Still borrowing the world of SG1 for a bit, promise I'll put them back all shiny and new.

Looked in my pockets - nope, no money either, just blue fluff.

Gwen, Black Hawk, Becki, Sjaraven, Blujay, Drakcir, Jes, Hebe, Weesta, Evala and everyone one else who has reviewed my work, thank you. Thank you for your inspiration and encouragement, you've given me the shoes to walk this far. x ;o)

Sgt. P. Pud-o, it's been a tough old year 'thank you ever so' for your laughter x

CT - Thank you for giving me wings and letting me fly. xxxxxx

What is the dark; Shadows around you Why not take heart In the new day? Ever and always. Always and ever. No-one can promise a dream for you, Time gave both darkness and dreams to you.

Once You Had Gold - Enya

Well let's get it on (here we go)

======

The whole room became staid, no one dared move, their breathing the only sign of life.

The Senator was statuesque, his whole body cocooned in a film of sweat as his mind tried to rationalise what had happen. By his feet the floor was burnt and still smouldering.

He looked down at his hand as comprehension dawned that he was now in control of his being. He stretched his fingers and returned the glances trained on his back.

He smoothed down his tie and gave a blue-lipped half smile to Ross but Jack noticed his eyes were glassy and vacant, "Ross take them down to the holding cells, I need to contact Anubis. General if you or your team, here, try anything I will make sure others suffer. Do I make myself clear?"

The General nodded objectionably.

=======

SG1 sat quietly, for a while, in the insufficient cell. Sam sat with her head in her hands trying to make sense of Jonas's disappearance, "do you think he's dead?" She whispered slicing her way into the other's thoughts.

Jack rubbed his hands over his face and rested his body weight against one of the khaki walls, detaching himself from the conversation.

"No, no, I don't think so," Daniel said quietly, his eyes fixed on an imperfection in the plaster, "I think he's, he's descended."

"Do you think he is lost to us?" Teal'c asked his voicing holding a slight emotional tremor.

Daniel looked at the rest of the team wishing he had all the answers, "I don't know."

"He's a fighter," Jack said suddenly, his voice resounding off the walls, "and Daniel came back," he stated, gesturing with his hand.

Daniel thought on the broken young man and the powerful being that had taken him, "yeah, Jack I came back," he said in a flat voice.

"Jonas said something about the joining of two paths, a crossing, maybe this is what he felt," Sam offered.

"He'll be back," Jack said looking at the floor, "we're not loosing him."

"Jack," Daniel began but was stopped by Sam, he went back to memorising the disfigurement in the paintwork.

The cell door opened and Ross stood there with General Hammond. The gorilla of a Sergeant beckoned them out with a customised hand weapon, "guess who's going on a space ride," he said slowly as if unused to forming sentences.

"Oh, I don't know," O'Neill replied, "you?"

The Sergeant thought on this with a heavy forehead, "no, no," he stated, blinking, "you," he then smiled with his graveyard teeth.

=====

It was dark.

Something scuttled in the shadows, its claws tapping on a flagstone floor like a woman's metal heels.

There was so much pain and no air to scream, to release the intense pressure building inside of him.

He was vaguely aware of others, he sensed their pitiful existence swirling around him like clouds of ink.

Jonas shut his eyes and cried inside.

======

SG1 were led along the corridors of the SGC like some defeated prize. They passed the gate room that was packed with an army of Anubis's Jaffa.

Jack guessed they would dial the Tok'ra base and launch a surprise attack from here as well as from Anubis's warship.

Sam looked at the small, pale, battered face of Sergeant Davis, through the toughened glass, who was manning his usual position. He looked at her through broken eyes and she tried to smile some reassurance back at him; he smiled, meekly, back.

=====

Jonas curled up into his mind like the child he once was, watching the gunmetal street below for a dragon balloon.

Olmec would have said that all men walk a little in sorrow's shadow, as it is the path to true understanding; without rain there would be no flowers.

He tried to breath but his lungs constricted trying to fight the acid in the air.

He thought he heard sobbing and saw the man he'd once called father, with his faced pressed against the wood of the handmade dinning table, letting a clear bottle of pale apple wine roll on to the floor. It bounced twice on the frayed carpet missing the one eyed cat that Mia had called Sweet Thing. His mother, who was as frayed as the carpet, came to retrieve the empty vessel and looked at Jonas with eyes that said he was not enough. Not enough to fill the void left by his sister, not enough to stop her from jumping.

In the distance he saw the waves playing happily on the dazzling white sands of a Kelownan beach. His mother had laid the green and white checked picnic blanket on the floor and was waiting for him, looking along the shoreline her hand shielding her eyes from the sun. His sister and father were laughing at the arrogant looking dragon they had created in the damp sand.

Jonas called to them, waving, but they could not hear him. He started to walk across the sand but something held him, something pulled him back inside his parent's apartment. It wasn't going to let him go.

Sweet Thing was on the table chewing at the food forgotten on a plate. His father raised his head and looked at Jonas and smiled. Jonas took a step back as the man's face began to rupture, like dry clay, revealing a being without compassion.

=======

The Senator led SG1 to Anubis's chamber on the Cheops Warship. The host turned to greet them and Jack would have sworn that the SOB was smiling.

"Welcome to my victory," the host said, opening his arms for effect, "this day I will defeat all my enemies and you will witness it."

"Oh lucky us," Jack retorted, "you know, bud, I wouldn't get too cocky there, things don't always go to plan."

"Oh, but this time, Colonel, they will." He turned to the Senator, "Senator Kinsey, Anubis and myself would like to thank you, we are forever in your debt."

Kinsey smiled, gloatingly as Ragnarok's eyes flashed and Anubis took control. The Goa'uld spread his hand out producing a ripple of clear energy from the ribbon device attached to it. It distorted the air as it flew from him and slammed into the Senator.

Kinsey buckled to his knees and cried out in pain as wave after wave hit him. His body began to fluctuate and twist until there was nothing left but an expensive suit.

"Hell, what do you guys do when someone pisses you off?" O'Neill enquired his eyes drawn to the two mother-of-pearl cufflinks left on the shirt cuffs.

"You're about to find out Colonel," Anubis hissed.

"You had to ask Jack?" Daniel said in an unbelieving voice.

Jack shrugged as the host took control from Anubis, "Major Carter, why so glum, soon you will be reunited with your father," Ragnarok said, "and you Shol'va, soon your son will kneel before me and call me his God."

Teal'c gave Ragnarok a look of pure hatred and pushed all his body weight towards the host but Daniel stopped him by grabbing hold of his arm. "You're not going to destroy the planet?" He asked trying to calm his Jaffa friend down.

"Do not worry Doctor Jackson, I have no intentions of using the Eye against your allies. I wish to have them grovel at my feet so that all will witness my power."

"Isn't this the part where you laugh manically?" Jack inquired.

"Joke all you want Colonel but can you not feel it? Can you not feel the light slipping away from you and the darkness creeping out from the shadows? I can. I can feel the agony and pain of a pure soul stigmatised with all men's dark deeds and sins. Ninety-five is at the parapet and the pyre that surrounds him is coaxing him to jump."

Jack said nothing but felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle with unease.

=======

Jonas wrapped himself into a tight ball and rocked against the floor. He was empty and defiled, there was nothing left to conserve.

He was so tired; he had no fight left, no spark.

Just before he slipped into silent unconscious something blood warm seeped into his being and a grateful tear cut through the grim, on his cheek, making a path to the floor.

==========

Jack checked his watch again; it was over an hour since they had been thrown in the Goa'uld cell. Below him, he knew, the battle for freedom was raging on the sands of an alien world and there was nothing he could do but stare at the melting minutes.

He was sat resting against a smooth wall with his hands joined on his knees. He looked at the rest of his deflated team and his commanding officer whose downcast eyes held nothing but hopelessness.

Inactivity caused him to drum his fingers on his knees as he thrashed out a monotonous tune, from the radio, that had settled in his brain.

"Sir?" Carter asked.

Jack shook his head and got to his feet, "hell, I hate this waiting."

Sam nodded in agreement she was worried for her father as an unusually restless Teal'c was for his son.

Jack paced the room; he wondered if they felt it too, the feeling of despair that was eating away at the optimism that usual flowed around them. He looked around at his team and saw they were all drowning in Ragnarok's words as they battled the bleakness that had infested them. They need a plan, something.

The door opened and three Jaffa motioned them out into the corridor, "did you loose?" Jack asked, but was reward with a belt from a staff weapon.

Anubis's Jaffa led the team to a ring room where they were deposited on the surface of the planet.

======

SG1 found themselves away from the main Tok'ra complex in a hastily erected compound that held Anubis's prisoners. Several guards were placed by the elaborately carved force field emitters, which hummed with the heavy flow of sparkling blue energy.

General Hammond walked over to Sam's father who was nursing a gash to his shoulder, "Jacob," he said taking the Tok'ra's hand.

"George, we thought you were all dead."

"Hell, we're more indestructible than you think," O'Neill said nodding in the senior Carter's direction.

"So it would seem, O'Neill," Bra'tac said taking Teal'c's hand in greeting, "where is Jonas Quinn?"

"He was taken," Teal'c replied as he hugged Ray'c and looked him over for injury.

Jacob eyes flashed as he looked towards Malek who had joined their reunion.

Sam stood by her father, trying to dress his wound, "what's wrong Dad?" She asked.

"When you say taken?" He enquired towards the General.

"Doctor Jackson believes he has descended," Hammond said wiping the heat of the planet from his face with a square of cotton cloth.

"He is not with Anubis then?" Jacob asked.

"No," the General answered, "Why Jacob?"

It was Malek who responded. "We had an operative working with scientists Anubis had managed to gather from different planets. These scientists were striving to make/clone different beings in an effort to create a superior soldier for the Goa'uld army. This soldier would have great strength and mental abilities, he would be 'programmed' to obey orders with out question, without the risk of being turned."

"Like a robot?" Jack stated.

"Yes," Malek replied, "but a robot would be unable to house a Goa'uld larva."

"And your point?" Jack said cleaning his sunglasses.

"The information that we got was that Anubis would use Jonas Quinn as his next host, after extracting whatever he needs to create an army of advance creatures."

"Yeah, but what about the current host?"

"He will be able to ascend, Jack," Daniel said, "become a greater being."

Sam narrowed her eyes, "you said, 'these scientists were working on making an advanced soldier.'"

Malek looked out into the distance, "our operative destroyed their research, along with the complex and everybody in it, including himself."

"But Jonas Quinn still remains," Teal'c stated.

There was an awkward silence, "Dad, Jonas is one of us," Sam pleaded.

Jacob turned to his daughter, "Sam, if a Goa'uld joined with him there would be no stopping it. It would be a greater threat than Anubis."

Jack looked around the compound drawing attention to their current situation, "really," he said sarcastically.

"Jacob what are you suggesting?" The General asked ignoring O'Neill.

"That whatever happens, George, we cannot let Anubis join with Quinn."

"He may not be coming back," Daniel said softly.

"You did, Daniel," Jacob reminded him, "and once descended he may come back stronger."

"This is crazy, Dad, Jonas is not our enemy," Sam said getting to her feet and looking at Hammond.

"Sam," Jacob said, trying to calm her, "it is not our intention to harm Jonas."

"Maybe he could be persuaded to take a on a Tok'ra." Malek started.

"Don't even go there," Jack said in anger, glowering at the Tok'ra leader.

Bra'tac stood between the men and turned to face O'Neill, "I will not let anything happen to Jonas Quinn," he said, throwing Malek a glance over his shoulder, "we will find another way."

The old man suddenly held his head as an agony spread across his face, "Master Bra'tac you are unwell?" Teal'c said as Jack caught the older man and helped him to stand.

"He has been like this for a few of days," Rya'c told his father.

"Has he been taking the Tok'ra medication?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes, but it has seemed to have little effect."

"I am alright," the older Jaffa said waving their attention away with his hand.

"Teal'c let's get him over to the shade with the injured," Sam suggested.

Teal'c nodded and helped the protesting Jaffa over to a makeshift shelter.

"So," O'Neill asked, "if Anubis creates this new model army what's he going to do with all the surplus Jaffa?"

"From what intelligence we have gathered it seems he has located a planet rich in Naquadria and will need an army to shift the deposits," Malek answered.

Sam looked at the Colonel, "Kelowna."

"Jonas's homeworld?" Jacob asked, "we don't know Sam, all we can tell you is that Anubis is planning to turn this planet into some sort of prison to hold his mine workers."

"Oh this day just gets better," Jack said walking off to one of the force field emitters.

The Jaffa who was guarding it eyed him suspiciously. "Hey there," Jack said in his best 'be nice to the enemy' voice, "hot day," he continued looking at the bloated sun above.

"Move away human," came the caustic reply.

"Okay, okay just trying to be friendly. You know Anubis is thinking of trading you all in for a newer more advanced model?"

"I said move away or I will fire."

"Colonel," General Hammond appeared at Jack's side.

"I was just trying to be friendly, Sir."

"I know Colonel but that's why we have Doctor Jackson."

"What, you think I can't do 'friendly'?"

"Jack," Hammond said, "you don't get to be a Colonel by being 'friendly'."

"Sir." But before could continue his altercation a funnel of transport rings materialised and Anubis stepped out into the compound with three Jaffa guards.

While one kept his staff weapon poised on the group of prisoners the other two dragged O'Neill before the Goa'uld and made him kneel, painfully, at his feet.

"I've been waiting a long time for this," Anubis spat bringing out a sword from behind his back.

"Oh my God," Sam cried and started to run forward but the two guards fired a warning shot at her feet.

"Stay back, Carter," Jack yelled.

"Sound advice, Colonel," Anubis told him.

Jack looked at the sword, "your alter ego okay with this," he enquired.

"He's the one that ordered it," Anubis cracked.

Anubis went to lift the sword above his head but the ground began to vibrate violently. "Ah," the Goa'uld spat, "we have company," he said laying down the weapon.

To his right a void of dark matter began to develop until it was large enough for a being to step out of.

"Jonas," Jack said, greeting the Kelownan.

"Yes but without the burden of light or conscience," Anubis said taking the young man's face in his hand to study him more closely.

The Goa'uld was right, the being that stood before him was blank and empty. It's eyes were hollow and black and held no signs of life.

"Soon I will give you purpose," Anubis whispered into the young man's ear and patted him like some pet animal.

Jonas looked down at Jack with an expressionless face and then over to the rest of SG1.

"Jonas?" Sam said.

The Kelownan looked to the Goa'uld, "go," he said.

The young man walked over to Sam but stopped when he came to Bra'tac who was whispering softly under his breath. He lifted the older man to his feet with his mind, suspending him so he could examine the Jaffa.

He walked around him and then grabbed his throat pulling the old man to his face.

"Jonas!" Sam yelled.

The Kelownan looked to her momentarily and then a back to the Jaffa he had in his grasp. He found the dagger that Bra'tac had concealed on his person and watched the light bounce off it as he turned it in his hand. He then made eye contact with the old man and shoved the dagger deep into Bra'tac's stomach and held it there, with his eyes closed, feeling the blood warm his fingers.

He pulled it out and let the old man fall, creased, to the ground.

Teal'c went to the body on the floor and felt Bra'tac's weak pulse he then looked at Jonas with hard, angry, eyes. He got to his feet and rushed the Kelownan but Jonas felt his intention and pushed him, hard, to the ground with one look.

Jonas turned to Sam knocking her father from his feet as he went to protect his daughter.

The Kelownan held out a bloody hand and wiped a tear that had sprung from Sam's eyes. He felt its texture between his thumb and forefinger before putting it to his lips to taste. Sam noticed the heavy scaring around both Jonas's wrist and the odd glimpses of tortured skin, burnished and puckered beneath the tunic he was wearing.

She looked into his hollow, impassive, eyes and saw nothing but her reflection in the mirror of their darkness. He grabbed hold of the back of her neck and pulled her to him, manipulating her lips into a rough kiss with his own. She pulled back in disbelief, staring at the blankness of his face. He pulled her to him again; this time the kiss was more penetrating. Sam dug the heels of her hands into his shoulders and threw herself backward, slapping Jonas across the face with the back of her hand.

The young man touched the heat of the slap with curiosity and then looked back at Sam with his head cocked to one side as if measuring her action. He then looked at his palm and moved his fingers together in imitation and slapped her back.

Sam dropped to the floor with the force of the blow, her head buzzing as Jonas dragged her to her feet tearing the arm of her shirt. He then looked across to Anubis, "very well," the Goa'uld laughed, "you may have her."

Jonas nodded to one of the hovering Jaffa and threw Major Carter at him. Sam looked again at the Kelownan, her eyes narrowing, before the transport rings took her back to the ship.

Jonas walked back towards Anubis but stopped when he came level with Doctor Jackson. He turned to face him and held out his hand. Daniel felt a slight pull on his neck as the Ra pendant Catharine had given him flew into Jonas's hand. The Kelownan let it hover above his hand for a few seconds before tucking it away in a pocket.

Ragnarok took control from Anubis and beckoned Jonas to him, handing him the sword. The young man seemed mesmerised by the blade and his reflection in it.

"You know what must be done son," Ragnarok said, gesturing to O'Neill.

Jonas nodded and looked down at his commanding officer. Jack held his temple, feeling a ball of paper unfold inside of his head, releasing the words to the suffocating melody that had been trapped there earlier. Words ricocheted around his mind as if spoken with cracked lips full of pain; 'If I had words to make a day for you, I'd sing you a morning golden and new, I would make this day last for all time, give you a night dipped in moonshine.'

Jack turned his head sharply and looked up at the Kelownan. He was greeted with a dazzling smile, "first time dead, Jack," Jonas said just as he brought the sword down.

=======