Chapter Sixteen - Back

"Where's Haruka?" Jack asked as everybody, except for her, had gathered for another meeting to discuss what should happen with Akahoshi.

"No idea", Michiru replied, "I haven't spoken to her since after the happenings in the gate room."

"Me neither", Setsuna added, "but I guess she's in her quarters, sulking."

"I wouldn't like to talk to her now myself", Jack retorted, "Let's start without her, then", he turned to General Hammond, "Sir?"

The general nodded toward Sam and Jacob Carter to report what they knew.

"Seemingly we've got another problem concerning Akahoshi's powers", Sam began, "according to Selmak they're even much stronger than we thought."

Now Jacob went on, "As Apophis attacked her planet she killed thousands out of fury."

Jack turned to Michiru, Hotaru and Setsuna who seemed a little perplexed by the last statement. "Did you know about that?"

"I do", Setsuna replied. "No one else except for Prince Endymion and me knows, because for some reason he thought it'd be best to keep it a secret from the other senshi", she then explained to her bewildered friends.

"Anyway that's the reason why any Goa'uld, especially Baal, mustn't get hold of her as long as she is in possession of her full powers", Jacob continued, "otherwise we're all in grave danger of extinction."

"Really that bad?" Jack wondered.

Suddenly Teal'C muttered, "It was the reason for Bra'tac becoming Apophis's prime..."

"What?" he questioned.

Now the Jaffa said it aloud, "O'Neill, Bra'tac has often spoken of this massacre; it was of grave extent. If a Goa'uld possessed these destructive capabilities..."

"Right", Jack sighed, "Now I'm getting your point."

"So what can we do, people?" Hammond asked into the round.

"We need to block her powers again", Hotaru said simply, "but I won't do it before she wakes up again. Since at the moment she needs them for healing and I want to talk to her first that she knows what's going on."

"I consent with Hotaru", Setsuna stated.

"Me, too", Jack consented as well after a moment of thought, "But she's gonna wake up at all, is she?"

Janet looked at the colonel for a moment, then noted, "I hope so, yes, for slowly her condition is improving."

"Good, so that's decided", he folded his arms looking over at the general apologetically for his quickness, "I mean as long as that's okay with you, Sir..."

"It is, Colonel", Hammond flinched a little at his 2IC, "Dismissed."

Suddenly Sam interjected, "And who's gonna tell Haruka about it. I mean slowly I'm really worried about her after what happened after our arrival..."

"I'll go", Michiru said, "We've still got some little points to sort out...", then she left to find her friend.

xxxxx

As she stood next to Akahoshi's bed staring down on the sleeping princess, Haruka shuddered about seeing her like this, weak and helpless, to fearful to return to the surface.

This had never been to happen, she blamed everybody at this complex for it and the fact that no one could help the princess irked her even more.

Haruka could not take her aspect any longer, angrily she ran away returning to her guest quarters withdrawing into herself.

xxxxx

Uranus, why don't you believe in me? Sadly Akahoshi held on shortly before reaching the surface gathering strength to return, proving herself in front of her worried senshi.

xxxxx

"Haruka?"

"Leave me alone", she growled as Michiru entered the quarters.

"I wanted you to know that there are news", her friend went on, ignoring Haruka's bad temper, "The Goa'uld has been removed and we've decided to block Akahoshi's powers as soon as she wakes up. So there's no need to blame anybody, anymore", she finished with a sulky undertone.

All at once Haruka raised her head looking right up into Michiru's face, "Mi-chan", she said in sore way, "Are you mad at me?"

"Yes, I am", she returned firmly, then, more quietly, she added, "in a way. And so are Setsuna and Hotaru."

"This doesn't mean that I didn't have the right to get angry", Haruka argued, "And there's still a chance that the princess dies."

"Oh, Haruka, how can one be this narrow-minded?" Michiru huffed, "Akahoshi would be ashamed of you."

"If you think so", her friend groaned, "Leave."

"Be assured I will", Michiru went outside slamming the door behind her, being pretty sure that Akahoshi could sense Haruka's doubts and that they were not doing any good to her condition.

xxxxx

Teal'C, Hotaru and Setsuna returned to infirmary to wait for Princess Akahoshi to wake up.

"I've got the strange feeling that she isn't going to awake on her own accord", Hotaru pondered.

"But what could we do to get her into it?" Setsuna inquired.

Teal'C raised a knowing eyebrow, "There's not much we have to do", he noted taking Akahoshi's hand into his two.

"You like her a lot, don't you?" Hotaru asked.

"There is indeed something special going out from her that has the power to deeply affect me" the Jaffa returned briefly.

Then suddenly, shortly after he had said this, a twitch went through Akahoshi's body, her lips parted and she sucked in air. Almost immediately her eyes flickered open and she stared blankly at Teal'C.

"Thank you", she whispered, "I needed this strength of yours."

"You're welcome", he smiled.

Hotaru and Setsuna exchanged a surprised glance. Then Setsuna caught herself saying, "It is good to have you back, Princess."

"Thank you, Puu", she responded softly.

Hotaru waited till Akahoshi turned to her, then said, "I'm sorry, Princess, but your powers need to be blocked again."

"Don't you know that I've been wishing for you to do this since I regained them on Baal's planet?"

The prompt response baffled both of the senshi present. "So you don't mind losing them?" they both asked nearly at once.

"Of course I don't as long as you leave me a chance of self-control", she confirmed, "I've come to see now that it's time for me to have a life free of them."

"But I don't think we can do this", Setsuna frowned.

"You can; as long as it is not directly linked with the brain, there's no chance a Goa'uld symbiote can trigger it", Akahoshi explained.

Hotaru pondered for a moment then stated, "There's a way to make the regain of powers depend on the purity of your heart..."

"I knew you'd think of that", the princess smiled at her.

That moment Janet Fraiser entered the room obviously surprised about seeing Akahoshi up.

"So you're awake?" she exquired a little astonished.

"Yes, Janet, I am", Akahoshi returned still grinning.

"I'll notify the others."

"Oh no, you won't", she contested, "at least not yet. I'd like to surprise them, especially Jack. Puu, Ho-chan, Teal'C, you're with me?"

Hotaru folded her arms saying in an admonishing tone, "But only after we're finished."

"Right. Ten seconds' kind of thing", Akahoshi reached out her hand to touch Hotaru's. A faint purple hue emerged between them and then the blockade was established again.

"But now you are?" she inquired playfully waving them closer to explain her plan.

A short while later they were done discussing and the princess turned to Fraiser asking, "May I get up?"

"I...", Janet frowned a little, "don't know exactly if I find it okay already..."

She gave the doctor her sweetest smile, "Please. I'm trying to be careful, promised."

"Okay, fine, you've convinced me", Fraiser raised her hands in surrender.

Akahoshi sat her feet on the floor and left with Hotaru and Teal'C to get dressed.

As she was gone Janet turned to Setsuna confusedly, "What's gotten into her?"

"That's the way you should've gotten to know her from the beginning", she replied with a smile.

xxxxx

So, kids, slowly getting to the end, I'd say one more chapter and we're done.

Love, Baalsgirl.