Chapter 13 – Dawn's Early Light
Malem stole across the courtyard, keeping to the shadows of the trees. Dawn's faint light was just beginning to pinken the sky, yet there was still enough darkness to obscure the young man's movements toward the guest quarters. His heart beat frantically with what he was about to do; for Malem had uncovered some information that could help the humans find their missing members. The dilemma was, that it could hurt the Makesh in the process. Yet Malem knew, deep in his heart, that it was wrong to withhold this information from their visitors. If someone from his family were taken, wouldn't he want any and all information available to him?
As he neared his destination, he didn't see the bulky, dark figure leaning against a large tree near the door to the adobe house. When Malem came abreast of the tree, a huge hand reached out and grabbed him around the neck, effectively blocking the startled scream from escaping the young man's mouth.
Malem, barely able to breath, managed to squeak out, "Came here…to help…Please!"
The grip relaxed but was not relinquished. "Come with me," said the deep voice Malem knew belonged to the Jaffa warrior. He was steered toward the door, one hand still around his neck, the other squeezing his shoulder rather painfully.
When the door to the house burst open, Malem was greeted with the surprised expressions of three adults, although Jack O'Neill looked more angry than surprised, the young man thought to himself. Teal'c abruptly released him, causing Malem to stagger a few feet before coming to a stop in front of Ambassador O'Neill.
Jack regarded the man through narrowed eyes, never taking his gaze off him as he asked, "Teal'c?"
"O'Neill," the Jaffa responded, arms folded across his chest. "I found this man lurking outside our quarters. I did not have time to question him. Perhaps he is a spy – shall I interrogate him?" His tone insinuated that if Malem didn't have valuable information, his stay would be brief and possibly painful.
"Please, Ambassador. I am not a spy. I have discovered something that may be of importance in your search for your family," Malem stated pleadingly, his eyes beseeching the older man to hear him out.
"Spit it out, Malem," Jack stated forcefully, although his eyes were alight with interest and the briefest flicker of hope.
"Come, sit down," Janet asked the High Chancellor's assistant, ignoring the glare Jack shot her way. She didn't want this young man to pass out from fright before he was able to give them any information!
Malem gratefully came forward and sank into a chair next to the Doctor, took a breath, and got ready to share what he had uncovered. "After you left, I searched the High Chancellor's personal office. He has several documents locked in a cabinet that pertain to the recent findings at the temple."
The three men gathered closer, standing in a semi-circle around Malem. "Continue," Jack stated sharply, wanting to know where this was all leading.
Malem took another rather shaky breath before complying with the order. "While all of the documents were not transcribed yet, some phrases were. One said 'child', another referred to 'knowledge of three', and finally, 'innocent protector'."
Jack looked to Daniel. "Daniel? Does any of that mean anything to you?"
Daniel was standing with his arms crossed, a frown on his face. "Not really, no. I'd have to see more of the inscriptions in order to place it in context. Malem,' he asked, turning his attention to the young man, "Do you know where in the temple these particular writings are?"
Malem nodded his head eagerly, relieved that the humans were listening to him and no longer threatening him. "I do not know the exact location, Dr. Jackson. However, the cabinet contained a map as well; a map of the temple. The southwest corner was marked. There appears to be something of significance located there."
Daniel frowned. "That must be why Renai wouldn't let me inside the temple yesterday. Are there guards there now?"
Malem nodded. "The High Chancellor has informed us that the temple is very unstable. The guards have been posted to keep the curious out and ensure no one is injured."
Daniel shared a look with Jack. "Most likely a cover to keep people, especially us, out of there." Jack nodded his unspoken agreement and turned to Teal'c, his mind made up to the course of action they needed to take.
"Teal'c, grab the zats; we're heading to the temple now." Jack looked down at the young assistant. "Tell me Malem, why did you come to us with this information? I thought you were loyal to the High Chancellor."
Malem's eyes lit with a fire that none of them had ever seen. "I have always been loyal in my post to the High Chancellor," he defended himself. "But if what you say is true, and he had a hand in the disappearance of your wife and son, I no longer hold him in high regard. The family is the most sacred thing to our people; if he has betrayed this belief, then he no longer deserves to lead our people."
Jack stepped forward and clapped a hand on Malem's shoulder. "Thank you Malem. I appreciate what you've done," he told him quietly.
Malem stood, "There is one more thing, Colonel. The map indicated a hidden chamber deep within the temple. I heard Beroni mention something of a power source within its depths. You must be very careful; I do not know what this power source is or how dangerous it could possibly be." He hesitated for just a moment before straightening to his full height. "Ambassador O'Neill, I wish to accompany you on this mission. You may need my assistance should someone try to impede you on your search."
Jack looked thoughtfully at the young man, impressed at the fortitude shown by him. Sparing a brief glance at Teal'c, who gave him an imperceptible nod, Jack gave Malem a small smile. "All right, Malem. You can come with us. But at the first sign of danger, you are to remain somewhere safe. I can't worry about your safety while I am looking for my family."
Malem returned the smile. "Agreed."
After gathering what supplies they thought they would need, they assembled once more in the main room. Suddenly, a flash of light filled the room and Jacob, who had been on the ship with Thor trying to recalibrate the energy scanner, stood before them. He looked at the assembled group, his eyebrows raised in question. "Going somewhere?"
"Yeah Jacob. Nice of you to join us," Jack replied sarcastically. He indicated Malem with a wave of his hand. "Malem here came to us with some interesting information. In short, we have to get to that temple now. I'll explain everything on the way." With renewed determination, he took Jacob by the arm and propelled him out the door, eager to get to the temple and hopefully find Sam and JJ.
Sam dug through the trunk in her cell, pulling out warm clothing for JJ and feeling more than a little relieved to find something for her as well. The gown was nice, but not something she wanted to be wearing at this moment in time. She needed to be ready should the time arrive when she could make an escape, and she couldn't do that very well wearing a long gown that tangled around her legs when she moved.
She glanced over at the bed and smiled for the first time in what seemed forever. JJ sat in the middle of the bed, playing with the bowl that used to house an array of fruit. He was happily banging on the upturned bowl, grinning at the noise he was making.
He had woken up in a strange place but, finding his mother next to him, had not been frightened. Instead, he had exhibited his natural curiosity and wanted to explore his new surroundings. Not wanting her son crawling on the cold floor of the cell, Sam had tried to keep him amused with the few items available to her. She had fed him some of the fruit, given him a bottle, and was now ready to change him. Looking at her watch, Sam noted that it was 0600 - most likely the sun was beginning to make its ascent on Moval right about now. Sam fervently hoped that she and JJ would see the sun yet today and be back safely with Jack and the rest of her team.
Quickly changing into the loose pants and long shirt she found, Sam took the smaller outfit and a diaper and went back to JJ. "All right, little man, time to get you dressed and ready for the day." JJ gurgled happily at her as she changed him, keeping up a chatter that only he could decipher. Sam picked him up and held him tightly, pressing a kiss into his hair. Her eyes teared slightly as she thought of the unknown dangers they were about to face, but she quickly tamped them down and turned back to the table.
She picked up the beads she had dismantled and tucked them into the pocket of her loose pants. Though she didn't know it, her position prevented Beroni, who was monitoring the room, from seeing what she was doing, just as it had last night. Thankfully, she didn't know that the same man had just received quite a perverse thrill in watching her change clothes.
The pocket in Sam's pants was deep and the shirt she wore long enough for her to conceal a tool should she be lucky enough to find one. She held out the hope that she would be given the chance to do just that. Sam took one of the metal clasps from the necklaces and had just tucked it into her pocket, when she heard the click of the lock.
Spinning around quickly, Sam put JJ on her right hip and faced the left side of her body toward the door. When it opened, she couldn't prevent the soft gasp of surprise that escaped her lips. "High Chancellor?"
"Colonel Carter, please accept my apologies for the conditions of your quarters. There wasn't enough time to make it more comfortable. I assume you and JJ are well this morning?" The High Chancellor stepped further into the room, leaving the door open and looking for all the world as if he were inquiring about the weather or something else just as mundane.
Instead of answering his query, Sam took a step back and narrowed her gaze. "Do you care to tell me why the hell you kidnapped my son and me and left us in this cell all night?" She tried hard to control her voice, but the anger at all she had been through over the past few hours caused it to rise.
"All in good time, Colonel. All in good time. I must assure you, neither you nor JJ will be hurt; I can promise you that."
"That's not what Beroni said last night," she fairly growled at him. Sensing the tension of his mother, JJ began to whimper and ducked his head in her shoulder, peering occasionally at the imposing man in front of him. Sam placed a reassuring hand on his back, gently rubbing up and down but not taking her eyes off her visitor.
The High Chancellor waved a dismissive hand through the air. "Beroni approaches situations differently than I do. Besides, I believe he finds you to be a bit… intimidating," he smiled at her. "He only threatened you and JJ to ensure your cooperation."
"In what, exactly."
"If you will allow me, Colonel Carter, I will explain some things as we walk. Time is short and we must move to another part of the temple." He tried to come forward to grasp her arm, but Sam quickly moved out of his reach, circling the room and trying to make her way to the door. At his mention of the temple, her mind began to formulate a plan and she needed to keep him talking in order to fully develop some feasible means of escape. She knew where the temple lay in regards to the village. If she could just somehow get away from them…
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Chancellor, until you explain why you would kidnap people who only came to your planet to help you and to participate in your so called Sacred Ceremony of Honor – or was that a lie too?" she purposefully goaded him.
The High Chancellor frowned and stopped his approach. "The Ceremony of Honor is one that we hold in deepest regard, Colonel Carter. The Makesh could never perpetrate a falsehood involving the ceremony." His gaze narrowed as he saw how close she now was to the open door. "Come Colonel Carter, all will be explained in due time. Suffice it to say, your son is of utmost importance to the future safety of my people."
Sam's anger flared at the mention of her son and his innocence in all of this. "My son will do nothing for you, High Chancellor, neither will I. You invited us here under false pretenses, kidnapped us in the night, and kept us locked in this cell overnight. If you think for one minute I will cooperate with you…"
Her sentence was left unfinished as her arm, the one that held JJ close to her, was painfully grabbed from behind. Her eyes rested on the red face of Beroni, who sneered at her. "Oh, but you will cooperate, Samantha. You will." With that, he pressed a metal cylinder to her neck that sent an electric shock coursing through her body, much like that of a Zat charge. She felt JJ being taken from her arms and tried to reach out to him, but her body wouldn't obey. The last thing she heard was the terrified scream of her little boy as she sank into oblivion.
A/N: Thanks again for your continued patience. I hate not updating more than once a week, but school is now done (Hooray) and I will have more time to write - I hope! Please continue your awesome reviews!