EARTH—SGC

Malthus tried a new tact. "General Hammond—" only to be interrupted when Mordecai decided that enough was enough. He demanded to come forward to take over the conversation for his symbiote.

"General Hammond," Mordecai looked appropriately apologetic, "Malthus didn't mean to sound like he didn't care about Doctor Jackson's feelings or the fact that he's only recently lost his wife. He's a scientist, and sometimes he gets very focused on his research. He does understand how hard this has been for Daniel, but the opportunity that's presented itself isn't one that happens often."

"You agree with your symbiote?" General Hammond wanted to know.

"In theory, yes. In practice, in this case, no." Mordecai didn't look at all uncomfortable. And why should he? He'd had to placate many people before. Sometimes Malthus just didn't know how to be sociable.

'….I heard that …'

'I wasn't whispering.' Ignoring further protests from Malthus, Mordecai explained. "What Malthus hasn't explained is the exact procedure used in situations such as this. If after everything is explained to Doctor Jackson and his father-in-law - if they do not wish us to disturb Sha'uri's resting place, then that will be the end of it. However, if they feel that the procedure is not in any way disrespectful to her or disturbing her rest in any way, they may allow us to proceed. All we ask is the opportunity to present our case."

The looks on the Tau'ris' faces weren't quite as angry when Mordecai spoke. Maybe they liked dealing with him more than Malthus. At least he was polite.

Hammond cleared his throat and sat forward a bit. "What exactly is the procedure?"

Mordecai refused to give Malthus permission to surface. They were listening to him. If only Malthus had learned that a little humility goes a long way … "It is not necessary to exhume the body. All we need is an exposed area to retrieve a tissue and blood samples."

"So you're saying that you're not looking to desecrate her remains anymore?" Jack asked, not truly believing this change in attitude.

"No, Colonel. Although the body itself would yield the greatest chance of successful lab results, a genetic sample will be enough for Malthus' needs." Mordecai hoped that he was being a little more reasonable.

"How do you get that without digging her up?" Jack demanded.

Mordecai had thought of that. "We'd have to dig up the grave, Colonel; however, it wouldn't be necessary to completely unbury her. All we need is to uncover an arm or a leg in order to obtain the tissue. I don't know what the Abydonian customs are in such matters—"

"They take death pretty seriously," Jack told him. "They have strict rules against unburying dead bodies. The penalty is death unless it's sanctioned by the Council of Elders."

That was not good news. "Should we bring our request before the Council of Elders?" Mordecai asked.

Hammond told them the truth. "Even if you did, I don't believe that you'd be successful. Doctor Jackson is still a member of the Council. His father-in-law is the Chief Elder. They both firmly believe in following Abydonian law, if not for themselves then for the public in general. No matter how scientifically or militarily advantageous such information would be, the act of retrieving such information would be considered a sacrilegious act. Personally, they wouldn't agree to it. Politically, they can't agree to it."

Mordecai had already guessed that, but Malthus was still holding out some hope that reason and scientific need could sway the Tau'ri and the Abydonians. "But we can ask?" Mordecai said again.

"The general's right," Jack told his guest … guests. "They won't let you near Sha'uri's grave."

"Colonel O'Neill knows the Abydonians far better than I do, sir," Hammond said. "Given his friendship with them, he is far more acquainted with their customs and beliefs. I don't believe that you'll be allowed access to Sha'uri's grave. However, if you feel that you can convince them otherwise, we'll send you to Abydos. No matter what information may be gained from the procedure, I cannot agree with your requests. I can't give the Abydonian Council our endorsement. This will have to be taken solely under consideration of Abydonian law."

'….Does he mean what I think he means, Mordecai? …' Malthus' voice was hopeful.

'He means that no one from Earth will support us. If we go to Abydos, we're on our own, and if the Council of Elders find out that we came here first and no one wanted to help us argue our case, it weakens our position.'

'….But we must try. I won't let this opportunity escape … let me talk to them …'

'All right, but be polite. They're not happy with you at the moment.'

Malthus retook control. "General Hammond, if you would allow us to travel to Abydos, I would appreciate being allowed to present our request to the Council. They may turn us down, but we have to make the effort. Much depends on this. If we only had your agreement that this research has validity, it would carry considerable emphasis with the Abydonian government."

Hammond thought about it for a moment. "Sir, as a general, I have been forced to make decisions that I have loathed to make, some I've greatly regretted. I've given orders that I haven't been proud of that have sent soldiers to their death. The one decision I have the opportunity not to make is one in which I would endorse inflicting more pain on Doctor Jackson and his family. They've been through enough, and I'm ashamed to say that the SGC and myself are somewhat responsible for some of the hardships they've suffered. The last two months would have broken weaker men, not to mention the last three years."

"General Hammond, the Earth/Tok'ra Alliance—"

"Malthus, I cannot in good conscience endorse your research at this time. I believe that I would never be able to endorse it. Doctor Jackson knows me well enough to know that I would never even consider such a request so soon after his wife's death. And since I won't put the weight of the SGC behind your work, I won't allow any of my personnel to advocate it, either. This is a matter that we cannot involve ourselves in."

Jack was the only one to have known Sha'uri for more than a few hours, but it didn't matter. The stories of her courage had led complete strangers to admire her tenacity. She had been a brave woman who had stolen his friend's heart before he even knew Daniel as a friend. To think that this … Tok'ra … was wanting to dig her up just so he could perform some tests on her—it was unthinkable that anyone could be that thoughtless and cruel. Oh, right. Malthus was a Tok'ra. They weren't exactly known for their sensitivity. It was a very good thing that Daniel wasn't there at the moment. If he had been, there was a very good chance that Malthus would have been unconscious. Daniel would have beaten some sense into him, and it couldn't have happened to a more worthy Tok'ra.

"Sir," Jack got his commanding officer's attention, "Daniel won't allow it. Kasuf won't, either. If Malthus goes to Abydos, it's just going to put them through the wringer again. We can't do that to him. Them. Especially with Daniel's health being the way it is right now. We can't be a part of it."

Nodding his head in agreement, Hammond said bluntly, "I think you understand our position, Malthus. No matter what may be gained, the cost is too high for us." And far too high for Daniel Jackson to pay, he thought to himself.

Malthus had expected more from the Tau'ri. After all, they were the ones that were always so eager to kill the Goa'uld, but he couldn't fault them their loyalty to Daniel Jackson and his family. They were only protecting them. "I understand, General. I will not mention the Tau'ri, but I will try to explain my case to the Council. If you'll allow me to gate to Abydos?"

"Sir, do you really think this is a good idea?" Jack asked.

Even if they wouldn't take the chance of angering the Abydonian allies by sending a grave-robbing Tok'ra there, they couldn't afford to anger the Tok'ra either. But … exhuming the grave wasn't the general's decision to make. Turning to Colonel O'Neill, Hammond said, "We can't endorse Malthus' request, but neither can we make decisions for the Abydonian Council. This will be their decision ultimately." Then, to Malthus, "I'll have Sergeant Davis dial up the planet."

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

ABYDOS—ALTAR ROOM

Daniel woke to a deeper darkness than he had ever experienced. He couldn't feel anything or move any of his limbs. He felt numb and listless. Exhaustion seemed to permeate his very bones.

Wait a minute. Wasn't he in pain before?

Oh, yeah. He was. He was hurting a lot. The Blood of Sokar had made it all worse -

'Finally awake, are you?' a strangely familiar voice echoed through him.

Was that a light? Wherever Daniel was, the darkness was starting to dissipate. He could almost see the room he was in. He could definitely see part of the altar. His head was pillowed in Sha'uri's lap. She was gazing down at him, but the look in her eyes didn't seem right. There was an arrogance to her expression that didn't belong there. Daniel tried to reach up to her, but he still couldn't move. He couldn't move at all.

'No, Tau'ri. You are mine to control.' There was that voice again.

His arms and legs moved but not under his power. His body sat up, and the terrible truth was apparent to him. It hadn't been a nightmare. Damn Apophis!

'Know now what I will do to you if you defy me … which I know you will.' Apophis sent wave after wave of pain through Daniel. He could hear his own screams in the silent, unending torment.'And if you don't defy me, I will have my queen place your wife in even more pain than this. You may choose which of you is punished for your insolence.'

Daniel screamed despite the fact he had no voice. Wave after wave, pain upon pain, excruciating, unending torment that ripped through his soul. He could hear Apophis' taunting voice inside his head—his mental voice even altered into a two-tone mockery of what it once was.

'But now, you will be silent and watch. See what is mine and what I do with all that I possess.'

The pain stopped, Daniel sat in an exhausted huddle in the darkness of his mind but could see what was going on around him. He didn't have the strength to fight back. He could only remain silent and watch.

~o~o~o~

Apophis reveled in his victory! With his new hand, he reached up and stroked Amaunet's cheek. It had a familiarity that he had not felt before. It was obviously an action Daniel had performed many times. It was with a devilish glee that Apophis reflected that it was an action Daniel would never perform again. With great anticipation, he sat up and kissed his queen. He could feel Daniel's weak struggles as he tried to break free, to stop Apophis. Apophis sent daggers of pain through his prisoner again. 'You will be silent!'

"My pharaoh," Amaunet repeated the cheek stroking motion. Was she also taunting Sha'uri at their apparent victory? "The implantation is successful?"

Apophis' now blue eyes almost danced at her. "Completely successful, my queen. I have control, and soon I will have the key to destroying the Tau'ri." Apophis stood, admiring his new body. Young, strong, almost healthy and very pleasing to the eye. There seemed to be something else … something in the brain of his new host, some impediment that was very uncomfortable for Apophis. It could be called a rough spot that Apophis could actually feel. No matter. A sarcophagus would correct anything he couldn't. He could see Amaunet gazing over his physique in anticipated eagerness.

"The wounds heal quickly. Does my new host please you, my love?" Apophis asked quickly.

Amaunet reached out and touched her mate's shoulder, her hand trailing her as she walked around him, admiring him from all sides. "Very much, my pharaoh. I believe he is a good choice for a host." With shining eyes, she gazed up at him. "Yes, he pleases me."

Apophis walked around the room as if testing the fit of his new body. "Young, strong." A small frown crossed his face. He placed his hand next to his temple. He could still feel something. There was some physical difference in Jackson's brain, something he'd never sensed before. Could it be the result of their meeting on Netu? "I believe he is still suffering from the Blood of Sokar. I will deal with his ills once we return to the safety of the ha'tak. It will take some time to heal this body."

"A sarcophagus will heal it, will it not?" Amaunet asked as they walked from the room.

"Yes, but the sarcophagus is some days travel from here. It, too, is being repaired. Our empire is in chaos, and we must bring order to it."

"Our order," Amaunet said to herself. She saw a robe lying on the ground. Where had it come from? It was lying where the former host had fallen. Had the Jaffa removed it? She picked it up and helped Apophis don the robe. "This is your former host's royal raiment, but it will suffice for now. It is more dignified than the meager threads your new host was wearing when he came here."

Apophis felt every fiber in the robe scratch his skin. A sarcophagus would heal him soon enough, but until then, he would have to suffer through the physical discomfort. He couldn't show any weakness. Not to his queen, not to his servants. "We must make haste, my love. This planet is not safe for us."

As they hurriedly entered the small hallway, Amaunet called out, "Klorel! Varos! Your pharaoh requires you."

The two Goa'ulds came as they were beckoned, followed by the eight Jaffa that had accompanied them. Sar'ac, the Jaffa that had carried Varos to his new host, was being helped by two of the others. He was weakening rapidly. As one, the Jaffa fell to their knees to pay homage to their Pharaoh and their Queen.

From their subdued vantage points, both Sha'uri and Daniel could see the two other members of their family kneel before them, themselves locked in as impenetrable a prison as they were.

"Father?" Klorel inquired. "The implantation? It is successful?" There was concern in his voice which Apophis had never heard before.

Apophis gazed down at this favorite son and wondered why his feelings for him were much more powerful than before? Pride, yes. Even love. He placed a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. "I am well, Klorel. I have control over Daniel Jackson."

"If I may be so bold to say, my lord, this new host pleases us all," Varos' cruel tones emerged from Kasuf's mouth. "I was concerned that he would be a most difficult one to manage easily."

"I have not yet sifted through his mind, but I do know that his knowledge is quite extensive for one so young. He is stronger than any other host I've possessed. He will be some small challenge for me, but it is a challenge I will enjoy." 'And one my mate will enjoy, as well,' he taunted Daniel again. 'Imagine her host in unmentionable agony if you do not do as I command.' He felt Daniel's anger and gloried in the Tau'ri's frustration. To Varos, he said, "He is the Tau'ri that deciphered the workings of the Chappa'ai and released the Tau'ri plague on us all. Yes, Varos. Knowing I will be his punisher pleases me. The other Tau'ri believe he is aiding the old man with political matters, so he will not be missed for some days. That will assure us the time needed to gather the information to infiltrate the Tau'ri base. I will have dominion over the Earth."

Apophis heard Daniel yelling "No!" Silly Tau'ri. Protesting what the gods deemed fate. 'You shall never speak again, Tau'ri,' Apophis told him. 'You are now host to the most powerful god in existence. You are nothing. Feel that it is so.' Even worse pain tore through Daniel's soul. Apophis was greatly entertained by the novelty of hurting him for enjoyment's sake. His own enjoyment. His inner laugh drowned out the screams until they stopped completely.

Having silenced Daniel temporarily, Apophis turned his mind to other matters. He saw Loki standing in the hallway. He had completely forgotten about the Asgard. "Loki, you have our thanks. Any reward you name will be transported aboard your ship. For what you have returned to us, I owe you some further measure of gratitude. You may ask for any reward you wish."

Loki thought for a moment. "If it pleases Your Majesties, I would like to ask for time to determine the viability of the procedure undertaken by the Queen. As I explained, this procedure has never been performed in such a manner, and I would like to ascertain the complete results. So I ask to travel alongside Your Majesties for several days to study the results."

Amaunet's look of concern couldn't be hidden. Her eyes widened in perceived horror that this could all be temporary. "My pharaoh, please, I do not wish to be parted from you again. Allow the Asgard to stay with us."

"Of course, my queen. Loki," he turned to the Asgard, "you have our permission to do so." Apophis was beginning to feel strange, light-headed and weak. The weakness came on him suddenly. The Blood of Sokar was still in force.

"Then I will return to my own ship and await the time when I may again speak with Your Majesties. There is one further condition I must warn you about. The queen's physical state may be fragile and is questionable. I would advise her not to travel through the Chappa'ai so soon after her resurrection as it could cause harm. Resting on board your ship would be advisable." Loki disappeared in a bright light, leaving the Goa'ulds and the Jaffa alone.

Amaunet took her mate's arm and urged him toward the gate room. "You require rest, my love."

"Yes, although I do not know when I will be able to do so. However, after I rest, I will extract Daniel Jackson's memories from him," Apophis told his queen. "We will return to the safety of our home and will follow the Asgard's advice."

Varos motioned for Klorel and four of the Jaffa including Sar'ac to prepare for departure. As they took their positions, Apophis was momentarily distracted by Sar'ac who was becoming even weaker. "Varos, if you wish, you may have a new symbiote implanted within your former Jaffa upon your return to the ha'tak. We may find some use for him."

"Yes, my pharaoh. At once."

The transport rings descended, and as the first group was delivered to the ha'tak leaving Apophis, Amaunet and four Jaffa behind. For a moment, there was silence, then the symbols on the Stargate began to light up.

Someone was coming.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Apophis ordered loudly. "Protect your gods!"

The remaining Jaffa formed a protective ring around their gods and waited with their weapons raised. Either someone would come through the Stargate and the royal couple would have to be defended or the transport rings would descend and take them away from any danger that might come through the vortex. The question was which event would happen first.

The wormhole formed first.

The Jaffa held their ground, waiting for the appearance of whoever would materialize.

Stepping out onto the platform of the Abydonian gate room were individuals dressed in Tok'ra garb with packs of equipment strapped to their backs. There was utter surprise on their faces to be face to face with Jaffa leveling their staff weapons at them.

~o~o~o~

One moment, Malthus saw Daniel Jackson and an Abydonian woman encircled within the Jaffa. The next moment, transport rings descended, enveloped the group without them needing to fire a single round, and they were gone.

The rumble of a pyramid ship's launch engines caught their attention next. The hall filled with dust from the vibrating walls as the ship launched itself from the Abydonian surface.

Donan was the first to find his voice, the relief that he was still alive was apparent. "Malthus? What do we do now?"

Malthus thought for a moment, stunned beyond words, but it was Mordecai that answered. "We go back to the SGC and inform General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill that Doctor Jackson has been captured by Goa'uld."

"Did you notice the symbols on the Jaffa?" Donan asked.

"Yes," Mordecai answered. "Apophis has him."