Setting: Between Threads and Avalon, before SG-1 gets split up. Slightly AU because Janet. I refuse to write a fic in which the doctor is not Janet. Otherwise canon. Can follow Red Sky at Night but is not a sequel.
Pairings: Sam/Jack recently established. Possible hints of Daniel/Janet later.
Summary: A routine mission turns sinister for SG-1 while, back at the SGC, Jack awaits an important decision.
Disclaimer: If I owned anything would I be writing fanfic? Yeah, didn't think so. SG-11 (except Lorne, of course) belong to Eisette, who has kindly leant them to me. I guess I do actually own Opis and the Ampelou, but that's it.
A/N: Okay, so I read through this and found some major flaws, hence the rewrite. I promise I'll put the next chapter up at the end of January, because I have exams for the next two weeks. Enjoy!
Chapter 5
The silence in the chamber was almost palpable for a few long seconds, shattered only by another of Opis' giddy, almost childish, laughs. Daniel could actually see Sam's eyes narrowing in hatred.
"Are you sure?" he half-whispered, half-hissed, as Opis looked down at the knife in what looked like bemusement. "She doesn't seem like one so far." His eyes were fixed on the ampelou surrounding them, ready to pounce – metaphorically, at least – should their leader show any sign of distress.
"Positive." The blue eyes were fixed on Opis' face, now watching their conversation with an amused smile. "I can sense the symbiote in her. She's a Goa'uld alright." Sam tried to swallow down the metallic taste on her tongue that always indicated a symbiote was near - sweeter than iron, almost cloying. Janet had said it was a naquadah compound produced when the goa'uld's naquadah-based pheromones got into her system, triggering the gut-feeling she got in the presence of the goa'uld. It was faint, but it was definitely there.
A delicate cough made Daniel look from Sam to Opis again.
"May I explain, Daniel Jackson? I am no more Goa'uld than Colonel Carter is." She smiled a knowing smile. "Though, like her, I am more like a Goa'uld than you are." Her words were carefully phrased, and spoken assuasively as she met Sam's eyes with a placid smile.
Sam's gaze finally broke away from Opis at that, and she turned warily to Daniel, who shrugged.
"Why don't we hear her out?"
"Fine." Sam removed her knife, but didn't lower it, and Opis stepped back gracefully a few steps before pulling the pin out of the bun at the nape of her neck. Golden curls cascaded down her back, and a pale hand swept them aside as she turned her head, revealing a long, thick, white scar at the back of her neck. There was no mistaking the entry scar. It looked like it had been a bad one, too. She sighed a little as she let the wave of golden hair fall back into place, curling gently down a back covered in green silk. Her voice, when she spoke, was calm and soothing, and Daniel felt himself relaxing. Sam found herself gripping her knife harder.
"I was once host to a Goa'uld. She called herself Ops, wife of Saturnus and queen of the Golden Age." There was a faint hint of pride in her voice, and her golden eyes shone with something strange and unrecognisable. "She abandoned me after an enemy left me - us - to die, and found a new host. She didn't even kill me as she left." The pride had been replaced with a distinct fondness, rather than the usual bitterness of a former host, and Daniel's eyebrows raised a fraction in surprise. Sam had also noticed, and frowned at Opis, her delicate brow furrowing as she maintained a steady grip on her knife. This wasn't exactly convincing so far.
"If you're not a host any more, how can I still sense you? There shouldn't be enough naquadah in your blood for that."
Opis sighed, though even her exasperation seemed calm. "I can't explain it fully, Colonel Carter. How can I still sense you?"
"Because you're a goa'uld?" Daniel offered, raising an eyebrow. But his accusation lacked the force it should have, Sam noted. This was beginning to seem familiar.
Opis looked bemused as she smiled at Daniel - as if she found him mildly amusing, like a small child asking a stupid question. Then she turned to Sam to continue, despite the other woman's disbelieving glare.
"I suspect, Colonel Carter, the high levels of naquadah on this planet are enhancing our natural abilities as former hosts to sense the goa'uld. Can you at least accept that possibility?"
Daniel looked at Sam in the way he did when he thought she was wrong, but didn't want to say so. She hated that face. Grudgingly, she lowered her knife to her side at last. Despite the strange gut feeling Sam had about this woman, it was possible. Her usual instinct born from the naquadah in her blood did seem a little weaker than it normally was in the presence of a goa'uld, and Opis hadn't tried to kill them so far... Although she had stunned them and taken them prisoner. Sam spoke with a barely-disguised growl.
"It's possible. We've never seen levels of naquadah this high before." She glanced around to avoid Opis' strangely compelling smile and caught sight of the ampelou surrounding them, who seemed to have relaxed a little - if it were possible to tell whether or not a bundle of vines had relaxed. "So, what about these 'ampelou'? Why do they worship you?"
Opis laughed again, and it was mirrored by the ampelou - strangle crackling noises, like rustling leaves. "They don't worship me. I lead them because they elected me." She turned to walk gracefully back to her seat, green silk swirling around bare feet. Daniel began to follow, maintaining the short distance between them, and Sam drew closer reluctantly. "As for why they accept me into their senate... I can control the lacrima heliandum, as they do." She smiled serenely, apparently content with not elaborating.
Sam looked impatiently to Daniel, who shrugged again, and spoke, irritation tingeing her voice.
"What's lacrima heliandum?"
The voices of ten ampelou echoed in their heads.
"Life."
Opis beamed at the ampelou like a proud mother as Sam and Daniel both flinched at the sudden intrusion into their minds.
"Aren't they wonderful creatures? The lacrima heliandum is almost like... A goddess. Their life-force, and that of the planet." She waved a hand at the lamps. "There's some of it."
"They worship a rock as a goddess? Kind of like a mother goddess... Fascinating." Daniel had recovered from the shock and was now peering at the closest ampelou with renewed interest. Sam frowned - she'd look 10 years older by the time she was finished with this mission. Almost as old as Jack. The thought pushed itself into her brain before she could stop it and the resultant pang of guilt. Occasionally, on harder missions, she missed his comforting presence, and it manifested into bitter thoughts like that. She pushed words out of her mouth in an attempt to distract her brain - which was difficult for her.
"How do you control it, then? It it some kind of device to control them?" Opis laughed. That laugh was getting on Sam's nerves.
"Nothing so sinister. The lacrima heliandum heals." She practically sang the last word, and Sam could see a smile forming on Daniel's face. Honestly! Show a man a pretty blonde. Her mood lightened for a fraction of a second - thankfully Jack was no different - until Opis continued, her smooth voice grating somehow on Sam's nerves. "Why don't I show you? Provided Daniel Jackson remains here." Sam made to protest, but Opis cut her off, momentarily placing a soft hand on Sam's arm in a reassuring, but firm, grip. "The ampelou will not harm him. You have my word and theirs. I'm afraid he cannot come too close to the lacrima heliandum."
"Why not?"
"He does not have the gift you and I do." A charming smile broke up the honeyed words. "I worry that it would be further disrupted if he were in close proximity to it."
"The gift? You mean the naquadah in my blood?" While Jolinar had given Sam some pretty useful knowledge and a built-in goa'uld detector, it was not a gift she'd have chosen, and the sentiment surfaced in her tone. Opis seemed taken aback by her reaction.
"Of course. Even on other planets, without lacrima heliandum, you can control devices a mere human could not."
"A mere human?" Sam could barely keep the snark out of her voice. Daniel intervened, ever the diplomat.
"Uh, weren't you just 'a mere human' once?" Opis' face fell, in a perfect picture of meekness.
"I did not mean to offend, Colonel Carter. I... I promise you will understand when you see the lacrima heliandum. It is truly amazing. Like nothing on Earth. Or anywhere, for that matter." Her change in manner, though sudden, actually seemed pretty convincing now. Maybe she was telling the truth. Being host to a Goa'uld for a long time could make you a little... Odd.
Or maybe she'd just figured out which buttons to press. Either way, it was working; Sam was itching to see what the hell this thing was.
"Daniel?"
He shrugged, dragging his eyes away from Opis' expectant gaze. "I trust them, Sam. They've been pretty civil so far, and it might explain why your goa'uld senses are tingling."
Goa'uld senses. It was like something Jack would say.
"Fine." If only Jack were here.
-/-/-
Jack was not happy. It had been hours and they'd not broken out of the trees. They'd radioed Teal'c to check in, and he'd assured them they were going the right way. That had been an hour ago. He glanced back; there was no sight or sound of Steel, Maycomb, and Teal'c. Behind him, Anders and Lorne were looking as grim as he felt. A spattering of light through the thick branches ahead as he turned a corner appeared just as he was preparing to radio Teal'c and complain that they were lost. Silently, he held up a hand to halt Anders and Lorne, then spoke to Teal'c.
"T, we're near the clearing. Stay hidden unless I give the signal. If we're captured, follow at a safe distance until you reach their settlement, then get back to the Stargate and follow the usual protocol. Give us... Oh, 12 hours?" The casual glance at Anders received an equally casual shrug. "12 hours should do it. Got that?"
"Indeed." The radio static distorted Teal'c's usual reply, but Jack replaced the radio and signalled for Lorne and Anders to follow him into the glade.
Lorne and Anders moved cautiously after him over to the well of amber liquid, glancing around, occasionally meeting the other's eye before casting nervous glances at Jack, who had strode purposefully over once there had been no immediate danger.
"What did T say Daniel did to make them attack?" Jack asked, in a low voice.
"He, uh, he threw a rock in, sir." Lorne supplied, his expression puzzled.
"Let's call that plan B, then." Jack replied, turning to look for any gap in the trees that might indicate a path through to the settlement. He turned to Lorne again as the rustle of a UAV printout being pulled out caught his attention. "How far from the settlement are we, Major?"
"About 5 klicks."
"General," Anders spoke carefully, keeping an eye on the tree-line with the practised air of an experienced soldier. "There are snapped branches on all sides. These creatures must have surrounded them."
"And no sign of a path... Damn." He turned, kicking at some of the longer grass around the edge of the circle surrounding the well, and scoured the ground until he found what he was looking for. "Right. Colonel, Major, turn back and retrieve the others. I'll stay here, try and make a path. Understood?"
"Sir?" Creases had appeared in Anders' forehead at the sudden about-face.
"Problem, Colonel?"
"No sir..." he raised an eyebrow, trying to read Jack's calm expression.
"Good. Off you go, Colonel."
Reluctantly, Anders signalled to Lorne to move out, and Jack shook his head in a chuckle as he watched them leave.
Anders was his friend for a reason, Jack knew. They were similar; both good at their job, both caring for their team like family. Sure Jack was at least ten (he didn't dare think 'nearly twenty') years older than Anders, but they had a lot in common - not least a future that might be brightened a little by loosening-up of the frat regs.
Jack wasn't stupid; he'd seen how Anders had seemed to see her with new eyes after the rumours began flying about her and Lorne, how he began to treat too much like just another brother-in-arms while treating her entirely differently at the same time . Jack knew the signs - though maybe he was just more aware of them than he might otherwise be, due to experiencing them firsthand. Yep, the contents of the envelope now locked securely in his desk drawer would affect a lot of people in the precedent they set - one way or another - and Jack knew his friend well enough to know that Charlie Anders was one of them, even if he didn't realise it himself.
Right now, however, Anders was the voice of reason that would stop him from getting to Carter as soon as possible.
Time for plan B...
Jack almost cracked a grin as he turned and kicked the stone into the pit, watching its progression as it bounced off the walls on its way down before finally splashing into the liquid base – which triggered a tremor that reverberated up through the ground and spread through the trees, so all that could be heard was the rustling of leaves.
-/-/-
As Opis beamed at Sam's acquiescence the walls began to tremble. While Sam's hand went immediately to the M9 bayonet at her hip, and Daniel took a step towards her, Opis simply cocked her head with a sweet smile to the nearest ampelou, who was apparently indiscriminate in whose mind he spoke to, allowing Sam and Daniel to hear the reply to Opis' unspoken question.
"More humans disturb the lacrima heliandum."
The statuesque woman whirled round, green silk flying, to look at Sam – and Sam alone – with a raised eyebrow and an overly wide smile.
"Colonel Carter? The lacrima heliandum is very close to here." Her smile faltered, and changed into a far more genuine and disturbing smile, like that of a preying mantis about to devour its prey, when Sam grabbed her knife and once again held it ready in a fighting stance.
"I don't think so."
"My dear ampelou, would you be so kind as to take that knife away from Colonel Carter?" Daniel stepped forward, arms outstretched in a non-hostile gesture, but a vine shot out from the arm of another ampelou and restrained him, binding him tightly as Sam was disarmed and bound as well. "Thank you." Opis' eyes never once left Sam's steely blue ones, but her tone was much colder when she spoke directly to Sam, whose face was set in what Jack called her 'death glare'.
Opis met her stare, and dismissed it with a smirk that disfigured her beautiful face, twisting her flawless features into a mask of cruelty for one brief moment, before she spoke again, her voice steady and ice-cold.
"They have to be told things very specifically, you know. If I had said 'disarmed' just then, Colonel Carter, you would have found yourself lacking a limb. Or two." She laughed her bubbling laugh again. That, apparently, was genuine. "And, of course, when I heard of your arrival on this planet and instructed the ampelou to 'bring me the humans', well... they left the shol'va, Teal'c, Jaffa as he is." She smiled at the tense glance Daniel and Sam exchanged at that, revealing perfect white teeth. "Yes, I know who you are. The great SG-1, galactic assassins and killers of my kind."
Her voice had taken on a manic edge now, and her eyes were shining with frenzied delight as she moved closer to them, pushing herself almost into them. From the corner of her eye, Sam could see Daniel struggling to break free and having no success. Even if they could shake off these ampelou, God knows how many more would be waiting to recapture them while they attempted to find a way out - if there even was one. The memory of their cell door was all too clear in Sam's mind as she looked around, desperately avoiding Opis' eyes, which bore into her so fiercely she might have been causing real damage. Her tone was fluctuating between seduction and mania, steadily becoming more and more manic.
"They say it took two sets of you to kill Cronus though! That you created artificial copies of yourselves and incited rebellion in the people of Juna! The great SG-1 alone could hardly hope to kill my lord Cronus - of course" a satisfied smile, as she flitted between manic grins and an expression of undisguised hatred "– but your deaths will at least allow me to avenge him fully. You will pay dearly for killing your God..." Opis lowered her voice to a frantic whisper. She spoke so closely to Sam's face that the feel of her breath caused a shiver of disgust to ripple up Sam's spine. Sam struggled to resist the urge to jerk her head back - not that it would have done any good with the tightness of the vines binding her - when Opis spat her final words.
"And for neglecting to kill his queen."
