Patefactio chapter 4
Cam swept the room with his P-90 from his crouched position on one side of the ring platform. Sam mirrored his move from the opposite side. Finding the area deserted, both moved away from the rings, taking up positions on either side of the room. Apparently, the ship's crew wasn't too worried about anyone from the planet using the rings.
Seconds later, Teal'c, Averill and two more men ringed aboard, followed by a third group of armed villagers. On Cam's signal, they set their plan in motion. Two men stayed to guard the rings, while Teal'c and two others headed out to look for Daniel and Vala.
Cam and Averill headed in the direction of the bridge, hoping to clear the way for Sam and the villager, Thance, who followed at a distance.
Cam had no idea how many soldiers were on board but he hoped with the element of surprise on their side, they'd be able to take the bridge and Sam could tie into the ship's controls. His other hope was that Teal'c wouldn't have any trouble finding their missing teammates. He didn't know for sure why they'd been taken and had no idea where they would be held. He was counting on Teal'c to figure it out.
He stopped at the sound of footsteps in the corridor ahead. Motioning to Averill, he pulled back into one of the small vestibules at a room's entrance. The footsteps died away and the two men continued their trek to the bridge.
~oOo~
Here in the chair, he felt like he was part of the ship. Connected to everything, aware of everything. Daniel knew he could fly them anywhere, but he wasn't going to, at least not yet. If they went to Earth, these followers of false gods, former adversaries in a galactic war, would be incarcerated, or worse. No matter what they had done as they blindly followed the Ori, Daniel knew they were only misguided pawns in a game of ascended beings. He couldn't fault them for following what they'd been indoctrinated to believe their entire lives. But he could take them home, if only he could convince them that was the best—only—course of action left to them.
Daniel reveled in the sensations flowing through him. He knew the ship and it knew him; united into one entity. So, it was no surprise when he felt the rings activate and deposit eight people on the ship. But he didn't need the ship to tell him who was among the eight. Things were either about to get a lot better, or a lot worse.
"Now, Prior, our first duty is to destroy the non-believers on the planet below. Release the weapons controls and allow our men to operate them."
Destroy the non-believers? They want to kill everyone on the planet for not accepting Origin? He'd expected to be asked to fly the ship, not attack the village. "I won't help you murder innocent people."
"Innocent? They killed our Prior and they have rejected Origin. Our orders demand they be punished."
"I won't do it."
"You tell them, Daniel," Vala said indignantly, crossing her arms and lifting her chin defiantly.
"Bring her," Revis ordered.
Two soldiers grabbed her and pulled her so she was standing in front of Daniel's chair, then pushed her to her knees.
"Do it, or I will kill her."
"Now wait a minute," Vala argued, "I've done nothing wrong—"
Revis cut her off. "This is your last chance." He raised his weapon and aimed it at her chest.
Daniel locked his gaze with Vala's. He knew what he had to do, but how could he? She gave him that little one-sided smile and nodded her head. Don't you dare give me permission, Vala. He wondered where his team was; he suspected he could find them if he concentrated, but he couldn't tear his attention away from the woman in front of him, wondering if this would be the last time he'd look on that lovely, infuriating face.
"Vala—"
"Don't, Daniel," she shook her head, "I— Wait!" She looked at Revis. "You can't kill me, I am the mother of the Orici."
The statement sent a ripple of confusion through the soldiers.
"What?"
"Lies!"
"How can this be?"
"My daughter would be very upset to know you don't believe me. I never lie, right, Daniel?"
"She's telling the truth," Daniel asserted, ignoring her.
"Your word means nothing to us. It is a ploy to delay what must be done."
"And what would that be?" Cam's voice resonated throughout the bridge, and Daniel couldn't help smiling at the timing of his team's arrival.
He couldn't see them from where he sat facing the large window, but he was aware of the Ori soldiers taking defensive stances. Revis kept his weapon pointed at Vala, moving it closer until it was mere inches from her neck. At the same moment, he was aware of a weapon taking aim at his own head. He didn't tell them it was unnecessary; that he didn't think he had enough strength to fight. His connection with the ship was bolstering his strength, but he knew it was only temporary. It wasn't healing him of the poisoning.
"I do not know who you are or how you got aboard this ship, but you are outnumbered. Surrender your weapons."
"I don't think so," Cam replied. "We've come for our friends here and we're not leavin' without 'em."
Daniel heard more footsteps and then the sound of bodies shifting.
"Daniel, you okay?" Sam's voice was a boost to his failing strength.
"More or less."
Vala smiled up at him reassuringly.
"It seems we are at an impasse," Revis stated.
The tension in the room was palpable. The faces of the soldiers he could see were nervous and haggard. Someone was going to slip and start firing; and if they did, people were going to die. Daniel closed his eyes and focused on his connection with the ship, searching for a way to shift the situation to his team's favor. There. It was risky, but maybe it would at least give them a chance. He just hoped he had enough strength to see it through.
"Guys, you might wanna hold on to something."
The lights on the bridge blinked once and went out. The soldiers nervously held their positions, that is, until the floor beneath them began to shift. Slowly at first, it tilted, then quickly began moving downward, nose first, gradually picking up speed even as the angle became sharper. Suddenly, bodies were sliding and rolling across the floor of the bridge. Daniel heard the shouts and curses of people being thrown to the ground, scrambling to hold onto something, and the clang of weapons as they scattered across the room. He hoped his friends had understood and prepared themselves.
Daniel opened his eyes briefly, long enough to see the blue-green planet that now filled the entire window in front of him. Time to pull back, to put things right. He just needed to find the correct system and restore it. But he was losing his connection; his body weakening even as he fought to right the ship.
Through slitted eyes, he saw Vala holding on to the base of the chair. "Daniel, darling, I think you've made your point."
He struggled to keep his link with the ship, closing his eyes against the fast approaching planet.
"Daniel! Pull up!"
I'm trying, Sam.
"Jackson! Any time now!"
Tuning out their voices, he focused on pulling the ship out of its steep descent. Gradually, the ship slowed, its nose pulling upwards once again until the floor was level. He slumped back in the chair, his body shivering from exhaustion and the poison coursing through his veins. It was up to his team, now.
Faintly, he heard scuffling, raised voices, and then felt a hand gently cup his cheek.
"Daniel?" Vala's concerned voice drifted to him. She was all right.
"How's Jackson?" he heard Cam call from somewhere across the room.
It was a good sign--maybe his plan had worked after all. He could relax, knowing his team would take care of the situation. There was just one more task he needed to do. As he completed it, his link with the ship severed and he felt himself sliding sideways just before he passed out.
TBC