Aeire

"How much longer can this take? She's been in labor for twenty-four hours. Surely she can't keep this up much longer!" Daniel stopped his pacing long enough to shout at the healer.

"It takes as long as it takes. Some babies come quickly and others take their time." Meara had to admit that this father-to-be had been a great help. He'd rubbed Ashling's back when it ached. He'd wiped her face to keep her cool. He'd taught her a method of breathing that seemed to help managed the pain. Meara was going to have him teach her that when this birth was over so she could help others.

Ashling moaned and began thrashing on the bed. Daniel moved quickly back to her and took her hand. "Short breaths, muirnín. Look at me. Slowly." As Daniel talked her through the contraction he mentally counted off the seconds. When she finally relaxed and sank back against the cushion of pillows, Daniel turned to the healer. "That was over a minute. She must be almost ready by now."

Meara moved back to the bed and slipped her hands under Ashling's shift. After she gently probed around for a few seconds, she shook her head. "No. She is not yet dilated enough to begin pushing. If she pushes now, she will have internal tearing. We must wait."

Daniel lay down next to Ashling and closed his eyes. He knew it would only be a few minutes before another contraction, but he'd been up for thirty-six hours and he was nearly as exhausted as Ashling.

He'd just relaxed when the bedroom door was flung open, slamming against the wall with a bang. Iollan stepped into the room and pointed his staff at Daniel. Daniel sat up and stared in horror at his brother-in-law. He was a Prior.

"Stand up, Daniel Jackson, and come with me."

"Now's not a good time, Iollan. We're a little busy here." Daniel gestured toward his wife, who was beginning to show signs of another contraction. Daniel sat up and grabbed her hand again, preparing to talk her through the next contraction.

Iollan raised his staff and pointed it at Daniel. "Pick her up and follow me."

"I don't think so! She can't be moved right now. In case you can't see through those milky eyes, she's about to give birth!" Daniel stood and began walking closer to Iollan.

Iollan nodded at several men who had been waiting just outside the open doorway. They entered, shoved Meara aside, and picked up Ashling, preparing to leave the room.

"If anyone's carrying my wife, it will be me." Daniel gently took Ashling from the guard and kissed her on the forehead, murmuring reassurances in her ear.

"You will follow me."

Daniel followed Iollan, treading carefully down the stairs and out into the town's square. He saw that both a stone altar and a pillar stood in the center of the square where nothing had stood before. Iollan pointed to the pillar with his staff, indicating that Daniel should take Ashling over there.

"No. I won't risk her health or the health of our child." Daniel looked down at his wife, who was in the throes of another contraction.

Prior Iollan pointed his staff at the crowd that had begun to gather. "You know what powers of healing - and sickness – I possess. Unless you wish to become the cause of much suffering, you will tie her to the pillar."

Daniel knew that Iollan wouldn't hesitate to kill. He'd also never known a Prior to have trouble killing, so that made Prior Iollan extremely dangerous and unpredictable.

He settled Ashling at the base of the pillar and took the chains from one of the guards. He fastened the metal cuffs around her wrists, thankful that she had a bit of play in the length of the chains to move around a little.

He stood next to her, his hand on her head, as she leaned against his leg for support. God, I'm going to fail as a husband and protector again. She's going to die. He closed his eyes briefly and tried to gather strength into himself.

"Enough! Now, you come over here." Iollan pointed to the flat altar and waited for Daniel to obey.

Daniel stood for a moment considering his options. He considered refusing and causing enough trouble so that someone could free Ashling and get her back to bed. Iollan would probably kill her just to spite me.

As he hesitated, Iollan nodded to a guard, who put a knife to Ashling's neck and sneered at Daniel. Message received. Daniel prolonged his walk as much as he could while he frantically tried to come up with a way to safely free Ashling.

Iollan just waited with no expression on his pale, grey face. Daniel finally arrived at the altar without a plan. He knew Iollan had power he couldn't fight. His backpack with the inhibiting device that could block a Prior's powers for a while was up in his room. Daniel had run out of options.

Daniel hesitated just a little too long for Iollan and he nodded to the guard who held the knife on Ashling. The man nodded and began to draw the sharp instrument across her neck. When Daniel saw the blood bead up, he turned to Iollan, furious.

"Stop it! She's your sister!" Daniel's balled his fists and took a step toward Iollan. Iollan waved the staff over the heads of the people gathered to watch. Daniel saw several explosions around the courtyard and fire began to pour from buildings. People began running in all directions.

Iollan turned to Daniel and with a grimace, he pointed his staff and Daniel's ribs cracked and blood began oozing from a wound that opened on his side. Ashling raised her head and her eyes met Daniel's from across the village square.

He was lying on a stone altar, bleeding profusely from a wound in his side. She was tied to a stone pillar, unable to get to him. There was smoke and the cries of frightened children swirling around them. A pale face peered at her from beneath a light grey hood. Cold, dead eyes met hers. The face that had been her brother's. He raised his staff and pointed it at Daniel.>

Odyssey

Carter looked up from their ninth game of TicTacToe when a console began beeping. She leaned over and fiddled with the controls. As she worked, Jack began to distinguish a voice over the static that was coming from the speakers on the bridge.

"…Orilla. Please…in…assistance…Orilla."

Sam nodded at Jack as he seated himself in the captain's chair. "This is the Earth ship Odyssey, General Jack O'Neill speaking. Is Thor available?"

"Greetings, General O'Neill. Thor will be here momentarily. In the mean time, may I be of assistance?"

"No. Thanks for asking. We'll just wait for my good buddy Thor."

Sam pushed a button and called Teal'c to the bridge. Just as Teal'c rounded a corner onto the bridge, there was a flash of light and a hologram of Thor appeared to the side of O'Neill.

"Thor! Good to see ya! How's it hangin'?"

"It hangs well, O'Neill. It is good to see you as well. How may I be of service?"

Jack quickly briefed Thor on Daniel's disappearance and their request. "So, ya see, buddy, we would be greatly in your debt if you could just wiggle some of those stones of yours around and find Daniel for us."

"It would be a great pleasure to assist my friend Daniel Jackson. I will be right back."

Thor's hologram turned his back to Jack and the humans could hear some mumbling. Within a few minutes, Thor turned back to face Jack.

"We have been able to locate the GPS signal. It is coming from a planet in the Hebridan System."

"Sir, that's Warrick's home system!" Sam's excitement vibrated in her voice.

At Jack's raised eyebrow, she continued, "You remember. The space race?"

As the light dawned in Jack's memory, he turned back to Thor. "Can you send a course to our computer? I'm sure you can do that faster than we can."

"I can do more, O'Neill. I can accompany you on your quest to rescue Dr. Jackson. My people owe him much gratitude and I would deem it a great honor to be of some small assistance to you."

"Beam away, good buddy."

A/N

Muirnín - sweetheart