Cruor

Author's Note

This chapter is a bit longer than the previous one.

Bastet is a minor System Lord who appeared in a couple of episodes. I am just borrowing her for my own purposes. Enjoy.

Before too long, all the injured soldiers were in the infirmary. Jack was being treated for bruises but compared to the others, he was lucky. Many of them had several broken bones and several men hadn't even gained consciousness yet.

"Not that damn penlight! I have bruises on my chest! How will looking into my eyes cure them?"

Jack knew he was unfairly taking his anger on the doctor but she was more then capable of handling it.

Everyone was now in the infirmary, talking things over.

"What do you suggest now after that display, Doctor Jackson?" Hammond asked.

"Well, she didn't actually kill anyone..."

"From what I hear, they would have been killed if they weren't wearing helmets!"

"I wasn't wearing a helmet and I'm not dead," Jack mumbled.

"She didn't throw you half way across the room! What did Major Carter say as she left?"

"Roughly translated, it means 'Your death will be so.' Something like that."

The General sighed. "I think we have to accept that it isn't Major Carter anymore."

"It was for a second. When she stumbled, Sam came back and asked me to kill her."

Everyone looked at the Colonel

"Are you sure Jack? When she fell, I just thought the power she used had worn her out. Maybe she was tricking you."

"How would asking me to kill her be a trick! Anyway, I've worked with Carter too long for me to not know her."

"Is it possible for a host to regain control Teal'c?"

"I have heard such legends when the symbiote is injured…"

"But Hera wasn't injured." Daniel interrupted.

"However, if such a thing is possible, I am certain that Major Carter would be the one to achieve such a task."

"I think we may need the Tok'ra's help with this situation."

"Oh, great!" Jack scoffed. "I can see that conversation. 'Hey Jacob, how are you? By the way, your daughter has a snake in her head!' "

"That's precisely why I'm leaving you to tell him."

Jacob Carter took an hour to arrive and when he did, he knew instantly there was something wrong. No fool, he immediately noticed the absence of his daughter.

"Where's Sam?"

"Um, we went on a mission this morning…" Daniel began.

"She's been Goa'ulded" Jack finished.

To his credit, Jacob stayed calm, although a muscle in his cheek did begin to twitch quite violently.

"By who?"

"Hera."

Once again, they were gathered in the briefing room, where Daniel was giving them some 'brief' information on the Goa'uld.

"Hera was the queen of gods. She was seen as inferior to Zeus and was often punished and humiliated by him. She never forgot a slight or injury against her and delivered terrible punishments to her enemies."

"Ok, thanks for that Danny. Any good news?"

"Well, she did manage to break through; even it was only for a minute."

"Sam took control? How?" Jacob asked desperately.

"We do not know. Hera seemed most shaken by it."

"What do we do now?"

Jacob's head sank and when it rose, his voice was distorted. "Hera wants complete control and she has the power to take it. We must ensure this doesn't happen."

"She'll expect anything we throw at her." Daniel argued.

"So, let's do something she won't expect." Jack said, a vague plan emerging in his mind.

"Like what?"

"Me, Jacob, Danny and T go back there."

"What?" Daniel looked scared to be involved in this crazy idea.

"Maybe we can somehow get through to Carter again. If we cant, it doesn't really matter because she's gonna kill us anyway."

Hammond looked unconvinced at this plan but didn't have any other option. "In the morning, Colonel."

Sam wept bitterly in the small corner of her mind she now occupied. How many of those soldiers had she killed? And the Colonel, was he still alive?

Hera was furious now, at her. Sam hadn't meant to gain control; it had been of much as a surprise to her as it had been to Hera. She had tried to fight the blending but it was fruitless, apart from that five second exception.

When Jack had called her name, a wave of pure emotion had overridden Hera's control and it frightened the parasite. There were certain thoughts, certain memories that the alien wasn't interested in or didn't find important and this was where Sam hid. She had an idea of how she had been able to regain control. The Goa'uld only knew anger and hatred. Seeing Jack had caused feelings of hope to rise up. Sam filed this weapon away from Hera's prying eyes in the hope of one day using it to be free of the monster.

Although Sam didn't have the power, she could still see Hera's thoughts and it sickened her. Scenes of death, torture and carnage floated past her eyes and, worst of all, Sam knew it would happen to the people she cared about.

Hera spent the rest of the day strengthening the defenses and weapons on the planet using her host's expertise. She used a different Jaffa for each different device and slaughtered them when they were done. If nobody knew how the machines worked then nobody could betray her.

Already, Sam had felt the death of countless victims, the blood running thick and warm down her arms. Apparently, Hera preferred the 'up close and personal' approach to murder. It hadn't' been long since she'd been blended but there were hundreds of Jaffa who had heard of Hera's new host and sworn their loyalty to her.

"My lady." Her First Prime Nil'ac came into the room, bowing low. "The System Lords wish to speak to you."

Hera smiled. It was evening now, and she had been expecting this call for a while. She dismissed Nil'ac and activated the communication device on her wall.

"Greetings Hera"

"Bastet."

Looking distinctly uncomfortable was Bastet, a lesser System Lord who wouldn't meet Hera's eyes.

"Are the System Lords scared yet?"

"Of course not! We just wished to reconsider our decision about your position on the council." Bastet protested.

"Don't insult us both. You have heard of my new body and realize the threat I pose. You regret your choice to banish me from the Council."

"No, not at all..."

"You have a planet full of naquadah and strong Jaffa, many of whom have already joined me. I will destroy you Bastet. Of this you have my word."

Hera terminated the link and sat on her throne, debating. Which of her enemies should be first to die? Which planet should be first to fall?