Chapter 12- New Selection and Jaffa Help
Laura watched nervously as her father went to the only window in the big cell and looked out. "See anything, Dad?" Laura asked.
"No. I'm just trying to see if I can bend these bars," Jack said as he then got down, a dejected look on his face.
"Yeah and considering you look like the gods gloom and doom, I guess they didn't move," Laura said, blowing out her breath and dislodging a strand of her light brown hair.
"Right," Jack said.
"So Ra isn't dead after all," Carter said from her spot on the floor.
"No, it wasn't Ra. It was Apophis," Daniel said, looking off into the distance.
"Who?" Carter asked confused.
"Um, it's from Egyptian mythology. Ra was the sun god who ruled the day. Apophis is the serpent god, Ra's rival, who ruled the night from all the history I ever read about Ancient Egypt. It's right out of the Book of the Dead. They're living it," Laura said, rolling her eyes. To Laura, anyone who thought they were gods had to border on pathetic. They all looked over to their cellmates who then gathered around the door.
"We will save Sha're?" Skaara asked Jack as he touched the walls for loose bricks.
"I can't promise you anything at the moment," Jack said, slightly distracted. Skaara grabbed Jack by his arm.
"But you are a great warrior. We defeated Ra together!" Skaara nearly shouted.
"I know. I know. But take a look around here. Look what we're up against. We'll try," Jack said, clapping Skaara's shoulder.
The gates then slid open, scratching against the floor. "Dad, they're back," Laura said, gripping Jack's arm as she hid slightly behind her father. She steepled the fingers of her other hand in his jacket. The Jaffa guards then came in, the last being the Jaffa who had been interested in Jack's watch.
"Shaka ha! Kree hol mel, Goa'uld!" The Jaffa shouted.
"What did he say?" Jack asked. Laura felt the blood siphone out of her face. She understood what the Jaffa was saying. Apparently so did Skaara.
"They're going to choose," Skaara said in a low, dismal voice.
"Choose what?" Carter asked.
"Who will be the children of the gods, Carter," Laura said, her voice shaking and clenching her fingers to keep them from shaking as well.
"Laura, stay behind me," Jack whispered softly. pushing Laura behind him. Laura wrapped her arms around her father's waist and pressed her face to his back. Jack grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly, threading his fingers through her fingers.
"Jaffa!" Apophis shouted. Laura opened her eyes and looked to the doors. A convertible chair had been set down and Apophis came out, looking around and helped Sha're out of the chair.
"Sha're. Jack, help me, please," Daniel said, trying to go to his wife. Carter and Jack held him back.
"Daniel, don't. Don't," Jack said warningly.
The Jaffa then moved through the crowd. "Benna! Ya wan! Ya Daru!" The head Jaffa yelled and the other Jaffa moved through the crowd, pushing everyone down in a kneeling position. "Kneel before your masters!" the Jaffa yelled as a woman screamed.
Laura. Jack, Daniel, and Carter knelt without being forced. Skaara stood, looking defiant. "Skaara," Jack said simply. Skaara got down slowly as two Jaffa started walking through the crowd.
"Benna! Ya wan! Ya Daru! Choose" The Jaffa yelled again and a small boy was held up. Laura stayed hidden behind Jack, hoping the Jaffa wouldn't pick her. For some reason it didn't make sense to be a host when she already had the memory of whatever Goa'uld who was her father.
"No," the Jaffa male said of the boy. "This one. We choose this one," he said, touching a young girl's face. The girl was sobbing as they dragged her out.
Daniel then looked at his wife and then back to another Jaffa making his way down the prisoners. He then stood up fighting. The Jaffa who was choosing then looked at him as the serpent guard grabbed Daniel's arms. "This one's passionate," he said.
"How much would I remember if you chose me?" Daniel asked with stiffly controlled tears.
"Daniel, what are you doing?" Jack asked as a Jaffa pointed a staff weapon at him
"Something of the host must survive," Daniel said in despair. Laura looked over at the lead Jaffa. He looked at her with pity and shook his head no.
"We choose him," a Goa'uld said, looking directly at Skaara.
"Na-nay! Na-nay! "O'Neill!" Skaara shouted as they hauled him to his feet.
"Skaara!" Jack shouted getting to his feet as they carried Skaara away.
"O'Neill! O'Neill!" Skaara's voice shouted down the corridor.
"Skaara!" Jack shouted as a Jaffa clubbed him.
"Dad!" Laura shouted, gathering her father in her arms as Skaara shouted and people screamed. Jack stood as Apophis looked at the rest of them.
"Kill the rest. Starting with the abomination," Apophis said, looking at Laura. Everyone then started screaming as the Jaffa stood in a line and pointed staff weapons at them and Apophis, Sha're and their retinue left the cell, closing the cell door behind them.
Laura and Jack looked at the Jaffa, who looked back at them with something akin to compassion. "I can save these people!" Jack shouted as the Jaffa turned his back to them.
The Jaffa turned and pointed his staff weapon at Jack. "Help me! Help me," Jack said in a low voice.
"Many have said that," the Jaffa said harshly. He then fired his weapon and hit one of his own men. "But you are the first I believe can do it!" The Jaffa yelled and tossed his staff weapon to Jack. Jack and the Jaffa then opened fire on the rest of the serpent guard. They shot the rest of the guards and Jack looked to the wall.
"Get out of the way!" Jack shouted motioning them with his hand and shot a huge hole in the back of the wall.
"All right! Let's move!" Jack ordered.
"Come on! Come on!" Carter ushered everyone to the hole, which they all exited. Laura looked back at the Jaffa who looked the picture of despair as he walked down the steps to the hole. He looked at the bodies of the Jaffa he had just killed.
'You gonna be okay?" jack asked Daniel. Daniel didn't answer and Laura and Jack looked back at the Jaffa.
"Hey! Come on!" Laura shouted.
"I have no where to go, Harcesis," the Jaffa said, the picture of despair. Laura had always felt a kind of hatred for the Jaffa, but in this moment she realized that the Jaffa was as much a victim of the Goa'uld as everyone else.
"For this you can stay at our place. Let's go!" Jack ordered. The Jaffa looked at them and the serpent guards and then exited the cell.
"What's your name?" Laura asked, touching the Jaffa's hand tenderly.
"Teal'C," Teal'C said.
"Teal'C, where will they take Skaara, the boy?" Jack asked as they started walking.
"To the Stargate. After they've selected hosts for their children, they will return home," Teal'C said as they ran.
"Well, let's stop them before they can become hosts and go home," Laura said as they ran. Laura had a feeling though that they would arrive too late.
