O'Neill was impressed: although the entire compound was nothing more than tents, the Jaffa had still managed to erect secure cells for them in short order. They weren't anything special, just 4 walls of metal bars and a roof, but it was impressive none the less.
Movement to his right told him that Dylan was finally coming too, "Hey, can you hear me?"
"What?" Dylan opened his eyes, "What happened?"
"We were in what we in call 'a car wreck', and got captured." O'Neill explained, "The others are still out cold, apart from Rommie, who fell down a cliff." He helped the High Guard officer into a seated position; "They took Jacob away so they could interrogate Selmak about Tok'ra activities."
"Not good." Dylan lamented, "You been in worse situations than this?"
"Oh yeah!" O'Neill nodded, "You?"
"A few times: Once I got kidnapped for something I had done while working for Argosy Special Operations." Dylan explained, "That wasn't fun."
"What happened?" O'Neill sounded hopeful.
"Trance came and busted me out." Dylan rested his head against the cell bars, "I don't know how she did it, and she wouldn't say." He shrugged, "That was before she came over all 'golden' on us."
The sound off approaching footsteps ended the conversation.
Starship Andromeda Ascendant, 2 AU's from P4X-639.
Beka leaned against the rail surrounding the pilot's station, wondering how much trouble she'd get in if she killed a member of the Tok'ra council? Freya was ok, but Anise was so smug and self-assured that Beka had to restrain herself from shooting the host to kill the Tok'ra.
Harper was standing in one corner, teaching Reese tricks with a yo-yo he had found somewhere. The young AI seemed to be enjoying herself, even if she did keep asking when Rommie would be returning.
"I'm sorry Dr McKay, but that part of the ship is off-limits." Trance stepped through the doors, followed closely by the physicists, "I would need Dylan's express order to allow you access to Andromeda's core-control systems."
"I don't want to do anything to the systems, I just want to see them work!" McKay sounded existed, "We're talking about an advanced sentient quantum-computer! At our current rate of advancement, it'll be decades before Earth is able to crate even a basic quantum-state system."
"Why thank you Dr." Andromeda appeared on the main screen, "Beka, something strange has happened: a file in my long-term memory has opened its self. It seems to be a message from before the fall, but it's addressed to you." The AI seemed confused.
"Ok, let's see it." Beka straightened herself up, and everyone else turned round to look at the main screen.
The image flickered a few times, and then stabilised to show a regal looking Vedran, "Greetings Captain Valentine. I am Empress Sucharitkul XII, and I have an important mission for you…"
"Rommie, can you hear me?"
"Gabriele?"
"No, not quite."
"Dr Jackson? They told me you're dead."
"I am, sort of. Listen: the others have been captured and are in danger. You need to get up and help them."
"I can't. I don't think I can move."
"I can help you, but only once: I am already risking much by contacting you like this, and I will be in trouble if the others find out."
"Others?"
"There's no time to explain. You have to stop Anubis. It's worse than you think: he has almost finished work on the Time Machine, and if he succeeds, he'll change the time line irreversably."
"I don't understand."
"Neither do I. Rommie, you need to get up now."
Rommie opened her eyes, the harsh sunlight revelling the cliff face that towered above her. Pulling herself to her feet, she started to climb.
To Be Continued…