Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and encouraged me to continue these stories.
The Dead Zone 9-Rage
"What's she doing?" Charlie asked as he sat making dinner.
Martouf looked over to where Sha're was sitting just away from their camp staring into the dark sky, "Why don't you go ask her."
Charlie sneezed, "Why don't you?"
"You want to know." Lantesh told him.
Charlie grimaced realising he'd lost that argument. Wearily pulling himself to a stand Charlie headed over to his adopted little sister.
"Hey, whatcha doin?" he asked dropping down to sit with her.
Sha're stared at him for a few seconds translating his greeting into something she could understand, "I am watching the stars, making them familiar."
"Why?"
Sha're laughed, "I like to have a star to wish upon. My mother taught me how to do it."
"Nice idea," he said before coughing.
Sha're looked at him worriedly, "That is becoming worse," she reached out and touched his forehead, "You have a fever."
"I'm fine Sha're," he argued.
"Really?" disbelief filled her voice, "Then why can we cook dinner on your forehead?"
"You know this sarcasm thing you've got from Daniel really isn't attractive," he grimaced.
Sha're frowned at him, "Charlie, you need to rest and let your body recover from this illness. We need you healthy."
"I'm fine," he told her moving to stand before dropping back onto the ground as his head spun, "Maybe I could take a few days."
Sha're smiled and helped him to his feet, "Come and rest while Martouf and I fix something to eat."
x
"There is a village nearby," Martouf told her after Charlie had crawled into his tent to sleep for a while.
"Do you think they would give us shelter?" Sha're asked.
"We believe so," Lantesh answered, "We feel we know this place and the villagers are peaceful."
"Good," she nodded, "We all need to rest and I would prefer Charlie be someplace we can monitor him better."
"I know," Martouf smiled, "We'll go and find the villagers."
"I wish we had some communication devices," Sha're frowned, "I would feel better if we could remain in constant contact."
Martouf nodded in agreement he clasped her arm and squeezed it, "We'll be back as soon as possible."
x
"Where'd Martouf go?" Charlie asked when Sha're went over to him.
"He has gone to see if the village nearby will help us," she told him handing him some water.
Charlie drank it before closing his eyes, "I'm gonna…"
"Rest," she smiled.
When he slept, Sha're moved to sit at the fire. She didn't like the fact that Charlie was sick, without proper medicine to care for him the fear that they could lose him filled her. Her mother had died from a fever and that sat at the edge of her mind as she tried to believe he'd be fine.
She had nothing to do just now so decided to try what Martouf had suggested a few nights ago. She had to learn to separate herself from the memories and feelings Daniel had left within her mind. This was the only way she knew she would be able to find a Stargate address leading them to a friendly planet and possibly a way home. It would also help her control the flashes she kept having every so often.
Getting some of her husband's skills had proven helpful, picking the lock for example but she couldn't control it to any degree, it controlled her.
Taking a deep breath she started doing the concentration techniques Lantesh had shown her. She could do this.
"Thank you," Martouf said to the leader of the town council, Frina.
She smiled at him, "We will fetch your friends and you can join us for the celebration."
"What celebration?" Martouf asked.
"We celebrate our freedom from the evil Gods," Frina explained, "We have a feast then after we take part in the Ire."
"The Ire?" Martouf asked as they walked towards the camp.
"It is a time when we release all our burdens," Frina explained, "Many of us look forward to this time of year. It has always been a great celebration."
"We would be honoured to join you," Martouf told her.
He smiled seeing the camp and Sha're sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed meditating. Sensing the approach of Lantesh she opened her eyes as they came closer to her.
"Frina, I'd like you to meet Sha're," Martouf introduced them.
Sha're stood up and nodded, "Hello."
"She is your mate?" Frina asked.
Sha're laughed at Martouf's look of horror.
"No, we are more brother and sister," Sha're explained, "As is our other companion Charlie. He is the one who is ill."
"Well our healer is very skilled," Frina assured her.
"Frina has invited us all to stay in the village," Martouf explained.
"Then we should pack," Sha're started to work.
x
Sha're rested her hand upon Charlie's forehead checking to see if his fever had broken. The healer had been very kind and given them some things to help him. Sha're mixed the powder with the cup of water she had making sure it was completely dissolved.
"Charlie," she shook him awake.
"Mm…what?" he opened his eyes groggily, "Sha're?"
"Drink this," she held the cup to his lips.
"I can do it," he protested taking it from her and taking a drink before grimacing at the taste, "This is awful."
"It will help you," Sha're told him.
"Do I have to?" he whined, sounding like a little boy.
"Charlie, drink it all now," Sha're ordered, trying not to laugh.
"Yes ma'am," he sighed wrinkling his nose in disgust as he swallowed the mixture.
Sha're smiled when he handed her back the cup, "Good, now go back to sleep. I will leave water nearby while Martouf and I go to this feast."
"Feast?" Charlie asked, "Typical I have to be ill when we get a party invite."
She laughed covering him with the blanket, "Get some rest and regain your strength."
Closing his eyes Charlie leaned back and let sleep pull him down, "Night Hon."
Sha're watched all the people settled around several tables all eating heartily. She and Martouf were at the head table with Frina and the rest of the council.
"I think she likes you," Sha're murmured to him.
"Sha're," he sighed in annoyance.
"I am just saying," Sha're told him, "That she keeps giving you glances and smiles."
"Well you're getting a few yourself from around the room," Martouf replied.
"I am married," Sha're shot back, "You are not."
Martouf rolled her eyes, "Something is happening."
They both turned to see Frina standing as chalices were placed in front of everyone.
"To the Ire," Frina proclaimed, "We have eaten our fill, now we must release our burdens."
Everyone raised his or her chalice, Sha're and Martouf followed the lead.
"To the Ire," everyone chorused.
The two travellers glanced at each other and shrugged before both of them drank.
x
Charlie woke up hearing yells and screams from all around.
"What the hell is that?" he moaned.
Dragging himself out of bed he moved to the window and pulled back the curtain. Everywhere he saw people running and fighting and yelling and screaming.
"That must have been one hell of a party," he sighed walking out and finding the woman he recognised as the leader of the council, "What's going on?"
"This is the Ire," Frina explained as she surveyed the chaos, "For some it lasts longer than it does for others. Depending on how much was ingested."
"Ingested?" Charlie demanded.
"The Ire is commenced by the drinking of the dew from the Nantich flower," Frina explained, "It helps us release our burdens."
Charlie ducked as a chair came flying towards them, "Their burdens?" he snapped, "They're tearing the place up."
Frina sighed, "Many have extreme reactions to the Ire."
"Extreme?" Charlie took a few deep breaths, "Where are my friends? Did they drink this stuff?"
"Yes," Frina nodded, "They both took part."
"Damn, damn, damn," Charlie muttered, "Okay, do you know where they are?"
"No," she shook her head, "They left to release their burdens as all others did."
"Any idea which way?"
"Martouf headed towards the lake," Frina told him, "I do not know where Sha're went."
"The lake it is," Charlie stopped as his head spun for a few minutes before walking unsteadily towards the lake.
x
Martouf was hitting a tree with a rock.
"Martouf," Charlie yelled before ducking as the rock came flying at him, "Lantesh, if you can you have to take control."
Martouf's head dropped and his symbiote took over, "I was hoping he would get this out of his system before I had to do this."
"I thought you would have protected him from the effects," Charlie said.
Lantesh sighed, "Since Apophis programmed us to kill our connection has never been the same. I am unable to heal and protect him as I once could."
"Stay in control," Charlie told him, "We need to find Sha're."
"She ran in the opposite direction from us," Lantesh told him.
"Well I didn't see her in the town so she might have went towards the caves near the Stargate," Charlie reasoned.
"We can start there," Lantesh agreed.
They started walking Charlie frowning; most of the destruction had stopped thankfully and he hoped whatever the stuff was it would have worked it's way out of Sha're's system by now. However, experience told him it was more likely not to.
Sha're clutched the zat gun to her chest.
They were coming.
They were coming and they would kill her if she didn't kill them first.
The thunder bellowed outside but it couldn't drown out the footsteps she could hear. They would be here soon.
A shadow covered the entrance to the cave.
Sha're activated the zat and fired.
x
Lantesh cried out as the zat blast hit him falling to the ground. Charlie dragged him away from the mouth of the cave falling as Martouf's fist struck his jaw.
Charlie swore as he saw Martouf take off again, "It's gonna be one of those nights."
Trying to get back up his head spun making him fall back down so instead he crawled over to the mouth of the cave peeking in to see Sha're still huddled against the wall.
"Sha're," he called.
"Stay away from me," she cried, "You are Goa'uld, stay away."
"Sha're," Charlie stepped into the cave only to have to dive again as she fired at him.
"Not a good idea," he muttered to himself.
She didn't appear to be moving from there, he reasoned to himself and he knew he had to find out what this stuff actually did. With a sigh he headed back to find Frina.
x
Frina hadn't moved from where Charlie had left her, she was still watching, as most people seemed to tire and head back to their homes.
"Hey," Charlie yelled as he ran over to her.
"Charlie, I see you did not find your friends," she said.
"I found them," he told her, "Though I did manage to lose Martouf again. Frina what does this stuff actually do?"
"Do?"
"Does it make you hallucinate?"
"Of course not," Frina replied, "It just allows the deep seated anger within loose for a short time."
"Then it shouldn't make Sha're think I'm something I'm not?" he clarified.
"No, if she is angry towards you then that would come out but she would know who you are," Frina explained.
"Then we have a bigger problem than I thought," Charlie sighed.
x
Sha're curled into the wall. She seemed to be in two places at once the dark cave sometimes was a white room but neither felt safe. Clutching the zat tighter to her she shook. The voices were louder, the footsteps were closer, she had to stop them.
The footsteps.
They were closer and she knew they wanted to hurt her. Sha're curled into a tighter ball and screamed.
x
"Is there an antidote or something for this stuff?" Charlie asked.
"There is one," Frina told him, "The Healer holds all these things."
"Good," Charlie nodded smiling as he saw Martouf/Lantesh walk towards him, "Lantesh, are you in control?"
"I am," Lantesh replied, "Martouf is now sleeping thankfully."
Frina touched his arm, "I shall go and collect the antidote."
"Thanks," Charlie nodded before turning to Lantesh, "Well we have another problem," Charlie told him, "Sha're is hallucinating. Frina says this stuff shouldn't do that."
"She has the zat which might make it difficult to get to her without one of us being shot," Lantesh said, "Again."
Charlie laughed before frowning, "Well if we can distract her one of us can hold her down while we feed her the antidote."
"Hoping she doesn't kill us in the process," Lantesh remarked.
"Frina," Charlie called as she returned, "Did you get it?"
The woman held out the bowl she was carrying, "The paste must be applied to her tongue, according to Ren the Healer it should render her unconscious almost immediately and by morning she will be herself again."
"That's good," Charlie murmured taking the bowl, "So she will be fine by tomorrow?"
"Ren is sure of it."
"Ready?" Charlie asked Lantesh.
"Of course."
Charlie sneezed, "Let's go."
They stood outside the cave Charlie placed the bowl down in a safe position.
"Okay," he said, "On three."
Lantesh nodded.
"One, two," Charlie paused about to sneeze but managing to control it, "Three."
They dived into the cave, Sha're jumped and fired the zat hitting Charlie who fell to the ground in agony as Lantesh managed to grab Sha're taking the zat from her.
"Charlie, you must bring the antidote," he called.
"God, that hurt," Charlie moaned as he dragged himself back to the bowl and grabbed it before pulling himself to a stand, "Keep her still."
Lantesh held her down as she struggled against him while Charlie took a scoop of the paste and moved over to them. Kneeling down he tried to force Sha're to open her mouth while she struggled against them. She cried out and Charlie stuck his hand into her mouth wincing as her teeth cut into his flesh while he forced the paste into her mouth. Once it was on her tongue he pulled out his hand frowning at the teeth marks in his hand before checking on Sha're. She was unconscious against Lantesh and Charlie sighed.
"Let's get back to the cottage," he sighed, "We all need some sleep."
Lantesh nodded in agreement and picked up the still form of the young woman.
Martouf groaned as he woke up.
"Good morning sunshine," Charlie called cheerfully walking into the room where the other two were sleeping making Martouf groan again.
"Must you be so loud?" Sha're moaned from the second bed.
"Not feeling too well this morning?" Charlie asked amused.
The other two both buried their heads in their pillows.
"Will you now check what something is before you drink some strange potion?" Charlie asked.
"I suppose," Martouf moaned.
"I said…" Charlie yelled.
"Yes, yes," Sha're cried, "Please Charlie be quiet."
"I'll leave you two to sleep it off," Charlie laughed heading back out.
x
"How you feeling?" Charlie asked as both Sha're and Martouf emerged out of the cottage into the midday sun.
"Awful," Sha're muttered shielding her eyes, "But I needed air."
"And you?" Charlie turned to Martouf who was leaning his head against the wall.
"Just as bad," Martouf groaned, "Lantesh is refusing to even try to heal me, says it's my own fault."
Charlie laughed making them both wince.
"How are you this morning?" Sha're asked, "You seem better."
"I feel great," Charlie enthused, "I think the zat blast killed the virus though not a treatment I'd recommend. So are we moving or what?"
"Maybe we should stay for a few days," Sha're murmured.
"Well I'll ask Frina," Charlie told them.
They both nodded sinking to sit on the ground; Charlie laughed heading to talk to the council leader leaving them to their hangovers.
