AN: Yeah, I've written the next chapter. Hope you guys like this one. Warning!!! Daniel gets really badly hurt in this one. Just to let you know. I've worked hard on this chapter and thanks to my new beta, L E McMurray, it's even better then it was when I first wrote it. Hope you enjoy it!
Moonwing: thanks for the review. I've tried to make the chapters as long as possible so you guys will have plenty to read while waiting for me to write the next chapter. Can't tell you much about Sha'uri and Daniel, cause that would ruin the whole story. Guess you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for saying I've done a great job with Sha'uri and Daniel. There my favourite characters, so it means a lot.
Sickle Sword: Your review made me laugh. Don't understand the convince part. Is my story, or the path it's heading in that unclear? Oh, I thought it was pretty oblivious, but then again, I know what's going to happen so I guess that doesn't count. Thanks for the review.Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Stargate Characters, worlds or anything that connects to Stargate. I am simply borrowing the characters for you enjoyment and I'm not making any money off of this.
STARGATE: SG-1
'UNFORSEEN'
Written by Moonlight Snitch
Spoilers from season one, two, four, and seven
Comment? Email me at serenity_endymion23@hotmail.com
CHAPTER FOUR - SCREAMS
Kasuf paced the back and forth in front of the Chappa'ai worryingly. He was waiting for someone from Earth to come through so he could let them know that O'Neill, Daniel and the rest of the team was missing. They had searched everywhere for them and hadn't found a trace. Skaara was the only one to have any news. He had said that the temple looked like there had been a fight or scuffle within and that whatever had happened, everyone had gone through the Chappa'ai. So that's what Kasuf thought must have happened. O'Neill and his team had been captured and brought somewhere far away from here.
Kasuf sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his tired face. Daniel was still gone. They didn't know whether he was still on Abydos or if he had been taken away with O'Neill and the others. It worried Kasuf to no ends. He'd just gotten his Good Son back only to have him ripped away again. What had happened to him?
Kasuf was broken out of his musing by the sound of the Chappa'ai activating. He heard scuffling behind him and turned to find his son Skaara staring up at the Chappa'ai.
"Are they finally coming, Father?" Skaara asked, hoping to the Gods that they were.
"I hope so, my son." Kasuf replied turning back to face the Chappa'ai as it burst open. Kasuf still marvelled at the beauty that thing held regardless of the fact that it had done more bad than good. It had done one thing for him and his people that Kasuf would always be thankful for. It had brought them Daniel.
Men in military uniform came out of the Chappa'ai, guns raised. The Chappa'ai shut behind them and they slowly descended the steps, eyeing both Kasuf and Skaara warily.
A bald-headed man stepped forward towards Kasuf and spoke. "Are you Kasuf?" he asked.
Kasuf was a little taken aback that this man, whom he had never seen before, knew his name, but he nodded none the less.
"I am," he answered.
The bald man nodded, "I'm General George Hammond. The team you see behind me is SG-12. We've come to find out what has happened to our men."
Kasuf nodded, "We have been waiting for you. Please, come back to Nagada with us. We are afraid that we have bad news to tell."
Hammond seemed hesitant, but then nodded and Kasuf began leading the way back to the city. Hammond just wanted to know what had happened to SG-1 and when he had heard Kasuf say that there was bad news, he knew that whatever had happened, it couldn't be good. He wanted to know what was going on right now, but he trusted Dr. Jackson and the man had said that Kasuf and his son, Skaara, were the best people he had ever met. So he was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, for Dr. Jackson's sake.
The walk back to Nagada was slow and uneventful. Kasuf didn't wish to say anything until they reached the city and Skaara was far to distracted to strike up a conversation with any of the men there. Hammond thought that to be odd, as Colonel O'Neill had always said that Skaara was a little chatterbox and Dr. Jackson had agreed with him.
They finally reached the city and Kasuf led them to a small dwelling just inside the city. Hammond ordered Jonas Quinn to come with him to talk to Kasuf, as he knew Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, and Teal'c far better then anyone else there, except perhaps Hammond. The rest were to stand guard outside the dwelling and keep watch.
"Please, sit," Kasuf asked, but Hammond waved him off.
"Let's just get this over with. What has happened to SG-1?" Hammond asked.
Kasuf sighed wearily, "They have gone missing."
Hammond sighed. He had been expecting something like that. SG-1 was only ever overdue if they had been captured or they were pinned down somewhere, "When?"
"In your terms, I believe a week ago," Kasuf answered, "We had no way of contacting you so we kept searching this city and the surrounding ones. There has been no sign of them."
"What happened?" Jonas asked. He hadn't been surprised by Kasuf statement anymore then Hammond had been. He had been with SG-1 long enough to know that the team was cursed when it came to finding trouble. Trouble always seemed to find them, and of what Jonas had read, Daniel Jackson was the one who always got the backlash from it.
"It started with Dan'yel," Kasuf explained, taking a seat on the bed. "He had gone missing during the first night they were here. We started searching as soon as O'Neill told us what had happened. Then they went up to the temple to contact you, to tell you what had happened to Dan'yel and they never came back."
Kasuf paused a moment, glancing at Skaara.
Skaara took his cue, "I went to the temple when they did not return. There was no sign of them. It looked like there had been a fight and that O'Neill had lost. There were drag marks leading up to the Chappa'ai."
Hammond frowned. "Chappa'ai?" he asked, not familiar with the word.
Skaara realized this and cast around for the word Daniel had said meant Chappa'ai in English, "I believe you call it the Star…Gate."
Hammond nodded, "Yes, that's correct," he then sighed, "Do you know what happened to Dr. Jackson? Do you know whether or not he was brought with the others?"
Kasuf shook his head, "No, we do not. We have been searching all of Abydos this past week looking for him, but we have not found him. We believe he that he must have been taken away with the others, but we are not certain."
Hammond nodded then turned to Jonas, "Jonas, head back to the Gate and let the SGC know our position. I want search teams here combing the area for Dr. Jackson and I also want someone to contact the Tok'ra. See if they have any idea where our people may have been carted off to."
Jonas nodded, "Yes sir." He exited the house.
Hammond turned back to Kasuf, "Kasuf, I need to see the last known whereabouts of Dr. Jackson. There may be clues there that will tell us where he is or at least who took him."
Kasuf nodded, "Skaara will bring you. I must inform my people of what is happening."
Hammond nodded and followed the young boy out of the dwelling. Kasuf stayed behind a moment and sighed. He hoped that these Earthmen could find out what had happened to O'Neill and Daniel. He wanted to know what had happened to his Good Son. First Sha'uri and Daniel and now O'Neill and the rest of their team. It was like whomever had taken them had planned all of this.
Kasuf shook his head. That wasn't possible. There was no way the people that had taken them would have known that they were coming to Abydos. He hadn't even known. No one had.
He sighed deeply rubbing his tired face once more before standing and exiting the little dwelling to talk to the people of Nagada. He just hoped that wherever Daniel was that he was with his friends. Unfortunately, Kasuf's hope was far from the truth.
***
Daniel's face scrunched up as the bright light hit his face. He had been in this dark room so long that his eyes were no longer used to light of any kind. There had been none before.
His wrists were bound to the wall by strong chains and his Abydonian robes had been ripped off of him as well as his black T-shirt. Now all he wore were his SGC pants, but that did him little good against the coldness of the wall and air in the room.
He raised his head slightly when he saw movement in front of him and squinted to see what it was. A serpent guard was in front of him, reaching for his bound hands with a key.
'Great,' Daniel thought bitterly, 'Now what are they going to do with me?'
The Serpent guard undid his wrists and dragged him forward as the room began to flood with light. Daniel shut his eyes tightly against it. The light was burning into his skull. The Jaffa dragged him to the center of the room where a large pillar stood. He then yanked Daniel to his feet and tied his wrist to the pillar.
Daniel opened his eyes a bit, taking in as little light as possible, but the sight that greeted him was not one that he had wanted to see. Apophis smiled at the look on Daniel's face, his arms crossed behind his back.
"I hope that you have rested well, Daniel. You will have needed it," he said, his voice sending a wave a shivers down Daniel's spine.
Daniel didn't reply. He just shut his eyes and turned his face away from Apophis, not wanting to see nor hear what the snakehead had to say. He had caused too much damage in Daniel's life already.
Apophis laughed at Daniel's antics, "You think you can block me out that easily?" he stepped closer to the pillar, leaning in so close to Daniel's face that Daniel could feel his hot, sickening breath against his cold skin, "Trust me, Daniel. You will not be able to block out the pain that you will endure. Especially when your beautiful wife is audience to it."
As if on cue, the doors to Daniel's left opened. He opened his eyes to see two Serpent guards dragging Sha'uri into the room. She was putting up a good fight. Kicking, punching, biting, pretty much doing anything and everything she could think of to get away.
Apophis laughed, "As I said. She has a strong spirit. One that will not break easily."
At the sound of Apophis's voice, Sha'uri glanced up at him, both anger and fear present in her eyes. But her gaze then lowered and she faltered in her fight, her eyes taking in every single last part of Daniel's bruised and tired form as he sagged against the pillar.
"Dan'yel?" she questioned, not trusting her eyes. Her voice had faltered a bit, Daniel noticed, but her gaze stayed strong. She was afraid that what she was seeing was nothing more then an illusion, created either by Apophis or her own tired mind.
Tears welled up in Daniel's eyes as he held Sha'uri's gaze, but he could not bring himself to answer her, no matter how hard he tried. He simply lowered his head 'til it rested against the stone pillar and gazed at the floor. What could he say to her? He knew what was going to happen. Apophis was going to force her to watch him die.
'Very slowly and painfully, I might add,' Daniel thought, gripping the chains that bound him.
Apophis laughed once again, "Oh come now, Daniel. Will you not even say good-bye to your lovely wife?" he asked.
Sha'uri did not understand the meaning of his words, but then she saw another Jaffa enter the room holding a very large whip, her eyes widened with horror.
"No! Dan'yel!" she yelled, trying to reach him, but the two Jaffa holding her were far strong then she. There was no way for her to escape them.
Daniel raised his head at Sha'uri's words and soon saw the reason for her dismay. A large Jaffa was approaching him, holding a very large, and by the looks of it, unpleasant whip. The three ends of the whip were tipped with metal edges to deftly cut the skin and cause a great amount of pain. Daniel grimaced at the thought of that thing digging into his back.
Apophis stepped towards the Jaffa and lifted the whip from his hands, tilting it so that both Daniel and Sha'uri could get a better look. Tears filled Sha'uri's eyes at the sight and she turned away, not wanting to see that thing rip through her husband's back.
Apophis inspected the whip, smiling extremely brightly as he did so, "A very nice whip indeed," he said tauntingly, "I found it on Abydos. Most likely left over either from when Earth had its own form of punishment or when Ra had ruled."
Apophis stepped closer to Daniel, shoving the whip in his face so he could see it better, "It was designed to let each subsequent lash dig deeper into the wounds left by the previous lashing. Each metal edge is coated with the juice of the bitrot fruit, a highly acidic compound that burns horribly on contact with the skin. Most people who have been given this punishment mercifully passed out after the third lashing, but usually the executioners delivering the blows are unmerciful. Especially in your case, Daniel."
Daniel made a face, tightening his grip of the chains, hoping that somehow they would give and break, "What? Couldn't think of a more technological way to torture me?" Daniel asked, trying to buy time for both him and Sha'uri. He didn't want that thing digging into his back, but more then that, he didn't want Sha'uri witness to it.
Apophis smiled, flipping the whip over in his hands, "That is not the reason I have chosen this form of torture, Daniel. It is because I find that the most primitive ways seem to be the best. We will get to the more technological ways of torture later, but for now, this will do. Besides," Apophis said, handing the whip back to the Jaffa that had brought it, "I want to see you bleed."
He laughed and stepped away from the pillar.
Sha'uri began to struggle viciously, trying to get to Daniel as the Jaffa stepped behind him. "Dan'yel!" she screamed, not wanting this to happen. God what could she do? There was nothing she could do. Apophis had planned all of this. God, she had seen it coming. She knew once Apophis had discovered that Ammo'net was dead that if he got his hands on Daniel, her husband would die. Daniel was the reason Ammo'net was dead, the only reason. It had nothing to do with Teal'c and she knew that. But she also knew that Daniel had no idea. He didn't know that he had destroyed Ammo'net. He didn't have a clue and now he was going to be tortured to death for something he didn't know and didn't understand.
The Jaffa standing behind Daniel let the ends of the whip fall from his hand. The three ends of the whip hit each other; a low tinkling of the metal could be heard in the almost silent room. Daniel grimaced at the sound, preparing himself for the blows that were to come.
His eyes locked with Sha'uri and he silently told her to be strong. She nodded her head softly, tears shining in her eyes. Those tears soon began to fall and Daniel watched as each one seemed to move in slow motion down her beautiful face. This wasn't how he had thought he would find her. This wasn't what he had wanted.
Sha'uri gave up struggling for the moment, taking in her husband's silent plea. She would do as he told her. It was her duty as his wife though Daniel had many times laughed at the silly rules that were to be abided by for a wife on Abydos. He had shown her different ways in which she could act and he never once yelled at her for them. He had never yelled at her at all. The least she could do know was to be strong for him.
The Jaffa pulled his arm back, letting the whip fly out behind him and then quickly brought it around and down.
Lash number one.
The whip tore into Daniel's back, the three ends painfully breaking the skin, the burning bitrot juice inflaming the wounds. He bit back the cry trying to rip out of his throat. He kept his eyes locked with Sha'uri, trying to tell her that this wasn't her fault and that no matter what happened, she had to be strong. This was all Apophis's fault, not hers.
Sha'uri tried to struggle some more to reach her husband, who was clearly in a great deal of pain, but it didn't do any good. They wouldn't let her go. Their grip on her just tightened almost to the point where it hurt, but she ignored the pain. The pain in her chest was far greater. Tears were falling freely from her eyes now and she called out Daniel's name again, wishing to the Gods that this was all some horrible nightmare.
The Jaffa brought the whip down again and it made a huge cracking sound as it dug into Daniel's back.
Lash number two.
Daniel couldn't keep a small pain-filled moan from escaping his lips as the lashes bit deeper into his skin. He could feel the blood coming forth from the wounds as they criss-crossed the cuts from the first lashing, each one feeling as if it were on fire. His moan was the only other sound in the room besides Sha'uri's sobs.
Sha'uri closed her tear filled eyes and turned away, not wanting to see Daniel in any more pain. It hurt far too much to watch him suffer so greatly. Apophis approached her from where he had been standing and forced her head in the direction of where Daniel was. He forced her eyes open.
"You will watch!" he ordered, and Daniel glared at him.
"Leave her alone!" Daniel yelled ignoring the pain that was radiating from his back. Sha'uri was for more important to him then his pain.
Apophis glared at Daniel, his eyes glowing, "Silence! You do not have a say in the matter!" he then glanced at the Jaffa and pointed at Daniel, "Kree-ta!"
The Jaffa nodded and brought the whip around again.
Lash number three.
The muted scream flew from Daniel's throat. He hadn't realized the extent of the pain he was going to have to endure. His mind had been too focused on Sha'uri.
"No!!!" Sha'uri screamed, biting Apophis's hand in an attempt to get away. It didn't work. Not that she had expected it too. God, Daniel looked like he was in so much pain. She couldn't see the damage that was being done to his back and she was grateful for that. She didn't think she would be able to bear that. He looked so vulnerable right now and it scared her. The only other time she had seen him this vulnerable was when he had gotten terribly ill back on Abydos. They hadn't thought that he was going to survive. But her Daniel was strong and stubborn. He wasn't going to give up without a fight and she knew that.
The Jaffa brought the whip down and around again.
Lash number four.
Daniel didn't try to stifle the scream. It rent the air enough that Sha'uri could have sworn she saw even the Jaffa's in the room shrink back in a heartfelt pain. No one deserved this. Especially not Daniel. Daniel was the kindness most caring person she had ever met. He never deserved anything like this. She wouldn't even wish this on her worst enemies, well… except maybe Apophis.
The Jaffa brought the whip down again at the look Apophis gave him.
Lash number five.
Daniel's screams could be heard outside the chambers, probably even outside the fortress itself. Sha'uri screamed out Daniel's name again, as he husband bent his head forward in pain. His body was shaking violently with the pain it had endured and Sha'uri could see that now even Daniel was crying. It tore at her heart. She fought harder then she had before to get away from the guards, and by some miracle, she did.
Sha'uri raced forward to Daniel, before the guards had a chance to stop her. Apophis seemed amused by the scene and held the Jaffa back, wanting to see the pain in both their eyes, especially once Sha'uri saw the extent to the wounds on her husband's back.
Sha'uri knelt down beside Daniel and raised his head, wiping the sweat that was pouring off of his face.
"Dan'yel?" she cried softly, wanting to know that he was alright. She was surprised that the Jaffa's hadn't tried to pull her back yet, but she ignored that for the moment. All she cared about was Daniel, "Dan'yel?" she tried again and this time he stirred.
Daniel raised his head slightly, opening his eyes up enough to see who was calling his name. The face he saw was like an answer to his prayers, "Sha'uri?" he asked softly, trying to mask the pain that was trying to seep into his voice, but failed miserably.
Sha'uri smiled at him softly, tears rolling down her face. She wanted to reassure him, but she wasn't at all happy. Her heart was breaking at the look of pain in his eyes.
"I am here, My Dan'yel. I am here," she said softly, bringing his head closer so she could cradle it to her chest.
She gripped him tightly, but was careful not to touch or aggravated his wounds. She now had a clear sight of them and she sobbed gently into Daniel's hair. There were fifteen slashes across his back, all of which were bleeding furiously. The edges of the wounds were darkened from the acid of the Bitrot root and Daniel's whole body was shaking from the pain she knew these wounds had caused and still were causing.
"Oh Gods, Dan'yel," she said softly, rocking back and forth to soothe herself and Daniel, who was still crying softly from the pain. She buried her face in his hair and just cradled him, not knowing what else she could do, especially with Apophis standing just behind her.
Daniel tried to control himself, and he forced himself to speak, "Sssh, Sha'uri," he whispered, raising his head slightly so his forehead touched hers. The pain was still almost unbearable, but he ignored it for her sake. He could deal with the pain, but he couldn't deal with the sobs he heard coming from her, "I'll be alright," he reassured her, "I'll be alright."
They sat there like that for a few moments before a deep, mellow laugh filled the air around them. They both glanced up to see that Apophis was laughing at them, smiling like a madman, "You both are pathetic. I must say though, that you have given me a good show."
Daniel's eyes filled with anger and he tried to get up and punch Apophis's face in, but the chains held him in place and the sudden movement aggravated his wounds, causing him more pain. He moaned and lowered his head again, falling back into Sha'uri's arms.
"Why will you not just leave us be?!" Sha'uri shouted, holding Daniel tightly. She knew they were about to be ripped away from each other again and she didn't know if she was going to be able to prevent it.
Apophis stopped laughing and stepped closer to them, his eyes glowing. Sha'uri cringed inwardly. Her own eyes had done that once. They had done it to Daniel when Ammo'net had tried to kill him…. And she almost had.
"Because you are mine, my love," he said, sending a shiver down her spine, "And Daniel must suffer for what he has done to Ammo'net!'
"Dan'yel never meant to!" Sha'uri yelled, making Daniel raise his head slightly, "And you do not own me. I am not yours. I belong to Dan'yel!"
"No longer!" Apophis said, motioning for the Jaffa. They stepped forward and ripped Sha'uri away from Daniel. She screamed and kicked and punched in protested, but it did little use. Daniel fought to release himself from the chains that bound him, but they wouldn't give.
"You bastard!!!" Daniel yelled. The anger that was coursing through him overwhelmed the pain he was feeling.
Apophis merrily laughed, "You cannot win, Daniel. Sha'uri is mine now," he stepped closer, "And you will soon be too dead to change that."
He motioned to the Jaffa holding the whip behind Daniel. "Touru mesa ca nehru! Kree!"
"No!!!" Sha'uri screamed as the Jaffa stepped forward with the whip in hand, preparing to whip Daniel again. Daniel gripped the chains tightly, grimacing inwardly at what Apophis had ordered the Jaffa to do. 'Whip him until he is near death,' he had said.
The whipping began again, each new one causing Daniel more pain then the ones before. Sha'uri was witness to it all. Daniel hoped somewhere after his twentieth whip that Jack would somehow find a way to get him out of here and if not that, then he at least got Sha'uri out of here and kept her far out of Apophis' reach. That was his last thought before unconsciousness claimed him.
***
The gravity in the cell shifted once again and Jack was thrown unceremoniously back in. He groaned in pain as he landed on the ground. Sam and Teal'c quickly rushed forward to get a good hold on their C.O before the Jaffa shifted the gravity again. Once the gravity had shifted, they set Jack down on one of the built in benches and waited for him to recover a little.
"God Dammit!" Jack muttered as he rubbed his head softly. Those Jaffa sure did know how to torture someone. Damn, what type of technology were they using? He was going to have nightmares about those strangle machines for years.
"Are you alright, sir?" Sam asked, checking Jack over.
"Do I bloody look alright, Major?" Jack said angrily.
Sam sighed and continued to check him over, "I don't see any wounds."
"They didn't use those types of weapons, Carter. They had these weird looking spectre-thingies. They placed them at the back to your neck and… fire away." Jack said, trying to block out the memory of the event.
Sam nodded, "Bynarr used the same sort of thing on Jolinar when she had been captured and sent to Netu."
Jack ignored her and just continued to rub his head softly. Then he remembered something. While he had been tortured he could have sworn he heard someone screaming. It had sounded a lot like… 'No, don't go there, O'Neill,' Jack thought to himself.
"Did either of you hear screaming while I was gone?" Jack asked, looking up at the other two.
Sam and Teal'c exchanged glances. Sam turned back to Jack. "We thought that was you, sir."
Jack shook his head. "No, I was able to hold back; at least I thought I was. But those screams didn't come from me. I heard them too."
There was silence for a moment. Then Sam gasped, "You don't think-"
"That it was Daniel," Jack said. He then sighed, "I don't know and right now I hope to God that it wasn't cause whoever it was sounded like they were in a huge deal of pain."
At that moment, screams began to echo through the fortress again, sending shivers down all their spines. The screams sound like they were so full of pain. Jack grimaced, trying to block the sound out. 'Please, don't be Daniel. Don't be Daniel.'
Teal'c stood still for a moment, hearing the screams far better the Sam or Jack. If he listened closely enough he would be able to identify whether or not those screams belonged to Daniel Jackson. After a moment he lowered his head and both Sam and Jack took that as a bad sign.
"Teal'c?" Sam asked, rising from her seat beside Jack.
Teal'c turned to face them, "That is indeed Daniel Jackson," he said solemnly.
"God Dammit!!!" Jack swore, gripping his head tightly.
Sam paled at Teal'c statement. "Oh God, Daniel!" she said, her eyes beginning to tear up.
Jack punched the wall in anger. Daniel didn't deserve this. What the fuck were they doing to him? Whipping him to death!
Sam covered her face with her hands, trying to block out Daniel's screams. He sounded like he was in so much pain and they had no way of getting out of here and reaching him. "Oh God!" she said again when she heard another loud scream.
Jack glanced up at her and quickly stood. He pulled her into his arms and rubbed a hand up and down her back as she cried into his shoulder, "Oh God, Jack. They're hurting him so badly."
"I know, Sam," he said, also trying to ignore what he was hearing, "I know."
They stood silently for a few minutes, not being able to do anything to block out the sounds of Daniel's screams. Then suddenly they just stopped. Daniel had stopped screaming.
Sam and Jack gazed upward, wondering what had happened. Teal'c's face just got graver.
"What happened?" Jack asked, "Did they stop?"
"They have appeared too, O'Neill," Teal'c replied.
Sam wiped the tears from her face, "But why?"
"Most likely because Daniel Jackson is now near death," Teal'c answered. "Or he has passed out."
Both Sam and Jack whipped their heads around to face him.
"What?" Sam asked.
Teal'c didn't answer.
"Let's hope it was the later, shall we?" Jack placed his hands on his hips. "But if he is near death, which I hope to God that he isn't, they'll bring him back, right?" Jack asked, "I mean, every time one of us gets tortured to death they always bring us back and do it again."
Teal'c was silent for a moment, pondering what he should say to his friends. Then he spoke, more softly then before, "It depends on what they wanted him for. If they are torturing him for information, then they will bring him back. If they are torturing him for enjoyment, then they will most likely bring him back. But if there is another purpose, then Daniel Jackson may die and they will not revive him."
Both Sam and Jake paled.
"But what other purpose could there be?" Sam asked.
Jack scowled and rubbed a hand over his face, "Sha'uri," he said softly, "Somehow, Sha'uri could be that other purpose."
"Indeed," Teal'c replied, "They may have tortured him and let him die in front of her very eyes."
"But why?" Sam asked, rubbing her arms as if she was cold. "Why would someone do that? We don't even know who's behind all this yet."
Jack sighed and sat back down on the bench, "A lot of people seem to want Sha'uri for themselves. They're probably doing this to Daniel so that she has no choice but to do as she's told."
"Or to break her," Teal'c replied.
Jack sighed and put his head down in his hands. This wasn't what they needed. Not only did they have to find a way out of here, but they also had to do it soon, or else who knew what could happen to Daniel. He may die… again, and Jack knew that he wasn't the only one in the room that couldn't live through that again. They had just gotten Daniel back. They couldn't lose him again after such a short period of time.
"Colonel!" Sam said, gaining her CO's attention. She pointed upward and Jack followed her gaze. Serpent Guards. Lots of them. 'Great,' Jack thought to himself, slowly moving towards the wall that would become the floor in a moment, 'Just great.'
The Serpent Guards flicked the switch outside the room and the gravity suddenly changed, making Sam and Teal'c stumble slightly while Jack made the transition smoothly. He'd had far too much practice with these things.
The guards came into the little cell, grabbing the team's arms and pulled them out of the room.
"Oh, so we're going on a little field trip," Jack commented, but the Jaffa just ignored him. Sam just gave him a look, but she doubted that he noticed. He now seemed to be busy gazing into the other cells that surrounded theirs, looking for one missing archaeologist.
They walked for a few moments, before they were pushed into another room, one that looked a lot like one of Earth interrogation rooms, except there was no table and chair. But there was one object in the room that all of them had seen too many times. A sarcophagus.
It was open and the team couldn't see anyone inside. The Jaffa abruptly let go of them and backed off to guard the entrances to the room. One of them being the door they had entered through and the other was off to their left.
Jack gazed around the room curiously; looking for whomever had decided to bring them here.
"Hello," he called out, "Anyone home?"
"Colonel O'Neill. I see that you have not lost your sense of humour," said a deep Goa'uld voice from the back of the room that all of them were far too familiar with.
"Oh please, tell me that isn't who I think it is," Jack commented.
Apophis stepped out of the shadows, confirming the team's thoughts. Jack grimaced. 'Geez, won't this guy just stay dead?'
Apophis smiled; enjoying the looks he saw on their faces, "Well, it is good to know that you at least remember me. Your friend on the other hand, did not even have a clue."
"Daniel?" Jack said, "What the hell have you done with him?" Jack asked angrily, taking a step forward only to bump into some sort of energy barrier. He stepped back and held his nose painfully.
Apophis laughed, "As I said to you before, O'Neill. You will not see your friend again."
"Why did you bring us here?" Sam asked, trying to keep Apophis talking so that they could stall whatever it was that he was planning on doing.
"I brought you here to pay for what Daniel has done to my queen," Apophis answered, his smile fading.
"Daniel Jackson had nothing to do with what happened to you queen, Apophis," Teal'c answered. "It was I that killed her."
Apophis shook his head. "You may have fired the weapon Shol'va, but it was Daniel that destroyed her."
There was silence for a moment as the group tried to understand what Apophis was saying.
Jack shook his head, not getting it, "Now you see, that's where you're wrong. Daniel never destroyed anything. The guy could hardly hurt a fly let alone destroy your queen, who at the time was in his wife's body, so-"
"Daniel did destroy Ammo'net!" Apophis interrupted, his eyes glowing that eerie Goa'uld glow, "You could not understand," he growled. "Daniel does not even understand it nor does he even know what he has done. He can not comprehend it."
Jack stepped back a bit. Yeah, he had to go and get this guy anger. But this was Daniel they were talking about. He wanted to understand why his friend was being put through this and why Sha'uri was probably a part of it.
"Where's Daniel?" Sam suddenly asked, taking a small step forward.
Apophis smiled. "In a place where you can not reach him," he paused a moment before continuing, "You should thank me. I have been kind enough to him to arrange that his wife will be the last thing he sees."
Jack tried to fly forward and punch that little twit, but a staff weapon collided with his back and he stumbled to his knees. 'Shit,' Jack thought to himself as the pain swept through him. He still hadn't recovered fully from the torture he'd had to endure.
Apophis laughed, "What did you want to do, O'Neill? Kill me? I should warn you. Doing so will not help you get Daniel back. It will only sign his death warrant."
"You're going to kill him anyway so what difference does it make?" Jack asked, trying to push himself back onto his feet, but it didn't exactly work. He was still stuck on his knees.
Apophis smiled, "I will make sure his death is less painful than it will be if I were to be killed," he answered. Apophis then motioned to the Jaffa in the room, "Turuca nerau hcerau!" he said and the Jaffa stepped forward, taking Jack, Sam, and Teal'c into strong grips.
"You will suffer greatly for what Daniel has done," Apophis said as they were carted away to another room.
'Dammit,' Jack swore to himself. He wanted to help Daniel and now… what if… Jack stopped that line of thinking. They were going to get out of this and they were going to get Daniel out of here… Alive!
A lone figure watched from the shadows behind a pillar as the group was carted off. She tried her best to keep herself hidden from Apophis and the Jaffa and so far it was working. A bit of light hit her face, illuminating it for just a moment before she ducked away. Sha'uri did not want to be caught.
She gripped the pillar tightly, trying to figure out what she was going to do. Daniel did not have much time left and she needed to get O'Neill and the others out so they could free and hopefully heal Daniel. She prayed that she wasn't too late as she slipped away to wait by O'Neill's cell.
'Hold on, My Dan'yel,' she kept repeating in her mind, 'Hold on.'
***
AN: Don't you guys just hate me now? *Ducks away from flying tomatoes* Guess that answers my question. Please don't forget to review! You reviews feed my mind and I'm able to write better knowing that you guys are waiting! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. Until then…
*Ahh, I'm being attacked by flying lop-sided pigs*
Daniel: Sorry guys, but I think Moonlight is, well…
Jack: Gone all loony bin
Daniel nodded: Yeah, that's one way of putting it.
Teal'c raises his eyebrow: What does… loony bin mean, O'Neill?
Jack sighs: Oh, for crying out loud!
Daniel smiles: Just that she isn't quite herself at the moment, Teal'c.
Jack laughs: Yeah, you're right about that one, Danny-boy. I mean look what she did to you."
Daniel grimaces: Don't remind me. I hope there's a point to that.
Moonlight Snitch comes back, laugh hysterically: Oh there, is. There is.
Daniel frowns: Maybe we should get her down to the infirmary and have Janet take a look at her.
Jack nodded: Ya think!
Jack and Teal'c step forward and grab Moonlight Snitch by the arms, dragging her away to the infirmary.
Moonlight Snitch: No, you don't understand!!! Their coming!!! Their coming!!!!!!
Daniel winches slightly as the trio disappear leaving him all by himself: Wonder what she's talking about?
He sakes his head and leaves the room. But just before exiting, he turns back: Sorry guys! I don't have anymore clue what she's planning on doing to Sha'uri and I anymore then you do.
He disappears, his voice trailing down the hall: Now where did Moonlight write Sha'uri off too?