Disclaimer: How many ways can I say this? I don't own them.
A/N: Now we're getting to some action - just read it, will ya?
Chapter 4
We're packing up today, the expedition has run out of funding so we're going home. When I had my tent cleaned up, I went in search of Claire.
I asked where she was headed next. She's planning on joining her father in South America. She gave me an address so I could write to her. I accepted the scrap of paper. An intern came and told Claire that her jeep was ready to take her to the airport.
On impulse, I grabbed her hand. She threw herself into my arms. After a fierce hug, she left me standing in the dessert.
I wonder if Nicholas Ballard could use an Egyptologist?
--From the journal of Dr. Melbourne Jackson
It took Eve and Daniel the rest of the week to piece together Nuit's story. She had indeed brought humans to Vedra, not realizing that the Vedrans already populated it. She was quickly defeated. The Vedrans realized that it was the Goa'uld inside and not the woman who was evil and they put her in stasis until they could figure out a way to remove the parasite. No 'cure' was found before the Vedran's died out.
Sam had returned to the city to continue her studies, but Jack remained behind. Even in stasis, the Goa'uld made him nervous.
The night before they were to return home, Jack felt expecially restless. His instincts were telling him that something bad was going to happen. "I knew this mission was too easy," he muttered, cynically.
Darkness settled over the camp like a blanket. Jack prowled the campsite. Carter, Teal'c and Fraiser were due in any minute. Daniel and Eve were in the dining tent, their notes were spread out over one of the large tables. Jack paced by the tent, checking on his teammate.
Daniel whispered something in Eve's ear and she giggled. Jack worried about Daniel – something that had become second nature about seven years ago. He could only hope that things hadn't progressed so far between the two archeologists that living on two different worlds would break Daniel's heart.
The trasnport from the city arrived. Daniel left Eve in the dining tent to greet his teammates. Virgil accompanied the part from the city.
"Chancellor Claudius and the other councillors will join us tomorrow for one last banquet," Virgil explained.
"Sweet," Jack commented, his voice thick with sarcasm.
"It's good to see you all," Daniel said. "But I'm going to get back to work." He walked back to the dining tent. Virgil joined him.
The table where Daniel had left Eve was empty. Figuring that she had just taken a break, Daniel began showing Virgil their progress. Daniel found a notation of Eve's and his eyes went wide. "Damn!"
"What is it?" Virgil asked.
"The power on the stasis field isn't stable," Daniel said.
"What does that mean?"
"It means trouble," Daniel said. He saw Ty across the dining tent. "Ty!" The young man looked up. "Where's Eve?"
"She said she had something to check down in the tomb," Ty replied.
"Damn," Daniel swore again. "Go find Jack and have him meet me at the tomb," Daniel ordered.
Virgil grabbed Daniel's arm. "What's going on?" he demanded.
"The Goa'uld may be loose," Daniel said as he shrugged free and checked to make sure his pistol was in its holster.
"And Eve went down there," Virgil whispered.
The two men looked at each other for a heartbeat. They took off at a dead sprint for the tomb. Jumping down the stairs, Daniel led the way to the hidden chamber.
"Colonel O'Neill!" Ty raced to the tent that had been set up for SG-1.
"What?" Jack demanded as he opened the flap of the tent.
Ty sucked in air, trying to catch his breath. "Daniel said to have you meet him at the tomb."
"Come on guys, let's go!" Jack turned back to his team. He caught the P- 90 that Teal'c tossed to him and they ran for the tomb.
Inside the hidden chamber, Daniel and Virgil found Nuit awake and crushing Eve's windpipe.
"NO!" Virgil shouted and launched himself at the would-be god. He knocked Nuit off Eve's supine form. The pair went tumbling into the wall. Nuit gained the upper hand and knocked Virgil's head into the wall with a backhanded slap.
The Goa'uld stood and her eyes glowed white with rage. "You will all die for your insolence!" She raised her hand device and aimed it at Daniel.
Daniel raised his pistol and hoped that Nuit didn't have a personal shield. He fired, but his bullets ricocheted off the energy field surrounding the Goa'uld. His eyes locked on the three jewels, still in the open panel in the corner of the room. Daniel saw Eve slowly sitting up.
"The jewels," he shouted just before the blast from Nuit's hand device slammed him into the wall.
Nuit turned to Eve; intent on her prey. Virgil regained conciousness and intercepted the Goa'uld before she could attack.
Grateful for the time her brother had bought her, Eve fit the three jewels together. They hummed with power and Eve could feel the power flow through her body and back into the jewels. She realized that she had no control over the weapon and screamed for Virgil to get out of the way.
Virgil heard Eve's warning and tried to get out of Nuit's grasp, but the stronger woman held him as a personal shield.
"I'm sorry," Eve whispered as a bolt of energy discharged itself from the jewels. Virgil's eyes only widened as the beam cut through his heart and into his captor. Nuit screamed in rage and pain before she collaped to the ground, pulling Virgil with her. They were both dead before the echo of Nuit's faded into silence.
O'Neill, the rest of SG-1 and Ty skidded to a halt outside the chamber. Seeing that the threat had been neutralized, Jack lowered his weapon and rushed inside.
Janet and Teal'c rushed to the two fallen bodies. Janet knew that they were both dead without having to check for pulses. She jumped back when she saw the Goa'uld symbiote slither out of the dead woman. A look of disgust flitted over Teal'c's face as he ground the snake beneath his heel.
Sam made her way to Eve to pry the jewels out of the stunned archeologist's hands. Eve's breathing was shallow, her skin pale and clammy. "Janet," Sam called for the doctor's attention.
Janet turned and watched as Eve collapsed into Sam's arms. The petite doctor rushed to the other side of the room.
Jack pulled Daniel to his feet. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Daniel rubbed a hand on the back of his head.
Ty stood in the doorway, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
"Colonel," Janet's said. Jack turned to look look at the doctor. "We need to get her back to the SGC."
Ty found his voice. "Yes," he agreed with Janet. "You have to take her away." Everyone turned to the young man. "When they find out that she killed her brother they'll execute her."
"Jack, please," Daniel said.
"Go," Ty pleaded. "I'll cover for you."
"Colonel," Janet said. "Her pulse is weak. I can't help her unless we get her back to Earth."
Jack looked at Teal'c and the big man nodded slightly. Sam nodded as well when the Colonel looked at her for her opinion. "Alright," Jack said, finally. "Let's go."
Before Jack could say anything else, Daniel crossed to where the women were huddled over Eve and scooped her into his arms. Sam carefully disassembled the jewels and stowed them in her pack.
"I'd like to study them," she explained. Jack nodded and a very grim procession made their way out of the tomb.
Outside, most of the camp had retired, but the few people who were still up got out of the way when Ty explained that they were saving Eve's life. At the Stargate, Teal'c sent through the iris code while Jack used the radio to contact General Hammond.
"This is Hammond," the texas drawl crackled through the radio. "Is everything okay, Colonel?"
"SG-1 is fine, Sir," Jack reported. "We do however have a native in need of serious medical attention. Request permission to bring her through the 'gate."
Hammond only hesitated for a moment, he trusted O'Neill's judgement. "Permission granted." He turned to the sergeant at the console. "Open the iris."
Janet stepped through the gate first, followed by Sam. Before Daniel could step up onto the platform, Ty placed a hand on his arm. The young man stroked a hand over Eve's hair. "Take care of her," he pleaded.
"We will," Daniel promised. Carefully adjusting his grip on Eve, Daniel pulled her closer and stepped into the event horizon.