-15-

Prophecy

Ryo awoke slowly. He ached, but his instincts were telling him he was in a strange place. So, he remained still, fought the urge to groan, and feigned unconsciousness. He heard two others breathing beside him, and while he could sense Ryou, their mental link was quiet. Knowing he had taught this same trick to Ryou, Ryo tried to contact his former avatar, along their link, receiving only silence in return.

He slitted his eyes open carefully, still feigning sleep, and cautiously looked for any enemies. Finding himself basically alone, Atemu and Malik still laying unconscious to one side, Ryo rolled to his stomach, then stood.

The three of them were in a plain grey room. The upper corners curved in a cave-like fashion, vanishing into an irregular glowing opalescence that covered the ceiling and provided light. The light noticeably brightened in the room after he'd moved.

Stooping, he resisted the temptation to viciously kick the Pharaoh awake, settling instead on rapping the unconscious royal head firmly with his knuckles. "Oi, baka-pharaoh…ohiro yo."

----

"Welcome home Major Carter." The airman who'd appeared at her isolation-room door saluted smartly. "Doctor Frasier has cleared your samples for further study, and said you're free to go."

Samantha saluted her back, looking at her in surprise as the airman fell in step beside her. "Was there something else?"

The airman blushed nervously. "I – I was wondering if I could assist with the study of the data crystal ma'am."

"I don't see why not. Clear it with your CO and meet me in my lab." She couldn't conceal a smile as the airman hurriedly saluted and practically ran back down the hallway.

"I'll meet you there in ten minutes, ma'am." The airman nearly bowled over a mechanic in her haste. "Thank you!"

Sam shook her head as she headed over to her office. Some things around here never changed.

----

Daniel rubbed his eyes, most of the spots were still there, but he knew something was wrong. "Yuugi? Ryou? Marik?"

He really wasn't expecting a reply, so wasn't surprised when all he heard was silence. Beneath his concern, and growing alarm, a small relieved voice whispered happily in his mind. "At least it wasn't me this time!"

As he ran his fingers over the wall, searching for the button Ryou had depressed, he fumbled with his walkie-talkie. "Teal'c, could you come here? I think we have a problem."

"At once, Daniel Jackson." And indeed, it was less than five minutes later that Teal'c stood behind him with the village governor, Mou-san. "We are here, Daniel Jackson. I thought it wise to include Mou-san."

"Your large friend here did not give me choice, Daniru-san."

"Yes, thanks Teal'c. Ryou pressed this…" Daniel pressed the button with no repetition of the earlier incident. "Huh. Nothing. Something else must have triggered it as well, or it's a one-time thing."

"It is not. There are old stories that have spoken of disappearances before a carving such as this." Mou-san began retreating from the room. "I shall ask Lord Sia, or Lord Hu, to help you."

He fled down the stone halls nearly knocking over several of the functionaries in his haste. Yamou, breathless, met him at the top of a long flight of stairs. "Mou, what has happened? I felt…!"

Mou-san interrupted him, nearly pulling his partner from his feet as they both sped down the stairs. "We all did! Nevermind! I must see one of the Lords at once!"

They both hurried down the stairs to be lost in the darkness below.

----

In a dimly-lit, severe grey room, Major Carter hooked up another wire to the already dozens connected to the surface of the data crystal. The airman she had met in the hallway had yet to appear, and it had taken Sam an hour to arrange things here. She looked around at the empty room, specially made after another crystal had tried to take over the SGC. Thick EM-proof walls shielded the base from whatever was inside, and emitters ensured that a strong enough pulse would disable the computers inside if needed, or shatter the crystal if necessary.

Sam went to the door to begin the lockdown procedure, but was prevented from sealing the room by a commotion in the hallway. Looking down the hall, she saw the airman from earlier helping to pick up scattered documents with a white-jacketed tech. The airman looked up, spotted Sam watching, and blushed. "I – I'll be right there, ma'am. Just a moment, promise. There!"

Sam watched the airman balance the last of the badly straightened papers on top of the already unsteady pile the man held. She held the door as the airman scrambled excitedly inside, then began the procedure to seal the room, electronically, away from the rest of the SGC. "Airman First Class Barnes, Reporting, Ma'am!"

AFC Barnes had pulled herself to her very straightest in an effort to make herself taller. Samantha smiled as she returned the salute. AFC Barnes was a small person, barely meeting Air Force height requirements, and because of that, her BDU's were heavily modified. "Yes, well, let's get started."

Sam started by passing over a pair of safety goggles, but the airman was well prepared and had hers on already. The airman's grin was infectious, and Sam found herself suddenly enjoying herself more than usual. A quiet hum filled the room with anticipation as Maj. Carter powered up the interface and began analyzing the crystal. "Major Carter, ma'am, what does this do?"

"No! Don't!" But it was too late. AFC Barnes flipped a switch on the console. Sparks flew from the interface, and a second later the room lost all power.

In the darkness, Samantha groaned quietly as she heard the airman's next comment. "Oops…"

----

Mou and Yamou both hesitated at the bottom of the long flight of stairs. Lord Hu's voice was distinctive, and while they could not understand what was being said, they knew that angry tone. Lord Sia's voice replied in that same strange language and in a much calmer tone. They were interrupting something, and it did not sound good. While they stood, trying to make a decision, a bright light blinded them for a moment.

"Mou-san, you needed us?" Lord Sia stood before them, Lord Hu glaring over his shoulder. Words came tumbling out of his mouth while another small part of him devoutly homed that what he was saying was coherent. Lord Hu's scowl darkened the longer he listened, until he could stand it no more. "Enough! They have intruded and defiled something sacred. We have given them a most precious gift…"

"One they readily accepted, eagerly so. They have done nothing wrong, my brother. Only followed the curiosity that fills them to overflowing. There is nothing wrong in that." Sia laid his hand on Hu's shoulder, smiling gently as Hu's scowl turned into a childish pout.

"But they…"

"Are not hurting anything, my brother." Sia rubbed Hu's shoulder until he felt Hu relax. "I will take care of this. You have an appointment to keep."

Hu nodded and left the room. Sia watched him go, then turned to the human pair. "You two will escort me."

"Yes, My Lord." Mou and Yamou spoke as one, falling into Sia's wake as he began up the long flight of steps.

It wasn't long before Lord Sia regally swept into the old records room where Teal'c and Daniel patiently waited. Daniel looked up from his examination of the wall when Teal'c nudged him.

"I was told you have need of me?" Lord Sia hid his hands inside of his voluminous sleeves.

"Yes, the young man, Ryou, accidentally triggered something when we were examining this wall. He pressed this spot here." Again, nothing happened when Daniel pressed it. "I was hoping you could tell us where the boys were taken."

"I shall aid you as best I can, but I cannot tell you what I, myself, do not know." Daniel adjusted his glasses, as if by cleaning them he could re-arrange Lord Sia's answer.

"You mean…?"

"I do not know where the young men have been taken." Lord Sia paused a moment to fidget with something inside his sleeves. "Several times before, this has happened. The few who have returned spoke only briefly about being tested before leaving through the Chappa'ai. If they do not return in thirty-three days, then I'm afraid they will not."

Daniel looked over at Teal'c who subtly shook his head. "Our colleague, Jack O'Neill, is also missing."

"His tracks were seen heading out into the desert."

"Ah! There I can help, or more precisely, my brother can. It is very possible that if he wandered too far, that the Y'moi found him. Hu will be leaving tonight, to take the Displaced One to them." Here Lord Sia shook his head sadly. "Such a pity. I had such hopes for…hai?"

A temple functionary who had slipped into the room behind Lord Sia whispered briefly into his ear. "Oh dear… Oh my…"

Lord Sia looked wide-eyed at the blue-robed young man. "Just now?"

The young man nodded as Lord Sia turned back to what was left of the SG-1 team. "You must forgive me. I must take care of this immediately."

Without waiting for a response, Lord Sia swept back out the way he had come in, leaving Daniel and Teal'c alone in their own thoughts. "We're going to need Sam."

"Agreed." Teal'c left at once to contact SGC. Daniel sighed heavily and sank into some cushions piled in the corner. His eyes scanned the wall, seeking some clue, but finding none.

----

Samantha counted to herself slowly in the darkness to ten. Then, hearing the airman knock into something else, she counted over again. "Airman? Don't. Move."

"Yes, ma'am." Came the abashed reply. Samantha rose carefully to her feet only to nearly fall over as the crystal surged to life.

The projection was nearly as tall as herself. Two male twins dressed in red and green respectively, stood there, speaking in an unknown language. The image faded, then reasserted itself. Now the twins were older, playing some sort of game involving a ball. Scenes came and went, all involving the pair, now young men.

Samantha gasped as a final, group shot, came into focus. The ship-topped pyramids were in the far distance, but that was not why Sam was so startled. Even seeing a Stargate behind the group hadn't fazed her. But every single System Lord they were aware of, and several others they didn't recognize, stood there.

Adolescents gathered as if for a school picture, each guarded by their Prime Jaffa. The Gate flickered to life again and again, scattering the young Goa'uld among the stars. Soon, only the few Sam knew had resided here on Earth remained, along with a much older man with the twins. As the last scenes played, it became apparent that the older man was blind and possibly deaf. The cover stone could be seen to one side, workers swarmed over its surface, carving and smoothing the seal.

The lights returned as the crystal's image flickered and died. Sam grabbed a pad of paper and a pen, thrusting them at the airman. "Write down as much as you can! Details!"

She barely waited for the airman to grab the materials before whirling to snag another set, furiously scribbling down what she could, as fast as she could.

----

Atemu groaned, rolling onto his side as he fought to open his eyes. "It's about friggin' time, Baka."

The all-too familiar voice of the thief had him rubbing at his forehead. A small mental voice poked at him with a sharp stick, complaining that this floor was both cold and hard.

"We need to get up and get moving. I don't know if you've noticed it yet Pharaoh, but our lights are not with us and won't, or can't answer us." Ryo's snide remarks were tainted with his own concern for Ryou, and had Atemu's eyes open in a flash. He swayed as he gained his feet a little too quickly, a tanned hand tentively steadying him, and holding onto his bicep a moment longer than necessary. He looked over and into Malik's wide lilac eyes.

"Sorry…" Malik hastily removed his hand and looked down sadly.

"It's fine." Atemu spoke absently, already on his way over to Ryo, who leaned against the far wall. Ryo gestured at the near-featureless grey walls, watching as Atemu turned to view the room.

"Since you wouldn't wake, I wasted my time trying to get out of here. My ring can't even find Ryou." Atemu started running his hands over the walls, searching for any sign of a button or a door. Ryo called after him. "I already tried tha…"

As Atemu went over a section, his puzzle flashed and a doorway materialized without a sound. Ryo was there immediately, pulling Atemu to one side, then peering cautiously into the next room. "Well, what's in there?"

"R-Ryou!" Ryo's anguished cry escaped as he rushed into the other room. Atemu and Malik paled, following more slowly, fighting to maintain control at what they saw inside.

----

Hu stood in the center of the room, bending over the lifeless body of the unnamed Ba, blood soaking unnoticed into the hem of his robes and saturating his slippers. He sighed heavily, looking up in despair when Sia entered the room. "Sia… I… I…"

"Oh Hu…" Sia enveloped Hu in a gentle hug, leading him out of the fetid room and to a bench a little ways down the hall. Once seated, the shock settled down, allowing tears to pour down Hu's face. Sia dried his face with a small cloth, then again as more ran down. "It will be well. We have lost ones before."

"But…" Sia stopped him before Hu could say the words. Knowing what they were both avoiding speaking aloud did not make it any easier. They had never before lost one in such a manner.

He shielded Hu as the priests came to claim the body, removing it as others began to clean the room. "I – I'd watched them so carefully! I thought they were ready!"

"Hu, it is not your fault. We both thought they were ready." Sia stroked Hu's hair, letting the other sob into his robes for several minutes. "Do you wish for me to see the Y'moi in your place?"

Hu took the cloth Sia was still holding, blew his nose and made a visible effort to compose himself. "No, it's still my duty. They will wish to toast the unnamed back to Osiris' arms, and we both know you can't drink their Uisukii without embarrassing us both."

That memory made them both smile, albeit sadly, as they stood and moved further down the corridor. "Let's get you ready."

But before that happened, Sia proceeded to tell Hu what had happened upstairs, and about the missing Colonel O'Neill.

----

"Unscheduled Off-world Activation!" Once again, klaxons and flashing lights punctuated the bustle of soldiers rushing into their positions within and without the Gate room.

"Incoming Wormhole!"

"It's SG-1's code, Sir."

"Open the Iris, Sergeant." General Hammond leaned over the console to watch Teal'c emerge from the event horizon and stride down the ramp. He hit the microphone's button a trifle harder than was necessary. "Teal'c. Briefing Room."

Teal'c bowed, hand over his heart, and headed for the stairs.

"Major Carter, so good of you to join us." Gen. Hammond's voice showed his irritation plainly.

"Sorry, Sir. There was a power failure…"

"I heard the report, Major. Teal'c was just telling me of a situation off-world." He gestured for her to sit.

"O'Neill is still missing. It is our host's thought that he is with a nomadic desert tribe."

"His radio? We've heard nothing from him?" Hammond was frustrated.

"He was equipped sufficiently." Teal'c responded calmly.

"Equipment failure?" Carter's voice was calm, but her face showed how worried she was for her friend.

"That is my current assumption. His trail led out into the desert for some distance before becoming obscured."

"We'll send the UAV through. I want both of you back there with Dr. Jackson. Take the crystal with you. We don't want to keep their home movies. Now get back there, find Col. O'Neill and those boys!"

Teal'c and Sam sat there a moment after the General had stormed out. Her voice quietly broke the heavy silence. "He knows? All of it?"

"Indeed."

A.N.---> This summer has turned out to be much busier than I expected. Working nights, plus all I have to do at home is taking up a good deal of my time. I haven't sewn anything since May, nor have I had much time to type. I do have time to think and write while at work, but that does not do much good if I don't get the stuff typed.

I've also been sick the two weeks prior to this one and am just getting back to 'normal' now.

So, remember, Read, Review, Criticize Constructively, and let me know what you think is going to happen next. What do you think Ryo saw that distressed him so? And I know, not one mention of what's happening with Jack! A few answers will be forthcoming in my next chapter: Katachi Kawarimasu: The shapeless ones.