NOTE: (1) This is the part that has been edited down to an acceptable rating for I will be posting the full version on another site once I've posted the whole story here. On the last chapter I will post a link to that version.
PART THREE
It almost seemed like one minute they were fighting, he was storming off to brood followed by tossing and turning in effort to find sleep and the next…
The scent of soap and woman dug up a hunger in Jack that literally had claws as he nuzzled into the soft, velvet skin hidden behind her ear. Following the curve of her neck down to where it joined her shoulders, Carter's short golden hair tickled his nose and chin, adding another sensory tease to his already overloaded system.
He was kissing her, almost devouring her mouth, when he was hit with the staggering realisation of exactly who he was entwined with; a tiny remnant of sense reared up in Jack's mind. God! How in the heck had they ended up in the same bed together? And necking?! Where was Daniel, Teal'c? They were supposed to be getting chaperoned for God's sake!
Pulling away with a gut-wrenching groan, Jack steeled himself to lever off her despite the gut wrenching craving that had set up shop in his gut. Only she wouldn't let him. Before he'd gone more than a few inches; slim yet strong fingers curved around his jaw and pulled him into a kiss so potent it sent even the possibility of thought careening away into the ether.
Jack sunk, crashed and very happily burned in that kiss. His aborted attempt to retreat had positioned him so that he lay half over her in the bed. The feel of her; long legs, tempting curves and holy….guh! those hot lips hit every high note on his passion scale.
Despite all that the little voice refused to shut the hell up, though. It kept repeating that this was bad and they had to stop. Finally he listened. Groaning in his head loud enough to deafen, Jack sealed his lips. As a tactic designed to bring them back to their senses it failed- miserably. Sharp teeth nipped at them until he surrendered and opened up so she could sweep inside and taste him again.
There were a dozen other things he could do, but…, well, he simply didn't want to. He'd tried, he told himself. Then he leapt back into the fray and turning to pin her fully under his weight, he stole her breath with a deep, searching kiss that seared her essence into every brain cell. Lying amidst tangled sheets and a blanket their mouths fused, tongues dancing and mating in a building frenzy.
Hunger, rabid and feral slid from one to the other, feeding. Jack lost himself to that greed. Something ripped and soft skin, firm flesh and heat met his exploring hands as aggravating cloth relinquished its treasures. Then her hands returned the favour and he hissed as they burned a sizzling path over his belly and chest. It wasn't nearly enough and there were still way to many restrictions. Digging a fist into the mattress beneath them, he lifted enough to given them both room, but didn't release her lips for so much as a second.
Finally the need for air forced the point and they broke apart. Jack gasped into the curve of her shoulder and slid his eyelids closed as strong hands gripped his waist, keeping him still as Carter lifted her lower body enough to grind her pelvis into his. Caught between heaven and hell and with muscles that quivered with a strain that had nothing whatsoever to do with holding up his bodyweight; Jack felt rather than heard his own deep groan.
That was hardly a big surprise considering he couldn't hear anything except Carter's panting breathes over the ringing in his ears. Then she cupped him and it was several mindless moments later before he could function enough to fumble with her zipper….
Klaxons rent the air and even deadened by the closed door, they yanked Jack the rest of the way back to grim reality. Dark eyes flying open in horror, he launched himself off the bed without thinking as a rapping knock sounded at their door.
Before he'd even hit the ground horrified realisation of what it would look like to be found without his pants dawned. Rolling, his gaze bounced between the SF standing at the door and his own body. His still dressed body. Huh?
The rustle of cloth had him jerking his head to the right to see Carter, looking every bit as confused as he felt, and almost as mortified, trying to appear composed as she scrambled up from beneath her blankets. As Jack watched, she lifted the covers and checked herself, relaxing perceptively at what she found.
Blankets, bed and they were clothed. More importantly, Carter was in her own bed.
It had been a dream!
Flopping over to lie on his back, Jack raised a trembling hand and laid it over his eyes. Jesus! It had just been a dream.
"Um, Colonel O'Neill," queried the SF at the door.
He raised the hand in acknowledgement, but not his head. That much motor control was beyond him right then. "Here."
"General Hammond requests your presence in the control room, Captain Carter, too."
Still prone, Jack slid a glance her way and saw the wide, faintly sheepish smile aimed at the bemused man. "We'll be right there," she assured him.
Jack squinted at the ceiling, thinking. Oh sure, so long as 'right there' passes a shower.
Predictably they didn't make the control room in time. General Hammond aimed a frown at Jack's damp hair as he slid into a chair at the table back in the briefing room. "Getting all April fresh, colonel?" he asked, "should I thank you for joining us?"
Despite numerous claims otherwise, Jack did know when not to be a smartass. His grimace was frankly apologetic with more than a trace of a plea. "Sorry, sir. It was a dire emergency."
Hammond's gaze sharpened and swept over Carter, too, taking in the high spots of colour on her cheeks. "I see," he said heavily.
"Don't see too much, general," corrected Jack in a panic, seeing the same emotion flare in Carter's eyes across the table. "When I said dire, I didn't mean dire dire."
After a pause, Daniel leant forward and tried to pick up the verbal ball enough to hide the weighty silence. "Well, of course not, because dire would be…" waving his hands searchingly, he sought assistance from Teal'c, "meaning…something quite different. Right, Teal'c?"
Next to Sam, Teal'c looked intrigued. "When is dire not meaning dire, Daniel Jackson?"
"Ah, yeah…" Faking a smile, Jack turned to Martouf. "Marty, buddy, pal. Thanks for getting back so quick and hey, listen, sorry about my outburst before. I was cranky. I get that way, cranky I mean-"
"Martouf, has fresh information for us," interrupted Hammond with a shake of his head at their antics. "I suggest we get to that." His lips twitched a fraction, "As entertaining as all this is."
He'd got the message. Both Sam and Jack relaxed.
"Thank you, general," said Martouf and looking over at Jack, continued "And I understood your frustration. Which is why I am pleased to say I can now offer some hope of a solution to your problem."
That caught their attention. "Good to hear," everyone barring Teal'c chorused in unison.
The Tok'ra smiled and then asked, "Have any of you heard of a Goa'uld called Zakar?"
Four shaking heads, held up hands and one thoughtful Daniel Jackson met the question. Daniel tapped a tattoo on the table when the floating memory coalesced into something solid. "Wasn't he the Mesopotamian god of dreams or something?"
"Perhaps among the Tauri at one time, but he is in fact one of the lesser system lords; if he could even be called that," revealed Martouf. "He was barely tolerated by them back before he disappeared. They didn't care for his habit of trying to gain influence by deception."
"A true snake of the first order," grinned Jack. Only to apologise when Martouf looked askance at him, "Sorry, go on. What's this Zakar got to do with us?"
"He disappeared about two thousand of years ago and hadn't been heard of since until now. We have an agent infiltrating his ranks to try and determine why he disappeared in the first place, as well as why he has returned." He paused, "and more importantly, why he's amassing an army."
"He's planning a come back, obviously" said Sam.
"Yes, I agree that is so, but he must have a plan," agreed Martouf. "A plan that the Tok'ra are hoping to discover so a decision can be made on whether to let him carry it out."
"Zakar's such a pain in the ass to the others he'd keep them busy trying to kill him," guessed Jack. "Sweet!"
Martouf smiled and dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Precisely."
"That's all well and good," interjected Hammond from the head of the table, "But I still don't see how that affects or helps us?"
"Zakar's much despised ability to ferret out secrets and so annoy the system lords was based on a technology that we have only just learned even existed."
The penny dropped. "Ah, now I see where this is going," said Daniel, leaning back his head. "He found and used the same ancient's technology we now have in the lab."
Next to him, Jack leaned back and seeing the squicked expression that Carter couldn't suppress, he sympathised. "Really?" he asked Martouf, "The same stuff? No wonder they got good and mad."
Whoo'kay! That's way too kinked for my liking.
Carter's glance showed she was in full agreement. Oh yeah!
Martouf must have sensed the undercurrents because he appeared confused. Daniel jumped in. "Ah, but don't forget we only have a part of the whole technology. I'm guessing that fully assembled and done properly the effects are much more controlled?" He looked to the Tok'ra for confirmation.
"That is logical," agreed Martouf, "And the symbiote would filter or suppress any other unwanted affects."
"That raises another question," said Sam. "How would this work on a goa'uld in the first place?" She shrugged, "Wouldn't the same rules apply?"
"Of course," Martouf replied calmly, "but the System Lords have human slaves that are susceptible and some of those have access to sensitive information."
"Apophis did not have human slaves working so close to him," offered Teal'c in the pause, "But, I have heard of other System Lords preferring to use humans who do not carry symbiotes to act as more personal slaves."
"Uh huh and as yucktastic as that is can we move onto the present day," asked Jack, looking a little sick at the implication. He flicked a telling glance at Martouf. "I take it you're about to tell us that this goa'uld's come back with the rest of the gizmoes we need to get back to normal?"
"Indeed, we are so informed by our agent. Apparently, Zakar was betrayed by just such a slave who disappeared with the device you know posses. It has come to light that without it, Zakar was blind and so fell into a trap that his attackers had presumed killed him."
"He must have slipped the net," said Daniel.
"Slippery sonovagun," agreed Jack facetiously. "So, how do we meet him, or more accurately slip by him to get at the things we need?"
"He has a base on a planet outside of goa'uld occupied territory. It has a stargate," said Martouf. "Our agent tells us, he keeps what you need there for safety."
"Who's the agent?" asked Hammond in the lull. "Anyone we know?"
"Absolutely," replied Martouf with brows raised in surprise, "I'm sorry, did I not say that our agent was Selmac? Captain Carter's father?"
"Why am I always surrounded by imbeciles?" Zakar roared. Neatly bearded with a large nose, and large brown eyes currently narrowed with rage, he stomped around the bridge and then, apparently on impulse, whirled to kick out at a nearby Jaffa who impassively stepped out of the way before he could connect.
Thwarted, Zakar went ominously still and eyed the hulking brute who had the misfortune of being one of his personal guards, "Did you step out of the way?" he asked silkily.
The Jaffa's face remained stoic, except for eyes that betrayed nerves. "No, my Lor-," he began to say and then changed his mind, "I merely wished to prevent you from hurting yourself on my armour."
Wide lips in a harshly drawn face twitched with dark humour, "Good answer." One of Zakar's heavy brows twitched; more than a little maliciously he said, "A spark of wit in a Jaffa, how unusual."
Appeased on that point, the goa'uld turned back to the figure waiting patiently for the return of his attention and all traces of humour vanished. "Kelnan, I need my trinket returned to me."
"I am aware of that, my Lord," was the swift reply.
"I think I'm being excessively patient and generous in not having you executed for returning with yet another negative report."
"And I appreciate your mercy," replied Selmac dryly. "In my defence, we've searched all of the planets you desired us to in an effort to retrace the escape route taken by your last Lotar." He paused before adding delicately, "The trail is cold after all this time."
Zakar groaned, "Don't remind me," returning to slump disconsolately in his ornate throne. "Two thousand years wasted. I swear if that little runt wasn't already dead and dust, I'd cut him up into a thousand wretched pieces with my own hand for his betrayal."
"I wouldn't blame you," inserted Selmac smoothly, standing with his hands tucked behind his back. "However, getting back to the device you seek, I think we should widen our search to include planets outside of this solar system."
Jacob Carter, ex-US General, happily stood by, so to speak, and watched Selmac strut her stuff. Despite being assured by his symbiote that there was actually no gender involved, he still thought of her as a her. He'd found the Tok'ra in a woman and so he stuck with that as an alternative to 'it'.
"That would alert the system lords," said Zakar, eyeing him balefully. "Did it slip your mind that I'm not exactly welcome? At the very least the news of my return would pull them together enough to forget their petty squabbles and come after me?"
"You're assuming they don't already know," Selmac pointed out smoothly. "Something, I think is highly unlikely given how infested the galaxy is with their spies."
Straightening and with eyes narrowed to suspicious slits, Zakar spoke and that dangerously silky tone made a reappearance. "You sound almost pleased at the prospect, Kelnan. Should I be worrying about your loyalties so soon after your pledge to serve me?"
Given his previous experience with betrayal Selmac was hardly surprised the goa'uld had come to that conclusion. Jacob's head bowed respectfully. "Not at all, I am honoured to serve the once great Zakar and assist you in returning to your rightful place among the system lords. I meant only to warn you of the possibility."
Still watchful, Zakar waved a dismissive hand, "Fine, consider me warned."
Then turning to the Jaffa guards, he ordered them out, "Leave us."
When they were alone the two stared at one another. Jacob, following Selmac's warnings kept his expression to show only polite interest. After a beat, Zakar relaxed back into the throne with a smirk. "Now I understand why you were fleeing Chronus. I haven't met him personally, but I hear he isn't one to stomach a servant, even a goa'uld one, who doesn't bow and scrape."
Selmac and Jacob kept silent and Zakar looked disappointed for a moment, "Ah well, lucky for you I find you entertaining on occasion." He scowled, "Not to mention how bored I am with only Jaffa for company these last centuries. Trust me it's been a trial of mammoth proportions. I'm only surprised I haven't killed them all before now."
"Perhaps so that when or if, the system lords do show up, you'll have an army to pit against theirs?" suggested Selmac.
Zakar gave another half-hearted wave of one long fingered hand. "If that's supposed to remind me about how useful you've been supplying me with the latest intelligence on my brethren, then consider it accomplished."
Jacob relaxed knowing the goa'uld's quicksilver temper had taken a turn for the better. "I'm here to serve."
They came full circle. "Then find me my communion device, Kelnan. I must have it and soon. I've gathered this…" Zakar grimaced in distaste, "rag-tag army on promises that have to be delivered if I'm not to find myself facing my not-so-pleasant cousins blind and alone again. A result, I might add, that will most likely bring about your own early demise, too."
"You're planning a confrontation when you have it, I assume?" probed the Tok'ra.
"I'm planning a coup," Zakar retorted, "with so many of the old ones dead, including Ra and Apophis, I can afford to be ambitious," leaning back to drape one leg over the arm, he tapped a finger against his bearded chin, "and it's about time, too."
Sam sent surreptitious glances the colonel's way; wondering what the hell to say to him, or even if she should say anything at all. SG-1 were getting ready to depart for the planet Martouf had given them co-ordinates for. Daniel and Teal'c had already finished getting changed and had left Sam and O'Neill to finish and meet up with them in the armoury, or failing that the 'gate room itself.
She was starting to wish they hadn't been so darned considerate.
Tugging on her cap, she shut the locker and turned towards him. Only to find the colonel was putting in his cap, too, and adjusting it at the back with one large hand. Ridiculously, seeing that hand transported Sam right smack bang into their shared dream. He'd done some pretty hot things with that hand; both of them actually.
Oh God! Her eyes slid shut and fists closed tight. Shut-up, shut-up, shut-UP!
When she opened her eyes again, he was standing in front of her with those nearly black eyes fixed uncomfortably on her face. Her guts tripped over themselves when she met them. "It was only a dream, Captain. Not real."
Thankfully the scalding embarrassment faded after only a few seconds. "I know that, sir." She swallowed before saying awkwardly, "but don't you think we should talk about it before going on a mission together?" She didn't let him answer as her uncertainties came gushing out, like a dam breaking. "What if we can't function? What if I choke-"
He clasped her upper arms and gave her a short, sharp shake. "You won't and neither will I," O'Neill told her harshly making it an order. "We're going to get through this, get cured and then haul ass home- simple. Got it?" His hard, obdurate expression demanded she believe him.
That was such a typical O'Neill rallying speech. He didn't do yee-haw or wordy, but he did excel at being succinct. Sam believed him in a way that she never could have with anyone else. She loved that about him and that had nothing whatsoever to do with the alien device screwing with their minds. Her spine stiffened, "Yessir!"
"Good." He let go and batted a playful hand at her cap, dislodging it so it fell over her face. "Let's get going then."
Cap back in place, Sam followed him out the door and caught his voice floating back. "…preferably before I give into the urge to neck with you."
Faltering, Sam came to a standstill and stared at his disappearing back. Whoa! She could all but feel the hard metal of the locker at her back as the colonel's hard body crushed into her; his hot mouth open on hers before dragging free and down to torment the sensitive skin of her neck.
Hoo boy! Liquid arousal pooled with dizzying strength.
Irrationally, instead of bringing back the worries it made her grin. He just hadn't been able to resist had he? Oh no, not Jack O'Neill. She got moving again and there was a spring in her step. Tingles were still running up her spine at the image he'd invoked and Sam decided not to let it bother her. It was a nice thought; maybe one of the last if everything went to plan.
She put the sinking sensation she could feel down to the device's effects making a protest.
The event horizon of the stargate gave its customary whoosh and tremendous out-spill of energy. Gathered at the bottom of the ramp, the four members of SG-1 stood casually just out of its reach. Behind them in the control room, a concerned General Hammond watched from behind the bullet-proof glass.
Jack glanced up and caught his commander's short, but eloquent, nod of good luck; which he acknowledged with a lazy salute. He knew the drill, they had a job to do and a part of that job was to return hale and hearty. At Hammond's, "SG-1 you have a go," he led his team in walking up the ramp and stepping into the matter steam that would transport them to the planet designated PXB-481.
The other side was gloomy, or so he thought until he realised it was actually well into dusk on the planet. The sun was sinking behind a ridge straight ahead. Jack jerked his eyes off it before it affected his vision enough to delay a threat assessment of their immediate surroundings. With a firm, practised grip on his MP5, he scanned the valley SG-1 had come into through the stargate.
Coming to stand beside him, Teal'c did the same and they both relaxed at finding no immediate evidence of two-legged life, either hostile or friendly. Several boulders littered the floor of the barren valley floor; which could have been placed there as fortifications in the event of an expected attack. Past that and halfway up the surrounding hills, he could see the beginnings of scrub and vegetation and beyond them was a line of trees.
"Standard issue 'gate planet," Jack pronounced. "Except this one's heading into night. Let's not dally, kids."
"I don't see any signs of a goa'uld presence, do you," asked Daniel coming to stand at his other side and squinting against the dipping sun's rays.
"If you are being hunted by several others it is prudent not to advertise your location," pointed out Teal'c without looking over. "I suspect locating the base of this one named, Zakar, will not be an easy task."
"Yeah, well par for the course," said Jack and cocked his head at Carter, who was leaning over the nearby DHD and running a hand over it.
"The DHD is in working order, sir," she said and straightened to meet his enquiring look. He ignored the frisson making that connection had sent through his system.
Knowing they were coming to a goa'uld occupied planet had meant they couldn't risk a MALP. They'd had to trust in Martouf's assurance that the planet's stargate was fully operational. From that same source, they also knew it was in use and they mustn't linger.
"Good," relieved on that score, he ordered them to move out and keep a sharp lookout.
Even using the most obvious path up the steep incline it wasn't until they reached the top and the beginnings of the forest that Teal'c found any tracks to indicate recent traffic.
Crouched and scrutinising the loamy dirt, the Jaffa nodded in apparent self satisfaction. "These are the tracks of Jaffa and they were made within the last day."
How the hell did he make the difference between Jaffa and the rest of the walking world? It's not like they wore Nike's with a logo imprinted in the mud. Internally, Jack shook his head and came to stand next to him.
As did Daniel who was looking similarly bemused under his floppy camo hat. He tossed a hand back the way they'd come, saying, "Why here and not at the stargate?"
Jack at least knew the answer to that one, but it was Sam, just coming to join them who answered. "They must use something to swipe away their tracks until they feel safe enough not to bother."
"Most exploratory patrols made by other Jaffa would limit any search to the immediate area around the stargate unless ordered otherwise," advised Teal'c, rising to stand at his full, impressive height. "It saves time and expends less effort."
"Well, at least now we know there is Jaffa here and that their feelin' squirrelly enough to cover their tracks," said Jack. "Sounds like Zakar to me. How about you guys?"
"I concur," replied Teal'c.
"Makes sense to me, sir," Sam shrugged.
Despite the nonchalance, Jack could practically hear the part she'd not. Something along the lines of her having never doubted they'd find Zakar on the planet; exactly like Martouf had said he would be. Irritation flared but he tamped it down and consoled himself with the fact that while his suddenly uncontrollable jealousy over Martouf was new-ish; his distrust of any Tok'ra barring Jacob wasn't.
In the circumstances, now wasn't the time for a debate on it though. He looked around, turned a full circle and scowled, "Where the hell's Daniel?"
"I'm over here," said a floating voice. Then the camo hat popped up over a bush. "I've found something interesting."
"Behind a bush?" snarked Jack, heading reluctantly over. Daniel's idea of interesting was a galaxy away from his. "Do I even want to know what made you go behind there?"
Daniel ignored him except to say, "You wanted signs of indigenous life didn't you?"
That was news to Jack, "Did I, when?" He followed where Daniel was brushing at a half buried piece of rock. What he saw didn't exactly light his fire. "Oh great, we travel light years to get an eyeful of graffiti on another planet."
"That's not graffiti," sitting back on his heels with a deep sigh, Daniel shot him a dark look. "I've seen that symbol carved onto a Babylonian protective amulet. Except this one is freshly painted." He held up his fingers, "See the paint's still wet."
In the middle of retort about this not being a cultural expedition of any kind, Jack heard the same sounds that had Sam and Teal'c whirling to cover their six. They turned in time to see a flurry of arms and legs on a small, oddly wrapped body disappearing down the track they'd been following and headed god knows where.
"Don't let them get away!" Jack yelled and set off in hot pursuit. Damn, so much for sneaking in and out.
In the fading, grey-tinged twilight, SG-1 streaked after the fleeing figure. Dodging trees and vaulting over bushes made for pounding feet and a very noisy pursuit. But, given they were still trying to keep their arrival a secret, letting this person get away wasn't on the cards. Only Daniel, stubbornly keeping up by dint of effort, actually took the time to wonder what they would do with him or her after they were caught.
Unfortunately they didn't get to find out. Teal'c was in the lead and it was his sudden and abrupt slamming on of the brakes that clued the others in to doing the same. Peering around thick trunks they saw the young man, visible now he was standing some distance down a rough mud track; talking to a four-man Jaffa patrol and gesticulating wildly back the way he'd come. The worrying thing being that the direction he was pointing towards also happened to be where they were standing.
Oh crap!
"Busted!" Jack murmured with a grimace. "Time to GO," and with that he signalled for a swift and silent retreat. Focused on the danger in front, they didn't hear a stealthy approach from the rear and the zat blasts caught them by surprise.
Waking up on a hard, gritty and freezing cold floor was never fun, but add in having your hands tied behind your back with what felt like steel wool and crappy hit new levels. Groaning at the painful protest of his strained shoulder, Jack changed his mind about rolling onto his back and cranked open mutinous eyelids instead. An SG-1 badge was the first thing his frazzled brain identified; swiftly followed by recognition of the arm it was attached to as being Daniel's. A glance down past the unconscious archaeologist's feet revealed Teal'c's bald pate.
Sam?! He stiffened with the realisation that couldn't see her anywhere, and worse, he wasn't getting any sense of her thoughts, not even the busy background hum he'd gotten used to.
"Where's Carter?" he croaked and despite aching joints, surged upright with a little help from kicking legs. Somewhat vertical, Jack searched the gloom with worry-bright eyes. Seeing a huddled form topped with bright blonde hair lying a few ft away on his left had him slumping with the type of dizzy relief that follows sharp, lancing terror.
Aggravation followed. Jesus! Whoever had captured them couldn't have just dumped her with the rest of them? Oh nooo. That would have been so much less fun than him having a heart attack! A little voice pointed out his instant panic was unprofessional to say the least. Jack ignored it.
Then she stirred and dismayed by his overreaction; which likely had been what had jolted her back towards consciousness, he turned away before she caught him staring like some anxious and lovesick swain. Sucking in a lungful of air, he told himself Carter was okay and so were the rest of his team by the looks of it. Meaning it was time to get a grip; on himself and the situation.
He nudged Daniel and then Teal'c with a booted foot. "Hey!" he said "If I'm compus mentis then I know you sure as hell are Teal'c."
Then he added louder, "Daniel, sleep time is over. C'mon, wakey wakey rise and shine."
"I am awake, O'Neill," replied Teal'c with a brief dark look in his direction. "I was merely allowing my body to rest while I waited for you to awaken, too."
Daniel rolled onto his back and groaned at the pain in his bound hands. His glasses were skewed and blue eyes blinked in confusion at being able to focus out of only one. Sitting up required two attempts; then squinting in an effort to see, he asked "What happened, where are we?"
"Good questions." Jack shrugged a shoulder and then wished he hadn't, "Pity I don't have the answers."
"I believe we are underground," replied Teal'c, sitting up in a fluid motion that both Daniel and Jack envied. "However, I do not know who brought us here or why."
Jack wasn't paying attention. Sam had struggled to her knees and was shuffling over to join them. Deciding to verbalise it, gruffly, he asked her, "You okay, Carter?"
"Fine, sir, except I'd be better if I could use my hands," she griped. "How about you, guys? Everyone, okay?"
"The same as you," said Daniel giving her a crooked smile and giving up trying to nudge his glasses back into place with his shoulder.
Seeing his problem, Sam grimaced in sympathy, "Right, sorry Daniel."
Out of nowhere and wholly irrationally, Jack wished he too had a problem to garner her sympathy with. Then irritated with himself for it, he was doubly glad when Teal'c interrupted with a warning that someone approached.
Suffice it say, he wasn't looking his friendliest when that someone ducked through an opening several ft away. It was a woman and she was carrying a flickering torch in one hand and a hand-held device that must have lowered the shield for her to enter. There were two noticeable and surprising things about her; the first was that she was very obviously pregnant and the second was her bodyguard, who was very obviously Jaffa.
"Hello," said Daniel, more to break the silence than anything else.
"I am called Maeve. You are our prisoners," she announced, "We captured you."
"Tell us something we don't know," Jack gave a toothy smile before finishing, "like why?"
Orange and gold light danced over a face that was strong, young and grim. She jerked her chin at Teal'c. "He is Jaffa. So, you must be aligned with our enemy; the false god, Zakar."
Frowning, Daniel spoke for them all when he said, "Ah, coming from someone with her own Jaffa, don't you think that's a bit presumptuous?" Normally he'd have been anxious to offer reassurance, but the inconvenience and pain of being tied up and half blind had temporarily knocked some of the earnestness out of him.
"I do not serve, Zakar," advised Teal'c in the pause. "In fact, I do not serve any goa'uld for I too know them to be false gods."
"We oppose them," piped up, Sam. "Really, you have nothing to fear from us."
"Why should we believe you," asked the Jaffa. He was bigger even than Teal'c and his skin was the colour of pure ebony. Trunk-like legs were braced apart and his hands were clasped behind his back. Stood next to the much smaller Caucasian woman, he dwarfed her and she accepted his palpable protection with serenity.
He stared steadily at Teal'c for an answer. In response, Teal'c rose to his feet but left a respectful distance. Standing, he inclined his head and replied, "I am Teal'c, once First Prime of Apophis. These are my friends of the Tauri who offered me a place amongst them in their fight against the goa'uld."
Maeve looked none the wiser. "Does that mean anything to you, Ka'al?"
His head had reared back when Teal'c spoke. Now, he nodded, "I have heard the legends about the first world, the place of our beginnings. In the stories it was called Tauri."
"The first world?" she echoed.
"Yes," said Daniel, recovering some of his enthusiasm, "The goa'uld came to our world several thousands of years ago and took many slaves to populate other planets."
"Our ancestors kicked their butts out though," interrupted Jack.
"Possibly your ancestors, too," Sam tacked on with a sideways glance at her not so subtle commander.
Maeve looked askance at Ka'al who shrugged. "We know them to be human and not Jaffa, barring this one. It is highly unusual to find such a group working together as I saw earlier."
Looking cautiously intrigued, Maeve asked them, "If what you say is true, what brings you to this world?"
There was a pause. With no option to talk and agree on what should be revealed, Jack was left with the decision. "Zakar has something we want." Seeing she wanted more, he kept it brief, "A piece of technology that we need."
Before leaving Ka'al dropped the torch into a metal bracket on one wall. With sufficient light to properly survey their surroundings, SG-1 were able to tell they were in a sort of natural cave. It was actually quite roomy if you could ignore comfort for size. Huddled together they bantered a little and waited for Maeve to come back to disclose whatever decision she and her 'people' had made.
"Maeve reminded me of Gairwyn. Did anyone else get the resemblance culturally-wise?" Sam asked, sandwiched between O'Neill on her right and Daniel on her left.
"Cloak, tunic and leggings were similar I'll grant you," conceded Jack with a glance at Daniel as a prod.
With his glasses finally back in place, he was much happier. "I was thinking more Celtic than Nordic, actually," head tilted, he quirked a brow, "especially considering the dagger hanging from her hip."
"Like, Captain Carter, I see a resemblance. Both women carry themselves like warriors." Teal'c tone resonated with respect for that attitude and caused Sam to toss a warm grin at him.
"Yeah, well, Cimmeria must have developed very differently than Earth on that score, because your average Viking would have been horrified at the idea of women taking up a sword and fighting. The Celts on the other hand were a lot more agreeable to the idea."
Jack gave Daniel a querying look that was edgy with impatience, "So, we're going with Celtic then?"
Footfalls warned of a return. "Yup," replied Daniel in a low tone, "Although I've yet to figure out how that knowledge can help us, or how it ties in with a Babylonian symbol."
"Oh ye of little faith," smirked Jack and then looked up to acknowledge Maeve and Ka'al with a wide smile. "Howdy, folks, how'd the conferring go?"
"Very well, I thank you for asking." Her lips didn't twitch and she appeared serious. "We have decided to trust in what you say and not kill you."
Shocked at that truly stunning statement, Sam stared at the woman. Gee thanks.
O'Neill shared her surprise. Kill us?! Funny, I don't remember that topic even coming up to do you?
Nope, and I think I'd remember something like that, sir.
"If you were planning to kill us why bother bringing us here at all?" Daniel's brows were lowered into a confused vee.
It was Ka'al who answered. "Being our enemies it would behoove us to torture you for information first."
Three out of four jaws dropped open with shock. Daniel recovered first. "In that case I'm so glad we got it straight that we're not your enemies, because as far as misunderstandings go that's way up there."
"As are we," agreed Maeve, still wholly serious.
"Now that's all nicely cleared up," interrupted Jack sardonically; twisting to show his still bounds hands, "how about you untie us so we can continue this chat in comfort?" All he could think was that he wanted out of this cave and back up to the surface, pronto!
TBC
