AN: I know there are no excuses for taking this long with a chapter (in
fact there are several-but none are good enough).
All I can do is apologise profusely and beg your forgiveness. If it helps I am now being punished for my inconsideration. I have a ton of holiday work.
I really do hope that you think this was worth the wait. And please, please, please forgive me {on knees and embracing feet}.
This is the last chapter of Wake Up Call and I know it might seem like it ends a little suddenly but there is an epilogue to follow. And I am thinking up possibilities for a sequel.
So read on those who do not hate me. I think this chapter is longer than the others but I don't have the energy to check.
Wake Up Call – Chapter 15
"This is the last 'hetep," Nenet told him, securing the small gold device to the wall.
"`Hetep? ` Doesn't that mean...um...offering?" Daniel asked, his eyebrows raised.
"It does," she answered, "it is a...codename."
He smiled a little.
"You should tell Jack that one," he told her, "he's under that impression that the Tok'ra don't have a sense of humour."
"I do not believe he would appreciate the irony," she replied.
"Probably not," Daniel conceded.
"He does not like the Tok'ra."
"No, no he doesn't. Are we done?" He asked her.
"Yes," she answered, "we must make our way to the Chappa'ai*."
"You sure those little...hetpet...are going to be powerful enough?"
"They're size is deceiving Dr Jackson," she said smiling, "we must go."
Daniel followed her dutifully through the twisting passages. They were near the ring device. Nenet had wished to make sure that Nephthys escape route was cut off. They turned the corner just in time to hear the rings and see them disappear back into the floor. In their place stood half a dozen Jaffa, staff weapons levelled.
Daniel skidded to a halt. He fired hastily with the zat, diving out of the way of a ball of fire that came hurtling towards him. He landed heavily on his arm, the zat falling from his grasp. He cried out in pain, turning on his back he groped for the weapon and tried to propel himself backwards, behind the wall.
To his right he saw the Tok'ra fall, a charred hole in her shoulder and chest. She hit the wall behind her. One of the Jaffa kicked away the zat that Daniel had been reaching for and pointed his staff steadily at the archaeologist. Daniel tried to turn and see if Nenet was still alive, but the Jaffa hit him with the end of his staff weapon.
"Dr Jackson," he heard the, now familiar, mocking tone of the Goa'uld, she was stepping out from behind the Jaffa, "and the spy." She said coldly, turning to Nenet.
Daniel took the opportunity to follow her gaze. The Tok'ra was still breathing, but she wasn't in good shape.
"You will suffer a thousand life times at my hand," Nephthys told the woman.
She raised her hand, clad in the hand device. Nenet didn't cry out.
*****
"Come on Sam," Jack told her quietly as they ran through the hallways of the Goa'uld palace, "just a little bit further."
Teal'c was ahead of them, looking out for Jaffa, as he carried Sam. She had fainted not long after leaving the aptly named `torture room`. His arms were tiring under her weight. He was just hoping he could make it to the Stargate. She was still bleeding. The bandages he had pressed to her wounds were now a vivid red, the hilt of Nephthys' dagger protruded from within the nest.
Teal'c stopped suddenly. He pressed himself against the wall and turned to Jack. There was noise from further within the silent complex. It was scuffle, followed by the distinct sound of weapons fire. He shared a look with Teal'c. Teal'c nodded.
Bending down, Jack rested a barely conscious Sam on the floor, propping her up against the wall. He noticed that her eyes were following him.
"Trouble," he told her, smiling weakly before standing and nodding to Teal'c.
They headed down the passage, towards the conflict. It was quiet again. The fighting had stopped.
Jack peered around the corner, taking quick note of the situation. Six Jaffa. One with a staff weapon pointed at Daniel, who was lying on his side. The other five formed a semi-circle around Nephthys. The Goa'uld was torturing the Tok'ra, who didn't look good.
He caught Daniel's eye.
***
Sam listened from her position, slumped in the corridor. She couldn't fight and she didn't have a weapon. All she could do was listen. One shot. Two shots. The thud of a body hitting the floor.
***
The last Jaffa had just fallen when Jack noticed Nephthys disappear – literally. One moment she had been fighting and the next she was gone. The others had noticed as well. Jack fired randomly around the position he had last seen but to no avail. She was gone.
Daniel rushed towards the fallen Tok'ra.
"Jack," he called.
Jack was already there.
"There is not much time remaining," Teal'c reminded them.
Daniel was frantically feeling for a pulse through the slick red blood.
"Please," the Tok'ra breathed, cutting short Daniel's efforts, "you must go. Leave us."
"I don't think so," Jack told her, he turned to Daniel, "help me get her up."
They took one side each, an arm around her waist.
"We will not...survive," the Tok'ra spoke.
"We'll see," Jack said.
Time ticked away.
They walked as quickly as possible back towards Sam. As they rounded the corner and reached her, Jack heard Daniel gasp.
***
Sam rolled her head up painfully to look at them.
"Leave me," the Tok'ra demanded once more with remarkable force.
"What happened?" Sam managed to ask.
She didn't feel the pain anymore. Her entire body was numb and sleep was beginning to overwhelm her.
"Nothing," Jack lied to her.
"Dr Carter," Nenet addressed her, "my host...will not...survive...the journey...home. You must...leave me."
"This really isn't a good time to have this discussion," Jack told them.
The world was blurred; Sam was finding it difficult to concentrate on the people in front of her, but there was something familiar about the woman with them.
"Nakia?" She questioned.
"Nakia...cannot...speak...with you," Nenet said heavily, "I am...keeping...her body alive...I...cannot...do so...much longer."
"Nenet."
"You know her?" Jack asked.
"Jolinar," Sam answered, she took a laboured breath, "you saved her life."
"Yes," Nenet answered.
"We can't leave her," Sam argued, shaking her head sloppily to emphasise the point.
"I wasn't planning on it," Jack answered simply.
Jack let Teal'c take hold of the Tok'ra. He crouched beside his wife, intending to lift her up once more.
"No...she's right," Sam kept arguing, "the Stargate...too much stress."
It was clear to everyone present that she was battling unconsciousness.
"If we leave her here she'll be blown into a million pieces," Jack told her impatiently, "like us if we stick around here much longer. There's no other choice. It's time to go."
He slipped an arm around Sam and she tried to push him away.
"There is," she fought, "there is another choice."
She looked at Jack. He eyes were clear of the pain and disorientation that had filled them previously. Lucidity. He understood.
"No! No! Absolutely no way!" Jack shouted.
Sam rolled her head and looked up at the Tok'ra.
"Nakia will die," she told it, "but you don't have to."
"I could not...ask that of you," the Tok'ra wheezed.
"I'm offering," Sam said clearly, "it's a purely..."
She bit back a sudden rush of pain.
"...selfish gesture. You can heal me."
"I said no," Jack repeated mutely, "does nobody ever listen to me?"
"I have to Jack," Sam told him, "she saved Jolinar and...and I want a baby."
Jack looked away.
The Tok'ra had indicated that she be lowered to sit beside the injured Sam. Daniel and Teal'c did so. Teal'c face was expressionless as always. But Daniel looked shocked.
"I may not...be able to...help you," the Tok'ra told Sam.
"I know," Sam answered.
The exchange was quick.
Without her symbiote Nakia was dead within seconds. Sam was unconscious. Jack lifted her up, dazed. The next few minutes passed in a haze.
There was the sound of an explosion in the background. They began to run, Teal'c leading the way. Daniel dialled the Stargate. And the next Jack knew he was standing in a vast and windy desert. Sand stuck to the drying blood covering him. They were soon surrounded by Tok'ra. Sam was taken from him, to get help. Everything was quite.
AN: There we go. I said it ended rather abruptly. I do think that there will be a sequel though. After all Nephthys wouldn't just leave them alone after everything that happened. She has to have some master plan.
The Epilogue will be posted soon. And when I say soon I mean sooner that this chapter was but maybe a little bit longer than I want. This, I swear, is beyond my control.
My laptop is completely &%£"!$^@#!*$!!!!!!!!! And I don't have the opportunity to type on the main computer very often. At least not without someone staring over my shoulder. Trust me, it's very disconcerting.
All I can do is apologise profusely and beg your forgiveness. If it helps I am now being punished for my inconsideration. I have a ton of holiday work.
I really do hope that you think this was worth the wait. And please, please, please forgive me {on knees and embracing feet}.
This is the last chapter of Wake Up Call and I know it might seem like it ends a little suddenly but there is an epilogue to follow. And I am thinking up possibilities for a sequel.
So read on those who do not hate me. I think this chapter is longer than the others but I don't have the energy to check.
Wake Up Call – Chapter 15
"This is the last 'hetep," Nenet told him, securing the small gold device to the wall.
"`Hetep? ` Doesn't that mean...um...offering?" Daniel asked, his eyebrows raised.
"It does," she answered, "it is a...codename."
He smiled a little.
"You should tell Jack that one," he told her, "he's under that impression that the Tok'ra don't have a sense of humour."
"I do not believe he would appreciate the irony," she replied.
"Probably not," Daniel conceded.
"He does not like the Tok'ra."
"No, no he doesn't. Are we done?" He asked her.
"Yes," she answered, "we must make our way to the Chappa'ai*."
"You sure those little...hetpet...are going to be powerful enough?"
"They're size is deceiving Dr Jackson," she said smiling, "we must go."
Daniel followed her dutifully through the twisting passages. They were near the ring device. Nenet had wished to make sure that Nephthys escape route was cut off. They turned the corner just in time to hear the rings and see them disappear back into the floor. In their place stood half a dozen Jaffa, staff weapons levelled.
Daniel skidded to a halt. He fired hastily with the zat, diving out of the way of a ball of fire that came hurtling towards him. He landed heavily on his arm, the zat falling from his grasp. He cried out in pain, turning on his back he groped for the weapon and tried to propel himself backwards, behind the wall.
To his right he saw the Tok'ra fall, a charred hole in her shoulder and chest. She hit the wall behind her. One of the Jaffa kicked away the zat that Daniel had been reaching for and pointed his staff steadily at the archaeologist. Daniel tried to turn and see if Nenet was still alive, but the Jaffa hit him with the end of his staff weapon.
"Dr Jackson," he heard the, now familiar, mocking tone of the Goa'uld, she was stepping out from behind the Jaffa, "and the spy." She said coldly, turning to Nenet.
Daniel took the opportunity to follow her gaze. The Tok'ra was still breathing, but she wasn't in good shape.
"You will suffer a thousand life times at my hand," Nephthys told the woman.
She raised her hand, clad in the hand device. Nenet didn't cry out.
*****
"Come on Sam," Jack told her quietly as they ran through the hallways of the Goa'uld palace, "just a little bit further."
Teal'c was ahead of them, looking out for Jaffa, as he carried Sam. She had fainted not long after leaving the aptly named `torture room`. His arms were tiring under her weight. He was just hoping he could make it to the Stargate. She was still bleeding. The bandages he had pressed to her wounds were now a vivid red, the hilt of Nephthys' dagger protruded from within the nest.
Teal'c stopped suddenly. He pressed himself against the wall and turned to Jack. There was noise from further within the silent complex. It was scuffle, followed by the distinct sound of weapons fire. He shared a look with Teal'c. Teal'c nodded.
Bending down, Jack rested a barely conscious Sam on the floor, propping her up against the wall. He noticed that her eyes were following him.
"Trouble," he told her, smiling weakly before standing and nodding to Teal'c.
They headed down the passage, towards the conflict. It was quiet again. The fighting had stopped.
Jack peered around the corner, taking quick note of the situation. Six Jaffa. One with a staff weapon pointed at Daniel, who was lying on his side. The other five formed a semi-circle around Nephthys. The Goa'uld was torturing the Tok'ra, who didn't look good.
He caught Daniel's eye.
***
Sam listened from her position, slumped in the corridor. She couldn't fight and she didn't have a weapon. All she could do was listen. One shot. Two shots. The thud of a body hitting the floor.
***
The last Jaffa had just fallen when Jack noticed Nephthys disappear – literally. One moment she had been fighting and the next she was gone. The others had noticed as well. Jack fired randomly around the position he had last seen but to no avail. She was gone.
Daniel rushed towards the fallen Tok'ra.
"Jack," he called.
Jack was already there.
"There is not much time remaining," Teal'c reminded them.
Daniel was frantically feeling for a pulse through the slick red blood.
"Please," the Tok'ra breathed, cutting short Daniel's efforts, "you must go. Leave us."
"I don't think so," Jack told her, he turned to Daniel, "help me get her up."
They took one side each, an arm around her waist.
"We will not...survive," the Tok'ra spoke.
"We'll see," Jack said.
Time ticked away.
They walked as quickly as possible back towards Sam. As they rounded the corner and reached her, Jack heard Daniel gasp.
***
Sam rolled her head up painfully to look at them.
"Leave me," the Tok'ra demanded once more with remarkable force.
"What happened?" Sam managed to ask.
She didn't feel the pain anymore. Her entire body was numb and sleep was beginning to overwhelm her.
"Nothing," Jack lied to her.
"Dr Carter," Nenet addressed her, "my host...will not...survive...the journey...home. You must...leave me."
"This really isn't a good time to have this discussion," Jack told them.
The world was blurred; Sam was finding it difficult to concentrate on the people in front of her, but there was something familiar about the woman with them.
"Nakia?" She questioned.
"Nakia...cannot...speak...with you," Nenet said heavily, "I am...keeping...her body alive...I...cannot...do so...much longer."
"Nenet."
"You know her?" Jack asked.
"Jolinar," Sam answered, she took a laboured breath, "you saved her life."
"Yes," Nenet answered.
"We can't leave her," Sam argued, shaking her head sloppily to emphasise the point.
"I wasn't planning on it," Jack answered simply.
Jack let Teal'c take hold of the Tok'ra. He crouched beside his wife, intending to lift her up once more.
"No...she's right," Sam kept arguing, "the Stargate...too much stress."
It was clear to everyone present that she was battling unconsciousness.
"If we leave her here she'll be blown into a million pieces," Jack told her impatiently, "like us if we stick around here much longer. There's no other choice. It's time to go."
He slipped an arm around Sam and she tried to push him away.
"There is," she fought, "there is another choice."
She looked at Jack. He eyes were clear of the pain and disorientation that had filled them previously. Lucidity. He understood.
"No! No! Absolutely no way!" Jack shouted.
Sam rolled her head and looked up at the Tok'ra.
"Nakia will die," she told it, "but you don't have to."
"I could not...ask that of you," the Tok'ra wheezed.
"I'm offering," Sam said clearly, "it's a purely..."
She bit back a sudden rush of pain.
"...selfish gesture. You can heal me."
"I said no," Jack repeated mutely, "does nobody ever listen to me?"
"I have to Jack," Sam told him, "she saved Jolinar and...and I want a baby."
Jack looked away.
The Tok'ra had indicated that she be lowered to sit beside the injured Sam. Daniel and Teal'c did so. Teal'c face was expressionless as always. But Daniel looked shocked.
"I may not...be able to...help you," the Tok'ra told Sam.
"I know," Sam answered.
The exchange was quick.
Without her symbiote Nakia was dead within seconds. Sam was unconscious. Jack lifted her up, dazed. The next few minutes passed in a haze.
There was the sound of an explosion in the background. They began to run, Teal'c leading the way. Daniel dialled the Stargate. And the next Jack knew he was standing in a vast and windy desert. Sand stuck to the drying blood covering him. They were soon surrounded by Tok'ra. Sam was taken from him, to get help. Everything was quite.
AN: There we go. I said it ended rather abruptly. I do think that there will be a sequel though. After all Nephthys wouldn't just leave them alone after everything that happened. She has to have some master plan.
The Epilogue will be posted soon. And when I say soon I mean sooner that this chapter was but maybe a little bit longer than I want. This, I swear, is beyond my control.
My laptop is completely &%£"!$^@#!*$!!!!!!!!! And I don't have the opportunity to type on the main computer very often. At least not without someone staring over my shoulder. Trust me, it's very disconcerting.