Well folks I can see the ending in sight, but you'll just have to bare with me for just a couple more chapters. I love reading all your reviews, and can't thank you enough, please keep em coming.
Rating: PG13
Spoilers for Season 2 onwards
Stargate is not mine, and unfortunately never will be; I'm just taking them on a lil adventure.
Chapter 7 – Within Reach
They had now been walking for some time, the further they went the more tired Major Samantha Carter became. The sun beat down on them, never relenting, burning her body as they walked, she now no longer sweated, which was far more comfortable, but she also knew that it was one of the first stages of heatstroke, which was not good.
Ahead in the distance she could just make out some kind of dwelling, she didn't really know at this stage if it was the Tokra, or some other inhabitants claiming this world as their own.
Although they had only been travelling a few miles, Sam felt as if it had been an eternity. Sam was used to covering this much ground on a daily basis with SG-1, but with her injuries so severe, she get stumbling in the sand pockets of the dunes, and each time she fell, she aggravated her injuries all the more.
Jaret, as kind and helpful as ever, did little to assist her on their journey. Sam couldn't remember a time when she had felt so awful. Her breathing was now becoming ragged, even her pains had pains. She also knew that she was feverish even in the heat of the desert. Her insides felt as they were on fire with every step that she took, the only thing that was spurring her on, was the fact that if she died here, she would die alone, which would then allow Jaret to kill not only her team mates, but also her father, and one thing Carter had in abundance was determination that that was never gonna let that happen.
She lost her footing again and stumbled helplessly to the ground, jarring her weary body, she tried once more to lift herself of the dune, putting every last bit of strength she had, but on this occasion she failed, her body refusing to co-operate any further.
Jaret sensing her thoughts and feelings knew now, that Major Carter couldn't continue without assistance. His plan wasn't going as well as he thought, he needed to get to Selmack, and without Major Carter there as a bargaining weapon, there was no way the Tokra would trust an outsider, and it would be doubtful that they would even show themselves to him. He needed her as leverage.
He turned round to walk back to where she had fallen. Sam's vision was blurring, she recognised the blackness around the edges of her eyes, and with pain racking her body, her last thought was for her friends and how she had failed them, as hard as she tried to stay with it, her body could take no more and again she passed out, but this time she didn't expect to awaken again.
Jaret saw her eye lids flutter, her eyes rolling towards the back of her head, and knowing she was near death, he scooped her up in his arms and carried towards the buildings.
As she lay in his arms, he carried on to the stone called structure, his arms and legs growing heavier with each step. Then he saw it, a group of people coming out of the structure, he couldn't tell at this stage if they were Tokra, but one thing he knew for sure is; they had seen him.
As one of them re-entered the building, presumably to tell the others. The other 3 headed towards him, their speed increasing with each step they took, and it was not long before they surrounded him, weapons raised in a defence stance. They knew they had the advantage, a lone man carrying a female in his arms, unless he dropped her, it was unlikely that he had the advantage point, and that was exactly what Jaret wanted them to think.
"Who are you?" One of them demanded. "Why are you here."
"I was searching for Jacob Carter, I understand that he may be here, please you must take me to him. This is his daughter Samantha Carter, she's severely injured, and in need of medical assistance."
"You have not answered my question…who are you, and how did you find us?" The guard reiterated.
"My name is Jaret, I'm a scientist, I was working with Major Carter when we were attacked. She told me that her father was involved with a resistance group known as the Tokra, and gave me this location." He continued to lie, and found it comforting that they appeared to be buying into his charade.
"You will follow use" they explained, shepherding him and the Major inside the communal building. As he surveyed his surrounding, they descended further and further down underground, small pockets of crystallite laidened the walls. He had heard of this material before, but had never seen it, it was quite impressive. Looking down at Major Carter, he noted her skin was deathly pale, apart from spots of bright red tint on her cheeks from fever.
At this point, Jaret noted that you couldn't descend any further, he also noted that he was being led into an open cavern, where he was told to wait, he laid the Major out onto a stone slab, and watched 2 guards take stance at the entrance, it wouldn't be long now he thought.
With only two guards visible, he placed his hands in his pocket to pull out the amulet, in preparation for the next stage, and placed it along side of Major Carter.
He waited a few minutes and then heard footsteps in the hallway, he then saw him; Selmack.
As Jacob ran towards his daughter, fear and anger was embedded so much in his eyes, that he barely noted the man to her side, and due to the fact that his physiological makeup was not that of a normal Gould, the thought didn't cross his mind.
"What the hell happened to my daughter?" Jacob demanded. "And where the hell is Colonel O'Neill."
Jacob knew something was very wrong, not just the fact that his daughter appeared to be dying, but in the fact that SG-1 were nowhere around, this in itself caused Jacob to worry, he had never seen this man before, and there would have been no way Jack O'Neill would have let her go off with a stranger, let alone through the Stargate.
"Well, I'm waiting for an answer."
Jaret picked up the amulet, and placed it in his hand and stepped back slightly, then proceeded to speak in a language Jacob Carter had never heard of.
"Akum kretinome fasalatay iddiun ma konat abiyasinnia gretoricus."
"What the hell are you saying…?"
Before Jacob had the chance to challenge him further, gasps could be heard from all around him. Jacob turned around to see his comrades drop to their knees in pain, their eyes bulging from lack of oxygen, their weapons strewn on the floor beside them as blood seeped from various parts of their orifices.
Rushing to their aid to check for signs of life, he noted there was none. Jacob Carter had never seen anything like this…no he recalled, he had. Not him though, it had been Selmack that had witnessed this, many years ago. He knew of only one person that could've caused the death of his people in this fashion; Toth. Shaking the image from his mind, he knew that it was impossible, he had seen Toth die, at his own hands, he couldn't think of anyone else that could've possessed this much power.
As he tried to recall his memories of the past, Selmack remembered a son of Thoth… No it couldn't be him, he would have recognised the Gould within him. At this moment though, it wasn't important, all he was concerned about was the fact that this man had just killed his comrades and was standing by his daughter.
Jaret's eyes flashed, he was now able to show himself as he truly was, for the first time since he had hidden amongst the DeAsha's.
"I know that you recognise my strength and power Selmack, surely you remember me."
Jacob ignored him; his concern for his daughter was his only thought now, as he asked. "What did you do to her?"
Looking from Major Carter to Selmack, he walked over to where Jacob was and answered. "I needed her to get to you, and a wonderful job she has done, and now that I've found you, she has now served her purpose."
"What do you plan to do with us?" At this point it was now Jacob Carter speaking and not Selmack.
"Selmack and I have some unfinished business to take care of, and as for your daughter, well it won't be long until she'd dead. Pity really, I was really becoming quite fond of her."
"If you've touched one hair on head, so help me i'll…"
Jaret cut him off mid sentence and simply stated, "You are not in any sort of a position to barter, I will do whatever I please, and with whomever I please. Starting with you."
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O'Neill had had enough, he'd been cooped up long enough, Teal'c had been with him throughout, but now his patience was getting very thin, and he wanted out. Doc Frasier had been concentrating on Jonas for the last couple of hours, all his vital signs, had stabilized, and she'd taken him off the life support, and ordered another CAT scan, as he had begun to wake up.
"Come on Jonas" he thought as they had taken him down to complete another scan, and was relieved to see that when they had returned him to the infirmary, Jonas was alert and talking, and although not quite himself yet, he knew the young lad was out of danger.
As they settled Jonas back in bed, Colonel O'Neill called the Doc over and asked. "How is he?"
Doctor Frasier looked from one patient to the other. "He's actually doing remarkably well Colonel, better than you actually. It's hard to believe that only a couple of hours ago he was taken off the respirator. I asked him, if his fast healing was a genetic trait of his people, but he said it wasn't. The that's the only other explanation I have, unless it has to do with his work with Naquadria.. It must have altered his chemistry enough to allow for rapid healing, which will come in handy knowing SG1's record."
O'Neill looked at her, his eyes creased into small slats, and with his nose wrinkling he responded. "I resent that! We have a great record for catching the bad guys, hell we've saved this world…" Colonel O'Neill looked to Teal'c for an answer.
"I believe it is now nine times O'Neill."
"Thank you Teal'c. There you go, 9 times, sure we've had our share off cuts and scrapes, but hell, who hasn't. It's an occupational hazard Doc."
Here we go again thought Janet, "Yes Colonel, I accept that, but let me tell you something, that I'm sure has escaped you….you're not getting any younger Colonel."
Of all the things that he was expecting, that surely wasn't one of them, and with a mocked hurt expression replied, "I resent that Doc, I am not old………I'm…." he paused trying to think of a good analogy "… think of me as a bottle of scotch. I get better with age."
Humph thought Janet Frasier. "Anyway Colonel, the reason I came over, was because I wanted to tell you that you can go, I've had enough of you cluttering up my infirmary, and whining to the nurses…." But before she had the chance to even finish her sentence he was out the bed, and standing on his own two feet, then realising that hospital gowns expose various parts of your anatomy, sheepishly he tried to cover his fully exposed butt. And whilst you tend not to care very much what the doctor sees when you're feeling half dead, modesty comes back full force when you're feeling better.
"Teal'c go get my clothes will ya", the quicker he got outta here the better. He was now on a mission, and as soon as he Teal'c returned, he quickly got dressed and walked over to the bed Jonas was occupying.
Jonas looking slightly agitated when he saw the Colonel walking over; this was the part that he had been dreading. Knowing that he had failed saving Major Carter, he was expecting to face O'Neill's wrath. He knew how close the two of them were, an unspoken bond between them, but he didn't realised how strong it was until he had actually started going out on missions with them, and he wasn't looking forward to facing him.
"How you feeling Jonas?" Jonas was a bit taken back, there was no hostility in his voice, only concern, and it shocked him. Maybe the Colonel had truly accepted him as part of the team.
"Much better, Colonel, thanks. Look, I didn't get a chance to tell you, but the man that was with Major Carter, he's a Gould." Jonas bowed his head and continued. "About Major Carter, Colonel I'm sorry, I tried to help her, but…"
The Colonel really did feel sorry for him, he knew Jonas would blame himself for not being able to stop Jaret, but he also knew through good friends, the only person that should be blamed was Jaret.
"Don't worry about it Jonas, there was nothing you could've done to stop him, we reviewed the security logs, and found out what he is, and now he's gonna get what's coming to him. Look Jonas, take care, we need you back with us."
Lifting his covers and dangling his feet over the edge, Jonas responded. "I'm ready now Colonel, believe me, I need to do this."
Colonel O'Neill watched as Jonas slipped away the covers and sat up, promptly revealing something he shouldn't. "Um, Jonas, you might wanna do something about the draft behind you, know what I mean." He snorted.
"What?"
"I was trying to be subtle Jonas, but since no-one ever gets my subtlety, don't know why that is, do you Teal'c" he said getting off track. "Anyway, getting back to the subject at hand, you've got your butt showing."
"Oh" Was all Jonas could muster at this stage. "Sorry Colonel."
"Oh don't worry about it Jonas, I had a little butt thing going on myself a few minutes ago. Look Jonas, I know your all eager and raring to go, and I want you to come with, really I do" seeing Jonas's face, "but you're not fit enough yet, we need ya, but we need you fit, understand."
"Yes Colonel."
With that, he left the infirmary and headed towards the Control room to find General Hammond.
As he walked into the gate room he peered through the hardened glass and saw that Siler and other techies were still working on the gate, and the computer system.
The General watched as Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c walked towards him. "Good to see you up and about Colonel, how are you feeling?"
"Fine and dandy Sir, and raring to go and kick some Gould butt. Wasn't the gate supposed to be up and active by now?"
"Yes Colonel it was, but there were a few complications on route, it shouldn't be too long now."
Impatiently he said "Sir, we may be running out of time, couldn't you just sorta demand the techies to hurry up?"
"Colonel, believe me when I say, you don't wanna rush them with this much energy flowing through their fingertips."
"I know Sir, it's just that.."
"I know what the stakes are Jack."
"Yes sir."
So for next hour and a half an impatient Jack O'Neill paced the control room floor in circles, people moved out the way every time they came near him, noting that he kept on glancing at his watch every few seconds, and generally getting under everyone's feet. Cursing when one of the techies dropped a tool, because it meant that they lost valuable time picking it up.
Noting the displeasing faces of his staff, as the Colonel continued to pace, he put a hand out to stop him, "Colonel…Jack, please go and do something constructive, you're not helping anyone here, and frankly you're in the way."
The Colonel just muttered "sorry", he just couldn't help himself, they just seemed to be going to slow for his liking. As he and Teal'c were headed down the steps, Siler shouted that they were done, and the gate could be started up again.
"About time!" Jack mumbled. "Come on Teal'c, time to get our stuff and go rescue Carter."
Approximately 20 minutes later, the coordinates had been fed into the computer, and the dial out sequence had been actioned, O'Neill had packed so much firepower into his pack back that Teal'c had commented that he could probably take out an arsenal.
As they watched the last chevron lock, the Stargate was now fully active, General Hammond spoke down from the control centre "SG-1, you have a go, bring her back safe Colonel" and with a slight nod, they proceeded to go up the ramp. They barely got two feet onto it when they suddenly heard a voice behind them shouting, "Stop, wait for me."
Both turned round simultaneously and saw Jonas not more than 10 feet behind them. The Colonel looked up towards the control room and gave a quizzical look to the General. "Jonas, I know you want to come with, but you've been through a lot, and trust me when I say you don't want ol' Doc Frasier comin after you, cos you escaped her clutches."
"She gave me the all clear Colonel, honest." Jack just gave him one of his "I don't think so" looks.
Seeing the scepticism in the Colonel's face, he replied, "you can ask her yourself", and pointed to the control room and sure enough Doc Frasier was there giving the ok.
"Ah youth is a wonderful thing" he thought.
"Good to have you back Jonas." then as SG1 headed up the ramp with such determination and purpose in their stride, Colonel O'Neill turned to face Teal'c and asked, "Do you think I'm old?" However, before Teal'c could answer they entered the wormhole, his atoms dematerialising.
End of Chapter 7
I know it's a bit of a long one, I can't believe it's taken me this long to get this far, not long to go folks before I'm finished.
Will Sam and her father survive, will Jack make it in time to kick some Gould butt. You'll just have to wait and see. There may be a few twists and turns in the next chapter, just to keep you all on your toes.
Thanks to Kryptonite for the useful info, as you may have guessed, my knowledge of Ancient Egyptian is non-existent; so for those that have read ancient Egyptian script, and are willing to help me out for the next chapter, please feel free to email me, I might need all the help I can get. As usual keep the reviews coming.
