Chapter 13 - Danger
"Is all ready?" asked Jolinar, walking in on Martouf and two other Tok'ra in the small chamber that served as a ready room.
"So it would seem," said Martouf. "Kasuf has unburied the Abydos gate, and we have made contact once again. He will only allow you and Sha're to come through, though—until we remove Amonet from Sha're, he will not be fully satisfied that we speak the truth."
"Old men," said Jolinar, shaking her head.
"Fathers, more like," said Martouf, his hands loosely clasped behind his back. "The Council informed me that they are very concerned with letting Sha're go on this mission. She could give birth any day, and Amonet is only under sedation—they are afraid she will escape."
"That will not happen," said Jolinar.
"So I told them," said Martouf. "They are willing to let you have this last chance."
Jolinar scanned the various items on the table in front of her. "These?"
"Sedation for Amonet, should you stay that long," said Martouf. "A personal shield, should Samantha's friends prove hasty."
"That is all?" asked Jolinar.
"You expected more?" asked Martouf.
Jolinar gave a small smile, and picked the small devices up.
Lantash spoke next. "You are looking well," he said, looking her up and down.
"Samantha is influencing my excitement for this," said Jolinar with a sigh.
"That is not what I meant," said Lantash smiling. "You have rarely chosen such a look."
Jolinar glanced down at herself. "Ah." She had allowed Sam to arrange her hair in Sam's old fashion, and Sam had been surprised at how her hair had grown since she last wore it where the length was noticeable. Also, she had specifically requested a simple beige Tok'ra suit, one like Jolinar would not own.
"You look very approachable," said Lantash. Jolinar grimaced, and Lantash smiled. He stepped forward, putting a hand on her arm. "These safety measures—they do not eliminate all danger."
"Samantha assures me it will not come to that," said Jolinar. "She believes that Sha're will be proof beyond what her friends can deny, and it will be 'smooth sailing' from then on. And I have met her friends before, I do not believe Daniel would pose any danger to me, even if he was trying to."
"Remember that you represent the Tok'ra," Lantash added warningly. "You made a poor first contact—second chances are not freely given, so you must try even harder."
Jolinar shook her head a little, but reached up to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Samantha insists that I should not keep Sha're waiting. Abydos will be ready to receive us shortly."
Lantash wrapped his arms around her, giving a little squeeze. "Very well then."
ooooooo
"So, Abydos then," said Jack as the pre-mission briefing ended. "I miss the place."
"Yeah," said Daniel a little sadly, picking up his papers. "It's too bad you have to go to Washington—I think they'd like to see you again there."
"Well, Hammond says the President has a busy schedule," said Jack shrugging, then stretching and rising from his seat.
"And this is my one chance, yeah, I know," said Daniel. "Teal'c said he'd go with me. Dixon offered to come too, but I don't think I'll need anyone but Teal'c. He deserves a day off anyway, to see the kids."
"Yeah, I'll miss them too," said Jack fondly, resting his hands on the back of the chair.
"You okay with all this, going to Washington?" asked Daniel, putting on his glasses again as he stood up.
"You mean accepting a medal that should have gone to Carter as well?" said Jack.
Daniel nodded, expecting more.
Jack shook his head. "Doesn't really matter what I think. It hurts, but life hurts, and only salesmen say otherwise." He shrugged again, as if that could distract from the dead seriousness of what he said.
"It's 'life is pain', Jack," said Daniel, not knowing what to say and so humoring him.
"That movie got a lot of things right," said Jack without expression, turning to leave the room. "See ya tomorrow, then, before you go?"
"Sure," said Daniel.
ooooooo
Sam and Sha're sat on the steps leading up to the Gate. The sun was high and bright, and the winds were low. Every so often Sha're would sigh, and hold her belly close. They were just waiting for the scheduled time, so Kasuf would know they were not enemies.
"Jolinar told me that they modified the personal shield," said Sam, breaking the silence. "It will shield us both, if necessary."
"Why would it be necessary?" asked Sha're, shifting slightly so that she could look at Sam.
"Who knows," said Sam, shrugging. "I don't think you're in any danger, but I have this feeling that the SGC has ordered that I be stunned on sight."
There was a pause. "Ooh, why did my son not come sooner?" moaned Sha're. "He has been almost ready for the past week, with false signs and all, but he has not come. Why will he not make up his mind?"
"We'll be fine," assured Sam.
Sha're winced.
"What have you decided to call him?" asked Sam, hoping to distract Sha're from the discomfort of a long pregnancy.
"Shifu," said Sha're.
"That's nice," said Sam, smiling. "It sounds—quiet, and peaceful."
"It was not a good choice," said Sha're, wrapping her arms around where Shifu was protesting. "He has a powerful will to live and be free, even though he cannot make up his mind. I will be very pleased when this is over."
They fell silent again, fidgeting a little in the warm sunlight as they waited. It had been thought best by all parties that Sam and Sha're should go a day early, to prepare and so that there was no chance they would miss Daniel's arrival. The only thing that had not been discussed was what should happen if Daniel believed them. Sha're was not freed yet, and would have to return to the Tok'ra, and Sam also could not leave. This was just to begin negotiations, open the door, so was the assumption. Sam hoped they could convince Daniel to come back here with them, so he could see it all for himself, but she had no idea what ideas he had come up with since they had parted.
She glanced over to Sha're, who once again was breathing steadily through a contraction. "You'll be all right?" she asked.
"Yes," said Sha're. "It is only every few minutes or so."
Sam frowned. "Isn't that a sign of pre-labor?"
Sha're gave one long roll of her eyes. "If only, Sa'm, if only. I have been troubled for several days now with such signs, leading to nothing. And they may go on for days yet."
"Well, just to be safe, we'll try to keep this short," said Sam, a little worried but accepting Sha're's word.
A few more minutes passed, and Sam grew even more fidgety. It was almost over, this waiting, and soon there would be even more waiting on the other side of the gate.
"Oh," said Sha're, her face pained. "Oh, they are worse this morning."
Sam looked to her again, face worried.
Then, all in a moment, Sha're doubled over and began trembling. "Sha're!" said Sam, brow furrowing, rushing over to her side.
"Amonet," Sha're gasped, her whole body shaking, a little foam starting up at the corner of her mouth. She closed her eyes and continued shaking.
"Oh god, not this, not now," murmured Sam, worry filling her heart. She reached for her communicator. "I need help, now! Sha're has gone into convulsions, and I think Amonet may be rebelling." Concern all that was in her heart, she held the shaking unconscious woman close to her, rocking back and forth as she waited for the Tok'ra. "This is not happening," she muttered.
~Why would Amonet choose now?~ Sam asked Jolinar. ~And I thought she was subdued.~
*We have never tried to subdue a symbiote for so long,* said Jolinar, not as steady as usually. *And if she suspected that the baby was being born...perhaps she has finally decided her plan is not worth it, and she must try to use both these lives as bargaining chips.*
The Tok'ra came running from behind the hill, and in a few moments they had ringed down and were on their way to the Tok'ra infirmary, all talking all at once and trying to get the right information. Some were trying to get her on a stretcher, another scrambled for various devices, still another was checking her airway and vital signs, and all were passing on the information in Goa'uld that she could not understand. In a few moments, they were in the infirmary and Sha're was being moved.
Sam was overwhelmed, and held back, watching as things seemed to grow worse. She sat down, wishing to bury her head in her hands, but unable to withdraw her gaze from the horrific scene. Sha're was shaking violently, as four Tok'ra tried to hold her still so she wouldn't hurt herself or anyone else. Her eyes were rolled back in her head, unseeing, and her breathing came in jolts. Then suddenly, she spoke, but it was not Sha're:
"Free me, or they both die!"
Larys and Dorin, the other Tok'ra doctor, shared a look, and then Larys plunged a needle into Sha're's neck. "I think not," he said. "Dorin?" He began gathering instruments and devices in a hurry.
"We need to clear the room," said Dorin, speaking mostly to Sam. "Amonet will try to kill the child, so we must induce labor and hope that she will not kill the host instead. Time is of the essence."
Sam nodded, unable to speak, and let herself be ushered out of the room. Sitting outside the door, Jolinar silently trying to provide moral support, she waited. There was no window, no observation room, and not even sounds could be heard. She was in the dark both literally and figuratively. A few minutes later and Martouf and Lantash joined her, having come with all the speed they could. Sitting down next to her, they said nothing but put an arm on her shoulder. Accepting the comfort, Sam leaned on theirs.
"I thought we had planned for everything," she said after a moment. "I thought luck was going to be on our side."
"Maybe it still is," said Martouf quietly.
"I thought that before, but every step seems to prove that thought false," she said.
"You found Sha're and made it safely here, did you not?" asked Martouf.
"Yes, well maybe it was some elaborate plan to build up my hope so it could all crash down," muttered Sam.
Martouf squeezed her shoulder gently. "Larys and Dorin are the best we have to offer, and they are determined to save both lives. I do not believe today will end in tragedy."
"And tomorrow? How can I go alone?" said Sam. "How can I face—"
"Don't worry about tomorrow," said Martouf. "Come, you should eat or drink something, you look very pale."
"I want to stay here," said Sam, resolutely.
"Very well," said Martouf, shifting his arm and standing up. "I will bring you something, then."
Sitting alone, Sam stared at the crystals on the tunnel wall, and felt their contours beneath her fingers on the bench where she sat, overanalyzing their simplicity in a vain attempt to focus. When Martouf brought back a warm tea-like drink a little later, she didn't feel better, but at least it gave her something mundane to do and so she was grateful. Jolinar wasn't speaking and neither was Martouf, and Sam didn't know if she was frustrated or appreciative with them both. Martouf eventually left to inform Kasuf of a delay, keeping the details secret for the time. But whatever was going on behind those closed doors, it was urgent enough that no one sent any word in three hours.
Sam had started to feel guilty just as she realized she had not worried like this for Sha're all those times when she was a prisoner of the Goa'uld, and now was in this position only because of Sam. To be sure, it was to save Sha're and Shifu from the Goa'uld, but if they both died—or worse, if only Shifu died—would Sha're not feel at least the same guilt that Sam would? She held onto Martouf, willing herself not to think of all that was going wrong. Sha're would survive, Shifu would survive, they would make it home, it would all work out.
Finally, after Sam had dozed off and the next few hours had flown by, the door opened and Dorin came out. Sam jerked awake and rose to meet her.
"The situation is very grave, but under control," she said quietly. "We induced Sha're's labor, but the stress her body was under made it a very difficult process, and it required a great deal of help. Amonet made a last stand and tried to poison them both, and we had to hastily remove her without much sedation. We think she developed a significant tolerance to it over the past weeks. Currently, the child is under intensive care at the moment, and so is Sha're, but the odds of their healthy survival are too ever-changing to determine. I must return immediately."
She did not wait for an answer, but moved to leave.
"Wait," said Sam, stretching out her hand. "Thank you."
Dorin nodded once, and quickly returned into the infirmary.
Sam sat back down with a long sigh, and put her face in her hands. "God," she murmured.
It was still going to be a long wait through that day.
ooooooo
From a deep recess in his lab, Daniel had unearthed his old Abydonian robes. Despite his instincts, he had not touched or cleaned them since the day he returned, and it was unfortunately obvious. Abydos had always signified something more tangible and real than his old world, and he hadn't wanted to sully it with the sharp scent of laundry detergent, or even the absence of scent from dry cleaning. Besides, how was he going to explain that to the dry cleaning lady?
No, for a moment, Daniel buried himself in the pungent scent—full of sand, oils, spices, and simply-made soap. He could even imagine, closing his eyes, that he could sense Sha're. But it was imagination only, and he didn't want to think on that scene. It would be nice to wear these robes once again, and he added, sobering, to remind him of all that he and Sha're had fought for.
"Hey there, that looks interesting," said Dave Dixon, walking past the lab and halting. "That's from Abydos, right?"
"Yes," said Daniel, looking at his teammate. "I'll be wearing it tomorrow, and I thought it should air out a little."
"Do I want to know why that's so important?" asked Dixon.
Daniel shook his head with a slight, weary smile. "You're out of uniform," he commented.
"Yes, I am," said Dixon with a smile, leaning against the doorframe. "Colonel O'Neill authorized my day off, and I'm off to see the wife and ankle-biters."
"I still haven't met your family," said Daniel, letting the robes hang limply in his hands. "How many kids do you have?"
"Three," said Dixon with a slight flinch. "But you don't want to see them—all whining and drooling and jumping on the furniture."
Daniel shrugged. "I don't mind. Maybe we should get the team together sometime."
"You all don't have families though," said Dixon frowning, "so wouldn't that be—uncomfortable? And can Teal'c come off base?"
"I think you'd be surprised," said Daniel to the first question. "I don't know about Teal'c; I'll have to give it more thought."
"I'm not sure if my family deserves to be subjected to Mckay, though, to be honest," said Dixon, his arms lightly crossing across his chest. "What's he doing tomorrow anyway?"
"Back to his old haunting grounds, so I hear," said Daniel, laying the robes out on his desk now since the magic had come and gone. "Research and development."
"Cool," said Dixon without inflection. "I guess I'll see you in a couple days then, right? Colonel O'Neill will kill me if you get into trouble and I wasn't there, so keep sharp!"
"Right," said Daniel. "Keep sharp for the people who've been waiting anxiously for my return...I may have poor news, but there's no danger, really."
"Well, with two members, this is an SG-1 mission, and you know what that means," said Dixon with a significant look, lightly tapping the doorframe as he stood up straight again.
"I'll be fine," said Daniel, nodding.
Dixon gave him a half smile, then continued on his way.
Daniel was alone again, but it wasn't such a melancholy alone-ness now—Daniel liked Dixon because he made everything practical without descending to the depths of Jack's cynicism. Those two were similar, but Dixon had enough cheer in his life to keep him from the bitterness. Daniel understood Jack and liked him when thing were going well, but he preferred Dixon when things started going south. And especially when that meant that Jack was stuck with Rodney...not that Daniel was evil or anything, but as his two most frustrating teammates, he appreciated that they spent many of their irritant times on each other instead of him.
But now, Dixon's mere presence had reminded him that this wasn't a final farewell, and there was no need yet to get mournful. He gave a fond smile, and smoothed out a wrinkle on his robes. He'd leave work early today, to clear his mind as much as possible of the mission tomorrow—maybe think about talking to Mrs. Dixon about a team get-together.
ooooooo
Sam had no such calm presence of mind. Since Dorin's first and only report, almost three more hours had wasted by and had she been less weary, she might have started to go mad. While Martouf had been content for a long time to sit by her and be silent support, Lantash eventually grew fed up and came forth. Telling Sam firmly that she was doing no one good, he demanded that she go to someplace else to wait, preferably the mess hall so that she could eat and renew her strength. At that point Jolinar had also finally weighed in with her own support of that plan, and before Sam knew it she was sitting with a plateful of food. She nibbled at it for some time, eventually clearing most of the plate, and tried to rest her mind from the constant wearying. Had she not fallen asleep earlier, she would have welcomed some rest now—emotional weariness was even worse than physical.
"You know what really frustrates me," she finally burst out, surprising Martouf into sudden alertness.
"Feeling a little better?" he asked.
Sam had to admit her mind was feeling sharper after the food, but not out loud. "No. This base, it holds hundreds of Tok'ra, right?"
Martouf nodded.
"Then why don't they communicate and interact like a town?" asked Sam, glancing around the room at the various figures, coming and going with trays and dishes and objects related to their work. "One of their 'guests' is dying as we speak, and not one of them seems to have noticed. And before all this, I only met a few face to face, and many of the meetings were of my or Jolinar's initiation."
"Do you feel abandoned?" asked Martouf, concerned.
"I don't know," said Sam. "It's just—maybe I was expecting too much." She poked at the rest of her food with the usual two-pronged fork.
"Has not Jolinar taught you that we are a reserved people?" said Martouf, smiling comfortingly. "We have such a long time in this universe that personal matters can be readily pushed to the side for urgent business, and there is much urgent business going on. Trust me, they are all worried for Sha're's plight, those that know, but do not think it a proper use of their time to commiserate. Were you to stay longer, you might come to see the logic behind this."
Sam sighed, but it wasn't in frustration. Not entirely. She added after a moment, "Speaking of Jolinar...I am not sure she hears me now. Am I so irritating to her?"
"Oh no," said Martouf, his brow creasing. "Oh no, Samantha, it is not you. Our Jolinar rarely grieves or shows worry openly; if she knows it will be hard on her, she withdraws. I would also suspect she has grown attached to Sha're through you, and that she is still feeling the loss of our Rosha as well."
"Oh," said Sam, mollified. "I see." The mess hall had been specifically designed to muffle sound, but it had never been so quiet as now, when the day had worn on and there were only a couple others still in it. The artificial lighting had been softened, leaving mostly the natural glow of the crystal structure.
"Samantha?"
Sam jumped a little at the voice directly behind her, and then again to turn and see if it was Dorin. It was.
"The worst is over," said Dorin with a weary content on her face, standing with shoulders a little more hunched than most of the dignified Tok'ra ever allowed.
Sam exhaled slowly, and brushed a hand through her hair in relief.
"Sha're is very weak, and is unconscious at the moment," continued Dorin. "But though her vitals are weak, she is responding if but slowly to our healing. Her child, as well, is doing better—he has a strong spirit for life."
"And Amonet?" asked Sam.
"We are certain that there is nothing left of her," said Dorin firmly. "Nothing but memories, and that we cannot help."
"May I see them?" asked Sam, standing up anxiously.
"I do not think that would be wise," said Dorin with a slight frown, putting out a hand. "Sha're does not appear well at all, and you have a mission tomorrow that should be undertaken with the utmost confidence. I would not want that thought in your mind as you strove to negotiate."
Sam looked pained, but gave a short nod. "You'll keep me in the loop if there's any further development?"
"Of course," said Dorin. "You are, as far as the Tok'ra are concerned, her next of kin. But there should be nothing but improvement from henceforth." She bowed to Sam, and then gave a look to Martouf before exiting the room.
"That did me good to hear," said Sam with a breathy, relieved laugh, taking her seat again.
"I am very glad for all of you," said Martouf, touching her hand gently. "I do not know how difficult it would have been had anything else befallen."
"But she was right, I have to think about Daniel and Kasuf," said Sam, growing very serious again, her face darkly thoughtful. "I know Kasuf will support me, but I will have nothing for Daniel—I cannot say anything he would believe, and he wouldn't come here to see it for himself."
"Would my presence help in any way?" asked Martouf.
"No, I don't think so," said Sam. "He'd only think you were somehow controlling or influencing me, which he may think anyway. But if I go alone, if Kasuf is there to swear that Sha're was willingly in my company, that may be enough." She sighed again. "It's just going to be ten times more difficult."
"We have the greatest trust in you," said Martouf, smiling again. "And I am sure that Jolinar will be there to support you fully."
*Of course,* came Jolinar's sound, half sulky.
Sam's heart quickened a little. ~You're all right, then?~
*I am now,* said Jolinar. *But I was not so far gone before.*
"She is back?" guessed Martouf from Sam's face.
"Yes," said Sam. "Things are coming back together."
*We shall continue with our plan, then,* said Jolinar.
"When is Kasuf scheduled to report in?" asked Sam.
"We are to dial him," said Martouf. "He will keep the gate ready until we arrive, or until tomorrow's dawn."
"And I will tell him the truth," said Sam, just a little weariness in her tone again.
Martouf nodded, and then they were saying farewells again. Only this time, there was just a little less confidence, and an unspoken acknowledgment that they might not all come out of it alive. Things might be calming after the sudden violent splashes in the pond, but no one failed to see the continuing ripples, and no one could forget that it could happen again without warning. There was still some hope—just a more cautious one.
By the time Sam was through the gate and on Abydos, it was near nightfall. She was tense, as she had expected she would be, only now it was for what was before her and what was left behind. She prayed that she would not receive an emergency dial from the Tok'ra.