It was a mark of how inexperienced he was in such matters that Ian looked around when the first explosion rocked the ground near by. Everyone else – including Daniel – all looked up, knowing that was where the completely unexpected attack was coming from. Ian followed their gaze, and sure enough, there were several small aircraft coming in from out of the direction of the sun, blinding him as he looked at them.
"Get under cover!" Selmac yelled, waving at several of the smaller buildings that were closer than the empty hangar they'd left, and the larger one they had been heading for.
The group scattered somewhat – although they all ended up running towards the hangar that held the craft. Another explosion rocked the ground close by, and the ground rumbled and shook in response, sending them all to their knees – although they were all up again in an instant.
Just as Jacob reached the open door of the hangar, Veda stuck her head out, obviously coming to see what was happening, and Jacob ran right into her, knocking both of them to the ground. It saved their lives. A bolt of energy struck the side of the hangar where they'd been, coming from behind Ian and Teal'c. Both of them looked back, and saw Cato holding a small weapon, pointing it at the rest of the Tok'ra with a sneer on his face. Of all of them, he was the only one who didn't seem surprised at the attack, and now Teal'c knew why.
He lowered his staff weapon, readying to aim it at Cato just as the weapon in the Tok'ra's hand turned toward him, and Teal'c was pretty sure he was going to be too late firing – even for him.
A blur of yellow struck then, though, and powerful jaws snapped shut on the Tok'ra's wrist, slashing his hand wide open. With a roar of pain, Cato dropped the weapon as Jack turned and crouched, prepared for another spring at the Tok'ra as soon as he could find a target. The yellow lab ignored the explosions around him as the aircraft fired at pretty much anything they could – although for some reason, they avoided the main hangars, which had to be the best targets.
Teal'c fired his staff weapon at Cato, but an explosion rocked the area right as he fired, causing his own shot to go wild. The Tok'ra dove to the ground, which put him in a vulnerable position for another attack by Jack, but before the dog could attack again another craft came in – incredibly low – drawing everyone's attention.
Teal'c raised his staff weapon and he fired, striking the craft, and it veered off, only to have another come in and take its place, laser fire strafing the ground around them. From the relative safety of the side of the building, Daniel raised his '90, firing fully automatic at the incoming craft but doing little damage.
"Jack!" Daniel called, wondering what was going on inside the building. If there were traitors out here, he knew there were possibly traitors inside as well – and Sam was inside.
Ian realized that, too, as did Teal'c.
"Jack!" The Jaffa wasn't calling O'Neill, though. The yellow lab stopped in mid-spring as he was ready to attack Cato once more, and turned towards Teal'c, who gestured for him to head for the open door of the hangar. The dog was just as good at following hand signals as he was at verbal commands, and immediately he raced for the opening, where Teal'c knew he'd give O'Neill any extra assistance that might be needed – at least adding in another formidable weapon to help guard Sam.
Ian had his Glock in his hand, now, and as he was running towards the hangar, he was also looking for a target – but the other Tok'ra that had been with them had already found cover, and were nowhere to be seen. Besides, he wouldn't have been able to tell who was a friend and who was a foe. The only one he knew for sure wasn't, was Jacob.
"Ian! Get in here!" Jacob yelled from the doorway, holding a weapon in his hand and pointing it up at yet another approaching craft. Again the weapons fire from the craft didn't lock onto the building – only the ground around it – but there wasn't time to wonder at the diversionary tactics just then. Jacob was more concerned about getting everyone under cover.
The cadet ducked into the building just in front of Daniel, dodging Jack (the dog) who had dodged in just in front of them, and almost cracked his head open when he ran headfirst into the craft. Stunned, he reeled backwards, and was grabbed from behind by Teal'c, who had entered as well.
"We must get to-"
Whatever it was they had to get to, they never heard. There was suddenly a screaming in their heads, and even though they all instantly covered their ears, it was too late. Almost as one, they fell to the floor of the hangar, knocked out.
OOOOOOO
Cato was livid. He'd had the Shol'va in his sights! He could have killed him then and there – which wasn't his primary objective but would have been a definite boon. And then he'd been attacked. Attacked by the Jaffa's pet, no less! And now his hand was torn open, and he'd lost the primary weapon.
He forced himself to calm, though, as he rolled over, watching the dog running back towards the hangar that held the Ancient ship. He had other weapons. And two that were far more important, really. Two that could do more than just kill one Jaffa. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a small sphere, pressing down on an unnoticeable button and holding it as he scrambled to his feet and ran for cover that would allow him to reach the other opening of the hangar without being seen from those inside.
Dodging craters made in the ground from weapons fire – weapons fire that was doing a good job of keeping everyone's heads down – Cato ran across the last stretch of open ground and ducked next to the door of the hangar, tossing the small sphere into the room and covering his ears as he ducked back.
The thing didn't blow up as one might have expected. Cato could have killed everyone in the building – the craft overhead that he'd called could have done that – but he needed one in particular alive, and that meant they all had to be alive so he could get her. He just needed them unconscious. When the weapon went off, it emitted a high-pitched sonic explosion, designed to strike those within hearing unconscious for several minutes. Which would be plenty of time.
He pulled the second sphere out of his tunic, and headed for the back of the Ancient ship.
OOOOOOO
"What is it?"
Cyril and Veda had both flinched at the first sounds of explosions coming from outside the ship – as had Sam. Jack, who had been expecting something – even though he didn't realize it – hadn't flinched. He'd simply turned, drawing his Beretta with one hand and raising up his machine gun with the other, covering both of the Tok'ra.
Sam had turned in the chair she was in – which wasn't easy, considering her girth – and Jaffer's ears went flat on his head and his lips pulled back into a snarl. He didn't know who to attack, but he was ready for them.
Ignoring the Tau'ri, Veda and Cyril both headed for the ramp as several more explosions went off, sounding louder and closer.
"Stay here," Jack ordered Sam, heading for the cargo area in the back of the ramp as well. "Jaffer, guard."
The black lab stayed beside Sam, his hackles up, even as Sam pulled out her own Beretta and cocked it. She wasn't completely helpless, after all, just a bit pregnant.
"Who-"
Veda turned, seeing Jack with his weapons out, and wished that she had one as well. She'd left hers in the storage hangar.
"Stay here, Tau'ri," she said, her eyes concerned. "I'll go find out."
Jack started to head for the exit as well, but Cyril was blocking the way – although he wasn't trying to keep Jack from leaving, he was just in the way, holding a zat in one hand and looking as though he expected them to be blown up any minute. Of course, the Tok'ra lived with that kind of possibility all the time, so he looked far calmer than most would.
"Let's go see-"
Cyril turned as O'Neill spoke up, but a loud explosion outside that rocked the hangar drowned out whatever Jack had said, and deafened the two of them. In the forward part of the ship, Sam lurched to her feet at the noise, her gun ready to aim at whatever might come.
Jack heard Daniel call his name, and headed down the ramp. He couldn't see what was going on, though; the bulk of the ship made it impossible to see more than a foot or so in any direction he wanted to look. Afraid for Sam, he turned and headed into the ship again, unsure what to do and wishing – not for the first time, and definitely not for the last – that he'd never heard of the Tok'ra.
He brushed past Cyril, who was guarding the ramp, and hurried back to Sam; relieved to see she was okay and wondering why he'd been so worried suddenly that she had been hurt. Her face was pale, but she was calm.
"What's going-"
Before he could answer, there was the heavy thud of someone falling to the floor back in the cargo area, and a moment later a small metal ball came rolling into the ship. Before either of them could move – even though they both recognized it instantly – it went off, and Jaffer's agonized yelp of pain was the last thing Jack heard before a sound he couldn't block out exploded in his head, sending him to the floor of the ship.