Thirteen
/ P3X-796 – INSIDE THE SECTOR POST /
They sat together near one of the back consoles of the Command Center. Two Jaffa stood before them, Staff Weapons ready to shoot them at the slightest move. In the Command Chair, the lead Jaffa was seated, making a report to someone they could not see. After a moment, the conversation ended, and he swiveled the chair to face them.
"You." He barked at O'Neill, causing Koraes to flinch visibly. "Come here. Show me how to operate these controls." It was an rder given in a voice that said the man would brook no disobedience. It was a tone Jack knew well. The problem was, he could not do as asked. He did not know how to run this place... except with the silvered plates. And he was not giving up that secret.
"Love to." O'Neill shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Can't."
The Jaffa growled and motioned to one of the two holding the Staff Weapons poised before them. The one thus motioned to reached forward and hauled Koraes to her feet roughly by her arm.
Surprised, she let out a soft cry, and her eyes went wide. Fear surged through her, and she felt something stir besides the fear. Energy coiled inside of her reached out and struck the Jaffa, sending him reeling backwards. The energy was Gold-and-silver twisted together, and it startled even her when it reacted. She'd never done that before. In fear of retribution, she recoiled and closed her eyes tightly against the bolts she was sure were going to cut her down.
No bolts came. Silence reigned in the room. The Jaffa in the Command Chair blinked and stood slowly, motioning the rest to step back a bit. His eyes were fixed on the little lady who had just knocked one of his men off his feet with the same energy that his troops had been fighting outside. Yet, she did not quite look like the others they had fought.
His eyes narrowed, and his voice was a dangerous growl. "How did you do that, girl?" He demanded.
Jack, too, had been stunned at her display. Even with the Ancients' Repository in his head, he'd not known they could do that. Then again, it might not have been in the Repository if it was a species-wide trait. No need to mention what was already a given fact. Or it could come from her other half. What had she called it? Oh, eight, Sekarra. Still, he could not just sit there and let them badger her.
He stood and opened his mouth to say something, but she was already answering the question. "I... I don't know... Sir." She faltered, fear glittering in her metallic eyes as she stared wide-eyed at the man before her. "It... It's never h-happened... b-before." Her tone was a plea for him not to hurt her, and it was obvious in her stance, voice, and eyes that she was telling the truth. She really did not know how she'd done it.
His eyes remained narrowed. He snatched the Staff Weapon from one of his Jaffa and pointed it at her, its nose touching her chest. "Tell me, or I will kill you where you stand." His voice growled out.
Koraes's wide eyes lowered to the Staff Weapon held against her, and she began to shake violently. Her eyes closed, and tears slid down her cheeks. "I-I... told you. I d-don't know!" It was a desperate plea, and it tore through Jack, the cry of a frightened child always could.
"Leave her alone!" He drew the Jaffa's attention with his own growled voice. "She said she didn't know. Look at her. She's scared to death. Don't you think if she did know she'd tell you?" It was not necessarily what he'd wanted to say, but it was likely to help the situation more than what he'd wanted to say. Either way, it didn't matter... as long as they stopped pushing the girl. She was an innocent and far too young to have to deal with this insanity.
The Jaffa turned to regard O'Neill for a second then turned his eyes back to the still-shaking Koraes. "Maybe." He shoved her with the end of the Staff Weapon, and she whimpered, cowering away from it. "And maybe it's a well-designed ruse."
"Jeez, and people call me paranoid." Jack grumbled. His eyes never left the Jaffa though. "Look, she's just a kid. She doesn't know anything. Just let her go." And there it was, his one weakness. Children. He could not stand to see them harmed.
The Jaffa looked hard at O'Neill then back to the cowering girl. "You value her life, O'Neill?" He asked, eyes remaining narrowed but on Jack now.
And the Game was on. The Jaffa had not missed that weakness and was going to exploit it. Jack said nothing; he did not need to say anything. The answer was in his eyes, and he knew it. The question was rhetorical.
"Then show me how to operate this Command." The Jaffa commanded again. "Or she dies."