Teal'c left Major Carter reluctantly. She was still sitting with Ella, despite the fact the girl was now asleep. Teal'c understood her unwillingness to rest, that she saw it as giving in to the illness. But it did concern him. His team-mate was exhausted and in great pain. Logically the solution was for her to rest and await rescue from the SGC. But logic had little to do with this.
The girl was also a reason for concern. He found himself curiously attached to her, despite their short acquaintance. Her nature was that of a warrior many times her age. She reminded him in some ways of Bra'tac. Though no doubt the old man would have objected to the comparison. If it was not for Ella, the earlier incident with Major Carter could have fared much worse. And no doubt his team mate would still be insistent upon working. Now at least she was sitting down.
Milliya beckoned him over from where she was preparing food for the inhabitants of Haven. He made his way across the 'living area' to seat himself next to her, ignoring the unnatural stiffness of his limbs. She said nothing for several moments carrying on with her work. He noted however, signs of anxiety. Her fists were clenched around the implements she used, and she frequently bit her lip. He waited patiently for her to speak.
"Your friend, Major Carter" she began hesitantly. "She is very ill."
"Of this I am aware."
"She will soon die."
"I have hope that will not happen."
"Why?"
"Major Carter is of the Tauri. We are from another world. One with much skill in curing sickness such as ours." Milliya frowned,
"Another world? You tell stories Teal'c. Tell me truly."
"I do not. We are from another world, among the stars."
"There are tales of other worlds. But we learnt only those of great evil, or divinity can travel them through the great circle. Yet you are as mortal as I am. Do you mean I too could visit other places."
"Indeed." Milliya was quiet for a moment, seemingly contemplating the truth of his tale. Her face flickered with many emotions, before resolution took over it.
"You think your world may cure our illness." He would have corrected her, it was not his world, but that of his friends. But there was little point and no use in further confusing her.
"They may. I do not intend to lose hope whilst Major Carter still lives."
"Take me there Teal'c."
Taken aback, he could do nothing but stare at her. She mistook his gaze. "Not just me! All those who can still make the journey. Major Carter too if you can still carry her. Let us all have a chance of life in your world Teal'c."
Now at last he saw his mistake. He was accustomed to spreading hope amongst the Jaffa. Hope of freedom was needed for any revolution. But here, Hope was dangerous. These people were too desperate for it to do anything save provoke rash action.
"Listen to me Teal'c! They will never let us leave here. They fear us too much, they will kill us first. If your friends return with a cure, they will lock them in here with us till we all die, or kill them to prevent further infection. This way we have a chance."
"You have been here many weeks Milliya. You have not previously attempted escape. Why do you wish to now?"
"Before Orio had not let his own child loose into the forest. He does not obey his own law! And before there was no hope of a cure. You offer us salvation Teal'c! How could I turn away?"
"I offer nothing. I merely have hope the Tauri will be able to cure this illness. I cannot promise anything."
"Hope is better than captivity till death! I would rather die free than imprisoned in this house of death." her voice lowered, became soft and pleading. "I have seen too many people die here Teal'c, do not make me watch more."
He pitied her. But he could not condone the violence this escape would no doubt involve. Nor the infection of countless people it could cause. Besides…
"And of the people unable to leave here? Would you leave them to die imprisoned and alone? What of the girl, Ella?"
"We would take all we could, of course! But those who could yet be saved must take priority. Ella is near to the end of her life Teal'c, you know that."
No. He would not know it, not yet. "I am sorry Milliya, I cannot aid you in this."
"Cannot? Will not!"
"I will not doom more of your people to this illness. I cannot lead your people to a salvation that may not exist."
"You won't even try?" he shook his head.
"Then you fate us all to this death." She said sadly. There was no anger. The fight had been drained from her voice, as her illness drained her energy. "You are strong Teal'c, I think you will live to see many of us die. Most likely you will see my death. Perhaps then you will wish you had helped me." She had finished her task, both of them. Now she rose with plates and bowls in her arms, smiling sadly down at him. "I bear you no malice Teal'c, though this is the second time you have rejected me. The third, and final favour I will ask of you will be to bring me the Fio'kek, so that my suffering will be ended swiftly. I hope then, you will be more willing than now."
With that, the young woman left the room, weariness evident in her movement. Teal'c later rose to continue his daily tasks. But the unease he felt did not diminish as he considered if he would have to grant that final favour for another.
"WHAT?" Jack O'Neill bellowed. Next to him Daniel winced. Most likely the guards on level one could hear that yell. "A day! It's already been two! They could be dead by then!"
"Doctor Fraiser assures me she cannot finish the appropriate preparations until that time. And you yourself requested backup for a rescue mission Colonel." General Hammond replied, very diplomatically Daniel thought.
"But a whole day? General if need be Daniel and I" Why did Jack always have to implicate him in things? "will go back and bring them through, but we need to go now. They've already been there far too long."
"And if they are unable to walk Colonel what then? I hardly need to remind you you're lucky there is a rescue mission at all. An alien plague that our best scientists cannot yet vaccinate against or cure. If it wasn't that Doctor Fraiser and her team, and SG4 volunteered for this mission, you would not be going at all! I was on the phone to the president for over two hours last night trying to convince him to let this go ahead."
Jack at least had the decency to look abashed. "I appreciate that sir. I do. It's just too damn long."
The General nodded sympathetically, "I know Colonel. We're doing our best."
"Sam and Teal'c will make it, Jack." Daniel spoke up for the first time. He hated being separated from them too. The billions of miles usually seemed no more than a few steps through the stargate. Now he felt every painful inch that divided him from his friends. "We just have to trust them to hang on." Jack turned to him as though about to reply when the General's phone rang. (Not the red one thank goodness.) After listening for a brief moment he said "Understood." and put it down, looking at him and Jack.
"It seems the girl you brought back wants to talk to you. Doctor Fraiser doesn't think she'll- be awake much longer." The catch in the General's voice was evident. Daniel knew how much he adored his two granddaughters, he probably knew more about them than about the General! If he was worried then Fene was obviously not doing so well. "The Doctor suggested you come straight down to the infirmary if you want to see her."
"Yes Sir." Jack answered, the defiance in his voice replaced with a reluctant acceptance, for now at least. "What time can we move out tomorrow Sir?"
"O eight hundred. That'll be about noon planetside. You should have easily have enough daylight to return to the village and retrieve Major Carter and Teal'c. Doctor Warner will continue to work on a cure but both he and Doctor Fraiser believe they'll have a better chance of success with more test subjects."
"Sir, I want to get Teal'c and Sam back as much as anyone. But the natives put them in there for a reason and I don't think they will be too happy about us getting them out." Daniel spoke up uneasily.
"I don't care about their happiness Dr Jackson! Your objective is to retrieve the rest of SG1. Containment procedures will be observed and there should be no risk of further infection. We may even be able to help these people!"
"Well I believe you Sir but I don't know that they will." He replied steadily. "And I don't think we can go in guns blazing against a people who are only trying to protect themselves." Jack shuffled as though about to speak but remained silent.
"Agreed. Colonel you and SG4 will be equipped with Zats, and are to avoid using lethal force unless it is absolutely necessary in self defense." Jack nodded, his face sombre. "We're treading on thin ice here people. Lets try to avoid falling through." Daniel exchanged a glance with his friend. This was not going to be fun.
The kid looked bad. And this was Jack O Neill standards. He'd been a career solider for most of his life and had seen some pretty horrible things. She was thin, not enough to be starved but those days in the forest had certainly not done her any good. Her face was a faint white-gray and her movements listless. He couldn't imagine her doing much fighting right now, not like she had when they caught her spying on them anyway. On the other side of the bed, clad in a very fetching isolation suit, Daniel looked to him helplessly. You'd think after visiting alien worlds on a weekly basis, and being able to speak over twenty languages (at least four of which weren't even spoken anymore) the guy would be able to start a simple conversation.
Obviously not.
"So….how're ya doing?" he asked, sitting down in the conveniently located chair. The girl (Fene was it?) stared at him briefly, then obviously decided he was nuts and addressed her next statement to Daniel.
"You must take me home." Daniel rose his eyebrows.
"Why?"
"It was wrong of me to leave! I should not have come with you. I must go to Haven like Ella, and like Becali was meant to."
"And they would be…."
"My sister and cousin. They caught the soul stealer too. Beca's soul resides with my father now, Ella is still at Haven. I was to follow them but…"
"You changed your mind?" Jack suggested. Fene glanced at him again.
"I was afraid. It was wrong to be so. The Fio'kek would release my soul before the soul stealer took it. Or my father would catch it and I would go home like my sister. I was a coward."
"Hey!" he interrupted softly, "There's nothing cowardly about not wanting to die. That's a good thing!"
"But I will die anyway. And here, who knows where my soul might wander? The demons will catch it or the dread angel. I must go home!" She tried to sit up, Jack put a hand out to restrain her but she fell back on her pillows anyway, coughing weakly. Daniel was of course, hopeless. He was a sucker for anyone in pain, especially kids. Well, weren't they all?
"We're trying to find a way to help you. You just need to hang on for a bit." the archaeologist comforted her gently. Jack glared at him. No need to give the kid false hope. Even if (when, Jack, when) Fraiser and Warner found a cure, the kid was pretty far gone. God he hoped Carter and Teal'c were alright. Fene was shaking her head though. "There is no way. Our people have tried for centuries."
"Well don't count us out yet." Well damn if it wasn't catching, now she thought he was mad again.
"Please, take me home." the kid simply asked, her eyes closing in exhaustion. A nurse came into the Iso-room and gestured they should leave. Seeing nothing else they could do, he got up, and with Daniel left. Taking off their isolation suits though, he couldn't help but wonder how much faster this day could go to hell in it's very own motorised hand basket.
I know, I know! I've been without net connection for a week! At uni during the week so until we get a phoneline fitted I'll only be able to update at weekends. Good news is I'm already halfway through the next chapter so I should be able to update again tomorrow or the day after. Please be nice and review! Constructive criticism welcome!