Two Turtles
Title: Two Turtles
Author: JustSuperMione
Rating: 15
Word Count: 2,179
Prompt: daniel_vala
Pairing: Daniel Jackson/Vala Mal Doran
Summary: Qetesh and Amaunet talk about Ba'al, Daniel and Apophis. Inspired by Vala's cramming for her psychic evaluation and the question: why did Vala keep Daniel?
Note(s): Spoiler from Prometheus Unbound
"Question two: 'You are in the desert. You see a tortoise lying on his back in the hot sun. You recognize his plight but do nothing to help. Why?' Hmm. Why?... 'Because... you... are... also... a tortoise'."
...
"Let me out of here" screamed the angry girl. "I don't want to be a 'child of the gods!'" She suddenly changed tact's. "If you just let me out of here maybe we could come to an arrangement..." She cooed towards the Jaffa guarding her.
"Bring your Goddess Qetesh!" she heard a voice say as it entered the room. There was the sound of heavy Jaffa footfall. The girl struggled increased like an ocean storm; tempestuous grey eyes seeking peace as her black hair was tossed wildly round.
"Please... Qetesh deserves someone more beautiful than I. Pick one of her Priestess'... they are born stunning and..." the girl screamed again as she saw the goa'uld Queen come forward. The Queen looked her up and down before signalling for the symbiote was brought forward. "I don't want to be a child of the god's!" she repeated desperately.
Queen Amaunet smiled; such defiance and beauty would surely be pleasing to Qetesh. The girl breathed in deeply and said a deep raspy voice: "You're going to regret this!"
The girl remembered looking into the glowing eyes of Apophis new Queen Amaunet; struggling against restraints. The hand device stunned her: calm set in. She didn't even panic when she was stripped and cold. Yesterday, she was a servant on a freighter – learning about legitimate trading, so she could con people better. It was wonko but true. Then, they'd been boarded and now a 'goddess' wanted to put a snake in her head.
Dazed she looked around while the goa'uld was handed to her. The snake wanted a host that was afraid but willing to fight. "Does she please you Qetesh?" the Queen asked the snake. In answer the snaked dived into the grey eyed girl's mouth. Qetesh last host had been blond and ripe. This host was slim and dark; but she was acceptable.
The goa'uld dived into the girl's mouth so not to leave a mark on her perfect skin.
Qetesh looked at the woman; curiously. The jewellery and fine clothing, she recognised a fellow goa'uld Queen. She was tall and proud. Apophis desired her; those deep chocolaty eyes and full lips would have enticed him.
"Qetesh!" said the Queen. "I am Queen Amaunet. It has been many months since we've spoken!" She said placing a fine robe on Qetesh's new body.
Qetesh felt slightly overcome as she took control. She looked at Amaunet; she had been her opposite. They had had a minor 'misunderstanding' but that was a host ago. Like her last host this Amaunet was beautiful but there was a trace of something in the way she conducted herself. As ever, the host's life before didn't prepare it for the riches and luxuries of a Goddess'.
"Did you get me a host of the right specifications?" Qetesh demanded, for a lot of her power depended on that. Her loyal Jaffa brought her a mirror and Qetesh smiled sleepily. "Not bad!" She was hit by a headache. Her host, this Vala Mal Doran was fighting back.
"Does you host ever fight back?" Qetesh said regarding her and Amaunet's new forms.
"Yes, for she knows this is no honour. She knows I'm not a God. She has hopes that I can't seem to crush yet. Her Tau'ri husband, 'Dan-yel' Jackson, keeps trying to save her." Amaunet mocked the way her host said his name.
Qetesh breathed in and steadied herself.
"Dan-yel" Qetesh shuddered before thinking. "He's called Daniel- like a Tau'ri slave name?"
Amaunet nodded; she hated how her host pronounced her 'hero's' name and took special pleasure in taunting her with the fact that she, as simple and loving as she was, would never have been able to keep her Dan-yel happy on Abydos infinitely.
"I will change into something more fitting my station. Amaunet; accompany me!" Qetesh demanded as she sashayed out of the room. 'Yes' Qetesh thought 'my body might not be as full as it once was but I can definitely work with it'.
As soon as Qetesh entered her chamber and saw her wardrobe she knew that Amaunet wanted something. Quickly she dismissed her slaves and demanded to see her priestesses. She chose barely there cloth, dripping in jewels to wear... Qetesh then sat in front of her mirror and waited.
The two Queens looked at each other. Amaunet grabbed a brush and began working on her hair.
"What do you want Amaunet?" Qetesh asked enjoying the attention, "Last time I saw you... you extracted my symbiote for no reason at all."
"You were seducing Apophis!" Amaunet corrected with a sarcastic smile.
"Your former host was dying and..." Qetesh replied calmly. "Seduce is such a strong word Amaunet..." She said innocently.
"What would you call it then?"
"Getting a tactical advantage over Ba'al?"
"Ba'al?" Amaunet said with disbelief as she started to style Qetesh's hair.
"Ba'al batting is a game!" Qetesh declared with a smile. "As soon as his now host came to pay me homage and beseeched that I make him a God... He's always wanted me as a consort. I've always wanted him as an entertainment. I'd just killed 10,000 of Ba'al's Jaffa. So I needed the secure your King's loyalty." Qetesh justified.
There was an uneasy silence between them. Whoever her host Amaunet's hands had always been clever with hair. It occurred to Qetesh that she needed to distract her; put her at ease if she was going to have any hair left.
"Tell me about this Daniel Jackson!" Qetesh purred.
Amaunet's hands stopped.
"We desire him!"
"We..." Qetesh said in distain. "You sound like you're a Tok'ra!"
"My host..." Amaunet replied. "...has memories of..."
"Physical pleasure!" Qetesh said with a wicked grin. As a goddess of 'worldly pleasures' she always enjoyed hearing these things.
"More than that..." Amaunet said sitting down. Amaunet gave a sigh. Goddesses don't usually sigh so Qetesh knew there was something special about this Tau'ri. It was the way she would use to manipulate the situation.
"How does this Jackson Tau'ri love your host?"
"Intensely, selflessly, completely..." Amaunet said distractedly. This Tau'ri must have left quite an impression on her.
"What makes him so addictive..?" Qetesh whispered stroking her friends face – she needed Amaunet to be lulled further into a dream state for her to get the truth.
"His hands, his lips, his eyes..." Amaunet muttered.
"Describe them..." Qetesh coaxed, wrapping her future interrogator into a muddling range of memories.
"His eyes were the bluest sapphire; intelligent yet warm." Amaunet confessed. Then, she started to blush. "His lips were soft and his tool to drive all conscious thought from her body and only be aware of him..."
"And his hands..." Qetesh urged breathlessly.
"Accomplished and dexterous from his work..." Amaunet smiled. "He liked to play... with her hair and teach her about history..." There was more to the memory than that, and although fascinated by Daniel Jackson's performance as a husband, she needed to know what was going on.
"What does Apophis want?" Qetesh asked gently.
"A child" Amaunet answered without thinking.
"A Harcesis!" Qetesh explained stunned. "Impossible!" She stood to her feet and walked towards the bed.
"We are Goddesses! Nothing is impossible!" Amaunet declared angry. "The Tau'ri have allied with the Tok'ra. They killed Ra, Qetesh. My beloved Ra!"
"Your beloved?" Qetesh asked. "Ra loved only himself and later... Mut." Mut, Ra's Queen and 'mother' the Gods, of Egypt. Mut, stealer of Ra.
"Qetesh!" Amaunet pleaded not wanting to talk of the consort Mut. "Ra loved me."
"And he would love you still if you'd listened to me and drowned her in the river when you had the chance!" This very issue was why Qetesh and Amaunet didn't spend time together. There was an overly dramatic pause.
"A child will secure Apophis' position... Our position Qetesh!"
"Apophis wants a Harcesis for a host Amaunet. You must see that!" Qetesh said turning back to her mirror and searching for her hand device. "Think about our own host Amaunet!"
"He seeks to use the genetic memory" Amaunet said sitting down. "...to save all of us from the tau'ri. To save us from universal destruction" There was a passionless aspect to her voice. Qetesh stroked her face and soothed her.
Qetesh took Amaunet by surprise by using the hand device to hear the whole story.
She got vague flashes of Apophis; his obsession with Earth, SG1 and acquiring a new host. Then, piercing blue eyes took over her thoughts. There were glass circles around the eyes and Qetesh felt that they were looking past her to Vala Mal Doran.
The memories were intense. The first time she'd notice him her brothers had been stealing his handkerchief. This blue eye's glistened and he kept sneezing. His brown floppy hair had been bleached by the sun. Daniel had had the eye of Ra around his neck. She had been given to Daniel as his wife, but he hadn't known it. He'd taught her about history, learnt her language and gave her hope. He'd stayed for her.
Their first night together... Qetesh felt it... her senses were on fire. He smelt so masculine despite his boyish looks. His voice was like music. The way he would say her name; Sha're. His smile made her melt. The love between them had been as freeing for her body as him teaching her had been for her mind. A year of bliss had passed. He spent his days doing nothing but studying the chamber, teaching his new people and loving her.
Qetesh's mind was flooded with more images.
'Dan-yel' had taught his people to read and speak English. 'Dan-yel' was excited about the tissue box. 'Dan-yel' was proud to show off his wife. 'Dan-yel' spoke to Jack and met a blond woman called Sam – they all sat round and laughed while Jack tired 'moonshine'. She kissed 'Dan-yel' until all thoughts left that pretty head of his. She branded him with that kiss, reminding him of their night together away from prying eyes. 'Dan-yel' was dazed and later the strangers called her beautiful... then the nightmare started.
Dragged away, kidnapped and longing for her Daniel to come. Then, she'd been stunned and stripped.
Qetesh felt a hand device on her temple. Amaunet was extracting the information from her. To make a Harcesis she had to give Sha're back control of her body. Otherwise, otherwise the Harcesis would be a stillborn. Qetesh and Amaunet heard Vala and Sha're shouting.
"Sha're"
"Vala"
"I'm scared... I don't like this..."
"I'm sorry Amaunet trapped you... I couldn't stop her but..." Sha're said genuinely upset. Vala held no bitterness towards her because they were in the same position. Helplessly watching what their bodies did. Then, Sha're rallied "Dan-yel will save us Vala"
"How do you know..?"
"Faith!"
Qetesh moved the hand device away. A second later, so did Amaunet.
"Our hosts spoke!" Qetesh said disgusted. "You let your host take over... those memories you shared..." she said breathing heavily.
"I'd do anything to protect my King, my husband Apophis!" Amaunet said moving away.
In the back of the goa'uld minds Vala and Sha're remained strong; each closing their eyes to as much as they could but always believing, hoping and fighting against the evil within.
...
7 years later
Vala liked this ship. It was easy to disable there communications. It was large and shiny. The crew kept trying to stop her. They made such a jolly noise as they collapsed to the ground. It wasn't the gold shiny style of Qetesh's ships but it was nicer than her broken one. She skipped around it with a great deal of stealth wearing the hideous black Kull outfit until all the crew was aboard the Al'kesh.
Then, after she'd gotten the ship underway and was examining its systems she felt a tingle. Turning around slowly she saw HIM. He'd shot her; so she shot him.
His hair was shorter and he wasn't wearing glasses but she knew this man. He'd lost his boyishness and was now manlier than she remembered. But he almost smelt the same. His lips, his hands and she reached towards his eyes. Before he passed out she remembered the blue of his eyes; they were familiar. Opening the lids she recognised that shade of blue. This one, this tau'ri warrior she would keep. This Dan-yel!
...
Just something I cooked up between my jobs and Stargate episodes. I love the idea of the drama between the Goa'uld before SG1. Egyptian gods really were a soap opera once you start reading about them.
More Daniel and Vala action to come from me...
Story starts: "Hi, I'm Vala Jackson. You may know my husband from such useful video's as 'What is a Stargate?', 'Time-Travelling for Dummies' and 'Who Were the Ancients?' Along with the rant 'Assended Beings: grrr!' Thanks for reading. She-who-must-be-reviewed.