A:N: Thanks to everyone who read and to the reviewers: kt, LJQ, Aelan Greenleaf, JonasFan and Pagan Twylight.
Please continue to review. I love reviews. Thanks again for reading.
Chapter Three
Torture and Friends
They exited the gate, Jacob had come with them along side of him was Malik as well. Quinn had come as well even against O'Neill's protests. The only reason he had let him come was because the First Minister had asked him well more ordered him to take him along.
He hated the idea of him coming in the first place. It was sheer stupidity allowing him to come with them. Within the next hour or so O'Neill plotted to shoot him in the foot so he would have to return to Langara.
He didn't want to risk him going at the kid fully armed.
What was he thinking? Calling the assassin a child? She wasn't a child if she could kill and not show any regret. The thing was a murder machine. From what he had heard from Jacob and Malik she mostly killed the Goa'uld but the only problem he had with that was that she killed them unmercifully. Not only did she kill the Goa'uld but also the host.
If she had allied herself with the Tok'ra why hadn't they even told them of her? A dangerous assassin that they had come around to do dirty work that they wouldn't do themselves.
O'Neill looked over and around the gate as soon as they stepped out. It was a desert planet, it almost reminded him of Abydos, but he could see several oases around the area. He looked behind him, a pyramid. He tilted his head back at the sight of it and let out a sigh in annoyance.
"Wow." He stated, it looked exactly like the Abydos pyramid. "Déjà vu."
"Really," Jackson said placing his sunglasses on his glasses. He looked around; his eyes were wide in amazement. "Do think she's still here?"
"More than likely." Carter told them, her eyes directed to the ground. She knelt down and extended her hand to the ground. "Sir, look."
O'Neill knelt beside her; the sand was thick with blood. It was fresh too.
"Blood." He looked over to Quinn. "Was she shot on Langara?"
Quinn shook his head. "No, she couldn't have been. When we cleaned up the mess she left behind there was no evidence of blood. Even from Lambert. She cleaned everything up."
"O'Neill," Teal'c began. O'Neill stood and looked to him. "Staff blasts." He pointed them out on some of the pillar. "It is a good assumption that the Goa'uld are here."
"Goa'ulds, assassins and Tok'ra oh my." O'Neill stated. Jacob looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Let's check out the pyramid. Maybe---" A staff blast passed him by only inches.from his body. "Everybody down!" He screamed. "Jacob who the hell is this?"
Jacob shot his zat while the Jaffa shot his staff. "I'm taking a guess that it's the Nebti!"
After several moments of shooting zats and staffs, they took out the last Jaffa.
"Let's head to the nearest oasis. We'll decide what we'll do then."
It didn't take long for them to get to the nearest oasis. It had a small pond that had drinkable water. O'Neill checked around to make sure no Jaffa had decided to surprise them with an attack. The area was secure. He walked over to Jackson.
"Any clues as to who that was?"
"Jacob," Jackson began looking over at him. "You called the Goa'uld the Nebti?"
"Yes," Jacob stated with a nod. "I was judging that by the symbols on the pyrimad."
O'Neill looked confused at him. "Who is Nebit..Nebito..who is it we're dealing with?" He gave up on the pronunciation.
"Nebti," Jackson began to explain for him. "The Nebti were two sisters Uadjet and Nekhbet. Uadjet was represented by a cobra while her sister, Nekhbet, was represented by a vulture; both represent the cycle of life and death in the universe. I only saw on type of Jaffa though, the cobra. So more than likely Nekhbet isn't here."
"You won't see Nekhbet," Malik told them looking at them from where he sat. "Nevs has proven her hate for Goa'ulds to the Tok'ra on more than one occasion. If Uadjet had captured her she would submit her to torture."
O'Neill looked confused. "Why?"
"Because she killed Nekhbet."
Carter's eyes went wide. "She killed her?" Jacob nodded. "Well we can't get back to the gate. Uadjet should have Jaffa guarding the gate by now."
"Any bright ideas?" O'Neill launched his question.
Teal'c was up on the top of a sand ridge when he began to run down. "Perhaps we can get into the pyramid." Everyone looked to him as if he was insane. "It is not a ship. The chances of there being many Jaffa is unlikely."
"So we go in kill Uadjet and get out?" Quinn questioned with a shrug.
"It is possible." Malik stated in agreement with Teal'c.
O'Neill sat down on the sand, staring up at the sky through his sunglasses. "Well I've heard worse."
"Perhaps," A Goa'uld's voice told them.
They all looked up to witness a Goa'uld standing a top the mound of sand and brought their weapons up to fight. It was too late though. They were surrounded by thirty or so Jaffa all prepared to kill him. Fifteen stood on either side of the black haired bright blue-eyed woman dressed in ancient Egyptian clothes that a queen would wear.
"Lower your weapons." She directed her order to O'Neill. The Goa'uld growled her eyes glowing when he didn't obey her. "You will not survive a fight." She told them with a hiss while she descended down to them. "Put down your weapons or I will be forced to kill the one called Nevs."
"Go ahead." Quinn growled back holding his weapon up high.
"Jonas," Carter whispered trying to get him to shut up. She looked over to O'Neill. "Sir?"
O'Neill glared over at Quinn. He could tell that Quinn had meant what he had said. He looked back up to the Goa'uld then back to Carter. He shook his head. They set their weapons on the ground, all but Quinn.
"Jonas.." Quinn looked over at O'Neill, his eyes told him what he meant to do. He wanted her to die for what she had done to him. Anyone could see that. "If you don't put down your weapon we're all dead." Quinn looked back to the Goa'uld. She smiled evilly at him then let her eyes flash down. "Put down your goddamn gun!"
Quinn finally did. He set it down on the sand and backed away from the gun.
"Good little brat." The Goa'uld hissed at him. She looked to her Jaffa. "Bring them."
Carter sat beside her father, her eyes looked to the others. Teal'c sat beside Quinn and beside them was O'Neill and Jackson.
O'Neill wasn't happy, not at all. At the moment they were being held by Uadjet in the prison inside her pyramid. The scenery was pretty boring, like any other Goa'uld prison chamber.
Except they could see the torture chamber from where they were. It was practically outside their door. And what a ghastly sight that was. It had a lot of devices used to inflect torture. Knifes, barbwire, whips along with other things that they couldn't really tell what they were. Most looked like middle-aged means of torture as well.
O'Neill gave a heavy sigh then looked over at Jackson. He shrugged to him. They had been in the cell for quite some time. No one was really keeping track.
"Well," He began. "Now does anyone have any bright ideas?"
The sound of footsteps made him shut up. They watched as the Goa'uld, Uadjet, walked down the steps through the torture chamber and passed them. She stopped suddenly, her eyes glowed to them as she looked to them.
"You came here for a reason. Why?"
"To take care of business." O'Neill replied with a smirk.
"With the assassin no doubt?" She motioned to the right.
A rather annoy hiss came from beside them in the next cell. The Jaffa moved towards the cell. They listened and heard the shield surrounding the assassins cell go down. The sound of the assassin fighting back made them uneasy.
"She is but a lowly mortal." Uadjet hissed over to them. "Surely she cannot be so much trouble."
"I beg to differ." O'Neill said rubbing the back of his neck.
Uadjet looked over at him. Her eyes flashed in anger at his comments. She looked back over at the Jaffa as they brought the assassin out.
Her clothes were torn and her body, well, it was less than pretty. Her face bruised and bleeding badly from many lacerations as well as a broken nose.
The Jaffa forced her arms over her head and into chains.
Teal'c recognized this means of torture; he had been put through it several times. He had also put many others through it too.
The assassin looked weak but she still managed to stand instead of dangle. Her stare went immediately to Uadjet when the Jaffa finished strapping her up. Uadjet nodded to her left and one of the Jaffa went over to where she had indicated. He brought over a barbwire whip.
Uadjet snapped the whip and swung it over the assassin's shoulder. She smiled at the satisfying sound of the barbs being driving into the assassin's flesh. In the blink of an eye she yanked the whip out of her flesh. Shreds of the assassin's skin went flying along with lines of drops of blood.
Carter shook her head; she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The sound of the assassin's flesh being torn from her body made her sick to her stomach. The assassin didn't even cry out or show any signs of pain.
Everyone in the cell looked like they were about ready to be sick.
Blood dripped from the assassin's body to the found in thick blobs. Uadjet looked over to them, a smile spread across her face.
"She's strong." She told them looking back at the assassin. "She does not cry out in pain." She looked back to them with nothing but pure evil covering her eyes. "Yet."
She brought the whip up again, this time she wrapped it around her waist. Once again she pulled the whip harshly. Her body was pulled forward from the force Uadjet had brought into pulling the whip away from her.
"Tell me who sent you." She questioned her. The assassin didn't reply, simply stared at her, her eyes glowed dark blue in rage. Her eyes were narrowed straight at Uadjet who stood and laughed at her. "You're a powerful creature assassin. However you are not that powerful."
"And your power only comes from your host." The assassin replied, her body stood straight, her hands grasped the chains tightly and she swung her legs forward.
Her feet struck Uadjet in the face. The blow sent Uadjet backwards in the force shield of the SG teams cell. She cried out in pain while the Jaffa ran to grab the assassin. She shouted in anger when they brought a fire stick down on her back. Her mouth opened wide and her eyes too when they shocked her. Her eyes glowed wide, she cried so loudly it hurt everyone's ears. When they pulled the stick away she stood as straight as she could.
Uadjet gave a hiss of annoyance before she pushed herself away from the shield.
The assassin smirked with a chuckle. "Painful?"
"I grow tired of your insolence." Uadjet hissed at her as she walked back to face her. She brought the back of her hand across her face. "You shall tell me all that your old mind knows."
The assassin spoke in a Goa'uld dialect. Jackson gave a chuckle while Teal'c raised an eyebrow out of intrigue and the Goa'uld looked over at them. Then she looked back at the assassin.
"What did she say?" Carter asked out of curiosity as to why Jackson had laughed.
Jackson leaned over to her. "Basically she just told her to shove it up her ass."
O'Neill nodded with a smile. "I like this girl already."
The sound of an outcry made them turn back to the assassin.
Uadjet had shoved a dagger deep into the assassin's gut. The assassin's head hanged low. Her eyes gazed down at the wound. Blood had spilled onto the Goa'uld's hands and she jumped back and stared at the assassin.
The assassin raised her head. A smile had spread across her face; blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. The Goa'uld looked frightened as it backed away from the assassin. With moments the Goa'uld and the Jaffa left the chamber leaving the assassin strung up and facing them. She looked over at each of them. Focusing on each one briefly before she let her head hang again.
"So," O'Neill began to make the assassin look over at him. Her abdomen was bleeding badly. "Does that hurt?"
"She won't answer you." Malik told him. O'Neill looked over to him. "She's been trained not too."
"Then why'd she answer Uaogit?"
"To piss her off."
"Ah," O'Neill stated then looked back to her. "Just out of curiosity?" The assassin raised her head and glared at them. "Why did Uajat leave after she stabbed you?" The assassin shrugged then rested her chin to her chest. "Well," He looked around to everyone in the cell. "So does anyone else have any bright ideas?"
Carter began to look around. "I could try and hot wire it."
"Won't work." The assassin stated. They looked over to her. She opened her hands to reveal terrible third degree burns on her palms. "The shock alone will kill you."
Jackson stood up and moved to the edge of the force shield. "Are we one speaking terms?"
"For the moment." She told him, her gaze turned to Quinn. "As long as I don't get shot." Her gaze then turned to Malik. "Been a while hasn't it Malik?"
He nodded to her. "You have a plan I suppose that doesn't involve you shooting me as well."
She chuckled at him while she began to swing her body on the chains. Her body was being strained from the swinging. They could see that she was trying to reach the controls to get the shield down. The chains were high up and longer than they usually were.
O'Neill stared over at the assassin as she stretched her toes out and finally struck the control panel. He stood up as the field went down, as did the assassin. Her back smacked against the podium and she gave a weak out cry.
She managed to get back on her feet. She looked over at them; her eyes wide and she stared at them as they moved out the cell towards her. Malik was first to her, releasing her from the chains. She hissed at them before she ran for it. Malik simply let her go.
O'Neill looked over at Jacob. "Not even a your welcome."
"Well she did say for the moment." Jackson reminded him. "So I take it we're on our own?"
"Yeah," O'Neill replied, picking up some of the staff weapons and zats. The others came and took them from him. He let them take them with no complaints all but Quinn.
"Jack I can help in case the Jaffa return."
"Her statement of her not getting shot was directed straight to you and no one else Jonas." O'Neill stated as he walked over to him and stood in his face so her got the whole effect of what he meant. "Out of everyone else here she is most worried about you because you are a danger to her, therefore you get no zat and no staff."
Quinn looked at him and it wasn't a nice look. He was not happy about being told that he could not help.
"You, Carter, Malik and Teal'c will go secure the gate. Jacob, Daniel and I will go see if we can find out little helpful killer. If we're not back at the gate in ten minutes go back to Langara with out us."
"Why Langara?"
"Because they took our G.D.O's Malik." He told him with a groan. "Let's move out."
She walked down the corridor, she knew where it led to and she knew needed to get there. She had to get to the Goa'uld.
She wasn't being discrete about coming to get her either. Her hearing had made it so she could hear anything coming her way. She could hear even the heartbeats of the hosts or of any Jaffa were remotely close to her. The sound of movement made her pick up the pace; she couldn't tell where it had come from.
Nothing prepared her for the feeling of the hard tip of a boot connect with her chin.
The blow was devastating. It knocked her onto her back, her head smashed against the ground. She writhed in pain lay, her lip had been split and her head hurt like hell. Her vision cleared to see a man clothed in black, a shade to match the hair that fell over his brow. His clothing was that of a system lord. Decorated in mostly clothes that ancient Egyptians would have worn.
A mirthful scowl caused his dark eyes to glint as he regarded her as he stood over her, his feet on either side of her arms.
"Horus." She hissed up at him grabbing her head in pain.
"Nevs, did you miss me that much that you would bleed for me?" He smiled and moved from hovering over her then offered her a hand. She took it and he helped her to stand, a smile spread across both their faces. "I'm surprised you managed to get here this quickly old friend."
"Quickly?" She questioned putting her hands on her hips. "I've been in that damn prison for a month you couldn't have sprung me? At least Malik got caught so I had someone to untie me."
"What the hell?" O'Neill's voice came from behind her. They both looked to see O'Neill, Jackson and Jacob with them. They had their weapons drawn ready to fire at them if necessary. "I thought you killed Goa'uld."
"What makes you think I am Goa'uld?" Horus hissed at them while the assassin pulled a knife out of her belt as a warning.
"I am Selmak of the Tok'ra." Selmak's voice came out from Jacob's body. "Identify yourself."
"Selmak it has been a while." Horus stated with a smirk. "You haven't forgotten me? Horus?"
O'Neill looked to Jacob who nodded. "He's safe." Jacob's voice came out now. Everyone lowered their weapons while Jacob explained. "Horus is our undercover Tok'ra in this system. I didn't know you were on this planet."
"I called Nevs here a month ago." Horus stated. He looked to the assassin who had her knife ready to strike out if she was told to. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she knocked it away. "Calm down Nevs. These are friends."
"Not mine." She hissed at him, her eyes stared darts at them. She turned back to Horus and passed him to continue onward towards the Goa'uld. "Do not follow me." She looked back at them briefly. "Ever again."
She left them running full tilt.
Horus looked to O'Neill. "You wronged her." He stated and walked past them heading for the exit. "We must leave."
Jackson shook his head. "What? Why?"
"Because if she succeeds," Horus began with an annoyed sigh as he turned and stared at him. "She will also destroy the pyramid to eliminate any chance of the symbiote healing the host. Do you want to be here when it begins to collapse?"
Carter stood ready to defend against anything that came near the gate, as did Teal'c who held his staff tightly. Not far from them was Malik who carried a staff weapon as well.
Quinn sat on the steps and leaned against the DHD. He didn't look in the least bit happy to not be actively involved with the mission. He stood up and kicked a stone off the platform.
Carter looked back at him. She could see the frustration in his face as he paced down to the bottom of the platform and then back up to the DHD.
"Jonas." Carter began to get his attention. He looked over at her briefly to indicate that he had heard her and was listening but he didn't stop to focus on what she had to say to him. "If you had the chance would you kill her?"
He stopped and looked to her. His face showed nothing but utter disbelief that she wouldn't think he would. "Of course. She tore my life to pieces. I loved Kianna, Sam. I was going to marry her. Then she came to Langara, stuck her hand into my chest and ripped out my heart."
"Everyone has lost someone Jonas Quinn." Teal'c told him. "I have lost my wife and we all have lost many close friends."
"Jackson lost his wife too Jonas." Carter told him. "Even away from this program we've lost loved ones.
"I lost my mother in a car accident when I was a kid." Carter began to tell him. He shook his head and began to stalk back towards the top of the steps. "Colonel O'Neill lost his son. And worse of all it was by his own gun." This got Quinn's attention. He stopped, his head turned to the side so he could listen to her. "His son shot himself with his gun. Everybody hurts for a while Jonas. The pain will pass in time. It always does."
"Major Carter." Teal'c began; his eyes focused on the pyramid. "O'Neill is coming. Three are with him."
"The assassin?" Quinn questioned his voice had a hint of anger still present in it.
"No." Teal'c stated and Carter and Quinn moved up to where he stood. "It looks like a Goa'uld system lord."
"If he's traveling with them he must be a Tok'ra." She went to reach for her radio then shook her head out of annoyance. "Don't have a radio." Staff fire began to erupt from either side of O'Neill, Jackson and the rest of them. "Open fire on the pyramid."
They took positions and began to fire on the pyramid.
A:N: Thanks again to everyone who read and to the reviewers: kt, LJQ, Aelan Greenleaf, JonasFan and Pagan Twylight.
Please review! I love reviews!!!