Chapter 54
"This is ridiculous," Daniel snorted, peeling his shirt away from his neck and flapping it vigorously. The breeze generated by the cotton was quite relieving, even though he knew it hadn't been hot last night. In fact, he hadn't even needed to shed his coat until after his morning meal then rolled his shirt sleeves up as far as they'd go by what he presumed was midday.
Neither of the two Jaffa rebels had returned since their initial visit early this morning. In fact, the only person he'd seen at all was the stonily-silent guard who delivered his food and water and took away the covered bucket they'd seen fit to provide him for... other necessary behavior.
The food was hardly exciting fare, but he'd had worse and less of it. Each meal consisted of decent-sized portion of meaty stew and a crusty round loaf that reminded him of an over-sized brötchen. He could draw a number of conclusions from the level of care they were exercising in his feeding, the most disturbing of which was the parallel his mind was drawing to the "last meal" many cultures granted their condemned prisoners.
He missed having a reliable watch on his wrist, one of the heavy-duty tritium chronographs that made it through heat, cold, sand, and water in a lot better shape than he had at times. Hours, like the "common" language, were another thing that was pretty much universally-observed, though the exact length and number of them in a day varied from planet to planet. If the days on this planet were longer than he thought, he could still have several more hours before it was "evening", and without a window to the outside, he couldn't use that as a guide. Either way, he knew his time was nearly expired.
Daniel winced at the inadvertent terminology. Perhaps "expired" wasn't the best way to describe his situation. In any case, his thoughts were becoming increasingly scattered as the impending arrival of Osiris drew ever nearer. He could draw solace in the fact that Vala was out of harm's way now, but he could only guess what his own fate would be.
On second thought, he'd rather not guess. He had a pretty vivid imagination that really needed no encouragement, and no matter what he thought could happen, a Goa'uld was sure to come up with something even worse.
He froze when the lock scraped at the door, his pulse racing in anticipation. Was it the rebels or Osiris? Was he saved or doomed?
The door burst inward, two unfamiliar Jaffa pushing into the room and seizing him by the arms. "Your goddess awaits," the one on his right sneered, giving Daniel a decidedly malicious look.
It was a futile gesture, he knew, but he couldn't stop himself from struggling against their hold once outside of the cell. He actually managed to free himself from the grip of the guard on the left, but the other Jaffa couldn't be shaken. His efforts earned him a backhand that sent him spinning, still firmly anchored by one arm.
"You would do well to show your goddess respect," the red-faced Jaffa spat, cruelly digging his fingers into his bicep.
"No false god deserves my respect," Daniel retorted, regretting the words even as they left his lips. As he was being picked up off the floor, he realized that once again, his snake-baiting tendencies were far out-pacing his sense of self-preservation... and he wasn't even to Osiris yet!
He was unceremoniously dragged through the echoing stone halls of the fortress, his "escort" apparently deciding to take no further chances with him. They rounded a corner and were suddenly in a gold-plated corridor, the clone of practically every other Goa'uld facility in the galaxy. Within moments, they were in front of an opulent door, which slid aside to reveal a decidedly different scene than what he'd expected.
At the center of the room, an uninjured and smugly superior-looking Vala Mal Doran rose from a golden throne slowly, a wicked grin spreading across her face. She was clad in one of the form-fitting leather halters she'd only recently stopped wearing, though it had been modified with sections cut out along her ribs and flanks, exposing pale skin. She wore knee-high boots and a very abbreviated red skirt, slits in the fabric making it even more dangerously-short than it first appeared. Each bicep was encircled by the same glossy red cloth, with folds of material hanging down her back from where they were connected to the bands on either side.
In short--and short was definitely the word that came to mind as his eyes were drawn back to her spectacular skirt--she looked like a walking advertisement for licentious thoughts.
"My, my," she teased, her voice deep and echoing, "I suppose you thought you'd escaped your Queen." Before Daniel could work up enough saliva to reply, she switched her gaze to the Jaffa. "Where is my lo'taur?."
"No woman was brought in with him, my lord," the Jaffa on the left replied unsteadily. "He is all we encountered."
"Your words betray you," Vala replied, clearly enjoying her portrayal of Qetesh, "as you acknowledge he was here with a woman. I have molded her in my image, so surely her beauty could not have gone unnoticed to fools such as yourselves."
The Jaffa stammered. "What we meant was, the woman was dead already."
She lifted her chin arrogantly. "You should know better than to attempt to lie to a god."
"Please forgive us, my lord," the guard on the right begged. "We were informed that she was a Han cousin and therefore under the protection of the System Lords."
"Gullible fools who were easily mislead," she scoffed. "Where is she now?"
"I am told this one," he replied, shoving Daniel in the back to move him forward, "entered the coordinates for what he said was the Han world."
"And did no one see the symbols themselves?"
"Perhaps one of the field patrol did, but none are here now." He swallowed heavily. "Shall I send for them?"
Vala's eyes narrowed. "No," she answered at last, "I shall enjoy getting the answers from this slave."
Daniel coughed, realizing his role in this particular drama. "I will never betray her."
She smiled sweetly, raising her left hand so he could see the ribbon device wrapped around her fingers and palm. "I would not be so certain of that." She glared at the guards. "Escort him to the rings. I will deal with him myself."
"Forgive me, my lord, but we are to wait until Osiris arrives before disposing of the prisoner."
Vala raised her hand, eyes narrowing as she caused the jewel on the device to glow menacingly. "Do not presume to question me. If Osiris wishes to have this slave, she will simply have to ask my indulgence, but only after I have finished with him. Of course, there may not be anything left of him by then." She cocked her head to one side slightly, as though listening for something distant.
"My lord--"
"Do as I command!" she shouted. "Escort him to the rings, now!"
Before they'd taken two steps, there was a brilliant flash of light. Ducking his head away, Daniel glanced up through parted fingers, feeling the blood drain from his face as the source of the light was revealed.
Golden-haired and coldly beautiful, Osiris stood with her hands on her hips. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, Sarah Gardner's voice twisted by the evil creature that inhabited her body.
"I am Qetesh," Vala replied smoothly. "My lo'taur and a slave recently fled my palace in possession of a stolen tel'tak. They crashed on this world, but before I could arrive to retrieve them, these foolish Jaffa allowed my lo'taur to leave through the Chappa'ai. I intend to question my slave until he reveals where the lo'taur has fled."
"They have trespassed upon my territories," Osiris scowled, thankfully giving Daniel no more than a cursory look. "You may have your slave after I am finished with him."
"That is unacceptable."
"You have no choice."
Vala crossed her arms defiantly. "Lord Baal will not be pleased."
"I care not," Osiris snapped. "Baal is a fool."
"Is it necessary to quibble over a single slave?"
It was a mistake the moment she said it, and out of the corner of his eye, Daniel saw Vala wince. Osiris, perhaps attempting to discern the worthiness of said slave, strode toward him and lifted his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. A cruel smile spread over her lips.
"You think me for a fool?"
"I had believed you to be reasonable."
Before Daniel could react, the Goa'uld's fingers curled into his hair, yanking him painfully around and shoving him to the ground. "This is no mere slave, Qetesh. This is the Tau'ri, Daniel Jackson."
Vala was nothing if not a consummate actress. "Daniel Jackson is dead."
"Perhaps it is you who is the fool."
"My name is Theadan," Daniel replied, deliberately pitching his voice higher and attempting an accent similar to Vala's.
"Silence!" Osiris snapped, clearly unimpressed. The boot she aimed at his ribs emphasized her displeasure.
"He is Theadan of Makosis," Vala confirmed. "A once-loyal servant of mine for many years."
"He possesses the power to cloud the minds of even the gods. He once tricked Lord Yu into believing him his lo'taur. You, my dear Qetesh, are yet another of his victims."
"I do not believe you."
"I don't care if you believe me or not," Osiris replied dangerously, advancing on Vala like a prowling cat. "Anger me further and you will not leave this planet alive."
The dark-haired woman clenched her fists. "Do not think that I--"
Suddenly, Osiris hand shot out, tearing Vala's necklace from her throat and casting it to the ground. "Impostor," she snarled. Before Daniel's partner could raise her left hand, the blond Goa'uld struck her back-handed, sending her to the ground.
Pushing to his feet, Daniel dove at Osiris, tackling her to the ground and attempting to pin her arms. The astonishingly strong Goa'uld would have none of it, however, throwing him off with ease. As he tried to make a second attempt, the Jaffa caught up to him, once more clamping onto his arms and wrenching them painfully behind his back.
Planting her boot on Vala's wrist, Osiris pulled the ribbon device off and cast it aside. "What have we here? A former host? Daniel's new girlfriend? It doesn't matter, I will have the answers I seek from you both." She bent down and hauled Vala upright, easily leveraging the dazed woman to her feet. "Which one of you wants to go first?"
Author's Notes:
//evil cackle// 'Nuff said.
