[Second last chapter here, folks. Thanks for keeping with me for this long and thanks to folks like Layton and Petty for their support. Always appreciated. : ) ]
Osiris muttered and fumed, hurling priceless artifacts across the room. He circled the chamber and then returned to a holographic display along one wall. The display was that of a humanoid head, showing clearly the skull, brain and an ominously spiked piece of machinery nestled in the centre.
"Three days." The Goa'uld snarled. "Three days before the nanobots repair the damage done to the memory extractor. Anubis will not be pleased."
Osiris had first become altered to Emma's sabotage of the device when the transmissions abruptly ceased. He had run back to the cell to find the doctor still suspended in the energy field. Emma was dead by that time, skin blistered and heart stopped by the punishing energy waves. When Osiris released the field, Emma slumped to the floor.
Rather than waste time trying to revive the woman, Osiris had his Jaffa drag the body to the sarcophagus. It was there still. Osiris had new toys to keep him occupied for now.
- - - - -
Jack groaned and put his hands over his face, noticing as he did so that his hands were cuffed together. He hated zats. They… not to put too fine a point on it… sucked. Big time. He sat up, and gave himself a good shake, trying to beat the tremors at their own game.
"Carter." His second in command had been dumped on the ground of the cell next to him. He shook her arm, and she jerked upright, waking suddenly.
"Sir. What just happened?"
"Our contact was no more Tok'ra than I." Teal'c rumbled, as he awoke. The Jaffa looked around. Further discussion was curtailed as he pointed sideways. "O'Neill!"
Carter and O'Neill followed his gaze.
"Dammit!" Jack swore. They had just found three-quarters of the missing SG6. SG1 scrambled over to the other team, each of their team-members trying to communicate with the blindfolded captives.
Carter went to Moresby. She put her hands on his shoulder, pulling back abruptly as he took a swing at her. He went still as she put her hands on his cheeks. A brilliant smile lit up his lips and he put his hands out, trying to feel for her face. "Joe… Oh, no." Sam's heart sunk as she realised why Moresby was so happy. "No. I'm not Emma." She trapped Joe's hands in her own, tapping out 'SG1' to him.
She knew he understood when he abruptly straightened up and frowned. He cocked his head, turning her hands over and tapping a question to her. "Carter?"
As Sam struggled with Moresby, Teal'c found himself fending off an enraged Sergeant. Dimitri had taken Teal'c's warning touch for exactly what it was… an unknown Jaffa. He turned and lashed out quickly. All Teal'c could do in the end, was to flip the flailing young man over on to his stomach and hold him down, and try patting his shoulder reassuringly. He couldn't use Morse code, and had to wait until either Sam or Jack could sign the proper codes to him.
Jack, on the other hand, had no trouble whatsoever. Patrick was limp on the floor, unresponsive to the Colonel's less than tender ministrations. When no response was forthcoming, Jack turned and tried to calm down Dimitri. The brilliant young man quickly caught on, and went still. Teal'c moved back and allowed him up.
Slowly, laboriously, they managed to get the current situation from SG6 and apprise them of SG1's situation. Emma was missing. She had been separated from SG6 for some time… although none of the three remaining SG6 members had any way to determine how long that was.
While Jack got the story from Moresby, Sam tried to remove Dimitri's blindfold, without success. No hidden buttons or latches were visible. Moresby continued on, speaking in an oddly stilted voice once he understood that SG1 had not been blindfolded. His voice was hoarse with disuse. Moresby explained that Patrick had been taken away fully conscious, but had returned catatonic. He had not stirred since that time.
"This is great." Jack groused. They were trapped, Emma had most likely already been implanted with the memory device and their only help was a traitor. What more…?
The thought was left incomplete as SG1 looked up. Someone was coming. Sam and Jack frantically signed out to Dimitri and Joe to prepare themselves. This was most likely not going to be fun.
A party of Jaffa rounded the corner, with Osiris in the lead. The Goa'uld was smiling broadly. "SG1… so good of you to join us."
"Oh… our pleasure… really. You know, we can't stay long though. Just thought we'd drop in and…"
The force field dropped and the Jaffa spread out around their leader. "Oh… we're just getting started here." Osiris said with a definite air of menace. "You will tell me all of your secrets, your codes and your Stargate addresses for your erstwhile allies. However, shall we start with an easy question? I grow weary of asking this question, so I will not repeat myself. Where is Daniel Jackson?"
Jack exchanged glances with Sam. He shrugged. "Oh, come on. Why are we still doing this?" He slowed his words down, as if speaking to a particularly dim child. "Carter told you last time. Probably SG6 told you the same thing." He squared his shoulders, knowing that the next sentence would probably hurt. "Daniel's dead." He winced. That line never got any easier to say.
Osiris did not move, instead the Goa'uld crossed his arms and cocked his head. "Lies. You are protecting Daniel Jackson from me." Jack started to make some flip comment, but Osiris cut him off. "Do you want to know what happened to your Major Sanchez?" Jack's lips twisted. Yes, he did, but damned if he wanted to hear it from the snake.
Osiris took silence for consent. "He was held down while Doctor Collier was implanted with the memory device." Carter's lips twitched a grimace. "Actually, to be more precise… he was held in place as Doctor Collier was cut apart, alive and screaming. Eventually of course, her voice failed her, but his screams lasted for quite a while. He kept crying out even after she finally bled to death. It was…" Osiris gave a delighted little smile. "Invigorating."
Surprisingly… or perhaps not… it was Teal'c who gave in first. With a yell, the Jaffa launched himself at the Goa'uld. He was actually able strike Osiris in the stomach with his bound fists before the other Jaffa piled on him, bearing him to the ground. Jack and Sam took this as their cue as well, slamming into the distracted Jaffa.
For a moment, chaos reined. Finally, SG1 were subdued. Jack was thrown against the wall with a not-so-muffled curse as Osiris managed to get his hand device free. Sam was slammed across the face with the butt end of a staff and beaten down as she was stunned. It took four Jaffa to restrain Teal'c and another two to beat him unconscious.
Through it all, Osiris stood and watched, asking no further questions. There was time aplenty to break his new toys. When a sickening crunch to the ribs preceded Jack's slow slide to the floor, Osiris nodded. Recalling his Jaffa, he left the two SG teams to stew over his next visit.
"I asked you a question." He said as a parting thought. "I suggest you have a better answer for me next time."
- - - - -
Emma drew in a sobbing breath as the sarcophagus top slid open. She had no idea how long she had been held this time, staring blindly at the sealed lid of the damned chamber. This made death number four? Five? Losing track of the number of times you had died in one week… how sad was that? Each time had been accompanied by a trip to the sarcophagus, caught in its dark embrace until Osiris felt like retrieving her. After the last time, she'd had barely enough time conscious to figure it out, but she was fairly certain that an addiction was setting it.
She remembered it from Daniel's journals. It had been about a year after she'd joined the SGC that he'd finally told her about it. The initial euphoria was quickly replaced by irritability, agitation, and a dull aching pain. The last couple of times, she'd either been unconscious or killed too rapidly to monitor the progress of the withdrawal, but she knew now that it was there.
For Emma, there was another side effect of the addiction. Her control over her temper was quickly eroding. Even during the euphoria, it was bubbling just below the surface with an intensity that she'd not felt in years. Daniel had never fully explained what had happened while he was addicted. Something he kept between him and Jack. Something serious and frightening had happened to the two men. If he, such a gentle soul, was capable of that… what would Emma be capable of doing when the withdrawal was at its worst?
Perhaps she would soon find out. A small hand reached into the sarcophagus and pulled her put of her musings, throwing her against the wall. Her teeth rattled in her head and she bit back a curse.
"Three days…" A now-familiar accented Goa'uld voice hissed at her. "Your little stunt has cost me three days." Emma frowned. Surely she hadn't been in the sarcophagus that long. Osiris backhanded her, tossing her to the ground. Emma spit blood from a split lip and looked up at her captor. "And what did it get you? Killed yourself for what? I simply put you into the sarcophagus. In three days, the memory device will have repaired itself. You're right back where you started. Futile… useless… ineffective… hopeless…" The Goa'uld's sneer was interrupted by Emma's laugh as the scientist levered herself up, getting to her feet.
"Now, I know you're just a glorified tape-worm, Osiris… but you really shouldn't talk about yourself like that." Emma giggled, a mad glint in her eye. Osiris had come in alone. No Jaffa. No guards. This had potential. She let down her mental barriers and welcomed the anger. She edged away as a furious frown twisted Osiris's face.
The Goa'uld stepped forward, meaning to grab for the woman. Osiris was taken completely by surprise when Emma swung her heavy cuffs forward instead, catching him in the face. The Goa'uld was thrown back a pace. Osiris snarled, threatening revenge. With a laugh, Emma pressed her advantage. "Oh… what's the matter? Not the mousy little geek you thought I was?" The heavy cuffs, aided by the sarcophagus-induced burst of strength, slammed into Osiris's outstretched arm. The Goa'uld's eyes widened in shock as the bones shattered.
A backhand slammed him up against the wall, and then Emma was there, hands around the Goa'uld's throat. "What makes you so special?" She mocked. "Over-ambitious liver fluke. Just one of many parasites the human body had to fight. Without your Jaffa and your technology… you're really not all that tough are you?" Osiris brought up his good arm, meaning to blast Emma with the hand device. The Goa'uld howled as the cuffs smashed both device and hand to the wall, shattering the gem. Emma released a flurry of blows against the stunned Goa'uld.
"No-one's put you in your place yet, have they?" She purred. "Everyone's been too scared, or too tied up, or too nice to really give you what you so richly deserve." For the first time, Osiris looked nervous… almost frightened. He feinted sideways, trying to flee. Emma intercepted him with the smooth grace of a natural predator.
"Oh… no, no, no. We're not done here yet." Emma's voice was rich with the promise of violence.
"You're mad." The Goa'uld snapped. The scientist cocked her head, and a sad smile inched across her lips. When she spoke, her tone was soft, almost regretful.
"And whose fault is that?"
Osiris made another attempt to get away, but Emma simply brought the cuffs down across the back of his neck. The blow was enough to make the Goa'uld slump bonelessly to the ground.
Emma stood still, trying to figure out what to do next. Part of her question was answered for her as a massive explosion shook the building, sending her to her knees.
- - - - -
In the cell, Sam was pitched backwards into the wall as the C4 went off. "Oh… this is not good." She muttered.
Jack make a grunting noise, and woke up, hand immediately pressing to his battered ribs. Teal'c sat up. He was hurt the worst of all of them, but he did not show it.
"Carter?" Jack barked, squinting and looking around.
"The C4, sir. I think we just passed our three hour mark." Carter was distracted by the frantic motions of Joe and Dimitri. She grabbed their hands and signed out to them what had just happened.
"So, now what?" Jack asked softly. He and Teal'c exchanged grim looks as loud groans welled up from the foundation of the base. They might have done a better job than they expected. From the rumbling noises and small tremors, they could surmise that the base was in imminent danger of collapse.
- - - - -
Emma drew a shaking hand across her lips. She hadn't felt this out of control since she was fifteen. She was all but pulsing with anger, a homicidal rage tinted her vision red. It took everything she had not to finish the job with Osiris.
With a grunt, she staggered backward. No… she couldn't do this. Never mind Daniel's voice whispering in the back of her head. The host wasn't to blame… sanctity of life… blah, blah, blah… She might still need Osiris if she couldn't find the boys.
Steeling herself, she dropped to her knees along side the Goa'uld, going through his robes looking for something that might help. She chuckled as she found a zat. That would help. Another pocket revealed a little device with buttons. It was unlabelled. She shrugged and touched a button. Nothing happened. A second and a third both proved useless. The fourth though…
Emma grinned as her cuffs dropped off. Here we go. She could use this. She slipped the device into her pocket and made for the doorway. She needed to find the throne room, where Osiris had kept her imprisoned before. From there, she could find the torture room, and that would help her find the prison.
Keeping low and hidden, she loped off into the base.
- - - - -
In the basement, the first weakened support beam gave way, and the floor beneath it tilted crazily downward. This increased the stress on the other beams, weakening them. The base shuddered in its death throes.
- - - - -
Emma slipped up behind an unwary servant of Osiris's and before the man could react, she had him in a headlock, dragging him into the shadows.
"Where are the Tau'ri?" She snarled, tightening her grip menacingly.
The servant gave a small gasp. "They have been taken to join SG6!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Emma frowned. Weren't SG6 the only resident Tau'ri?
"Osiris is questioning SG1 now… Please, release me. I am Tok'ra. My name is Tolme. Osiris captured SG1 before I could find them. We must hurry. He means to kill them."
Emma's shock was great enough that she allowed Tolme free. Her eyes narrowed and she held up the zat. "You're Tok'ra?"
Tolme nodded. "It was I who sent the plans of this base and notification of your whereabouts to Tok'ra intelligence." Emma's zat gun dropped slightly. "I can help you." Emma cocked her head, but allowed him to continue. She had just hidden the zat under her jacket when two Jaffa rounded the corner, catching her by surprise. Instantly, their staff weapons were primed.
Tolme, who was between her and the Jaffa, put up a hand and spoke soothingly in Goa'uld. Emma's eyes were fixed on him. He smiled over his shoulder. "I'm just telling them that you are my prisoner. They will leave us alone." He continued on in Goa'uld to the Jaffa.
"When I move to the side, shoot her in the body. Do not damage her head."
- - - - -
Jack, Sam and Teal'c pulled the remaining members of SG6 into a corner. The tremors were becoming steadily worse. It would be only a matter of time before the building surrendered to the inevitable with them trapped inside the cell.
Jack slid to his knees next to the barrier. He stuck his fingers into the doorway, yelping as the energy flowed over them. Damn it. The prison door was as secure as ever.
- - - - -
I can't leave them like this! No…
- - - - -
Emma called out. "What's going on here, Tolme?"
He gave her an ingratiating smile. "We'll move on now. Ready?"
Emma's smile was as insincere as his own. "Oh… you bet." She raised the zat and fired at the first Jaffa, as the guards brought their weapons to bear. She was moving forward as they fired. The first Jaffa fell, even as his staff blast skipped across Emma's ribs.
She missed the second, but by that time, she was behind Tolme, one arm around his neck, the other holding a zat to his back.
"Step back!" She hissed in Goa'uld, motioning with her head to the Jaffa.
"You can't shoot me without hitting yourself." Tolme said smoothly.
Emma chuckled grimly. "No… but if the big guy wants to shoot me, he'll have to shoot through you first. I don't know about you, but I'm willing to let him try."
"Stand down." Tolme said tersely, trying to make the Jaffa let him pass. The big guard frowned. Tolme was not Osiris, and his Lord would not want the woman going free. He primed his weapon.
"Dammit." Emma grated as Tolme screamed out a negative. Neither had an effect on the armed guard and the Jaffa fired.
- - - - -
The lights abruptly flickered out, leaving SG1 in a profound darkness. Everyone froze, worried about what might come next. Finally, O'Neill took the lead.
"Carter… the energy barrier?" He waved his hand, feeling nothing.
The Major slid forward until she found a wall. She got to her feet and, with one hand outstretched, she felt her way to the hallway. She tensed up as she approached what she felt would be the barrier.
She let her breath out in a long sigh as she stepped into the hallway. "Sir, the barrier's down. We should get out of here before the back-up power comes online." She did not come forward to help. If the barrier came up unexpectedly, at least she would be free and could possibly open it up again.
Jack nodded, and pulled Dimitri to his feet, giving him a gentle shove in Carter's direction. It was a measure of the trust that SG6 had for SG1 that the young Sergeant did not question him, merely stumbled forward until Carter took his arms. Teal'c did the same for Moresby, and then the two men lifted up the still unconscious Sanchez and dragged him out, each man holding an arm.
The Major's feet had barely cleared the doorway when the lights returned, blinking on once or twice before stabilizing. Cater and O'Neill exchanged grim smiles as the energy barrier re-established itself with a menacing hum.
They were free. Just a base full of Jaffa, a mad Goa'uld or two and a collapsing building between them and freedom… not to mention the question of the missing geomorphologist.
- - - - -
Hurry. You don't have time. Go left here. Move, Jack, move.
- - - - -
Emma snarled and fired the zat at the Jaffa. Too late though. Her knee exploded with fire. The Jaffa had aimed low, trying to disable her without killing Tolme. The Tok'ra traitor had taken the brunt of the blast, but Emma had not been spared.
The Jaffa fell, and Emma lurched backward with a howl as Tolme elbowed her in the burn caused by the first Jaffa. She slid to the floor as Tolme slammed his fist into her jaw. The Goa'uld stepped forward to hit her again, and fell backwards, twitching.
"Never piss off a woman with a zat gun. God… these things should be mandatory in high school." Emma sneered as she shakily regained her feet. She nearly pitched over as the building rumbled under her feet. Tolme took instant advantage of her weakness and grabbed her wrist, ruthlessly twisting it.
The zat dropped to the floor, and was kicked away by the Goa'uld. Emma tried to scramble for it, blanching as she tried to put weight on her injured leg. Tolme was there first, grabbing her and throwing her in to the wall. She coughed as she slid to the floor and Tolme picked up the zat.
Emma held her side. The smell of dust was underlain by the acrid scent of smoke. The building was in trouble… as were they.
"We're leaving, Tau'ri." Emma flinched as the zat fired. She shivered for a moment, unsure of why she was still awake. Dragging her eyes open, she squinted and looked for Tolme.
The Goa'uld was in a small pile on the floor, a large Jaffa standing over him. Emma blinked, confused, as a pair of women's hands touched her shoulder and cheek. The wounded geomorphologist started violently, hitching her body backwards with a speed that left her breathless with pain.
"Emma… hey, it's okay. Teal'c got him."
"Not Tok'ra…" Emma took deep breaths. "Goa'uld."
"Yeah. We got that part."
Jack. No time to talk. The building's coming down.
"Okay, listen. We should go. The building's about to come down on us here." The colonel shifted uneasily on his feet and looked around.
Emma held out the small remote. "Cuffs." She rasped. Now that SG1 were here, her strength was rapidly departing. Someone else could take care of things. Soldiers. Soldiers were good.
Carter took the remote and studied it quickly. She took a quick step over to SG6, where they stood next to Jack. She pushed the buttons until something happened. The blindfolds and cuffs gave small metallic clicks and dropped off. Dimitri and Joe doubled over as the dim overhead lighting blinded them anew. Sanchez groaned and shook his head. Sam was encouraged by that. Perhaps he was breaking out of the catatonic state.
No more time. Take the left hallway. Get moving.
Carter touched Joe's shoulder lightly. "SG6, we have to go." The three men were shaking their heads, eyes watering.
"Emma?" Dimitri asked hoarsely.
"Here." The scientist sighed. "Can we go now?" Her voice was taut with pain.
Sam stepped back as a silent Major Sanchez stepped around her and crouched next to Emma. In a swift move, he pulled the woman to her feet, one arm over his shoulder, his hand gripping the waist of her pants.
Dimitri and Joe shaded their eyes, still somewhat dazed.
"Questions later." Jack barked, remembering too late to lower his voice. "Carter?"
"Left, I think, sir."
"Alright, get us out of here."
You need your packs. The GDOs…
"O'Neill… we will require the GDOs to return home." Teal'c called, as anxious as he had ever been. The part was on the move now. Carter leading the way, Teal'c guarding the rear. Jack helped lead Dimitri and Joe. Sanchez pulled Emma along.
"Dammit." Jack swore, trotting behind Carter. They were all walking wounded. Only adrenaline was keeping the Colonel going at the moment.
Another right and then the second door.
"Carter, where are we going?"
"Can't say, sir. This just feels right."
- - - - -
Teal'c led the way through the door, but the room was empty. Empty save for the line of black, regulation SGC packs and weapons.
"Yes… Carter, remind me to promote you later."
"Not your call, I think, sir. But thank you."
They grabbed their packs. SG6's packs were missing, but at least SG1 now had GDOs and weapons.
Geared up and ready to go, Jack turned to Sam. "Don't know how you're doing it, Carter, but keep it up." She smiled around her bruises and split lip.
Out the door, down the hallway and then left.
Carter nodded her head. "Think I got it, sir."
There's no time. Run.
"Okay, top speed people. Hustle." Jack's voice was almost drowned out by an ominous groaning noise and the floor gave a noticeable lurch.
Carter was jogging in the lead, Jack beside her. Joe and Dimitri were keeping up. Black spots still jumped in their vision, but they could squint and make out the forms of their fellow soldiers. Sanchez was bodily dragging Emma, barely allowing her feet to touch the floor. Teal'c was following, guarding their backs.
The foundation's about to go. Run.
"Hurry!" Teal'c barked out, making the others jump. A large doorway was in sight. Teal'c pushed Sanchez forward in front of Dimitri and Joe. He then grabbed the two men by the shoulders, propelling them forward even faster.
Sam and Jack hit the door with their shoulders, almost tripping as they opened easily. They got their guns up and scanned the area. They had made it out. Now, they had to get away before the building collapsed completely.
"Move!' Jack yelled. Behind them, the corner of the building dropped, slumping inward. The seven SGC members sprinted for cover as pieces of metal, dust and building materials began to rain down around them. They were enveloped in white as concrete turned to powder, wood turned to sawdust and metal turned to lethal shards.
Jack covered his head with his arm as debris rained down around them. They had made it out… now could they still survive?