Chapter Fourteen - Chances
As soon as the gate activated Michiru, Haruka and Setsuna stormed into the embarkation room. General Hammond followed them some moments later.
Then Teal'C left the wormhole carrying Princess Akahoshi's body.
Haruka was the first to reach him and neither did she hide her worry, nor her impatient nature:
"What happened to her?" she questioned in a sort of irritated way.
"A symbiote has invaded her body", the Jaffa responded emotionlessly.
"How could this happen?" Haruka exquired shooting every member of the rescue team devastating glares.
Now Hotaru approached her eyeing her friend with a sharp look that did not allow any contradictions,
"Haru-chan", she said firmly, "It just happened. She had enough power to protect us but not to protect herself", she paused for a brief instant then added, "It was likely to end that way."
"This is unacceptable", Haruka growled.
Hotaru lost her patience, "Accept it, though", she hissed before she turned on her heal quickly leaving the room.
After she had gone the others in the gate room got into motion again. O'Neill started to give orders to his team:
"Teal'C, take her to infirmary. And Carter..." he gave his 2IC a meaningful look on which she nodded walking over to Hammond.
"Sir", she inquired, "Do you agree on notifying the Tok'ra?"
"Of course, Major", he confirmed, "Go ahead."
Only moments later she left for the control room to ready a message.
Jack directed his glance over to Setsuna and Michiru saying, "Meanwhile I'll check on Hotaru."
Setsuna gave him a thankful nod and he left as well.
As everybody else had gone Michiru went over to Haruka harshly rebuking her friend.
"This was not necessary", she said sharply, adding in a more quiet tone, "We don't accept it, either. But there's no need to blame the rescue team members who tried to save the princess under the risk of their lives."
"I know. But if we would've gone there, we might have prevented it..." she contradicted.
Setsuna eyed her angrily, "We couldn't have changed it, either and you know that very well."
"Leave me alone, both of you", fuming Haruka ran outside.
Michiru wanted to follow her, but Setsuna held her back saying, "Leave her, she'll settle with the thought."
"You're right", her friend sighed, "But the fear of losing Akahoshi is indeed not easy to cope with."
xxxxx
"Hotaru?"
She stopped and turned around seeing that Jack was coming toward her.
"Are you all right?" he asked as soon as he had reached her.
"Yes", she calmed him, "It's just that Haruka's temper has been too much for me just now."
"She can piss one off once in awhile, can't she?"
"Yeah", she sighed, "But that's in her character, she can't really help it. And at the moment, I don't know if we can take her thoughts amiss."
"No, we can't", Jack affirmed changing the subject on something that had bothered him since the moment he had seen it, "But enough of that. I've got another question."
"Please ask."
"What happened to Akahoshi back on the planet? The star with the crescent and these wings... I've never seen her change that much before."
"What we've seen was her full transformation. I myself have only seen it twice, now."
"And this also explains why Teal'C didn't burn his fingers as he touched her?"
"Yes. In this state she is most powerful and it takes her a lot of strength to even reach it."
"Then I wonder why she didn't kill Baal right away."
"There's nothing to wonder", Hotaru stated, "In her mind Akahoshi is a strong pacifist, even if somebody causes her great pain and she only feels hatred for this person, she can't really kill him. And the same force motivated her to tell you not to shoot Baal."
"I see", Jack replied feeling great admiration for the princess's strength and courage, knowing very well that he was not the only one who was not ready to lose her, yet.
xxxxx
Teal'C strongly shared these feelings as he sat by Akahoshi's bedside.
Gently he caressed her hand holding it against his cheek while he quietly spoke to her,
"Don't leave me. I know you're strong enough to win over this parasite. It can't take you away from here, it..."
xxxxx
"... won't take you away. You are much stronger than it is. I believe in you."
Akahoshi reached out to touch this familiar presence trying to give her strength, but she could barely make it. She was getting weaker and weaker under the pressure of the Goa'uld occupying her mind.
"Sere-chan", she screamed, "don't leave me. Don't.."
But it was too late; her powers faded and she could no longer cling to the last thing that was giving her hope. She was beginning to lose her fight.
xxxxx
Okay, I know this chapter wasn't really great, but there's this nasty art project on my mind (2 weeks before vacation starts!) and somehow I needed a bridge.
And the last thing I want is to let you wait too long for anything.
