Stargate: SVU 2
Chapter Eight
"MOVE! MOVE!" O'Neill shouted, as he watched Teal'c mow down the oncoming Jaffa troops with his staff weapon. "THROUGH HERE, NOW!"
As SG-1 ran out of the temple through the main gates, O'Neill shot down another attacking Jaffa while Hailey and Satterfield lay down a suppressing fire with their P90s to cover their rear.
Daniel ran up to him. "Jack, where's Sam and Liv?"
"They're back in the tunnel," O'Neill told him. "Headed for the desert."
"And where are we going?" he asked.
When the teltac ship suddenly materialized above them just then, O'Neill said, "Way to go, Jacob. All right, let's get under the ship, double time!"
As they gathered under the teltac, O'Neill and Teal'c kept firing right up until the transport rings dropped down around them.
SG-1: SVU
Jacob smiled when SG-1 materialized in the cargo hold of the teltac. Then he did a double take. "Where's Sam and Liv?"
"They're in the tunnel," O'Neill told him. "They should be coming out the end of it right now. Get over there and ring them up, will ya?"
"Got it," Jacob said, as he turned his attention back to the pilot's console. "I had trouble raising you guys on the radio."
"We were a little busy to respond," Daniel wearily said.
"It's not that, Daniel," Jacob said, as he piloted the teltac over so that it hovered right in front of the tunnel entrance. "My radio signal wasn't getting through. There's some kind of a shield around that place, blocking all communications. What happened in there?"
"We found the Asgard Slayer, it's a sick Asgard frozen in stasis," Satterfield replied. "It's a plague of some kind."
"Nice, real nice," Jacob said as he anxiously watched the tunnel entrance. "Where the hell are they?"
Daniel keyed his radio and tried to raise both Sam and Olivia. After not getting a response, he shook his head grimly at O'Neill. "Not getting anything…." he said warily.
"They still could be in the temple," Teal'c said, "where their radios are being jammed."
"We're going back in," O'Neill said.
"Oh, damn it," Jacob muttered, as he watched a squadron of death gliders all on a rapid approach towards them. He pointed out at them and added, "We've got more company. They'll be on top of us in no time."
"Just ring us down quickly," O'Neill told him.
Jacob let out another curse, this one more harsher, when he saw a familiar bright light flash in the skies above them. The bright light quickly vanished, but it left behind a wave of energy that spread out towards the ground.
"We've got to get out of here," Jacob said, as he veered away from the tunnel entrance. He switched on the ship's cloak. "And coming back right away may be a problem."
"What the hell are you doing?!" O'Neill said, once he saw they were headed into space. "We're leaving them behind! That's Sam who's down there, Jacob!"
"Don't you think I know that, Jack?!" Jacob angrily snapped. "She's my daughter, for God's sake! But I had no choice!"
Teal'c pointed out the window. "O'Neill, observe."
They watched as one of the Ha'tak ships in orbit of Mount Tanis glowed as brilliantly as the sun for a brief instant. Then, once the flash was gone, a line of glowing energy could be seen shooting out from all sides of the ship.
"They're launching another energy wave," Jacob said. "It doesn't just seek out a cloaked ship, Jack, it also disables it--wiping out its main systems. If we had been caught on the ground when that hit, none of us would have been leaving Mount Tanis."
"It's spreading out pretty far," Hailey said, fascinated. "What's the range of that thing?"
"Don't know the exact range, but the energy dissipates the wider the sphere grows," Jacob said. He found a large asteroid which was in the orbit of Mount Tanis. The planetoid was too small to be used as a base by the Netian Empire, but it was large enough to offer sufficient shelter from the energy wave. Jacob parked the teltac behind the asteroid, so that it served as a shield for the ship.
Jacob sat back in his pilot's seat. "We'll take a breather here until they think we're gone."
O'Neill placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Sorry--about exploding at you before…."
Jacob patted his arm. "We both care very deeply for Sam, Jack."
"We all care very deeply for Sam," Daniel said. "But let's not forget that Olivia is also still back there, too."
"We're not forgetting anybody, Daniel," O'Neill said firmly. "And we're sure as hell not leaving them behind."
SG-1: SVU
Just when Casey could no longer bear being wrapped up inside the carpet, she was released from it by the big Jaffa who had captured her. He had unfurled the carpet, and the bound Casey helplessly rolled out onto the floor. She felt oddly like Cleopatra; when the Egyptian Queen first met Julius Caesar, she had also been brought into the Roman emperor's private chambers while wrapped up in a rug. Yet instead of Caesar, Casey found herself at the feet of Io'tan, who gazed down at her with a smile. Several younger women, dressed in white as Io'tan was, surrounded them. They all stared at Casey with wide eyes, as if she were an exotic creature. One of them looked to be no older than ten. Casey just glared back at them angrily. Trussed up as she was, Casey felt like a new exhibit at the zoo.
"Remove her gag, Char'el," Io'tan ordered the Jaffa. "And untie her."
The Jaffa bent down and pulled Casey's gag out of her mouth, then he untied her hands. "So what now?" Casey wearily asked, as she rubbed her wrists. "Are you going to feel me up, too?"
"Feel you up?" Io'tan repeated, with a puzzled look. She glanced at Char'el, who merely shrugged as he finished untying Casey's ankles. "Is this a Tauri custom? Do you wish for us to feel you up?"
"NO!" Casey said, shocked. Now free of her bonds, she got to her feet and confronted the woman. "Look, just what is it that you want from me?"
Yet before Io'tan could even reply, she was interrupted by a disturbing sound from off in the distance. And as soon as Casey heard it, she recognized it for what it was: gunfire.
Everyone in the room ran to the balcony, which overlooked a main avenue in the city. Char'el, the Jaffa, remained where he was, staring right at Casey. She had hoped to use the distraction to make a break for it--but not with this big mope smiling at her.
"Might as well go see what the fuss is about, huh?" Casey said, as she grinned broadly at the Jaffa.
She and Char'el joined the others on the balcony. Io'tan and the women were all gazing down to their left, at a commotion in a temple-like building that was down the street. The gunfire continued, and it was met by staff weapon fire form the Jaffa.
Casey and everybody else on the balcony were abruptly stunned by several fighter-type craft that screamed right past them, on their way to the fight down the street. Casey then watched as another ship soared up into the sky--until it just vanished into thin air. The fighters shot into the empty space where the ship was, seemingly angry at losing their prey.
'Was SG-1 the cause of that commotion?' Casey wondered hopefully. 'Are they here?'
"Ladies, please leave us," Io'tan told the group.
The young women in white all curtsied to Io'tan before they turned and left. And Casey, following their lead, also curtsied--but just as she went to leave the balcony with the other women, Char'el grabbed Casey by the arm and roughly pulled her back to stand in front of Io'tan.
Io'tan leaned against the balcony railing and said, "I meant for them to leave, Casey Novak. Not you."
"Can't blame a girl for trying," Casey replied with a sigh. "I guess this means I'm now your personal slave, huh?"
"No--actually, you could leave, if you wish," Io'tan told her. "I will not stop you. But, bear in mind that hiding in Mount Tanis itself is futile, for you will be found and killed by Mut's security forces. And, should you manage to escape into the open desert, you won't survive a day--especially while dressed like that, with all of your exposed skin."
"Or?" Casey asked. "I mean, I get the feeling you're offering me another option here."
"Or…you can remain with us, and work with us against Mut," Io'tan said.
If Char'el weren't standing behind her, holding her arms, Casey would have swooned with shock upon hearing that. She still shook her head in surprise. "Are you serious?"
"Deadly serious," Io'tan said. "Lord Battlemaster Amun was just as much of a tyrant as Neith was, but he should have been Lord Emperor. He studied directly under Neith, and would have made a far better leader than Mut. Under her inept leadership, I fear the days of the Netian Empire are numbered. And there are obvious signs that the end is near. Like what you've just witnessed now. We haven't had open combat in the streets of Mount Tanis for eons."
Casey still couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You want me to work with you against Mut? How? What can I do?"
"You're a slave," Io'tan said. "And, in the Netian Empire, there is no one lower than a slave--however, in our society, slaves are also invisible. You will able to move around much more freely than anyone else. In the coming struggle, your assistance will be invaluable. What say you?"
When Casey thought about it, she really didn't have much choice in the matter. All along, since she had been first abducted, she had done things--regardless of how distasteful they may be--in order to stay alive. And if her suspicions were correct, if that really had been SG-1 behind the battle she had just seen, then Casey would be in a prime position to help SG-1--assuming they were on the planet.
And even if SG-1 wasn't on Mount Tanis, acting as a spy for Io'tan would really be the best way for Casey to help herself right now.
"Yes," she finally said. "I'll help you in any way I can."
Io'tan smiled. "Excellent. Welcome, Casey Novak."
"Thanks, happy to be here," Casey replied.
'Until I can find a way to get back to earth, that is,' Casey thought. "May I ask what exactly is it that you're planning?"
"I intend to remove all of my girls, along with my Jaffa, from Mount Tanis and take them to safety," Io'tan answered.
Casey noted that even Char'el looked surprised at that. "My mistress," he said respectfully. "You would need control of a large vessel to accomplish that task."
"Which is why we shall be stealing a Ha'tak Class battle cruiser," Io'tan replied.
When she saw Char'el stare at her in slack-jawed shock, Casey said, "Uh, I'm guessing that's a pretty big ship, huh?"
SG-1: SVU
When Sam opened her eyes, she found herself staring up into Olivia's smiling face.
"Hello, sweetie," Olivia said, looking relieved. "Good to see you're awake. How do you feel?"
When Sam tried to speak, she frowned as she abruptly rubbed grains of sand from her lips.
"When I woke up, you were lying face-down on the floor." Olivia told her. "I wiped as much of the sand as I could off of you--but, you know, it still gets everywhere."
"I'm just glad we're still alive," Sam said, as she slowly sat up on her own with some help from Olivia. She saw that they were in a windowless dungeon of some kind, with stone walls and a sandy floor. The sand almost felt oddly comforting between her toes; it was a pleasant reminder for Sam of being on the beach.
'Wait a minute,' Sam thought with shock. 'My toes?!'
She glanced down and saw that her feet were bare. She had been stripped of the better part of her clothing, and was now clad only in her desert style tank top and pants.
"Oh, yeah, they, um, stripped-searched us," Olivia said uneasily. "Thankfully, we were both out cold when they did it!"
Sam nodded, as she saw that Olivia was also barefoot, and clad just in her tank top and pants, as well. "Are you all right, Liv?"
"I'm scared to death," she admitted, with a nervous smile as she huddled down protectively next to Sam. "But, other than that, I'm ok."
"I thought we were going to get eaten by that big lizard," Sam said, as she glanced around their cell. There were lights recessed in the ceiling, but if there was a door anywhere within the walls, Sam couldn't find it.
"Wonder if they caught the rest of the team?" Olivia asked.
Sam, with nothing better to do, simply shrugged and said, "Let's find out."
She took a deep breath and shouted Jack's full name at the top of her lungs. She called his name again, her voice echoing off the stone walls of their cell.
Olivia leapt back, startled. Then she shrugged, as she shouted, "HEY, DANIEL! YOU THERE?!"
"TEAL'C!" Sam shouted. "ANYBODY!"
Yet the only answer they received was silence.
"Oh, God," Olivia said despondently. "You don't think they just left us down here to die, do you?"
"Mut's a Goa'uld," Sam told her, as she got to her feet. The groggy aftereffect of the zat was finally beginning to wear off. "And Goa'ulds almost always love to trot out their prisoners, so they can preen before them and show them how high and mighty they are."
Olivia chuckled slightly, as she remembered something. "That's like what Jack said, back when we were captured by Neith. I wish he were here."
"So do I, Liv," Sam said, as she glanced around the cell once more. "But if he wasn't captured, if Jack O'Neill is still out there, roaming around free, then God help these guys. There's that small measure of hope, at least."
With that, a section of the wall slid open, revealing two Jaffa guards armed with staff weapons. They pointed their weapons at the women and uttered something in their gutteral language.
"What's the problem?" Olivia asked, as she got up and stood next to Sam. "The neighbors are complaining about the noise?"
Despite the dire situation, Sam burst into a broad grin at Olivia's joke. "We'll promise to keep it down from now on, ok?" Sam told the Jaffa.
The Jaffa, not sharing their sense of humor, gestured for Sam and Olivia to get out of the cell. When the women did as they were told, they were prodded into walking down a corridor with the Jaffa close behind them.
Sam glanced at the cell doors that they walked past and wondered if Jack and the others were locked up in those rooms. She hoped not; she sincerely hoped that Jack and the others had gotten away.
At the end of the corridor, Sam and Olivia were made to turn a corner, where they faced a small antechamber with a large door on one wall.
Sam noted that the floor was still covered with sand, and there was bright sunlight shining through the bottom of the doors.
"Uh-oh," Sam muttered, as the doors in front of them swung open to reveal a vast, open-air courtyard.
"What is it?" Olivia anxiously asked. "What's going on?"
Before she could answer, Sam was interrupted by a nerve-jangling roar from a creature that she had hoped she wouldn't see again: a raptor. She glanced over in the direction that she'd heard the roar, and saw a pair of large yellow eyes leering hungrily at her and Olivia through the bars of a cage. The raptor came into view as it tried to reach for Sam, who instinctively drew away--but the Jaffa held her in place.
Unable to get at its meal, the raptor let out another angry roar.
Sam shared a wide-eyed look with Olivia, as they both said, "Uh-oh…."
SG-1: SVU
The bath Casey had taken felt wonderful--it was so good that she had actually nodded off for a while. She had been startled awake when one of the young priestess-in-training had entered her room and announced that she had brought Casey a new set of clothes, which had been hung on the hook.
After the woman left, Casey got out of the tub and dried herself with a towel that had been provided for her.
She excitedly inspected the clothing that had been provided for her, but her enthusiasm waned when Casey realized that the new clothing was essentially the same as what she had previously worn. The color was different this time--it was a lime green--but it was still the same scant outfit that consisted of nothing more than a bikini top with an ankle-length loincloth…and still no shoes.
In short, it was slave wear.
'Damn it,' Casey thought, as she reluctantly put the skimpy garments on. She couldn't help but wonder if Io'tan truly trusted her, or if--despite her grand speech about working together against Mut--she actually considered Casey to be nothing more than a slave in her employ.
Once she had finished dressing, Casey heard a loud commotion outside of her room. When she stepped outside, Casey saw Io'tan frantically running around her private quarters.
"What is it?" Casey asked. "What's happening?"
Just before she walked out the door, Io'tan turned to Char'el. "Keep her here," she said, gesturing at Casey, "Bind her, if you have to, Char'el. Just do not let her leave."
"Yes, my mistress," Char'el said with a nod.
Io'tan didn't leave her private quarters so much as she fled it.
"Char'el, is it?" Casey said. When he nodded, she asked, "What's going on?"
"That is not your concern," he told her.
"It is if we're about to be arrested," Casey said. "Io'tan looked like she was in a hurry. Are we in trouble?"
Char'el gazed at her thoughtfully. "The mistress has been called to the coliseum. Two of the captured Tauri agents have been condemned to the maze, and when the maze is in session, all citizens of proper standing within the empire must attend."
Casey's eyebrows raised in alarm. "The captured Tauri agents? Were they captured from that battle we saw earlier?"
"Yes, they were."
'Oh God,' Casey thought. 'It's got to be SG-1, but were they all captured? And if only a few of them were captives, then who?!'
While she strove to find a plan, Casey absently picked up a bowl from the table before her. It was solid metal, and pretty heavy. It should work nicely.
"So, when are we going to the maze?" she asked sweetly.
Char'el shook his head in the negative. "Only citizens of proper standing within the empire can attend the maze, Casey Novak."
"And that's not us," Casey said, as an idea popped into her mind. "That's a real shame--uuughh!"
Casey grunted as she swung at Char'el with the heavy bowl--
--and missed.
The Jaffa had deftly avoided being hit as he grabbed the bowl from her hands and shoved Casey down to the floor, all with one swift motion.
Casey landed flat on her back. When she tried to get back up, she was stopped by Char'el, who loomed over her. Casey sat up and tried backing away from him--until her back was pressed up against a wall, and she had nowhere to go.
Char'el bent down over her and held up a thong strip before her. "I do not wish to bind you again, but I will if you force me!"
"My friends might be in that maze," Casey said. "I have to get to--"
"You are a wanted fugitive, hunted by all Jaffa within the empire," Char'el told her. "You place one foot outside that door, then neither Io'tan or I can help you. You are being kept here for your own protection, Casey Novak, do you understand?"
"Yes, yes, I do, and I'm sorry, Char'el. I won't try to run again, I promise. And I'm very sorry I attacked you. I hope you can forgive me."
"Forgive you?" Char'el smiled at her as he stood up. "Woman, my respect for you has only grown."
He held out his hand, and Casey took it and allowed him to help her up to her feet. As crazy as it seemed, it looked as if she was forming a bond with this big lug.
"Could you please tell me something?" Casey asked. "What exactly is the maze?"
"A labyrinth that contains a chaapa'ai at the center," Char'el replied. "The condemned are sent into the maze with the hope that if they reach the chaapa'ai, they will escape the maze."
"Chaapa'ai? You mean a stargate? The portal through which people can travel the stars?"
Char'el nodded. "But the maze is essentially an execution, Casey Novak. No one ever reaches the chaapa'ai before being killed by the thunder lizards."
"The animals that the Jaffa ride around on here?" Casey said with a gasp. "They're set loose within the maze?"
"They are not the same domesticated thunder lizards that the mounted Jaffa ride. The lizards within the maze are bred to be even more wild and savage." He paused thoughtfully. "Even if you had somehow managed to get to the maze without being captured, Casey Novak, you could not have helped your friends. The maze, in essence, is a death sentence--one from which there is no escape."
'Oh, dear God,' Casey thought in despair.
SG-1: SVU
Mut regally entered her private podium and took a seat next to Ke'tesh, who was already seated in the smaller chair next to her. She glanced over and saw Io'tan, who was seated in the box next to them, staring back at her distastefully. Io'tan used to always sit right next to Mut, but now that honor has fallen to Ke'tesh.
'How it must burn you,' Mut thought, as she gazed at Io'tan with a smile.
"My Lord Empress," Ke'tesh said respectfully. "Rest assured that I shall resume the hunt for the Tauri spy immediately after the maze is finished."
"Never mind the hunt," Mut told him. She reached over and affectionately rubbed the side of his face. "Hunting for the Novak woman was a task that was beneath you, anyway. Let the security forces deal with her. I shall use these two wenches as an example of what the Netian Empire does with Tauri cowards."
She then stood up and raised her hands, and when she did this, the crowds grew silent.
"Bring them out," she ordered the Jaffa who stood off to the side.
The Jaffa raised a horn to his mouth and blew a long, low bellow.
SG-1: SVU
Once they heard the horn, the Jaffa motioned for Sam and Olivia to go outside, and when they did, Sam saw that the courtyard was actually a large coliseum. A large audience of people sat in bleachers about a story above them, and when the crowds saw Sam and Olivia, they began roaring with delight.
"Uh-oh," Sam said. "This is just going from bad to worse…."
The Jaffa led them to the center of the open space, and gestured above them. Sam saw Mut sitting on her throne, glaring down at her and Olivia with disgust. Sitting next to her was Elliot Stabler, who was dressed up in a lavish, over the top outfit that only a Goa'uld-possessed human would wear.
"Elliot!" Olivia eagerly took a step towards him. "Elliot, it's me!"
Sam grabbed her arm. "That's not Elliot, Liv. Not anymore."
"But he's still in there, somewhere, right?" she desperately asked.
"Yes, but don't count on him to help us. The influence of the Goa'uld inside of him is too strong."
"Silence!" Mut commanded, as she made a sweeping gesture with her hands. "These two Tauri women were captured in their foul attempt to kill me, the Lord Empress of the Netian Empire! They are living proof that the Tauri are spineless, wicked creatures who need to be eradicated from the universe!"
The crowds began to boo their disapproval at Sam and Olivia.
"Oboy," Sam said under her breath, "this really doesn't look good…."
"But regardless of their cowardly actions, I shall graciously give these two Tauri assassins a chance to prove their mettle in the maze," Mut said grandly. "If they survive to reach the chaapa'ai in the center, then they can go home! If they do not, then they die!"
The crowds heartily roared their approval at that idea.
'There's another stargate here?!' Sam thought with shock.
"Elliot," Olivia solemnly called up to him. "I know you're still there, somewhere. Listen to me, sweetie, no matter what happens here. It's not your fault. Just don't give up hope, ok?"
Elliot's eyes flared in the typical Goa'uld fashion as he glared down at Olivia. "Will you still have hope while the thunder lizards tear you apart, you stupid Tauri bitch?"
When Olivia took a step back, stunned, Sam gently grabbed her and turned Olivia so that they faced each other. "Liv, hey, Liv…."
"Thunder lizards?" Olivia fearfully asked. She appeared to be in a panic-stricken daze. "Does he mean the--?"
"Yeah, the raptors," Sam said with a grim nod. "You didn't think they were going to make it easy for us, did you?"
"Oh, God," Olivia whispered, her panic rising. "Oh, my God, Sam…we're gonna die here…."
"Liv, hey, Liv…Liv," Sam said, as she tried to get Olivia's attention. Yet when Olivia kept shaking her head, muttering nervously under her breath, Sam took a more harsh approach. "Olivia! Look at me!"
Olivia, startled, stared wide-eyed at her.
"We're not dead yet," Sam whispered. "Ok?"
The Jaffa began to bark orders as they prodded the women towards the entrance to the maze with their staff weapons.
"No, we're not dead, " Olivia said, her voice trembling, "not yet."
"Don't give up hope, Liv," Sam said, as she kept her voice firm and confident-sounding for her friend. "Remember when I was on Nacre's examination table? I gave up all hope, then--until you showed up. You showed me that there was always hope. So just stay with me, Liv, and don't panic. Ok?"
Olivia nodded as they entered the maze. The high walls were made of smooth concrete, which had no hand or footholds, and thus did not led itself very well to climbing. Sam noted that the crowds could see them from atop the walls. They jeered and made obscene gestures, which she ignored. Sam was more grossed out by the fact that there appeared to be large patches of blood all over the sandy ground.
"So what do we do?" Olivia asked, sounding more calm.
"Get to the stargate," Sam replied. She grabbed Olivia's hand in her own. "No matter what happens, don't let go of my hand, ok?"
Olivia smiled slightly as she gazed at her with appreciation. "Thanks, Sam."
"Don't thank me just yet," Sam told her, as they started walking through the maze. "Thank me when we're safely out of here."
As they ran down the only narrow passageway that was available to them, Sam began to realize that this was what was known as a unicursal maze, which was basically one main pathway that spiraled inwards towards a center court with no dividing walls. This was a good thing, because their chances of getting lost in here was zilch, since all they had to do was follow the pathway. And the thunder lizards, the raptors--whatever those monsters were called--would have to enter from the same point that Sam and Olivia did. And since they already got a head start on the monsters, they should arrive at the gate before any raptors even get halfway through the maze.
"This just leads straight towards the center of the maze," Sam told Olivia. "So, c'mon, Liv, let's make a run for it and see if we can't beat these lizards!"
They ran down the narrow passageway, turning to the left at every corner, until they went deeper into the center of the maze. Sam could hear the crowds were cheering loudly--and thought it odd that they could be cheering for them. Usually, in this sort of set up, the crowds would always cheer for the hapless victims to be violently killed.
They were both out of breath when they reached the final turn, which led to the center court that contained the stargate. Just as they walked through the entranceway, Sam felt Olivia freeze up in fear right next to her. She quickly saw why.
Standing on top of the wall, just above the entranceway that they walked through, was a raptor, which snarled viciously down at them.
Sam pulled Olivia into the court--only to stop in horror at the sight before them.
Several more raptors stood waiting for them all around the stargate. When Sam heard the crowd cheer once more, she glanced up and saw another raptor leap from the top of the wall on the far side of the court to join his brothers in the upcoming feast.
Her heart sank as Sam realized why the crowds had been cheering--the raptors got to the center of the maze by jumping over the tops of the walls, as the bloodthirsty spectators cheered them on all along. She glanced at the lone raptor who stood guard over the entranceway. He was placed there to prevent them from running back out. And, judging from the blood-encrusted ramp leading to the stargate, that was their killing zone.
"W-What the h-hell are they waiting for?" Olivia asked in a terrified whisper. She clutched Sam's hand so hard, it hurt. "W-Why don't they just kill us and get it over with?"
"They're waiting for us to turn on the stargate, Liv," Sam said somberly. "It's their killing pattern--it's probably how they've been trained. It makes for a better show for these raving lunatics in the stands."
"Oh, God, Sam," Olivia said sadly, as she turned to face her. "I just want to tell you that I love you. You're like the sister I never had."
"Thank you, Liv…but please, don't give up--"
Olivia grabbed Sam's shoulders. "Sam, honey, there's nothing we can do. We're surrounded by these bastards, and we have no weapons. We just have to face the--"
"Wait a minute!" Sam blurted out, as she stared hard at the stargate. "If the ramp is the raptor's killing ground, then that must mean the stargate must really work! Why else would people try to run past them, unless the stargate was active at the time!"
When she tried to dial the DHD, Sam's hopes were dashed when she realized that she could not dial out to the SGC. Yet there was a specific sequence of glyphs that the DHD did allow her to dial. She had dialed up to six before she stopped. She quickly found the final working glyph on the DHD, but did not press it.
When Sam glanced at the raptors surrounding the gate, she saw that they all stood patiently, as if waiting for her to hit the final glyph and make a run for it.
And that was when she had the idea. The crazy idea. The really...crazy idea.
"Oh, boy," Sam whispered, shaking her head. "This is gonna take some crackerjack timing…."
"What is?" Olivia said desperately. "What do you mean?"
"Olivia," Sam said, clutching her hand tightly. "When I tell you, you run with me towards the ramp. And then, when I tell you, you drop flat down on the ramp. Understand?"
"Oh, my God," Olivia said, wide-eyed. "What are you planning?"
"We can either wait for them to attack us here--or, we can try to make an escape, and hopefully take a few of them out in the process," Sam replied. "Are you with me, Liv?"
"Always, Sam," Olivia said firmly. "I'm always with you. Just lead the way, sweetie."
"Do not let go of my hand," Sam said. She reached out with her other hand and struck the final glyph on the DHD. "NOW, LIV, RUN!"
The stargate began flashing as it slowly came to life, and the raptors that surrounded it had all actually tensed, as if using the stargate as their cue to get ready to pounce.
Sam and Olivia ran like crazy towards the ramp. Sam momentarily grimaced when she stepped barefoot in what felt like gore, but she ignored it and kept running.
The gate flashed brightly in the center just as Sam and Olivia were halfway up the ramp.
"NOW, DUCK AND STAY DOWN!" Sam shouted, as she dived down onto the ramp's surface.
Sam and Olivia, who both lay on their backs, flattened themselves as much as they could--just as two raptors leapt up at them from the opposite sides of the ramp, and a third ran up right on top of them from the end.
'Oh, God, no,' Sam thought with terror, as those monstrous fangs and claws were now all within deadly reach of her and Olivia. 'I miscalculated. I've failed…I'm so sorry Liv….'
And just then, the stargate roared to life.
The unstable wormhole blasted its way out of the ring, shooting a blindingly white backwash straight out over Sam and Olivia, who were just barely clear of its fury by mere inches.
The attacking raptors, however, were not as lucky.
The raptor that ran up the ramp after the women caught the full brunt of the wormhole's backwash, and he barely had time to let out a shriek as it obliterated him instantly. The two raptors that attacked from the opposite sides of the ramp wound up diving right into the deadly wormhole backwash, which sliced their bodies cleanly in half.
The backwash then disappeared back into the stargate as the wormhole automatically stabilized into the shining event horizon.
As Sam quickly got to her feet, she stared wide-eyed down at the carcass of one of the attacking raptors--or at least what was left of it. The front half of the raptor had been sheered clean off by the wormhole backwash, leaving just the back end, which had fallen back to the sandy ground beside the ramp with one of its hind legs still twitching in a death rattle.
"Get up, Liv, and get moving," Sam said, as she and Olivia started running up the ramp and towards the glimmering event horizon.
"Where's this gonna take us?" Olivia asked, as she ran.
"Anyplace but here," Sam responded, just as they reached the shining curtain.
'Just don't be an airless moon,' Sam thought, as she and Olivia stepped into the stargate. 'Please, don't be an airless moon…please, don't be an air--'
And then they were gone, having escaped through the stargate.
SG-1: SVU
There was total silence in the coliseum after the chaapa'ai shut down. Even the surviving raptors in the maze were quiet as they uneasily sniffed the remains of their dead brothers.
Ke'tesh was both stunned and amazed. The maze was a timeless piece of royal ceremony that had existed for literally thousands of years, and this was the very first time in its lengthy history that anyone had actually escaped through the chaapa'ai--not to mention having used the chaapa'ai itself as a weapon against the thunder lizards. Although he would never say it aloud, Ke'tesh was thoroughly impressed with Samantha Carter.
'Perhaps I could make Carter my concubine someday,' he thought. 'Once I kill this stupid bitch, Mut, and become Lord Emperor.'
Mut sat in her chair, her mouth agape. She had tried to say something, but was so shocked at what she had just seen that, for the first time in her life, she was completely speechless.
Then she turned to Ke'tesh and dumbly asked, "What just happened?"
'Oh, how you lack the cold, warrior's intellect of your dearly departed sister,' Ke'tesh thought. 'At least that fact shall make it that much more easier for me to take over the Netian Empire from you….'
Yet before Ke'tesh could reply, something in the crowd caught his attention.
A young boy stood up and began to shout, "Tauri! Tauri!"
Mut glared angrily at the little runt, who kept chanting the hated enemy's name like it was a victory mantra. Yet before she was about to order a Jaffa to deal with the ungrateful little animal, something unbelievable occurred.
The entire crowd in the coliseum began to chant the name 'Tauri', over and over. It was low and uncertain, at first. Until more and more people began to pick up on the chant, and it became a force of nature as every single member of the crowds within the coliseum joyfully rose from their seats and chanted 'Tauri' repeatedly.
Mut arose from her chair and screamed, "STOP!"
But the crowds ignored her, continuing with their chanting as if she weren't even there.
"Tauri! Tauri! Tauri!"
"I am your Lord Empress!" Mut screamed furiously at them. "And I command you to stop this NOW!!"
"Tauri! TAURI! TAURI!!"
"Um, my Lord Empress," Ke'tesh said, as he cast a nervous eye at the crowd. He noted that Io'tan had already left her seat. "Perhaps we should leave."
"Me? Leave?" Mut roared, insulted at the very idea. "NEVER! I shall command the Jaffa to kill everyone in this coliseum."
Ke'tesh pointed at the sight of a pair of Jaffa struggling to maintain control of the crowds. "My Lord Empress, the Jaffa are outnumbered within the coliseum. May I suggest that we--"
"Jaffa!" Mut ordered, ignoring him. "Kill them all!"
Ke'tesh abruptly ducked as a piece of rotten fruit was thrown right past his head. More fruit, and other assorted objects, followed as the royal podium was abruptly pelted.
Mut, who was struck in the face, fell to the floor, unconscious.
Ke'tesh bent down and felt her pulse. It was steady. She would survive.
"Damn it," Ke'tesh murmured, as he slowly placed his hands around her neck. "Perhaps, if I help you into the spirit world, I can take over that much more quickly."
He stopped and pulled his hands away from Mut's neck when several Jaffa abruptly appeared in the podium. Ke'tesh quickly rebounded from their appearance by ordering them to take the stricken Lord Empress to safety.
As the Jaffa efficiently moved the unconscious Mut from the podium, Ke'tesh glanced out at the coliseum one more time. He reeled at the sight of Jaffa, having been overwhelmed by the crowds, being flung over the railings. Fires had broken out elsewhere in the coliseum, as the now unruly crowd began to storm the gates, all while still shouting 'Tauri!'
Ke'tesh shook his head as he left the podium. 'By the time I finally take control of the empire, there may well be nothing left,' he thought darkly.
SG-1: SVU
"Oh, wow," Olivia said, as the stargate shut down behind them.
The planet they wound up on was densely forested, and a little chilly--but at least it had no thunder lizards. The ground under her feet felt soft, like peat moss.
She was about to give Sam a tight hug in thanks, but Olivia saw that Sam had already made a beeline for the DHD.
"You dialing Stargate Command?" Olivia asked, as she walked over to where Sam dialed the gate.
But Sam, all business, shook her head. "No. We don't have a GDO, or an IDC--or any way of contacting the SGC to get them to open the iris for us."
"So who are you dialing?"
"Somebody who can help us," Sam replied, as the stargate came to life. "His name is Bra'tac. He's one of the leaders of the free Jaffa."
"He's a good guy?"
"One of the best," Sam said with a smile. She held out her hand. "C'mon, Liv."
Hand in hand, they went through the gate once more, and when they emerged, Olivia was startled by the sight of several armed Jaffa who all aimed their staff weapons at them.
Sam immediately held her hands up and shouted, "Shel kek nem ron!"
The Jaffa instantly lowered their weapons, but they still looked wary. One of them strode forward and said, "You are free Jaffa?"
"No, we're with SG-1," Sam replied. "I'm Major Samantha Carter, and this is Olivia Benson. We're here to see Bra'tec."
The warrior still looked suspicious. And Olivia actually understood, since the ragamuffin look that she and Sam presently had would probably put anybody on guard.
"Come with us," the man said. "And make no sudden movement."
"It never ends, does it?" Olivia muttered, as she and Sam walked over to the Jaffa.
"Just remain calm, and do as they say, Liv," Sam assured her. "Like I said, they're friends. They're just being very careful, that's all."
After the Jaffa briefly looked them over for any weapons, they called for a horse-drawn wagon. Once they climbed in the back, Olivia was pleased to see it was filled with hay. This world was much warmer than the last, and sitting in the soft hay, added with the spring-like fragrance of the forest air, had put Olivia in a mellow mood. Not even the presence of the Jaffa who rode with them on the back of the wagon could diminish Olivia's good mood.
"What's the plan, now?" she asked Sam.
"Get back to the SGC, and determine the whereabouts of the rest of the team," Sam said, looking concerned. "Hopefully, they weren't captured like us. But if they were, we can do something about it now, thanks to the stargate in the maze."
"That'll be a big help to us?"
Sam nodded. "We can now gate directly to Mount Tanis, and sneak in through the back door, so to speak. Yeah, Liv, the second gate will be a big help, now."
Sam grew very quiet for a moment. Then she shyly said, "Speaking of the maze--when we were back there, you told me that I was like the sister you never had."
"No, that's wrong," Olivia said.
Sam looked up at her with surprise. "It is?"
Olivia nodded as she leaned over and caressed Sam's face with her hands. "I've just officially adopted you, Sam. As far as I'm concerned, you are my sister, now."
"Aww," Sam said, looking genuinely touched. "Oh, Liv…"
"C'mere, kid," Olivia said, as she pulled Sam into a warm embrace. "I love you."
"Aww, Liv," Sam murmured into Olivia's shoulder. "I love you, too. Oh, does this mean I can now borrow your clothes?"
"Hey, don't push your luck, now, all right?"
The hysterical laughter that followed was so infectious that it made even the escort rebel Jaffa smile.
To Be Continued...