CHAPTER SIX – CRIMSON MADNESS
Jacob took a deep breath and looked over his shoulder. "We're coming into the planetary system now where Camazotz has her stronghold."
"How long Dad?" Sam asked leaning against the back of her father's seat. She let one thin long-fingered hand touch his shoulder. It was reassuring to have her father with her, though the circumstances were not conducive for daughter-father time. Jacob was a soldier, and Selmak one of the wisest of the Tok'ra, it was good to have both backing them up.
"We got about two hours. I have to keep playing cat-and-mouse with her scout ships. We're going to hide on one of the planet's moons until I can make contact with our operative." Jacob was slipping into combat mode and Selmak was smart enough to let the warrior take command.
Daniel's head lifted up, he adjusted his glasses then began to nervously finger the black cloth around his wrist. There was no pain, he had slept well, and Janet had assured him he was healthy even with the blood loss. She had given him an injection of some special concoction that she assured him would help him. Yet, his thoughts were not on the mission as much as they were on the woman sitting beside of him, Umbra.
"You know when we reach the planet it might be daylight there and..." He began sensing her tense.
"I will be alright Daniel. Though we do not walk in the daylight, for it damages our skin, sometimes irreparably, my people can take short exposure." Umbra smiled at him trying to reassure him and conceal the apprehension that was beginning to grip her. "Daniel, I must fortify myself. It has been many hours since..." Did she have to finish her statement, or did he know what she needed, wanted?
"Let's go back to the cargo area, and you can... you know, fortify yourself." Daniel stumbled with his answer not wanting to state succinctly a description of her needs. Instead he took her by the hand and led her to the most secluded area he could find, away from Major Lawrence and his marines who were attending to their armaments with suspiciously too much intent. The sound of the well-oiled slides of automatic handguns and P-90's seemed to grind through the silence that had been present.
As he sat down on a crate of medical supplies, Daniel began to unwrap the black velvet bandage from his wrist carefully. He was prepared, again, too readily perhaps, to offer it up to Umbra. Inwardly he questioned his motivation, was he just providing her the sustenance she needed or was it the euphoric and erotic experience he was desirous of?
The young woman knelt in front of him and pushed his hands away. Delicately she finished the deed, exposing the two puncture wounds. She made it quick, a lick, a kiss and she was feasting on the ambrosial wine of archeologist blood. The power-of-life, Daniel's blood, was seasoned with the bitterness of sorrow and the honey of hope. This young man had been through many trials yet endured. If these Day Walkers, these Tau'ri, were strong and from the first world she was heartened that one day the Rusno could achieve such greatness with her people at their side. But deeper in her own heart she wanted Daniel to be at her side. Depending on the outcome of this mission she considered asking him to be her mate.
A throaty moan from Daniel brought her back from her thoughts of a future she knew would be denied. Daniel was in the throes of the euphoric arousal that was caused by the anticoagulant released in her saliva, along with its other properties, it produced a near narcotic affect. Umbra detected the light footstep of the Tau'ri medicine woman and realized she had forgotten herself. Had she taken too much for Daniel to recover quickly enough to complete the mission? She fell back from him onto her side, sated and admonishing herself.
Janet stepped over the female vampire, immediately attending to Daniel; blood still dripped freely from the two wounds.
"What have you done to him?" Janet snarled at her.
"Forgive me." Umbra whimpered pulling herself back to her knees and taking Daniel's hand from the woman. Methodically, and yet with a delicate touch she wrapped his wrist and reseated herself at his side. Umbra took Daniel into her arms and laid his head on her voluptuous alabaster mounds of her partially exposed breasts. Daniel curled his arms around her waist like a lover in the afterglow.
"Its okay, Janet. I 'm alright." Daniel muttered in an impotent attempt to reassure the physician. His half-closed eyes were glazed, not in pain but lust and betrayed a slight indifference to her concern, as he savored the remnant of the encounter. Daniel shifted his body so that he could kiss Umbra, oblivious to an all too apparent sign of his arousal. With the deep kiss he tasted his own blood still dewy on her lips.
"For crying out loud," Janet spat as she stalked off in disgust. Her voice was the only sound, for all eyes had been covertly watching the feeding; mesmerized, yet embarrassed, as if they had been caught watching a porn movie.
"I want you." Daniel whispered into Umbra's ear then kissed the throbbing vein in her neck.
Umbra forced him away; she could not trust her pent up passion. Daniel was too easy, too perfect. It would be a shame to see him die.
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The madness was upon him. He remembered water, drowning, and the swirling of white serpents heading towards him, of dying again. There was no memory of waking up in the sarcophagus, or of being dragged back into his cell. There was no voice or sense that he had been invaded by a symbiote, again, not like that time with Hathor. Yet, there was no healing this time; he could feel the rawness of healing flesh in a circle around his neck. There had been a dagger, a sharp pain and then the water. She had cut his throat. At least all of it seemed to be in working order. Jack tried to speak but only a raspy whisper leaked out followed by a near inaudible moaning that seemed to come from deep within his chest.
Jack recognized it, as any wounded animal would recognize its own feral sounds. He tried to remember his service number, but numbers, math were concepts too complex for him now. These things were within the domain of another, but whom? Who was that? His team? What was a team? He could not conjure up faces, or their names; those memories had abandoned him too.
An all too familiar touch made him shy away rather than welcome the sensation. It was at that moment he became aware that he was curled into a near fetal position. The awareness expanded to include a growing symbiosis with the nanocytes that had infected him through the ingestion of Camazotz's blood. It was almost like he could feel each one of them crawling around in his blood stream, seeping into his cells. They itched like microscopic chiggers.
Blood, a hunger for it arose from some dark shadow that seemed to cover any fractal of optimism; dark, ugly and demanding was the new need to feed.
Jack didn't hear the soft yet maniacal laugh, he only heard and sensed the food source that was presented to him, it was the sound of a body slapping limply against the marble floor of his cell. Without a touch he knew the body was still warm, recently killed perhaps by the use of a hand ribbon device for there was no stench of burned flesh as from a staff weapon blast. It was the copper scent of leaking blood that filled his nostrils and exacerbated the hunger. It was dinnertime and someone had ordered take-out on his behalf.
The throat, still radiating some heat, a reminder of stolen life, was soft, the skin pliant to his touch. He dared not open his eyes to witness his act of defilement. The small but scalpel sharp fangs that seemed to have grown over his own incisors tore the flesh of the dead girl's throat. Jack began to drink pulling the body like a leopard would back to his lair, the darkest corner of his cell. Weak, but ravenous for the strength giving blood he cradled the body of the dead woman in his arms as he fed. Once sated he pushed the used carcass away from him like a discarded Styrofoam carton; there was no revulsion or repugnance, there was only acceptance, and there was no more Jack to feel these emotions. Jack had been buried in a feast of blood. That which had once been him, was now a blank slate ready for Camazotz to begin to inscribe her planned destiny for the body of the man who had been repeatedly heralded as a hero, and... her sworn enemy.
Camazotz entered the cell and surveyed her handiwork. She kissed the blood-covered lips. Her new consort allowed her to straddle him; they mated in animal lust. The consummation of their union fertilized another generation of Goa'uld symbiotes in the womb of the queen Goa'uld. Jack was the sire of a new bloodline of his sworn enemy.
The Jaffa turned their backs to the scene of depravity, even with their training and code of obedience the situation had spiraled beyond the limits of their tolerance. Their great g-d had become a horror. Each bore the mark of her feeding, each held her in contempt, yet they could not take the next step, she was their g-d and this is what they had been bred to do. When Camazotz was sated and her victim exhausted into unconsciousness, they chained Jack again to his marble bed, feeling only pity for what they had once known as a formidable adversary, reduced to an honorless end.
In a day he would need to feed again and this time Camazotz would present him with his first live victim, his first kill. Then and only then would she be assured, that there was nothing left of the host.
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Hammond sipped his stale cold coffee as he continued to look at the report sitting in front of him. Janet had been thorough in her medical report from Jack's prior capture with this pseudo-vampire Goa'uld, Camazotz. In addition to the CMO's findings were the findings, recommendations and observations of Nurse O'Connor. Jack O'Neil, while stronger than any man he had fought side-by-side with, was still a man; with all the fragility inherit of being human. He had personally seen the chinks in the armor of the gallant warrior and remembered back to a night on the roof of Jack's house. The sight of the moonlight on the 9mm clutched with white-knuckled hardness, knowing how Jack had meant to use it, still frosted his soul.
They were out there somewhere searching for Jack, coming to his rescue, his team would never let him down; never again leave him behind; Hammond would not allow it, Jack was a friend, a brother, a son to him and the welfare of a member of the Air Force SGC family came first.
There was another bitter reality that he had to consider. Jack captured by a Goa'uld and made a host would be the most dangerous adversary they could face to date. While Jack, himself, would never break; having a symbiote would leave him no choice. Like any secret technology, Jack could not fall into the hands of the enemy and be used against them. He had taken Teal'c aside and given him the cold command that he could entrust to no other. The renegade Jaffa understood and had taken the order stoically, with only a sight raise of one eyebrow and the sadly whispered words, "As it must be." If Jack could not be saved, he was to be eliminated. Internally Hammond wept bitter tears and howled like a madman against the twists of fate; externally he forced himself to move to his coffeemaker. The conflicted general topped off his cup with hot coffee. He had to maintain the appearance of business as usual.
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There was a heaviness that seemed to be holding her down, like soft wet cool cotton hands. There was a scent in the air of burning wood and fresh roasting meat. Hunger arrived before complete awareness; she was ravenous. CJ tried to sit up and open her eyes at the same time but the effort was too great and an onslaught of pain slammed her back onto the bed. She was in a bed, which at least was a good sign.
"Don't try to move too quickly," the voice, which filtered in through the sledgehammer that was pounding on her optic nerve, said in a soft masculine tone.
"Yurik?" CJ Croaked, her throat felt like an electric sander with ten-grit paper had attacked it.
"It is only me, Ivanyn. You are well. You and your two companions have slept for two days. The machine that you called a MALP has spoken with a faceless voice on several occasions. Master Nave has just left moments ago to go report in. I believe that is what he said." Ivanyn helped CJ into a sitting position.
"What the hell happened? There were Goa'uld coming through the gate and then Yurik and... "CJ rubbed her eyes and ran a hand through her unruly curly corn silk hair.
"Yurik brought you here, with your companions. He regrets you witnessed what you did. He was most remorseful. It is the old way..." Ivanyn paused and swallowed hard as if he was unprepared to discuss what had transpired but was fully aware of the details.
"They killed them, it was so..." The memories gushed back into her fogged mind like arterial blood spray, splattering scenes of vampirish carnage against the walls of her eyes. CJ shuddered involuntarily.
Blanney appeared at the doorway shaken and pale, this was first time she had seen the formidable Marine look so weak and scared, like a child.
"Is it night or day?" He asked in a voice that trembled.
"Night is falling again." Ivanyn commented helping CJ to her feet.
"We've got to go with Nave, I don't want him out there alone, with them out there. Lieutenant, get our weapons and I want a P-90 if you have got one to spare." Gathering up her courage and utilizing the adrenalin of fear CJ took Blanney by the arm and let him lead her to their stash of weapons. She may just be a nurse but she was an Air Force Officer, and a military brat. She knew her way around armaments, and she was a crack shot. There was no leaving her fellow officer without backup.
"You want we should carve a couple of stakes before we go?" Blanney tried to crack wise.
"I don't think those things will work unless we run into Bela Lugosi or Boris Karloff and the likelihood of that is say, slim to none." She paused and thought for a moment. "Now, what would Buffy do?"
The two tottered on still wobbly legs out of the village towards the Stargate. Behind them the setting sun had turned the sky a vicious mélange of scarlet and purples.
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Jabril felt the slight twinge of the hidden communicator. He was being contacted by another Tok'ra; it would be the rescue mission he had anticipated. The Tau'ri O'Neill, however, might be too far into the dark embrace of Camazotz. He removed himself from the others who were overseeing the slaves working the mines and fields. Night was crossing the horizon in colors of ebony and purple but soon the twin moons would be up allowing enough light, barely, for the slaves to continue their work. It was not unusual for one of the Jaffa guards to separate and search for slaves who might have tried to wander off thinking darkness would conceal them.
Once in the woods he slipped the communicator from under his armor and sent a quick burst of acknowledgement. He was rewarded with a quick response and a request for coordinates for either a landing or for the party to ring down. He knew a place that was not guarded; a cliff face with spider web veins of naquedah, the presence of the raw alien mineral would block sensors and allow for a small group to be ringed down. But, they would have to wait for a least an hour when the Jaffa and the slaves were fed; again if caught, he could state he was in search of wanderers and potential victims for Camazotz and her unquenchable hunger. It had been nearly a week and his last selection of victims had been drained. The victim's bodies were bloodless carcasses hanging in cells. It was not a great plan but there was no other way he could get a rescue party into Camazotz's keep. He sent the message.
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"Jacob, it is the only way." Daniel was empathic. Sam was standing behind him giving her father one of her looks, both determined and yet hoping for his approval.
"General," Major Lawrence began, still acknowledging Jacob Carter's prior rank in the Air Force, "We have to get someone or 'someone's' inside to assess the Colonel's status. Once we know the situation. If your operative can give us backup, and we have Teal'c here inside in Jaffa armor we can make a surgical extraction. You be ready to use whatever weapons you have. "
"I will be of great assistance, Major Lawrence." It was Umbra who spoke. "My people have ways of not being seen, I will be with Daniel and Samantha every step."
"I don't like it Sam, Daniel, but we have to get him out." Jacob looked at Teal'c who had been more than his usual stoic self. There had been something about Teal'c's demeanor since he had stepped through the Stargate. The old general in him had a glimmering of an idea; while it was cold-blooded, it was a reality and a duty that only one like the Jaffa could carry out. Hammond had given him "the order." If he had been in the position he too would have made the same decision.
Janet was staying behind, with him hoping that the mission was successful and that Jack would be returned to them.
"Get ready to ring down. I can only chance one transport so make sure you have all your equipment." That last part was mostly for the Marines. Indeed they had brought with them boxes of C-4, claymores, and extra automatic weapons with enough ammo to hold off all but Goa'uld gliders. There was one box of rocket launchers and another of missiles. Surgical extraction his ass, there was going to be a firefight and Camazotz's Ha'tak, now grounded as her stronghold, was going to go up in a ball of fire if the Marines had their way. He found himself in a familiar role; he was driving the getaway car.
Somehow the Marines and SG-1, with their vampire, squeezed into the circumference of the ring's confines. With one last look he engaged the rings at the appropriate time.
"G-d help them." He whispered exasperated.
"It might be a good time to start praying Jacob." Janet commented slipping into the co-pilot's seat. Mentally she was running a checklist of her medical supplies. She had a mini Emergency-ICU room ready to assemble. Before she set about the task she prayed more deeply than she had in years.
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Jabril was waiting for them when they ringed down. Daniel was holding Umbra close, the ring device had startled her and she clung to him. The Marines had their weapons ready prepared for anything. The sight of Jabril in full armor, his face was exposed but his staff weapon at the ready caused them to bring their weapons to bear, cocked and on full auto.
"Are you the Tok'ra contact?" Major Lawrence demanded his P-90 pointed directly at the center of the black armor.
"I am Jabril. You are the Tau'ri?" He asked as he lowered his weapon.
Sam took a step out from behind Teal'c ready to answer. Jabril had his staff weapon raised again and went into defensive mode.
"What kind of treachery is this?" He demanded his weapon pointed directly at Sam.
"There is no deceit here," Teal'c imposed his massive body between the weapon and Sam. "Lower your weapon? We have come here to free the Tau'ri O'Neill."
"How can this be, you have the evil one with you?" Jabril refused to lower his weapon again gesturing to Sam. His eyes glowed white and his voice became that of his symbiote.
"What do you mean?' Daniel asked still holding onto Umbra who had remained silent.
"I know what he means." Sam choked out the words, her throat tightening on the reality.
"Her face is that of Camazotz, the evil one, who terrorized my world. This woman is not she." Umbra spoke in a calming whisper. "She is good and friend of the silver-haired one. He was the one who freed my world but suffered greatly by this demon's hand. We have come to repay the debt." Umbra stepped away from Daniel and approached the Tok'ra. Only Jabril saw her eyes glow red and was transfixed by the melodious voice that seemed to hypnotize him. Umbra stood next to him and touched his arm. "You need not fear us, you must help us."
The weapon was slowly and reluctantly lowered as Jabril shook his head and broke eye contact with the beautiful woman.
"What kind of being are you?" He gasped stepping away from her.
"She is a vampire, but no time for a horror movie lesson." Major Lawrence scoffed. "What is the plan? We have got to get O'Neill out of there."
"There is only one way that I can secrete anyone into the keep. Camazotz requires fresh victims. They, who I choose from the slaves, are taken into her domain and there she will feed from them, it is a slow and most hideous way to die. The ones chosen are her playthings; she tortures them. She drinks their blood. She is unmerciful." The disgust in his voice was palatable.
"Well, then I guess we are going inside." It was Daniel who spoke up.
Major Lawrence was about to protest but knew better, this was not the time or place to begin a discussion. Daniel's raised hand stopped him from uttering his objections, besides the effort would be futile and too time consuming. The plan sucked, but it was the plan they had.
"It will be a great triumph for you if you take these two, Daniel Jackson and Samantha Carter. I will accompany you. First I must secure armor." Teal'c knew that his training as a Jaffa and First Prime would help him blend into the Jaffa ranks without suspicion. Having such freedom of movement was necessary if he were forced to carry out Hammond's orders. By his hand, and his hand alone, would O'Neill die if he were found to be beyond saving. His friend deserved a swift painless death with honor if possible.
"We must go soon before it is too late. There is a symbiote that is quickly becoming ready for a host. It is her intention to implant it in your man. He is to become her consort. "Jabril knew the announcement was hard for the Tau'ri to take, but they had not witnessed the torment that the man had been put through. It was unlikely that even the strongest of Tok'ra could have withstood the level of abuse that the silver-haired Tau'ri had endured.
It had only been hours earlier today that he watched the man finally and sadly become broken. "Your warriors must be ready if we can retrieve this man." He left the words, 'If it is not too late,' unspoken. "I will provide you with a communication device that will signal you when to create a diversion. There are many Jaffa among her guard who can no longer stand to see the horrors this Goa'uld has inflicted on the innocent beings she has enslaved. I will gather them; they are ready to desert her. They have not done so yet for it riles against their training. "
"Perhaps, now witnessing these atrocities they will be willing to listen to the voice of truth and know that this Goa'uld is no g-d. I will speak with them when you have gathered them." Teal'c took a deep breath and prepared to continue his mission of freeing the Jaffa.
"I will also accompany Daniel and Samantha." Umbra reiterated. "Was not the plan to involve the Obyri for it takes one vampire to conquer another?" She didn't wait for an answer. "But I will not go as a captive, yet, I will be with you each step."
"How?" Daniel took her by the hand wondering.
"Observe," Umbra took a step into the shadows and seemed to melt into a mist and vanished.
The assembled group looked around anxiously for her, even the lights on their P-90's didn't shine on her. She had simply vanished.
"Here." Umbra stepped out of the shadows some yards away from them. She had willed them to see her again.
"No more time for parlor tricks, we have to get moving, Jack is waiting for us." Sam snapped disconcerted by the Obyri's trick, her scientific mind trying to find an explanation for it.
"But once we are inside can you keep that up or what ever?" Daniel asked Umbra as he touched her shoulder in a way to reassure himself that she was still corporeal.
"Perhaps it is better you not know, Daniel." Umbra's eyes glowed soft burgundy and there was a sad smile on her lips. She touched Daniel's forehead with gentle cool fingertips. "You will only remember what I need you to see." She whispered and Daniel, hypnotized by her eyes, nodded a slack-jawed head in agreement.
Jabril lead the small troupe to an area where had already prepared armor and other weapons. The communication devices were handed out. The small gold disk that was of Tok'ra technology was pressed into Daniel and Sam's temples. Both had endured the devices before. Jabril calibrated them and explained that they could be used as a communication device also. Anything the two spoke could be heard by a receiver that Jabril had implanted in his ear canal. He implanted another into Teal'c.
"So, we have to give you a play-by-play?" Sam asked rubbing the small disc.
"A running commentary would be necessary for us to continue to monitor your situation. You need only whisper, the mechanism is very sensitive."
"Neat." Daniel's remark was sardonic.
Teal'c, now in black Jaffa armor, let Jabril lead them on. Lawrence and his men had their Tok'ra communicators and were making plans to get as close to the grounded mothership as possible to lay their charges. They were going to make every attempt to blow the damn thing up. Weak spots were known, and from what they had already gleaned Camazotz had grown complacent, too secure in her power.
Daniel and Sam stripped to t-shirts and pants and allowed themselves to become the next meal on legs. When all was ready Jabril lead them back to the slave encampment. Before they entered the clearing, he swung the back end of his staff weapon against Daniel's head, sending him to his knees, a gash along one cheek.
"You must look like you have put up a struggle." He commented and then turned to Sam who immediately put up her fists. She was not going to be sucker punched like Daniel. Instead Jabril took his two bladed Jaffa dagger and sliced a wound over her left bicep. He had noticed she was right handed; the woman would need to have her strong arm uninjured.
Sam didn't cry out, but eyed the Tok'ra evilly; she was beginning to understand why Jack never trusted them.
"We go now." Jabril pushed Daniel ahead, Sam after him. Teal'c looked to Umbra but where she had been standing was now empty, yet he could almost feel her presence next to him; a touch, as light as a butterfly wing brushed his bare hand. It was as if she had known and the act was meant to reassure him.
Several Jaffa turned at the approaching two and let their guard down when they recognized Jabril.
"These are the chosen." Jabril pushed Daniel with his staff weapon as the Jaffa made way for them. Upon seeing Sam there was some confusion.
"Our g-d will allow no one to mock her appearance. This one dares to look like our great Queen." Jabril smoothed it over quickly his explanation seemed logical.
The Jaffa grunted and looked away. Teal'c marked them as recruits to the cause.
The pathway to Camazotz's domain was outlined in decaying bodies and skeletons, the used husks of her hunger. It appeared she was ravenous.
End Chapter Six … tbc Chapter Seven
kd³
6/9/2005 1:53 PM word count 4869