TITLE : "Dark Embrace"
AUTHOR : KD3 aka KRISS DREMAK
STATUS : complete (sequel planned)
CATEGORY : gen/het/angst/horror/hurt comfort
WARNING : sexual situations / some language
PAIRING : hinted at
SEASON : Four or thereabouts.
RATING : PG13 possibly R
SPOILERS : A Matter of Time, Secrets, Shades of Gray, Hathor
SUMMARY : Jack falls victim
ARCHIVED : (SG1 H/C Zone nc17 location)
FILE SIZE : 84.1kd
Comments This is the PG-13 version. If you would like to have the
NC17 version drop me a note
Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE. The characters mentioned in this story are the property of and Gekko Film Corp. The SG-1 together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp., Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This Fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.
The next mission was to P3x 666 and the numbers should have been an omen if one was superstitious or heavy into The Book of Revelations. From the moment they stepped out of the gate and onto the planet the entire team felt there was something dark and cursed about it. Even in full sunlight there seemed to be oppressiveness to the mountainous terrain. The probes had revealed a well-established village near by which Daniel thought to be medieval European possibly Germanic or Slavic in origin. Their appearance was greeted with what they had become accustomed to: shock, awe, and confusion that they were not gods but, this time there was something else and Jack sensed it.
"Daniel, ask the nice people about their gods and when they were here last." His thumb was resting on the safety of his P-90. As a rule he didn't really give a damn about the religious beliefs of a culture but there was something tickling that little warning spot between his shoulder blades that made him want to set C-4 charges and get out of Dodge. Sam and Daniel both looked at their leader and friend with questions frozen on their lips; Teal'c, however, was clutching his staff weapon loosely, ready to swing it into action. He shared a look with Jack that immediately acknowledged that he too felt something, that something that usually preceded being shot at or worse.
Daniel, having met the village spokesman, a young man about his own age called Ivanyn, began to get a history of the village. Jack and Teal'c took a step away from the fact-finding and both scanned the horizon. With his binoculars Jack had zoomed in on a structure which jutted out from the side of the mountain like a series of minaret shaped peaks forming a nightmarish castle straight out of a Tim Burton movie. It did; however, seem to have a central structure that was pyramid in shape. It's burnished metal or stone covering seeming to absorb light rather than reflect Castle 666, as Jack had mentally nicknamed it, loomed over the village like a vulture waiting for road kill, keeping it in a perpetual shadow. A steep path of cobblestone led to its front entrance. It was well fortified but showed no sign of being occupied. Before they could investigate further, Sam and Daniel and their new friend urged them to come to his home and share food and shelter for the night. The offer was accepted.
"So Jack, these people, the Rusno as they call themselves, I think they came from somewhere in the Slavic countries. This means they came through the second gate in Antarctica. The culture seems to be medieval, I would hazard a guess about eight to eleventh century, pre-gun powder and has evolved to about a Middle Ages level of technology. They are agrarian and have a highly developed trading arrangement with other villages within and up to a months ride away." Daniel was about ready to go off on one of his long dissertations but Jack and Teal'c were not in the mood.
"Their gods Daniel Jackson, what of their gods?" Teal'c demanded none too subtly.
"Any Goa'uld in their past, or present?" Jack sipped some of the local tea and tore off a hunk of dark bread from the platter laid out in front of them.
"Ivanyn tells me well the only thing is... "Daniel was hesitating.
"Spit it out Jackson."
"That their life are relatively normal but for the occasional visit by the inhabitants of the castle. Ivanyn says the castle on the mountain is the home of a demon or demons." Daniel punctuated his sentence with a hard swallow.
"Demons?" Jack queried back sarcastically. "Do these demons have glowing eyes?"
"Well, no one has lived to give many details and those who have apparently have run into the demons are found near death and totally mad These people rant incoherently and die shortly after being found." Daniel hung his head waiting for a blast from Jack.
"Well kids, you two better find some other reason for us to keep this
planet in the Stargate Travel guide book, maybe naquedah, trinium something huh? If not we re not going to be booking a return visit and I'm only going to give it one star for the food. "Jack was gentle with his admonishment but something was just not right and he didn't want to telegraph his as yet unsubstantiated paranoia.
Ivanyn returned with a platter of steaming meats which looked like chicken and possibly lamb and set them down on the large rough hewn table.
"You must stay the night. I have rooms for you and then in the morning we can talk more."
"Well maybe we will just eat and get back to the gate..." Jack started.
"No! You must not travel at night!" Ivanyn yelped his hand shaking and the platter landed heavily
"Sir, it would give us more time to survey the planet for potential sources of . . . ." Sam started.
"Anything viable or valuable, right Major? Okay, looks like we stay the night. Thank you Ivanyn." Jack smiled one of his more half-hearted smiles that accompanied his doing something he didn't agree with, it was better to travel in the daylight so his reluctance was unfounded.
"Perhaps we should check the perimeter before darkness settles for possible threats." Teal'c raised an eyebrow to Jack.
"You two get us settled in Teal'c and I are going to give the village a once over before we retire for the night." A threat assessment was always a good thing.
Sam and Daniel followed Ivanyn to the back portion of the house and were shown several rooms; each was no larger than a cell with a simple single bed and a small bedside table with an oil lamp.
"All homes have rooms such as these for the travelers or for any who are not near enough to their own residences when the night comes." Ivanyn explained. "Do not open the windows. The lamp will burn till morning."
Their host left them to discuss what they had discovered so far.
"Daniel I'm a woman of science but I have to tell this place gives me the creeps." Sam was pacing the small room that had been designated for Daniel.
"Are you sensing any Goa'uld presence or anything?" Daniel asked knowing that ever since Sam had been the host of the Tok'ra Jolinar that she had the ability to sense Goa'ulds.
"No, nothing likes that, I mean I know these times on earth were called the Dark Ages but there is just something, odd. I mean Ivanyn won't go out after dark, all of these houses he says have rooms for anyone to run to if they are caught outside at darkness, and you have to admit that is weird." Sam was rubbing the back of her neck nervously.
"Well, actually the Middle Ages but there could be many factors involved. Many legends out of the Slavic countries, I am having a hard time remembering any in particular right now , maybe just about the Nocnitsa, the Night Hag in Russian, Polish, Serbian. . . ."
"Oh, cute hags and what else boogey men?" Sam cut him off and sat down
heavily next to him giving him a frosty look.
Daniel began to inspect the candles and the furniture.
Jack and Teal'c were starting to strain to see as twilight was deepening into night. They were only a few houses away from Ivanyn's when something flew out of shadows and fluttered into Jack.
"Jeez! What the hell was that?" He yelled batting away the attacker.
"A nocturnal creature of some sort?" Teal'c pondered as he watched the other houses as the rest of the villagers scurried behind closed doors. Shutters were closed and doors locked. "We should be inside."
"Ya think?" Jack barked as he raised a hand to his face. "Damn thing bit me" His fingers were stained with his blood which he wiped off on his pants.
Once inside Ivanyn showed them their rooms. Jack took the first watch but not before letting Carter apply a bandage to the gash on his left cheek. The wound didn't appear deep but it was bleeding steadily. The first bandage was almost immediately saturated. Sam went to the medical kit and pulled out several butterfly bandages. This time the wound pulled closed the blood flow stopped.
"You have a clotting problem sir?" She asked, worried.
"Nope, clot real well! Stop futzing." Jack batted her hand away playfully. "Sam, you have next watch, Daniel and then Teal'c. I'm taking first and last watches. You'll have to 1300 hours tomorrow to determine if this planet has anything of value. If not we go back to the gate and we can send SG-9 back for the treaty work. "
He didn't wait for them to protest but went out to the main living room which gave him full view of the hallway leading to the guest quarters and the only other entrance. Ivanyn had supplied a hot drink that resembled a strong tea and he sipped it during his watch. It was quiet, extremely quiet.
There was a rustling from outside the door as if something was scratching to get in. Jack was in full alert. His footfalls were barely perceptible from years of living in boots one learned how to step lightly. He was at the door easing the bolt up, wishing he had night vision goggles he stepped out into the darkness. The zat bolt hit before he had both feet out the door. Jack collapsed in a convulsing lump of pain on the threshold.
"Do not damage this one," the words spoken more than a hiss than actual
words. "Our mistress is desirous of this one, intact."
Two black clad Jaffa picked up the struggling O'Neil another disarmed him quickly. Before he could call out the speaker raised a hand and activated a ribbon device. Already weakened from the zat blast Jack succumbed quickly.
End Chapter one.....