going on, "Then you can
understand how frightened the people were. How they rushed to their
‘god’ begging him to protect them. They were very angry to find out that
Hephaestus was as impotent as they were in controlling the weather. They
rioted. And Hephaestus was killed. Regarus managed to escape."
"Then I do not understand, Belda." Teal’c spoke for the first time since
the Tok’ra’s arrival, "If he escaped, then how is he still lost on Lemnos?"
"Because he returned. After several months, he judged that the chaos
would have tapered, and that he would be able to slip in, unnoticed.
Hephaestus was working on another device that would defeat other
Goa’uld. Regarus went to retrieve it."
"Some kind of weapon?"
"I do not know, General O’Neill. He only told me that it was very
important."
Sam leaned back in her chair, shaking her head slowly. "One thing I
don’t understand. If Regarus went to find some…" she glanced at O’Neill
and shrugged her shoulders, "weapon…why isn’t the Council looking for
him? Any weapon one Goa’uld could use against another would be just as
useful to the Tok’ra."
"They aren’t convinced that Regarus’ find is valuable."
Sam frowned, shaking her head again. It didn’t seem like the Tok’ra
council to pass up a chance to have anything that might be of use
against the Goa’uld. "Why not?"
"Because he wouldn’t tell anyone what it was. It wasn’t deemed worth the
risk."
"Oh, here we go…" Jack rolled his eyes as he looked between Sam and
Belda, "Carter, no offense to Dad, but this is just typical. Some
arrogant Tok’ra won’t play nice with the others and gets himself into
hot water. The council won’t sanction going after him out of spite, but
they send Belda here to get SG1 to do it for them. Tell me why I should
risk my team for Tok’ra politics?"
"Jack. Even if that’s true…" Daniel removed his glasses, rubbing the
bridge of his nose, "Even if it’s true-we might be able to use the
weapon…or whatever it is."
"Until the Tok’ra sweep in and claim it for their own?" Jack shook his
head, "How long will that take, Daniel?"
Belda was quite for a moment before answering, "Perhaps the council
might demand the device, or Regarus will intend to keep it. I give you
my word that I will not. Either way it is still in your best interest to
help me. Because if there is a weapon, we need to get to it before
Anubis does."
Sam turned to Jack, meeting his gaze. "Sir. She is right about that. If
there is something that can be used to elevate one Goa’uld above the
others, we need to keep it out of Anubis’ hands."
"Yeah, Carter." Jack sighed, "When you put it that way…SG1 has a go."
"Thank you, sir."
Jack gave a curt nod, "You leave at 0800. Daniel, see what else you can
dig up on this Hef guy before you leave. It might be useful. Dismissed."
As the others filed out of the briefing room, the General called out to
Sam, "Carter. Give me a minute."
"Sir?"
"You know this could be a trap."
"Yes, sir. Though given the state of our alliance with the Tok’ra, if it
is a trap, whoever set it is probably not expecting SG1."
"Even so, I wish I was going with you."
"Sir," Sam stiffened, "We can handle this, you know."
"Relax Colonel; I have faith in your abilities. I just…wish I was going
along, that’s all."
Sam glanced through the glass wall separating the briefing room from
Jack’s office, his in-tray was overflowing already, and Walter was there
adding more to the pile. "I understand sir," she turned back to him and
smiled, "We’ll bring you a souvenir."
"Yeah, well," Jack grinned as he turned back to his office, "Just make
sure it isn’t one of those ‘My old team went to Lemnos, and all I got
was this T-shirt’ things. My closet is already overflowing."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wormhole snapped closed behind Teal’c as Sam made her way down the
stone steps leading to Lemnos’ gate. The platform that held the Stargate
was at the edge of what once must have been a large town; broken
cobblestones of several streets shot out from the dais like the spokes
of a wheel. Beyond the circle where they stood were dozens of stone
buildings, some two stories tall. Many were damaged, roofs collapsed,
walls caved in, doors and windows smashed; a few were no more than the
crumbling stone foundations that had once supported the structure. Sam
couldn’t see any that were unscathed. The streets were surprisingly free
of debris, though a layer of soot and dust coated every surface, and
seemed to linger in the air severely limiting visibility.
Teal’c stepped off the platform to stand next to Sam, head turning
slowly as he surveyed their surroundings. "This town would appear to be
deserted."
"Maybe," Sam agreed, "Belda said that the weather anomalies started over
a year ago. People might have migrated out of the cities thinking they’d
find cleaner air."
"If there is any," Daniel joined the pair, brushing dust off his jacket,
"If this is from any major volcanic eruption, it could cover this entire
continent."
"Would the residents of this town be aware of that, Daniel Jackson?"
"Probably not."
Sam nodded, "All right then. We’ve got to find somebody if we’re going
to find out what happened to the Regarus." She pointed her P90 down a
street to their right, "That way. The buildings are farther apart, it
might lead out of town. Teal’c, you have our six."
"Very well, Colonel Carter."
"Keep your eyes open, Daniel."
They encountered more of the same as they made their way down the narrow
street Sam had chosen. Everywhere there were derelict buildings without
doors or windows, tattered cloth hanging from some of the frames. The
only items on the street were an occasional bench or pot made of stone.
They explored some of the buildings as they moved toward what they hoped
was the town exit. The first few buildings had been stripped of all but
the largest furniture, great chests and huge bed frames were all that
remained. As they moved further from the gate, even these were gone;
leaving only splinters and shards of wood where the furnishings once
stood. As desolate as it was, Sam knew the state of the buildings meant
they were going in the right direction. People had come this far back
into town for their large furniture, probably to be used as fuel.
It was more than an hour before the tightly packed buildings began to
give way to dirt fields and dying trees. The cobbled street they had
followed stopped just at the edge of town, leaving only a path in the
dirt barely discernable from the fields around it. Despite evidence that
people had once lived in the town, they’d seen no sign of habitation in
the time they’d been on Lemnos. Sam paused outside a small stone
building near the head of the path, motioning the others behind it. She
pulled a pair of binoculars from her vest, scanning the countryside
before them. "There’s very little cover from here out. The good news is
that leaves fewer places to catch us in an ambush."
Daniel lifted his eyes to the gray sky, his tone dry. "Very reassuring."
Sam glanced at him with a smirk before stowing her binoculars back into
her vest. She rested her hands on her weapon and turned back toward the
path. "All right lets…."
A noise interrupted her, she stopped as she neared the corner of the
structure, holding up a hand to signal the others to silence. She nodded
toward the building and listened for a moment before she heard a soft
rustling again. She gestured Teal’c around to the back of the building,
while she and Daniel flanked the front entrance. They rounded the door
carefully, the mag lights on their P90s cutting into the gloom to reveal
a room empty but for the remnants of a stairway that had once led to a
loft overhead. Sam gestured Daniel to the right, while she rounded the
structure from the left, their lights coming to rest on a figure
crouched behind the steps.
The girl that looked up at them from eyes hidden behind thin arms was no
more than fourteen. She appeared undernourished; her thin cheeks making
her brown eyes seem too large for her face. Her clothing, like nearly
everything else, was dusty but showed signs of frequent mending. She was
curled so tightly under the remnants of the steps that had Sam and
Daniel not heard the rustling in the small building, they might have
missed her. At their appearance, the girl shrank back into the steps,
gasping softly as splinters pierced her skin.
"Hey," Daniel crouched next to her, reaching a hand halfway across the
space to the child. "Hey. We’re not going to hurt you, are we Sam?"
"No, of course not." The girl’s eyes widened as Sam reached for her
radio, "It’s all right. I’m just calling our friend, to tell him that
everything’s okay in here." She mimicked Daniel and crouched to the
girl’s level, smiling at her as her finger touched the radio button.
"Teal’c?"
"All is clear here, Colonel Carter."
"Here too. We’ve found a little girl. We’ll be outside in a bit. Carter
out." She sat back on her heels as Daniel reached for the child again,
his hand hovering in the area between them.
"I’m Daniel. This is Sam. We’re explorers." He smiled, "Can you tell us
your name?"
It wasn’t until Sam nodded; adding her request to Daniel’s that the girl
answered. "Litta...Melitta."
"That’s a pretty name," Sam held her hand out to the girl as well,
"Melitta, why don’t you let us help you out of there?"
For a moment, the girl moved only her eyes, which focused intently on
Sam. Finally she lifted her own hand, placing it in Sam’s. "Good," Sam
squeezed her fingers gently and with an apologetic shrug to Daniel, she
helped the girl slide out into the open. "Are you all right Melitta? Did
you get hurt hiding back there?"
"No." Melitta didn’t release Sam’s hand as she stood, her eyes darting
around the room. "I don’t know you. You…have you come from far away?"
Sam nodded, "Yes. We came through the Stargate. The Chappa’ai." With
that, the girl snatched her hand from Sam’s, darting back behind the
staircase.
"You have come to avenge Hephaestus!"
"No!" Daniel shook his head, moving to intercept Melitta, "No, no, of
course not! We’re not here about Hephaestus. We don’t support the
Goa’uld. We’re just…looking for someone who might have been lost here."
Melitta looked from Daniel to Sam, "You’re looking for a friend?"
"Well," Sam shrugged, "A friend of a friend. We were told he might be
here. We just want to make sure he’s all right, and help him, if we can."
"All right," Melitta nodded, gesturing toward the door. "Then I will
take you to Mother."
The girl’s home was across mucky fields where little grew, but Melitta
proudly pointed out new crops, planted from seeds saved from before the
catastrophes. Sam walked ahead with her, while Daniel and Teal’c watched
their six. Not wanting to spook the girl, Sam chatted easily with her
about trivialities in her daily life. By the time they reached the
girl’s home Melitta was grasping Sam’s hand, beaming at the woman. She
led Sam gingerly over boards laid to the front door, explaining that the
dust would often hide holes in the ground, causing accidents. She pulled
a blanket away from the doorway. "Mother. I’m back."
An older woman stood over a rickety stove at the far end of the room,
pulling wet cloths out of a pot and hanging them on ropes strung across
the corner. A baby lay sleeping on a pallet near the door, and a young
boy piled wood near the stove.
"You’re late Litta, I hope you found…" Her words trailed off as she
turned, reaching a hand out to yank the boy behind her as she spotted
first Sam, then Daniel and Teal’c following her into the room. "Melitta!
Who are these people?"
"They’re travelers Mother, from the Chappa’ai, looking for a lost friend."
"Please," Sam squeezed the girl’s hand gently before stepping forward,
"We didn’t mean to get your daughter into trouble. We’re just looking
for someone who might have come here in the last few weeks. We’re not
here to cause trouble."
The woman skirted the side of the room to pick up the baby, "Anything
new causes trouble. Why’d your friend come here?"
Daniel stepped forward, "He was…he was here before, and left something
important. He came to get it back." He held up his hands before the
woman could react, "He…he wasn’t with Hephaestus. In fact, he’s one of
many people working against the Goa’uld. That’s why it’s important we
find him."
"No one stood up to the Goa’uld until the time of the catastrophes."
"You are incorrect," Teal’c spoke for the first time since encountering
the girl, "Perhaps on Lemnos no one challenged the Goa’uld, but on other
planets there are great rebellions. People of this galaxy are fighting
the Goa’uld daily. And often winning."
"You are Jaffa!"
"Indeed. But I do not serve the Goa’uld."
"You fight them?"
When Teal’c nodded the woman eased her hold on the boy. "And you win?"
"Often."
The woman turned sharply to the young boy, "Davain! Find your father and
uncles. Tell them we have guests." She turned back to SG1, gesturing to
chairs at a table, "Sit. We’ve already had a meal today, but you can sit
and wait. My husband will know the answers to your questions."
"It’s all right," Sam smiled at Melitta before taking a seat, Daniel
following suit, while Teal’c remained standing near the door. "We’ve got
our own food with us. We’d be happy to share." She reached into her pack
pulling out several protein bars and laying them on the table. "I can’t
promise they taste any good, but they’re filling. Go ahead."
Melitta looked at her mother, who nodded brusquely, before reaching for
the foil wrapped packages. She took one for herself, and handed another
to her mother before taking the seat next to Sam’s. The mother sighed,
pocketing the protein bar, "I’ve got laundry to finish."
"I’m sorry about this," Melitta whispered to Sam, "She wasn’t always
like this. It’s just hard to know who to trust these days. Ariston runs
everything, but there are others…groups who don’t like how he’s doing
things. They’re always fighting. We try to stay out of it, when we can.
But Ariston controls the springs, it’s all the fresh water around."
"We understand," Sam gave the girl’s arm a pat, "Don’t let it bother
you. Eat your protein bar. I think that one’s supposed to taste like
peanut butter." At the girl’s puzzled look she grinned, "Daniel, I’m
going to have a talk with Teal’c, could you explain peanut butter to
Melitta?"
"Sure. Hey!" Daniel pulled a piece of paper from his pack, "Have you
ever played tic-tac-toe?"
Sam rose from the table to join Teal’c by the door. "There’s not much
cover between here and the town, did you see which way the boy went?"
"Indeed. He ran toward the rear of this house, I could no longer see him
when he crested that hill."
She leaned against the doorjamb, her eyes scanning the yard they had
crossed, "That’s likely the direction someone will approach from.
Everything else around here is too open; there would be no way to sneak
up on us from anywhere but there."
"Indeed. I will keep watch."
"I know you will Teal’c."
As Sam coached Melitta into winning her fifth game of tic-tac-toe, games
Sam knew Daniel had to be losing purposely, she heard Teal’c’s call from
the doorway.
"Colonel Carter, several men approach."
Melitta’s mother spoke quickly, "Oh, that’s just my husband and his
brothers, come home for their supper, I expect."
Sam stared at the woman, her too-quick reassurance setting off alarm
bells. She nodded, rising with one hand on her weapon, "We’ll just get
out of their way then. Daniel." She glanced down at his weapon as she
strolled to the other side of the door from Teal’c.
As two men entered the room, Melitta jumped from the table, "That’s not
Father!"
"Quiet girl!" One man reached out to slap Melitta as the other turned to
face Sam and Teal’c, whose weapons were pointed casually at them. Behind
the men, Daniel had his side arm out and ready.
"Stop!" Sam lifted her weapon, "I think it would be much better for your
friend if he didn’t touch the girl."
The man growled, facing Sam, "Ariston wants to see you. He didn’t say
anything about not hitting the girl."
Sam frowned, her nose wrinkling in distaste, "I think we’ll pass."
"Yeah? Thais?"
Thais reached out quickly and yanked Melitta to him, his knife going
quickly to her throat as the girl’s mother screamed. His partner pulled
a zat from his tunic and grinned at Sam. "You were saying?"
Sam lifted her P90 higher, "Let her go."
"Thais will cut her, Lady. You know he will. And we got others outside."
Teal’c half turned toward the door, covering it and the room, nodded,
"That is true, Colonel Carter."
"Yeah?" Sam glanced at the girl for a moment, then back at the man, "If
he cuts her, neither of you will make it out of here alive. How many
outside, Teal’c?"
"At least ten."
"Armed?"
"I see only knives and objects which appear to be spears."
"No problem then." Sam pointed her gun at Thais, gesturing him away from
the girl. "Let her go."
The man’s eyes narrowed, "The girl will still be dead. Be doin her a
favor, if you ask me. And if we come back without you, Ariston’ll kill
us. Don’t much matter to me which one of you does it. So do your best,
Lady. We’ll see how many of you my men can take out before we go, eh?"
"Please!" Melitta’s mother cried out, "Please! Ariston has your friend,
the one who came through the Chappa’ai recently. I know he does! No one
knows where he’s keeping him but Ariston…not Thais or Kopris here.
Please, don’t let them kill Melitta!"
Sam stared at Kopris, eyes narrowed. She had no doubt he would kill the
girl, even if it cost him and his men their lives. Then they’d still be
no closer to their objective of finding Regarus and his weapon. The
local people would be turned against them, Ariston would be alerted to
their presence, and an innocent girl would be dead. If they went to meet
with Ariston, they might find out something useful. "All right. We’ll
come with you. Let the girl go."
Kopris gave a nod to Thais who shoved Litta to her mother. Both men
ignored the family then, their eyes back on Sam. Kopris gestured toward
the door with his zat. "After you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ariston had taken up residence in Hephaestus’ pyramid, setting himself
up as some kind of overlord for the planet. The pyramid was on the other
side of the town from the girl’s home, but Kopris took the long route,
skirting the town, leaving the team no cover at all, should they try to
escape. Which was probably the point, but just now Sam had no intention
of trying to escape. If anyone would know there whereabouts of Regarus,
it was likely to be Ariston. And if either the Goa’uld or the Tok’ra had
been working on a weapon, it would be in the pyramid.
Though their captors, Thais in particular, used the long walk to regale
SG1 with tales of their leader’s benevolence and desire to help the
people of Lemnos, Sam couldn’t help but be reminded of Pyrus. He too had
been hailed as a hero when he’d rid his planet of a Goa’uld, only to
enslave them for centuries. The more Thais went on about the wonder that
was Ariston, the less Sam was inclined to believe the "hero" had any
benign motives at all.
Her instincts were born out as they approached the pyramid and were
suddenly surrounded by half a dozen more men, all of these armed with
zats. Kopris stepped forward, reaching a hand out to Sam. "We’ll take
your weapons now."
Sam shook her head, eyes narrowing as she faced the man, her P90 coming
up as she spoke. "I don’t think so." From the corner of her eye, she
could see Teal’c doing the same.
"I wasn’t asking." Kopris waved his hands and Sam could hear the tell
tale hiss of several zats arming.
"Uh, listen," Daniel was the only member of the team whose weapon wasn’t
pointed at one of Kopris’ men. "We just want to talk to Ariston; we’re
not here to get in your way. We’ve come with you willingly, there’s no
reason for us not to keep our weapons."
"If all you want to do is talk, you’ll hand over your weapons. Now. Then
we’ll take you to Ariston." Kopris turned back to Sam, "Or we’ll shoot
you with these, and while you’re unconscious we’ll still take your
weapons. Would you rather walk, or be dragged, to see Ariston?"
Sam knew she could take out Kopris before any of the others got a zat
blast off, and Teal’c could certainly take at least one of the others.
However, as much as she might be tempted to shoot a man who would use a
child as a hostage, there were still men behind them, with zats as well.
Much as she disliked him, Kopris had a point. Much better to walk in
with some semblance of free will to see Ariston, then be dragged in as
unconscious prisoners. "Teal’c, stand down."
Teal’c gave a slow nod, removing his gun and his own zat and handing
them wordlessly to Thais. He stared at the man for a moment, holding
Thais in his gaze before the other man backed down and turned away.
Daniel handed his weapons off, glancing nervously at Sam who was still
staring at Kopris.
"This is a sign of good faith." Sam slowly unclipped her P90, her words
slow and tight. She stared at Kopris as she handed him her weapons, "We
expect you to return it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ariston was lounging on the throne as SG1 was escorted into his
presence. He was a tall man, with long black hair. Though he dressed in
the style of the other people the team had seen, homespun garments
becoming threadbare with use, he held himself with the same regality as
did the Goa’uld. Were it not for his clothing, Sam could almost believe
Ariston was a Goa’uld, arranged imperially on his throne for their
benefit. He smiled slowly as they entered, sitting up and leaning
forward, "Welcome to Lemnos. We don’t get many visitors. I am Ariston.
I’m told you have questions."
Sam instinctively straightened; chin held high as she addressed the
self-proclaimed ruler of the planet. "I’m Colonel Carter, from Earth.
This is Doctor Jackson, and Teal’c."
"A Jaffa?" Ariston frowned at the tattoo on Teal’c’s forehead, "Why was
I not told the strangers brought with them a Jaffa? What god do you serve?"
"I serve no false god." Teal’c stood with his hands clasped behind his
back, "All Goa’ulds are false gods."
"A Jaffa without a master? Hephaestus knew of no such thing."
"Then perhaps Hephaestus was not well informed."
Ariston laughed, "Perhaps not. It’s certain he wasn’t as powerful as he
claimed, or he could have saved us from the storms. Maybe he wasn’t all
knowing, either." He turned back to Sam, beaming widely, "Come. I’ve
prepared a feast in honor of our guests. We will talk better well fed,
won’t we? I’ll answer what questions I can as we eat." He bowed low,
eyes on Sam.
She glanced at Daniel and Teal’c with a shrug, and then followed the man
from the room. Behind her Teal’c continued to glare at their host as he
led the way to an antechamber. "I do not trust him."
Daniel grinned, "You’re just sore that he’d never heard of the infamous
Shol’va."
Teal’c responded with a lift of his brow, "Even so, Daniel Jackson, I
believe we will gain much by being on our guard."
"Always Teal’c. Always."
The table was elaborately set for four, the goblets and plates inlaid
with gold and gems. Kopris and his men, clearly not invited to share the
feast, stood back against the walls as women and children came in
carrying platters piled high with dried meats and fruits, and vegetables
preserved in something like vinegar. Crystal clear water flowed from
gold pitchers. Sam eyed it all with a deepening frown. The people
outside the pyramid ate so little that their ration bars seemed like a
banquet, and yet there was more than enough food here to feed the people
in this room three times over.
"You do not look pleased, Colonel Carter. I know the food is plain, but
it is all that we have."
"It’s not that," Sam took the seat he gestured to, next to the one
Ariston chose for himself. Daniel and Teal’c lowered themselves into
chairs opposite them. "It just seems like…quite a lot. I’m sure…your
people would appreciate some of this."
Ariston just waved away her concern, "We are all used to sacrifice in
these times, Colonel Carter. Do not concern yourself with it. Eat.
Enjoy." He lifted a bit of meat wrapped in a pepper like vegetable and
popped it in his mouth before washing it all down with a long draw of
water.
Once Sam saw the man drink from the same pitcher from which she and her
team had been served, she lifted the glass to her lips. It was much
nicer than the water in their canteens. "Ariston. You know we’ve come
through the Chappa’ai to Lemnos." At his nod she continued, "We’re
looking for someone who came through before us."
"Are you? We don’t guard the Chappa’ai as we should. My men are spread
so thin as it is."
"Yes," Sam glanced up at Kopris for a moment, "I’m sure they are. But we
believe our…friend was coming here." She wasn’t going to mention
Regarus’ objective. She hoped that Ariston and his men had been only
low-level servants of the Goa’uld and wouldn’t know anything about his
specific experiments.
Daniel nodded, taking up where Sam left off, "Yes. He’s an archeologist,
like me. We study other cultures and their artifacts. He…might have been
interested in the pyramid."
"Oh. Well we have had no students coming through to study us or our
things. I am sorry." Ariston lifted a handful of dried fruit into his
mouth, "However, now that you mention artifacts." He straightened
suddenly, all joviality gone from his features. "Perhaps you would be
willing to help us?"
Sam frowned, automatically setting the goblet back on the table, "I
don’t know if we can."
"Oh. I’m sure you will find a way." He looked at his men, snapping his
fingers quickly. "Bring them."
Kopris nodded, turned, and left the room, returning in moments carrying
a large covered tray. He shoved the platters of food and goblets of
water out of the way with one hand, drenching unlucky guests in a spray
of water and boiled vegetables as he did. He ignored Daniel who jumped
up from the table, brushing the mess from his BDUs, and set the tray in
front of Sam. Kopris lifted the cover to reveal a healing device, a
ribbon device, and a hand held object that Sam had never before seen.
Ariston gestured to Teal’c as he turned to Sam, "You know of the gods
and their ways. Tell us how to use these."
"I can’t." Sam sat back calmly in her chair, "I’ve never seen them before."
"Look closer, Colonel Carter. Perhaps you’ve just forgotten, there are
many worlds beyond the Chappa’ai," Ariston picked up the ribbon device,
"It would be a shame if you had merely forgotten."
She just shook her head, mouth tight as she answered. "No. I don’t know
what they are."
"Oh. Well, we do. We’ve seen them used. This one," he slid his hand into
the ribbon device, "tortures. I’ve seen Hephaestus use it many times.
This," he placed the ribbon device down and picked up the palm sized
object Sam was unfamiliar with. "This one kills. Very quickly and
quietly. No mess, like the first. I don’t know how useful this one would
be to me just now, it only kills other Goa’uld." Sam’s eyes snapped to
Daniel’s for a moment, before returning to Ariston’s.
"We’ve never seen something that can kill a Goa’uld as quickly as that."
"Haven’t you?" Ariston shrugged, placing his hand on the last object.
"This one heals. Don’t you think that would be useful to my people?"
"Of course."
Ariston rose quickly from the table, knocking his chair across the room
as he did, his voice rising. "Then why won’t you tell me how to control
them?"
"Because you can’t use them." Sam sighed, "Only the Goa’uld can."
"I am afraid I don’t believe you." Ariston’s voice was once again as
soft and pleasant as it had been since they’d met him, but his eyes
still glinted darkly. "Kopris."
Kopris reached out and grabbed a fistful of Sam’s hair, viciously
yanking her half out of her chair.
"Sam!
"Colonel Carter!"
Before either Daniel or Teal’c could move, Kopris’ men had once again
surrounded them, zats out and ready.
"Those," Ariston informed them conversationally, nodding at the zats,
"We know very well how to use." He turned back to Sam who glared at him
from beneath the big man’s hand. "Now. How do we use them?"
"You can’t," she spat back at him.
"Take them to the cell." Four of the men surrounding Daniel and Teal’c
moved in to subdue them as Kopris yanked Sam up by her hair. Teal’c
shook off one of the men, raising his fist to strike; Thais immediately
zatted him, leaving him unconscious on the floor. Two more men moved in
to help carry Teal’c, the others shoved Daniel ahead of them.
"Kopris," Ariston motioned to the man as he led Sam away, "I’d like a
word with Colonel Carter before she joins the others."
As he turned to comply Sam twisted, pressing his knuckles against her
scalp to loosen his grip, then bending his hand back until he released
her. She ignored the sounds of zats charging to glare at Kopris. "I can
walk myself." She pulled her jacket straight, and then strode across the
room to face Ariston. "You wanted to talk?"
Ariston chuckled, "Well done, Colonel. Just remember, we have your
friends. In fact," he leaned foreword until his face was mere inches
from Sam’s. "You might do well to remember that as you think about
helping us. That," he gestured to the hand device, "isn’t the only way
Hephaestus had of torturing people. You wouldn’t want me to demonstrate
that with your friends, would you?"
"No. Of course not." Sam remained where she was, not backing up as
Ariston leaned into her space, "But it won’t make a difference, I can’t
tell you how to work those devices."
Her only answer was a sigh, "Very well. Take her to the others." He
waited until Kopris has escorted her to the door before calling out
again, "Colonel Carter? Regarus is dead. He wouldn’t tell me how to work
the devices either. Think about that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Teal’c was already sitting up, beginning to recover from the effects of
the zat when Kopris shoved Sam roughly into the cell. Daniel jumped up
to keep her from stumbling. "Sam, are you all right? Why the hell did he
keep you?"
"Relax Daniel, I’m fine." She glanced down at Teal’c, "What about you?"
Teal’c let his head dip slightly, "I am well, Colonel Carter. But I,
too, am concerned as to why Ariston kept you behind."
"Mostly to threaten you guys," Sam moved to the cell bars, "You know,
torture, murder, listening to his minions go on about how wonderful he
is." She gripped the bars, tugging at them experimentally. "The usual."
Daniel held a hand down to Teal’c who used it to rise easily from the
floor. "How original."
Teal’c moved to inspect the rear of the cell, "Villains rarely are,
Daniel Jackson."
"Got anything back there, Teal’c?"
"I am afraid not, Colonel Carter."
Sam nodded, slipping her arm through the cell bar, stretching for
something on the outside wall. "The control panel’s out of reach. Daniel?"
The archeologist had climbed onto the cell’s lone bench, running his
hands over the panels of hieroglyphs that made up the walls. He turned
back to Sam, shaking his head. "Nothing. These panels don’t come off."
"Great," Sam wriggled her arm back into the cell, "Our luck that
Hephaestus would be one of the Goa’ulds that actually had secure cells.
Okay then. We wait."
"For?" Daniel dropped back to the floor, glanced around the cell for a
moment before shrugging and taking a seat on the bench.
"For Ariston to send for you to be tortured, of course, Daniel."
Daniel lifted his eyes to the ceiling of their small cell, "Of course.
Why didn’t I think of that?"
Teal’c moved to his side, hands clasped behind his back and bowed in the
other man’s direction. "I do not believe that Colonel Carter intends to
allow you to be tortured Daniel Jackson. Even if Thais does seem very
eager to share more of Ariston’s glory."
Sam grinned at Teal’c, "No. I don’t. But when he sends his guards to
take you to be interrogated it’s going to be our chance to escape."
Daniel sighed, "What about Regarus?"
Sam shook her head, "Ariston told me Regarus is dead and that he thinks
Regarus was a Goa’uld. And since we told Ariston Regarus was our friend,
he must think we’re in league with the Goa’uld." She sighed, "At this
point, Ariston’s belief that we know how to work those devices is the
only thing keeping us alive."
Daniel nodded, "Okay then."
Sam nodded, "All right. I have my knife…" At Daniel’s look of surprise
she just grinned, "They didn’t search us." She reached down to pull it
from a boot sheath. "Be ready. We won’t get a second chance."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Ariston’s men arrived hours later, the team was ready. Sam sat
slumped near the cell door, Daniel crouched at her side. Teal’c stood
opposite them, on the other side of the cell.
"She’s hurt," Daniel looked up and spat at the men. "What the hell did
Kopris do to her when he brought her back here?"
The two guards glanced at one another, one turning to eye Sam warily.
"Ariston did not order her to be injured."
"Yeah, well Kopris obviously didn’t listen. She’s hurt. She could be
dying here." Daniel scowled, "Don’t just stand there; help me! She’s the
only one who can answer your boss’ questions!"
With that, one of them bent to get a better look at Sam. Teal’c sprang
on the other man then, clubbing him with both fists on the back of his
head. As he did Sam reached swiftly up, revealing her hidden knife, and
plunged it into the first man’s leg. As he fell, she pulled his zat gun
from his hand. She grimaced as she took the hilt of the knife and pulled
it from his flesh. "Sorry about that. Teal’c?"
The Jaffa was standing, the other man’s zat already in his hand. "He is
unconscious."
Sam slipped the first guard’s zat into her thigh holster, "Good. Our
objective is that hand device Regarus came here for. We’ll start looking
in the throne room, and that side room next to it. Teal’c, take point.
I’ll watch your six." She glanced down the corridor again, "Ready
Daniel?" At his nod she stepped into the corridor, "All right. Move out."
The trio traveled steadily through the corridors of the pyramid;
communicating easily with mere glances and gestures. Between Sam and
Teal’c they avoided discovery all but once. Those men they subdued
quickly, and hid their stunned bodies in an unused room. After procuring
one of their weapons for Daniel, Sam zatted the lock from the outside
ensuring they wouldn’t get out for a while. As they neared the throne
room Teal’c stopped, holding up his fist. After a moment he turned to
the others, voice low. "Do you hear that?"
Sam nodded. "Staff weapons. If Ariston had staff weapons…he would have
threatened us with them already."
"Indeed."
Sam glanced in the direction of the blasts, "Someone else has come to
join the party."
Daniel nodded, his voice strained, "Anubis."
"Great. Just when I thought we’d have a Jaffa free mission." Sam glanced
at the tall man standing beside her, "No offense Teal’c."
"None taken, Colonel Carter."
She nodded toward the corridor leading to the throne room, "They’re not
expecting us, we have that on our side. We can’t let Anubis’ forces get
that weapon."
She stepped forward, zat ahead of her as she turned the corridor already
firing, taking out two Jaffa. Daniel and Teal’c followed, each firing
their own zat guns. As they strode ahead Teal’c reached down and took
one of the Jaffa’s staff weapons, holstering his own zatnikitel.
Sam crouched by the door to the throne room, Daniel behind her, Teal’c
across from them. Two Jaffa had taken up flanking positions several feet
inside the door behind which SG1 was hiding. Two more had Ariston on his
knees before a figure now occupying the throne. When the Goa’uld turned
his head Sam narrowed her eyes. Zipacna. They’d seen little of the
Goa’uld since Skaraa’s trial on Tollana, though Tok’ra intelligence had
named him as the one responsible for the attack on Revana, costing both
Lantash and young Elliot their lives. It seemed the rumors of his
service to Anubis were true. Well then, Sam thought, he’d picked the
wrong Goa’uld to back.
The Goa’uld held the device SG1 was searching for.
Fortunately, Sam guessed, he didn’t seem to know what the object did, or
he wouldn’t be bothering with questioning Ariston.
She tapped Daniel’s leg and caught Teal’c’s eye, gesturing toward the
two Jaffa nearest the door. She grabbed her zat more tightly in her
hand, wishing they’d been able to find their own weapons as they escaped
the cells. She’d prefer to face a Goa’uld with her P90. She held up her
free hand, counting down from three fingers.
At one she rolled into the chamber, leaving room for Daniel and Teal’c
to storm in, each taking out one of the sentries by the door. Sam
ignored the others, aiming for Zipacna. A zat wouldn’t kill him; she
doubted it would even stun him more than momentarily. However, it might
confuse the other Jaffa long enough for Teal’c and Daniel to take them
out, and paralyze Zipacna enough so he couldn’t beam out with
Hephaestus’ weapon. The energy discharged from her weapon, hitting
Zipacna square in the chest just as he was turning toward the sound of
Daniel and Teal’c’s guns. He fell backward, the weapon dropping from his
fingers.
The Jaffa holding Ariston dropped the man and fired their staff weapons
at SG1 even as Daniel and Teal’c fired back on them from behind Sam’s
position. Ducking beneath the fire Sam was halfway across the room when
Ariston jumped up, snatching the Goa’uld weapon from the floor. She
barely registered the Jaffa falling before the man was pointing the
weapon at her. "Give it to me, Ariston!"
"No!" He growled at her as he moved back toward the wall, "This kills
those things," he nodded toward Zipacna who was already climbing to his
feet. "Stay back."
She ignored him, counting on the weapon being useless to a human and
moved forward, firing her zat at him as she advanced. Zipacna lunged for
the fallen Jaffa, and she could hear the discharge of a staff weapon
behind her as she dove on the unconscious human and ripped the Goa’uld
killing device from his hands.
She turned to see Daniel crumpled on the floor, Zipacna raising his
staff again in Teal’c’s direction. Instinctively she lifted Hephaestus’
weapon, pointing it at the Goa’uld and depressing the small button on
its top.
Zipacna seemed to be surrounded by a bright light for a moment, before
falling to the ground motionless. Teal’c moved to kick the staff weapon
away from him, as Sam raced to check Daniel.
"He is dead." Teal’c looked up to where Sam knelt next to their
teammate, her hands pressing against a wound in his stomach. Her eyes
were stricken as she met his.
"He took a direct hit, Teal’c. I…" She stopped, took a shuddering
breath, and then straightened her back. "He’s bleeding badly. We have to
stop the hemorrhaging. And we’re going to need to make sure there aren’t
any more Jaffa around." She pulled her jacket from her shoulders,
folding it into a pad and pressing it against Daniel’s abdomen. "Hang on
Daniel. Hang on."
Teal’c rose, his face grave as he assessed Daniel’s condition.
Wordlessly he collected the staff weapons, laying one near Sam’s feet.
"I will find our packs, and retrieve the medical supplies Colonel
Carter. And I will make certain no more Jaffa have accompanied Zipacna."
"The Jaffa in here?"
"I am afraid they are all dead as well, Colonel Carter." Sam knew Teal’c
would have preferred to give them the chance to join the rebellion. "I
will take that one with me," he strode to Ariston, lifting the
unconscious man to his shoulder, "And find a place of safety in which to
keep him from troubling us further."
Sam nodded, pressing harder on the still bleeding wound. "Dammit Daniel!
Don’t you dare die on me again. Do you hear me? You hold on till we
contact the SGC, do you hear me?"
Later she would never be able to remember exactly how long she knelt
there with Daniel’s blood soaking her jacket before Teal’c returned,
packs in hand, and pushing a reluctant Thais ahead of him.
"Colonel Carter. Thais informs me that there are no more Jaffa in the
complex. Few of Ariston’s men remain; the others have run to the
village. Kopris is dead. Zipacna arrived by Al’kesh. I am unaware if
there is a mothership in orbit." He dropped one of the packs next to
Sam, reaching in to pull out a medical kit.
Sam nodded, pushing her hair back with one bloodied hand, leaving a
crimson streak behind. "We don’t have much time. His vitals…" she looked
up to meet Teal’c’s eyes, "They’re weakening." He wouldn’t survive the
trek to the gate, that much was clear. And Sam was afraid Daniel
wouldn’t last the time it would take for Teal’c to return with help.
"Are our radios there?"
"They are."
"Good. Take one with you. I want you to go to the Gate and bring back
help." Sam glanced up at the Jaffa, pulling gauze from the packet of
medical supplies, "Make sure it’s on. We’ve missed at least two
check-ins with the SGC. If they call to check on us before you get back
to the Gate they can get a rescue team here that much quicker." She
pulled her jacket away from Daniel’s stomach, frowning at the size of
the wound. Her voice shook as she added, "Hopefully soon."
Teal’c rose with a nod, "Very well Colonel Carter."
Sam knew it was futile. Daniel wouldn’t last until Teal’c made it out of
the pyramid complex, let alone through town and to the Stargate. She
blinked her eyes furiously as she looked up at the Jaffa. She didn’t
need to tell him to hurry; she knew Teal’c would do no less than run the
entire distance.
"Excuse me." Both turned toward Thais who had moved quietly to one side
of the room. He approached them now, hands clasped around the healing
device. "I know you said you didn’t know how…but…" He held the device to
Sam who took it slowly, staring at it with huge eyes.
After a moment she lifted them to meet Teal’c’s gaze. "I haven’t touched
one of these things since Daniel…" Her voice broke off as she looked
down to slip the device hesitantly over her palm.
Teal’c crouched across from her, "I have confidence in you, Colonel
Carter."
She nodded and held the device over Daniel’s stomach, squeezing her eyes
tight in concentration. After a moment she opened them, the healing
device was still inert. She took another breath and held it for a
moment. It shook as she blew it out. "The last time…the last time I made
it worse."
Teal’c gave a slow nod, "But you will not this time. Even Selmak was
unsure if a healing device could cure such wounds as Daniel Jackson
sustained on Kelowna. It was not your fault, Colonel Carter."
"It was," Sam whispered, but she lifted the healing device again
nonetheless. To not try surely would kill him. This time when she closed
her eyes a weak light glowed from the device, but the wound on Daniel’s
stomach remained gaping, and his breath continued in shallow gasps.
"Dammit!"
Her eyes landed on the fallen Goa’uld, "I could use the damn weapon! Why
was it so easy for me to kill, and so damned hard to save Daniel’s life?"
Teal’c’s hand came out to rest on Sam’s shoulder. "Colonel Carter." He
waited until she turned back, her eyes once again locked with his. "It
is always an easier matter to kill than to heal. Killing merely requires
a great burst of power. It does not require control. I am confident that
you have both."
Sam nodded and took a deep breath. This time when she let it out it was
steady. She gave Teal’c a small smile of gratitude before holding the
healing device once more over Daniel’s still form. As she did the device
glowed a deep red, and Daniel’s wound closed before their eyes. His
breathing evened out after a few moments, and his pallor seemed to subside.
Sam dropped her hand wearily, letting the device fall to the floor. She
pressed her fingers against Daniel’s neck; relief flooded her as his
pulse beat steadily beneath her skin. "He’s better." She nodded at the
Lemnan man who stood off to the side, "Thank you."
Teal’c rose then, "I will go to the Stargate for assistance, I will
return as quickly as I can."
"I know you will." Sam sank into a sitting position, Daniel’s wrist
cradled in her palm, "And Teal’c? Thanks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wormhole snapped closed behind them as Daniel was wheeled away to
the infirmary, protesting all the way that he was fine and didn’t need a
gurney. Sam stood with Teal’c and Jack at the bottom of the ramp,
watching as Dr. Brightman pushed him out of the room and down the corridor.
"I believe Daniel Jackson is going to make a full recovery."
Jack grinned, "Sure sounds like it."
Teal’c bowed to Sam, then Jack. "I will accompany Daniel Jackson to the
infirmary. The doctor may need details about the nature of his injury."
"Thanks, T." Jack turned and glanced at Sam, pointing to her scalp. "You
sure you’re all right Carter?"
Her brow furrowed in confusion for a moment as she lifted her hand to
her head, fingers combing through crusty dried blood. "Oh. I’m fine sir.
It’s not mine." She brushed her hand against her BDU pants. "Sir. One of
Ariston’s men did end up assisting us. So did a little girl we met.
Anubis knows about Lemnos now and…"
"Relax Carter. SG3 is staying behind to help relocate the planet’s
inhabitants. I’m sending SGs 11 and 13 to help."
"Thank you, sir."
"Belda is waiting in my office. I’ll tell her about Regarus." Jack
glanced up at the third floor observation window. "Go get yourself poked
and prodded Carter. Briefing is at 1500."
"Yes sir." Sam nodded and turned toward the door, slipping her hands in
her pockets as she did. Her fingers closed around a small metal oval.
"Oh! Sir?" She turned back to Jack, "I almost forgot your souvenir." She
tossed the device to him, "Regarus’ device. It’s similar to the device
the Ashrak used to kill Jolinar, except it works instantly and quietly."
"Sweet." Jack closed his fingers around the object, looking up to meet
Sam’s eyes. "Excellent work, Carter."