Part Ten:
Lara grunted in pain as Kali's fist connected with her stomach, driving the air from her lungs. She could feel pain burning like fire all over her body. Lara hadn't told Kali anything – which made Kali very angry. Hence all the bruises. All Lara knew was that she hurt...and that she was sick of people hitting her and yelling at her.
"My Lady," a male voice said, breaking the haze of pain surrounding Lara.
"What is it?" Kali's arrogant and annoyed voice snapped.
"Lord Svarog has asked permission to come aboard."
"Did he say why?"
"Nay, my lady. It was his servant who spoke."
"Very well." Bastet said, sounding annoyed. "I shall meet him in a moment."
The servant knew when not to speak. He withdrew from the room in silence, knowing that Bastet had heard his message and quite content to get out of her sight, for she was not the most reasonable of leaders.
Lara raised her head, slowly, and noting the dull throbbing pain along the right side of her face. She stared at Bastet, her gaze filled with all the hatred she felt for the creature before her, who was so delighted in creating pain for others. But Lara knew that Bastet would not be in control for long. Once she had an opportunity, she would use it, and get out of there. And then she would rescue Jack and Sam's father, find the others and take great delight in destroying the Goa'uld who stood before her.
Daniel stood in front of Sam, and Janet, with Teal'c behind them facing in the opposite direction. All were tense and on the alert. Standing about a meter away were two of Kali's Jaffa and a servant. They appeared to be waiting for them. "Where is Lord Svarog?" the servant asked.
Daniel merely shot him with a zat, while Teal'c spun around, his staff weapon lowering. One of the Jaffa went down, while Sam took out the second. "Come on!" she said. "They know we're here."
"Right behind you." Daniel replied as the four of them ran into the corridor.
They continued down the maze of corridors, tyring to get as far away from the ring transporter as they could. When Sam thought they had, she ducked into one of the many empty room on either side of the corridor, trying to stay out of the line of sight.
"Okay." She whispered when they were all hidden. "Where would the Colonel and Dad be?" she asked.
"Since they are both prisoners of great importance, they would be in the main holding room off the torture chamber." Teal'c replied.
"How many guards?" Janet asked.
"Ten, perhaps twelve." Teal'c said. "If Kali believes there is a risk."
"And if she doesn't?" asked Daniel, ever hopeful.
"Six."
"That's still a lot." Sam said. "Six we could take out maybe. But ten? Twelve?"
"Any other ideas?" Daniel asked.
They all shook their heads. No one could think of anything just yet, and they knew time was running out. Soon, Kali would realise who had ringed onto her ship – and then she would send out Jaffa patrols to find them. They couldn't hide for long.
"We could distract them." Daniel said finally.
"With what?" Sam asked.
"I don't know." He confessed. "But it's the only thing I could think of."
Just then they heard footsteps in the corridor outside. The four ducked into the shadows of the room, praying the patrol would just walk past them. Thankfully they did. "Time to move out." Sam whispered once they had gone.
"I agree." Teal'c said, and the four slipped out of the room and in the direction of the main torture chamber.
Jack sighed. "Any idea on how to get out of here?" he asked.
"You've already asked me that, Jack." Jacob said. "And the answer is still no."
"Come on. There's got to be a way." Jack grumbled.
"Bored already, Jack?" Jacob teased.
"No." Jack said. "I was bored two hours ago. Right now I'm way beyond bored."
"Well, Houdini, if you can get out of the cage you're in, I'd be pleasantly surprised."
"Just wait." Jack said. "I'll think of something."
Jacob smiled indulgently at the younger man. He was very stubborn sometimes, but even Jacob didn't think he could find a way out of the cage. Unless someone came to help them. It was always a possibility when dealing with SG-1, but Jacob was doubtful – simply because wherever they were, SG-1 probably had a few problems of their own.
Have faith in them, Jacob. Selmac's kindly voice said in Jacob's mind. They still have a few tricks up their sleeve, no doubt.
A few tricks up their sleeve? Selmac, you're beginning to sound very human. Jacob replied.
Must be you're bad influence. She replied, somewhat primly.
No doubt about that. Jacob replied.
Lara revelled in the blessed silence of the room – and the way all her injuries had dulled to ignorable level of pain. The Jaffa were outside her door, keeping guard, but she was briefly alone for now. Acting quickly, Lara stretched and pulled, twisting as she did so, until she could reach her hair with one of her hands. She quickly pulled one of the hairpins from her hair. They were rather elaborate and heavy things that Anise had insisted she wear. Lara hadn't liked it then, but now she was grateful they were there.
Slowly, as not to drop it, Lara worked her numbed fingers around it, struggling to open it. She just managed to and carefully inserted it into the lock that bound her wrist. Lara smiled slightly. You never knew when lock picking skills could come in handy – she had certainly used them enough, though.
After a few agonising minutes, Lara felt the lock slip open and gently eased her wrist out of it. Her shoulders protested the movement, shooting fire up her arms, but Lara gritted her teeth and kept moving. She had to get free. Rolling her shoulder to ease some of the stiffness and pain, she quickly worked on the second lock on her other wrist. Within moments, her other wrist was free and she slipped out of the rest of the chains.
Gently placing the chains on the ground so as not to make a noise, she looked about the room and spotted the door she had noticed earlier. It was almost directly opposite the door which the Jaffa guarded, but Lara knew it had to lead somewhere. She had a gut feeling about it, and Lara had learnt a long time ago to trust her gut feelings.
Glancing at the guarding Jaffa, she saw that their backs were to her and the room, so she slipped silently to the door and eased it open slightly. Lara slipped through quickly, noticing one of the Jaffa shift. Shutting the door, she prayed she hadn't been seen – and that the Jaffa hadn't noticed she was no longer chained to the wall.
Lara was now in a long, narrow corridor. From the lack of major decoration she guessed this would probably been the path of the Jaffa or maybe the torturer...although, Lara still didn't really like thinking about that possibility.
She continued down the corridor, until she came to another door. Lara eased it open, and noticed that it was hidden in shadow. Smiling softly, she slipped through, thanking her luck. Although, what she saw when she turned, made her stop. Since she was still in the shadows, none of the occupants noticed.
"So, Jack. Are any of these friends of yours coming to rescue us?" said an unfamiliar male voice.
"They'll be here." Jack said, now lying spread eagle on the floor of his cage.
Lara looked at the man opposite Jack and guessed he was in his fifties. That must be Jacob. She thought.
Smiling to herself, Lara stepped out into the dim light of the room. "One of them is already here." She said.
She watched in great delight as Jack sat bolt upright, a look of absolute surprise on his face. "How did you do that?" he snapped. "I knew you were good, but I never knew you could just suddenly appear like that."
"There's a door back there." Lara replied, amused.
She turned to the other man and noticed a pair of familiar looking blue eyes regarding her curiously. "You must be Lara Croft."
Lara inclined her head. "I am. And you are Jacob Carter." she didn't phrase it like a question. She knew it was him. "And we are getting out of here."
"With pleasure." Jacob said.
Taking the same trusty hairpin she had used before, Lara began picking the lock to Jack's cell. She didn't bother looking for a key, because she knew there wasn't one. "You know," Lara said as Jack's cell door swung open. "For a supposedly advanced race, the Goa'uld have pretty basic locks on these things."
She turned and opened Jacob's cell with the same ease. "I mean, I could pick these things in about five seconds."
Jacob was staring at Lara with a slightly bemused look. "Somehow, I don't think they've ever met someone like you before." He said.
Lara raised an eyebrow in curiousity. "Oh?"
He grinned. "Not even I can pick a lock like that."
Lara shrugged. "I always make sure my skills are the best." she said.
Jacob inclined his head to Lara, before shooting an amused glance at Jack. "You're right. She's definitely something."
"Oh, she is." Jack agreed with feeling, making Lara smile.
She turned back to them. "So boys, do you want to take the two guards on the left, or shall I?"
Lara grunted in pain as Kali's fist connected with her stomach, driving the air from her lungs. She could feel pain burning like fire all over her body. Lara hadn't told Kali anything – which made Kali very angry. Hence all the bruises. All Lara knew was that she hurt...and that she was sick of people hitting her and yelling at her.
"My Lady," a male voice said, breaking the haze of pain surrounding Lara.
"What is it?" Kali's arrogant and annoyed voice snapped.
"Lord Svarog has asked permission to come aboard."
"Did he say why?"
"Nay, my lady. It was his servant who spoke."
"Very well." Bastet said, sounding annoyed. "I shall meet him in a moment."
The servant knew when not to speak. He withdrew from the room in silence, knowing that Bastet had heard his message and quite content to get out of her sight, for she was not the most reasonable of leaders.
Lara raised her head, slowly, and noting the dull throbbing pain along the right side of her face. She stared at Bastet, her gaze filled with all the hatred she felt for the creature before her, who was so delighted in creating pain for others. But Lara knew that Bastet would not be in control for long. Once she had an opportunity, she would use it, and get out of there. And then she would rescue Jack and Sam's father, find the others and take great delight in destroying the Goa'uld who stood before her.
Daniel stood in front of Sam, and Janet, with Teal'c behind them facing in the opposite direction. All were tense and on the alert. Standing about a meter away were two of Kali's Jaffa and a servant. They appeared to be waiting for them. "Where is Lord Svarog?" the servant asked.
Daniel merely shot him with a zat, while Teal'c spun around, his staff weapon lowering. One of the Jaffa went down, while Sam took out the second. "Come on!" she said. "They know we're here."
"Right behind you." Daniel replied as the four of them ran into the corridor.
They continued down the maze of corridors, tyring to get as far away from the ring transporter as they could. When Sam thought they had, she ducked into one of the many empty room on either side of the corridor, trying to stay out of the line of sight.
"Okay." She whispered when they were all hidden. "Where would the Colonel and Dad be?" she asked.
"Since they are both prisoners of great importance, they would be in the main holding room off the torture chamber." Teal'c replied.
"How many guards?" Janet asked.
"Ten, perhaps twelve." Teal'c said. "If Kali believes there is a risk."
"And if she doesn't?" asked Daniel, ever hopeful.
"Six."
"That's still a lot." Sam said. "Six we could take out maybe. But ten? Twelve?"
"Any other ideas?" Daniel asked.
They all shook their heads. No one could think of anything just yet, and they knew time was running out. Soon, Kali would realise who had ringed onto her ship – and then she would send out Jaffa patrols to find them. They couldn't hide for long.
"We could distract them." Daniel said finally.
"With what?" Sam asked.
"I don't know." He confessed. "But it's the only thing I could think of."
Just then they heard footsteps in the corridor outside. The four ducked into the shadows of the room, praying the patrol would just walk past them. Thankfully they did. "Time to move out." Sam whispered once they had gone.
"I agree." Teal'c said, and the four slipped out of the room and in the direction of the main torture chamber.
Jack sighed. "Any idea on how to get out of here?" he asked.
"You've already asked me that, Jack." Jacob said. "And the answer is still no."
"Come on. There's got to be a way." Jack grumbled.
"Bored already, Jack?" Jacob teased.
"No." Jack said. "I was bored two hours ago. Right now I'm way beyond bored."
"Well, Houdini, if you can get out of the cage you're in, I'd be pleasantly surprised."
"Just wait." Jack said. "I'll think of something."
Jacob smiled indulgently at the younger man. He was very stubborn sometimes, but even Jacob didn't think he could find a way out of the cage. Unless someone came to help them. It was always a possibility when dealing with SG-1, but Jacob was doubtful – simply because wherever they were, SG-1 probably had a few problems of their own.
Have faith in them, Jacob. Selmac's kindly voice said in Jacob's mind. They still have a few tricks up their sleeve, no doubt.
A few tricks up their sleeve? Selmac, you're beginning to sound very human. Jacob replied.
Must be you're bad influence. She replied, somewhat primly.
No doubt about that. Jacob replied.
Lara revelled in the blessed silence of the room – and the way all her injuries had dulled to ignorable level of pain. The Jaffa were outside her door, keeping guard, but she was briefly alone for now. Acting quickly, Lara stretched and pulled, twisting as she did so, until she could reach her hair with one of her hands. She quickly pulled one of the hairpins from her hair. They were rather elaborate and heavy things that Anise had insisted she wear. Lara hadn't liked it then, but now she was grateful they were there.
Slowly, as not to drop it, Lara worked her numbed fingers around it, struggling to open it. She just managed to and carefully inserted it into the lock that bound her wrist. Lara smiled slightly. You never knew when lock picking skills could come in handy – she had certainly used them enough, though.
After a few agonising minutes, Lara felt the lock slip open and gently eased her wrist out of it. Her shoulders protested the movement, shooting fire up her arms, but Lara gritted her teeth and kept moving. She had to get free. Rolling her shoulder to ease some of the stiffness and pain, she quickly worked on the second lock on her other wrist. Within moments, her other wrist was free and she slipped out of the rest of the chains.
Gently placing the chains on the ground so as not to make a noise, she looked about the room and spotted the door she had noticed earlier. It was almost directly opposite the door which the Jaffa guarded, but Lara knew it had to lead somewhere. She had a gut feeling about it, and Lara had learnt a long time ago to trust her gut feelings.
Glancing at the guarding Jaffa, she saw that their backs were to her and the room, so she slipped silently to the door and eased it open slightly. Lara slipped through quickly, noticing one of the Jaffa shift. Shutting the door, she prayed she hadn't been seen – and that the Jaffa hadn't noticed she was no longer chained to the wall.
Lara was now in a long, narrow corridor. From the lack of major decoration she guessed this would probably been the path of the Jaffa or maybe the torturer...although, Lara still didn't really like thinking about that possibility.
She continued down the corridor, until she came to another door. Lara eased it open, and noticed that it was hidden in shadow. Smiling softly, she slipped through, thanking her luck. Although, what she saw when she turned, made her stop. Since she was still in the shadows, none of the occupants noticed.
"So, Jack. Are any of these friends of yours coming to rescue us?" said an unfamiliar male voice.
"They'll be here." Jack said, now lying spread eagle on the floor of his cage.
Lara looked at the man opposite Jack and guessed he was in his fifties. That must be Jacob. She thought.
Smiling to herself, Lara stepped out into the dim light of the room. "One of them is already here." She said.
She watched in great delight as Jack sat bolt upright, a look of absolute surprise on his face. "How did you do that?" he snapped. "I knew you were good, but I never knew you could just suddenly appear like that."
"There's a door back there." Lara replied, amused.
She turned to the other man and noticed a pair of familiar looking blue eyes regarding her curiously. "You must be Lara Croft."
Lara inclined her head. "I am. And you are Jacob Carter." she didn't phrase it like a question. She knew it was him. "And we are getting out of here."
"With pleasure." Jacob said.
Taking the same trusty hairpin she had used before, Lara began picking the lock to Jack's cell. She didn't bother looking for a key, because she knew there wasn't one. "You know," Lara said as Jack's cell door swung open. "For a supposedly advanced race, the Goa'uld have pretty basic locks on these things."
She turned and opened Jacob's cell with the same ease. "I mean, I could pick these things in about five seconds."
Jacob was staring at Lara with a slightly bemused look. "Somehow, I don't think they've ever met someone like you before." He said.
Lara raised an eyebrow in curiousity. "Oh?"
He grinned. "Not even I can pick a lock like that."
Lara shrugged. "I always make sure my skills are the best." she said.
Jacob inclined his head to Lara, before shooting an amused glance at Jack. "You're right. She's definitely something."
"Oh, she is." Jack agreed with feeling, making Lara smile.
She turned back to them. "So boys, do you want to take the two guards on the left, or shall I?"