Kennedy stepped closer, moving to the left side of the tank and bent down
putting her face mere inches from the glass watching the pregnant goa'uld
like a zoo exhibit.
"Judging by the number of holding tanks, Anubus must be planning to have the queen spawn thousands of goa'uld ---." Sam theorized
"THOUSANDS?" Kennedy turned her head to face the group with a slightly stunned expression, wondering if she heard right. "She can do that?" Then she turned back to the queen "You're a regular baby factory aren't'cha?"
"The question is why? A symbiote is born with the genetic memory of the maternal bloodline. They're egomaniacal and power hungry. It's not exactly a good combination for a foot soldier." The major continued.
"That's right." Her father agreed. "But look at this." He pressed a button on the console at the bottom of the tank. "This queen, whoever she is, must be in league with Anubus. She's preparing for her spawn cycle, yet her brainwave pattern is minimal. She has no intention of passing on her genetic memory. The symbiotes will be blank slates."
"Much like Egeria on Pangar." Teal'c surmised
"And Anubus will be able to imprint them however he sees fit. No free will, they're drones. They make the perfect soldier; deadly, fearless, unquestionable loyalty." Jacob continued the thought.
Kennedy didn't know who or what this Egeria or Pangar the rest of the team was talking about was, but she understood enough to get the gist of it. "So, what you're saying is that, normally what mom knows, baby also knows but not this time and Anubus is gon'na brainwash them to follow his orders." Kennedy summed up
"Exactly." Jacob confirmed.
"This is too similar to what happened on Pangar to be a coincidence. How did Anubus find out about Egeria?"
"JonasQuinn." Teal'c offered. "Anubus must have acquired this information when he scanned JonasQuinn's mind."
"If Anubus had any designs on creating a drone soldier that information would have been the final key." Jacob realized
"This queen must not be allowed to spawn again."
"Teal'c's right." Jacob agreed.
Before anyone else could do anything, Kennedy used the butt of her crossbow to smash through the side of the tank, spilling water everywhere, then reached in grabbing the queen's head and pulled it out and down over a shard of glass with a hard jerk completely severing the head. "What?" She asked defensively after noticing the team's stares.
Sam pulled out a packet of C-4 and held it up. "I was planning to use this and blow the whole lab." The Major explained.
"Oh. Well you can still blow the lab if you want." The slayer consoled.
The Major brightened.
"O.K." Sam attached a detonator to the explosives. "We take what time we have remaining and try to find out what Anubus is up to. Then detonate the C-4 and get out of here." She passed the bomb to Teal'c who attached it to the bottom of the queen's tank. Then the group quickly left the room.
*** *** ***
Willow followed several steps behind the former teammates tuning out their conversation; more interested in another problem she had discovered. There was something nagging at her senses. Something she couldn't pin down but it was persistent and getting stronger the further they went. Whatever it was, she didn't like it. She realized she had first felt it some time ago. It started so slowly though that she thought she had simply gotten a second wind, but now it had built until she could tell that something external was affecting her. It felt good in a very bad way. So far she was able to block it out but she didn't know how long she could keep it up, which was causing a second problem. Blocking out this thing prevented her from using her senses to find any other presence that might be out there in the jungle. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she nearly walked right into Jack not realizing that he and Burke had stopped.
"You think I asked you down here so I could shoot you too?" She heard Burke accuse Jack.
"Why would I think that?" Jack asked exasperated.
"Are you on this again?" Willow asked annoyed. "That's it I warned you! You two are going to stay right here and settle this. I'm going to keep going and you can catch up later if you want. But, you had better have settled this.
"You can't make us do that!" Jack protested. Then saw the witch's look of 'try me.' and remembered whom he was talking to. "O.k. so maybe you can. But ---"
"No buts! The redhead cut off then caught the amused expression the other man had from hearing her chastise Jack. "I'm talking to you too Burke! The only reason you made sure Jack was the one to come is so you could get some measure of revenge or satisfaction from the situation." She let him know she had enough anger for both of them. "You're not only putting your and Jack's lives in danger but mine, Daniel's and Dr. Lee's too. And I'm not letting either one of you go into a fight with this in the way. So either bury the hatchet or stay here until doomsday!"
Willow walked ahead with the men watching her go until she was out of sight and earshot.
"I hope she doesn't think I'm really gon'na stay here just because she says so." Burke huffed and started after her. He took three steps before tripping over an exposed root that almost seemed to reach up and grab his foot.
Jack stifled a laugh, and Burke glared at him in response. Then Jack reached down offering his hand. "She was right you know." He pulled Burke to his feet. "We shouldn't go into a firefight if this is going to affect our judgment. So go on tell me what you want to say."
"What makes you think I have anything to say?"
"Because you've done nothing else but talk about it this whole time. You want me to take your side? Then tell me your side."
"You really want to know the truth? I mean do you really want to know?" Burke's voice dropped full of painful emotions. "It wasn't my fault man. I mean I didn't choose. I just reacted. It stinks. The whole damn thing stinks. You really want to know what happened fine I'll tel'ya." The man's voice grew serious. "Woods was ghosting us, he sold out, he was no good. He was sending out a rouge transmission he was giving our position away. Woods realized I was on to him and turned his weapon on me and I--, I just reacted"
"Why didn't you come forward with this?"
"Com'on man you remember how close we were. The wives and the beers and the bar-b-ques. I couldn't do that to Cindy. It comes out Woods was a traitor she doesn't see a penny of that pension, a month from his retirement; Woods wasn't going to retire he was setting himself up as a mercenary for that warlord. He made his choice, he's gone, that's all that matters."
*** *** ***
Willow stood up from the log she was sitting on when she saw the two men get close. "Now did you two boys kiss and make up or do I need to set you in the corner?"
"There was definitely no kissing involved but yeah I said what I needed to say." Burke answered the woman.
"Jack?" She asked.
"We're good."
"Good. Now I don't want to hear any more about whatever it was hear me."
"Yes mom." Both men said in unison.
Willow rolled her eyes and snorted at the pair before trying to walk and misstepped causing her to stumble. She caught herself by bracing her hand on the log she had been sitting on.
Jack hurried to her. "What's wrong?"
"Hey, is she alright?" Burke asked as he came closer.
"I'm fine." Willow sounded convincing as she straightened up. "There's something out there though." Jack and Burke both snapped alert, weapons raised as they began surveying for a threat. "It's nothing you can shoot." The witch added. "I feel something not good. It's making me feel strange. And the farther we go the stronger it gets."
"What does she mean? I don't feel anything." Burke asked confused.
"Me neither, but if she does then it's out there." One of the things Jack had learned was that this witch felt a lot of things nobody else did. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"Because I thought I could deal with it and you guys seemed to be doing just fine so I figured it was handled."
"Will you be alright?" Jack showed concern.
"Yeah, but if this is what I think it is, we'd better hurry."
Jack realized what she meant; the healing device thing was nearby. He really didn't like that. "Maybe you should stay here." Jack suggested. "If it's affecting you this much then you shouldn't get any closer."
"That's alright I can handle it a little while longer. Let's just get this over with and then deal with it."
"Right, let's go." He ordered
"Wait, what do you think it is?" Burke asked.
"No time to explain, let's just get there." Willow started off in the direction she knew to go. Jack immediately followed. Burke hesitated a few second chomped on the gum he was chewing while considering this development then joined the walk.
*** *** ***
The Tartarus team cautiously walked down another of the many passageways searching for anything else that might give them a clue and help fight Anubus. Coming to an intersection with another passageway they heard footsteps and quickly hid behind either side of the entrance. A tall thin goa'uld with a shaved head walked right by and turned down the corridor heading the opposite way without seeing them. When he was gone the team cautiously stepped out into the open and preceded down the passage the goa'uld had just went to another intersection. "There must be a console somewhere that will let us to access a log of recent activity. Even if it doesn't contain his long-range plan it might provide us Intel on the movement of his fleet." Sam suggested.
"There's nothing but labs, corridors and storage, in this direction." Jacob explained looking down the right side of the intersection. "I think Anubus' chambers are this way." He pointed straight across the intersection. Then Sam took the lead in that direction.
*** *** ***
Burke offered each of his companions a piece of gum, which they both accepted before the sound of automatic gunfire caught their attention. The trio took off at a fast pace towards the sound fearing the worst.
Another burst of gunfire from a different location caused Jack to hold up his left fist then pressed his palm toward the ground signaling the others to stop and get down.
Jack decided that it must be a running battle and motioned for Burke to circle around the left flank. Jack looked to Willow, about to give her orders when she spoke up first. "Follow me." Then she took off toward the action. Jack couldn't do anything else but follow.
Willow was tracking her way now, despite the alien energy's affect on her. She sensed both fear and anger. Not hard to guess who was feeling what. She followed her senses with Jack right behind her until she saw a group of three men standing over Daniel who was on the ground cowering against a tree.
One of the men was holding a machete. "I am going to skin you alive." He promised and raised the large blade to keep his word.
"Hey! That's my trademark! Get your own!" Willow used a simple thought to jerk the machete out of the man's hand sending it sailing harmlessly into the jungle. The men all looked shocked but recovered instantly. The two other men raised their weapons to fire at the mysterious redhead.
Willow raised her hand to protect herself and the man beside her but Jack had another plan. He let loose with his own weapon first and cut all three men down where they stood before either of them got off a single shot, then rushed to his friend leaving Willow standing there looking sadly at the dead men.
"How many more?" he whispered to the grungy looking archeologist. When Daniel didn't answer only looked wide-eyed and confused keeping a death-grip on a rock not sure of what he was seeing, Jack moved closer. "Daniel." He slapped the man's shoulder to get his attention.
"That's it you got'em all." Daniel finally realized that the sight before him was real. "What are you doing here?" He looked at the rock in his hands wondering where it came from then dropped it. The sound of movement caused him to flinch and look up seeing Willow step into the open.
*** *** ***
Major Carter led her team past a row of flaming caldrons to enter a large open room with a throne sitting on a stage to their left. Making a quick visual survey of the room they proceeded to the right, stepping out onto a balcony overlooking an arena where they saw hundreds of the supersoldiers march in, forming the symbol of Annubus, their footsteps echoing off the walls making a spooky overture. "You are all my children, the Kal Warriors." Anubus addressed the assembly from a podium facing the army. "You are the instruments of my conquest."
"Hail Annubus! Hail Annubus! Hail Annubus!" the gathered soldiers called out in unison bowing to their master.
The onlookers on the balcony all looked on with stunned horror until Kennedy spoke. "I think I'm gon'na need more arrows."
"There must be thousands of them." Sam guessed in horror.
"Fools!" the voice of a Goa'uld called from behind them.
All four of the intruders spun around. Teal'c and Kennedy firing simultaneously. Kennedy's arrow and the zat blast both hit true but at such close range, the arrow cut straight through the goa'uld leaving him on his feet while the zat also failed to drop him completely. The Goa'uld staggered but recovered enough to attempt using his ribbon device, but Sam cut him down with a short blast from her machine gun.
Alarms quickly sounded and they could hear Anubus' yell of "Now what?!"
"C-4" Jacob recommended while Kennedy retrieved her arrow from the armrest of Anubus' throne.
"Sam keyed her communicator. "Bra'tac, we need that ride now!" And got her detonator out.
"I will be there momentarily." Bra'tac's answer came through and Sam set off the planted charge blowing out a section of the base.
As they hurriedly left the throne room Kennedy stopped and kicked over one of the fire cauldrons setting some drapes on fire. Turning back she saw that Sam had stopped and caught Sam's look of 'Why?'. "Kennedy just shrugged "You get to blow up his lab, I get to set his throne on fire."
"Fine, now come on!" The Major waved her arm emphasizing her command.
Then they ran to catch up to the others.
"Judging by the number of holding tanks, Anubus must be planning to have the queen spawn thousands of goa'uld ---." Sam theorized
"THOUSANDS?" Kennedy turned her head to face the group with a slightly stunned expression, wondering if she heard right. "She can do that?" Then she turned back to the queen "You're a regular baby factory aren't'cha?"
"The question is why? A symbiote is born with the genetic memory of the maternal bloodline. They're egomaniacal and power hungry. It's not exactly a good combination for a foot soldier." The major continued.
"That's right." Her father agreed. "But look at this." He pressed a button on the console at the bottom of the tank. "This queen, whoever she is, must be in league with Anubus. She's preparing for her spawn cycle, yet her brainwave pattern is minimal. She has no intention of passing on her genetic memory. The symbiotes will be blank slates."
"Much like Egeria on Pangar." Teal'c surmised
"And Anubus will be able to imprint them however he sees fit. No free will, they're drones. They make the perfect soldier; deadly, fearless, unquestionable loyalty." Jacob continued the thought.
Kennedy didn't know who or what this Egeria or Pangar the rest of the team was talking about was, but she understood enough to get the gist of it. "So, what you're saying is that, normally what mom knows, baby also knows but not this time and Anubus is gon'na brainwash them to follow his orders." Kennedy summed up
"Exactly." Jacob confirmed.
"This is too similar to what happened on Pangar to be a coincidence. How did Anubus find out about Egeria?"
"JonasQuinn." Teal'c offered. "Anubus must have acquired this information when he scanned JonasQuinn's mind."
"If Anubus had any designs on creating a drone soldier that information would have been the final key." Jacob realized
"This queen must not be allowed to spawn again."
"Teal'c's right." Jacob agreed.
Before anyone else could do anything, Kennedy used the butt of her crossbow to smash through the side of the tank, spilling water everywhere, then reached in grabbing the queen's head and pulled it out and down over a shard of glass with a hard jerk completely severing the head. "What?" She asked defensively after noticing the team's stares.
Sam pulled out a packet of C-4 and held it up. "I was planning to use this and blow the whole lab." The Major explained.
"Oh. Well you can still blow the lab if you want." The slayer consoled.
The Major brightened.
"O.K." Sam attached a detonator to the explosives. "We take what time we have remaining and try to find out what Anubus is up to. Then detonate the C-4 and get out of here." She passed the bomb to Teal'c who attached it to the bottom of the queen's tank. Then the group quickly left the room.
*** *** ***
Willow followed several steps behind the former teammates tuning out their conversation; more interested in another problem she had discovered. There was something nagging at her senses. Something she couldn't pin down but it was persistent and getting stronger the further they went. Whatever it was, she didn't like it. She realized she had first felt it some time ago. It started so slowly though that she thought she had simply gotten a second wind, but now it had built until she could tell that something external was affecting her. It felt good in a very bad way. So far she was able to block it out but she didn't know how long she could keep it up, which was causing a second problem. Blocking out this thing prevented her from using her senses to find any other presence that might be out there in the jungle. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she nearly walked right into Jack not realizing that he and Burke had stopped.
"You think I asked you down here so I could shoot you too?" She heard Burke accuse Jack.
"Why would I think that?" Jack asked exasperated.
"Are you on this again?" Willow asked annoyed. "That's it I warned you! You two are going to stay right here and settle this. I'm going to keep going and you can catch up later if you want. But, you had better have settled this.
"You can't make us do that!" Jack protested. Then saw the witch's look of 'try me.' and remembered whom he was talking to. "O.k. so maybe you can. But ---"
"No buts! The redhead cut off then caught the amused expression the other man had from hearing her chastise Jack. "I'm talking to you too Burke! The only reason you made sure Jack was the one to come is so you could get some measure of revenge or satisfaction from the situation." She let him know she had enough anger for both of them. "You're not only putting your and Jack's lives in danger but mine, Daniel's and Dr. Lee's too. And I'm not letting either one of you go into a fight with this in the way. So either bury the hatchet or stay here until doomsday!"
Willow walked ahead with the men watching her go until she was out of sight and earshot.
"I hope she doesn't think I'm really gon'na stay here just because she says so." Burke huffed and started after her. He took three steps before tripping over an exposed root that almost seemed to reach up and grab his foot.
Jack stifled a laugh, and Burke glared at him in response. Then Jack reached down offering his hand. "She was right you know." He pulled Burke to his feet. "We shouldn't go into a firefight if this is going to affect our judgment. So go on tell me what you want to say."
"What makes you think I have anything to say?"
"Because you've done nothing else but talk about it this whole time. You want me to take your side? Then tell me your side."
"You really want to know the truth? I mean do you really want to know?" Burke's voice dropped full of painful emotions. "It wasn't my fault man. I mean I didn't choose. I just reacted. It stinks. The whole damn thing stinks. You really want to know what happened fine I'll tel'ya." The man's voice grew serious. "Woods was ghosting us, he sold out, he was no good. He was sending out a rouge transmission he was giving our position away. Woods realized I was on to him and turned his weapon on me and I--, I just reacted"
"Why didn't you come forward with this?"
"Com'on man you remember how close we were. The wives and the beers and the bar-b-ques. I couldn't do that to Cindy. It comes out Woods was a traitor she doesn't see a penny of that pension, a month from his retirement; Woods wasn't going to retire he was setting himself up as a mercenary for that warlord. He made his choice, he's gone, that's all that matters."
*** *** ***
Willow stood up from the log she was sitting on when she saw the two men get close. "Now did you two boys kiss and make up or do I need to set you in the corner?"
"There was definitely no kissing involved but yeah I said what I needed to say." Burke answered the woman.
"Jack?" She asked.
"We're good."
"Good. Now I don't want to hear any more about whatever it was hear me."
"Yes mom." Both men said in unison.
Willow rolled her eyes and snorted at the pair before trying to walk and misstepped causing her to stumble. She caught herself by bracing her hand on the log she had been sitting on.
Jack hurried to her. "What's wrong?"
"Hey, is she alright?" Burke asked as he came closer.
"I'm fine." Willow sounded convincing as she straightened up. "There's something out there though." Jack and Burke both snapped alert, weapons raised as they began surveying for a threat. "It's nothing you can shoot." The witch added. "I feel something not good. It's making me feel strange. And the farther we go the stronger it gets."
"What does she mean? I don't feel anything." Burke asked confused.
"Me neither, but if she does then it's out there." One of the things Jack had learned was that this witch felt a lot of things nobody else did. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"Because I thought I could deal with it and you guys seemed to be doing just fine so I figured it was handled."
"Will you be alright?" Jack showed concern.
"Yeah, but if this is what I think it is, we'd better hurry."
Jack realized what she meant; the healing device thing was nearby. He really didn't like that. "Maybe you should stay here." Jack suggested. "If it's affecting you this much then you shouldn't get any closer."
"That's alright I can handle it a little while longer. Let's just get this over with and then deal with it."
"Right, let's go." He ordered
"Wait, what do you think it is?" Burke asked.
"No time to explain, let's just get there." Willow started off in the direction she knew to go. Jack immediately followed. Burke hesitated a few second chomped on the gum he was chewing while considering this development then joined the walk.
*** *** ***
The Tartarus team cautiously walked down another of the many passageways searching for anything else that might give them a clue and help fight Anubus. Coming to an intersection with another passageway they heard footsteps and quickly hid behind either side of the entrance. A tall thin goa'uld with a shaved head walked right by and turned down the corridor heading the opposite way without seeing them. When he was gone the team cautiously stepped out into the open and preceded down the passage the goa'uld had just went to another intersection. "There must be a console somewhere that will let us to access a log of recent activity. Even if it doesn't contain his long-range plan it might provide us Intel on the movement of his fleet." Sam suggested.
"There's nothing but labs, corridors and storage, in this direction." Jacob explained looking down the right side of the intersection. "I think Anubus' chambers are this way." He pointed straight across the intersection. Then Sam took the lead in that direction.
*** *** ***
Burke offered each of his companions a piece of gum, which they both accepted before the sound of automatic gunfire caught their attention. The trio took off at a fast pace towards the sound fearing the worst.
Another burst of gunfire from a different location caused Jack to hold up his left fist then pressed his palm toward the ground signaling the others to stop and get down.
Jack decided that it must be a running battle and motioned for Burke to circle around the left flank. Jack looked to Willow, about to give her orders when she spoke up first. "Follow me." Then she took off toward the action. Jack couldn't do anything else but follow.
Willow was tracking her way now, despite the alien energy's affect on her. She sensed both fear and anger. Not hard to guess who was feeling what. She followed her senses with Jack right behind her until she saw a group of three men standing over Daniel who was on the ground cowering against a tree.
One of the men was holding a machete. "I am going to skin you alive." He promised and raised the large blade to keep his word.
"Hey! That's my trademark! Get your own!" Willow used a simple thought to jerk the machete out of the man's hand sending it sailing harmlessly into the jungle. The men all looked shocked but recovered instantly. The two other men raised their weapons to fire at the mysterious redhead.
Willow raised her hand to protect herself and the man beside her but Jack had another plan. He let loose with his own weapon first and cut all three men down where they stood before either of them got off a single shot, then rushed to his friend leaving Willow standing there looking sadly at the dead men.
"How many more?" he whispered to the grungy looking archeologist. When Daniel didn't answer only looked wide-eyed and confused keeping a death-grip on a rock not sure of what he was seeing, Jack moved closer. "Daniel." He slapped the man's shoulder to get his attention.
"That's it you got'em all." Daniel finally realized that the sight before him was real. "What are you doing here?" He looked at the rock in his hands wondering where it came from then dropped it. The sound of movement caused him to flinch and look up seeing Willow step into the open.
*** *** ***
Major Carter led her team past a row of flaming caldrons to enter a large open room with a throne sitting on a stage to their left. Making a quick visual survey of the room they proceeded to the right, stepping out onto a balcony overlooking an arena where they saw hundreds of the supersoldiers march in, forming the symbol of Annubus, their footsteps echoing off the walls making a spooky overture. "You are all my children, the Kal Warriors." Anubus addressed the assembly from a podium facing the army. "You are the instruments of my conquest."
"Hail Annubus! Hail Annubus! Hail Annubus!" the gathered soldiers called out in unison bowing to their master.
The onlookers on the balcony all looked on with stunned horror until Kennedy spoke. "I think I'm gon'na need more arrows."
"There must be thousands of them." Sam guessed in horror.
"Fools!" the voice of a Goa'uld called from behind them.
All four of the intruders spun around. Teal'c and Kennedy firing simultaneously. Kennedy's arrow and the zat blast both hit true but at such close range, the arrow cut straight through the goa'uld leaving him on his feet while the zat also failed to drop him completely. The Goa'uld staggered but recovered enough to attempt using his ribbon device, but Sam cut him down with a short blast from her machine gun.
Alarms quickly sounded and they could hear Anubus' yell of "Now what?!"
"C-4" Jacob recommended while Kennedy retrieved her arrow from the armrest of Anubus' throne.
"Sam keyed her communicator. "Bra'tac, we need that ride now!" And got her detonator out.
"I will be there momentarily." Bra'tac's answer came through and Sam set off the planted charge blowing out a section of the base.
As they hurriedly left the throne room Kennedy stopped and kicked over one of the fire cauldrons setting some drapes on fire. Turning back she saw that Sam had stopped and caught Sam's look of 'Why?'. "Kennedy just shrugged "You get to blow up his lab, I get to set his throne on fire."
"Fine, now come on!" The Major waved her arm emphasizing her command.
Then they ran to catch up to the others.