"Jack?" Sam shook her husband soundly.
"Ooow." He gripped his head and squinted up at her. "We gotta stop meeting like this, Dorothy."
"Yes, Scarecrow." She smiled and helped him sit upright. Jack caressed her face, then slid his hands the length of her making sure she was in one piece.
For an unprofessional moment Sam leaned into him and shuddered, but this wasn't sexual, this was fear. He murmured in her ear, "Hey, we'll get out of this, Hon, believe me."
"You two are sick," said Rodney while he shoved to his feet.
"What?" Jack rolled his aching shoulders and looked curiously at the scientist.
"Spare me a show and tell of your kinky love life, General."
"Get your head out of the gutter, McKay." Jack shot to his feet and lorded over the man. "Or would you rather I shove your self-glorified brains further up your--?"
"Jack?" Sam implored calmly. "We've got bigger problems." She motioned to the opening door of the chamber.
Four Jaffa in diverse uniforms marched in with staff weapons aimed and ready to fire.
Oy! IT NEVER GETS OLD:
"Kel mek, kree tak!" A Jaffa ordered Jack.
"Baal's gofer, right?" Jack indicated the Jaffa's forehead brand.
"It would appear so, sir." Sam shrugged alongside him. "But he's the first of Baal's subordinates I've seen on this ship."
"Well that doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy. Looks like we got a Jaffa smorgasbord."
"And well armed," McKay pointedly reminded.
"Same old, same old," Jack yawned.
"Is he always so recklessly facetious?" Rodney nervously scowled at Sam.
"Yes," she said as Jack's handsome face pinched with confusion. "It means--,"
"Tongue in cheek, Carter." He winked, ignoring Rodney and their hosts. "I know."
"Kree!" The Jaffa jabbed Jack with the butt of his staff weapon.
Jack stifled a grunt of pain. "Yoo hoo to you to, Spanky." Minus his Jaffa bird helmet he adapted his feigned look of ignorant bliss and took a step toward the armed Jaffa. "Say you guys really should touch base in the morning and confirm you're all making the same fashion statement. You look like you shopped at a Star Wars Convention, the only one missing is that little greenish guy, um . . ." He hiked his scared eyebrow at Sam.
"Yoda," she said with a restrained smile.
"Yep, that's the one." He snapped his fingers and walked closer to the head honcho.
"Korush-nai! The angry Jaffa shoved his weapon in Jack's face and the weapon flickered as the guard switched off the safety.
"Step back? Fine. However, I'm all for individuality – expressing oneself." He eased the staff weapon's muzzle from his face.
Despite the seriousness of their situation, Sam muffled a laugh. She loved her husband's comical bravado. Although the pallor on Rodney's face indicated he wasn't confident about Jack's sarcastic wit saving their hides. In all honesty, neither was she.
Another Jaffa entered the chamber and looked them over with distain, before glaring at Jack. "You are the one called, O'Neill?"
"Well I'm called a lot of things, but—" He smiled at Sam, who had donned her military mask, but rolled her eyes.
"My master demands your audience." The Jaffa stated.
"Well, that just peachy. But I didn't get a handwritten invitation . . ."
"Oh, for the love of money, yes, he's O'Neill!" Rodney snarled. "Now can we get past with the modus operandi?"
"You dare interrupt me?" Jack turned his back on the Jaffa and faced the Atlantis scientist and Sam. Jack's hands made deliberate signals Sam knew all too well.
"I dare." Rodney kept up the banter and nodded when he recognized Jack's tactical sign language.
"Why you sniveling piece of . . ." Jack swung around, grabbed the Jaffa's staff weapon and fired, then turned the weapon on the other guard, while Rodney tackled the third but got zatted.
Sam got hold of a staff weapon, only to get kicked in the ribs and fell back hitting her head. Jack felt the next zat blast and toppled to his knees in excruciating pain. Two more Jaffa charged the room. His last thoughts were, he should have used plan B.
FROM ONE SNAKE TO ANOTHER:
Although her vision was blurred Sam eventually came around. Her head felt like a split melon. She hated being on the receiving end of a zat blast.
"That was a stupid thing to do." Janet knelt over her with a cold compress.
"We haven't access to an operational sarcophagus."
"I really don't care." Sam yanked the compress from her hand and shoved back against the ship's wall. "Who are you?"
"Hey, it's me, Janet."
"No, you're not." Sam shoved to upright and skittishly glanced around. "Now where are the General and Doctor McKay?"
"He's alive if that's your concern."
Sam stared at the familiar face. This Janet was definitely flawed. She was the enemy. Sam grit her teeth against the pain and the familiar voice that upturned Sam's logical mind. But then that was no doubt the plan. "Who in hell are you?"
"Sam, it's me!"
"Is it? The Janet I know wouldn't put her friends in harms way."
"Sam, you of all people know that we often do things we detest in order to protect those we love."
"This is different," she argued.
"Really? It's different than when you almost let Cassandra die to save the Stargate or shot Martouf to protect the president and the Tok'ra supreme high councilor? So different from hurting Jack and Cassandra in order to have a life—and almost marry that hokey cop? Or better yet, that for almost eighteen years you conveniently forgot you had conceived and bore a daughter, so you could play alien war games? Or that you tore the sole purpose I had for living on that pathetic planet from my arms - - my sweet Cassandra."
"Enough!" Sam leaped to her feet. "The Janet I knew wouldn't be so heartless."
"Wouldn't she? How often did you ever really talk to me about me, about what I wanted, Sam? Did you know I love Jack? That we were secretly dating before I died?"
"That's a lie."
"Is it? You were so self-absorbed making yourself happy that you failed to notice anything, let alone how often Jack turned to me as a friend and later as a lover. He's the best lay I ever had, Sam. Better than my ex, Daniel, Teal'c, Davis. Did you know I had most of the SGC officers?" She snickered.
Sam gaped at the cruel-mouthed woman strutting before her. This was too surreal. Sam knew that since she'd branded with Jack he couldn't get it on with other women. His experience with Kerry Johnson proved that much. Unless his affair with Janet had happened before they were branded? Dang! Now she doubted her husband. This vile creature appeared to be Janet, except, "Janet wasn't a slut?"
"And how would you know?" She got in Sam's face. "You think that like you I lived my entire life for that hole in a mountain or for the affections of one man who never gave me the time of day except to screw me when he had tried to forget you."
Tears seared Sam's eyes, until she noticed a momentary glow in Janet's brown eyes. Stomping her emotions back in place, Sam quipped, "Or none of the above."
"What does that mean?" Janet clenched her hands at her sides.
Sam took a brave step forward. "That even if Janet slept with the entire SGC, she wouldn't brag about or use it to hurt me. Because one thing I did know about Janet was that her reputation as a dedicated physician and officer meant everything to her. Even if she did indulge in extra curricular activities she would have done so secretively because that was her human nature. But then you're not human are you, Nirrti?"
The Goa'uld's eyes glowed and a cold voice emitted from the clone, "You are truly a genius, Colonel Carter, or is it O'Neill? But how did you know?"
Something of the host remains, Sam thought, please God, let Janet be in there somewhere. She shut her eyes and then opened them. "Last year we encountered a similar situation on Kelowna. A Goa'uld named Seer employed by Baal had a drug that masked the presence of the symbiote. I assume that we have you to thank for that?"
"Of course, Colonel Carter." Nirrti bragged. "You really don't think that I died when that demented fool Woden broke my host's neck, do you?" She stuck her right hand into the lab coat's pocket.
"It was a sweet thought while it lasted." Sam lunged for the unarmed Goa'uld.
Nirrti raised her hand and the attached ribbon device glowed with a powerful ray that slammed Sam into the wall, knocking her unconscious. As she collapsed to the floor, Nirrti approached and snorted, "Perhaps, someday, you will learn I have all the time in your world. And this time, Samantha, I will have what I want, your beloved daughter and husband Jack O'Neill."
Nirrti's First Prime stepped forward. "What would you have me do with her, Mistress?"
"I have what I want from her. Test her physical endurance so we might determine to what degree her Ancient DNA has progressed since being branded to O'Neill. Since the repairs on the sarcophagus are not complete I don't want her to die—yet. But enjoy yourself."
"As you wish." He smiled wickedly.
Nirrti glanced at the blonde woman's unconscious form. For a moment Nirrti struggled with her cloned host, but won out. "Also record the analysis. You can use the blood of Sokar if you like."
"Yes, my Sovereign." The Jaffa ordered his minions to carry Sam away.
Nirrti smiled. At last she would have her revenge on SG-1 and above all, she would have the desire of her heart, Jack O'Neill.
SGC:
Cassandra paced General Landry's office that was manned by two SF's at each door, for her protection, she'd been told. Well, she'd been here too long without explanation, let alone any contact with her parents. One minute she'd been at a girlfriend's sleepover, then next four SF's showed up and escorted her here, yesterday. Most of her time had been spent alone in her father's former quarters. She'd been livid and demanded to speak with Daniel. Eventually Teal'c showed to comfort her and said he'd find out what he could. He never returned.
"I'm glad to see you safe, Ms O'Neill," Landry said from the corridor's doorway then to the guards, "Dismissed."
The airmen saluted and obeyed. The general shut the door and turned to face her with a troubled look.
"For crying out loud, General, why am I here and where's Jack and Sam?"
"You better sit down," Landry no sooner said when someone knocked on the corridor door.
"Enter," he gruffly ordered as he walked toward Cassandra.
General Hammond dressed in civvies stepped inside and shut the door.
"Uncle George?" She ran over as he opened his arms for her.
"It's okay, child," he soothed her rubbing her tensed back. "I'm here."
"Where's mom and dad?" she asked softly, assuming Landry didn't know the truth, then pulled back, fighting the tears she'd been restraining.
"We don't know. We're hoping you could help us," said George.
"I've been trying to contact them," she lowered her voice and glanced at Landry then at George who gave her a smile of encouragement.
"Hank's a friend of your dad's, Cass. He knows about your conception and your parents' marriage. We can trust him. Actually, he knew where you were and brought you here."
"How?" she looked suspiciously at Landry, who hedged a smile as he sat down in the leather chair.
"Um, per Jack's order, we've had you under surveillance since you returned home, Ms O'Neill."
"Oh, really." She wasn't happy, figuring it had to do with her recent behavior issues.
"Only for your safety. In all honesty, it was just good timing. If you'd been home with your parents you would not be here. Safe."
"Perhaps, but I'd be with them. Now tell me what's going on. Where's Daniel and what happened to Teal'c? He never came back to my quarters."
"That was my decision." Hank explained. "Daniel is um not well."
"No! What's happened?" she paled, fearing her true feeling for Daniel might show.
"I'm afraid I can't divulge that information, except to say we are doing what we can to help him," Landry explained.
"Uncle George?" she pleaded.
"I'm as much in the dark as you, Cass." His right arm tightened around her. "Let's get to the bottom of this shall we, Hank?"
"Of course, General, Ms O'Neill. Your parents vanished from their house. We know it was with an Asgard transport beam, or a facsimile. We've sent word to the Asgard but so far received no response—"
A bright light flashed and Thor appeared in the guest chair. "Good day, General Hammond, General Landry," he stood and turned to face Cass. "And it is always a pleasure to see you, Cassandra Fraiser O'Neill."
"What a relief, Thor!" She left George's arms and went to Thor. "Please, tell us, you know where mom and dad are?"
"I will try. We have located the Goa'uld mothership on the outer perimeter of your galaxy. The Asgard council has concluded, it is imperative that you to come with me, Cassandra O'Neill. You will be safer onboard the Daniel Jackson and with your sensory perception inherited from your parents, we hope to find them."
"Why, what's wrong?"
"Yes, Thor," George stalked forward, "We'd like to know what you found."
"I fear that General O'Neill and Colonel Carter's lives have been compromised by the organization you call The TRUST."
"Damn!" Landry breathed out.
"It is indeed a bad situation." Thor agreed.
"We'll send the Prometheus." Landry nodded to George's affirming look.
"They will arrive too late."
"For what?"
"I regret to inform you that the Asgard Council has kept pertinent Intel from you. Last year our foremost Asgard scientist Loki was abducted by Baal."
"Oh, hell!" George gripped.
"My exact sentiments, General." Thor sighed.
"We haven't heard from Baal since we defeated Anubis," said Landry.
"I assure you he is quite alive, General Landry. Since he abducted Loki, we have tried to locate him but until today with no success. Needless to say the cloning knowledge Loki possesses will prove dangerous in Goa'uld hands."
"That's an understatement," George muttered.
"However, twelve hours ago a Goa'uld Al'kesh appeared for exactly fifteen Earth seconds in your atmosphere and--,"
"We know." Landry interrupted, "But before we could track the ship, it entered hyper drive and went off the screen."
"Time out!" Cassandra waved her hands. "You're all telling me, that Baal abducted my parents and you've no idea where they are?"
"That is correct, Cassandra O'Neill." Thor's dark eyes repeatedly blinked. "And I fear you are the only person who can locate them before Baal has his way with them. No doubt he knows of their progressive evolution into Ancients, especially Jack."
Landry raised a hand. "Excuse me, but I seem to be missing something. What do you mean she has a inherited a sensory perception from Jack and Samantha and that he's an Ancient?"
"We really must leave," Thor looked at Cassandra.
"Not without Teal'c." She folded her arms to her chest and stared mulishly at the Asgard.
"You are indeed an O'Neill," said Thor and they vanished.
"For the love of mercy! General Hammond, please explain what's happening here?" Landry asked in frustration.
"Sure. Have a seat, Hank." George directed him to one of the guest chairs.
Hank gawked at his commander but obeyed. George walked around the mahogany desk and eased into the large leather chair, trailing his hands up and down the arms as if petting an affectionate dog.
"I really miss this chair," he said in his Texan drawl and recalled his ongoing game of musical chairs with Jack. His lips twitched with a smirk.
"Sir?" Hank's patience thinned.
"Certainly, son." George smiled. "It all started in a galaxy far, far away—."
The office door open as Cameron bolted inside waving his hands. "Sirs, you're never going to believe what happened. Teal'c just got beamed out of the infirmary!"