The Daniel Jackson dropped out of hyperspace. Cassandra pinched her eyes shut waiting for her stomach to catch up with her spinning head. This was her first time aboard an Asgard vessel, well any vessel for that matter. Despite being worried to death over the fate of her parents, she was in awe of everything she saw. Nothing, not even the Stargate could compare to being aboard a spaceship surrounded by the vastness of the universe and billions of stars.
She walked forward to stand beside the stoic Teal'c. Together they stared out of the helm's main porthole at the uninhabited water planet with three moons, two of which had rings.
"It is indeed a magnificent sight," said Teal'c.
"Yes." Cassandra smiled. "I so get it."
"Get what?" his brows hiked up his forehead.
"What seduced mom and dad, and why they love outer space. It's so elusive, so beautiful--" she gestured at the immensity before them.
"And treacherous." Teal'c reminded.
"Yeah, that too." She turned into him and her smile panned out.
"Cassandra, O'Neill and Colonel Carter are the two most resilient warriors I know. We will find them alive." He folded his arms around her.
"Yes we will. Um, Teal'c, do you pray?"
"Indeed. Why do you ask?"
"Will you pray for dad and mom?"
"I have already done so." He kissed her forehead.
"Thanks, Uncle T."
"Think nothing of it." He smiled down into her face and then winked which made her laugh softly.
"You spend way too much time with dad."
"Ya think?"
"I do." Another smile warmed her face. "And thanks for reminding me why I love you. So you going to share how Daniel's doing?"
"Of that matter I am uncertain. Doctor Lam is highly qualified and I trust she will—"
"Teal'c, Cassandra O'Neill." Loki turned from the helm's consol. "I have detected the presence of a Goa'uld mothership in this sector. Cassandra, please attempt to contact your parents."
Nodding, she stepped away from Teal'c, closed her eyes and then concentrating on Jack and Sam spoke inside her head. 'Mom? Dad? Can you hear me? It's me, Cass. Please someone answer . . .'
Jack heard his daughter. 'Sunshine? Where are?'
'Dad! I'm with Thor and Teal'c, onboard The Daniel Jackson. And you?'
He tried to answer but someone screamed, called his name. Sam? Then he got nothing but static. A moment later, fighting to regain consciousness, Jack opened his aching eyes to a sight he imagined to never see, Pete Shanahan and Janet Fraiser standing outside the force field with an Asgard. It didn't take him long to realize what had happened.
"Loki?" he asked with a threatening tone.
"It is good to see you alive, O'Neill." The three-foot pasty gray Asgard blinked and held a hand of acknowledgement.
"Why you smarmy slug!" Jack got to his feet and ran toward the force field, but halted just shy of the highly charged invisible shield. "I'm going to smash your brains into so many pieces, that even the Asgard will never be able to glue you back together!"
"Oh dear!" His tiny hands shielding him, Loki took a quick step backward toward the odd couple that laughed at Jack's threat.
"And afterward I'll make chicken out of you smarmy snakes!"
"Do I look worried, old man?" Pete snickered. "And by the way, I'm not a snake."
Jack cursed.
"O'Neill?" McKay called out hoarsely and shoved to his feet. "We still locked up?"
"Yeah." Jack dragged a hand through his hair. "And we've been had by an Ass--gard!"
"No!" Loki shook his skinned head in animated Jack fashion.
"Oh, please." Janet admonished the Asgard, "You better remember that you agreed to my terms." Dressed in an East Indian costume, she turned to the alien and frowned just like Janet.
Jack shut his eyes and slowly peeled them open. Oy! Yep, still looked and talked like doc Fraiser.
"Only if you did not harm the humans." Loki maintained and stared at Jack with his Asgard version of a pleading expression. "You must believe I was forcibly abducted. I had nothing to do with their kidnapping you, Doctor McKay, or Colonel Carter. They made me assist them."
"And just who are 'they', Lantern Jaw?" Jack set his outraged glint on Pete who wore a lazy confident smile he longed to shred into a million pieces.
"We are The TRUST. But then you already knew that," Pete countered.
"Actually no," Jack admitted. "You mean the Goa'uld infested NID TRUST that took over Senator Kinsey among others?"
"Yes, but as I said before, I'm not Goa'uld," Pete strutted forward. "I am a Tau'ri employed by The TRUST."
"A stinking rat traitor." Jack saw Pete's smile falter. "So where's Carter?" he redirected the dialogue.
"She's safe." Pete shrugged. "And will not be injured."
"Forgive me for being a pragmatic skeptic, Shanahan. Prove it! I want to see her now."
"Yeah, me too." Rodney demanded. "And if you've hurt her, I'll single handily ring your —"
Jack sent him a curt stare.
"I mean he'll ring your smarmy neck. Right?" Rodney pressed a smile at Jack who turned back to their abductors.
Deathly silence followed until Rodney cleared his throat. "Now isn't this just cozy?" he perused their kidnappers. And then focused on Janet. "Hey, um, isn't she like dead?" he asked Jack.
"Yes." He nodded. "Very. As in six feet under, pushing up daises." He addressed the Goa'uld. "So let me get this straight," his hands directed traffic. "That body you've taken hostage is in actuality a reproduction of Doc Fraiser's?"
"No. I am Janet, Jack. I'm here to help you—,"
"Ah, cut the bull crap. Janet's dead." He glanced at Loki. "Right?"
"That would depend upon your definition of dead, O'Neill. The Pentagon and General Hammond gave my superior commander Thor Doctor Fraiser's DNA tissue before the interment of her remains, so that we might further our experimentation of cloning humans for the future security of planet Earth." The Asgard stepped closer, his beady eyes rounding up as he lowered his high-pitched voice, "However, Baal and his cohorts have since altered the clones' DNA and their personalities for the worse I fear."
"Oops." Jack felt ill.
"But then you knew that, didn't you, sir." Sam entered the chamber accompanied by two Jaffa.
"Sam?" Relieved to see her, Jack shoved past McKay to face his wife. "You okay?"
"Of course."
That was so not the answer he'd hoped to hear. 'Hey, Sam, forever okay,' he reached out to her in his mind. Nothing. Nada. Zip.
Sam sauntered up to Pete then leaned in and kissed the former police officer. Lantern Jaw kissed her passionately back. Jack had no doubt there was tongue action in that kiss. His mouth unhinged as his stomach knotted and the vein in his forehead popped out.
Rodney gaped then glanced at Jack with his own shocked expression. "Please tell me that's not Samantha?"
"Oh, crap. I hope not." Jack griped and shut his eyes to the sight of Sam kissing another man. Eventually the lovers parted. Sam dismissed Jack's anguished look with one of apathy. "He's a better lover than you, Jack. And did I mention a lot younger, which means more stamina."
"I am sorry, O'Neill." Loki shrugged his shoulder-less frame.
"Aren't we all?" Jack shook off Sam's insult suspecting this wasn't his wife. 'Dear God, don't let this be her.'
Loki continued his act of contrition. "Once again, I've been forced to obey them."
"Have you ever seen that Just Say No commercial?" carped Jack.
As if ashamed the Asgard dropped his head and looked away.
Eyes glowing, Janet laughed and revealed her Goa'uld half. "Ah, it is a pleasure to see you've not lost your smart tongue, O'Neill."
"That's smart lip, sicko." McKay tossed in for good measure.
Jack gave him the, 'shut up,' look.
"Hey, um, I'm feeling ignored." McKay defended. "I mean I'm brilliant and you're well," he waved his hands with distain.
"Far more valuable." The Goa'uld's brown gaze remained fixed on Jack. "I believe I'm to blame for your dislike of scientists, General."
Jack's eyes widened with recognition. "Nirrti, you old snake?"
"I am pleased you remember. You realize I've known you since you were a toddler crawling about on your knees."
"Yes well, you know all about crawling on your belly." He taunted.
"Yes, and I look forward to seeing you in that position again, but for a far different reason." She slithered forward as Janet, and disarmed the force field. Nirrti reached to caress his face.
"I wouldn't do that." He warned with a dark glint and sidestepped her.
"Why? You going to use your Ancient powers and toss me across the room or—," She laughed.
A scream of pain ripped from Jack's lungs as he grabbed his head and toppled to his knees. Tears rolled down his face. In his mind's eye he saw and felt his wife's pain. "Oh, God!" he shouted out as one of Sam's legs was shattered by a blunt instrument.
Nirrti jumped back and raised the force field.
When he opened his eyes Jack was barely aware of McKay lifting him off the floor or the look of surprise on Nirrti's face.
"Wha-at," he breathed out in an agonizing gasp, "Have you done to Carter?"
"I'm here, Scarecrow." Sam came within a foot of the force field and frowned at his behavior.
"No. You're not Carter." He shook his head in denial and gripped McKay's arm. "Shit! They're torturing her!"
Rodney stared at O'Neill's ashen features. He didn't know what was going on, but the General was definitely experiencing some type of telepathic connection with Samantha. "I believe you," he whispered.
"Stop." Jack lunged to his feet as something sharp pierced Sam's right lung. He clutched his chest and he gasped for breath.
"Well, this is interesting." Nirrti looked at Jack then at the clone Samantha who now didn't look very well. "Klorel, what are you feeling?"
"I," the clone's eyes glowed white as the Goa'uld spoke. "Feel nothing," she sighed relief.
"Then I've succeeded. The clone no longer experiences pain or pleasure as its donor." She looked at Pete who had noticeably paled.
"I kissed a Goa'uld?" Pete spit and swiped at his mouth.
"Yes. Meet Klorel, son of Apophis."
"A-a male Goa'uld?" Pete gagged.
Jack sneered.
"Corrections, daughter of Apophis." Klorel's blue eyes flickered with white light.
"Of course." Nirrti nodded, then said to Pete, "And she even fooled you. Just as you believed her exaggeration of what a great lover you are. Speaking as someone familiar with your bedside manner I find you adequate but hardly anything to crow about, Pete Shanahan."
His pale complexion turned crimson with anger. "You promised me you wouldn't harm Sam!" he lunged toward Nirrti.
"Don't!" Nirrti ordered, lifted her ribbon device and aimed at Pete's forehead, bringing him to his knees. Behind her, three Jaffa stepped forward. "You will learn I do not tolerate impertinence from my minions. Besides you did not bring me the one named Cassandra." She lowered her hand and ended the torture that left a suffering Pete curled in a ball gasping for air.
"Klorel?" Jack looked into the clone's glowing eyes.
"Yes. You assumed the Tok'ra had eliminated me after you separated me from my host, Skaara. As you see, I escaped. And for the record I initiated the torture your wife now endures and that will soon kill her."
"You son of a bitch!" Jack threatened.
"Yes, well mother did manage to make the rounds." Klorel chuckled.
"Oh, dear, this has become dreadfully problematical," Loki commented ringing his spiny hands.
"Why am I not surprised?" Perspiration beaded Jack's forehead. In order to do what he needed, he broke his connection with Sam, but not before pleading with her. 'Don't you die on me, Carter? I need you, so does Cass and Charlie. Live, damnit!' Although he heard no reply, Jack sensed she was alive and that was enough incentive. Meanwhile Pete was looking too good.
Nirrti seemed to take this into consideration and poked Pete with her foot. "Be thankful that I like you, Tau'ri." She turned to a guard, "Stop the Carter donor's punishment and bring her to me—breathing."
"Yes, milord." The Jaffa quickly left the chamber.
"No!" Klorel argued. "I want her dead. I want to see the look on his face . . ."
"All in good time." Nirrti huffed. "If you damaged her as well as you said, that will be enough to bring O'Neill to his knees begging."
"Me beg? I don't think so," Jack said as arrogantly as possible.
"Oh, you will beg for me to take you instead and to let her live. But of course there's another option. We could barter."
"Really?" Rodney walked purposely around Jack. "We're always open to options, bartering. Right General?"
"Bud out, McKay!" Jack was close to losing it. "We don't barter with Goa'uld, especially this wacko witch."
"Okay, then." Rodney muttered expletives. "Since you seem to know everything."
"I do?" Jack scrunched his face and then smiled sweetly at the depraved Goa'uld scientist. "So what'd you have in mind?"
Rodney did an eye roll and cursed.
"Give me Cassandra and I'll let you and the Colonel go."
"Excuse me?" Jack snorted. "When hell freezes over."
"You'd be amazed what I can do, O'Neill."
"Excellent. Can you stand on your head, and fart to the Barry Manilow song, Mandy?"
"Jack?" Rodney interrupted. "Maybe you should ease up on the insults."
"Silence! I will deal with you shortly." Nirrti dismissed Rodney like a dog then looked back at Jack. Janet's brown eyes twinkled with amusement.
"Now, O'Neill, have you looked around you?" she goaded. "Does this chamber not look familiar?"
Searching the Goa'ul'd uniform for pockets, he gave a clipped nod. "Oh, yeah, love whatcha done with the place. But you took out the double king size bed, huh?"
"Perhaps I will have reason to put the bed back," she said in a sultry voice.
"In your dreams, bitch." He glanced at Rodney who looked like he was about to wet his pants. Jack whispered, "When I say, 'now', I want you to nab Loki, hit the deck, and tell him to shut his eyes. You do the same."
"Why?" Rodney scowled.
"Because, Doc Brilliant, I don't want you to go blind."
"Oh, well since you put it that way."
"No talking!" Klorel shouted, stepping closer to the force field with a suspicious glint.
"Fine." Jack yelled. "That better?" he'd no sooner spoken than a third clone entered the chamber. "Oh, crap!" He glanced at the man beside him. "I can handle a lot, but two McKays—there aren't enough antacids to fix that." Jack punched his midsection for emphasis.
Rodney's mouth dropped open as he stared at himself.
"Yes, there's not enough room in the universe for two of us, right?" the McKay clone stated sarcastically as it approached and kepi its focus on Rodney. "Do I always look that dense when I'm surprised?"
"Yes." Jack answered, then to Rodney, "Zip it."
The Atlantis scientist closed his mouth and gulped. "Do I really look like I've an extra tire around my waist?"
"Yes." Jack sighed. "Now if we're done admiring ourselves—I'd like to go 'now.'"
Rodney just stood there gaping at his clone.
"Oh for cryin' out loud!" Jack wanted to strangle someone, anyone. Crap, he needed to save Sam! "This is a freaking three ring circus!"
Meanwhile, Nirrti strutted about like proud peacock. "Doctor McKay meet Doctor McKay or should I say, the Goa'uld Zipacna."
"Zipwho?" Rodney balked and looked from one Goa'uld to another and finally at Jack.
Racking his brain, Jack scratched his head then snapped his fingers. "Zippy, you old dog. I knew Teal'c should have snapped your neck back on Tollana."
"No doubt." Zipacna scoffed. "That was his mistake and my good fortune."
"Helloooo!" McKay poked Jack's arm.
"Hey." Jack pulled away and rubbed the bruised limb.
"I'd like an explanation here, General."
"No time."
"Then I'll do the honors," Zipacna gestured, "I was Klorel's--,"
"Defense attorney at Klorel and Skaara's mock trial. I'll fill you in later, Rodney, promise."
"Yeah, right." The scientist snorted.
"Okay then." Jack scrubbed his hands. "On with the light show. Hey, Loki, old buddy, old pal, old chum," Jack addressed the edgy alien. "Why don't you explain why I and Thor shouldn't skin you alive?"
"I already told you," he met Jack's coaxing look, "I was abducted and," stepped within a few within feet of the shimmering blue force field.
"That's far enough." Nirrti ordered the Asgard.
He timidly obeyed and blinked nervously at Jack then Rodney.
"So, tell me, Nirrti, just whatcha got planned for us? Torture us with your sex toys, beer and pizza, what?"
Rodney rolled his eyes.
"Think you can do better?" Jack snorted and wet his pointer finger, then held it up as if testing the direction of the wind. There was no wind.
"Actually—"
"Now!" Jack turned and his hands shot a blinding white light that disarmed the force field.
Rodney dove for Loki and rolled to the deck face down, covering his eyes.
Jack aimed for Nirrti, Klorel, and then Zipacna. They burst into flames and their agonizing wails seared the air.The three Goa'uld floundered in balls of fire. Before he could shot the Jaffa, one guard grazed his left arm with a staff weapon blast.
'Jack?' Sam called out to him.
Feeling her indescribable agony pain fueled Jack's wrath and he fired flames at the retreating guards. On fire the Jaffa fled into the corridor and then flailed about before crumbling into smoldering piles. Meanwhile, Nirrti, Klorel and Zipacna had transformed to ashes.
His rage barely in check Jack turned to incinerate Pete.
"No! Please, don't?" Pete groveled, falling to his knees, crying.
"Give me a reason?" Jack stepped toward him, right hand outstretched, his eyes glowing with the light of the Ancients.
"I-I had no choice. If I hadn't, they'd have killed my wife."
"Wife?"
"Yes. You must believe me, I'm married and—"
"Get up!" Jack ordered the sniveling man who obeyed and backed away.
The stench of burning flesh invaded Jack's nostrils as he stooped and shook Rodney who'd curled up into a trembling ball around Loki.
"C'mon!" Jack ordered, "We gotta find Carter." He glanced at Pete who stared like a frightened rabbit at the floating ashen remains of the Goa'uld.
Meanwhile, Rodney peeled open one eye and looked around him. "Holy smokes, what did you do?"
"If I told you, I'd have to shoot you," Jack drawled and helped Loki to his feet. "You okay, little guy?"
"Yes, I--"
Light flashed and Teal'c materialized a few feet away. Teal'c aimed his staff weapon at the police officer, but addressed Jack, "O'Neill, it is good to see you."
"Likewise, T." Jack cradled his injured arm. "You alone?"
"Indeed. However Cassandra and Thor are onboard The Daniel Jackson." He handed him a Zat then one to Rodney.
"Thanks. But what's Cassandra doing here?"
"It was she who helped locate you and Colonel Carter."
"Of course." Jack realized why he'd heard her. "Is she all right?"
"She is, but understandably concerned. We must leave immediately. Thor had detected an approaching mothership and believes it to be Baal."
Jack nodded and ran for the corridor. "Not until we get Carter."
"Indeed." The Jaffa took up his weapon and they hurried cautiously down the corridor sidestepping the smoldering remains. "You are responsible, O'Neill?" Teal'c's eyebrows shifted.
Jack shrugged.
"Oh, yeah." Rodney did a body shudder. "Way too spooky for me. He makes the Goa'uld and Wrath look like child's play."
"That's because he's an An—" Loki went silent when Jack gave him the evil eye. "Advanced Tau'ri." The Asgard quickly recovered and gulped.
Rodney's eyes rounded as he put two and two together. "Well, I'll be d--"
Suddenly, Pete snatched up a discarded zat'ni'katel, fired at Jack but missed. Teal'c swung out his arm clipping the man full force across the face, then caught the unconscious cop and looked at Jack for direction.
"We need him for Intel."
"He would have killed you, O'Neill."
"Ya think? Bring him."
"As you wish." Teal'c flung Pete over his shoulder.
The sound of marching boots echoed back. Jack signaled everyone to hide behind the corridor's columns and partitions.
Two Jaffa carried Sam on a gurney while another two men flanked them with staff weapons. Jack signaled Teal'c. The Shova nodded, eased Pete to the deck and then allowed the Jaffa with Sam to pass by.
Teal'c called out, "Kree!" then stepped out and shot the two Jaffa, wounding but not killing them.
The remaining Jaffa dropped the gurney and turned to fire. Jack shot his zat, stunning them. "Consider them new recruits for the Free Jaffa, T."
"Indeed." Teal'c smiled, letting down his guard.
Pete snatched Teal'c's zat and fired at Rodney, who shuddered and buckled. Before Pete could turn the zat on anyone else, Jack sent a single bolt of white energy at the man.
"Oww!" Pete was on fire.
"O'Neill!" Teal'c shouted, "You said we need him alive."
Jack indifferently watched the cop screamed and slap at the flames that licked his clothing and face. "Fine! Save him." He hurried toward Sam.
Teal'c pushed Pete to the floor and rolled him, smothering the flames.
Loki slinked out from behind a wall partition and blinked in shock while Teal'c extinguished Pete's burning body. The Asgard asked, "It is over?"
No one answered as Jack went to Sam and hunkered down, checking her pulse. "Oh, God, no!" He stared at her pulverized bleeding face and broken body. "Sam, can you hear me?" He brushed back blood soaked hair from her eyes and pressed another hand to her silent heart. Moments passed as he directed his Ancient healing energy into her.
Her swollen eyelids fluttered and she gasped back to life then slurred, "Ja-ck?"
"Yeah think?" his voice bottomed out but he smiled while tears of relief wet his eyes. "Hang in there, Dorothy." He then called to Teal'c. "T, get us off this Goa'uld cruise ship from Hell."
Knelling over the comatose Pete Shanahan, Teal'c spoke into his COM. "We are ready, Thor."
A second later, twelve shafts of light shot through space and into the Daniel Jackson.
Ten seconds later, a Goa'uld glider launched from Nirrti's mothership.
Fifteen seconds later, Baal's ship came into view and fired at Nirrti's vessel blowing it to kingdom come.
Twenty seconds later, after it's guests were safely onboard, The Daniel Jackson jumped into hyperspace and headed home.