AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey all. This bit is long than the others. *G* I've been
promising a longer part and here it is!!
Hugs to all sharim
Chapter Six
Nut was tired. She has used all her host's energy and her own, and now she craved nothing more than to be put to sleep in the sarcophagus.
She gazed down disdainfully at Cal'ma.
"Speak," she commanded, revelling in the sound of her voice despite the tiredness. Her voice was soft and brittle was the leaves on the trees, but commanded the power of the storm.
"The Tau'ri, my Queen," the Jaffa priestess stuttered. Nut could see her hands shaking where they rested tensely on the polished floors.
"What of them?"
"The male is awake and being bathed, ready to be presented to you-" Cal'ma cut off abruptly.
Nut waited, not bother to conceal her impatience.
"The woman. the woman is dying, my Queen."
Disappointment brushed its cold fingers against Nut's cheek, and she sighed in annoyance. "Bring her."
Cal'ma knelt close to the ground, honouring her Queen before crawling out of the room, still facing her respectfully.
Nut smiled in satisfaction. Cal'ma served her well. Very well. A most loyal Jaffa.
She could trust Cal'ma to care for and guard the Tau'ri until they were well enough to be of use to her.
Her musings and plans were cut short as Cal'ma returned, followed by two Jaffa carrying the unconscious Tau'ri woman.
Nut frowned; the life force that had been humming days ago with strength borrow from the male was dull again, the air barely moving as it swirled lethargically around the woman.
"Bring the male," Nut ordered. She knew that she would not be able to heal the woman on her own; she needed the male's strength.
Nut studied the woman while she waited for her command to be carried out. Short golden hair framed an expressive, clear face with delicate ears and a small nose. The body was hidden beneath the distasteful, heavy green garments, but the still hands were slender and well shaped.
Were it not for her current host's abilities, and the fact that Geb enjoyed the small fragility, Nut would not have thought twice about jumping hosts. The Tau'ri was very desirable.
Her lips curved in a smile of amusement. Perhaps she would keep the Tau'ri as a form of amusement. Such beauty would receive a special place of honour within her Court.
The Tau'ri male was also a strong specimen, she decided as he was marched into the room. He still showed effects from her wielding of the ribbon device, but there was a warrior's strength in his eyes.
He would make a wonderful Jaffa. And he would be loyal because of his tie to the Tau'ri woman.
Nut smiled softly.
"What the hell-"
The man's eyes widened as he viewed her for the first time, her form not hidden beneath billowing folds of fabric. His mouth opened and closed, his face stunned.
Nut was pleased.
He was showing reverence worthy of her.
He would make a wonderful Jaffa. When the time came.
"I." His forehead creased in confusion, and his eyes flicked towards the bloodstained bundle lying at the base of her feet. "Carter! What have you done to her?" he demanded, jerking and catching the Jaffa off-guard. Yes, a wonderful Jaffa.
"I have done nothing," she waved her hand idly, indicating for the Jaffa to leave him. "I am willing to heal her."
He stopped, suspicion in his gaze.
Wise as well as strong. Perhaps First Prime?
"Why would you help her?"
Nut smiled; he would do.
"Because you would help me."
He raised an eyebrow, a mocking look settling over his face. "Oh, I would, would I?"
Nut smiled. Yes, when he realised what was on offer he would help. "Yes."
He smiled languidly, but the concerned flick towards the woman lying at her feet gave Nut confidence that she would get what she wanted from him, perhaps more if she were to use the woman as a bargaining tool.
"What do I have to do?"
"You will find Geb."
"I will find what?"
A flash of annoyance and irritation crossed her perfect features. "Geb," she repeated his name softly and reverently. "My love."
"I'm not your love, and I don't think I ever will be," the Tau'ri snorted.
Nut clenched her jaw. Wise, strong and annoying. Once he was her Jaffa she would teach him to speak with respect. Until then. until she had Geb.
"Geb is my beloved," she explained, exercising what little patience she had to its limit.
"Oh." Comprehension dawned on his features. He frowned again. "How am I supposed to find Geb when I'm a prisoner on your ship?"
She smiled in satisfaction. He was quick witted. Marvellous.
"I will release you."
He looked at her with a look that stated he clearly did not believe her.
She smiled in satisfaction. "I will release you because I will have your mate."
Again comprehension lit his beautiful brown eyes. "She's not my mate."
"She is now," Nut shrugged her shoulders delicately. "I had to bind her life force with yours to save her. If one of you dies, so does the other."
Nut glanced down at the woman whose life force was dulling at an alarming rate. "If I do not heal her soon, she will die. And then you will die because she has your life force."
He swallowed, fear in his eyes. Nut realised with surprise that it was fear for the woman, and not for himself. A truly loyal Jaffa. As Geb was truly loyal to her.
She had chosen well.
"Okay. Okay, I'll find Geb," he agreed readily.
"Hold her." It was easier to closer he was to her.
His hands were shaking his he gathered the woman into his arms gently, concern furrowing his brow while his graceful fingers felt the coolness of death on her forehead and the butterfly heartbeat in her neck.
She smiled in relief; it had been easier than she thought it would be.
She joined her hands together again, her mind tugging gently at his life force that glowed far stronger than it had previously. She fed it to the woman quickly, weaving the gaping wound shut with spider web precision and delicacy, leaving no scar.
The world started spinning.
With one last effort, Nut forced the life force into the woman's heart, her strength all used up. With a cry of defeat, she slipped to the floor, her alabaster brow pale and wet with effort.
~o0o~
"You're all done, Teal'c."
"Thank you, Dr. Fraiser."
Janet nodded her head in acknowledgement and watched silently as the tall Jaffa rose to his feet steadily; the only sign of his encounter with the stone wall was the large cut on the back of his head that Janet had promptly stitched up, despite the warrior's protests.
Teal'c lumbered out of the room quickly, leaving Janet alone with Daniel Jackson, who sat regarding her thoughtfully from one of the makeshift stone stools.
"They're going to give up looking, aren't they?" he asked quietly, his voice barely carrying above the sound of the rain lashing at the tent they were sitting in.
Janet nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.
"So we're just going to pack up and leave."
Janet flinched at his sharp words, silently repacking her medical equipment into its bag. "There is a Goa'uld on the loose on this planet, Daniel. He almost killed Gibson, gave Teal'c a serious concussion that would have put any other man out of duty for at least two weeks, and gave Major Ferretti a fracture wrist at the same time. We're just lucky he didn't kill anyone!"
"And what about Sam and Jack? What if us giving up now kills them? We could find them tomorrow, or the day after-"
"Or not at all!"
"So? We're giving up, Janet!"
"What about the Goa'uld, Daniel?" Janet ran a weary hand through her hair. "Other than one dead Jaffa and a staff weapon, we can't find any trace of the Goa'uld that was here. You and Teal'c saw the ship leave. There's a strong possibility that Sam and the Colonel are on that ship!"
"And just as strong a possibility that they're buried under the rock slide."
"In which case they're more than likely dead," Janet whispered.
"If they're on the ship then they're also more than likely dead. Or worse."
Janet didn't say anything. There wasn't anything she could say.
She watched Daniel climb unsteadily to his feet, leaning heavily on a makeshift crutch. "You should let me look at your ankle."
"It's fine." His manner was sharp and defensive, his blue eyes glaring accusingly at her.
"It wasn't my decision, Daniel."
"But you agree with it. You agree that we should stop looking!" he turned on her, his voice bouncing off the tent walls.
"I know the odds, Daniel. Five days and we haven't found them yet. If they somehow managed to survive the rockslide they would be dead now because of dust inhalation, lack of water. Their injuries could even have killed them."
Daniel seethed, refusing to accept the decision.
"Besides, look at the weather. More rain has fallen today than I've ever seen fall at once. It's making the whole area unstable, there have been three mudslides already, and we can't afford to let anyone else get injured here. Especially not if there's a Goa'uld around."
He threw his crutch at the tent wall, watching emotionlessly as the stick cut bounced off the canvas and the tent shook. "If we leave here then we have no way of knowing if that Goa'uld has left or is still on the planet."
"It doesn't matter. That Goa'uld was trapped in that room, and both you and Mr. Teal'c say it's not the same Goa'uld that was here when. when-"
Daniel sighed in frustration, spun around on his good foot and stormed out of the tent, leaving Janet staring out to where his form had disappeared into the wall of rain.
~o0o~
She was warm when she started to regain consciousness.
Sam sighed in appreciation; it had been a long time since she felt warm. And it had been a long time since she had felt no pain. She still felt a bit of pain, but the ache and the complaining muscles were nothing compared to the fire that had raged throughout her body before.
She shifted slowly, her muscles contracting at the movement and cramping. She flinched, wincing at the pain.
"Don't move," someone whispered, and she frowned.
Her eyes blinked open slowly, the fuzzy world around her slowly swimming into awareness. Someone was holding her close, she could feel his heartbeat beneath her and feel his warmth through the soft cloth resting against her face.
"Colonel?"
"Yeah, it's me."
She sighed in relief, burrowing closer to his warmth and letting her eyes flutter shut again. She was so tired, so, so tired. And weak.
Sam frowned at the feeling of helplessness.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," she didn't move, enjoy the way his chest moved against her when he spoke. It sent shivers of comfort rushing over her. She felt completely comfortable and relaxed lying against him. She shouldn't, but she did. "What happened?"
She felt him hesitate, his whole body paused, and she waited until he snatched a breath before turning her head up to look at him. "Colonel?"
"I'm not exactly sure," he admitted eventually, resting a hand on her forehead. His hand was warm. She was warm.
Sighing, she snuggled closer.
"We're on a Goa'uld ship-" he started out.
She tensed. "We're what?"
"-but I don't think we're about to be killed or tortured."
Confused, she pulled away from him, sitting upright slowly and painfully before she opened her eyes and looked down at where he was lying. "Sir?"
He sighed, rolling onto his back and resting his head on his hands as he finally turned to look at her. "She wants us to find someone."
Waves of nausea suddenly rolled over Sam.
"Carter?" he frowned, his own face turning oddly pale.
"I'm gonna be sick," she whispered, trying to get off the bed and onto her feet.
"Easy!" he warned, helping her up as she swayed wildly around, her balance completely shot. He guided her to a small room set in the corner of the larger room, helping her balance while she retched into something vaguely resembling a toilet.
"Oh God," she whispered as her strength gave way and she sank to her knees.
"You got up too fast," he scolded gently, picking her up and carrying her back to the bed.
She didn't say anything as he laid her down and then wiped her face carefully with a small, cool cloth. "Sir."
"Carter?"
"What happened?"
He pulled the cloth from her face and looked down at her hesitantly. She felt fear building in her stomach. She turned her eyes from his face and focused instead on his hands, watching as his fingers nervously twisted the damp materiel. "Sir?"
"You were dead, Carter." Despite the fact that she was very much alive and breathing, the words still sent a shudder of fear and horror raced along her back. "And I was pretty much dead too."
"So."
"She healed us."
"Who did?"
"Nut."
She blinked. "Nut?"
"As in nutsy Nut, yeah I know."
She grinned in spite of herself. What kind of a name was Nut? "Who is Nut?"
"A Goa'uld."
"I don't understand, Sir."
"Now there's a first."
She glared at him, annoyed. "Sorry, Carter. She. healed me, for lack of a better term, and brought you back to life, according to one of the Jaffa."
"Then what?"
"You were dying. Again," he said simply, his eyes darting away from her and focusing on the back wall.
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"So I struck a bargain with her."
"Colonel! You know you can't trust them!"
"I know that Carter! But it was either refuse and you die, or agree and you live, as simple as that!"
As simple as that. The words echoed in her mind, the pain in her head growing as the syllables bounced around. "What do you have to do?"
"I have to find Geb," he said softly.
"Geb?"
"It's complicated, Carter, and you need your rest. Get some sleep."
Sam tried to find the strength to argue with him, to force him to explain everything to her. But she was so tired and her head was so sore.
His hands brushed over her forehead again, smoothing back her hair. She sighed, relinquishing her consciousness to the determined tendrils of sleep.
~o0o~
That's it for now. Stay tuned for more. big smile Feedback and reviews adored, as per usual!
Sharim
Hugs to all sharim
Chapter Six
Nut was tired. She has used all her host's energy and her own, and now she craved nothing more than to be put to sleep in the sarcophagus.
She gazed down disdainfully at Cal'ma.
"Speak," she commanded, revelling in the sound of her voice despite the tiredness. Her voice was soft and brittle was the leaves on the trees, but commanded the power of the storm.
"The Tau'ri, my Queen," the Jaffa priestess stuttered. Nut could see her hands shaking where they rested tensely on the polished floors.
"What of them?"
"The male is awake and being bathed, ready to be presented to you-" Cal'ma cut off abruptly.
Nut waited, not bother to conceal her impatience.
"The woman. the woman is dying, my Queen."
Disappointment brushed its cold fingers against Nut's cheek, and she sighed in annoyance. "Bring her."
Cal'ma knelt close to the ground, honouring her Queen before crawling out of the room, still facing her respectfully.
Nut smiled in satisfaction. Cal'ma served her well. Very well. A most loyal Jaffa.
She could trust Cal'ma to care for and guard the Tau'ri until they were well enough to be of use to her.
Her musings and plans were cut short as Cal'ma returned, followed by two Jaffa carrying the unconscious Tau'ri woman.
Nut frowned; the life force that had been humming days ago with strength borrow from the male was dull again, the air barely moving as it swirled lethargically around the woman.
"Bring the male," Nut ordered. She knew that she would not be able to heal the woman on her own; she needed the male's strength.
Nut studied the woman while she waited for her command to be carried out. Short golden hair framed an expressive, clear face with delicate ears and a small nose. The body was hidden beneath the distasteful, heavy green garments, but the still hands were slender and well shaped.
Were it not for her current host's abilities, and the fact that Geb enjoyed the small fragility, Nut would not have thought twice about jumping hosts. The Tau'ri was very desirable.
Her lips curved in a smile of amusement. Perhaps she would keep the Tau'ri as a form of amusement. Such beauty would receive a special place of honour within her Court.
The Tau'ri male was also a strong specimen, she decided as he was marched into the room. He still showed effects from her wielding of the ribbon device, but there was a warrior's strength in his eyes.
He would make a wonderful Jaffa. And he would be loyal because of his tie to the Tau'ri woman.
Nut smiled softly.
"What the hell-"
The man's eyes widened as he viewed her for the first time, her form not hidden beneath billowing folds of fabric. His mouth opened and closed, his face stunned.
Nut was pleased.
He was showing reverence worthy of her.
He would make a wonderful Jaffa. When the time came.
"I." His forehead creased in confusion, and his eyes flicked towards the bloodstained bundle lying at the base of her feet. "Carter! What have you done to her?" he demanded, jerking and catching the Jaffa off-guard. Yes, a wonderful Jaffa.
"I have done nothing," she waved her hand idly, indicating for the Jaffa to leave him. "I am willing to heal her."
He stopped, suspicion in his gaze.
Wise as well as strong. Perhaps First Prime?
"Why would you help her?"
Nut smiled; he would do.
"Because you would help me."
He raised an eyebrow, a mocking look settling over his face. "Oh, I would, would I?"
Nut smiled. Yes, when he realised what was on offer he would help. "Yes."
He smiled languidly, but the concerned flick towards the woman lying at her feet gave Nut confidence that she would get what she wanted from him, perhaps more if she were to use the woman as a bargaining tool.
"What do I have to do?"
"You will find Geb."
"I will find what?"
A flash of annoyance and irritation crossed her perfect features. "Geb," she repeated his name softly and reverently. "My love."
"I'm not your love, and I don't think I ever will be," the Tau'ri snorted.
Nut clenched her jaw. Wise, strong and annoying. Once he was her Jaffa she would teach him to speak with respect. Until then. until she had Geb.
"Geb is my beloved," she explained, exercising what little patience she had to its limit.
"Oh." Comprehension dawned on his features. He frowned again. "How am I supposed to find Geb when I'm a prisoner on your ship?"
She smiled in satisfaction. He was quick witted. Marvellous.
"I will release you."
He looked at her with a look that stated he clearly did not believe her.
She smiled in satisfaction. "I will release you because I will have your mate."
Again comprehension lit his beautiful brown eyes. "She's not my mate."
"She is now," Nut shrugged her shoulders delicately. "I had to bind her life force with yours to save her. If one of you dies, so does the other."
Nut glanced down at the woman whose life force was dulling at an alarming rate. "If I do not heal her soon, she will die. And then you will die because she has your life force."
He swallowed, fear in his eyes. Nut realised with surprise that it was fear for the woman, and not for himself. A truly loyal Jaffa. As Geb was truly loyal to her.
She had chosen well.
"Okay. Okay, I'll find Geb," he agreed readily.
"Hold her." It was easier to closer he was to her.
His hands were shaking his he gathered the woman into his arms gently, concern furrowing his brow while his graceful fingers felt the coolness of death on her forehead and the butterfly heartbeat in her neck.
She smiled in relief; it had been easier than she thought it would be.
She joined her hands together again, her mind tugging gently at his life force that glowed far stronger than it had previously. She fed it to the woman quickly, weaving the gaping wound shut with spider web precision and delicacy, leaving no scar.
The world started spinning.
With one last effort, Nut forced the life force into the woman's heart, her strength all used up. With a cry of defeat, she slipped to the floor, her alabaster brow pale and wet with effort.
~o0o~
"You're all done, Teal'c."
"Thank you, Dr. Fraiser."
Janet nodded her head in acknowledgement and watched silently as the tall Jaffa rose to his feet steadily; the only sign of his encounter with the stone wall was the large cut on the back of his head that Janet had promptly stitched up, despite the warrior's protests.
Teal'c lumbered out of the room quickly, leaving Janet alone with Daniel Jackson, who sat regarding her thoughtfully from one of the makeshift stone stools.
"They're going to give up looking, aren't they?" he asked quietly, his voice barely carrying above the sound of the rain lashing at the tent they were sitting in.
Janet nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.
"So we're just going to pack up and leave."
Janet flinched at his sharp words, silently repacking her medical equipment into its bag. "There is a Goa'uld on the loose on this planet, Daniel. He almost killed Gibson, gave Teal'c a serious concussion that would have put any other man out of duty for at least two weeks, and gave Major Ferretti a fracture wrist at the same time. We're just lucky he didn't kill anyone!"
"And what about Sam and Jack? What if us giving up now kills them? We could find them tomorrow, or the day after-"
"Or not at all!"
"So? We're giving up, Janet!"
"What about the Goa'uld, Daniel?" Janet ran a weary hand through her hair. "Other than one dead Jaffa and a staff weapon, we can't find any trace of the Goa'uld that was here. You and Teal'c saw the ship leave. There's a strong possibility that Sam and the Colonel are on that ship!"
"And just as strong a possibility that they're buried under the rock slide."
"In which case they're more than likely dead," Janet whispered.
"If they're on the ship then they're also more than likely dead. Or worse."
Janet didn't say anything. There wasn't anything she could say.
She watched Daniel climb unsteadily to his feet, leaning heavily on a makeshift crutch. "You should let me look at your ankle."
"It's fine." His manner was sharp and defensive, his blue eyes glaring accusingly at her.
"It wasn't my decision, Daniel."
"But you agree with it. You agree that we should stop looking!" he turned on her, his voice bouncing off the tent walls.
"I know the odds, Daniel. Five days and we haven't found them yet. If they somehow managed to survive the rockslide they would be dead now because of dust inhalation, lack of water. Their injuries could even have killed them."
Daniel seethed, refusing to accept the decision.
"Besides, look at the weather. More rain has fallen today than I've ever seen fall at once. It's making the whole area unstable, there have been three mudslides already, and we can't afford to let anyone else get injured here. Especially not if there's a Goa'uld around."
He threw his crutch at the tent wall, watching emotionlessly as the stick cut bounced off the canvas and the tent shook. "If we leave here then we have no way of knowing if that Goa'uld has left or is still on the planet."
"It doesn't matter. That Goa'uld was trapped in that room, and both you and Mr. Teal'c say it's not the same Goa'uld that was here when. when-"
Daniel sighed in frustration, spun around on his good foot and stormed out of the tent, leaving Janet staring out to where his form had disappeared into the wall of rain.
~o0o~
She was warm when she started to regain consciousness.
Sam sighed in appreciation; it had been a long time since she felt warm. And it had been a long time since she had felt no pain. She still felt a bit of pain, but the ache and the complaining muscles were nothing compared to the fire that had raged throughout her body before.
She shifted slowly, her muscles contracting at the movement and cramping. She flinched, wincing at the pain.
"Don't move," someone whispered, and she frowned.
Her eyes blinked open slowly, the fuzzy world around her slowly swimming into awareness. Someone was holding her close, she could feel his heartbeat beneath her and feel his warmth through the soft cloth resting against her face.
"Colonel?"
"Yeah, it's me."
She sighed in relief, burrowing closer to his warmth and letting her eyes flutter shut again. She was so tired, so, so tired. And weak.
Sam frowned at the feeling of helplessness.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," she didn't move, enjoy the way his chest moved against her when he spoke. It sent shivers of comfort rushing over her. She felt completely comfortable and relaxed lying against him. She shouldn't, but she did. "What happened?"
She felt him hesitate, his whole body paused, and she waited until he snatched a breath before turning her head up to look at him. "Colonel?"
"I'm not exactly sure," he admitted eventually, resting a hand on her forehead. His hand was warm. She was warm.
Sighing, she snuggled closer.
"We're on a Goa'uld ship-" he started out.
She tensed. "We're what?"
"-but I don't think we're about to be killed or tortured."
Confused, she pulled away from him, sitting upright slowly and painfully before she opened her eyes and looked down at where he was lying. "Sir?"
He sighed, rolling onto his back and resting his head on his hands as he finally turned to look at her. "She wants us to find someone."
Waves of nausea suddenly rolled over Sam.
"Carter?" he frowned, his own face turning oddly pale.
"I'm gonna be sick," she whispered, trying to get off the bed and onto her feet.
"Easy!" he warned, helping her up as she swayed wildly around, her balance completely shot. He guided her to a small room set in the corner of the larger room, helping her balance while she retched into something vaguely resembling a toilet.
"Oh God," she whispered as her strength gave way and she sank to her knees.
"You got up too fast," he scolded gently, picking her up and carrying her back to the bed.
She didn't say anything as he laid her down and then wiped her face carefully with a small, cool cloth. "Sir."
"Carter?"
"What happened?"
He pulled the cloth from her face and looked down at her hesitantly. She felt fear building in her stomach. She turned her eyes from his face and focused instead on his hands, watching as his fingers nervously twisted the damp materiel. "Sir?"
"You were dead, Carter." Despite the fact that she was very much alive and breathing, the words still sent a shudder of fear and horror raced along her back. "And I was pretty much dead too."
"So."
"She healed us."
"Who did?"
"Nut."
She blinked. "Nut?"
"As in nutsy Nut, yeah I know."
She grinned in spite of herself. What kind of a name was Nut? "Who is Nut?"
"A Goa'uld."
"I don't understand, Sir."
"Now there's a first."
She glared at him, annoyed. "Sorry, Carter. She. healed me, for lack of a better term, and brought you back to life, according to one of the Jaffa."
"Then what?"
"You were dying. Again," he said simply, his eyes darting away from her and focusing on the back wall.
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"So I struck a bargain with her."
"Colonel! You know you can't trust them!"
"I know that Carter! But it was either refuse and you die, or agree and you live, as simple as that!"
As simple as that. The words echoed in her mind, the pain in her head growing as the syllables bounced around. "What do you have to do?"
"I have to find Geb," he said softly.
"Geb?"
"It's complicated, Carter, and you need your rest. Get some sleep."
Sam tried to find the strength to argue with him, to force him to explain everything to her. But she was so tired and her head was so sore.
His hands brushed over her forehead again, smoothing back her hair. She sighed, relinquishing her consciousness to the determined tendrils of sleep.
~o0o~
That's it for now. Stay tuned for more. big smile Feedback and reviews adored, as per usual!
Sharim