Chapter Fourteen: A bit of Faith

Author's Note: Just giving a shout out to everyone (I luv any chance for mindless blabbing). I'm keeping hopes high for chapter fifteen being finished in (at most) a week. Maybe. As long as my muse doesn't black out or anything.

-S

(PS: An armband would be great, JoJo, Thx.)

***

"Colonel O'Neill." The voice came from behind him. Stupid, stupid, stupid…

He spun around; zat raised.

Mert had been doing her best to fade into the walls, trying her best to remain ignored. To remain unimportant. If she was even suspected…

No, that wouldn't happen. She was confidante of the High Minister. Not important enough to be seen. It was that which made her so dangerous.

So she was surprised when she rounded a corner and found herself face to back with Colonel O'Neill. He was a prisoner (though not currently) of Nephthys. He was Runihura's self-proclaimed rival.

"Colonel O'Neill." And she couldn't keep her mouth shut, could she?

Also, he was currently pointing a zat'n'ktel at her. These were all commendable reasons to alert the guards.

The Colonel made no move to lower his weapon. "We've met before," he said.

"Colonel O'Neill," Mert repeated and she raised her hands, her voice steady and clear, "Please lower your weapon."

"No, I don't think so. You were the woman that went "missing" with Sam on that planet," Jack told her.

"Yes," admitted Mert reluctantly, "I'm also the woman who is going to help you and the Major escape."

Jack O'Neill frowned, but his arm didn't waver.

Mert didn't like weapons (especially when they were pointing at her point blank). She kept talking, pleading her case. "Colonel, I could have alerted the guards easily by now." His face was battling with indecision. "I helped your friends escape. I can help you too." He lifted an eyebrow and his arm was getting heavier. "I also know where Major Carter is." That was the final blow. Jack lowered his weapon… though that didn't mean that he was going to be nice.

"What's in it for you?" These kind of people always had an alternative motive.

"A couple of things, but I don't think that concerns you."

"I disagree."

The pounding of Jaffa guards always interrupted at the worst of times.

Mert grabbed his hand and pulled him into an adjoining room. Sure enough, on Jack's black box thingie, six red dots were floating down a hallway; barely a few feet away was "Jack the blue dot" in another room.

"Odd. She's not on the map…" Jack muttered.

Or maybe he said that a little loud. "You don't think I'd give you a map and then point myself out on it, do you?" whispered Mert.

Maybe, just maybe, this woman was for real. If that was true, the only thing Jack could think was 'score one for the good guys…'

***

Mert had earned Jack's "temporary trust status". Subject to immediate withdrawal and constant surveillance. Oh yes, big brother was definitely watching.

Mert was hoping to change all that in a few seconds.

"She's in this room. Two Jaffa took her there after her session with Nephthys…"

'Aka being tortured,' thought Jack.

"…apparently she was in really bad shape. They took her here to recover in Nephthys' sarcophagus…"

A sarcophagus… oh, wonderful! Jack also noted that there was a little too much awe in her voice (at least for Jack's liking).

"…according to the cosa-nera…"

'Black thingie'

"…there's only one Jaffa in there."

"How convenient," said Jack, "By the way, you wouldn't happen to know how long she's been in the sarcophagus, do you?" Jack was too well aware of the warning label those things should carry.

"Perhaps a bit over a day?"

'Even more wonderful,' thought Jack, 'Well, at least she'll be alive enough to go through the withdrawal symptoms.'

Mert was looking at him with an expectant face. It was time for the highlight of Operation: Save Sam. Jack looked at the door, reminded himself one last time how likely it was that this was a trap.

Then Jack rode in to the rescue…

***

Daniel Jackson didn't remember much about the ship-ride to Abayomous. As Teal'c had predicted, the doctor had ended up sleeping the entire time. Apparently, he didn't miss out on much (Teal'c didn't small talk on a normal basis and Jacob was preoccupied with unknown Tok'ra… stuff).

So Daniel was pleasantly surprised that when he came to the bridge, they were already in orbit around the planet. It was time for Operation: Save Sam and Jack (great name, eh?).

Teal'c was in the driver's seat of the ship and not too far away stood Jacob, looking at a console with a frown on his face.

"So," said Daniel, announcing his presence, "Let's suit up and get down there!"

"Daniel, we have a problem," were the first words out of Jacob's mouth. Of course there a "problem", thought the archeologist, There always is.

"We're going to have to land the ship a bit farther away from the compound than I first thought," explained Jacob, "They've heightened security since we last visited."

That made sense… "How much farther?" asked Daniel. It didn't seem like such a big deal.

"Approximately two hours by foot," Jacob replied, "I'm just worried, if Sam and Jack are in rough shape…"

"Then it's going to be hard to get them to a ship that far away."

"Exactly," agreed the Tok'ra.

"What if we do not land the ship?" suggested Teal'c, joining in on the conversation, "We could use the ring devices instead."

"I thought of that," replied Jacob, "I'm worried that we'll be detected by Nephthys… it'd be risky."

"And landing on the planet isn't?" asked Daniel. Jacob gave him quite a look.

"Do not worry, Jacob Carter. I know how we can "cover-up" our entrance."

He did? Well, that was good, wasn't it?

"You do?" asked Jacob.

"Yes."

With a bit more prodding, Teal'c explained in detail how he could get them in undetected. It sounded good. So why weren't they going to rescue Jack and Sam yet? Daniel was getting impatient.

"Okay, let's do this," said Daniel. He left the bridge with the Jaffa and Tok'ra staring after him.

So he wanted to get this over with. He wanted his friends safe. He'd just had twenty-four hours of sleep. Those were good excuses to be restless, right?

***

The Colonel was fortunate; the Jaffa guard was definitely not expecting him. A zat shot later and the guard fell down unconscious. The room was everything Jack expected it to be. It had that familiar "Goa'uld palace look" (gold walls with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs). In the center of the room was Nephthys' sarcophagus. Hopefully, Sam would be inside the overly decorative box.

The Colonel turned around to the doorway, "All clear."

Mert had a quick response time. She shuffled in quickly and started pushing buttons at a console near the sarcophagus. It wasn't more that fifteen seconds before the lid of the coffin was opening dramatically.

Jack was next to it long before then.

Jack stuck his head into the sarcophagus as soon as the crack was large enough.

"Sam?" Don't let your hopes up Jack. Don't be naïve.

"Colonel?" replied the Major's voice from inside.

"At your service." Jack couldn't stop smiling. Operation: Save Sam was a success, if he did say so himself.

The sarcophagus was completely open now. Sam's legs and hands were bound with leather straps. Nothing that he couldn't handle.

Mert went into the hallway to keep watch.

"Any serious injuries?" he asked as he undid the bounds on her feet.

"No," she answered, "Feeling great actually. A trip to the sarcophagus does wonders."

"Yeah," he replied as he worked on the bounds on her wrists, "Just as long as you don't make it a habit." They could both remember the addictive affects it had on Daniel. Well, he could.

"Also, I've got my memory back, sir."

Never mind, she could remember it too! Jack felt his smile grow (if that was even possible). "Wonderful. It's good to have my annoying Major back," he teased.

"You, couldn't tell the difference," she retorted. Then, as if forgetting herself, she added quickly, "Sir."

Oh, yes, Major Carter was back.

The Colonel gave her a hand to help her stand up and step out of the sarcophagus. Then taking her by surprise, he gave her a giant bone-crushing hug.

"Never die on me again, Sam." Sam shivered slightly at the tone of his voice.

She could never deny him anything. "I promise," she whispered in his ear. Did she just imagine a soft kiss on her neck?

Both cherished the illicit moment, parting all too quickly. They'd have to figure out this thing between them, but this certainly wasn't the place or the time.

"Later," Jack said. It was his promise. Sam nodded and followed his lead out to the door.

Sam was shocked to see an "old friend" waiting for them in the hallway.

"Mert?" The handmaiden's name came out of her mouth without thought.

The woman who had been Kamilah's only friend gave a small smile.

"You must get to the Gateway of Eternity as soon as possible," she told them, "I'll go and make sure that you can open the gate once you get there."

Sam didn't know what to think. This was the woman who'd co-conspired with Runihura. Sam also could remember Mert being on P3X 972 and helping with her abduction. The amount of pain this woman had caused her…

The part of Sam that was still Kamilah though, remembered Mert as a kind woman, someone who had never been anything but friendly. Also, Sam couldn't help but remember the night she'd found out that she was being drugged by her own… no, Kamilah's husband. That night she could remember Mert being terrified of Runihura…

All together it was enough for her to have a little bit of faith in Mert (this was added with her trust of the Colonel's gut instinct).

So Sam didn't make any accusations, any screams of injustice, she didn't punch the woman, instead she did nothing. She glanced at the Colonel who tilted his head slightly. He gave an expression which (roughly translated) meant a combination of, She helped me find you. I think we can trust her. I can't think of anything better.

Sam nodded her head to agree. Mert then gave a half-grin, "Good luck. Now go!" she said, tilting her head down the hallway.

The handmaiden watched for a few seconds to make sure they were well on their way.

Be happy, Kamilah.

Mert turned and headed in the opposite direction of the SGC officers to make good on her promise. She had to make sure that the DHD would be there for them when they reached the Stargate. She'd done it for their three friends; she could do it again.

***

He'd originally decided to forget her. He'd find a new wife, more beautiful than the fair woman he'd lusted after. There were thousands of women who'd adore to be the companion of Runihura, High Minister of Abayomous, second only to Nephthys himself.

There was only one woman he'd met though (even in his travels through the Gateway of Eternity) with golden hair, pale skin and a perfect smile…

So perhaps he hadn't forgotten Kamilah after all. It didn't matter. Nephthys would be leaving this planet in a few hours. When the god left, Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill would leave with him. He would never see his wife, Kamilah, again.

Runihura knew that Nephthys had killed her, torturing her to death. She was now recovering in the god's sarcophagus, a small honour for a valuable prisoner. Runihura just wanted to see her and say goodbye to both a wife and enemy.

When he walked into the room, he found the body of a Jaffa, lying on the ground (probably dead).

Even worst, the sarcophagus where Kamilah was supposed to be was empty!

Runihura yelled over a portable communications, ordering for someone to check on the other prisoner in the cell. After an impatient two minutes, Runihura was informed that the male Tau'ri had escaped and that two Jaffa had been knocked unconscious. The guard told him that they'd start searching for the missing prisoner immediately.

"Make that two prisoners. Major Carter is missing as well. I want everyone searching, understand? Send a complement of Jaffa to the Gateway." And at the risk of being redundant, "The prisoners can not be allowed to escape."

"Yes, High Minister."

Runihura quickly ran out of the room. He had to make sure that there was no possible way for the Major and Colonel to escape through the Gateway. He had to make sure that the DHD was well hidden. They couldn't have another "technical failure" like before when the other three prisoners had gotten away.

If the prisoners escaped… Nephthys would hold him personally responsible. Dying always made any other alternative seem marvelous.

***

She was almost done. In a few seconds she'd finish punching in the command codes. The DHD would be there for the Colonel and Major when they got to the Gateway. With a heck of a lot of luck, everyone in this merry wretch would get out alive.

"What are you doing Mert?"

Mert's luck unfortunately, had run out. Runihura had quietly come into the room. He was only a few meters away. She could feel her knees shaking as she lied through her teeth. "Nephthys asked for a complete inventory of this estate and the small villages near by." Mert couldn't look at Runihura in the eyes; she kept working at the console. She was so close to being finished…

"That's fine," he said, coming deeper into the room and closer to Mert, "But you can do it somewhere else. The prisoners have escaped."

Mert was shocked. He knows! She felt herself grow more scared. As he kept drawing nearing to her, she got closer and closer to being finished. Just a few more steps…

She flicked off the work-screen in front of her, just as Runihura stood next to her.

"Surely you wish to help with the search effort," she told him. Mert wasn't finished yet; she needed one more minute. What she wanted was Runihura as far away from her as physically possible.

"You weren't working on inventory, were you Mert." It was a statement. There was no question in his voice.

Her blood went cold. She'd waited too long to shut off the screen. Had he seen what she'd been trying to do?

The High Minister grabbed onto her wrist and held it tight enough to bruise. "Answer me, Mert."

Her legs shook even harder; any confidence that she'd felt earlier left so quickly she couldn't remember it ever being there. She lowered her head in submission. How does he do this to me?

"You helped them escape, didn't you Mert!" He made a low growling noise. "You were going to let them escape through the Gateway. Osiris, I trusted you and you betrayed me."

Mert didn't say anything; she offered no defense for herself. Runihura grabbed her by the shoulders. Seconds later, she collided with the wall.

"No one betrays me. Ever," he spat.

"I did it all for you." She was scared of the look in his eye. "She manipulated you, made you blind to everything else. It needed to be done…"

Runihura didn't want to listen to her squabbling. She'd obviously outlived her usefulness. With the hurt of betrayal backing up his actions, Runihura pointed his zat'n'ktel at her.

He pulled the trigger.

Twice.

***

TBC

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