A/N: Another bit because you're all just so darn special!! He he he.
Hugs to all
Chapter Thirteen
We understand your concern, Jacob, however-
"No, you see, if you did understand my concern then you wouldn't think twice about letting me take a teltac and go!"
Jacob! Per'sus' voice held a sharp edge, and Jacob swallowed roughly as he tried to keep his control.
"This is my daughter we're talking about! If the Tau'ri find out that we know where Geb is and don't tell them then we're risking the alliance as well!"
They do not need to know we know.
Jacob knew the Tok'ra were cold and callous because of their single-minded determination to succeed. but this. this was unacceptable.
"Selmak and I have been working our asses - ass - off for the last months. We've done everything short of take down the Goa'uld single handed. All we're asking is that you lend us a teltac for one day. That's all."
There was silence in the chamber. Jacob, the Goa'uld are getting stronger than ever, and you are asking that we give you one of the limited teltacs we have for a personal mission?
Perhaps it would be wise, Anise's voice floated around the room. Should Nut locate Geb and release him then we will have yet another Goa'uld against us.
Jacob shot a grateful look towards the blond Tok'ra.
The silence was broken as the Council murmured among themselves, and Jacob found himself clutching at the end of Tok'ra meeting desk with stiff fingers.
Very well. Jacob, you may use a teltac. You must ensure that Geb does not return to power.
Jacob nodded his head, adrenalin rushing through his veins.
Sam. He was going to save Sam!
We will send a message to the Tau'ri immediately and request the assistance of Dr. Jackson and Teal'c, Per'sus continued. You are to leave as soon as they arrive.
~o0o~
Every time he moved, it felt like his head was going to explode. The slightest noise or whispering of air over the raw wound hurt more than he would have thought possible.
"Sir?" Carter whispered, and he opened his eyes to stare up into her pale face.
He tried to respond, but his voice wouldn't obey his command.
"That was close, Sir," she continued before reaching down with a damp cloth to brush something from his cheek and nose.
Blood. Dried blood that had caked on there.
It had been close. Much too close.
He squinted up at her, wishing that the lights would stop blurring together. Her forehead looked red and blistered as well. He could feel the tremor in her hands as she wiped at his face.
It had been close for her too.
"Why did she stop?" Carter's words were cautious and confused.
Jack closed his eyes, sighing.
She'd stopped because Jack had told her where Geb was. Someone, Shu's Might meant something to the snakehead and had pissed her off to no end.
"Geb," he muttered hoarsely, his voice scratching on her throat.
"Did you find him?" Carter frowned, her hand absently toying with his jacket.
Head hurt. Tired.
"Sort.of."
"Sort of?"
He sighed. All he wanted to do was sleep, why was she asking so many questions?
"Colonel?"
"Shu's Might," he whispered, his voice working slightly better.
His head hurt. He was so tired.
"What's-"
Her words were cut to a rude halt as they were both thrown from the bed by the harsh jolt of the ship launching into hyperspace.
"Found out.." He managed before his eyes slipped shut and his world was plunged into oblivion again.
~o0o~
Anhur walked silently in the dark room. No sunlight reached this far into the bowels of the temple. His feet often cracked into hard rocks and debris, his head knocking harshly against uneven roofing and his whole body smashing roughly against protruding walls and turns.
He did not stop.
He could feel Geb ahead. He could feel the singing in his blood, the lust for a victory taking over his mind.
He did not stop.
Sticky blood trickled down his face like molasses, drizzling into his eyes. But he did not wipe it away because that would take time and it was not obstructing his vision in this darkness.
He did not stop.
On he forged, past images and memories guiding him towards the chamber where Geb would be imprisoned.
The throne room. Ra would imprison Geb in the very centre of Shu's Might, an apt form of revenge.
Anhur's chuckle bounced oddly and emptily through the darkness, the echoes colliding violently against one another.
He did not stop.
Ahead, Anhur knew, were the great doors embossed with fine goldwork and millions of jewels, all cut by the hands of slaves. None other had such finery as Shu had possessed, not even Ra.
Guilt prickled at Anhur for such traitorous thoughts, but Anhur knew it to be true. Ra had never paid as much attention to jewels as Shu had, preferring instead gold and young boys.
Anhur grinned, the warm blood seeping over his cracked lips and onto his tongue. He had preferred Ra's tastes, and was often rewarded with young Jaffa for his pleasure. Perhaps he would be given a planet for this success. this capture of Nut.
The blood warmed his mouth, and a deliciously heady feeling swept over Anhur. So strong was the temptation to give into the feelings evoked by his own life liquid, that he was tempted to stop and taste more. But he controlled himself.
Geb was close.
Revenge and victory were even sweeter than the taste of blood.
Patience.
Anhur kept walking. Walking towards his victory.
~o0o~
Daniel grunted in his sleep, shifting awkwardly on his pillow.
He was going to have to get a new pillow; this one was so lumpy it clicked when moved.
Daniel frowned.
Clicked when he moved?
Slowly he opened his eyes and came face to face with the 'F' key on his keyboard.
"Have a good sleep?" Janet's voice was tired, but the note of underlying amusement couldn't be missed.
"Hmm?" Daniel blinked, pushing himself upright. Oh, jeez, that hurt. Ow!
"Back okay?"
"It'll be fine, just needs to move a bit," he yawned, stretching and rubbing at his eyes.
He heard her walking towards him, her heels clipping briskly on the concrete floor. "Here."
Daniel accepted the glasses she'd picked up from the desk and slipped them on, yawning again as he looked around.
"I told you to get a good night's sleep, Daniel," she sighed in reproached, placing a cup of coffee next to him. "You're in terrible condition, and I've half a mind not to let you go."
"Go where?" he mumbled as he carefully drank the hot beverage.
"To get Sam and Jack."
He coughed into his drink, spraying his paperwork with dark droplets. "What?"
"The Tok'ra sent a message about an hour ago, and then General Carter came through to talk to General Hammond. They know where Shu's Might is and they have a teltac to get you there."
Daniel blinked.
"When do we leave?"
"As soon as you're ready."
Daniel was up and out of his chair before she'd finished talking.
"Daniel!"
"Janet?" He turned around in the doorway, clearly anxious to get going.
"Coffee." She held up his unfinished drink.
He raced back to her, grabbed the mug and downed the bitter liquid in one mouthful.
"Thanks Jan, you're the best," he grinned, pecking her on the cheek before running out of the room again.
Janet smiled in amusement, picked up his mug and followed him down the hallway at a more sedate pace.
*
Hammond sat silently, waiting for Teal'c and Daniel to arrive. He watched Jacob fiddle with a pen, a haunted desperation shadowing his friend's eyes.
"You'll get them, Jake."
Jacob smiled half-heartedly. "Don't get your hopes up, George. Jack was under the impression that we don't know where Shu's Might is, and he certainly didn't know. Nut might have killed them already and this would all be pointless."
Hammond sighed, accepting the Tok'ra's answer. After all, if anyone should understand the way the mind of a Goa'uld worked it would be a Tok'ra.
"Maybe Nut knows where Shu's Might is."
"That's assuming Jack told her that much. You know him, George. He plays his cards close to his chest."
Hammond frowned. "I was under the impression that she could read minds."
"It's difficult. but it might be a possibility. If Jack was thinking about Shu's Might and not other stuff, then yeah. Otherwise."
Hammond nodded in resignation as the door opened to admit Teal'c, Daniel and Dr. Fraiser.
"When do we leave?" Daniel demanded, not even sitting down.
Hammond smiled inwardly at his enthusiasm, but he indicated a chair. "Not quite yet, Dr. Jackson."
He sighed heavily, dropping into a chair before studying Jacob intently. "How did you find out about Shu's Might?"
"One of the Tok'ra has a role similar to an archaeologist, Daniel. Anise went through her notes and our history and we worked out that Shu's Might was his planet. At least, that's what we think."
"So why aren't we going?" Daniel demanded.
"We've got a teltac from the Tok'ra High Council on the condition that we make sure both Nut and Geb are our of the picture for good."
"And?"
"Even if we get to Shu's homeworld before Nut does we would still have to find Geb on it and set up a trap for Nut that she won't be able to smell out a hundred miles away."
"Oh," Daniel blinked.
"How do we intend to do this, General Carter?"
"If we get Geb first we can barter with Nut for him, but chances are that she'd destroy us or betray us."
"No surprise there," Daniel muttered. Hammond smiled; the archaeologist had been hanging around Jack O'Neill for a while now.
"So what is our plan?" Teal'c asked again, frowning as he weighed the situation in his mind.
"We go in with our ship cloaked. If we get there before Nut then we leave it cloaked. She'll either leave the ship herself with an escort, or stay on the ship and send guards down to get Geb."
Hammond nodded, listening carefully.
"If she leaves the ship we wait for her to get out of sight and then we attack her ship. They won't be expecting an attack and we should be able to take it over pretty easily, depending on her forces. She's also likely to leave Sam and Jack on board, so we could rescue them at the same time. Then all we do is blow her to pieces from space."
Hammond frowned. "What if she doesn't leave her ship?"
Jacob sighed. "We really better be hoping that she does leave it. Otherwise we go with the orginal plan and get to Geb first."
"So it's basically a race to see who gets there first?" Daniel asked slowly.
"Yes," Jacob nodded.
"Then shouldn't we get going?"
~o0o~
Sam stretched on the bed, careful not to bump into the Colonel in case she accidentally woke him up.
Casting a quick glance in his direction, she satisfied herself that he was doing okay. She was worried about him; Nut had gone too far with the ribbon device.
When the two of them had been dragged back to their room, he'd had a thin trickle of red blood running from his nose. She sincerely hoped there was no serious brain damage, but she was doubtful.
Since their inquisition a few hours ago, he'd barely uttered more than a few hoarse replied, and then falling into a deep sleep.
She hoped it wasn't a coma.
Sam frowned, a thought presenting itself to her. He couldn't be to badly injured because she was okay. Relatively anyway.
Raising a tentative hand to her blistered forehead, Sam felt the evidence of their link, and it terrified her. To have her life at risk because of him, and to put his life at risk because of her. It was a terrible responsibility for both of them.
It was also a blessing, of sorts. She had the comfort of knowing he was okay at least, and being able to 'share' her health with him meant that he'd get better a lot quicker than normal. Her injury and remarkable recovery had proven that weeks ago.
Weeks ago.
Was really almost over a month that they'd been missing?
She sighed, sitting up and cradling her knees again. It felt like longer. Much longer. Each day was the same in these confines, and while she enjoyed the Colonel's company, having only his company for 24/7 was a bit much. Even for her.
Casting another glance at him, she decided he wouldn't mind if she helped herself to a candy bar.
She looked around for the black bag.
It was gone.
Sam's eyes opened wide with realisation. Nut had known. She'd known they would escape.
Of course, she was a Nox, it made sense.
"Damn!" she snapped, hot anger rushing over her. "Damn!"
"Carter?"
"Colonel?" She was back at his side quicker than she would have thought possible, laying gentle fingers across his forehead where it wasn't burnt and blistered.
"Whas.. wrong?" he murmured, closing his eyes and wincing in pain at her ministrations.
"Nothing. You should keep still, Sir, and get some rest."
"Thirsty."
"Hang on," she whispered, running across to their pitcher of water and cups. "Here, Sir."
He only drank a little before his head flopped back onto the pillows, but his eyes opened and he looked up at her, his gaze surprisingly lucid.
"Carter?"
"Sir?"
"About. about."
"Yeah." She knew exactly what he was talking about. Their gross breach of protocol wasn't something that had just slipped her mind.
Actually, it was a very big part of her thoughts at the moment.
"Sorry."
She smiled tentatively. "It's okay, Sir. It was my fault just as much as yours." She placed the damp cloth on his burnt forehead again, and he sighed in relief.
"Are we. okay?" He swallowed, and she could tell he was fighting to keep his eyes open.
Were they?
She smiled. "Yes Sir, we're fine."
"Good. You're a good. friend.. Carter," he whispered as his eyes closed.
Sam felt tears stinging her eyes, and she pressed a chaste kiss to the side of his temple. "You too, Sir, you too."
~o0o~
The metal of the sarcophagus was smooth and cold beneath his fingers, the layers of dust peeling away and swirling through the air so that Anhur could feel their dancing on his skin.
His fingers traced the old symbols, the words flowing around him and bringing to view his Master's sense of revenge.
The Might of Shu. Shu's Might.
Anhur let his hands slide further along the smooth metal, walking down beside the elegant length until the tips of his fingers brushed the release glyph.
He smiled, savouring the moment.
His hand flitted between his robes, feeling for the warm steel of the hunting knife tucked within the silken folds. His finger stung as the tempered steel drew blood, and his eyes glowed in satisfaction. The blade was ready to hiss through the air and taste the feel of flesh upon it once more.
Anhur removed it slowly and reverently, wishing he could see his reflection upon the bright metal, which normally gleamed silver in the light. This knife, the only remaining symbolism of his position alongside Ra. This knife, the object by which to remember that he had failed and lost everything.
This knife, all that was left with him inside his prison.
Anger stirred in Anhur's breast.
Geb would pay.
Geb would pay with his life. His life would be taken by the blade Anhur had spent an eternity sharpening.
Satisfaction rippled over Anhur again. Yes, it was fitting. It all worked together. He had been fated by Geb and Nut to spend an eternity imprisoned, and in deciding his destiny they had decided their own fate: to die by his blade.
The glyph turned smoothly on the sarcophagus, and Anhur felt the warmth of his saliva gathering in his dust caked mouth. Soon, soon the dust would be washed away with the blood.
The golden light penetrated the darkness, a vision that sent Anhur's heart racing. Soon. soon.
With a final grate, the sarcophagus swung open.
Anhur was there instantly, watching as Geb opened his eyes. Anhur watched Geb as he raised the knife, the silver now glowing gold in the rich light.
Horror and confusion flashed across Geb's face, terror twisting the rich mouth into a pout of hysteria.
"NO!" the Goa'uld screamed, convulsing as the blade slid into his chest smoothly, grating slicing through flesh and bone equally and piercing the heart.
The body twitched as Anhur pulled the knife out smoothly and, like a true huntsman, cut a deep slash across the throat to bleed the pray. One could not leave one's prey full of blood.
Anhur's revenge was warm and sweet, the coppery after tang sending shivers of delight through his body.
Finally.
He had been waiting for this day for so long.
Anhur raised his head slowly, his eyes glistening in delight as he looked upon Geb's limp, blood soaked body.
He was tempted to close the sarcophagus, to bring Geb to life again, fresh for another kill. But that was cheating. A huntsman hunted for the kill, and once the prey had been killed the pleasure was over.
Strengthened by Geb's blood, Anhur lifted the limp body over his shoulders and turned to leave.
Geb's blood was still flowing lightly, a thick treacly river spilling down across Anhur's shoulder and mingling with his own blood.
Soon. Soon his revenge would be complete.
~o0o~
Nut shivered in the warmth of her chambers, a shadow of coldness steeling over her.
Frowning, Nut banished the feeling. She was so close to having Geb returned to her, so close to the start of their reign.
Geb would be angry, Nut mused silently. He would be angered with her for not rescuing him sooner, and she needed something to appease his anger.
A gift, perhaps?
Perhaps a young Jaffa with whom Geb could have his first pleasures and do with what he wanted?
Yes, that would please Geb greatly.
Cal'ma?
Nut sighed in reluctance; Cal'ma was useful. Cal'ma was loyal and served with a most complete devotion. No, Cal'ma was far too valuable.
Nut smiled.
The Tau'ri. What would please Geb more than to have the Tau'ri?
But. Nut still wished for the male to be a Jaffa, and to give the female to Geb would mean certain death for both of them.
She sighed in annoyance.
Her eye caught the small black bag she had bid Cal'ma to remove from the Tau'ri. Carefully she picked it up, fiddling until her fingers found the release and the primitive catch slid open. She gazed down at the strange objects within.
How could they have wanted to escape with these harmless objects? These objects were all so fragile a simple pressure would render them useless.
Casting aside the vile clothing, Nut dug deeper within the small bag.
Metal.
Ahhh. Perhaps the woman was intending on creating something with all these pieces. Yes, the woman was very intelligent - for a primitive species. Creating something from nothing was something she was well capable of.
Nut smiled, carefully placing the bag upon her bed.
She had a gift for Geb, and the Tau'ri would provide it
~o0o~
Reviews, feedback and the like would be much much MUCH loved.
sharim
Hugs to all
Chapter Thirteen
We understand your concern, Jacob, however-
"No, you see, if you did understand my concern then you wouldn't think twice about letting me take a teltac and go!"
Jacob! Per'sus' voice held a sharp edge, and Jacob swallowed roughly as he tried to keep his control.
"This is my daughter we're talking about! If the Tau'ri find out that we know where Geb is and don't tell them then we're risking the alliance as well!"
They do not need to know we know.
Jacob knew the Tok'ra were cold and callous because of their single-minded determination to succeed. but this. this was unacceptable.
"Selmak and I have been working our asses - ass - off for the last months. We've done everything short of take down the Goa'uld single handed. All we're asking is that you lend us a teltac for one day. That's all."
There was silence in the chamber. Jacob, the Goa'uld are getting stronger than ever, and you are asking that we give you one of the limited teltacs we have for a personal mission?
Perhaps it would be wise, Anise's voice floated around the room. Should Nut locate Geb and release him then we will have yet another Goa'uld against us.
Jacob shot a grateful look towards the blond Tok'ra.
The silence was broken as the Council murmured among themselves, and Jacob found himself clutching at the end of Tok'ra meeting desk with stiff fingers.
Very well. Jacob, you may use a teltac. You must ensure that Geb does not return to power.
Jacob nodded his head, adrenalin rushing through his veins.
Sam. He was going to save Sam!
We will send a message to the Tau'ri immediately and request the assistance of Dr. Jackson and Teal'c, Per'sus continued. You are to leave as soon as they arrive.
~o0o~
Every time he moved, it felt like his head was going to explode. The slightest noise or whispering of air over the raw wound hurt more than he would have thought possible.
"Sir?" Carter whispered, and he opened his eyes to stare up into her pale face.
He tried to respond, but his voice wouldn't obey his command.
"That was close, Sir," she continued before reaching down with a damp cloth to brush something from his cheek and nose.
Blood. Dried blood that had caked on there.
It had been close. Much too close.
He squinted up at her, wishing that the lights would stop blurring together. Her forehead looked red and blistered as well. He could feel the tremor in her hands as she wiped at his face.
It had been close for her too.
"Why did she stop?" Carter's words were cautious and confused.
Jack closed his eyes, sighing.
She'd stopped because Jack had told her where Geb was. Someone, Shu's Might meant something to the snakehead and had pissed her off to no end.
"Geb," he muttered hoarsely, his voice scratching on her throat.
"Did you find him?" Carter frowned, her hand absently toying with his jacket.
Head hurt. Tired.
"Sort.of."
"Sort of?"
He sighed. All he wanted to do was sleep, why was she asking so many questions?
"Colonel?"
"Shu's Might," he whispered, his voice working slightly better.
His head hurt. He was so tired.
"What's-"
Her words were cut to a rude halt as they were both thrown from the bed by the harsh jolt of the ship launching into hyperspace.
"Found out.." He managed before his eyes slipped shut and his world was plunged into oblivion again.
~o0o~
Anhur walked silently in the dark room. No sunlight reached this far into the bowels of the temple. His feet often cracked into hard rocks and debris, his head knocking harshly against uneven roofing and his whole body smashing roughly against protruding walls and turns.
He did not stop.
He could feel Geb ahead. He could feel the singing in his blood, the lust for a victory taking over his mind.
He did not stop.
Sticky blood trickled down his face like molasses, drizzling into his eyes. But he did not wipe it away because that would take time and it was not obstructing his vision in this darkness.
He did not stop.
On he forged, past images and memories guiding him towards the chamber where Geb would be imprisoned.
The throne room. Ra would imprison Geb in the very centre of Shu's Might, an apt form of revenge.
Anhur's chuckle bounced oddly and emptily through the darkness, the echoes colliding violently against one another.
He did not stop.
Ahead, Anhur knew, were the great doors embossed with fine goldwork and millions of jewels, all cut by the hands of slaves. None other had such finery as Shu had possessed, not even Ra.
Guilt prickled at Anhur for such traitorous thoughts, but Anhur knew it to be true. Ra had never paid as much attention to jewels as Shu had, preferring instead gold and young boys.
Anhur grinned, the warm blood seeping over his cracked lips and onto his tongue. He had preferred Ra's tastes, and was often rewarded with young Jaffa for his pleasure. Perhaps he would be given a planet for this success. this capture of Nut.
The blood warmed his mouth, and a deliciously heady feeling swept over Anhur. So strong was the temptation to give into the feelings evoked by his own life liquid, that he was tempted to stop and taste more. But he controlled himself.
Geb was close.
Revenge and victory were even sweeter than the taste of blood.
Patience.
Anhur kept walking. Walking towards his victory.
~o0o~
Daniel grunted in his sleep, shifting awkwardly on his pillow.
He was going to have to get a new pillow; this one was so lumpy it clicked when moved.
Daniel frowned.
Clicked when he moved?
Slowly he opened his eyes and came face to face with the 'F' key on his keyboard.
"Have a good sleep?" Janet's voice was tired, but the note of underlying amusement couldn't be missed.
"Hmm?" Daniel blinked, pushing himself upright. Oh, jeez, that hurt. Ow!
"Back okay?"
"It'll be fine, just needs to move a bit," he yawned, stretching and rubbing at his eyes.
He heard her walking towards him, her heels clipping briskly on the concrete floor. "Here."
Daniel accepted the glasses she'd picked up from the desk and slipped them on, yawning again as he looked around.
"I told you to get a good night's sleep, Daniel," she sighed in reproached, placing a cup of coffee next to him. "You're in terrible condition, and I've half a mind not to let you go."
"Go where?" he mumbled as he carefully drank the hot beverage.
"To get Sam and Jack."
He coughed into his drink, spraying his paperwork with dark droplets. "What?"
"The Tok'ra sent a message about an hour ago, and then General Carter came through to talk to General Hammond. They know where Shu's Might is and they have a teltac to get you there."
Daniel blinked.
"When do we leave?"
"As soon as you're ready."
Daniel was up and out of his chair before she'd finished talking.
"Daniel!"
"Janet?" He turned around in the doorway, clearly anxious to get going.
"Coffee." She held up his unfinished drink.
He raced back to her, grabbed the mug and downed the bitter liquid in one mouthful.
"Thanks Jan, you're the best," he grinned, pecking her on the cheek before running out of the room again.
Janet smiled in amusement, picked up his mug and followed him down the hallway at a more sedate pace.
*
Hammond sat silently, waiting for Teal'c and Daniel to arrive. He watched Jacob fiddle with a pen, a haunted desperation shadowing his friend's eyes.
"You'll get them, Jake."
Jacob smiled half-heartedly. "Don't get your hopes up, George. Jack was under the impression that we don't know where Shu's Might is, and he certainly didn't know. Nut might have killed them already and this would all be pointless."
Hammond sighed, accepting the Tok'ra's answer. After all, if anyone should understand the way the mind of a Goa'uld worked it would be a Tok'ra.
"Maybe Nut knows where Shu's Might is."
"That's assuming Jack told her that much. You know him, George. He plays his cards close to his chest."
Hammond frowned. "I was under the impression that she could read minds."
"It's difficult. but it might be a possibility. If Jack was thinking about Shu's Might and not other stuff, then yeah. Otherwise."
Hammond nodded in resignation as the door opened to admit Teal'c, Daniel and Dr. Fraiser.
"When do we leave?" Daniel demanded, not even sitting down.
Hammond smiled inwardly at his enthusiasm, but he indicated a chair. "Not quite yet, Dr. Jackson."
He sighed heavily, dropping into a chair before studying Jacob intently. "How did you find out about Shu's Might?"
"One of the Tok'ra has a role similar to an archaeologist, Daniel. Anise went through her notes and our history and we worked out that Shu's Might was his planet. At least, that's what we think."
"So why aren't we going?" Daniel demanded.
"We've got a teltac from the Tok'ra High Council on the condition that we make sure both Nut and Geb are our of the picture for good."
"And?"
"Even if we get to Shu's homeworld before Nut does we would still have to find Geb on it and set up a trap for Nut that she won't be able to smell out a hundred miles away."
"Oh," Daniel blinked.
"How do we intend to do this, General Carter?"
"If we get Geb first we can barter with Nut for him, but chances are that she'd destroy us or betray us."
"No surprise there," Daniel muttered. Hammond smiled; the archaeologist had been hanging around Jack O'Neill for a while now.
"So what is our plan?" Teal'c asked again, frowning as he weighed the situation in his mind.
"We go in with our ship cloaked. If we get there before Nut then we leave it cloaked. She'll either leave the ship herself with an escort, or stay on the ship and send guards down to get Geb."
Hammond nodded, listening carefully.
"If she leaves the ship we wait for her to get out of sight and then we attack her ship. They won't be expecting an attack and we should be able to take it over pretty easily, depending on her forces. She's also likely to leave Sam and Jack on board, so we could rescue them at the same time. Then all we do is blow her to pieces from space."
Hammond frowned. "What if she doesn't leave her ship?"
Jacob sighed. "We really better be hoping that she does leave it. Otherwise we go with the orginal plan and get to Geb first."
"So it's basically a race to see who gets there first?" Daniel asked slowly.
"Yes," Jacob nodded.
"Then shouldn't we get going?"
~o0o~
Sam stretched on the bed, careful not to bump into the Colonel in case she accidentally woke him up.
Casting a quick glance in his direction, she satisfied herself that he was doing okay. She was worried about him; Nut had gone too far with the ribbon device.
When the two of them had been dragged back to their room, he'd had a thin trickle of red blood running from his nose. She sincerely hoped there was no serious brain damage, but she was doubtful.
Since their inquisition a few hours ago, he'd barely uttered more than a few hoarse replied, and then falling into a deep sleep.
She hoped it wasn't a coma.
Sam frowned, a thought presenting itself to her. He couldn't be to badly injured because she was okay. Relatively anyway.
Raising a tentative hand to her blistered forehead, Sam felt the evidence of their link, and it terrified her. To have her life at risk because of him, and to put his life at risk because of her. It was a terrible responsibility for both of them.
It was also a blessing, of sorts. She had the comfort of knowing he was okay at least, and being able to 'share' her health with him meant that he'd get better a lot quicker than normal. Her injury and remarkable recovery had proven that weeks ago.
Weeks ago.
Was really almost over a month that they'd been missing?
She sighed, sitting up and cradling her knees again. It felt like longer. Much longer. Each day was the same in these confines, and while she enjoyed the Colonel's company, having only his company for 24/7 was a bit much. Even for her.
Casting another glance at him, she decided he wouldn't mind if she helped herself to a candy bar.
She looked around for the black bag.
It was gone.
Sam's eyes opened wide with realisation. Nut had known. She'd known they would escape.
Of course, she was a Nox, it made sense.
"Damn!" she snapped, hot anger rushing over her. "Damn!"
"Carter?"
"Colonel?" She was back at his side quicker than she would have thought possible, laying gentle fingers across his forehead where it wasn't burnt and blistered.
"Whas.. wrong?" he murmured, closing his eyes and wincing in pain at her ministrations.
"Nothing. You should keep still, Sir, and get some rest."
"Thirsty."
"Hang on," she whispered, running across to their pitcher of water and cups. "Here, Sir."
He only drank a little before his head flopped back onto the pillows, but his eyes opened and he looked up at her, his gaze surprisingly lucid.
"Carter?"
"Sir?"
"About. about."
"Yeah." She knew exactly what he was talking about. Their gross breach of protocol wasn't something that had just slipped her mind.
Actually, it was a very big part of her thoughts at the moment.
"Sorry."
She smiled tentatively. "It's okay, Sir. It was my fault just as much as yours." She placed the damp cloth on his burnt forehead again, and he sighed in relief.
"Are we. okay?" He swallowed, and she could tell he was fighting to keep his eyes open.
Were they?
She smiled. "Yes Sir, we're fine."
"Good. You're a good. friend.. Carter," he whispered as his eyes closed.
Sam felt tears stinging her eyes, and she pressed a chaste kiss to the side of his temple. "You too, Sir, you too."
~o0o~
The metal of the sarcophagus was smooth and cold beneath his fingers, the layers of dust peeling away and swirling through the air so that Anhur could feel their dancing on his skin.
His fingers traced the old symbols, the words flowing around him and bringing to view his Master's sense of revenge.
The Might of Shu. Shu's Might.
Anhur let his hands slide further along the smooth metal, walking down beside the elegant length until the tips of his fingers brushed the release glyph.
He smiled, savouring the moment.
His hand flitted between his robes, feeling for the warm steel of the hunting knife tucked within the silken folds. His finger stung as the tempered steel drew blood, and his eyes glowed in satisfaction. The blade was ready to hiss through the air and taste the feel of flesh upon it once more.
Anhur removed it slowly and reverently, wishing he could see his reflection upon the bright metal, which normally gleamed silver in the light. This knife, the only remaining symbolism of his position alongside Ra. This knife, the object by which to remember that he had failed and lost everything.
This knife, all that was left with him inside his prison.
Anger stirred in Anhur's breast.
Geb would pay.
Geb would pay with his life. His life would be taken by the blade Anhur had spent an eternity sharpening.
Satisfaction rippled over Anhur again. Yes, it was fitting. It all worked together. He had been fated by Geb and Nut to spend an eternity imprisoned, and in deciding his destiny they had decided their own fate: to die by his blade.
The glyph turned smoothly on the sarcophagus, and Anhur felt the warmth of his saliva gathering in his dust caked mouth. Soon, soon the dust would be washed away with the blood.
The golden light penetrated the darkness, a vision that sent Anhur's heart racing. Soon. soon.
With a final grate, the sarcophagus swung open.
Anhur was there instantly, watching as Geb opened his eyes. Anhur watched Geb as he raised the knife, the silver now glowing gold in the rich light.
Horror and confusion flashed across Geb's face, terror twisting the rich mouth into a pout of hysteria.
"NO!" the Goa'uld screamed, convulsing as the blade slid into his chest smoothly, grating slicing through flesh and bone equally and piercing the heart.
The body twitched as Anhur pulled the knife out smoothly and, like a true huntsman, cut a deep slash across the throat to bleed the pray. One could not leave one's prey full of blood.
Anhur's revenge was warm and sweet, the coppery after tang sending shivers of delight through his body.
Finally.
He had been waiting for this day for so long.
Anhur raised his head slowly, his eyes glistening in delight as he looked upon Geb's limp, blood soaked body.
He was tempted to close the sarcophagus, to bring Geb to life again, fresh for another kill. But that was cheating. A huntsman hunted for the kill, and once the prey had been killed the pleasure was over.
Strengthened by Geb's blood, Anhur lifted the limp body over his shoulders and turned to leave.
Geb's blood was still flowing lightly, a thick treacly river spilling down across Anhur's shoulder and mingling with his own blood.
Soon. Soon his revenge would be complete.
~o0o~
Nut shivered in the warmth of her chambers, a shadow of coldness steeling over her.
Frowning, Nut banished the feeling. She was so close to having Geb returned to her, so close to the start of their reign.
Geb would be angry, Nut mused silently. He would be angered with her for not rescuing him sooner, and she needed something to appease his anger.
A gift, perhaps?
Perhaps a young Jaffa with whom Geb could have his first pleasures and do with what he wanted?
Yes, that would please Geb greatly.
Cal'ma?
Nut sighed in reluctance; Cal'ma was useful. Cal'ma was loyal and served with a most complete devotion. No, Cal'ma was far too valuable.
Nut smiled.
The Tau'ri. What would please Geb more than to have the Tau'ri?
But. Nut still wished for the male to be a Jaffa, and to give the female to Geb would mean certain death for both of them.
She sighed in annoyance.
Her eye caught the small black bag she had bid Cal'ma to remove from the Tau'ri. Carefully she picked it up, fiddling until her fingers found the release and the primitive catch slid open. She gazed down at the strange objects within.
How could they have wanted to escape with these harmless objects? These objects were all so fragile a simple pressure would render them useless.
Casting aside the vile clothing, Nut dug deeper within the small bag.
Metal.
Ahhh. Perhaps the woman was intending on creating something with all these pieces. Yes, the woman was very intelligent - for a primitive species. Creating something from nothing was something she was well capable of.
Nut smiled, carefully placing the bag upon her bed.
She had a gift for Geb, and the Tau'ri would provide it
~o0o~
Reviews, feedback and the like would be much much MUCH loved.
sharim