DISCLAIMER: I do not own Stargate SG-1. Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only. No money has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story references two different types of queens: Goa'uld queens and Queen Goa'ulds. There is a subtle difference. In essence, a Goa'uld Queen is any queen to a pharaoh. A Queen Goa'uld is a Goa'uld capable of reproducing (like Hathor). There are a lot of Goa'uld Queens, but far fewer Queen Goa'ulds. For this story, Kintac survived the explosions on Netu in "The Devil You Know," and takes place two months after the episode "Forever In A Day" right after "The Devil You Know."
This story has lived on my hard drive for two years. It was originally part of a larger story. I split the story in half, the first half becoming The Battle Royal. The idea behind Loki and Angrboda's children came before I ever saw the Season Five episode "Revelations." Death Shall Have No Dominion has been alphaed/betaed by quite a few over the last two years until I finally finished it. Carol, Jmas, Lex and Seanchaidh - I really appreciate all the feedback you gave me for this story. You're the greatest!
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And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.
Dylan Thomas
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DAY ONE—APOPHIS' HA'TAK
Splendor.
Wealth.
Luxury.
Servants.
All of it meant nothing if he couldn't share it with his Queen.
His mate.
His love.
His Amaunet.
Apophis sat on his golden throne reflecting on the words Daniel Jackson had spoken to him on Netu. "Your mate Amaunet is dead. Sorry to ruin your day. No actually, I'm wrong about that. I'm not sorry."
Not sorry? Did he not know who Amaunet was? Did he not know her position in the System Lord hierarchy? Did he not know that she once ruled supreme among the queens?
"She was my queen, my mate," Apophis said to himself.
The Goa'uld had established order throughout the galaxy for many millennia in order to keep the warring factions from killing each other off completely. The rules governing them had been created and accepted by legions of symbiotes long dead but not forgotten. Chief among them was the express forbiddance of harvesting hosts from other Goa'ulds' regimes and the sanctity of a Queen's choice of mates. Most broken rules were dealt with by waging battle on the perpetrator. Simple things like breaches of protocol and trespassing were considered acts of war and were met accordingly.
"But what is war when compared to the love of one's queen?" he asked out loud.
Apophis' devotion for Amaunet was the only reason he dared to personally travel to planets belonging to other System Lords in search of hosts that might please his queen, even planets known to be ruled by Ra. If any Goa'uld had discovered Apophis' breach in protocol had occurred before news of Ra's death had been confirmed, Apophis and Amaunet would have found themselves hunted outcasts with more enemies than they had thought possible. Apophis risked much for her. He would exact retribution on those who would disparage her name and desecrate her memory.
"And Daniel Jackson dares to mock me?" Apophis thundered. "He does not know the depth of his insolence. How dare he insult my queen?"
No, Daniel Jackson had not known what was destroyed that day. Amaunet was one of the most powerful Goa'ulds in the pantheon, and Daniel Jackson was not sorry that she was dead? She was much more than a goddess! Her passing should have caused the stars to weep!
"And he feels nothing," Apophis thought out loud again, his voice betraying his disgust.
And what was Daniel Jackson's greatest iniquity for which he would spend an eternity in horrific pain as retribution? By all appearances, he had completely disregarded the queen and had forgiven the Shol'va Teal'c for killing Amaunet's host—this host whom he professed to love as if he knew what the emotion was. Slaves knew nothing of such things. They were incapable of understanding that which belonged solely to the province of the gods themselves. Apophis held no illusions on the matter. When the rumors of Amaunet's death reached Netu, Apophis swore vengeance on Teal'c. Losing such a pleasing host was regrettable, but his queen's murder was at the apex of all of the Jaffa's sins. Teal'c would pay for his crimes with his life.
With torture …
With painful torture …
With slow painful torture.
Apophis would watch with great amusement and immeasurable satisfaction as Teal'c suffered.
"And you will suffer, Shol'va," Apophis promised. "By my hands, you will know pain not imagined in your worst nightmares."
As for Daniel Jackson, Apophis had plans for him, plans which were already taking form and substance. Jackson would pay dearly for his insolence. He valued the host over the Queen? He had much to learn, and Apophis was more than eager to teach him the truth that the infuriating Tau'ri had so willingly forgotten.
"A lesson he will not soon forget." Daniel Jackson's torment would make Teal'c's pale in comparison. It was a lesson Amaunet's host learned all too well.
Apophis delighted in the fact that Amaunet could and did mercilessly ravage Sha'uri's memories. There was a wealth of information about the Tau'ri. After Amaunet's disclosure that Jackson and O'Neill had been the instruments of Ra's destruction, Apophis had no choice but to avenge his enemy's death. Upstarts could not be allowed to challenge the Goa'uld without punishment regardless of who the Goa'uld was. All of the gods would suffer slave uprisings as a result if such an insult was not answered with brute force, and Amaunet made sure that Sha'uri knew that she was the one that had betrayed the Tau'ri. Betrayed O'Neill. Betrayed her husband, her precious Dan'yel.
"And she did feel the guilt, did she not, my queen?" Apophis spoke aloud to his dead Amaunet. "She suffered your wrath, my love."
Occasionally, Amaunet would hint at the more personally useful secrets she stole from time to time. They had enabled Apophis to gain a unique understanding of the Tau'ri—Daniel Jackson in particular. By the slave's estimation, he held the virtues deemed important to the inferior beings, bravery being one of the more important ones. Apophis himself had witnessed certain confusing aspects of the soon-to-be slave's character when he had been held captive at the Tau'ri base. Jackson had been brave enough to confront him, even offend him, and Apophis had found that … uniquely amusing. Had he been in Daniel Jackson's position, he would have killed his enemy. Jackson hadn't raised a finger against the System Lord, but the reason behind that lack of action could have easily been because the one known as Carter had claimed his attention. Apophis might never know what Jackson would have done at that moment.
But if events went according to plan, he would.
A host's memories could easily be used against them. Some memories Amaunet told Apophis, others she kept to herself to torment Sha'uri when the little slave became too difficult to manage. This was necessary when dominating a strong willed host. Apophis remembered his mate explaining a source of one of her more enjoyable forms of amusement. When the two of them were together, she would force Sha'uri to remember what it was like to be with her long absent husband, to let her know that she would never feel Dan'yel's touch again, to force her to know when Amaunet was with her Pharaoh, to experience the physical pleasures the gods shared through the Goa'uld controlled senses. Then, when her Pharaoh slept, she would force Sha'uri to compare the physical aspects of the two men in minute detail. Amaunet would comment about how lucky she was to have Apophis for a husband and how inadequate Sha'uri's Dan'yel was.
This amusement was tarnished once. On one occasion, Sha'uri would brook no insult against her Dan'yel. She fought back. That one time, Amaunet finally admitted to Apophis, Sha'uri let the full force of her memories be leveled at the queen, certain memories that the little slave had been hiding to comfort her when she was alone in the darkness of her mind. Amaunet was shown a very intense mental demonstration of how inadequate and lacking Apophis was in certain areas of marital concern and exactly what her Dan'yel was capable of. That was the last time Amaunet mentioned Sha'uri's memories.
Before she was murdered, Amaunet did comment that Apophis should strongly consider taking Daniel Jackson as a host. His knowledge of the Tau'ri and his capabilities would be well worth the risk and ultimate rewards. She hadn't elaborated further.
That was another reason to hate that particular Tau'ri.
From the time the queen took Sha'uri as a host, Apophis knew that Amaunet wasn't as pleased with him as she could have been. She assured Apophis that she did indeed love him, but she didn't know what was wrong. Apophis knew, and he knew why she would never elaborate. Amaunet was experiencing Sha'uri's memories, and Apophis soon realized that Daniel Jackson was disturbing their private moments together as surely as the Tau'ri were disrupting Goa'uld empires. The slave's personal memories of Daniel Jackson were so overpowering that they were interfering with Amaunet's reality.
Damn him.
Apophis sat alone in his throne room. There were no slaves to cater to his whims, no Jaffa to guard him. He had wished to be alone and had given orders to that effect. The silence was almost palpable. No one had wished to be in his presence for very long since his departure from Netu. The rumors held that he had been in very bad spirits since leaving, and an angry god was dangerous to be around. The Goa'uld couldn't blame anyone for keeping their distance. Another source of his own displeasure with his life was his physical appearance. Gods were supposed to be beautiful and perfect. His host body had been too badly damaged by Sokar. He found his physical state was no longer appropriate to a god. The scars could no longer be removed. He had gone too long without the aid of a sarcophagus, and the traces of the scars were now embedded within him permanently.
He needed a new host.
During the early planning stages, he had briefly wondered about the choice he should make in regards to a new host. He always chose hosts wisely for himself, never letting just the beauty of the host overwhelm his decision although physical appearance was taken into great consideration. It was the information stored within intelligent minds that aided his ambition, yet he always tried to find beautiful scholars. He thought carefully. He knew which host Amaunet would desire and approve of if she were still alive.
Once, his Amaunet sat at his side. They would discuss the status of their regime, the affairs of state or about nothing important. They found each other's company incredibly satisfying. He was content just to be in her presence.
She was his life, his love.
She was … gone. For now.
In her memory, for her amusement and as a gift, he would choose the host she had suggested.
Yes, the memory of her remained, and her idea to take Daniel Jackson as a host had … gained merit. Very soon, Apophis would learn just how strong a bond could be gleaned from two powerful, mated Goa'ulds when their hosts were mated as well.
"My Pharaoh?" a timid voice sounded through the throne room.
Apophis turned toward the voice. A Jaffa had entered without permission. "What is it?" Apophis asked the frightened guard.
"Forgive me, my lord, but you wished to be informed when the Asgard appeared within sensor range. He has contacted us and said he will rendezvous with us tomorrow. There is business pertaining to the Asgard that he must deal with. Also, we will reach Abydos in another two days' time."
Two days to reach Abydos. The former host's home world. Daniel Jackson's adopted home. If his ship had been running at top speed, they would have reached Abydos already. Unfortunately, there was damage that needed to be repaired, and they were traveling much slower than Apophis was comfortable with. Still, they would be on Abydos soon. Now to set his plan in motion.
"Summon my son, Klorel, and my First Prime. Inform the Asgard that he is welcome here and I wish to meet with him at his earliest convenience." Apophis added that last part almost out of spite. He was not in the habit of acquiescing to others, but for this particular Asgard, he would do whatever was necessary to please and appease him. "I wish everything to be in readiness before we transport down to Abydos."
"Yes, my lord," and the Jaffa scampered out quickly.
Soon, all would be as it should be. And Apophis would begin taking his revenge on Daniel Jackson.
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EARTH—SGC
"No."
"C'mon, Daniel," Jack almost pleaded. "You'll have fun. Warm sun, cold beer, pesky fish—"
"What is it with you and fishing? I thought hockey was your obsession," Daniel commented as he tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. Fishing brought back too many memories for him. Fish was part of the primary diet on Abydos. At least once every few weeks, Kasuf's sister would visit. Since their relationship wasn't quite as close as siblings could hope, Kasuf would invent an important meeting or emergency he would have to go to and take his small family with him, leaving his sister behind to "visit" other family members. Kasuf would take Sha'uri, Daniel and Skaara to a site on the river he had found as a child—a secret site where he swore he could catch more fish than at any other place on the river. They always came back with more than they could eat and would share the overabundance with their neighbors.
The memories came fast and furious. The laughter, the stories, the feeling of a close -knit family enjoying each other's company—one of the last times they had gone fishing, Skaara and Daniel had caught … and Sha'uri was six months pregnant … Kasuf had just won a major political victory against … and they had just needed a day off from everything and everyone—including Kasuf's sister. They had enjoyed themselves immensely. It was one of those rare memories of being happy that he didn't want to add to or diminish yet by going fishing again so soon. Sha'uri hadn't even been dead two months, and every memory he had with her was precious. Besides, couldn't Jack look at his desk and see the stacks of paper that were waiting to be checked? The work was piling up!
"I love hockey, but I love to go fishing when we're on downtime, and since we're on downtime and it's not hockey season—"
"You thought you'd go fishing?"
"Exactly. C'mon. We don't have to go off world for a week, and if I stay at home, I'm gonna have to repaint the deck. I'd really rather go fishing."
~o~o~o~
Jack wasn't too proud to beg Daniel to go with him. First and foremost, he needed to get Daniel away from the SGC for a while. Since their escape from Netu … no, actually since Sha'uri's death, Daniel had closed himself off from everyone. He had buried himself in so much work, there was no time or room for him to think or feel.
Now, as Janet Fraiser had explained to him just minutes before, there was something medically wrong with Daniel and it stemmed from their ordeal in Netu. The best explanation was that Daniel hadn't had the opportunity to let the Blood of Sokar pass through his system before they made their great escape. The others had passed out, and the vile concoction worked its way out of them. Daniel hadn't been as fortunate. Somehow, by not passing out and missing that small window of opportunity, Daniel was measurably weaker and more tired. His system hadn't recovered from its effects because the adrenaline rush caused by the escape had allowed the potion to soak into every part of his bloodstream and anatomy. He couldn't sleep and his appetite was gone. And Daniel, being Daniel, always used his insomnia wisely. He worked—and he hid from prying eyes.
As long as Daniel had work to act as a barricade against any inquiries made against something he'd rather not talk about, be it work or health, he was going to use it. It was his way of running and hiding, and whatever Daniel had experienced before, during and after the time he had been "questioned" by Apophis had him running for the hills, figuratively speaking. At least he wasn't running, literally speaking, but Jack was determined not to let Daniel do this again. After Sha'uri's funeral, Daniel had entrenched himself in so much work that he forced his mind away feeling the grief that was strong enough to shut him down. Jack had allowed that to happen, and when the emotions broke through the emotional dam Daniel had built up, it hadn't been pleasant. Jack was grateful to have been there when it happened.
"Look, Teal'c's visiting his family, Carter and Jacob are in Alaska … that leaves us sitting here twiddling our thumbs with nothing to do," Jack implored him.
"No, it leaves you here twiddling your thumbs with nothing to do. I've got a lot of work to catch up on." Daniel emphasized his statement by pointing to his desk. "Some of this was due a couple of weeks ago."
"Great. Now it can be three weeks late. Who'll know the difference?"
"Your boss?"
"Ya think he'd notice?"
"He's a smart man, Jack. That's why he's a general, and he doesn't like waiting for paperwork."
"Daniel—"
~o~o~o~
Daniel knew Jack wasn't going to give up on this argument. If he didn't agree to go, Jack would be in his office every day begging him to go fishing. He wouldn't get any work done at all. If he gave in … "Okay. I'll go fishing."
"Cool! I know this one spot where the fish grow this big," and he spread his hand far apart, "and the—"
"But not tomorrow." Daniel interrupted him.
"Why not tomorrow?" Jack asked. He thought he just won the argument.
"Because I've got too much to do. Give me one day to catch up on the important work that can't be put off any longer, and we'll go the day after tomorrow. Deal?" So much for keeping his Abydonian memories intact.
Jack would have to admit that the day after tomorrow sounded reasonable or so Daniel hoped. Luckily, he did. "Okay. Day after tomorrow. And don't think you're going to weasel out of going. I'm a colonel. I can make people disappear, you know."
"Yeah, I know. I've heard you guys in Covert Ops are good at that. Now, will you go? I've got work to do." Daniel waved his hand toward the door.
"I'm going, I'm going," Jack said, his voice triumphant. "Trust me. You'll have fun!" His voice echoed through the halls and back into Daniel's office.
Daniel guessed it was a good thing Jack couldn't hear him say, "Yeah, right." Jack would have fun; there was no doubt about that.
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Jack hurried down the corridor to the elevator, pressed the button for level 21, waited for the doors to open and then walked quickly to the infirmary to be met by one worried doctor and an equally worried general.
"Well?" General Hammond asked his second-in-command.
"He's agreed to go fishing with me the day after tomorrow. He's got a few things that have to be done first, but he said he'd go. I'll make sure we get stuck at the cabin for about a week. Won't even let him take a laptop with us."
Both doctor and general looked relieved. Neither one of them would have to make it an order for Daniel to take some down time. "Did you have to threaten him?" Janet asked him.
"No. I think he knows me well enough by now to just agree with the wisdom of my vast experience after putting up a token argument," Jack answered, knowing his voice held a touch of self-satisfaction in it.
"In other words, Colonel," General Hammond corrected, "he knew you would pester him to distraction unless he agreed to go."
"Pretty much, yes, sir." Jack turned to Janet. "Okay, now what exactly is wrong with him?"
Janet sat down and opened the file on her desk. "Daniel's dopamine levels are slightly elevated. I can only guess that it's an after-effect of the Blood of Sokar's hallucinogenic properties. It's made him agitated, and that's increased his physical activity. The rise is so slight that normally I wouldn't worry about it, but his appetite's gone, so he's not getting enough nourishment to compensate for the rise in his physical activity. I asked him to reduce his caffeine intake on the chance it might be having an adverse effect on the Blood of Sokar as well, but I haven't noticed that it's helped the situation any. He's working himself into exhaustion and finally dropping off into a dreamless, intermittent, exhausted sleep while his insomnia refuses to let him get the rest he needs. He knows the situation, but there seems to be some outside interference that is preventing him from getting any extra rest that he can."
The general didn't look relieved, but he did seem more content with the information. "The doctor was commenting that recent events have kept SG-1 busier than usual, so Doctor Jackson hasn't had time to recuperate from any event before another happens. That's why I'm putting your team on downtime for a week, Colonel."
"Is that going to be long enough?" Jack asked.
"It's all I can give you, Jack. Doctor Fraiser can re-examine him after a week and we'll re-assess the situation then. I can't have an entire team down for a great length of time. You know that, but Doctor Fraiser thinks that it should be long enough for her to get a more accurate picture of what's going on with him."
"Doc?"
"One week's R&R may not solve all of his medical problems, Colonel," Janet told him, "but it might alleviate the immediate ones." He'll need complete rest, specifically—"
"Yeah, Doc. I've got it. He's gotta eat and sleep. I'll even sing him a lullaby if that's the only thing that will work. I'll drug his warm milk. I'll force-feed oatmeal if I have to. You said yourself that it's only a slight rise, right? It should go back to normal as soon as he's had some rest?"
"I hope so. I need you to watch him for any drastic changes in his behavior. Dopamine is very similar in effect to adrenaline. It can affect parts of the brain that control movement, emotions, and even those areas that experience physical sensations like pleasure and pain."
"How bad's that gonna be?" Jack asked her.
"It could be very bad. His emotions are on a bit of a roller coaster ride. When you first returned from Netu, he was rather cheerful. Right now, he seems to be depressed. As far as movement goes, I haven't been able to detect anything odd, so he might not be affected in that way. Physical sensations could be greatly exaggerated or he might not feel anything at all. Also, his dopamine levels could take a nosedive and go well below normal. What I'm saying, Colonel, is keep an eye on him for the next week. The Blood Of Sokar doesn't seem to be leaving his system very quickly, but he should be back to his normal hyperactive self by the time you return." Doctor Fraiser didn't sound very confident, but sometimes that was the way she felt when dealing with some alien bacteria or illness that seemed to remain a mystery to her.
"Right, Doc. Don't worry. I'm an expert at keeping an eye on Daniel. You've never been on a mission with us. I get a lot of practice."
Doctor Fraiser could only be thankful for small favors.
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APOPHIS' HA'TAK
The fires placed around the throne room reflected off the gold-laden walls, helping to illuminate the room in a muted, comforting light. Apophis sat on his throne, the golden light shining around him, all a pale comparison to the scheming gleam in the System Lord's eyes as Klorel walked into the throne room with Kintac close behind. "You sent for us, Father?"
Klorel knew he was his father's favorite child and heir to Apophis' territories. Many times, Apophis had said that he showed great promise as a leader; he only needed time to gain experience. He had the ruthless nature but not the patient temperament needed to watch his plans come to fruition. Still, there was time. Gods had all the time in the world. "Klorel, Kintac, tomorrow I will meet with the Asgard Loki."
"Then you will continue with your plan to resurrect our queen?" Kintac asked him.
"Yes. Kintac, I wish you to personally serve the Asgard when he arrives. I would not want him to think that I am insulting him by giving his care over to someone not worthy. A First Prime is the reaching hand of a god. I think Loki will be pleased by such a gesture."
"As you wish, my pharaoh,." Kintac bowed his head to his lord and master.
"Klorel, I have a task for you as well."
"Yes, Father?"
"When we arrive on Abydos, I will need you to take the Jaffa Sar'ac with you and retrieve your host's father. As he is also father to my queen's host, my plans require his assistance."
"Sar'ac?" Klorel thought for a moment. The name meant nothing to him. Of course, it was easier to remember names when his host's consciousness wasn't thrashing around trying to stop him from following his orders. This Skaara still did not understand that he was nothing. Struggling would not avail him anything. Apophis declared that the host's father would be brought before him. It would be so despite Skaara's imprisoned protests. "I am not familiar with that Jaffa, Father. Is he one of the higher ranks?"
"No. He was one of Sokar's Jaffa. He tortured Varos."
Klorel closed his eyes at the thought. "Your Grand Vizier." Varos was the only Goa'uld Apophis trusted completely—or as near to completely as any Goa'uld could come.
"Yes. I, myself, removed Varos from the dying host and placed him in the Jaffa that tortured him. I then destroyed Sar'ac's former prim'ta by my own hand as the Jaffa swore fealty to me. Varos requires re-implantation. He can only survive for a few more days within the Jaffa. If Varos' time arrives sooner than expected, Sar'ac must accompany you when you seek out this slave on Abydos."
"Kasuf," Klorel said aloud.
"What?" Apophis asked, his voice sounding surprised at the word.
"Kasuf. That is the name of my host's father."
Apophis eyes glowed. Why had he mentioned the slave's name? It was unimportant, yet Klorel thought it important enough to mention? The words he told Apophis on the ha'tak above the Tau'ri home world were remembered. His host was strong. This host, this Skaara, was influencing him again. No matter. Once Kasuf was within Apophis' grasp, everything else would easily fall into place.
"Then you must find this Kasuf and bring him before me." Apophis looked at them, his mouth curving into a slight smile. Whatever he was planning, Klorel didn't know the extent of it—he wouldn't know until they were closer to Abydos, but he believed that his father's current ambitious undertaking had an underlying motivating factor—vengeance. Once the plan was placed in motion, his father would have his queen and ultimate revenge on the Tau'ri, Daniel Jackson.
No one would stop Apophis.