Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or themes in this story that are affiliated with the television series Stargate Sg-1 or Stargate Atlantis or the movie Stargate. Or any other show…Witness if you will…squat (in reference to owning anything)
"Daniel?" River asked. "What's going on?"
"I don't know. General, what-" General Hammond did not need to answer. They stood staring out of the control room windows as technicians pounded the keyboards. The Iris was still closed, but before it, standing on the ramp, was a holographic projection of Heru-ur.
"It's him." River whispered. Her voice had grown flat and cold.
"You have taken something that belongs to me." Heru-ur's voice boomed throughout the gate room. Colonel O'Neill and Jacob were standing before him on the bottom of the ramp, light from the event horizon shining on their faces.
"No, no, I think you're mistaken. There's nothing here that belongs to you." Jacob said, feigning indifference. Heru-ur only laughed.
"I will not speak to the Tok'ra. You are Colonel O'Neill of Sg-1."
"Nope, Captain James T. Kirk of the starship enterprise."
"You are not amusing." The Goa'uld said callously. "I know you have taken River to the first world. I have come to take her back."
"Let me think about that…" Jack said. When he was sure several minutes had passed, he shook his head. "Nope, no thanks, no deal." Heru-ur's eyes glowed at these words.
"You will give her back to me, because if you do not, I will destroy your planet." Jack's eye twitched when he said this. It was all he could do not to drop a sarcastic retort.
"What do you want?" Selmak asked.
"I must see her. I require confirmation that she is…undamaged." Selmak held his head high for a moment and nodded motioning for him to wait.
"Uh, Jacob? Have you completely lost your mind?" Jack asked as he followed him to the control room.
"I'm trying to buy us some time Jack. If we make him think we'll make a deal, he'll have to give us time to consider it. That could buy us at least a day." Jacob and Jack now stood before Daniel and River, who was standing beside him. Jack noticed how very small and fragile she looked now, staring towards the Goa'ulds voice.
"River?" Jacob asked tenderly. "We have-"
"I understand General Carter. I am ready." Jacob nodded and walked back toward the gate room. Daniel came too, refusing to let River face him alone. As they stepped down into corridor C3, she leaned towards him and whispered.
"Daniel. I can't do this."
"It's gonna be okay. He's just a hologram, he can't hurt you anymore."
"I know, but I can hear his voice and I can feel him stare down at me."
"I promise, everything's gonna be okay, I won't let him hurt you." With this, Daniel took her hand and squeezed it encouragingly.
"I see you are intact." Heru-ur said coldly as they entered. River raised her eyes to her master and glared horribly up at him. When she did, Daniel felt a surge of energy crawl up his arm; it turned to a deep hatred when it entered his mind.
"You are turning out to be very expensive for a toy that doesn't work half of the time."
"Am I? Forgive me master, for being such a burden. But I must dare to correct you, my lord; I have never been unable to gain information from a prisoner." Heru-ur's eyes flashed angrily.
"You told the Varonians your powers were weak."
"I lied." River said, they were her words, but Daniel was the one speaking them now. Daniel could not move his hand from hers; he was helpless to stop her. Forgive me, Daniel. I must. Heru-ur looked beyond speech.
"Are you surprised my lord?" River asked.
"You didn't know I could that?" Daniel added.
"If you were a God, how could I deceive you so?" Jack finished. River had reached out and grabbed his hand with her own. Jacob stepped away some, Jack and Daniel were beginning to shake.
"Colonel O'Neill? Dr. Jackson?" General Hammond asked over the intercom.
"We need two days to discuss the terms." Selmak said.
"You have one day." Heru-ur replied. Then he looked to River. She let go of Daniel and Jack and stepped forward until she was less than a foot from him.
"I too have a condition, my lord… You can have all of my powers only if you give your word that you will never attack this world."
"Since when does a slave barter with her God?"
"I'm not bartering master, but you know from experience I can not be moved even by torture. You must agree if you wish me to return." Heru-ur bent down to look directly in her eyes.
"I preferred you under torture…I accept your terms. One day." With this, the gate shut down and he was gone.
"Whoa…" Jack said, shaking his head violently. "That was weird." Daniel rubbed his temple and walked up to River. She was looking at the floor. Daniel held her at a distance.
"River? You never told me he-"
"His torture was nothing compared to Nirrti's. In fact I prefer it. Martouf-" River was swaying uneasily, she reached up and massaged her forehead.
"Dr. Frasier!" River had once again collapsed into Daniel's arms.