Chapter 10
Lois lucked out. After cross referencing what she knew to be a reliable Superman fanatic blog with the Farrow-Marshall Aeronautic holdings made public record she found one plausible location for where her hero may be. So dressed in all black with her handheld video camera in her right hand she slowly picked her way into the building.
At first, she found it odd how little security there was. And then she noticed them - large men standing still as statues with strange tattoos on their foreheads. Having noticed them she found it quite easy to avoid them and thought it would be odd for security to be this blatant. But for the life of her she found no cameras which made her wonder what could possibly be going on.
Eventually she found herself in a long hall with a few doors on either side. Upon further investigation, she discovered three to be abandoned offices, likely leftover from whatever the warehouse held in its former life. Creeping along the hall, she made her way to the ominous door at the end and quietly turned it and peeked in only to see a rather old and unsteady set of stairs leading to what was likely a basement.
Taking a large gulp and figuring if she got this far, she might as well go all the way, Lois crept down the stairs, wincing at the inevitable creak every few steps. You can do it Lane, she kept telling herself along with Pulitzer. However, when she got to the bottom what she saw frightened her more than anything she had up until now imagined.
In the middle of a green laced cage, Superman lay obviously in pain surrounded by what appeared to be dead snakes. Reluctantly, she crept forward, her camera hand shaking when she saw a man, his face grimacing as he did something to cause her hero to yelp every few minutes. Her camera facing the villain, she nearly leapt back when his eyes suddenly glowed.
"I'm impressed Superman - you've been so far unable to blend with a Goa'uld. I wonder, is that something innate to your physiology, or perhaps it is something in your will I can break. And I promise you, be it in a few hours or a few years your will will break." At this point, Lois was close enough to see the mixture of fear and conviction staining Superman's eyes.
"I will never do anything that would cause harm to the people of Earth." Clark responded with a strength he didn't even know he had left. Lois felt her eyes water.
"That's a shame. I really hoped this would be easy. Pity. But it is irrelevant, I have waited eons for this I will not be impatient. Whatever it takes, you will turn." The man smirked.
"What are you going to tell me next, that your my father? That I'm destined to join the dark side? I will never turn. This isn't some movie where if you torture me enough I will join you. I am good. I will die before I help you harm the people I have sworn to protect." With all the strength he had left, he struggled to stand up and face his torturer. Lois found the comment rather corny but it also bugged her somehow for some completely unrelated reason.
The moment was over though when Ba'll pressed a button causing Superman to convulse in pain. Lois shuddered at the horrific laugh and found herself covering her eyes and ears. She had decided it was time to figure out a logical escape plan when she felt movement coming close to her.
"Miss Lane. So nice of you to join us. My soldiers told me you had entered my compound. Don't look so baffled; you humans are too primitive to understand our technology. Kree!" Ba'll commanded two of his Jaffa to bring the girl to the front of the cage where Superman could see her.
Crap. She thought, realizing the innate flaw in not having a plan.
Chloe sat in front of her many monitors, head set on and performed equipment checks on every member of her team as well as SG-1. The team of superheroes seemed to clash with the BDU's the stargate team boasted but Chloe felt the plan was solid and so long as there were no surprises everything should go off without a hitch.
"Alright, is everyone ready?" She asked the teams as she watched everyones status and confirmed that everyone was in place. "Cyborg, you and Carter are up."
While Cyborg was normally sufficient in taking out any security system, Carter reluctantly pointed out to them that this wouldn't be any Earth security system and would likely elude them. Sure enough, the system was nearly undetectable. A small spatial anomaly barely registered and it was lucky that they found it. Working together, Carter and Cyborg adjusted the crystals to allow them access to the base without setting off any alarms.
"Security system has been breached. Teal'c and Batman - you're up." The group all heard Chloe's announcement. The next phase was hotly debated amongst the justice league. It involved strategically eliminating the Jaffa guards in a way that wouldn't alert the rest of the base. Bart and Dinah argued that they could do it most efficiently because of their added powers. However, it was decided in the end that Batman and Teal'c would be the most successful given their tactics.
Chloe watched from Isis from the perspective of Batman's night vision camera. Teal'c and Batman, both dressed completely in black, were at a great advantage since the bulky Jaffa armor stuck out even in the dark. Slowly but diligently they took out each target as silently as possible until they found themselves in an empty hallway.
"Phase two completed. Okay guys - now's the hard part. Bart - you're up." Since they wouldn't know what they were up against until - well - they were there, it was determined Bart would run down and scope out the situation so they could get a better idea what to expect. Of course, Bart wanted to do this before they started the whole mission but Chloe didn't want to risk setting off their alarm system and causing the base to go on lockdown. So now Bart gave the rest of the over sized group of heroes a rough salute before sprinting downstairs and back up.
"We have a problem." He breathed into his mouth piece.
"You have better be joking Bart." Chloe said, her breath held.
"It's Lois."
Lois was only barely aware that her video camera was now likely broken on the other side of the room. She was utterly focused on the man in front of her.
Two Jaffa guards held her arms high behind her back, in a position forcing her to unwillingly bow down to Ba'll. She looked up with her eyes and saw the pain reflected back in Superman's. For a moment she felt a connection unlike anything she'd ever felt - but there was also so much pain. She shook her head and tried to mouth "don't."
"So what's it going to be Superman? If you join me I'll let your precious reporter go. If you refuse, I'll kill her. And don't think I won't - I have no love for humanity." Lois looked at him and tried to express though her voice failed her that he couldn't do it. And then something happened she least expected.
"Lois." Superman started. "I love you." He told her, and then turned towards Ba'll. Oh no. Lois thought to herself. She wasn't going to let her stupid inquisitive nature cause the end of the world. In a last ditch effort with the knowledge she would die if she did nothing, she jumped back, pulling her legs through her arms like a really painful jump rope. The surprise and unexpected force of her legs forced the Jaffa to release her and fall to the ground. She ran towards Superman's cage, hoping to find some way to release him, completely ignoring all the 'Krees' coming from behind her.
"I'm sorry." She told him unaware of what else to say or do as she fumbled around for some sort of on or off switch. She thought she had found it when she felt a sharp pain hit the back of her head.
"Well that was cute. But fruitless. You are a mortal, not strong enough to challenge the might of a God." Ba'll continued on.
"Hey Ba'll," came a shout from near the stairs, "why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
"You've gotta be kidding me." Chloe mumbled once Bart explained that Lois had also been captured. Of course Lois would be there. "Well, we've got no choice. Everything else should go to plan - let's just hope this works people." The group headed down, SG-1 a few steps ahead of the capes.
"Hey Ba'll," Mitchell started, "why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
Ba'll grimaced as he took in the five, "Well, if it isn't SG-1! I guess this wouldn't have been complete without you showing up to attempt to save the day."
"What can I say - we're stubborn." Jackson responded. Meanwhile, the capes crept in, only Oliver accidentally stepped a little too hard on one of the stairs drawing attention to himself.
"Trying to distract me. Nice try." Ba'll smiled and his eyes glowed.
"Now!" Chloe yelled into all their ear pieces and the capes simultaneously but on sunglasses and Bruce threw a round object on the ground causing Ba'll and his Jaffa to cover his eyes. SG-1 completely dissappeared from sight as the justice league methodically eliminated every Jaffa in the room. By the time the last Jaffa was down, the effects of Bruce's device had worn off and Ba'll was blatantly furious.
"You fools!" He stated in a way very reminiscent of Anubis before turning the ribbon device back on Lois. The capes just smiled as the device had no effect on her. Lois flickered before too disappearing, leaving a stunned Ba'll and an equally confused Superman.
The Jaffa out of the way, the Justice League focused on Ba'll. Green Arrow started shooting arrows at the Goa'uld and became a little disheartened when none would penetrate his advanced personal shield. Ba'll began to smile as Batman tried throwing a punch his way only to be thrown back. Impulse ran at the alien but too was rebutted and slid back and hit the wall, barely conscious. Black Canary gave her best cry and it literally fell on deaf ears. Ba'll was preparing to say something witty when the thing he least expected happened.
The green that reflected throughout the room faded and the capes as well as Ba'll turned to watch as Superman regained his strength. For the first time, Ba'll was filled with fear for the man he intended to use. With the strength of a hundred men, Superman punched through Ba'll's personal field, knocking him unconscious.
"Hey Supes how ya doin?" Impulse asked, a bright smile on his face.
"I've been better." He responded, still confused on what happened.
From behind the kryptonite cage, Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, and Vala Mal Doran suddenly approached the group much to the continued confusion of Superman.
"What happened?" He asked.
A few hours ago
"So what's the plan?" Daniel asked.
"Well..." Oliver began, "we're going to trick him."
"How?" Chloe asked.
"Using Asgard Hologram technology." Mitchell began to explain, looking quite pleased with himself. "What Ba'll doesn't realize is that Thor is still in Earth's orbit and will not be happy with the fact that Superman is captured. Thor will help us to eliminate any anti-beaming technology around the fortress."
"Okay so if it's that easy why don't we just beam Ba'll on up to the Odyssey?" Chloe asked.
"The problem is, Ba'll most likely has a personal anti-beaming device. Not only that, but since we've never beamed Superman before and given the affects kryptonite has on him...we really don't want to take the risk." Mitchell continued. "So, when we take down the security system we're going to add a little crystal courtesy of the Asgard which will give us free reign to beam in and out of there"
"So then, after the alarm system is taken care of, we'll knock out whatever Jaffa are personally guarding the place, and then SG-1 will beam out and return as holograms." Vala smiled as she told them the plan simply.
"Wait a minute - you expect him to buy this?" Chloe asked.
"Asgard hologram technology is much more advanced, Ba'll won't be able to tell the difference and probably won't expect us to have it." Carter explained being the expert on all technology gathered from the gate.
"Okay okay, as holograms and therefore not in danger, we'll go directly in there." Mitchell stated.
"Not until I check out the place!" Bart chipped in, to which the rest of the planners rolled their eyes and nodded.
"Now while we're taunting Ba'll and distracting him, you all will sneak in, only someone's gotta make a noise - make Ba'll think he's gaining the upper hand - then BAM!" Mitchell explained with a big punch.
"Bam?" Inquired Daniel.
"Batman will use one of his many gadgets to blind the Jaffa and Ba'll and give the five of us free reign to basically eliminate all the Jaffa." Oliver explained.
"Okay..." Chloe nodded her head trying to figure out where all of this was going.
"Now, the light show will fade and Ba'll will be there, with no Jaffa against five superheroes. Only one problem..." Mitchell explained.
"His personal shield." Carter finished.
"Exactly. Now that thing is massively strong. As in he stole it from Anubis strong and we can't count on Danny boy ascending - no offense." Mitchell continued.
"None taken."
"So anyway, the only person whose going to be strong enough to get through would be..." Mitchell asked.
"Superman." Chloe began to understand. "Only one problem. We figure Superman's captured so how's he going to do this?"
"Ah, now this is my favorite part!" Vala said cheerfully. "The five of you are going to basically give Ba'll your 'best shot'. Really try and get him, pull out all the stops. And again, make him believe he has the upper hand. Meanwhile, Sam, Daniel and I will beam in on the now Jaffa-less side of room and figure out how to free Superman."
"Genius." Chloe said, nodding her head impressed.
"So what happened with Lois? Was it all fake?" Superman asked, a little alarmed.
"Oh Lois..." Chloe sighed.
20 Minutes Ago
"You've gotta be kidding me." Chloe mumbled once Bart explained that Lois had also been captured. Of course Lois would be there. "Well, we've got no choice. Everything else should go to plan - let's just hope this works people."
"Odyssey this is Chloe." Chloe connected with the space ship.
"Hey Chloe it's O'Neill...what's going on?" He asked.
"Well, it appears that Lois, my roommate, went chasing after Superman and got herself caught. So when the BAM happens, do you think you could beam her up and then down to our apartment and replace her with a hologram?" Chloe asked, keeping an eye on her watch realizing there was little time.
"No problem." O'Neill responded.
"Update guys, after the BAM, Lois will just be a hologram. Your welcome."
"Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you beamed Lois to your apartment? She's gotta be freaking out." Superman said worriedly.
"Yeah. I'm a bit scared about that to be honest but better that than dead." Chloe explained with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Well, as fun as this is, I vote we get out of here!" Daniel suggested. Bruce and Oliver proceeded to pick up the unconcious Goa'uld and drag him out of the warehouse.
"Glad to have you back." Chloe smiled at her friend.
"Glad to be back." Superman told her and everyone else.
A/N: Sorry for the massive delay in update. Thanksgiving and work excuses excuses...I hope this long and eventful chapter did something to make up for it :)