Chapter 5: The Smell of their Dead
"They don't seem to be too hungry tonight," Carter observed.
Cyan smiled and stopped for a moment. Then she pointed deep into the valley. Sam aimed her flashlight and spotted six or seven of the vampires, all watching them from a safe distance.
"For the love of god!" she exclaimed. "I didn't even notice them."
"Fortunately I did," Cyan pointed out. "Those are the ones who dragged you away from the stargate."
"Will they attack?"
"Doubtful. I have never been attacked by my own kind. Not in all the time I've been here. That was how I was able to rescue you. They fear me, and so long as they think you are my prey they will not dare to attack you. Just stay close to me and be mindful."
Another thought occurred to Carter as they continued on their path. Something that had been bothering her from the moment she had met Cyan.
"Why are you different from them? You've lived here for so long and yet you seem to be the more civilized of the rest of them."
Cyan took a moment before answering. Carter listened patiently.
"The thirst for blood can have damaging effects on a mind," she said finally. "Long ago I learned to feed on the blood of the rodents that come to the river for food and water. That is why I no longer need a human life to sustain me. But the others have become dependant on the anger of a false god. If they're lucky a large enough group of prisoners will be sent through and for a time, it will become quiet. But if only a few come through the gate they will become ruthless and savage."
"So it's a matter of personal discipline then."
"Above all else I suppose. One of the unfortunate downsides of immortality, is that you cannot die of hunger."
Carter shuddered at the idea of bacteria chewing away at a host's insides, looking for blood, and not just killing them to end their suffering. If the bacteria did in fact regenerate the aging cells, then this was one hell of a side effect.
"Do any of them ever die?"
"Some of them kill one another. Over territory and food and things like that. Out of desperation some might attempt to cannibalize one another, but it usually does very little good."
"What about your link to them? You said you could sense that one of the members of SG-14 became one of you. Can't you communicate with them telepathically? You know, pass your knowledge down to them?"
"Telepathy is too complicated a term for my link with them. This bacteria gives me the ability to feel and understand their instincts, and to some degree I can influence their actions. But they are beyond any form of communication."
"Maybe the older ones yes. But some of the ones who have only been here for a few months or less must have some ability to communicate."
"I'm afraid there are very few who survive long enough to become like the rest. In the lust for blood only the eldest and most powerful have survived for nearly as long as I have."
Carter let her gaze drift back out to the mossy plain. Like a pack of hungry jackals waiting for a wildebeest to stray from the heard, the vampires kept up with them. Somehow this link between Cyan and the other vampires was the key to some kind of cure. Cyan might think she deserved this life but they could at least discover a way to give back the lives of those who were affected. Anyway, thinking was all she could do to keep her mind off of the vampires.
Dr. Jackson took in the surroundings as he stepped down off the rock that served as a step into and away from the wormhole. A massive black ball peeked over the horizon. Col. Graves and his team had all ready taken up positions at the mouth of the cave and around the DHD. A massive black ball peeked over the horizon.
They wore night vision goggles to locate Sam, and used portable motion detectors since the vampires didn't give off enough body heat to be picked up by the goggles. According to Kylan's studies, it turned out quite nicely that vampires were in fact allergic to a certain chemical found in garlic, a root vegetable that happened to be common throughout the gate network. So in preparation for an attack of any kind, Doctor Clark and the rest of SG-8 went to work spraying down the entrance of the gave with melted garlic, courtesy of the cooks in the commissary.
"It's beginning to smell like the Olive Garden in here. All right, Graves you stay here and be ready to open the gate. Teal'c, Jackson, you're with me. Oh...and try not to stare at the sun."
"The sun is not likely to affect us O'Neil," Teal'c pointed out matter-of- factly. "Clearly it does not emit the same levels of ultraviolet radiation that many other stars generate."
"Oh yeah." O'Neil responded, nonchalantly. "All right, lets move out."
Almost immediately after they exited the tunnel, signs of motion popped up all over the monochrome screen. They were a short distance away, but it was clear that you didn't want to two steps in the wrong direction.
"Jack, if what Lieutenant Reed said is true, these vampires have adopted some sort of group mentality," Dr. Jackson said. "If that's the case, we'd do well to keep an eye out for any sort of leader among any groups we encounter."
"What good'll that do?"
"Well, typically when the leader of a pack is eliminated the others become confused and lost. It might buy is a few minutes."
"Tell you what, while I'm mowing down the other members of the pack and trying to keep my blood off the menu you can look for the leader."
"The leader will most likely be the first to attack Col. O'Neil." Teal'c pointed out. "As in most social groups, the strongest of the pack eats first."
Col. O'Neil shrugged. "Oh yeah."
"It almost makes you wonder," Jackson continued, keeping is attention on the motion detector. "Every culture throughout the network has some kind of life sucking demon in its mythology. The Greeks had the vrykoladas, the Sumerians had the Seven Sisters, and so forth. In Italian culture vampires are referred to as larvae, and when you consider that there have been Goa'uld on earth since Ra first arrived here it almost makes more historical sense."
"Aspects of many cultures and histories have been influenced by alien influence." Teal'c said in agreement. "Even the Asgard and the Tokra have had their presence in the lives of primitive races."
"Yes but consider then what other myths might also be true," Jackson went on. "If vampires have always existed as a result of Osiris' tampering than what other creatures from myth could have also existed? Werewolves and ghouls for instance could have also been victims of the same biological tampering. "
O'Neil was about to make some wry remark about requisitioning silver bullets from the armory, when the proximity censor went off. Jackson noticed several red dots moving in on their position.
"Get down!" O'Neil ordered.
Three vampires leapt into the trail beside them. Four more ran in front and more started attacking from the side. The three men took up positions and fired in all directions, killing some and only injuring others. The vampires that were injured let out a terrible smell, and a greenish yellow puss emerged from their wounds.
Teal'c found a large rock and jumped on top to get a good vantage. And from their he fired his staff weapon, vampire after vampire into pieces. Dr. Jackson and Col. O'Neil followed suit and tried to get their own vantage points, but more vampires were being drawn by the sound of commotion and the scent of blood.
A strong aroma was building up from the bodies of the fallen vampires. Many of them had not seen blood in several years or more, and the bacteria had drained their bodies of every last drop. It was creating a far more potent scent than the smell of blood itself. The vampires who were still alive seemed to be avoiding the dead ones.
"We should try to kill as many as possible," Teal'c suggested. "The smell of their own dead seems to be driving them away."
"Good idea," Col. O'Neil replied. "Start working on the ones who are close by, it'll create a ring around us."
O'Neil pulled the pin out of a grenade and threw it as hard as he could, into an onslaught of vampires. The explosion was so bright in contrast to the dark landscape that it practically lit up the planet. The vampires that weren't torn apart by the shrapnel took the hint and ran. A few more remained persistent until the smell of their dead was too strong for them.
"Whew," O'Neil pinched his nose for a second before going for his radio. "Colonel Graves, this is O'Neil, over."
"I read you Jack. Do you need back up?"
"Negative. I just wanted to let you know that the undead appear to have a healthy fear of the permanently dead. If any of them get close to the cave, don't hesitate to drop them. It may be a little more effective than the garlic."
"Thanks for the info, it looks like it might come in handy."
Col. Graves and Lt. Lancaster held kept their weapons raised. But it was hard to fire on the vampires who were approaching, especially when they were still wearing the SGC logo on their arms. Major Levine and Lieutenant Cooper looked every bit like the other creatures, only without the primitive gaze and animalistic behavior.
"Do not attempt to come any closer!" Graves warned.
"Relax, sir," Major Levine responded, holding his arms up to show he was unarmed. "Cooper and I have been feeding off of the rats and fish. We were honestly hoping you'd return."
"I think he may be sincere sir," Doctor Clark said, coming closer. "And they might have a clue where Major Carter is located."
"She was taken away by some woman," Lt. Cooper confirmed. "But something inside us told us it would be a bad idea to follow her."
"The link," Clark realized. "The link that Lieutenant Reed said he had over the others who were infected. The bacteria must be telegentic, linking those that are infected with the source of the disease. That woman must have been the original vampire that Kylan spoke of."
"That may be true," Graves said. To Major Levine he said, "We can't let you guys in just yet. It's just too great a risk. SG-1 was attacked only a few minutes after they left, and its only a matter of time before those creatures discover we're here."
"We understand," Major Levine replied. "The others are closing in right now. If you'll allow us, we'll serve as a primary line of defense out here until we can finally go home."
Graves exchanged looks with the others.
"All right Major. Whatever you can do, do it."