ABYDOS—ALTAR ROOM

The room was secluded and chilled, dark and small. The only prominent structure in the room was the altar that took up more than one fourth of the space. It wasn't truly an altar for supplication to the gods so much as it was a place for ritual murder for Ra's entertainment. Many poor souls had been uselessly sacrificed for Ra's amusement, and now it would be utilized again for Apophis' enjoyment. The blood stained stone seemed willing and eager to accept another victim.

Daniel was shoved further into the room. No one spoke a word, but the Jaffa bowed reverently to someone standing in the shadows. Daniel tried to see the person; the figure seemed familiar, one that Daniel was acquainted with … who—

The person turned toward him, eyes glowing as they looked at him -

No.

Daniel couldn't believe it. No matter what his eyes were registering, this was impossible.

It couldn't be!

Daniel stared in sheer disbelief. It had to be a ghost, some kind of apparition in front of him. There, in the altar room dressed in the simple ceremonial burial robe, was Sha'uri—

No, not Sha'uri.

The glowing eyes - it was the Goa'uld.

Amaunet was still alive.

Apophis walked over to Amaunet, reached up and gently caressed her cheek. Daniel watched in stunned silence as that monster that had ripped his family apart touched the cheek that only Daniel had a right to touch. The thought that Apophis was anywhere near his wife made Daniel's skin crawl. It didn't matter that Amaunet was in control. Sha'uri was still there, somewhere. At least, he hoped she was. If she was still alive, then that meant he had another chance to rescue her, but how could she be alive? How? He'd buried her, watched as the sands covered her body. How could it be?

"As you can see, all that was taken from me has been restored." Apophis' voice was smug and arrogant—like always. "The Asgard do have their uses," he said as he pointed toward the diminutive alien.

Daniel stared speechlessly at the Asgard, feeling the betrayal from a being that was supposed to be an ally. He turned his gaze to Amaunet, hoping beyond hope that Sha'uri was somewhere in there, still alive and fighting. Maybe she could influence Amaunet. She'd done it before. "That's impossible. Amaunet's dead. Teal'c killed her. I buried her."

Apophis' laugh was haughty and cruel. "We are gods, Daniel Jackson. Should we not have power over death itself?"

Daniel was disgusted by the arrogant display of false superiority. "You're not a god. You're just a snake inside the body of a scribe. You have no power over anything. You—"

"Silence!" Apophis struck out his hand and fired his personal hand weapon at Daniel. The smile on his face showed everyone he enjoyed watching the sight of Daniel's body being lifted and thrown across the room into the far wall.

The ringing in Daniel's ears didn't block out the conversation in the room. "Do not harm him much, my pharaoh," Amaunet's voice sounded sweetly. "There is no sarcophagus here, and here must be the place for you to take your revenge on these slaves." He saw her gaze track to him, but he saw no hint of Sha'uri in her eyes.

He felt the Jaffa grab him and manhandle back into a standing position, and then noticed that Apophis lowered the hand device. Apophis' voice seemed to claw its way through the dull ringing that was lessening. "Why here, my love? You are most adamant on this point."

Amaunet glanced at Daniel. He knew he was staggering a bit on his feet, barely conscious, but he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing him pass out. He met Amaunet's stare, noticing that her gaze didn't waver from his. For some reason, he held her rapt attention.

Then there was something else… something that Daniel saw … something that Apophis saw. Both saw the longing reflected in her eyes. In a bastardization of Sha'uri's gentle voice, Amaunet declared Daniel's punishment. "This planet was their home. Their strength flows from these sands. To break their spirit, we must destroy their perception of the safety they believe to be here. When they reflect on this planet, they will no longer remember it fondly. It will be the site of their domination by the Goa'uld."

Apophis nodded his agreement. "Very wise," he commented approvingly. "An ingenious method to break their spirits."

Daniel shook his head in an attempt to regain his senses. He was being held in the grip of two Jaffa. Kasuf—no, that wasn't Kasuf. Daniel remembered what Apophis had called him. Varos. He was standing nearby with Ska—no, Klorel. He had to believe that Kasuf and Skaara were helplessly watching but unable to do anything to help him. He knew that both Goa'ulds were watching the goings-on with great delight.

Daniel knew that their hosts held very different opinions, but he could expect no help from them.

"Prepare him," Apophis ordered, "for implantation."

What?

No!

In a burst of panicked energy, Daniel jerked free of the surprised Jaffa, but it was a limited and short-lived victory. An elbow slammed into a Jaffa's pouch put the first Jaffa on the ground. The second grabbed Daniel around the neck and held him in a chokehold. He didn't anticipate any surprises and ignored Daniel's feet. One swift kick from the Tau'ri in a sensitive area, and that Jaffa was down as well.

Two down, two to go.

Unfortunately for Daniel, the element of surprise was now lost. As he was reaching into his jacket for the pistol, the two remaining Jaffa rushed him and tackled him to the ground. With a swift and painful yank, the largest Jaffa ripped off Daniel's jacket while the second tore his t-shirt off him.

"You do have spirit, Daniel Jackson," Apophis lauded over his prisoner. "I will enjoy breaking you."

Daniel struggled harder against the Jaffa, noticing in his peripheral vision that neither the gun nor the GDO had fallen from the jacket. They were stills safely concealed. "I don't think so." He continued to struggle despite the fact that their now-recovered associates joined the two Jaffa holding him. He didn't have a chance.

With a smirk, Apophis stated the obvious. "You will live ten thousand life times as my host, and I will enjoy your suffering every moment."

Daniel glanced at Amaunet and saw her eyes change. For a moment, he believed he was looking into Sha'uri's eyes. He saw confusion, unsteadiness. Was Sha'uri trying to stop Amaunet? "Sha'uri! Bene wa!" There was another brief moment of recognition in her soft brown eyes, only to be replaced with the Goa'uld's cruel soullessness.

~o~o~o~

Amaunet watched silently, her own thoughts were of how she was going to enjoy spending ten thousand life times with her husband's new host. She felt her host try to fight, to surface, and she reveled in the feeling of power suppressing Sha'uri gave her. Death had not tempered the enjoyment of utter domination. She sent very vivid images of what her intentions were to Sha'uri, exactly why she wanted Daniel Jackson as host to her consort.

'What you enjoyed will soon be mine,' Amaunet told her. She smiled at Sha'uri's soundless screams.

Events were moving too slowly for her. "Jaffa!" she ordered. "Your pharaoh ordered you to prepare him for implantation. Do so immediately!"

Amaunet was not surprised to find Sha'uri still fighting. With a brief flash of pain, the symbiote forced Sha'uri into submissive silence. The host had painfully learned not to resist—at least, not to resist much. 'Your husband will submit to our will as you do. You will watch as I gain possession of what I desire.'

Instead of further concerning herself with her host, Amaunet focused her attention on the spectacle before her.

~o~o~o~

Again, Daniel struggled against the Jaffa, but it was pointless. He was lost. One Jaffa slammed Daniel's knee with his pain stick as a means to subdue him. The other clamped his hand over Daniel's mouth to keep him silent, but Daniel bit down hard, drawing blood from the Jaffa's hand. That earned him another hard slap across the face.

Apophis walked over to him, his haughty, arrogant sneer was a window into his thoughts. He grabbed Daniel's chin in one very strong hand. "Yes, I will enjoy your suffering every moment we are joined."

That deserved an answer. Daniel violently wrenched an arm free from the Jaffa's iron grip and slammed his fist into Apophis' jaw with all the force he could muster. The Goa'uld was hardly fazed. He backhanded Daniel again, this time knocking his head against the ground, leaving his senses addled momentarily.

The four Jaffa pinned Daniel to the ground, forcing him to lie spread-eagle on his back on the sandy floor. The one holding his shoulder to the ground also grabbed his head and pressed it back forcefully into the dirt.

"Varos," Apophis called for his Grand Vizier, "I will not have my queen inconvenienced by commanding the Jaffa. This is for our amusement. Take charge of this. I must prepare for the transfer."

~o~o~o~

Taking his responsibility very seriously, Varos ordered, "Do not damage him." His vantage point beside Klorel gave him a perfect view of the proceedings in which to oversee the implantation. "A host must be in an acceptable state when taken by a god. Place the slave on the altar. It is only fitting that he be presented to Apophis in the traditional way."

Loki finally spoke. "Apophis has not subdued him with his hand device. Would that not be advisable?"

"Not any longer," Varos explained. "The device was used on Daniel Jackson earlier. To use it again this soon may damage him beyond the healing powers of the pharaoh, and we do not have a sarcophagus to heal the damage. We will follow the old tradition in this instance."

~o~o~o~

As one, the Jaffa grabbed Daniel and hauled him bodily to the altar. He tried to fight, he tried to twist his way out of their clutches, but the Jaffas' grips were too tight. He could barely move. Two of the Jaffa took a knife from their belts and deftly cut away Daniel's clothes and boots, leaving his physical appearance completely visible to be judged by his captors. After a token scuffle, they wrestled Daniel onto his back on the altar, the rough stone scratching his now bare skin. The restraints that had once held victims on the table had long eroded away, so the Jaffa physically restrained him. One had a vice-like grip on his leg, squeezing it almost to the breaking point. Another held his arm down and had clamped his hand over his mouth. He couldn't move or utter a word. All of his efforts went for nothing. He couldn't free himself.

He could see Amaunet smiling an eager, evil grin as she approached him. It was Amaunet—Sha'uri never held such a contemptible look on her face. The Goa'uld stood before him and ran her hand through his hair, across his forehead, down his chest, his stomach and lower … "Yes, you are still very much as I have seen in my slave's memories," Amaunet whispered to herself. She leaned down and whispered to Daniel, "I have long enjoyed inspecting slaves that would serve me or become hosts." Her hand moved further, touching, exploring … "From the moment I took this slave for my host, I have planned for this moment. I forced Sha'uri to remember you countless times. I felt every time you touched her, every time you were with her. I found much to amuse me during the long days my pharaoh was from my side. Soon, you will belong to my pharaoh and thus to me. You will be mine, and I will find more to amuse me."

Daniel tried to jerk away from her, and the Jaffa tightened the grip on his head and forced it to the altar. "You cannot fight," she said in a low voice, a voice too low for anyone else to hear. "My pharaoh will break you of your insolence. He will take your very essence, subsume you, consume you, control you, take your memories and make you his. Then you will be mine."

"My queen?" Varos calmly called for her attention. "We are ready."

Amaunet stood back and watched.

Held silent and motionless, Daniel heard a sound ….an unusual strangling sound. Then there was a thud, like a body falling to the ground. Daniel forced himself not to think about what he was hearing. He didn't hear the scribe's body fall. He didn't hear the symbiote hissing. He didn't hear Varos move across the room to pick up the symbiote. He didn't see the symbiote in Varos' hands as the Goa'uld laid it on the altar near his feet. He didn't smell the stink of it, like a moldy dead rat? He didn't … no, he felt it. He felt a slick, slimy, slippery, disgusting something crawl up his legs and onto his stomach. The hissing became louder. He tried to move his head but was held down too tightly by the Jaffa. He could move his eyes, though, and what he saw sickened him. The symbiote was moving onto his stomach, curling up, then extending, all the time crawling slowly up toward him, the scales cutting his skin in places, each cut drawing blood that the symbiote crawled slowly through. Damn the snake. Apophis was lingering as long as he could just to make Daniel more scared than he already was. He slowly inched up Daniel's stomach, then his chest, then sat back on his haunches and leaned over Daniel until he was eye to eye with him. For a long moment, human and symbiote stared at each other, neither giving the other any satisfaction. Finally, the symbiote's head dipped a little, and then it turned and screamed at Varos.

"Turn him over," Varos ordered the Jaffa.

As one, the Jaffa flipped Daniel over onto his stomach with him fighting with renewed effort every inch of the way. The Jaffa, each one far stronger alone than most people he had ever encountered, were four strong and determined to please their god. Daniel knew he didn't have a chance, but that didn't mean he would just give up and surrender to his worst enemy.

One of his moves earned one of the Jaffa a bloody nose from a flying elbow, but that was the last true hit Daniel was able to deliver. One of his arms was roughly twisted behind his back, a knee shoved into his lower spine. He barely heard Varos' repeated order to "not damage him!" His head was held down forcibly. He couldn't see what was happening, but he knew. He felt the Jaffa with his knee pressed into his back move away slightly.

Oh, my God, this is really happening! His worst nightmare was coming true, this … he suddenly felt the rock beneath him … no. Not now. The Blood of Sokar was acting true to form, and his skin had become extra sensitive again. This was going to hurt! The slimy symbiote crawled slowly onto Daniel's back, again trying to increase the time to enjoy the fear growing in his new host, casually inched its way into position, reared its head back, and hissed triumphantly at the watching crowd, crowing its victory in a reptilian aria.

The guards tightened their hold on him.

Amaunet smiled.

Varos and Klorel watched.

Daniel didn't breathe.

Apophis struck.

God! It hurt! Daniel felt the symbiote's head dive into the back of his neck, felt muscle, skin and sinew shred and rip apart as it forced an entrance.

And he screamed.

He felt it wriggle its way through the wound slowly, excruciatingly slow, taking its time, moving more violently than necessary, cutting the skin with wiry scales, shredding through the muscles, its tail slapping him as it pushed its way into his neck, increasing the pain of possession as a way of punishing him for defying the Goa'uld.

And screamed.

He felt it start to roughly weave and curl its way around his spinal cord and attach itself to his brain, not caring how many muscles tore and bled. He felt its body contract and release as it moved itself into position.

And screamed.

Then came the force of the connection of the symbiote's mind beginning to overpower his own.

And screamed.

With a mighty effort, he yanked his limbs free from the Jaffa. Rolling to the side, he fell off the altar before anyone could catch him. He clawed at the back of his neck in a vain attempt to remove the symbiote, but it was futile. He didn't even know when he stopped screaming. All he knew was the unending pain, blinding pain … then darkness.

~o~o~o~

Everyone's attention was fully on Apophis. Goa'ulds changed hosts frequently, but pharaohs and queens were more reluctant to change. They, at least, had to keep the illusion of being immortal gods. Their appearance couldn't change very often, so when a ruler took a new host, it was a celebrated event.

In that moment, when Varos looked about the room, he noticed one small change. "Where is the body of the pharaoh's former host?"

All looked, but there was no sign of the scribe's body. Only the imprint of where it had fallen when Apophis abandoned it was visible.

"Jaffa, kree," Varos ordered. "Find it."

The four Jaffa hurried out of the room, leaving the Goa'uld and the Asgard alone with their unconscious master.

Varos had seen many blendings before. They could last from a few seconds to a few hours depending on the strength of host and symbiote, and everyone present was well aware that both Apophis and Daniel Jackson were very strong individuals. They would be there a while. As the Jaffa left to search for the missing body, Varos felt a slight tug on his arm. He looked down to the Asgard.

"I will wait with the Jaffa. The pharaoh and queen must not leave until I can assess her majesty's condition. There may be unforeseen factors caused by the resurrection that I must monitor."

"Of course. Apophis has given orders to attend to you. If we must wait, Apophis will agree."

After Loki left, Varos turned his attention back to his pharaoh and his queen. Amaunet had sat down on the ground, a very unqueenly thing to do, and turned Apophis over onto his back. She seemed to be unconcerned with the blood that covered the pharaoh's back and neck or the fact that it stained her own clothes. With his head in her lap, she used gentle fingers to wipe away the sweat and sand that peppered his face, chest and arms. These were not the actions of a queen. These were the movements of the little slave host.

The newly resurrected queen was being strongly influenced by the human.

Odd, Varos had thought the host completely gone, but if the Asgard could bring back the queen, then surely reviving a mere human was an easy enough task. He had a sudden desire to find a blanket to cover Apophis, to preserve some shred of his dignity as his pharaoh took control of the human and healed the wounds, but quickly realized that it was the concern from his host for the Tau'ri that was clouding his judgment. Even Klorel seemed to be worried but he was only exhibiting the worry his host had been known to express. No, they were feeling their hosts' emotions, even the queen. This would be their downfall.

Varos had considered this before. Taking an entire family as hosts to a royal Goa'uld family would be disastrous.

~o~o~o~

Amaunet swept more grains of sand from Apophis' hair with one hand, the other hand lying still but protectively on her mate's chest. He felt as she had imagined from Sha'uri's memories. So many times in the past, she dragged memories from her host, times of cuddling during the night, Sha'uri's hand lying on her Dan'yel's bare chest, feeling his heart beat and his chest rise and fall with each sleeping breath. "Yes, my pharaoh," Amaunet whispered softly. "Now you have a host that will please us both." She had long endured her host's feelings for this man as well as her own jealousy for the depth of Sha'uri's and Daniel's relationship, both physical and emotional. Sha'uri's feelings would often bleed into Amaunet's perceptions, and Amaunet realized that despite her beliefs to the contrary, she had nothing with Apophis—nothing as strong as the emotions between the two humans. Even their physical relationship was more rewarding than anything Amaunet had ever experienced with either of her mates.

Sha'uri's memories had taunted her. Tenderness, gentleness, all-consuming passion, utter fulfillment, contentment, genuine selfless love …

Amaunet had never personally experienced such feelings, but with both she and her pharaoh now controlling them, the humans' feelings and their abilities would be theirs to explore and enjoy. Their relationship, both emotional and physical, would become deeper and stronger than before—and the helpless hosts would endure it all and enjoy none of it.

"My queen?" Varos kneeled before her. "Allow us to move the pharaoh to the altar. It would be proper—"

"No, Varos," Amaunet quietly continued her ministrations. "My pharaoh will stay as he is. I do not wish to disturb him. Dominating this particular Tau'ri has long been a goal. Moving him at this moment could endanger Apophis' life and interfere with that goal. However, my pharaoh will be pleased that you were concerned with his comfort." In an uncharacteristic move, Amaunet reached out and placed her hand on Varos' arm. "I am grateful for all that you have done for us over the years. Even now, you serve us well." Grateful? Why was Amaunet feeling gratitude? Varos was a servant. Loyal to a fault, yes, but still a servant. It was his position to obey.

"I am here to serve, my lady," Varos bowed his head. "What else may I do for you?"

Amaunet returned her attention to Apophis. "We wish this to be a private victory. You and Klorel should wait with the Jaffa outside. I will call for you when you are needed again. My pharaoh will also wish to have the body of his former host destroyed. It must be found."

Varos bowed and began to walk away, but Klorel didn't like the idea of being dismissed. "My queen," he began.

"Klorel, your father and I have a hatred for this slave that must be satisfied." Amaunet would not be denied her final victory over the irritation she had felt for three years from her host, for her host's refusal to acknowledge her station as a slave, but mostly to satisfy her anger and jealousy over the two humans' relationship.

"I, too, must be satisfied, my queen," Klorel explained. "My host's feelings for this individual caused the near destruction of both myself and my father. The destruction of our ha'taks and the deaths of our Jaffa have greatly diminished our standing within the System Lords."

"His crimes against us are great," Amaunet agreed, "but his punishment will be given by your father. He will force Daniel Jackson to surrender to him. His pain will be unimaginable. You will have your revenge on all the Tau'ri. That I can promise you. We now have access to their knowledge. We will soon destroy them."

Klorel looked down at the man whose head was cradled in the queen's lap. He felt a sudden surge of great compassion and respect … and something more, was that a brotherly bond? … for him, but pushed those feelings back down. Those were his host's, not his. The Tau'ri should not be allowed to live, but as a host, his life would at least have a purpose. A private victory? Yes, Apophis was owed that due to the insolence he had suffered at Daniel Jackson's hands. Klorel would have his revenge later. "Then I will join Varos. We will be near should you need assistance."

Amaunet's attention was completely devoted to her mate. She barely acknowledged Klorel as he left.

~o~o~o~

Sha'uri had been free. She didn't remember much except that she hadn't been scared or in pain, and then she was forced back into that prison she loathed. She had thought she was dead, her last sight was her Dan'yel lying beside her as she told him she loved him one last time, then …

Back. In her prison. In the pain. In the horror that was a host.

She hadn't been able to fight back when she saw her husband brought into the altar room. She could only watch as the demons took him. Now, all she could do was be a mute witness to the demons' evil.

As Amaunet continued tending to Apophis, Sha'uri silently watched through eyes she couldn't control. Apophis was in her husband! Everything Dan'yel knew, every secret he possessed would soon be Apophis' for the taking. Dan'yel was strong, but no one could resist the demons for long. Soon, Earth would be in grave danger. If only she had been able to fight harder! If only Amaunet were still dead.

'But I am very much alive,' she heard Amaunet's voice ring inward, her demonic laugh chilling.'See your husband? He is helpless before my pharaoh. Like you, he will soon learn that he is nothing.'

'….He will fight Apophis. My Dan'yel will not be defeated as easily as a demon …'

'Insolent! You will learn your place!' Amaunet sent fiery pain into Sha'uri whose screams were heard only by her captor while Amaunet continued her ministrations. Nothing had changed. What had happened before was going to happen again. When she had first been possessed by her demon, the pain had been unbearable. She had awakened, held hostage within her own mind, a helpless bystander of all that Amaunet chose to do with her body whether it was to extend her hand to reach for a cup of water or to destroy a life with her personal hand device. She had learned early that any attempt to fight was punished by excruciating pain. She learned to be silent, to not think about all the cruel events she was forced to witness but refused to curl up and die.

She patiently waited for those rare times when Amaunet was sleeping or distracted. During those times, she remembered what there was to live for, and her most powerful memory was her Dan'yel. She could only remember him. She only saw him twice during the first three years of her imprisonment.

Finally, the pain stopped. Sha'uri shrank back into her mind, but not so far that she couldn't see her Dan'yel. For this moment while Amaunet was so distracted with Apophis, touching him, exploring him, she could see her Dan'yel. She had missed gazing into his blue eyes, hearing the sound of his voice and his laughter, feeling his hand in hers. She would only see a shadow of that now. Amaunet and Apophis would talk and laugh and love, and she and her Dan'yel could only watch helplessly, mute and expressionless. They would each see the demons use their hands to destroy. This would be their existence until …

She hated the demons.

~o~o~o~

Varos felt Kasuf's turmoil mirroring his own, only for different reasons. Kasuf believed he had failed his children. Varos believed that the emotions of the hosts would interfere with the Goa'uld's ability to govern. Recent events were unprecedented and foretold of disaster.

'Apophis has succeeded. He will emerge stronger and more powerful than before.'

'….You believe my good son so easily beaten by you? He has destroyed many of your kind. He will destroy— - …'

'Your good son no longer exists. Only Apophis.'

'….The host survives, no matter what you say. I am still here …'

'Do you truly think your daughter is alive? It was the soul of Amaunet that was returned. Even if Sha'uri were alive, it is of no matter. She no longer exists. Daniel Jackson no longer exists, just as you no longer exist. Apophis will show the Tau'ri his place. He enjoys that. If you do not fight me, I will not hurt you. I have better ways to spend my time rather than disciplining a fretful host.'

'….I will fight you. I will not let you harm my children …'

Varos laughed.'You can do nothing. You are nothing. My pharaoh will use Daniel Jackson's knowledge to defeat the Tau'ri.'

'….Believe what you wish. The truth will be far different than what you believe …'

'Do not think so, old man,' Varos taunted him. 'This is the truth.' Varos put Kasuf into more pain than the human had ever known. Unlike other Goa'ulds, he took no delight in tormenting his host. He usually pushed them deep within their minds so he wouldn't be bothered by them. This human would be different. He would not recede quietly into the nothingness.