Chapter 9
Author's Note
I'm really really sorry that I took so long to update this. Christmas and the New Year took me by surprise! I hate other authors that do this and now I've turned into one of them! Hopefully, this long chapter will start to make up for it.
Jack O'Neill found himself waiting outside the General's office, cursing Teal'c. It was his crazy idea; he should be the one standing here.
"Colonel? Can I help you?"
"Hi, sir. Now before I bring this up, I would like to mention that it is all Teal'c's idea and if you want to punish someone, it should be him."
"Colonel, will you just get to the point."
"Okay, we know that Hera had a lot of Jaffa on her planet. And Teal'c' seems to think that we can persuade them that the Goa'uld are false gods and they can be free, yadda, yadda, yadda."
"What do you think of this idea, Colonel?"
"Well, at this point, I'm worried that if we go back to the planet and there's hundreds of Jaffa willing to follow Carter, she'll take up her position as "goddess"
"You think she'd do that?"
"I don't know. But I do know that there's a whole lot of technology on that planet that has the power to do a lot of damage to us. And if we can't use it, we should destroy it."
"I hate to admit it Jack but I think you're right. You have to get rid of the machinery. Major Carter is probably the only way you can get to the planet and do that without getting yourself killed."
"I knew you'd say that. When do we leave?"
When he left Hammond's office, he went to Sam's lab and found her staring blankly into space.
"Carter?"
"Oh, sorry, sir."
"We're going to Hera's homeworld tomorrow."
Her face drained of all color but she answered steadily. "What for, sir?"
"If Hera used the technology and nearly wiped us out, another Goa'uld could do the same. We have to destroy the machines and stop the threat."
"Of course, sir."
"If you don't want to go…."
"I'll be fine sir. I might even be able to recognize what some of the machines are for."
After Jack had left, Sam convinced herself to do something that had been bothering her.
She entered the infirmary unbothered and made her way to the bed in which the prone First Prime rested.
Guilt threatened to take over her. This had been the worst thing she had ever done. As if sensing her presence, Nil'ac's eyes fluttered open.
"My Queen?"
Sam backed away, debating whether to run or not.
"Did I displease you?"
The confusion and pain in the Jaffa's voice stopped Sam from fleeing. He seemed so…human.
"I did not mean to anger you, my lady. Please tell me what I did so I can correct it."
"I…I'm not your Queen."
"Of course you are. You are my goddess."
"No, I'm really not."
Nil'ac waited patiently for her to continue.
"My name is Samantha Carter. I'm a Tau'ri, from Earth."
"Yes, your body was. But then the goddess overtook the body, defying death."
"No, that's not true. Hera wasn't a goddess."
"Why do you say such things, my Queen?"
"I'm not your Queen!"
Nilac recoiled at her harsh tone and fell silent while Sam considered how best to explain.
"Hera wasn't a goddess. She was a Goa'uld. They are a race of parasites that take over bodies. The parasite left that other body and entered mine at my neck."
Here, Sam showed him the thin white scar at the back of her neck.
"She…it took control of my body but I was still in there. I just couldn't do anything."
"You are lying."
"Be a lot easier if I was."
"How do I know that this isn't just a test from my goddess?"
"I guess you don't know. But I just wanted to apologize."
"So, it was you, Samantha Carter and not Hera that attacked me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"When you…spent the night with Hera, I was aware of it but couldn't stop it from happening. Then when you touched me this morning, I...overreacted."
"So you did not want to spend the night with me?"
"No. Hera did but I didn't."
"Then I am the one that must apologize to you."
"No, I…How about we just say we're equal?"
"Agreed. What happened to the…parasite?"
"It's dead. It was trying to make you into slaves and you don't need to be. I work with Apophis' First Prime, Teal'c. He saw that the Goa'uld are false gods and helps to free other Jaffa now."
"I would like to meet Teal'c."
"In the morning, okay? I have to leave otherwise your doctor wont be happy."
Here, the battle hardened Jaffa looked worried. "Doctor Fraiser is most strict."
"Don't worry, I wont tell her you were talking to me."
"Thank you. And goodnight Samantha Carter."
Sam left the infirmary to the safety of her own office. Out of sight, behind one of the other beds, Janet Fraiser stepped out of the shadows with a relieved smile on her face. Maybe Sam was finally getting better.
Authors Note
I hope you all enjoyed this. I'm sorry if anyone thought that what Nil'ac said was a little unbelievable. Call it creative licensing.
