With a bright flash of light Jack, Daniel, Ha'pac, and Morrigan were transported back down to the center of Hereford. Glancing around at the empty streets, Daniel realized the disease must have taken a turn for the worse. Every one of the villagers was inside with their sick loved ones. Panic threatened to overtake Daniel as he looked down at his watch. "Let's go, Jack. We don't have much time left."
Jack gave a curt nod and with that they quickly escorted Morrigan in the direction of Robert and Elyn Viccars' home.
As the group approached the house, the front door was opened for them by Colonel Reynolds.
"Reynolds." Jack said in greeting.
"What is she doing here?" Reynolds asked, nodding towards Morrigan.
"We made ourselves a little bargain. Maggie here is gonna fix what she screwed up."
"You trust her?"
"No, not really. But if she wants to live, she'll play by the rules." As they talked, the others proceeded into the house, leaving the two colonels alone. "How are the relocation plans?"
"All non-essential LIPs have been shipped off-world. Everyone else is packed and ready to go on your order."
"Good." Jack said clapping Reynolds on the shoulder as he turned and walked through the doorway.
"You ready?" Daniel was saying to Morrigan as they walked through Viccars' sitting room.
"Of course."
"How fast will the cure spread after you've healed them?"
"Faster if you stop questioning me."
"Right." Daniel said brusquely. "Follow me." With that he led the way into the spare room where Sam and Janet were staying. Jack and Ha'pac followed behind Morrigan.
One look at Janet made Daniel's heart clench. He barely recognized her. The Croa'tan disease had reduced the brilliant, vibrant, strong woman that he loved into a nothing more than a small, frail shadow of who she was.
"Oh, God." He whispered, wishing for nothing more than the ability to save her, and keep her safe forever.
Tearing his eyes away from Janet, Daniel looked across the room at Sam. If possible, her condition appeared to be even worse than Janet's was. What skin she had that was unmarred by legions, was deathly pale. That was more than likely due to the loss of blood from the stab wound.
Looking down, Daniel realized that his hands were shaking. Anger and fear coursed through him as he watched two of the most important people in his life barely hanging on. He took a deep breath and forced himself to remain in control of his emotions. They were so close to fixing all of this.
Morrigan, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the suffering of the two people lying before her.
"Wipe that grin off your face and do what you came to do." Jack said, slapping the healing device in Morrigan's hand.
With a smirk, Morrigan slid the device on her right hand and approached Sam's bed.
"Just so we're clear." Jack said. "If they die. You die."
"So it would seem." Morrigan replied. With that she stretched both arms over Sam's limp body, closed her eyes, and activated the device. Sweeping the orange light to and fro over Sam, Morrigan seemed to concentrate on her stomach before moving up to her forehead.
A low moan from Sam alarmed Jack, but before he could react, Morrigan had opened her eyes and deactivated the device in her hand.
"Well?" Jack said expectantly.
"The disease is gone, and her stomach is healed."
"You healed her stomach wound?" Daniel asked, confused by Morrigan's seemingly charitable act.
"I healed her in the interests of my own survival, not hers."
"Well, then, in the interests of your survival…it's her turn." Jack said, pointing towards Janet.
After casting a glare of resentment over at Jack, Morrigan turned and stepped towards the other bed.
Daniel found himself holding his breath as the healing device was activated. After a few seconds, Morrigan opened her eyes and looked at O'Neill, the device still active in her hand.
"This device is quite ingenious," Morrigan stated. "As easily as it can give life to those who are ailing, it can just as easily take it away."
"What do you think you're doing?" Daniel asked, feeling like he had been punched in the stomach.
"Altering our deal."
"Excuse me?" Jack objected.
"If you want this one to live, you will agree to my terms."
"Terms?" Daniel repeated hoarsely.
"Yes. You will release me, without removing me from my host."
Jack smiled as he pulled out his zat gun. "Or I could just shoot you."
"Don't be foolish. It wouldn't take much for her to be gone forever. Firing a weapon at me will only put her blood on your hands."
Daniel felt his heart leap into his throat. He looked around the room quickly, desperate for a way to help Janet. He couldn't let Morrigan take her away from him. Not now, not when he was so close to getting her back.
"Take me instead." Daniel blurted out, though he wasn't entirely sure where the words had come from.
"Daniel!" Jack rebuked.
But Daniel wouldn't be talked out of this. "I'm sorry, Jack, I have to."
Morrigan's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"If you want to leave, I'm your best bet for getting out of here in one piece. She's too sick to walk…and you can't make it back to your ship without a hostage. I'll get you back to your ship, if you promise to leave her and the rest of these people alone."
Morrigan seemed to consider his words. Finally, she nodded. "But I warn you, human. If you do anything to cross me, I will kill the both of you. Along with the rest of the miserable people on this planet."
Daniel nodded in reply.
"Now, retrieve my ribbon device."
Daniel turned towards Jack and held out his hand expectantly. Jack gave him a look, "Are you sure about this, Daniel?" he muttered as he felt around his pockets for the alien device he had taken from Morrigan earlier.
"It's the only way to save Janet." Daniel replied, blinking once deliberately and then glancing upwards, hoping Jack would catch his meaning.
Jack looked slightly confused by Daniel's actions as he located the device. Daniel then glanced over at Ha'pac and then once again blinked and glanced upwards. Understanding dawned on Jack. He gave Daniel a slight nod as he handed the ribbon device over to Daniel.
Device in hand, Daniel walked back towards Morrigan who still held Janet in a glowing amber beam of light. As Daniel approached, the Goa'uld outstretched her left arm towards him. "Place it on my arm, and I will let this one go."
Seeing that he had no other choice, Daniel complied, sliding her arm into the coil of gold, and placing the tips on each of her fingers.
When Daniel had finished, Morrigan turned her attention to Jack and Ha'pac. "You two, put your weapons down."
With a grunt of unhappiness, they did as they were told.
Next, the Goa'uld gestured towards the far corner of the room. "Sit, and do not follow us."
"It's a bit drafty on the floor…" Jack started to say.
"Jack." Daniel said, throwing him a look.
"Right." Jack replied with a sigh. "Sitting down."
With that Morrigan finally deactivated the healing device she was holding above Janet. "Move." She commanded Daniel, gesturing towards the bedroom door.
Daniel took one last look at Janet and then raised his hands in front of him, hoping the Goa'uld would see this as a sign of cooperation. And with that, he headed towards the front of the house.
When they got to the sitting room, they found the members of SG-3 and 8 ambling around the Viccars' sitting room. They jerked to attention when they saw Daniel come out of the back room followed by the Goa'uld.
"What's going on here?" Colonel Reynolds asked, gripping his P-90.
"Colonel, just let us go." Daniel said, hoping Reynolds would do just that. "She's cured the disease, and I've agreed to get her back to her ship."
"Lower your weapons, or I will kill him." Morrigan stated, causing her ribbon device to glow as she spoke.
Reluctantly Reynolds nodded to his men, and they each lowered the weapons they carried.
Daniel turned towards Dr. Carmichael, "Take good care of them, Andrew."
"I will, Daniel." Dr. Carmichael replied with a nod.
"Hi'ato!" The Goa'uld ordered, giving Daniel a shove.
"Okay, okay." Daniel said as he opened the Viccar's front door and stepped outside, keenly aware of Morrigan's presence close behind him. As they made their way down the narrow streets of Hereford, Daniel noticed that she was staying several paces behind him; no doubt so she could watch his every move, yet stay close enough to punish him if he tried to do anything foolish.
Before long Daniel and Morrigan were approaching the center of the village and Morrigan's ship, which was still hovering above the treetops. Morrigan gave a self-satisfied smile as they reached the spot where the ship's rings would activate.
"One question," Daniel said before she could press the button on her ribbon device to activate the rings. "Why did you go to the trouble of curing Sam, if you were just going to use them to escape?"
But Morrigan didn't answer him, instead she activated the rings. Daniel sighed in frustration as he watched the world fade away into bright white light.
When the light from the ring transporters subsided, Daniel and Morrigan found that they were not alone. Standing directly in front of the ring platform was Azriel and several of Morrigan's Jaffa.
Daniel stood riveted in place as Azriel bowed before Morrigan. "My Queen, we had just heard of your capture and were sending a patrol to free you."
"No need," Morrigan said taking a few steps towards Azriel. "The humans of this planet will soon pay for their disobedience."
"How do you mean?"
Morrigan flashed a wicked smile. "Where is the Tau'ri detonation device?"
"It is on the Pel'tak, my Queen."
"Good." Morrigan said, walking toward the door.
"And the human?"
"Bring him. He will want to witness the destruction of his friends."
"Hey, wait!" Daniel objected. "We had a deal!"
Morrigan barely glanced back at Daniel before returning her attention to Azriel.
"What of the Croa'tan disease?" she was saying.
"The cure they received will do them no good after the naquadah mines are detonated." Morrigan replied smugly.
'This cannot be happening.' Daniel thought to himself as he shot a pleading look to Azriel, praying that she wouldn't allow the Goa'uld to do such a thing.
But Azriel merely looked over at two of her Jaffa and nodded towards Daniel. The Jaffa bowed their heads slightly before grabbing Daniel's arms and escorting him to the Pel'tak along with the others.
"Activate the detonation device," Morrigan commanded from her throne in the middle of the Pel'tak.
"My Queen," Azriel said. "Our long-range sensors are detecting an incoming ship. Forgive me, but would it not be best to wait until Anubis arrives before detonating the mines?"
Morrigan looked thoughtful, considering the suggestion that had been made. "You believe the explosion will be big enough to destroy Anubis' ship?"
"There is a good possibility, My Queen."
Morrigan smiled, and glanced over at Daniel, who was standing near the right wall of the Pel'tak. "Your friends may get to live a while longer." Next she turned to her jaffa. "Fly the ship to the far side of the distant moon, there we will wait for the ship to come."
"You expect the detonator you got from us to work from that range?" Daniel asked skeptically.
"Not with such a primitive design. However, I have seen to it that the necessary modifications have been made."
"Oh." Daniel said, his stomach sinking further. And where the hell was Teal'c? He had been hoping that the Jaffa would be able to do something to stop Morrigan from destroying their friends along with the villagers.
Daniel found himself rubbing his eyes, a sure sign of stress. If nothing else, Azriel's delay gave Jack and the others at least some time to get to the Stargate. But would it be enough? He could only hope so. Though they more than likely didn't even realize the danger they were in.
It wasn't long before a Goa'uld mother ship appeared out of hyperspace above the planet. Daniel could tell by the looks of it that it wasn't Anubis' personal Ha'tak vessel, he must have sent another of his ships to scout the naquadah deposits of the planet.
'Please let them get out safe, please let them get out safe…' Daniel's mind chanted over and over as he watched the ship swiftly descending towards the surface of the planet. Daniel could tell that Morrigan was waiting for just the right moment to order the detonation of the naquadah mines.
Daniel watched helplessly as the ship continued on its course. Morrigan's eyes were wide and eager, like those of a predator that was about to pounce on its next meal. Daniel involuntarily held his breath as the ship sank down below the planet's atmosphere.
'Please let them get out safe…'
"Activate the detonation device." Morrigan commanded Azriel.
Daniel thought he heard Azriel mutter something softly, but he couldn't catch the words. After a brief hesitation, Tok'ra reached out her hand and pressed the button on the detonator.
The sound of the blast was deafening, even from their place by the planet's most outlying moon. Daniel felt the air in his lungs rush out and the familiar sting of tears in his eyes as he witnessed the massive chain reaction that devastated the planet below. Bursts of fire and raw energy shook the unsuspecting world to its very core. Daniel squinted, trying to make out what had happened to Anubis ship, but it was nowhere to be seen amidst all the flame and smoke.
The naquadah in the soil continued to erupt across the landmass until it could no longer be contained. Morrigan's ship shuttered violently at the reverberation from the explosion. Daniel could do nothing but brace himself against the wall and stare out the window, never before had he seen destruction like this on such a large scale.
And he hoped to God the people that he loved were not on that planet. The very thought made him sick as he stared out the window. When the shockwaves of the blast finally subsided, and the smoke and dust eventually started to clear, it was plain to see that the planet that had once been there before them was now completely gone, blasted into oblivion.
But what if it was true? What if they had not gotten away? Daniel leaned his head against the wall. 'Not again' he pleaded. A familiar sense of hopelessness enveloped him. And once again he felt like everything that was good in his life was gone. A feeling he had experienced more than once in his life. The death of his parents, the loss of Sha're, the destruction of Abydos…and now this.
Daniel fought back tears; he had worked so hard to go on fighting, to go on living. Despair threatened to overwhelm him; he just couldn't stand to lose everything and everyone he cared for all over again…