The Trap
Chapter Three - Underground
By Arrietty
Hegron's fortress was hidden underground, nestled in the foothills of a large mountain. Among the scattered rocks covering the side of the mountain was a cave. Inside, the uneven and rough floor met sloping walls that ran into a high ceiling. There were no obvious seams or cracks to suggest an opening, but upon inspection, the faint outline of a metal ring set into the floor could be seen. It was the only way in or out of Hegron's fortress.
Deep down, many metres below the hard rock floor, the heavy tramping of booted feet reverberated through the many tunnels. Stalactites hung low from the ceiling as the lime slowly dripped onto the waiting stalagmites, making it difficult to walk along the tunnels. Lights were fitted into the crevices high up into the walls. Further underground, a large naquadah generator pumped out the power to keep the tunnels and halls at an ambient temperature.
It was very easy to get lost in the labyrinth of tunnels. Fortunately, the main tunnels were easy to follow, having been worn down over many years from the passage of heavy feet. Right in the heart of the mountain was a large vaulted cavern where the steady dripping of water echoed around the vast space. Stalactites and stalagmites had formed into large glistening pillars that made traversing the cavern floor difficult. Hidden even further in the bowels of the mountain, rushing water could be heard as a large waterfall plunged into the underground river that ran through the heart of the mountain. The surrounding tunnels were slightly cooler than the others with the movement of moist air and a faint rumble of the waterfall could be heard.
Situated amongst the glistening pillars of the large cavern was a smoothed out space known as the Great Hall. The Goa'uld Hegron stood inside, talking quietly to two Jaffa warriors. Their foreheads were not graced with Hegron's emblem, but one was of the Horus guards and the other was of Nirrti.
Raising their right arms across to thump their chests, they replied in unison, "Yes, my lord."
The two Jaffa turned smartly on their heels and marched out of the large cavern.
A minor Goa'uld slowly walked up to Hegron and with his head bowed, stood patiently waiting for orders. Abruptly turning around, Hegron spoke quickly and harshly
"M'llan, bring me the Great Key."
M'llan slowly raised his head and stared at Hegron, revealing the face of Jacob Carter.
"Yes, my lord," he answered and quickly left the great cavern.
Jacob and Selmac knew that soon, Hegron would be able to work out how to access The Chamber. Every day, Hegron would ask for the Great Key, fit it into the lock and try to unlock the hidden chamber. Once he was in The Chamber, Jacob also realised that there would be no stopping Hegron from taking over the universe and destroying all that they hold that is good.
Jacob felt nervous walking around the complex. There was always a chance that some one might recognize him and blow his cover. He had been undercover for two months now and hopefully, he would be able to stay hidden until Hegron managed to get into The Chamber.
Moving into a small room, he pressed the correct buttons to the combination lock that secured the Great Key. Before pulling the vault door open, he heard the satisfying click and clunk as the lock was released. Reaching in, he pulled down a large wooden box. He found it quite heavy, but Selmac was able to help him lift it with ease.
Locking the door behind him, he hurried back the way he had come. Half of him was hoping that Hegron would manage to unlock The Chamber today, so he could destroy the mysterious item hidden within and the other half was hoping that he wouldn't be able to open it. All the time knowing that, as soon as he had destroyed the hidden item, his death would be imminent. He usually didn't go in for suicide missions, especially as he personally would like to live a bit longer. But this time, he believed he would have no choice and to be honest, he had not been aware of how fortified this fortress was until he arrived. There was slim chance that he could escape, but he would never be able to do it alone.
Jack was dreaming and it wasn't pleasant. Baal had captured him and he was being tortured to death and revived in the sarcophagus. Over and over again, so many times that Jack had lost count. Daniel was there and so was Sam. Sam was there, she was there . . . with horror, his eyes flew open and he bolted upright, crashing his forehead into the lid of the sarcophagus. It hurt.
Oh, no . . . it wasn't a dream. It was real. He hadn't escaped; he was still there. Shutting his eyes, he fell back down onto the soft mattress that padded the bottom of the sarcophagus. Any second now, the lid was going to split open and Baal's Jaffa would be there and it would begin again.
He was surrounded by the sickly familiar grinding noise as the offending lid slid open.
Jack O'Neill reluctantly opened his eyes not wanting the cycle to begin again. He was surprised to see an unfamiliar face peering at him from above.
"So, Colonel O'Neill, you decided to grace us with your presence." Jack inwardly cringed as he heard the sneering tone of a Goa'uld voice. "You are quite a legend, I have heard a lot about you, Colonel O'Neill. I don't care about the Tok'ra; it is the Tau'ri I want to know about now. And YOU will tell me, believe me, you will," he repeated and then smirked as two Jaffa reached in and dragged O'Neill out of the sarcophagus. "Put him in the cell with the others and let him think about it."
Not knowing what this Goa'uld wanted him to think about, O'Neill docilely went with the Jaffa. Even if he had tried to escape, he knew it was futile. While being guarded by six large Jaffa, it would be next to impossible to get away.
Jack was disappointed to see the cell he was thrown into was empty. He was so sure that the snakehead had said that he was to be put in with the others. But he couldn't see anyone at first. Then he saw a form lying on the floor at the back of the prison cell. Walking cautiously over to it, he knelt down and turned over the body of Lieutenant Dwight. He had bruises on his face, but other than congealing blood pooled in his ear, there were no other marks that he could see.
Looking around his cell carefully, he searched in vain for any more members of the SGC. He dug through foul straw piled up in a corner, not caring where he stood with bare feet. Unable to find anyone else, he went back to Dwight. He carefully laid him on his back and searched him for anything that he could use. But like Jack, Dwight had been stripped of everything except his trousers and T-shirt. Sitting back on his heels Jack wondered as the Goa'uld had revived him; maybe, just maybe he would revive Dwight too. He immediately discounted that thought as he noticed the colour of Dwight's skin. He probably had been dead for quite a while. If the snakehead had wanted to revive Dwight, he would have done so by now.
With a certainty that depressed him, he knew that this Goa'uld retrieving any information out of him was not going to be pretty.
It wasn't long before two Jaffa came into his cell. They were talking to each other in Goa'uld. Jack recognised a few words. 'Kek', he knew meant death. While one Jaffa pointed his staff weapon towards Jack, the other Jaffa bent down, grabbed Dwight's ankles and dragged his body out of the cell. As the cage door clanged behind them, the one that had been guarding Jack turned back towards him and said in English.
"We forgot one, but apparently you are not to join the dead ones yet."
Jack felt something lurch inside him as he heard the cruel words. One mentioned the word 'Sholva' and 'Kek' and laughed as they left. They were all dead, never to be revived again. Any hope that had dwelt within his heart had now been dashed by these two Jaffa. A great wave of anguish washed over him. No Sam, to come up with a brilliant idea to get him out of this mess. No SG-1, to once again get him out of this situation. Without bothering to see where he was sitting, he slumped down onto a pile of filthy straw. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against the cold, hard stonewall.
The scrape of the prison door opening awoke him. He couldn't believe that he had actually slept. Standing cautiously, he watched as four heavily armed Jaffa stomped inside. What did they think he was going to do? Disarm four Jaffa warriors and make his escape in his weakened condition? Though the sarcophagus had repaired all his injuries, he had not been given any food and water since he had left Earth.
After being taken through a labyrinth of tunnels, he was led into a vast cavern. Jack could feel the anger rising within him, when he saw the evil Goa'uld standing in a clear space amongst the many pillars. Taking a deep breath, he walked as steadily as he could. The Jaffa guards clanking and clomping as they marched on either side of him.
After stopping in front of the Goa'uld, Jack waited with forced patience, knowing what would be next.
"Kneel before your god, Hegron," the first prime commanded, but Jack still resisted even knowing what would happen. With the sound of metal hitting flesh as the staff weapon connected with the backs of his legs, O'Neill sank with a groan to his knees.
"So, Colonel O'Neill. The last of the famous SG-1, soon you will be no more. But first you WILL tell me all that you know."
"Mom always said, never talk to strangers. And seeing as we've never met, you're a stranger," Jack quipped, looking up to meet Hegron in the eye.
"Jaffa!" he ordered.
Immediately, Jack was jabbed by a pain stick right in the middle of his chest. He fell over backwards to the floor screaming in agony. The all-encompassing pain lasted only a few seconds in reality, but seemed to go on forever. When they had stopped, Jack groaned and bit his tongue to prevent a sarcastic response.
"Jaffa!"
The pain stick was again thrust against Jack's chest, this time lasting longer than the first.
"Jaffa!"
Jack tensed again, waiting for the pain to come. He jerked and arched his back against the floor. Bright golden yellow light spewed from his eyes and mouth as the nerves in his body were overloaded once again.
"Well, Colonel, would you like this to stop?" Hegron looked down at the writhing man. "Because it would be very easy, just tell me how to get through your defences on Earth."
Jack could hear the Goa'uld talking, grasping bits and pieces as his hearing wavered. Knowing that Hegron wanted something that Jack was not going to give, he moved his head slowly to one side.
"All right, O'Neill, as you wish. Jaffa!"
Pain exploded throughout his body as a second pain stick touched his body and Jack O'Neill retreated.
Jack was walking down a corridor. It was very long with no end in sight. The dark brown walls were lined with a myriad of coloured doors that stood out in contrast to the dull wall. He reached the first one, it was orange. Opening the door he found himself in the cell where Baal had held him captive. He could see Daniel in there with him, trying to convince him that he too could ascend. Daniel and the room faded from view.
"Jaffa!"
Jack chose a red door this time. His son, Charlie was inside smiling at Jack. "Dad." Charlie delightfully cried out and began to run towards him with his arms open wide. Jack clutched at empty air as he reached out to hug his son.
"Jaffa!"
Jack opened the dark green door. It took him to his cabin beside the tranquil lake, in Northern Minnesota. He was seated on the dock. A fishing rod was firmly clasped in his hand, a cooler at his side. Attaching a worm onto the hook he cast the line, watching it sail over the crystal blue water and land with a plop, making ripples flow out from the float. The lake teemed with fish as they thrashed around fighting to get the bait. Feeling the pull of a bite, he reeled his line in.
"Nooooooooooo!" he screamed seeing larval Goa'uld's hanging off the end of his line.
"O'Neill!"
He could feel someone roughly slapping him on the face forcing him to come around. Opening his eyes blearily, he tried to focus them onto the face of who was calling his name. He saw the gold emblem on the forehead, but with disappointment he found it was not Teal'c's, but the first prime's, of Hegron.
"JAFFA!"
Once again the blinding pain assaulted his whole being.
This time, it was a blue door in the corridor. He pulled it open took a step and ended up in the entry way of his home. As he made his way to the dining room, he saw Major Carter. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, she sat writing a letter at the dining room table.
Smiling, she looked up at him. "Hi, Jack."
Leaving her seat, she walked towards him. As she came closer, he could see the room through her as if she was transparent. Her form then slowly dissolved from sight into nothingness.
With a cry of anguish, he called out Sam's name. The room disappeared from view in a flash.
When Jack came to, he noticed that he was back in his cell. He made the mistake of taking a deep breath and ended up gagging. The smell was horrendous. It was a mixture of death and despair that only went to cement the fact that death was not far away.
Closing his eyes against the filth, all he could see was Sam leaning over him, tears rolling down her cheeks as he had struggled to breathe. Trying to shake the memory from his mind, he looked at the room once again. Going down that road of memories was not an option.
He had to try and escape. Jack knew that the airmen that had fought so valiantly at his side were all dead. He still couldn't get over the fact that he had still been alive when SG-1 had found him. Jack definitely remembered Sam, Teal'c and Daniel in the cell with him before. Not sure of how many other SGC personnel had been included in the search and rescue, he hoped that they had survived and made it back to the gate in time. Dragging himself into a standing position, he started to inspect the wall of his cell, hoping to find someway of escape.
Two hours later and several trips around his cell, Jack was still no closer to finding a way out. He had fruitlessly inspected every nook and cranny of the walls. Plopping himself down on the pile of disgusting straw, he let out an exhausted sigh. Fortunately, the last time they had returned him to the cell, they had given him some bread and water. It had given him some form of energy and had relieved the hunger that gnawed at his innards.
They came again, eventually. The clattering of boots marked their arrival. Jack raised his head when he heard the lock on his door being released. Two Jaffa stepped over the threshold making their way to him, while two others waited outside. They each grabbed an arm and he began to resist. Twisting and kicking trying to loosen their grip. A well placed swipe of a staff weapon behind Jack's ear ended his resistance.
Jack awoke to Hegron's insidious voice in his ear telling him that his life was worthless and that he was going to die. But before that happened, Jack was going to tell Hegron everything he wanted to know.
Realising that he had nothing to lose he couldn't help giving back a caustic reply.
"Oh of course, I will tell you everything. Where to start? Well the sky is blue and the hills are green, but sometimes they look purple in the heat haz--"
Hegron's response was simple.
"Jaffa!"
Jack writhed on the floor in pain as the yellow coloured energy blasted out of his mouth and eyes.
It stopped, the pain ebbing away.
"This is such a cliché! Can't you Snakeheads think of anything new?"
Jack was well aware that he had gone too far this time; knowing that it would get worse.
But to his surprise, Hegron did not respond. Someone had entered the room and was speaking to him. The visitor felt familiar to Jack. A voice that he had heard before, someone that brought safety and security, someone that he liked. Lifting his head from the floor with difficulty, he turned it in the direction of both voices; peering through a pain filled haze. A rising hope began to travel through him, as he looked directly into the eyes of Jacob Carter. But Selmac spoke.
"Who is this, Lord Hegron?"
Walking around Jack's prone body, he answered in a lazy drawl, "This is the Tau'ri leader known as Colonel O'Neill. He has resisted for three days, but not for much longer and then I will know all that he knows." Looking up at Jacob, he gave a smirk as he finished his sentence. "Jaffa, take him away."
Jacob watched as they grabbed Jack by his wrists and dragged him out of the hall down the corridor to his cell. He knew that the tunnel's floor surface was not smooth. It was going to be a very painful journey.
Jacob found that one of the hardest parts to cope with during a mission was to see innocent people tortured and killed. As he pushed open the large wooden doors to the large cavern, he could hear the screaming of one of Hegron's latest victims and he was powerless to help them.
He managed to hide his shock and horror of seeing exactly who was being tortured. Even so, he found himself trembling with anger and sorrow at the sight of Jack's body convulsing on the floor. He cringed inwardly when he heard the familiar sarcastic comment come from Jack, knowing that Hegron would not appreciate it.
"Lord Hegron, I am at your service." Jacob quickly spoke to the Goa'uld, hoping to distract him.
Hegron looked away from Jack and went over to Jacob.
"M'llan. You have come."
"Who is this, Lord Hegron?"
"This is the Tau'ri leader known as Colonel O'Neill. He has resisted for three days, but not for much longer and then I will know all that he knows." Looking up at the Jaffa he ordered. "Take him away."
Glancing at Jacob he smirked. "Come, M'llan, we have business to attend to" and strode out of the hall. Jacob was extremely worried about Jack, but at this time he was unable to do anything for him.
Hegron led the way down another tunnel to a small cave, which had rough walls, hewn out of solid rock. Imbedded into the back of the cave was a large pyramid shaped door with a large star shaped hole in the middle of it. Hegron opened the heavy wooden box that now sat on Jacob's outstretched arms. The power hungry Goa'uld then lifted a large cylinder shaped object that was made out of high grade naquadah, etched with hieroglyphics and strange markings. A smaller piece protruded out of the end of the cylinder. When Hegron lifted it up and fitted it into the star shaped hole in the door, it slid in perfectly, making a clunking sound as something locked inside. Hegron wasted no time and started to push the buttons on the door in a sequence, but nothing worked. Muttering under his breath, he started to punch in another sequence.
Hegron insisted on doing this himself. He could not risk anyone else getting into the locked door before him. For what was behind that door, was something that could make him the most powerful Goa'uld ever.
While Hegron busied himself trying to get through the door, Jacob carefully discussed a way to free Jack with Selmac.
A couple of hours later, Jacob lugged the heavy box back to the vault, another hopeless exercise. He was getting really fed up with taking this box to Hegron, who was unable to use it correctly.
Now, he had to get down to the cell and try to free Jack. He wondered who else was in the cell with him. Maybe Sam was down there. He knew that the cells were uninhabitable and the way that Hegron had been treating Jack, he was sure that he would not survive long. While he walked along the corridor to make his descent into the cells, two Jaffa approached him and spoke with him.
Meanwhile, Jack had recovered as best as he could after what Hegron had done to him. He had renewed hope, because now there was a chance that Jacob could get him out, but he also knew that he had to wait. Otherwise he could ruin any chance that Jacob had of staying covert. Once again, SG-1 came to the forefront of his mind. He missed them all but most of all he missed Sam. And now he had to inform Jacob that his daughter was dead.
Fortunately for Jack, Hegron left him alone that night. But he did hear someone else screaming down the tunnels. He found he could not sleep for fear that Jacob's cover had been blown.
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