Sam moves back to stand beside the airman as Ash'ka stands still, watching her every move.
"Would you sit Samantha?" Ash'ka asks.
"I think I am more comfortable standing for now," Sam replies as she hears footfalls moving in her direction.
In a moment Daniel is beside her. He leans close and whispers in her ear.
"Hammond is with Jack in the monitoring room. He wants to talk to you before you continue here."
Sam nods, and then speaks to Ash'ka, "I will be back in a few moments…"
"I know that they don't trust me."
"Well to be honest, you haven't given us any reason to trust you."
"I have answered every question that you asked."
Sam takes a breath, "Look, I need to go for a moment. The airman will be just outside your door if you need anything while I am gone."
With that Sam and the airman step out of the room, closing the door behind them as they go. As she heads down the hall she calls over her shoulder, "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Yes, Ma'am," the airman replies.
Sam walks into the monitoring room. Hammond turns to face her.
"Well, what do you think of her story?"
"I'm no expert on this sort of thing but it sounds like she could be telling the truth. What do you think Daniel?"
Daniel adjusts his glasses, "It is completely possible, I mean, how much do we really know about the other races that we have met? If they believed that her race was wiped out then they would have no reason to tell us about them. I doubt they would have even given the Anocha a second thought after they disappeared."
Hammond turns to Teal'c, "Have you ever heard of this race of people?"
"I have not. However it has been said that the Goa'uld had the power to wipe out any entire race that refused to serve them. I have heard many tales of this since I was a child."
Jack clears his throat, "I don't mean to interrupt, but the airman just let Ash'ka out of her room."
Sam steps over to the monitor to look. On the screen she sees Ash'ka step out of the room and smile at the guard and then walk away. Once she disappears the airman closes the door and resumes standing guard. Sam turns and dashes from the room with Jack close behind her. As they reach the room Sam notices that the airman is standing perfectly still.
"Colonel, wait," she says, stopping several feet away from the guard.
Jack stops beside her, "What is it, Major?"
"I'm not sure, I feel like something is off here."
"Well we can't just let her wander; I will grab a team and start sweeping the base from the gate room up. Go make sure he is alright and then you can join the search."
"Yes, Sir," Sam says.
As she continues down the hall toward the airman Jack turns and heads back the way they came. Moments later there is alarm going off over head announcing that there is someone loose on the base and every available person is ordered to join in the search. Sam listens as there is brief description given, then she moves closer to the guard.
"Airman?"
He blinks several times as if trying to remember where he is. "Is there a problem, Ma'am?"
"Why did you let the girl out of the room?"
"I didn't Ma'am. This door hasn't opened since you left."
Sam looks at him carefully, and then steps around him and opens the door to reveal an empty room.
The airman looks around at the empty room and then turns back to Sam, "I don't know what to say. I swear that I did not open this door Major, you have to believe me."
"We can discuss what happened later. Right now we need to find the girl. Colonel O'Neill is starting the search in the gate room; I want you to join the team that is starting to search this level."
The airman salutes as Sam turns to head back to talk to General Hammond.
"Sir, I want to take Daniel and Teal'c with me and start searching from the gate room up."
"Colonel O'Neill is covering that area."
"I know Sir, but I have a gut feeling about this."
Hammond smiles, "I think the Colonel may be rubbing off on you Major."
Sam returns the smile, "Is that such a bad thing Sir?"
"Not at all. You go and do what you need to I am going to make sure that the base is locked down completely so she can't get out."
After he leaves Daniel approaches Sam, "You wanna fill us in on this gut feeling of yours?"
"It's something she said when we were talking. She said that I was born to be her priestess. What if that means there is some connection between us? I mean if she could sense me when she came into this galaxy don't you think that I should be able to sense her on this base somehow?"
"I believe that Major Carter may be correct," Teal'c says as they begin making their way to the gate room.
"During the same conversation she said that the queens inherited certain powers, do you think she could have the ability to control people? Like Hathor?" Daniel asks.
"That would explain why the airman seemed to have no idea that he let her out," Sam says.
Teal'c looks gravely at Sam, "We must endeavor to find Ash'ka. She cannot be allowed to take control of this base."
"I know," Sam says as she picks up her pace. "I am just not sure what to do once we find her. If she is controlling people like Hathor she could use anyone to be a human shield."
"Perhaps we should arm ourselves with a zat'nik'tel," Teal'c suggests as they stop an armory.
"I was thinking the same thing Teal'c," Sam says handing each of the guys one.
They continue heading to the gate room. As they near the Stargate Operation room the siren announcing an established wormhole begins going off. Sam rushes into the gate room, the door slamming shut behind her, locking her in the room alone with Ash'ka, who is standing on the ramp facing her.
"It is good of you to join me Samantha," Ash'ka says smiling. "But now we must go, as they will soon realize we are here."
"What do you mean? The siren is going off; everyone knows the gate has been dialed."
"They do now, because you are here."
"What do I have to do with whether or not they know?"
Ash'ka smiles, "In your presence my abilities are…shielded."
Sam stares at her for several moments, "Shielded?"
"Think of my powers like an infectious disease, being of Mah'la you block the powers that I could otherwise use on these people."
"My presence limits your powers? That's how you felt me? You started losing your abilities."
"Yes," Ash'ka says turning and walking up the ramp toward the gate.
Sam raises the zat in her hand, "Stop or I will be forced to stop you."
Ash'ka begins to laugh, "You think you could stop me?"
Sam fires the zat. As the blast hits Ash'ka she lifts her hand in front of her and absorbs it.
"I wish you would have agreed to come with me on your own terms," Ash'ka says, then extends her arm sending the blast back to Sam.
Sam collapses to the floor. Ash'ka looks into the control room.
"Jack, will you join me here?"
A moment later the blast door slides open and Jack steps inside.
"You called me, your Highness?"
"Yes, pick her up. We must go now."
Jack bends down and scoops Sam up, then he stands and follows Ash'ka thru the gate.
As the gate disengages the blast doors open. Daniel looks at Teal'c.
"Teal'c, why are we down here? And why do you have a zat'nik'tel?"
"I do not know Daniel Jackson."
"Well, Sam should be getting ready to talk to Ash'ka again. I need to get to the monitoring room."
Teal'c bows his head slightly as Daniel walks away. As he opens his eyes he notices a zat lying on the floor of the gate room. He steps over and picks it up then heads to the armory. He carefully places them back where they belong, then he turns and leaves.