He would have preferred it if his sight wasn't so blurry from exhaustion, lens still perched firmly on his nose or not. The box that the three girls toted in at Teknet's behest was large and heavy and covered with Goa'uld writing. If Daniel had been closer, he would have tried to decipher the lettering, never mind how tired he was. It called to him like a flame called to a moth.

Though he was still too close to Teknet by half a league. The Goa'uld had shepherded the group into a cavernous area of the rock face that had probably served Teknet as his throne room several millennia ago when he ruled this parcel of land. That time had long passed, and the furniture he left behind showed the neglect. Shreds of cloth had deteriorated into strands of dirt, and one arm of the carven chair that Teknet pounced on delightedly had fallen off sometime last century. Large chiseled boulders served as chairs and tables for the rest of his followers. A number of jewels hung on tattered strings in one corner were all that was left of the necklaces and bracelets that Teknet had extorted from his ancient followers. There were chiseled out holds for torches, and Teknet used these as he had in the old days. The flames danced and flickered, sending erratic shadows across all the faces.

Daniel coughed, wishing the air wasn't so stale and musty. It had been two days since taking any of Frasier's specially designed anti-histamine cocktail, and the last thing Daniel wanted to add to his misery was sneezing. It lacked elegance to be escaping from a Goa'uld while hacking and wheezing.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

He would put up with the sneezing, though, if only he could get out of here.

Teknet will care for you. Teknet will care for you. Teknet is your god.

No! Daniel ground his wrists into the rocks onto the ground, hoping the pain would help distract him away from the tuvatka're on his head. The damn thing was starting to get hold of his thoughts. It had taken more than a day—had he been in Teknet's clutches that long?—but it was finally getting the upper hand. Daniel didn't have much time. The thought of spending the rest of his days with three giggling twits and a horny snake appealed to him not at all. He looked around: not even any convenient cliff faces to throw himself off of.

Teknet lifted a wide bracelet from the chest. The thing looked old, covered with a green patina. Here and there a speck of bright copper shone through with a symbol that Daniel couldn't quite make out. "Come to me, GinnyJones," Teknet intoned. "Come to your god."

Daniel stared in horror as one of the girls detached herself from the group and knelt before the Goa'uld, her eyes shining.

Teknet is your god. Teknet will care for you.

"You're really cool, lord," she said, looking up at him. "You honor me."

"Yes," Teknet agreed, "I do." He took her gently by the chin, lifting her head. "I shall make you my First Prime, to follow no other but me. I give you this honor as a great gift." He clasped the bracelet over her forearm.

Ginny gasped in sudden pain and doubled over. "Shit!" she screamed. She sank to the cold stone floor, writhing in agony.

Teknet was unperturbed. "The discomfort will cease, First Prime," he said.

First Prime? Daniel had never heard of a woman First Prime. Women were by no means second class citizens among the Jaffa, but a Goa'uld would look for size and strength, and this little runaway possessed neither. What was Teknet thinking?

Whatever it was, Teknet knew his technology. Ginny sat up, the tears forgotten, the pain gone and a sudden smile on her face. She held up her arm with the copper bracelet and admired it. "Wow! Lord! This is way cool! I'm gonna enjoy this thing."

"As you should," Teknet agreed. "You shall be the First among the Three." Daniel could even hear the capitals when the Goa'uld spoke. "Let your sisters approach."

Not good. Teknet bestowed similar bracelets upon the other two runaways, clasping each around a skinny arm with the same ceremony that Ginny had received. Neither one hesitated, even when the pain began. It was over in minutes.

Teknet is your god. Give him thanks and praise.

Give him a swift kick in the butt. But Daniel knew the tuvatka're thoughts were becoming more intrusive. Despairing, he felt the urge to crawl to the Goa'uld's feet and worship him. He stifled it; give in just once and he wasn't certain that he could regain himself. Jack, where are you?

Teknet will care for you. Teknet will save you.

But Teknet hadn't finished with the girls. "Approach me, First Prime," he commanded. He glanced over at Daniel, who recoiled at the naked hunger in the Goa'uld's face. "No, I have not forgotten you, Scribe. Soon it will be your place to pleasure me, though not yet. But for the moment," and again he lifted the chin of the tiny girl kneeling before him, "I burn. Service me, First Prime."

"Yo, lord. I'd like that."

There was something different about Ginny. Daniel struggled to determine what it was. She now moved with more grace, her actions faster than they had been. She spread a meager cloth upon the hard stone surface of the cave before removing her own clothing, and then Daniel saw more clearly what had happened. In moments her skinny arms had grown muscles that a Jaffa woman would have been proud of. They weren't the size of Teal'c's, but with the bracelet to stimulate her reactions, Daniel didn't doubt that the First Prime of Teknet would be able to best the former First Prime of Apophis. Especially with the element of surprise behind her.

And now Teknet had three of them.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is lord of the universe.

"Teknet is my god. Teknet is my god," Daniel repeated obediently, to his horror. "Teknet is my god." He bit his lip. The tuvatka're was winning.

The twisted wires upon his forehead gleamed in triumph.

"How much further, Carter?" O'Neill tried to keep the irritability out of his voice, but he couldn't help feeling that time was running out. It was nearing daybreak, and they still hadn't found Daniel. The archeologist had now been in Teknet's hands for more than thirty-six hours. Who knew what tortures the Goa'uld was putting him through? Teknet wanted his toys, and the fastest way to the treasure was through Daniel.

"I don't know, sir." It wasn't what O'Neill wanted to hear. "I haven't been able to triangulate a signal. I get it in this direction, but when I move the equipment to another location I get no response what so ever." Carter slapped Box 5B petulantly. O'Neill stared; he'd never seen Carter do that. But she shrugged. "Worth a try. It worked on the cordless drill at home."

O'Neill needed answers. He turned to Teal'c.

"The trail leads in this direction, O'Neill," the Jaffa said. "However, I too cannot discern the distance. I can only follow where the footprints lead. But I grow concerned." He pointed to a spot on the sand that looked a bit darker than the rest, although in the dusk of approaching dawn O'Neill couldn't be certain that it wasn't a shadow instead. "Here. This person fell to his knees yet again, and left blood behind. He weakens. The others drag him forth."

"Daniel?"

"Possibly. The evidence is not adequate to say, but it is likely."

O'Neill was getting desperate. The trio from SG-12 was next.

Major Vincent threw up his hands. "Not us, colonel. We're the hired muscle. Just tell us where to go, and who to pound."

But Carter interrupted. "I can't be sure, but I think that the signal's getting stronger." She pointed ahead of them. "There. In that direction."

"Caves," O'Neill noted. "Honkin' big caves." He sighed tiredly. "At least it isn't trees."

There was no ceremony, no foreplay, no ritual. Ginny simply lay herself nakedly on the dirty cloth spread upon the cold cave floor and opened herself to the Teknet, servicing the host to pleasure the Goa'uld within, the others looking on and wondering if they too could get in on the action.

Teknet is my god. Teknet is—

Daniel broke off in fear. The tuvatka're was winning; his mind was giving in to the incessant drone of Teknet's will. He had to get away, to get the Goa'uld device off of his skull.

And this was the time. This was it. They all became involved in Teknet's act, trying their best to enact a scene out of a Bacchanalian orgy. Clothes were flung onto the stone floor, and all three girls went at the Goa'uld, grunting and groaning with an occasional shout punctuating the lusty action. They all ignored the tied-up man in the corner with the brain-washing wires on his head.

Not completely tied up. Daniel's ankles were free, the better to walk across the desert with. The bare soles were burned and sore, but right now that didn't matter. He struggled quietly to his feet.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

Shut up, Daniel told the tuvatka're irritably. It's now or never. He inched his way to the wall, feeling behind him with benumbed hands, the sensation dimmed by lack of circulation. He stumbled, righted himself without falling, and continued toward the exit. Behind him the moans and grunts continued. Daniel silently urged them to keep it up. Those bracelets do anything for stamina and endurance?

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

Teknet is my god. Teknet is my—no, he's not!

A pebble dug itself into his foot. He quashed the yelp and held himself still for a long moment, willing the pain to go away before anyone noticed what he was doing, leaning against the wall and trying not to fall over.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

Teknet is a pain in the ass. He grimaced. And that will be literally, if I don't get out of here. One step, one more step, and the exit was his. Another rock knifed into his sole, but the triumph overcame it. He was out of their sight! Three long strides, and he was at the other end of this cave. One more room, three more flickering torches to pass, and he'd be out into the open air. Once there he could rub his head against the rock wall to scrape this damn tuvatka're off of his skull before the thing could addle his thoughts enough to turn Daniel back into Teknet's arms. Then he'd run. It wouldn't matter how badly his feet hurt him as long as they took him away from here. The lusty grunting continued behind him. A long drawn out groan of pleasure followed.

Then an angry shout.

Damn.

Daniel abandoned caution to the wind and ran. Pain lanced through his feet with every step, but he ignored it. He could escape now or start answering to the name of 'Scribe', self-will not included. He flew through the final cavern and out into the open air, dirt and sand scattering in his wake. Never knew how hard it was to run with your hands tied behind your back.

He stumbled out. It was just starting toward dawn, a dark purple on the horizon. East, then. Daniel didn't care which direction as long as it was away from Teknet and his followers.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

Fear made it easy to ignore the tuvatka're, the adrenaline driving the unwanted thoughts from his brain. He faltered as a rock slipped out from underneath his foot. He heard them behind him, didn't dare spend the time looking over his shoulder to see them gaining on him. Escape now!

A tiny hand grabbed his shoulder and wrenched him around. This was the little runaway? It felt like Teal'c—

Ginny flung him effortlessly into the air. He crashed against the rock wall and slid down.

Daniel stared dazedly up at the girl. Ginny spread white teeth. The copper bracelet gleamed in the starlight. Then she lifted him up bodily with one hand and shook him like a terrier with a rat, just to prove that she could. She grinned again, and winked.

"How do you like my new bracelet? A real kick in the pants, isn't it?"

Crap.

Teal'c held up his hand to halt the small band.

O'Neill came up beside the Jaffa. "T?"

"Shouts," the Jaffa reported, "from the cave area."

"Daniel's?"

"I do not believe so. The voices are feminine."

"It could be the runaway, the Jones girl," Vincent offered.

"Or it could be the local girl scout troop on a camp out toasting marshmallows," O'Neill said dryly.

"At this hour? It's four in the morning."

"Okay, so they're having fun in their pajamas. The point is, we don't want to go in and terrify an innocent bunch of civilians. We go slow, figure out just exactly what's there. This is Earth, after all. Got it?" O'Neill divided the group back into its original teams. "Major Vincent, I'll take SG-1 in first. Give us five, then follow and do whatever seems the best idea at the moment."

"Yes, sir."

"Carter, Teal'c, you're with me. Let's take it easy."

"You really think this a girl scout troop, sir?" Carter couldn't keep the incredulity from her voice.

"I've been wrong before, Carter. It'll happen again. But I'd really like to keep the SGC image as good as it can be, and a minute or two to make sure that we're not pulling guns on a bunch of little girls with cookies won't make any difference to Daniel. Flank me. And keep your eyes open." O'Neill pulled out his pistol and started forward.

If he didn't know about the bracelets, Daniel knew about them now. Goa'uld technology had given each girl the strength of ten men, and the speed of a striking cobra. Daniel now knew how the Goa'uld forced their host bodies into such phenomenal feats of strength, but it would do him no good unless he was able to escape and right now that didn't seem like a realistic scenario.

Ginny held him with one arm kinked lazily around his neck, pulling him so far off balance that without her he would have fallen. Daniel didn't bother to struggle. If Ginny couldn't handle him, then the other two surely could. He was finished.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

This was the end. Jack O'Neill wouldn't be coming over the hill on a white steed to rescue him, and there wouldn't be any faithful Jaffa downing his enemies with a single blow. Carter's electronic gizmos hadn't done the trick this time. It was over.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut. "Teknet is my god," he whispered. "Teknet is my god."

He sensed rather than saw the magnificent creature that was his god approach him, and he trembled. Rough hands peeled back his eyelids, and a dark face stared closely at his. Daniel didn't fight him, didn't protest the foul breath coming at him. This was his god, come to gaze upon his worthless servant.

"Now," declared Teknet to his harem. "I must hurry. I must take him now, before his mind is gone entirely. I want him to fight me, to dance under me, to know that his god is all-powerful. Bring him forth!"

Ginny and the other two hauled Daniel's staggering form into the innermost chamber where the torches still burned. A small part of Daniel categorized it as the place of ritual and noted the writing on the cave walls but the rest of him was dead and uninterested. Teknet had no use for that part of his new scribe, so it ceased to matter, ceased to exist for Teknet's servant.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

No! Daniel bit his lip, hoping to drive the thoughts from his head. Teknet is a Goa'uld, and a parasite, and a royal pain in the ass.

Crap. That was so not a good thought.

"There," Teknet pointed out. "That one. That was my table of worship, where many before you came and offered your worthless flesh that I might honor you with my gifts. Place him there, First Prime. Bend him over the table, as was done so long ago." He giggled, and sighed. "It has been such a very long time." He licked his lips. "I burn."

It wasn't a table, but a large boulder that nature had placed inside the cave, worn smooth with centuries of use. Ginny leaned him over the top surface, pinning his hands in front of him so that he couldn't interfere with Teknet's plans. Daniel tried to pull away, and Ginny, giggling like her Goa'uld lord, merely tightened her grip until he thought his wrist bones were about to shatter.

Snap out of it, Jackson. Your body may not be about to die, but your mind sure is. Fight!

Another pulled his legs apart, casually pushing the remaining shreds of clothing down his legs, throwing all modesty to the winds. A slender thread of cool air wafted along to tease his flesh. The position wasn't as bad as he had feared: mankind had grown considerably taller over the last century or two, and Teknet's altar/table was substantially lower than was comfortable for modern man. But the rock was damn cold, and the level of exposure was enough to make his future seem very dim.

Teknet sauntered around to the front to examine him, to enjoy the effect that incarceration was having on his victim. The Goa'uld grasped his hair, pulling Daniel up to see his face. He giggled.

"Go to hell!" Daniel gasped, trying to work up enough spit to throw at his captor. Useless; he was too dehydrated. But it amused Teknet.

"So, my little one isn't finished yet," he crooned, tracing a finger along Daniel's chin. "Soon. Soon. But first you must fight me. I want you to scream my name, to curse me, as I use your flesh for my pleasure."

"I can start the curses right now," Daniel offered sincerely. "Just say the word."

Teknet giggled. "There. I knew you weren't too far gone. Let us begin." He moved back around the boulder, out of Daniel's line of sight. Delicate hands touched Daniel's buttocks, assessing the moments to come. Daniel couldn't help the shudder of fear. Teknet murmured wordlessly in anticipation.

This won't be any worse than a Frasier special, and I've had plenty of those, Daniel told himself. I can take this. I can hang on until help comes. I can fool Teknet into believing—

Daniel bit his lip to keep from yelping as Teknet began his exploration with deceptively gentle hands.

Frasier special. Frasier special.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

Frasier special. This is only a Frasier special. Don't move, don't struggle, don't give Teknet what he wants so that he'll go away and leave me alone. Frustrate the hell out of him. Jack, I could really use a rescue right about now. Any chance of that?

The probing fingers fell away, and Daniel remembered to breathe. That wasn't so bad. I can take that without str—Yow!

The grunt came out unbidden, and Teknet giggled in response. Another grunt followed; there was suddenly some serious pain going on back there under Teknet's newly demanding fingers. Phase Two of Teknet's grand design to make Daniel insane had begun with a vengeance. Daniel tried to pull away, but there was nowhere to go. He was securely held against Teknet's altar by the three Goa'uld enhanced teen-age girls.

"Dance, little one! Dance under my fingers! Fight me!"

Frasier special. Breathe. Don't struggle, you'll only make it worse.

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god! Teknet is your god!

The tuvatka're got louder. He couldn't take it; parts of his body started throbbing in time with the unwanted thoughts being pushed into his brain. Vision wobbled. "Shut up!" Daniel yelled. It was too much; he couldn't fight both the tuvatka're and Teknet's lustful assault at the same time.

"More!" Teknet insisted, giggling. He moved closer, and Daniel could feel the host's own needs rock hard against the back of his thighs. Daniel writhed in terror, helpless to escape from the young girls holding him down, Teknet's caresses becoming more demanding. The Goa'uld was terrifying in his intensity. "More! More! Fight me!"

Teknet is your god. Teknet is your god.

Teknet is my god.

Teknet giggled insanely The tuvatka're pulsated.

Daniel's mind shut down.