All disclaimers in Chapter 1.
Special Case
by Amanda Ohlin
Chapter Two
"What are you doing?" Jack yelled once they were out of sight. He yanked off the helmet, throwing it to the ground. "We've got to go back and get Scott out of there!"
Makepeace sighed. "Colonel, you'd have been captured for sure if you went back there. The kid knew the risks."
"That kid single-handedly busted us out of the dungeon, Makepeace!" Jack exploded. "Or have you forgotten that already?"
"Scott was under my command," Makepeace snapped. "He's a--"
"A casualty?" Sam finished. "Isn't that what you said about Colonel O'Neill when Hathor captured us?"
Hearing this, Jack turned back to glare at Makepeace. "Excuse me?"
Since the revelation had startled both commanders into silence, Sam took the opportunity to interrupt. "You're also forgetting the potential security risk, sir. If a Goa'uld takes an SGC member as a host, it has access to that person's memories of--"
"I know the risks, Major!" Makepeace snapped irritably. He lapsed into silence, looking away for a moment. "I know. We owe the kid this much. But going back for him would be suicide."
"Colonel O'Neill."
Jack looked up as Teal'c stepped from the shadows of the trees. "They know of our presence here. They will expect a rescue attempt."
"Yeah, I know," Jack admitted.
"They will not expect the rescue attempt to come from Tok'ra access tunnels."
That got everyone's attention. "Access tunnels?" Makepeace asked skeptically. "You're kidding, right?"
"I do not kid," Teal'c informed him. "The citadel looked familiar when we arrived, and if what Daniel Jackson has told me is accurate, the structure may remain unaltered from previous Goa'uld files. It should be simple to find any tunnel systems."
There was a moment of silence before Jack finally asked, "What?"
"It's doubtful Hatmehit's altered her fortress since her husband's death," Daniel replied. "She's not very original, apparently."
Jack jumped, whirling to see his friend standing there, wearing his usual uniform. The borrowed suit of armor was gone. "Don't DO that, Danny!"
In spite of himself, Daniel just grinned.
Shaking his head, Jack turned back to Teal'c. "So you're saying that we could sneak in and she wouldn't even expect it?"
Sam looked thoughtful. "Maybe. If there are Tok'ra access tunnels or the remnants of them, they would provide a back door. It's either that or swim, sir."
Jack looked at Daniel. "Hey, if this doesn't work, I can dog paddle pretty well," the Egyptologist dead-panned.
"I'm in." Surprised, the SG-1 team turned to stare at Makepeace, who shrugged. "Hey, you're gonna need someone to back you up when everything goes to hell."
"All right, kids," Jack said with a grin. "Now all we need is a plan."
******
Waking up strapped to a metal table was a bad sign in itself. It didn't help that the throbbing of his wounded leg was what roused Jason from his trance. As soon as he was conscious enough to feel the chill of the metal and the tension of the restraints, he knew he was in trouble. The sight of Hatmehit standing there, looking over him critically, only compounded the sense of doom that was settling over him. His borrowed armor and vest were gone; he was wearing just the black t-shirt, pants and boots. Worse, Jason realized, he was still damp, and the metal was freezing. His leg was throbbing painfully where it had been grazed by the staff blast.
Hatmehit grabbed him by the chin, turning his head towards her. Jason jerked his head back, but not before a satisfied smile crept over her face. _Oh, hell._
She turned and barked a command to the Jaffa nearby, and he stepped forward. As she reached into the pouch, Jason turned away in revulsion; just the sound of it was enough. Hatmehit turned back to him with a writhing, squealing black serpent in her hand. Jason paled. This was only his third mission, but he'd been briefed enough to know a Goa'uld symbiote when he saw one.
"NO!" He struggled against the restraints, trying and failing to break free as she stepped towards him, holding the symbiote over his chest as if scanning him with it. After a moment, she nodded and grabbed his head again, jerking it roughly to the side as she let the symbiote drop to the table.
Jason screamed as the Goa'uld penetrated through the back of his neck.
******
"I don't believe it," Makepeace murmured for the fifth time as the rescue team crept through the Tok'ra access tunnels. "How'd he know about this?"
"Banebdjetet was widely suspected of allying with the Tok'ra," Teal'c replied. "Such was the reason for his demise."
Daniel frowned. "I'm surprised Hatmehit didn't share his fate."
The Jaffa frowned. "Rumor has it that she had him killed before the other System Lords could investigate and take retribution. They rewarded her with isolation."
"Sounds like a sweet lady," Jack muttered. "Hey, Carter! You sure you know where you're going?"
Sam was in the lead, her attention focused solely on the tunnel structure. "The tunnels have to lead uphill to avoid the water level," she reasoned. "The higher the elevation, the closer we get to the center of the fortress."
"The chamber they used to implant hosts is usually central," Daniel explained. "At least, the one they were using when we broke out was."
"Let's hope they didn't move their operation elsewhere," Makepeace muttered.
******
_No... God, no, it's in my head..._
It was worse than he'd imagined. Much, much worse.
_got to fight it... got to fight it... got to fight..._
Jason could *feel* the thing entering his skull, trying to wrap around his spinal cord. He wanted to reach back there, claw at it, pull it out before it could take hold. Yet it was all he could do to remain conscious as the pain started for real. It felt like dozens of flaming knives shredding his flesh while burning him from the inside out. He screamed again, unable to keep silent. The worst of the pain subsided as he felt the alien's tail disappearing into the back of his neck.
Then the assault on his mind began.
The burning pain faded away, to be replaced with a cold, relentless presence, flooding into his mind like a black fog. Jason wanted to scream again, to fight, to somehow tear the Goa'uld from his flesh. Externally, however, he could do nothing. All he could do was lie flat on his back, gasping like a fish, barely seeing the ceiling of the chamber he was in as the alien presence pushed its way into his mind. He was vaguely aware of Hatmehit and her entourage sweeping out of the room, presumably to wait for the symbiote to take hold.
He couldn't let that happen.
It wasn't just the thought of that - that *thing* controlling him. Maybe he was just a rookie, maybe this was only his third mission, but already he knew enough about the Stargate program for him to be useful to any of the Goa'uld. He couldn't allow that knowledge to be used against them. It would defeat everything he'd worked for as a Ranger and now as an SG member.
As a Ranger. The realization chilled him. Forget any knowledge of the SGC - if the Goa'uld learned about the Rangers, they were all screwed.
He'd been slipping, but the sudden recollection of what was at stake brought him a second wind. Zordon, the Morphing Grid, all the former Rangers - to let the Goa'uld know all about that could be devastating. What if Hatmehit was inspired to pursue former Rangers for information? Kim, Tommy, Trini, Katherine, Rocky, Adam, Zack, Aisha, Tanya, Billy - their faces paraded across his memory. The thought of having any of them at the mercy of the Goa'uld was terrifying.
It was terrifying enough to keep him struggling against the other consciousness that was threatening to drown him. The seconds ticked by with agonizing slowness as he lay there, desperately fighting against the intruder in his head.
He was vaguely aware of Hatmehit returning to check, frowning when she saw he hadn't submitted yet and yammering at her guards. Jason didn't know what she was saying, but she sounded impatient. Seeing that he was still fighting, she swept out again in a huff.
Jason dismissed her from his concerns, closing his eyes tightly. He had worse problems to deal with than an impatient Goa'uld queen. Little by little, he was slipping. Panic surged within him, and memories of his friends surfaced, unbidden. Of Zordon, the first time they'd received their Power Coins.
~"May the Power protect you."~
The words seemed to trigger something inside Jason. Deep within him, something seemed to snap, to break, like a lock or a bolt shattering. Darkness was enveloping his mind, but suddenly he thought he saw a pinpoint of light appear, growing in intensity. It flared with red-gold fire. Instinctively, Jason moved towards it like a moth drawn to a flame, or just seeking warmth in a black void.
Again the light flared, this time reaching out to envelop him. Jason didn't fight it as the spark became a blast of fiery energy, overwhelming his senses. Unlike the burning misery he'd felt when the symbiote had first entered, the heat of these flames was painless. It brought with it a sudden rush of euphoria, brief but incredibly familiar.
It couldn't be! Could it?
Jason didn't have time to consider the implications as the flame grew brighter, seeming to drive back the darkness that was threatening to take over. His eyes flew open, and his jaw set in determination. If the Goa'uld wanted a fight, it was definitely going to get one.
******
"It's clear," Makepeace announced quietly, slipping back into the concealed tunnel entrance. "We're right smack in the middle, all right. Damn, why didn't we know about this before?"
"Because Teal'c wasn't with us to connect Banebdjetet with the Tok'ra," Daniel replied.
"And if I remember correctly, that was because *someone* didn't think we needed him along for an abandoned fortress," Jack muttered, glaring at Makepeace.
Sam interrupted before Makepeace could rise to the bait. "Sir. We don't have time for this."
"All right," Jack sighed. "Teal'c and I will take point. Carter, Daniel, you're right behind us. Makepeace... you get to watch our backsides."
"Must be my lucky day," Makepeace muttered.
They headed down a familiar series of corridors, ducking out of the sight of Hatmehit's guards, before reaching the entrance to the implantation chamber. Jack barely managed to duck behind a column as Hatmehit herself swept out of the room, flanked by guards as usual and looking visibly irritated. "Something tells me things aren't quite going her way," Daniel murmured as she disappeared around a corner.
"My heart bleeds for her," Jack replied quietly, checking his weapon. He waited several moments before signaling the others to move to the door.
Jason was lying flat on his back, strapped to a metal table. There was only one Jaffa standing guard. Jack nodded to Teal'c, and at once the two men burst into the room. Before he could sound the alarm, the guard was on the floor, unconscious. Sam and Daniel entered the room next, and Sam was immediately at Jason's side. "What do you think she was so mad about?" Daniel asked.
"Dunno," Jack replied. "Maybe the snake didn't take or something."
"He's been implanted," Sam announced, and Jack cursed. "But I don't think it's taken hold quite yet." She turned Jason's head to face her, trying to get through to him. "Lieutenant. It's Major Carter. Can you hear me?"
Amazingly, his eyes seemed to focus. "Major... the Goa'uld... it's..." He broke off, his features contorting in pain.
"I know. Lieutenant, you're going to have to fight it. We'll try to get you out of here." She turned back to the rest of SG-1, who were standing by the door. Makepeace was reluctantly serving as lookout in the corridor. "He's still in there, sir."
"But for how long?" Daniel muttered.
Sam looked thoughtful. "It seems he's been fighting off the symbiote for a surprising amount of time, and he's still holding his own."
"Which is probably why Benny's widow was pissed," Jack observed. "Think we can get him out of here?"
"I will be able to restrain him if the need arises," Teal'c informed them.
"Okay," Jack decided. "Let's do it."
Daniel undid the restraints while Jack and Teal'c had to nearly drag Jason off of the table. The young lieutenant was investing all of his energy in fighting the Goa'uld inside him, and he did not resist as Teal'c bound his hands behind his back.
Suddenly realizing something, Sam tore a strip of fabric from one of the curtains hanging in the chamber. "Lieutenant, we're going to have to gag you in case the Goa'uld tries to call for help. Do you understand?"
With more than a small amount of effort, Jason nodded. Bound and gagged, he was hustled out of the chamber with Jack and Teal'c flanking him. That is, Jack had a zatnicatel pointed at the lieutenant's back while Teal'c held his forearm in an iron grip. The sight of them emerging from the chamber caused Makepeace to do a double-take. "What the hell?"
"We're going back to the Gate," Jack hissed. "I'll explain on the way."
Makepeace slid into the rear of the group, but not before casting a startled glance at his lieutenant. Jason did not meet his gaze; his eyes had gone out of focus again, presumably as he battled the creature in his head. Jack and Teal'c half-dragged him across the hall and into the shadows, hustling their unresisting captive through the concealed passageway into the dim tunnels.
******
Hatmehit strode imperiously into the implantation chamber, ready to accept her new consort... and stopped dead. Her ice-blue eyes took in the scene: the Jaffa guard lying prone on the floor, the obvious signs of a scuffle, and, most prominently, the empty metal table in the corner. She didn't know exactly how it had happened, but the outcome was clear - the host was gone.
With a swish of blue-green robes, she spun on her heel, barking orders to her guards left and right. One didn't have to know the language to know what she was saying. Hatmehit had been waiting for her consort to mature, and she wasn't very patient. And after all that time, she wouldn't be pleased if it was all for nothing.
There would be hell to pay.
******
"Can't believe no one spotted us," Makepeace muttered as they made their way down towards the concealed entrance. "This is too easy."
As if on cue, Jason's knees suddenly buckled, and he seemed to convulse in pain. "What the?" Jack exclaimed.
The fit caught Teal'c off balance, and the Jaffa's grip loosened for a moment. Which was all their captive needed. Jason broke free from the restraints, shoving Teal'c back and spinning to deal a well-placed kick to the Jaffa's stomach and knock the zatnicatel out of Jack's hand. Teal'c stumbled back under the suddenness of the attack, and Jason ripped off the gag before turning on Jack. Before Jack could raise his gun, the lieutenant's hands were already wrapped around his throat. Jason's eyes flashed gold, the sign of Goa'uld possession.
"You had to say it, didn't you?" Jack coughed as he struggled against the inhuman grip that was threatening to crush his windpipe.
Jason - or, rather, the Goa'uld controlling him - glared fiercely at Jack. "Tau'ri. You were fools to come back. Now you will join your friend."
Jack could only gasp in response as black spots danced on the edge of his vision. He vaguely recalled hearing something about the kid being a black belt, and cursed himself for forgetting that. His lungs were fairly burning from the lack of oxygen.
"Drop him, Lieutenant!" Makepeace barked. "Dammit, kid, fight it!"
Suddenly, the vicelike grip loosened, and Jack fell to the floor, gasping for air. As oxygen flooded into his lungs again, the room came back into focus. Sam was by his side, helping him get to his feet as he turned back to his attacker. Jason was hunched over, gripping his head in his hands. He looked up at them, pain and terror etched into the dark eyes. "Colonel... kill me," Jason gasped. "Please."
"Lieutenant, listen to me," Sam told him, keeping her voice steady. "You have to keep fighting the symbiote."
"I..." He broke off with a moan of agony, gripping his head again.
After a moment, he straightened up abruptly, the control he had managed gone as the Goa'uld again stared out of his eyes. "Who are you?" Daniel asked suddenly, stalling for time.
"I am Tal'mek," the Goa'uld sneered. "You will bow before your god--"
"Oh, stuff it already!" Jack interrupted. "You're not going anywhere. Not in that man's head."
Tal'mek actually seemed to find that funny. "Your friend is too weak. He cannot stop me."
The stalling was starting to work. Teal'c had gotten to his feet and was stealthily moving around behind Jason, and Makepeace was following suit, trying to box him in. Behind Jack, Sam and Daniel were blocking the path back up to the citadel. Realizing he was surrounded, Tal'mek took a step back, casting about him with surprise. "Looks like we can, Bucko," Jack snapped.
With a snarl, Tal'mek spun, launching a roundhouse kick at the nearest target - namely, Makepeace. But he pivoted on the wounded leg, which hadn't completely healed yet. Instead of kicking Makepeace in the head, the kick knocked the gun from the colonel's hands, and the two soldiers crashed to the floor. Makepeace tried to go for his gun, but Tal'mek was quicker, grabbing the colonel in a headlock as SG-1 surrounded them. "Move an inch," the Goa'uld hissed, "and I break his neck."
"Hey, I wouldn't miss him," Jack muttered.
Makepeace gasped, his face turning bright red. "O'Neill... he's not kidding!" he choked.
Jack glanced around at his team. None of them seemed sure of what to do. Sam slowly drew the zatnicatel she'd retrieved, only to have Makepeace splutter as the headlock tightened. "Teal'c?" Jack muttered.
"If we let him go, he will surely alert Hatmehit," Teal'c responded.
"And if we don't, he'll kill Makepeace," Daniel reminded them.
At that moment, something strange happened.
The golden glow in Jason's eyes suddenly flared, taking on a reddish-orange hue. Tal'mek released Makepeace, letting the other man slump to the floor. Clutching his head in agony, the Goa'uld let out a howl of anguish. Daniel quickly helped Makepeace out of his reach as the Goa'uld's cries of pain intensified; Tal'mek was oblivious to their presence. "Teal'c, what's going on?" Sam asked.
Teal'c stared at the pain-wracked form before them in shock. "Major Carter, I do not know."
The lieutenant jerked up then, and Jack suddenly realized that it was not Tal'mek who was in control. "Get..." Jason gasped, "out... of... my... HEAD!!"
Again he screamed, but this time it was hard to tell which one was crying out as he collapsed to the floor, motionless. Cautiously, Sam approached the inert form, and gasped in shock. "Colonel!"
"What?" Jack asked, coming up beside her just in time to see the Goa'uld literally eject itself out the way it came, shooting a few feet across the stones. Reflexively, Jack jumped back. "Whoa! Carter, are you nuts?"
The symbiote, however, did not attack. It lay there, writhing and keening in agony for a few moments before going entirely limp. Carter stared at it for a moment. "I don't believe this. It's dead."
"Jack. Colonel Makepeace." Daniel was kneeling next to Jason, checking for a pulse. The lieutenant was staring into space, his breathing shallow. "He's still with us, but I think he's going into shock."
"Can't blame him," Jack muttered. He turned to Teal'c. "Any idea what just happened here?"
"None." The big Jaffa hesitated, listening. "I would advise that we move quickly, O'Neill. The death cries of Tal'mek may have alerted the guards."
"Come on," Makepeace decided. "Let's get the kid out of here. We can figure out what happened later."
For once, Jack was inclined to agree.
Special Case
by Amanda Ohlin
Chapter Two
"What are you doing?" Jack yelled once they were out of sight. He yanked off the helmet, throwing it to the ground. "We've got to go back and get Scott out of there!"
Makepeace sighed. "Colonel, you'd have been captured for sure if you went back there. The kid knew the risks."
"That kid single-handedly busted us out of the dungeon, Makepeace!" Jack exploded. "Or have you forgotten that already?"
"Scott was under my command," Makepeace snapped. "He's a--"
"A casualty?" Sam finished. "Isn't that what you said about Colonel O'Neill when Hathor captured us?"
Hearing this, Jack turned back to glare at Makepeace. "Excuse me?"
Since the revelation had startled both commanders into silence, Sam took the opportunity to interrupt. "You're also forgetting the potential security risk, sir. If a Goa'uld takes an SGC member as a host, it has access to that person's memories of--"
"I know the risks, Major!" Makepeace snapped irritably. He lapsed into silence, looking away for a moment. "I know. We owe the kid this much. But going back for him would be suicide."
"Colonel O'Neill."
Jack looked up as Teal'c stepped from the shadows of the trees. "They know of our presence here. They will expect a rescue attempt."
"Yeah, I know," Jack admitted.
"They will not expect the rescue attempt to come from Tok'ra access tunnels."
That got everyone's attention. "Access tunnels?" Makepeace asked skeptically. "You're kidding, right?"
"I do not kid," Teal'c informed him. "The citadel looked familiar when we arrived, and if what Daniel Jackson has told me is accurate, the structure may remain unaltered from previous Goa'uld files. It should be simple to find any tunnel systems."
There was a moment of silence before Jack finally asked, "What?"
"It's doubtful Hatmehit's altered her fortress since her husband's death," Daniel replied. "She's not very original, apparently."
Jack jumped, whirling to see his friend standing there, wearing his usual uniform. The borrowed suit of armor was gone. "Don't DO that, Danny!"
In spite of himself, Daniel just grinned.
Shaking his head, Jack turned back to Teal'c. "So you're saying that we could sneak in and she wouldn't even expect it?"
Sam looked thoughtful. "Maybe. If there are Tok'ra access tunnels or the remnants of them, they would provide a back door. It's either that or swim, sir."
Jack looked at Daniel. "Hey, if this doesn't work, I can dog paddle pretty well," the Egyptologist dead-panned.
"I'm in." Surprised, the SG-1 team turned to stare at Makepeace, who shrugged. "Hey, you're gonna need someone to back you up when everything goes to hell."
"All right, kids," Jack said with a grin. "Now all we need is a plan."
******
Waking up strapped to a metal table was a bad sign in itself. It didn't help that the throbbing of his wounded leg was what roused Jason from his trance. As soon as he was conscious enough to feel the chill of the metal and the tension of the restraints, he knew he was in trouble. The sight of Hatmehit standing there, looking over him critically, only compounded the sense of doom that was settling over him. His borrowed armor and vest were gone; he was wearing just the black t-shirt, pants and boots. Worse, Jason realized, he was still damp, and the metal was freezing. His leg was throbbing painfully where it had been grazed by the staff blast.
Hatmehit grabbed him by the chin, turning his head towards her. Jason jerked his head back, but not before a satisfied smile crept over her face. _Oh, hell._
She turned and barked a command to the Jaffa nearby, and he stepped forward. As she reached into the pouch, Jason turned away in revulsion; just the sound of it was enough. Hatmehit turned back to him with a writhing, squealing black serpent in her hand. Jason paled. This was only his third mission, but he'd been briefed enough to know a Goa'uld symbiote when he saw one.
"NO!" He struggled against the restraints, trying and failing to break free as she stepped towards him, holding the symbiote over his chest as if scanning him with it. After a moment, she nodded and grabbed his head again, jerking it roughly to the side as she let the symbiote drop to the table.
Jason screamed as the Goa'uld penetrated through the back of his neck.
******
"I don't believe it," Makepeace murmured for the fifth time as the rescue team crept through the Tok'ra access tunnels. "How'd he know about this?"
"Banebdjetet was widely suspected of allying with the Tok'ra," Teal'c replied. "Such was the reason for his demise."
Daniel frowned. "I'm surprised Hatmehit didn't share his fate."
The Jaffa frowned. "Rumor has it that she had him killed before the other System Lords could investigate and take retribution. They rewarded her with isolation."
"Sounds like a sweet lady," Jack muttered. "Hey, Carter! You sure you know where you're going?"
Sam was in the lead, her attention focused solely on the tunnel structure. "The tunnels have to lead uphill to avoid the water level," she reasoned. "The higher the elevation, the closer we get to the center of the fortress."
"The chamber they used to implant hosts is usually central," Daniel explained. "At least, the one they were using when we broke out was."
"Let's hope they didn't move their operation elsewhere," Makepeace muttered.
******
_No... God, no, it's in my head..._
It was worse than he'd imagined. Much, much worse.
_got to fight it... got to fight it... got to fight..._
Jason could *feel* the thing entering his skull, trying to wrap around his spinal cord. He wanted to reach back there, claw at it, pull it out before it could take hold. Yet it was all he could do to remain conscious as the pain started for real. It felt like dozens of flaming knives shredding his flesh while burning him from the inside out. He screamed again, unable to keep silent. The worst of the pain subsided as he felt the alien's tail disappearing into the back of his neck.
Then the assault on his mind began.
The burning pain faded away, to be replaced with a cold, relentless presence, flooding into his mind like a black fog. Jason wanted to scream again, to fight, to somehow tear the Goa'uld from his flesh. Externally, however, he could do nothing. All he could do was lie flat on his back, gasping like a fish, barely seeing the ceiling of the chamber he was in as the alien presence pushed its way into his mind. He was vaguely aware of Hatmehit and her entourage sweeping out of the room, presumably to wait for the symbiote to take hold.
He couldn't let that happen.
It wasn't just the thought of that - that *thing* controlling him. Maybe he was just a rookie, maybe this was only his third mission, but already he knew enough about the Stargate program for him to be useful to any of the Goa'uld. He couldn't allow that knowledge to be used against them. It would defeat everything he'd worked for as a Ranger and now as an SG member.
As a Ranger. The realization chilled him. Forget any knowledge of the SGC - if the Goa'uld learned about the Rangers, they were all screwed.
He'd been slipping, but the sudden recollection of what was at stake brought him a second wind. Zordon, the Morphing Grid, all the former Rangers - to let the Goa'uld know all about that could be devastating. What if Hatmehit was inspired to pursue former Rangers for information? Kim, Tommy, Trini, Katherine, Rocky, Adam, Zack, Aisha, Tanya, Billy - their faces paraded across his memory. The thought of having any of them at the mercy of the Goa'uld was terrifying.
It was terrifying enough to keep him struggling against the other consciousness that was threatening to drown him. The seconds ticked by with agonizing slowness as he lay there, desperately fighting against the intruder in his head.
He was vaguely aware of Hatmehit returning to check, frowning when she saw he hadn't submitted yet and yammering at her guards. Jason didn't know what she was saying, but she sounded impatient. Seeing that he was still fighting, she swept out again in a huff.
Jason dismissed her from his concerns, closing his eyes tightly. He had worse problems to deal with than an impatient Goa'uld queen. Little by little, he was slipping. Panic surged within him, and memories of his friends surfaced, unbidden. Of Zordon, the first time they'd received their Power Coins.
~"May the Power protect you."~
The words seemed to trigger something inside Jason. Deep within him, something seemed to snap, to break, like a lock or a bolt shattering. Darkness was enveloping his mind, but suddenly he thought he saw a pinpoint of light appear, growing in intensity. It flared with red-gold fire. Instinctively, Jason moved towards it like a moth drawn to a flame, or just seeking warmth in a black void.
Again the light flared, this time reaching out to envelop him. Jason didn't fight it as the spark became a blast of fiery energy, overwhelming his senses. Unlike the burning misery he'd felt when the symbiote had first entered, the heat of these flames was painless. It brought with it a sudden rush of euphoria, brief but incredibly familiar.
It couldn't be! Could it?
Jason didn't have time to consider the implications as the flame grew brighter, seeming to drive back the darkness that was threatening to take over. His eyes flew open, and his jaw set in determination. If the Goa'uld wanted a fight, it was definitely going to get one.
******
"It's clear," Makepeace announced quietly, slipping back into the concealed tunnel entrance. "We're right smack in the middle, all right. Damn, why didn't we know about this before?"
"Because Teal'c wasn't with us to connect Banebdjetet with the Tok'ra," Daniel replied.
"And if I remember correctly, that was because *someone* didn't think we needed him along for an abandoned fortress," Jack muttered, glaring at Makepeace.
Sam interrupted before Makepeace could rise to the bait. "Sir. We don't have time for this."
"All right," Jack sighed. "Teal'c and I will take point. Carter, Daniel, you're right behind us. Makepeace... you get to watch our backsides."
"Must be my lucky day," Makepeace muttered.
They headed down a familiar series of corridors, ducking out of the sight of Hatmehit's guards, before reaching the entrance to the implantation chamber. Jack barely managed to duck behind a column as Hatmehit herself swept out of the room, flanked by guards as usual and looking visibly irritated. "Something tells me things aren't quite going her way," Daniel murmured as she disappeared around a corner.
"My heart bleeds for her," Jack replied quietly, checking his weapon. He waited several moments before signaling the others to move to the door.
Jason was lying flat on his back, strapped to a metal table. There was only one Jaffa standing guard. Jack nodded to Teal'c, and at once the two men burst into the room. Before he could sound the alarm, the guard was on the floor, unconscious. Sam and Daniel entered the room next, and Sam was immediately at Jason's side. "What do you think she was so mad about?" Daniel asked.
"Dunno," Jack replied. "Maybe the snake didn't take or something."
"He's been implanted," Sam announced, and Jack cursed. "But I don't think it's taken hold quite yet." She turned Jason's head to face her, trying to get through to him. "Lieutenant. It's Major Carter. Can you hear me?"
Amazingly, his eyes seemed to focus. "Major... the Goa'uld... it's..." He broke off, his features contorting in pain.
"I know. Lieutenant, you're going to have to fight it. We'll try to get you out of here." She turned back to the rest of SG-1, who were standing by the door. Makepeace was reluctantly serving as lookout in the corridor. "He's still in there, sir."
"But for how long?" Daniel muttered.
Sam looked thoughtful. "It seems he's been fighting off the symbiote for a surprising amount of time, and he's still holding his own."
"Which is probably why Benny's widow was pissed," Jack observed. "Think we can get him out of here?"
"I will be able to restrain him if the need arises," Teal'c informed them.
"Okay," Jack decided. "Let's do it."
Daniel undid the restraints while Jack and Teal'c had to nearly drag Jason off of the table. The young lieutenant was investing all of his energy in fighting the Goa'uld inside him, and he did not resist as Teal'c bound his hands behind his back.
Suddenly realizing something, Sam tore a strip of fabric from one of the curtains hanging in the chamber. "Lieutenant, we're going to have to gag you in case the Goa'uld tries to call for help. Do you understand?"
With more than a small amount of effort, Jason nodded. Bound and gagged, he was hustled out of the chamber with Jack and Teal'c flanking him. That is, Jack had a zatnicatel pointed at the lieutenant's back while Teal'c held his forearm in an iron grip. The sight of them emerging from the chamber caused Makepeace to do a double-take. "What the hell?"
"We're going back to the Gate," Jack hissed. "I'll explain on the way."
Makepeace slid into the rear of the group, but not before casting a startled glance at his lieutenant. Jason did not meet his gaze; his eyes had gone out of focus again, presumably as he battled the creature in his head. Jack and Teal'c half-dragged him across the hall and into the shadows, hustling their unresisting captive through the concealed passageway into the dim tunnels.
******
Hatmehit strode imperiously into the implantation chamber, ready to accept her new consort... and stopped dead. Her ice-blue eyes took in the scene: the Jaffa guard lying prone on the floor, the obvious signs of a scuffle, and, most prominently, the empty metal table in the corner. She didn't know exactly how it had happened, but the outcome was clear - the host was gone.
With a swish of blue-green robes, she spun on her heel, barking orders to her guards left and right. One didn't have to know the language to know what she was saying. Hatmehit had been waiting for her consort to mature, and she wasn't very patient. And after all that time, she wouldn't be pleased if it was all for nothing.
There would be hell to pay.
******
"Can't believe no one spotted us," Makepeace muttered as they made their way down towards the concealed entrance. "This is too easy."
As if on cue, Jason's knees suddenly buckled, and he seemed to convulse in pain. "What the?" Jack exclaimed.
The fit caught Teal'c off balance, and the Jaffa's grip loosened for a moment. Which was all their captive needed. Jason broke free from the restraints, shoving Teal'c back and spinning to deal a well-placed kick to the Jaffa's stomach and knock the zatnicatel out of Jack's hand. Teal'c stumbled back under the suddenness of the attack, and Jason ripped off the gag before turning on Jack. Before Jack could raise his gun, the lieutenant's hands were already wrapped around his throat. Jason's eyes flashed gold, the sign of Goa'uld possession.
"You had to say it, didn't you?" Jack coughed as he struggled against the inhuman grip that was threatening to crush his windpipe.
Jason - or, rather, the Goa'uld controlling him - glared fiercely at Jack. "Tau'ri. You were fools to come back. Now you will join your friend."
Jack could only gasp in response as black spots danced on the edge of his vision. He vaguely recalled hearing something about the kid being a black belt, and cursed himself for forgetting that. His lungs were fairly burning from the lack of oxygen.
"Drop him, Lieutenant!" Makepeace barked. "Dammit, kid, fight it!"
Suddenly, the vicelike grip loosened, and Jack fell to the floor, gasping for air. As oxygen flooded into his lungs again, the room came back into focus. Sam was by his side, helping him get to his feet as he turned back to his attacker. Jason was hunched over, gripping his head in his hands. He looked up at them, pain and terror etched into the dark eyes. "Colonel... kill me," Jason gasped. "Please."
"Lieutenant, listen to me," Sam told him, keeping her voice steady. "You have to keep fighting the symbiote."
"I..." He broke off with a moan of agony, gripping his head again.
After a moment, he straightened up abruptly, the control he had managed gone as the Goa'uld again stared out of his eyes. "Who are you?" Daniel asked suddenly, stalling for time.
"I am Tal'mek," the Goa'uld sneered. "You will bow before your god--"
"Oh, stuff it already!" Jack interrupted. "You're not going anywhere. Not in that man's head."
Tal'mek actually seemed to find that funny. "Your friend is too weak. He cannot stop me."
The stalling was starting to work. Teal'c had gotten to his feet and was stealthily moving around behind Jason, and Makepeace was following suit, trying to box him in. Behind Jack, Sam and Daniel were blocking the path back up to the citadel. Realizing he was surrounded, Tal'mek took a step back, casting about him with surprise. "Looks like we can, Bucko," Jack snapped.
With a snarl, Tal'mek spun, launching a roundhouse kick at the nearest target - namely, Makepeace. But he pivoted on the wounded leg, which hadn't completely healed yet. Instead of kicking Makepeace in the head, the kick knocked the gun from the colonel's hands, and the two soldiers crashed to the floor. Makepeace tried to go for his gun, but Tal'mek was quicker, grabbing the colonel in a headlock as SG-1 surrounded them. "Move an inch," the Goa'uld hissed, "and I break his neck."
"Hey, I wouldn't miss him," Jack muttered.
Makepeace gasped, his face turning bright red. "O'Neill... he's not kidding!" he choked.
Jack glanced around at his team. None of them seemed sure of what to do. Sam slowly drew the zatnicatel she'd retrieved, only to have Makepeace splutter as the headlock tightened. "Teal'c?" Jack muttered.
"If we let him go, he will surely alert Hatmehit," Teal'c responded.
"And if we don't, he'll kill Makepeace," Daniel reminded them.
At that moment, something strange happened.
The golden glow in Jason's eyes suddenly flared, taking on a reddish-orange hue. Tal'mek released Makepeace, letting the other man slump to the floor. Clutching his head in agony, the Goa'uld let out a howl of anguish. Daniel quickly helped Makepeace out of his reach as the Goa'uld's cries of pain intensified; Tal'mek was oblivious to their presence. "Teal'c, what's going on?" Sam asked.
Teal'c stared at the pain-wracked form before them in shock. "Major Carter, I do not know."
The lieutenant jerked up then, and Jack suddenly realized that it was not Tal'mek who was in control. "Get..." Jason gasped, "out... of... my... HEAD!!"
Again he screamed, but this time it was hard to tell which one was crying out as he collapsed to the floor, motionless. Cautiously, Sam approached the inert form, and gasped in shock. "Colonel!"
"What?" Jack asked, coming up beside her just in time to see the Goa'uld literally eject itself out the way it came, shooting a few feet across the stones. Reflexively, Jack jumped back. "Whoa! Carter, are you nuts?"
The symbiote, however, did not attack. It lay there, writhing and keening in agony for a few moments before going entirely limp. Carter stared at it for a moment. "I don't believe this. It's dead."
"Jack. Colonel Makepeace." Daniel was kneeling next to Jason, checking for a pulse. The lieutenant was staring into space, his breathing shallow. "He's still with us, but I think he's going into shock."
"Can't blame him," Jack muttered. He turned to Teal'c. "Any idea what just happened here?"
"None." The big Jaffa hesitated, listening. "I would advise that we move quickly, O'Neill. The death cries of Tal'mek may have alerted the guards."
"Come on," Makepeace decided. "Let's get the kid out of here. We can figure out what happened later."
For once, Jack was inclined to agree.