NOTE: I had to write most of this chapter standing up so that I could pull all this 'Hyperdrive' stuff out of my ass. I know nothing about how this sort of thing is supposed to work on the show so I just made it up as I went along so that it fit with my plans. Since this is science fiction not science fact I exspect you all to just roll with it. Heehee.
Rewired
Chapter Nine
Sam woke with a start, but without the disorientation that she had suffered from before. She had fallen asleep sitting up against the wall, but was now curled up on the floor. Sitting up she peeked out around the boxes in search of Gabriel.
Gabriel was on the far side of the storage room kneeling on the floor with his arms wrapped tightly over his stomach. He was forcing himself to take deep breaths through clenched teeth, working hard not to make any noise.
Sam watched as he fought to overcome some unknown pain. Slowly his straining muscles began to relax. He took his hands away from his stomach and pulled them through his long bi-coloured hair. He was panting, but breathing easier than he had been a few moments ago.
"Gabriel?"
Gabriel snapped open emerald eyes with a sharp gasp. With the speed of a Vel'na he snatch up a small black case that was on the floor next to him and shoved it into one of the inner pockets of his silk jacket. He rubbed the back of hand across his cheeks to remove the tears. Looking over at Sam he forced an unconvincing smile.
"I'm fine, it's nothing...really." Gabriel replied without being asked. "Did you sleep well?"
"Gabriel, what's happening to you?" Sam asked as she got up from her hiding place.
"Nothing a little rest can't fix." Gabriel smiled once more. "Of course we really don't have time for that, do we?"
"Ga..."
"There should be a ring transporter near here, we can take it down to the Hyperdrive level. This is a very large ship with a relatively small Jaffa population. If you've got any 'luck' left I'd suggest you use it now to get us down there undetected. Let's go."
Gabriel didn't leave any time for a response. Despite his recent condition he seemed to have no trouble getting to his feet. He walked up to Sam and took her hand. Sam wasn't used to being lead around like this, but under the circumstances she decided to accept it.
The door seemed to make an ungodly amount of noise as it slid open. Cautiously looking out into the hall they found it blessedly empty. They trotted down the hall a few doors until they came to the transport room. Gabriel hesitantly stepped into the ring pattern on the floor bringing Sam with him.
"I hate these things." Gabriel muttered.
"Really? Why?"
"I don't like things that I don't understand."
"Don't understand? Isn't this Niacine technology?"
"No." Gabriel shook his head. "Most of this ship's technology has been stolen from some civilization after the Niacines. We didn't have much need for ships, so we never put too much effort into them."
"Do you know how the Hyperdrive works?" Sam asked.
"No clue." Gabriel admitted. "Which is why I didn't ask you to stay hidden."
Sam was about to tell Gabriel in no uncertain terms that she could take care of herself when he activated the rings. She had to admit that she wasn't fond of the StarTrek-esk beaming of the rings, but it was better than walking at the moment.
When the rings brought them down to the lower level they found themselves with some company. Before the lone Jaffa guard could figure out if they were friend or foe Sam lifted up her hand device and knocked him violently against the wall. He left a thick smear of blood on the wall as he slid to the floor.
"Remind me to stay on your good side." Gabriel noted. "You're getting better with that thing."
"I still miss my gun."
"And I still say it's a inefficient weapon."
"It's kept me alive for years."
"Hard to argue with that." Gabriel chuckled.
Stepping out of the ring room their luck held and they didn't encounter any more Jaffa on their way to the Hyperdrive control. Sam had feared that the room would be heavily guarded, but apparently most of the crew was busy searching the ship for them.
The Crystal Room was enormous, with a multitude of metal columns stretching from the floor to the vaulted ceiling. In the center of the room was the Maindrive that held the Crystals for the bulk of the ship's power and the Hyperdrive. With Gabriel's help Sam pulled the metal access panel off and exposed the multi coloured Crystals.
Sam took off her hand device to allow her to work more easily. Gabriel watched with fascination as she rearranged the coloured stones. He didn't ask any questions and made sure to keep out of the way. Sam worked with the Crystals for about half an hour before stepping back.
"Okay, that should head us back towards PX4-927."
"That's fascinating, I didn't even feel a change in momentum."
"That's because Hyperspace isn't subject to the normal rules of physics."
"Ah, yes, well rules were made to be broken."
"Not so much broken, as bent." Sam smiled. "It was a little more dangerous to alter the Hyperspace Directional Field without coming to a stop first, but this way the Jaffa won't know we've turned around and so they hopefully won't look for us here."
"Brilliant." Gabriel beamed.
"Yeah, well, it's not a perfect plan. We have no real way of knowing when we're actually there."
"Are we going the same speed as before?"
"No, I'm pushing it about five times as fast. Anshar didn't have this bird anywhere near top speed."
"He was in no hurry to get to Ba'al." Gabriel growled. "Anyway, that means it will take about a fifth of the time, we'll just stop the ship then. In about six hours."
"That's no guarantee that we'll be above the planet."
"We don't have to get it exact. The Gate can make the adjustments, within a few billion miles."
"Really?" Sam asked shocked.
"It will take a little tinkering, and trial and error, but I can do it."
"The same way that we had to adjust for the shift before we could get anywhere other than Abydos."
"Exactly." Gabriel nodded.
"Then I guess there is nothing to do now but wait."
"If you don't mind keeping an eye on the time I really could use some rest."
Sam had been hoping to finally get some answers out of Gabriel, however he did truly look weary and she found herself nodding. He gave her a very Jaffa-like bow and retreated to the side wall. He laid down on the hard floor on his side and tried to make himself comfortable.
After a moment of indecision Sam walked over and joined him. Gabriel looked up at her in shock when she sat down and offered him her lap as a pillow. He hesitantly accepted the offer like an outdoor dog being allowed into the house for the first time.
"Thank you."
"It's the least I can do." Sam replied with a sad smile. "I never did get a chance to thank you for saving me from what amounts to a fate worse than death around here."
"I should have helped you the moment you stepped foot on this wretched ship."
"Why didn't you?"
"I guess I was just being a coward."
"I find that hard to believe."
Gabriel didn't respond. He just took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Sam looked at the white streak in his hair and wondered what could have caused it. Something was telling her that it wasn't something his host had possessed before.
"Gabriel?"
"Yes?"
"Will you at least tell me what happened to Rea'beka?"
Gabriel didn't respond right away. Sam could feel him tense at the mention of her name. However eventually he sighed and relaxed again.
"She wasn't happy." He said quietly.
"With you?"
"Partly, but mostly with Idlewyld. It is difficult living in a dead city. Very little of the population survived, and the people who live there are simple folk. And the memories locked in that place started to prove too much for either of us to bear."
"Why didn't you leave together?"
"Because without Idlewyld I really didn't belong in her life. She...she had a family."
"What?"
"A husband and a young son that she had left behind. When she learned from me that her homeworld was most likely unaffected by the 'Plague' she desperately wished to return. I couldn't blame her, and I had no right to stop her."
"So who is this new host?"
"Sam, please, I am very tired, and if we have to fight out way out of here I will need all my strength."
Sam couldn't find the words to argue with Gabriel. Nor did he seem to be lying about his condition, for in seconds his breathing slowed in sleep. Sam sighed and looked around the empty Crystal room, hoping it would stay that way.
A few hours past uneventfully. Sam found herself playing with Gabriel's long hair out of sheer boredom. She stopped when he suddenly rolled over onto his back. The silk jacket he wore fell open, revealing the small leather case that he carried.
An hour went by before Sam worked up the courage to become a pick pocket. Carefully lifting the case out of its place Sam stayed motionless to see if Gabriel would wake. He remained locked in an almost coma like state.
Sam opened the case slowly. She had actually thought that some of Daniel might have rubbed off on him and that it might be a journal of some sort. However, even though she knew that this was Gabriel, not Daniel, the contents of the case still took her by surprise.
On one side it contained six small glass vials, held into place by specially made pockets. She pulled one out and inspected the bright green fluid that it held. It had a slight phosphorescent glow to it. Curiosity made her want to make her pull the rubber stopper off, however common sense won out.
Replacing the vial she moved the flap of cloth that protected the other side of the open case. Her breath hissed sharply across her teeth at the sight of the glass and silver syringe.
"You weren't injured," Sam whispered "you were suffering some sort of withdrawal."
Not knowing what else to do she closed the case and replaced it in Gabriel's pocket. As much as she hated to admit it she couldn't get out of this on her own. She still needed his help and his protection. There was no sense in confronting him about this now.
The same luck that had helped them reach the Hyperdrive in the first place lasted several more hours and it was finally time to stop the ship and try to make it to, and through, the Stargate. She made mental note to tell Gabriel that they would have to jump to the Alpha site in order to avoid being flattened by the Iris.
"Sam?" Gabriel asked sleepily as she woke him.
"It's time to try and stop this thing."
"Try?"
Sam chuckled. She actually had full confidence in her ability to stop the ship. The Stargate was going to be the hardest part of their plan. It seemed statically unlikely that they were close enough to the planet to ring down, so they would have to take the alternate route.
While Sam walked over to the main power Crystals Gabriel sat up and started to work the kinks out of his neck. Stopping the massive ship didn't take nearly as long as turning it around. Sam slid the last Crystal into place, shifting colour of the main Crystal.
"Okay, Gabriel, that shou..."
Sam was cut off with a sharp cry as a Zat blast caught her in the back. Her hand had still been resting on the main power Crystal which cracked violently and threw her back to the floor. The ship was momentarily plunged into darkness until the low lights of the auxiliary systems flickered on.
"Sam!"
Gabriel scrambled to his feet. When the Jaffa entered the room Gabriel knocked him back with enough force in the hand device pulse to kill him instantly. Four more stepped into the room and Gabriel didn't hesitate to kill them as well. The cost of his actions were instantly evident as he stumbled and fell to his knees. He snarled in frustration at this weakness.
He could hear others in the hall, but now they hesitated to approach. Forcing himself back to his feet he commanded the door to close and lock. He rushed to Sam's side and knelt beside her. She lay sprawled out on the floor, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
Terrified by her stillness Gabriel pressed his fingertips against her throat and found her pulse to be racing, but strong. He put his hand on her chest and felt its soft rise and fall. Relieved that she appeared to be at least in stable condition he brushed the small trail of blood away from her lips.
Outside
the door the Jaffa were making a large amount of noise as more of
them arrived. He looked at the closed door as they began
to break through and sighed heavily.
Seemingly unconcerned Gabriel
turned back to Sam and gently smoothed out her hair. He
leaned down and kissed her brow as if she was only sleeping
peacefully.
"You're going to be alright, Samantha, and when you wake up you'll be home...I promise."
