37

Hide and Seek

"At this point in time, sir, I can't say how long it's going to take," O'Neill said, standing so he could be picked up on the M.A.L.P.'s camera. "Carter seems to think there's some technology here that could prove useful."

"Do you want to send Evree back?" Hammond inquired. "I know you weren't planning on an extended mission."

"I think that would be a really bad idea." Daniel put his two cents' worth in before Jack could reply. "Konaseus seems to be obsessed with Evree. I think he would probably not take her leaving well."

"Do you concur, Colonel O'Neill?" Hammond was liking this less all the time.

"Yes, sir, I do," O'Neill answered. "To be honest, if he's not working for the Goa'uld, then he's some kind of Goa'uld groupie. Right now, I think Evree is our life insurance policy."

"Let's hope that policy doesn't run out," the general returned gravely. "If there's nothing further, then report back tomorrow at this same time."

"Will do, sir," O'Neill said as the screen on the M.A.L.P. blinked out. He turned and saw Daniel looking at him sympathetically, and, trying to make the best of a less than optimal situation, turned towards humor. "The sacrifices we make for our planet," he quipped.

&&&&&&

The door opened for O'Neill and Daniel just as it had for Evree initially. Evidently Konaseus had keyed it to accept all of them now. A servitor robot sat apparently waiting for them.

"What do you think it's waiting for?" Jack inquired as they stood and stared at it.

"I think maybe it's waiting for us to tell it where we want to go," Daniel suggested.

"Take us to where the rest of our team is," O'Neill ordered. The little machine, humming softly, began gliding across the floor with the two men trailing behind.

The mechanoid stopped in front of an arched doorway, so Jack figured that must be where the rest of the crew was. As he got to the entrance, he called out, "Honey, I'm ho..," He cut off abruptly as he saw Teal'c standing there facing the doorway, weapon drawn. A quick glance told him the Sam and Evree were all right. "Okay, what did I miss?"

Evree, mindful of the proprieties didn't throw herself at him, but she gravitated in O'Neill's direction rather quickly.

"That big cat of Konaseus' attacked Teal'c," Sam explained.

O'Neill looked the Jaffa over again, and noticed that there were a couple of rips in his clothes, and they bore the particular wrinkles that suggested that their wearer had been in a scuffle, but otherwise, Teal'c seemed no worse for the wear. "I guess that it wasn't that serious about killing you," he said slowly, feeling the whole while that it wasn't true.

"Incorrect," the Jaffa replied. "It was but a few inches from tearing out my throat when Evree saved me."

"Evree?" It burst out of Jack and Daniel simultaneously. She flicked her eyes at them, then looked away just as quickly, as if to suggest that Teal'c was talking about someone else named Evree.

"The creature seems to be trained to respond to a Goa'uld voice." Carter put forth her theory. "She told it to let Teal'c go, and it did."

O'Neill was looking at Evree with a new respect in his eyes. "Evree?"

Evree at last worked up the nerve to move close to him, and for some reason, Jack felt himself compelled to put professionalism aside and put his arm around her, only to find that she was trembling, ever so slightly. The incident must have shaken her more than she would let on to the others.

"I knew that you would be displeased if Teal'c were to die," she muttered against his chest. She had taken the breach of protocol as an opportunity to avail herself of a much needed snuggle.

"I'm not too thrilled about him having been attacked at all," Jack replied grimly. As Evree turned her face up to him, he realized there was still some reassuring to be done. "I'm not mad at you, Evree. You did good. Real good." He gave her a squeeze before releasing her. If that beast of Konaseus' was hunting them, then it was probably best to be on the alert.

"Have you spoken to Konaseus since this happened?" Daniel inquired. "Because I seem to recall him saying that it wouldn't attack unless it was ordered to."

"Under most circumstances that would be true." They all started. None of them had heard him approach, the big man moved almost as silently as his pet. "But currently, it is the mating season. The males become exceptionally territorial. My most profound apologies. But rest assured that he is safely locked away until this madness has passed." He turned to Evree, almost inevitably, it seemed. "Or, if you would prefer it, I shall have him destroyed."

Evree looked to O'Neill for an answer. She didn't much like the animal, but mainly because she found its size intimidating, much like its masters'. Jack gave her a small shake of the head, barely detectable. "Killing the creature will not be necessary," she murmured. "So long as you do keep it restrained while it is so dangerously unpredictable."

"It shall be as you say, my queen," Konaseus vowed. He knew that he had a lot of patching up to do on his tenuous relations with the Tau'ri, and more to the point, their Goa'uld queen. He was under the disturbing impression that any little bit of trust he might have gained had been lost. Hopefully not irrevocably. "Again, I offer my deepest regrets. If there is anything, anything at all that I can do to make amends, you have but to say so."

"We're fine," O'Neill said with such a wide-eyed innocent look that the remark could not have been sincere.

Konaseus bowed deeply and left, praying he had at least been able to effect some repairs.

O'Neill waited until he was certain that Konaseus was out of earshot. "Carter, are you getting anything worthwhile out of that robot?"

"It's a little early to tell yet, sir," Sam replied. She really wanted to do a thorough job. But not at the cost of someone's life. "I've just barely gotten started."

O'Neill nodded understandingly. Frustrating as it could be, you just couldn't rush these things. "Teal'c?"

"I shall not be caught unawares again, O'Neill," he replied. He said no more. He felt that in his lapse in vigilance he had let his friend down. What if the creature had attacked Evree, whom he had sworn to protect, instead of him?

"It wasn't your fault, Teal'c," O'Neill said firmly. "You had too much territory for one person to cover. You're good, but you're not Superman." He carried on with his poll, even though he knew the decision was ultimately his. "Daniel?"

"If no one else has a problem with it," Jackson replied. "I'm kind of curious to see more of this place."

Jack nodded. About the reply he'd expected. With Daniel, curiosity seemed to supercede anything else. But there was still one more person to consider. The one, as General Hammond had pointed out, that was absolutely essential. "Evree?"

Evree, at this point in time, wanted nothing so much as she wanted to be away from this place. But neither did she wish to disappoint O'Neill. Certainly she had done that often enough. "I shall be content to abide by whatever decision you make, O'Neill," she responded, inordinately pleased that she managed to keep the tremors out of her voice. She saw O'Neill's eyes take on a calculating look, and before he could open his mouth, added, "with no arguments."

Jack knew that Evree was putting on a brave front for him, and perhaps, for the others as well, but he was getting sick and tired of going home empty-handed. "Okay, we'll hand around a little bit longer. Carter, back to your robot. Daniel, go ahead and poke around if you want to, but be careful. I don't think Konaseus is careless enough to let the same 'accident' happen twice. But there could be others."

They all nodded in agreement and began to disperse, but Teal'c lingered.

"What of you and Evree?" he inquired. Now that he and the Goa'uld queen had forged a bond of sorts, he was concerned for her for her own sake as well as that of his friend.

"I was always of the opinion that life-saving deserved some kind of reward," Jack drawled. He looked at Evree. "You still want that bath?"

&&&&&

Daniel left the workshop, intending to wander around until he saw something that struck his fancy, but almost immediately, he was accosted by one of the myriad mechanoids. And a thought occurred.

"Does Konaseus have a library?" he asked.

As the machine merely sat there, he realized that asking questions was a waste of time. The robots didn't seem to be programmed for speech. They only followed orders. "Take me to the library," he ordered, hoping there was one for the device to lead him to.

Evidently there was, for the servitor immediately began moving again. Daniel watched it for a second, then followed.

&&&&&

Evree sank into the scented waters with a contented sigh. Just like home, before her home had been taken away. Except for the lack of attendants, and she had learned not only to deal without them, but even not to miss their absence. She would have preferred to have O'Neill join her, but he still felt a need to be on guard. In deference to his indulgence, she determined that she would not spend too much time on her ablutions, although surely O'Neill had exaggerated when he said two hours. He must be.

O'Neill, on his part, steeled himself for a considerable wait. He was actually hoping she would manage to keep it down to two hours. She'd been known to go nearly three.

"Tell me something, O'Neill," Evree demanded imperiously, momentarily stopping in her task of washing a slender arm.

"Anything you want to know," he promised, then covered his ass by adding, "as long as it's not classified."

"What is the real reason why you have allowed me to use the bath?" Evree didn't even glance his way, but carried on with her bathing with single-minded dedication. "It cannot be for saving the Jaffa. I did nothing. Besides, your initial reasons for refusing me are still valid."

"You only did what no one else could do," Jack rejoined. "And maybe because I've been a little bit harder on you than I ought to just to prove that I'm not allowing you to distract me from my duty."

"Still," Evree remarked wistfully. "It would be much nicer if you could join me."

"I'm afraid that will have to wait." O'Neill had been deliberately not looking at her naked. Way too much of a distraction. "And you'll have to make do with the bathtub at my place."

"I would be honored." She smiled at him, even though she knew he wasn't looking.

&&&&&

Someone else was looking though. There was no place, not the tiniest nook or cranny of his domain that he could not view. And at this point in time, and indeed, since the newcomers had arrived, his interest was solely on the Goa'uld queen. Any effort he expended on the rest of the group had merely been a ploy to get closer to her. Now, he merely watched. And a vision she was, floating in the middle of the oversized bath, hair fanned out over the water behind her like a dark cloud. If only the meddlesome Tau'ri would but leave her alone for a moment. Then, whether she came willingly or not, she would be his. He had considered her to be his property from the moment she had entered his citadel. For the time being, the game had its amusing aspects as well as its frustrating ones, and that was the main reason that he continued to play. But he was beginning to tire of games. Soon, it would be time to put the games aside and claim what was his.

And take his first step towards becoming a god.

&&&&&

Teal'c prowled, uncertain as to what he was seeking, but feeling the need for some sort of activity. He would have stayed to guard Major Carter's back while she did such intricate work, but she had assured him that it was unnecessary. And so now, he searched. But whether for a weapon, or the key to what made Konaseus tick, he wasn't sure, but he searched.

&&&&

O'Neill glanced at his watch as he heard Evree emerge from the water. An hour and a half. That had to be a record. He gave her a few more minutes to get dressed, then turned around to see her, clad in flowing, coppery iridescence. She twirled, and satiny fabric and silky hair billowed in graceful waves.

"You're beautiful." His mouth was leading a life of its own again. That hadn't been what he'd intended to say. "But wouldn't you say it's a little impractical?" Just a subtle reminder that he hadn't wanted her wearing anything Konaseus had provided.

"You would expect me to put clothes I've been wearing more than twenty-four hours back on?" Evree asked serenely, unaware, or perhaps deliberately unaware, of his disapproval. "As to whether the raiment is practical or not depends upon what you intend to accomplish."

"And just what do you intend to accomplish?" O'Neill asked a little suspiciously. Or maybe more than a little.

"Why to further the mission, O'Neill, of course," Evree replied, smiling up at him. "Konaseus wants something from me. Wants it badly enough to cater to you and your friends. Perhaps he will be even more helpful if he thinks he is going to get what he wants."

Jack bit his lip. It was sound enough reasoning, but he didn't like it. "Any plans in particular?" he inquired. "Or are you just going to let me try to second guess you?"

"He will think it is a step in the right direction that I am wearing that which he gifted me with," Evree remarked. "Other than that, I do not know what else I can do that I have not been doing, being polite to him. I fear that pretending friendship for him may be beyond my powers of dissimilation."

"Then you weren't planning on flirting with him?" It would have been sound strategy, but O'Neill knew that he was going to sleep easier knowing that she wouldn't be making eyes, even insincere ones, at Konaseus.

Evree paled. "I beg of you, O'Neill, do not even say that in jest." She suddenly threw herself at him. "He frightens me. Somehow, he frightens me even more than Ahriman did."

"And yet you're doing this," O'Neill commented. "Are you sure this is to further the mission? Or is it just an excuse to wear the clothes?" He unbent enough to hug her for a moment. She was awfully high-strung, for a Goa'uld. "You know, even that little bit could make things more dangerous for you."

"And I would not even think of doing it if you were not here to protect me, O'Neill." She looked up at him with such utter trust that it almost threw him for a loop. She had considered him her protector from the very first, but he hadn't quite realized the extent of her faith in him. It was a little overwhelming. It also started O'Neill thinking.

"When we get back," he told her. "I may have to wade through a sea of red tape to do it, but I'm going to get some leave time and take you up to my fishing cabin. Just the two of us, no one else around. No missions, no distractions. Maybe we can even find some time to just sit and talk."

"And I believe that that may mean even more to me than having you bathe with me, O'Neill." She gazed up at him for some time. "Can you not break protocol long enough to kiss me?"

&&&&&

Daniel was swearing softly to himself. Konaseus had a library all right. A big one. Thousands of books. And just going down the line, he had counted books in at least seven different languages. None of which he read. He kept on, though. With all those books that he hadn't examined yet, there might be, almost had to be, at least one in a language that he understood or could at least puzzle out. There had to be. He gritted his teeth and carried on, getting more frustrated by the moment.

&&&&&&

They all met in 'their' room before dinner for a quick clean-up and debriefing. Everyone noticed Evree's change of clothing, but said nothing.

"Carter, how's it going with the robot?" O'Neill was a military man by choice, but still, being on alert twenty-four/seven started wearing on a person pretty quickly.

"Good," Sam replied. "But slow, I'm afraid, sir. There's some very intricate circuitry involved."

"It's about what I expected," Jack sighed. "It's going to take a few more days then, huh?"

"At least," Carter replied with an apologetic look.

"Daniel? Teal'c? What have you guys been up to?" Hopefully they could get more out of this trip than a robot to show for their pains.

"Well, I've been looking through Konaseus' library," Daniel began. "It's a pretty big library too. The only problem is, I haven't found anything that I can read yet, so I don't know if there's anything that's of any potential value to us. I have detected ten distinct languages so far. Either Konaseus is a linguist, he has a hell of a translating program, or the books are just there for show."

O'Neill looked thoughtful. What kind of knowledge could they be missing out on just because none of them spoke the language? Or, languages, as the case may be. "You might want to find a diplomatic way of asking Konaseus that," he reflected. "I take it that the library will probably occupy you for the duration?"

"Probably," Daniel agreed. "Especially if there is some way that I can get the stuff translated."

As Jack looked to Teal'c, the big Jaffa shook his head.

"I have been through most of the interior of the citadel," he rumbled. "I saw nothing of undue note. Except for two things." He paused for effect. "First, aside from ourselves, Konaseus seems to be the only sentient being here, for all the size of the place."

"We were pretty sure of that anyway," O'Neill pointed out. "What's number two?"

"There is an entire, sizable wing to which I could not gain access," Teal'c answered. "One of those robots even attempted to prevent me from traversing the corridor to the door leading into it."

"Makes you wonder what he's got to hide," Sam commented. She looked at Evree again. "Sir, would you mind if I changed for dinner?"

Before O'Neill could remind her that she was on duty, Daniel stepped in.

"Maybe having two beautiful and attractively dressed women at the table might distract Konaseus enough that he'll let his guard down and tell us something useful," the linguist mused.

Jack looked to Teal'c for back-up.

"It would take an exceptionally obsessed man, or one who was not attracted to women to fail to be distracted by such a combination of charm and beauty," the Jaffa said gallantly.

Jack sighed while Evree and Sam both beamed at Teal'c. He didn't think he'd ever heard his friend talk that way before. Then, he looked again at the approval Teal'c was getting from the two women and decided that at some point in the future, he might have to ask the Jaffa for some pointers on the subject.