The Stargate blossomed with energy wiping out a new sapling that had grown in front of a Stargate that had not opened in some time. After a minute or two the MALP appeared and trundled down the ramp. It ran over the stump of the sapling which caught underneath. The MALP strained forward and snapped it shorter still before continuing on its way. Around the MALP the land began to move and darken and slowly a moving mound of insects built up around it. They began crawling over the MALP and into crevices in the outer armour. The technician at the SGC stopped its forward motion and swung the camera around so that SG1 could see the terrain.
"Don't move it any more you will crush the insects," Sam told him with concern.
The technician gave the Major a strange look. "Yes Mam," he responded and stopped all vehicle movement.
"What do you think Colonel? Will they attack us if we go through? I mean we can carry the mother stones with us, which may give us a measure of protection." Sam offered.
"May?" Jack responded. "It's been a while, we don't even know if she will remember us."
"It does not look like anyone has used the Stargate in a long time," Daniel commented as he almost put his nose to the screen as he examined the area that was showing. "Wow!" He flinched away from the screen and everyone turned to stare at him. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Jack asked.
"It appeared to be a very large insect," Teal'c offered. "Not as big as Zzzig but a spider."
"Do you think Ralla created another mouth piece?" Sam asked no one in particular as she moved the technician over and sat down at the console and controls. "Colonel, try talking to it and see if it responds."
Jack grimaced. "Talk to a spider?"
"You talk to Zzzig," Daniel pointed out.
"Yes, but Zzzig is… Zzzig," he responded somewhat lamely even to his own ears.
"Sir?" Sam queried and Jack sighed and moved forward.
He decided to pretend he was talking to a human, that way he wouldn't feel so silly. "Hello there we need to talk to Ralla. Is there anyone there who can help us?" He waited a moment and then flexed his hands at Sam questioningly.
"Try again Sir," she responded looking back at the screen a small smile trying hard to appear.
Jack's eyes narrowed as he looked at her but he turned back to the microphone. "Is there anyone there who can help…?" It was his turn to flinch as a large multi-faceted eye peered into the camera lens.
"Yessss. Ralla awaitssss," it hissed quietly. "Where isss the One?"
"The One?" Jack looked around the room his eyes coming to settle on Daniel's face.
"Possibly Zzzig?" Daniel hazarded.
"If you mean my friend Zzzig she has been injured and we need to bring her home. We only want to do so if it is safe," Jack told the eye.
"It isss not ssssafe but you mussst bring. We need," it said.
"You need what exactly?" Jack asked forgetting who the eye belonged too.
"The pain giverssss have returned. They begin to hurt Ralla again," it explained.
"The pain givers." Jack muttered. "General?"
"I'm here Colonel," Hammond answered from directly behind him and Jack straightened in surprise.
"The pain givers are back Sir."
"The pain givers?" Hammond demanded. "Who are they Colonel?"
"The Goa'uld Sir. They are obviously mining on the planet again. The one we destroyed was obviously not the only one who knew that they could use this crystal. The insects have the Stargate Sir; it should be safe to return."
"Zzzig is still seriously injured. Doctor Fraiser does not want her moved yet."
"She will heal faster back with Ralla Sir." Jack responded.
"How do we know that?" The General voiced his very real concern.
"She brought me back from the dead Sir. That sort of speaks volumes to me," Jack responded immediately.
The General looked at his premier team thoughtfully for a moment. "We have no teams at present to back you up and there are Goa'uld on that planet Colonel."
"The insects will look after us Sir," Sam responded. "They did last time."
"You want me to trust your lives to a planet full of insects?" Hammond questioned frustration clear on his face.
"Yes Sir." Jack responded as if it was a statement and not a question.
Hammond shook his head as he looked at his Second in Command. "OK. I may regret this but you have a go."
Jack turned to the microphone. "We're on our way." Then the group scrambled to get their gear together and met in Zzzig's room armed with scrapers to detach her from the wall.
"Leave her in the hoist until we get to the Stargate," Jack suggested.
"At least we managed to find something that cuts her threads now. There was a time when she was the only one who could separate them, especially when they were fresh."Sam commented as everyone started hacking at the threads stuck to the metal walls. It took them several minutes before she settled back into the hoist. The sling was wrapped in the cocoon and would just have to go with them through the Stargate.
They pushed her along the corridor into the lift everyone scattering out of the way of the hurrying group. The Stargate was dialling out as they arrived in the Gate Room and the energy spout pushed outward with a roar and settled into place. Several soldiers helped push the hoist to the top of the ramp and then helped remove the sling to settle her into Teal'c, Jack and Daniel's arms. When they were all ready Sam stepped through the event horizon with a M72 anti tank weapon slung over her shoulder and a P90 raised and ready, then they followed.
They exited the Stargate into a hail of fire and dropped Zzzig rapidly to the ground diving for cover and joining Sam in the defence of their position. As they watched the Jaffa advance on the Stargate, energy began emanating from the edge of the woodland and a groundswell of large insects poured out and overwhelmed their attackers. They watched as the screening the Jaffa carried crackled and died in an eerie green glow. Then the Jaffa disappeared under mounds of crawling, biting and stinging insects. The sound of a glider closing in brought them up to their knees and they began firing on it as it passed. Then Sam lifted the M72 and fired turning the Glider into an exploding ball of fire. Finally
there was just the hissing sound of insect movement around the area.
They stood and stared at the mass of glowing insects. "That's new," Jack commented. "I think Ralla has found a new defence since we were last here. I wonder what other tricks she has learned."
They turned back to lift Zzzig's cocoon and carry it down toward the insects but they did not part for them. They stood undecided on what to do next when a much smaller version of Zzzig glided forward carefully through the mass.
"Looks like the General has arrived," Daniel commented with a raised eyebrow.
"Wonder if it was originally the same species as Zzzig?" Sam added.
"As long as he or she is friendly I don't care," Jack responded as it arrived in front of them.
"Pleassse put the one you call Zzzzzig down and we will carry her," it said. They lowered her back to the ground and watched as the insects closed in and flowed around them to pick up Zzzig's cocoon.
"Are you Ralla or do you have your own name?" Jack asked curiously.
It gave Jack an eerie glittering stare before it replied. "Mother says that I am Zzzag."
"Well what do you know," Jack said with a grin. "A whole planet with a sense of humour."
The wave of insects began to move away at speed and SG1 picked up the pace to stay with them. Zzzag glided forward beside them and after a moment it asked a question. "Why did Zzzig go with you from Ralla?"
"Ralla went to sleep and she was left on her own. She did not know what to do so she came with us."
"What did the One do?" it asked.
"She helped us fight the glowing eyes and she had fun," Daniel responded.
"You fight the glowing eyessss?"
"Where ever we find them," Jack responded. "Where are we going?"
"Where the glowing eyessss cannot sssseeee," it responded and Jack was certain it was laughing.
As ever reviews are welcome