Constructive criticisms always welcomed. Flames cheerfully ignored.

Knife Edge, part 14: Temporal Flux

P4X-639

The dust cloud hid the two drop-ships from view, but the unmistakable sound of landing ramps hitting the ground was followed by two sets of ground shaking footsteps. Two huge shapes moved out of the cloud, optical sensors tracking and categorizing targets within range.

"What the hell took you two so long?" Rommie looked up at the twin Planetfall Defence Bot's, hands on hips. They just shrugged, the covers to the three anti personal Gatling guns in each arm retracting. "Well, get started then!" Rommie sounded like a stern school teacher.

Twisting to the side, the two war machines started firing.

"How far to the others?" Beka asked, crouching down behind a low wall, Gauss gun held ready.

"It's hard to say." Trance looked at her scanner, "Tyr, SG-1 and Selmak are in what appears to be a holding cell 50-meters to our right, while Rommie and SG's #2 and #3 are 50-meters to the left. Dylan's somewhere between the two, about 10-meters underground."

"Rock and a Hard Palace huh? Ok, we'll meet up with Rommie, and then go after the others."

"Now that is a thing of beauty!" Farretti watched the P.D.B.'s cut swathes through the Jaffa ranks, the returning staff weapon blasts not even scratching their heavy amour.

"Glad you like it." Rommie smiled, "Here come Beka and Trance." The two women bounded over the wall and landed next to Rommie.

"Miss us?" Beka asked, "Dylan's in a chamber underground, Tyr and the others have been captured."

"I'll get Dylan." Rommie looked out across the battlefield; the Jaffa where being forced back by the amount of shear firepower the twins where lying down.

"Trance and I'll get the others." Beka nodded, "Farretti, keep those guys away from my ship: it's out ticket off this rock."

"You get the others, there's something I need to do." Trance lepta over the wall and ran toward the Stargate.

"Report." Anubis teleported down into the control centre.

"My Lord!" Ares bowed, "The Commonwealth ship in orbit has disabled two of our Ha'Tak class ships with ease, but your Shalkra is proving to be more difficult."

"Very good." Anubis nodded, "Keep the Tau'ri away for a little while longer, and I will activate the time machine."

High Orbit, P3X-639

"Yes!" Harper punched the air as the last Ha'Tak exploded, leaving just the massive Shalkra to deal with, "Reese, hit that thing with everything we have."

"On it." The young A.I. smiled, "I hope Rommie's ok."

P3X-639

"Close the door and lock it." Anubis ordered his personal bodyguard as he walked towards the time machine the Ancients had built, "And tell Osiris I need to see her…"

The outer door exploded inwards, knocking Jaffa flying. Smoke filled the room as the remaining guards brought their staff weapons round to face whatever came through. That turned out to be Osiris, tumbling across the ground, coming to rest at Anubis' feet.

"Who dares deify me?" Anubis roared in anger.

"I do." Trance stepped through the smoke, ignoring the Jaffa, "You've been a very naughty by Anubis: time someone taught you a lesson."

"You?" Anubis looked at her, "What are you?"

"I'm the one who's been sent to stop you." Trance opened her hand, reviling a Goa'uld hand device, the crystal in its centre glowing with power, "Back away from the Time Machine and I may let you live." She pointed the palm of her hand at a Jaffa: a beam of energy shot out and slammed into the guard, vaporising him, "I won't ask twice."

"Dylan?" Rommie called out through the smoke that filled the control room, "Where are you?"

"I am here." Ares stood amongst dead Jaffa, a staff weapon in his hands, "The one you knew as Dylan Hunt is no more."

"I don't believe you."

"Believe me Andromeda: the man you loved in gone, there is only I."

"You are just a Goa'uld, a parasite." Rommie drew her forcelance and extended it to its full length, "There are ways to remove you without harming the host."

"But would you want to, knowing that things will go back to the way they where, when they don't have to."

"What do you mean?"

"Your ship is impressive: with it I could challenge even Anubis."

"I can deal with Anubis on my own."

"No, you can't: only I know where his basses are, how to destroy them. Only I can give you what you want."

"You don't know what I want."

"You want Dylan Hunt, a man too wrapped up in his rules and regulations to see you for what you are: a true goddess, a worthy queen for a god."

"What?"

"Join me as my queen Andromeda, and you can have what you have always wanted."

"I will never serve a Goa'uld!"

"Pity."

"You do not scare me!" Anubis slammed his fist down on the activation switch for the time machine. A bight light filled the room, and then slowly faded.

"I really wish you hadn't done that…" Trance tilted her head to the side as the sound of rampaging Maggog filled the air.

To Be Continued…