Eleven
/ P3X-796 – INSIDE THE SECTOR POST /
"Tertiary Shield breached. Internal Security to full." Ssendrriya's voice came over the speakers in the Command Center.
O'Neill had to admire her programming really. Her defenses were being taken out, and she was holding a calm tone. She had been designed to help the inhabitants of the station keep calm under stress by leading by example. Yes, a note of intensity had slipped into her tones, as it would have his; but the calm dominated. She sounded like a command officer to him rather than a civilian. Nice design.
But now was hardly the time to marvel at the wonders of Builder technology. Now was the time for action. He stood from the Command Chair and headed for the door, Koraes right at his heels. He suspected she wanted to help him, but she was not trained for this. He stopped at the door and turned, putting a gently restraining hand on the girl's shoulder.
Had his mind been analyzing the signals his hand was sending, it might have realized then that the 'cape' was not cloth or fabric of any kind. But his mind was on the battle ahead of him. The girl only entered into that equation in the sense that he needed to protect her.
"No, Koraes." He countered her attempt to follow him as gently as he could given the circumstances. "Stay here. This is likely one of the most secure spots on the station. You'll be safe here. I'm going to make sure that if any of them get in, they get a very warm welcome." And then he was gone out the door, leaving her standing, staring after him.
The tone he had said that last with had given her the impression that what he meant by warm would not be good for their invaders. Though, for the life of her, she could not piece together what exactly he might have planned for them that would constitute 'warm' but unfriendly.
Koraes returned to the Command Chair and sat, eyes closing. Her hands came up and rested gently on the silvered touch-plates on the chair's arms. From here, she could watch over him, help him, and do so with virtual impunity.
/ P3X-796 – INSIDE THE SECTOR POST, SOME TIME LATER /
This was why, Jack reflected, SGC personnel carried so much crap in their packs. Each one had to be prepared to be caught behind enemy lines without the backup of the rest of their team. And he was that. But it still sucked.
Jack set the last of the C4 and checked the detonator. Part of him hoped the station's AI was not as sentient as she seemed or this was going to suck as much for her as it did for the Jaffa who came in here. But he could not worry about that now. He had to be sure they did not get to anything vital.
Pocketing the small detonator, he stood and began to silently retrace his steps to the Command Center. But Jack's luck being what it was, he had not made it four turns when he rounded a corner to find himself face-to-Staff Weapon with a contingent of Jaffa. This day just kept getting better and better, he thought bitterly as he stopped and slowly raised his hands away from his weapons. If he died here and now, then the girl had no hope. She was not a warrior, and he doubted she would fare well against an army of Jaffa.
The lead Jaffa approached him and took his P90 and the pistol he kept in his belt under his jacket. Apparently the Goa'uld Rumor Mill was working overtime.
"Colonel Jack O'Neill..." The Jaffa uttered the name as if it were the foulest curse he could think up. "Lord Ares will be pleased with this catch." Then he smirked and prodded Jack with his Staff Weapon, a signal to move. "Show us to the Command Center." He ordered.
Ares... great, now they'd moved into the Greek myths. God of war; this should be... interesting. But this guy had to be smoking some really good stuff if he thought Jack was just going to lead him to the girl and the Heart of the Station! His eyes flicked to the Staff Weapon still held at the ready, then he shrugged. "You're the boss..." He started down the corridor, the phalanx of Jaffa behind him.
He could not lead them back the way he had come, but there had to be another way to that section of the station. If he could lead them there, he could set off the C4. Yes, he would die in the resulting explosion, but he would take the Jaffa with him.
No, no good. That would leave the station and the girl defenseless. Shit, all he could do was lead them where they wanted to go. This sucked big time!
/ P3X-796 – INSIDE THE SECTOR POST /
In the Command Center, Koraes watched helplessly as O'Neill led the invaders to her. She could not leave the Secure Field up or it would disburse O'Neill along with the enemy. But if she took it down, the enemy would have access to the station's technology. She could not allow that either. She had no idea what to do.
Fear clutched at her mind and immobilized her in the Command Chair. Metallic blue eyes closed, and she began to shiver. She needed O'Neill and his advice. She needed the strength he seemed to always have coiled about him. She needed his decisiveness and his knowledge of war and tactics.
"O'Neill..." She whimpered softly, knowing he could not hear her. And even if he did, by some miracle hear her, he could not answer. "What should I do? What is right?" She whispered, her voice choked by the fear that froze her thoughts. "What would you do?"
Shaking violently with the fear and confusion, she commanded the Secure Field to lower. She needed O'Neill; she could not let him be disbursed with those things he called Jaffa. The field lowered, and she sat frozen, waiting for them to come for her...