The decision to leave the inn and head for the ship was made without much discussion. It was as though Dumace's warning combined with uncovering the secrets of Cartegia had them all on edge. They stopped by to pick up their few belongings and Jonas arranged to send a message of farewell to Goy while Vala paid for the accommodation.
The walk back to the ship was made in silence. They were all nervous. Even Rya'c cast anxious looks back down the trail as they hurried along the path in the gathering gloom of the twilight. None of them could shake the sense that they were being watched.
Rya'c cleared his throat as they stepped inside. 'I believe we should take the ship into orbit.'
Nobody argued.
It was only when they were airborne, ascending through the lilac sky dotted with the faint hint of stars that Cassie breathed a sigh of relief in the passenger seat. Rya'c stood just behind her and she turned to smile at him.
Jonas leaned a shoulder against the back wall and folded his arms. 'I guess we know why SG1 aren't on this planet anymore.'
'We do?' Vala questioned as she established an orbit and set the ship on autopilot.
'They must have gone through the Stargate.' Jonas said. 'If Rya'c is right and the lock only enabled one address to be dialled, perhaps they went through to the Land of Dragons. Only something went wrong on the other side – maybe it doesn't have a working DHD or maybe they've been taken hostage by this Goa'uld except...'
'What?' Cassie prompted.
Jonas lifted a shoulder. 'It doesn't make sense. I mean, let's assume for the moment that SG1 discovered what we have discovered about Cartegia, what do you think their next move would be?'
'The Council.' Vala suggested promptly, swivelling round in her chair and clasping her hands together. 'Apart from the obvious benefit of being to travel by Stargate, it gave them an opening to talk about the naquadah mining.'
'But a delicate discussion given their history.' Jonas said.
'The Council wouldn't have agreed to it though.' Cassie said out loud.
The others looked at her bemused.
'Think about it.' Cassie said, gesturing. 'The Council knows the Cult of the Dragon believe reopening the portal – the Stargate – will bring about the return of the Goa'uld. Even if SG1 reassured them the Goa'uld are toast these days, what would you do?'
'Refuse to let anyone near the chappa'ai.' Rya'c answered with confidence. 'It is what I would do.'
'Maybe they didn't get a chance to talk to the Council. Perhaps someone in the Cult realised that SG1 knew how to make the Stargate work,' Vala continued excitedly, 'and asked for their help.'
'My father would not have assisted worshippers of the Goa'uld.' Rya'c said forcefully.
'Good point.' Cassie agreed. 'I can't see SG1 agreeing to help people try and reinstate the rule of a Goa'uld.'
Vala snapped her fingers. 'If I was leading this Cult, I would have lured them up there by threatening to hurt someone and forced Samantha to open the portal.'
'That makes sense.' Cassie nodded. 'That I can see.'
'There would have been a fight...' Jonas mused.
'And they escaped through the chappa'ai.' Rya'c finished.
'It's a theory.' Vala murmured.
Cassie leaned back in the passenger chair and tapped her thigh with her hand. 'We need to go through the Cartegian Stargate.'
'No, we need the gate address.' Jonas corrected. 'We would be safer taking the cargo ship.'
'I hate to say this but I agree with Jonas.' Vala said. 'It's too risky just to step through the gate. We have no idea what's on the other side and we'd end up in the same position as the others.'
'My father may not have the time for us to make a long journey by cargo ship.' Rya'c argued, bristling.
Cassie nodded. 'Maybe we should split up. Two of us go through the Stargate to find SG1 and help them. Two of us travel by cargo ship to affect a rescue.'
'I don't know...' Jonas rubbed a hand through his hair. 'I don't like the idea of splitting up.'
'Rya'c's right.' Cassie insisted. There was a need for urgency. 'Even if Teal'c and the rest of SG1 had extra supplies of his tretonin, he's probably near to the end of that supply. And what if one of them is hurt or injured? We need to give them assistance now.' She gestured. 'But I agree that the ship is probably required for a rescue.'
Jonas nodded signalling his acquiescence.
'Well, there is just one small problem with your plan, darling.' Vala said impishly.
Cassie looked at her inquiringly.
'The gate address.' Vala reminded her. 'We don't have it. Not to mention we have no idea where the portal actually is on Cartegia.'
Jonas allowed a small grin. 'She has a point.'
Cassie smiled ruefully. 'Yeah, she has a point.'
'We could follow the trail we found when we stopped on the path this morning.' Rya'c said. 'That should lead us to the chappa'ai.'
'He's right.' Cassie said.
Jonas grimaced. 'I don't like the idea of any of us going back down to the planet. It's very likely we captured the attention of the Cult ourselves.'
Cassie wasn't keen on the idea herself. She could feel the sense of dread that had accompanied them on the walk back to the cargo ship. 'Can we find the Stargate with the sensors on the ship?'
Vala frowned and turned back to the controls. 'We can try.'
Rya'c moved to stand behind Vala. 'Perhaps you should try that...'
'Yes, yes,' Vala waved him away, 'this isn't my first cargo ship.'
Jonas and Cassie exchanged an amused look.
'Nothing.' Vala sighed dramatically. 'The naquadah in the mountain is causing the sensors to go all screwy.'
'Is that a technical term?' Jonas teased as he walked forward to stand beside Cassie.
Vala stuck her tongue out at him. 'If the Stargate is located on the mountain, we're not going to find it with the sensors.'
'We might be able to find the temple if we fly over the mountain and make a visual survey.' Rya'c suggested. 'We can remain cloaked.'
Vala pushed out of the pilot's chair and offered it to the Jaffa.
Rya'c inclined his head momentarily in thanks but quickly moved into the vacated seat. An instant later, the cargo ship was dipping smoothly back into the atmosphere and through the upper layers of cloud.
Cassie held her breath as they made their first pass of the mountain. All of them were peering out of the window hoping for a sign of something that would scream "temple." There was nothing on their first pass and Cassie felt her stomach lurch in disappointment. Rya'c turned around and made a second pass from a different angle; the tension in his body giving away his own concern.
'There!' Vala pointed to a long crevasse. 'It's an entrance.'
Rya'c carefully turned the cargo ship and flew through the narrow opening.
'Definitely not natural.' Jonas remarked, his eyes wide with wonder as they took in the sheer lines of the walls.
The passage opened out suddenly into an enormous cavern and there, in the centre was the temple. Two huge stone dragons stood guard at the entrance.
'There are life signs in the cavern.' Rya'c noted, frowning.
'The Cult?' theorised Jonas.
'I don't see who else it would be.' Vala agreed.
Cassie sighed. No doubt the cult made regular trips to the temple. It explained the Cartegian footprints she and Rya'c had seen on the mountain. 'The Stargate is in the temple, isn't it?'
They all nodded.
'So there's no way in there without alerting the Cult to our presence.' Cassie felt frustration bubble up inside her. To be so close...
Rya'c shifted, drawing their attention. 'There is one possibility.' He looked meaningfully at Jonas and Vala.
'What?' asked Cassie, frowning.
'Of course.' Vala crowed, rubbing her hands with delight.
'What?' Cassie asked again.
'You're right. I don't know why we didn't think about it before.' Jonas said ruefully.
Cassie glowered at them all. 'If I have to ask what one more time...'
'Do you know how like Jack you sound?' Jonas inquired, grinning.
'Jonas!' Cassie barked impatiently.
Vala laid a hand on her shoulder. 'Before you kill him, Cassie, we're talking about rings.'
Jonas nodded. 'If there's a temple, it's likely it has rings.'
Rya'c had already turned back to the controls. 'I am checking.' He gave a nod. 'I have located the rings in the temple.'
Vala rubbed her hands. 'Then what are we waiting for?'
'The life signs are only outside the temple?' Cassie checked.
Rya'c inclined his head.
'OK, then.' Cassie held up her hand. 'We should decide who's going and who will be the cavalry.'
'I'm going, obviously.'
'I'm going.'
'I am going.'
All three of the others spoke at once.
'OK, well, this could get messy.' Vala said unhappily. 'We can't all go.'
'Teal'c is my father.' Rya'c stated firmly. 'I should go through the chappa'ai.'
'He's right.' Cassie agreed. 'Plus Rya'c's probably the best tracker amongst us. He'll be able to find them on the other side.'
Nobody argued with that.
'Then I go through with him.' Vala insisted before Jonas could speak. 'The lock needs someone with naquadah in their blood to work and I can heal anyone injured on the other side.'
'I have naquadah in my blood too.' Cassie forced herself to meet Vala's eyes. 'And I can't take a turn flying this cargo ship to the rescue; you can.'
'Cassie's right.' Jonas said quietly. 'If we want to get to this planet as fast as we can by cargo ship, it's going to take two pilots flying her continuously.' He paused, turning to capture Cassie's gaze. Concern swam in his eyes. 'I can't say I'm thrilled about sending the two of you alone through the Stargate though.'
'Rya'c's a trained warrior.' Cassie reassured him. 'And if everything goes well, we'll be with SG1.'
Jonas gave a faint nod but he didn't look away and the concern that tensed his jaw didn't abate.
'I don't like this.' Vala declared with a huff.
They all looked at her.
'Well, I don't.' Vala retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. 'I might accept it but I don't have to like it.'
'You should ring down with us.' Cassie suggested. 'Just in case I don't have enough naquadah to make it work and you'll need to make a note of the Stargate address so you and Jonas can come riding to the rescue.'
Vala sniffed. 'Well, I do like riding to the rescue.'
Cassie smiled and stood up to envelope the other woman in a brief hug. 'We should get some supplies together.' She said, stepping back.
Jonas slid into the pilot's seat as Rya'c moved out to make preparations for departure with Vala and Cassie.
Cassie changed into more comfortable clothing; her jeans and a checked shirt went on under her jacket. She packed the backpack carefully with provisions, blankets, and the first aid kit. Rya'c was doing the same on the other side of the hold.
Vala crouched beside and handed her a small pouch. 'Take this.'
Cassie took it and carefully peeked inside; it was the Goa'uld healing device. She nodded briskly and packed it carefully away into her jacket pocket. She picked up the zat and looked over to Rya'c. 'Ready?'
Rya'c slung his pack over his shoulder and hoisted his staff weapon. 'I am ready.'
'Wait.' Jonas appeared and dug into his own pack. He brought out something that looked like a communicator. He tossed it at Vala who caught it. 'You just need to open it and talk. Contact me when you're ready to be ringed back.'
Cassie took her position in the rings; back to back with Vala and Rya'c to form a triangle that covered their positions.
Jonas gave them a wave goodbye. 'Good luck.'
The rings descended and Cassie held her breath as a white light surrounded her. Her stomach dropped away as though she was riding a rollercoaster plummeting into nothing, before suddenly there was ground beneath her feet and the sound of the rings disappearing.
She raised her zat and blinked the flash of the bright light away from her eyes. They had ringed into the centre of the temple. Someone had been inside; there were torches burning on the walls but Cassie could see no-one. The Stargate was in front of her; yellow light bouncing off its silver metal. There was evidence of a fight; she could shell casings in front of the gate; scorch marks along the walls. SG1 had been there.
'Clear.' Vala reported.
'Me too.' Cassie said.
'I see no-one.' Rya'c confirmed.
They all remained frozen.
'OK,' Vala said, 'we should do this.'
'And quickly.' Cassie added. 'Someone's been in here recently.'
'DHD is in front of me.' Vala said and moved. 'Cassie, you activate the lock. Rya'c and I will cover you.'
Cassie hurried over to the DHD as Rya'c and Vala took opposite sides of the room. It looked normal except for the lock. It looked very much as it had done in the drawing; an oval-shaped amber affixed to the column of the DHD.
'Do I just touch it?' Cassie asked tentatively.
Vala motioned at her. 'Go ahead.'
Cassie flexed her hand. It was just touching a lock. Just putting her palm on it to turn it on to activate the Stargate and find SG1. She flexed her hand again.
'Cassie.' Vala called over her shoulder. 'I hate to hurry you but: get a move on!'
Cassie rolled her eyes but took a deep breath and placed her hand over the oval crystal.
Nothing happened.
Maybe it was like the healing device, Cassie considered tiredly. Maybe she needed to think about something.
She closed her eyes and pictured her dream; Teal'c reaching out his hand to her...Sam holding her in the bunker...
She opened her eyes.
Nothing.
'I don't think it's working for me.' Cassie called out.
Vala indicated that they should swap. Cassie hurried over, taking position behind the statue and looking down the corridor to the temple doorway.
She glanced back at Vala crouched beside the DHD. 'Vala?'
Vala harrumphed. 'It's not working for me either.'
'Someone is coming.' Rya'c said urgently.
'We should leave.' Cassie said despondently. They could regroup on the cargo ship.
They ran back to the rings.
Vala opened the communicator. 'Jonas...'
A shot sizzled over their heads and they all ducked.
Cassie fumbled with the zat, trying to get it open so she could fire it. Beside her, Rya'c and Vala were competently firing back. A shot from a staff weapon smacked into the floor in front of her and Cassie gave a startled cry.
'Cease!' A woman's voice shouted out. 'We have you surrounded and we will kill you.'
Vala glanced at Cassie who nodded.
'OK.' Vala shouted back. 'We're putting the weapons down!'
The shots stopped.
Rya'c frowned as he lowered the staff weapon. 'I do not think this is a good idea.'
Vala shook her head and placed her zat on the ground. 'Neither do I but we don't have too many options.'
Cassie gently placed the zat down and slowly stood up. She stiffened as she recognised the women coming towards them. 'Kitana?'
The librarian's grand-daughter had changed from her medieval dress into black leggings and tunic. A black bandeau covered her hair. She looked like a medieval ninja. A group of similarly looking young women gathered just behind Kitana providing her with support. Cassie recognised one of them immediately as Saki, the maid from the inn.
Kitana held the staff weapon as though she had been using it all her life. 'I knew you were not who you said you were! Saki said she believed you knew the Tau'ri!'
'You're not exactly just a librarian's granddaughter either.' Cassie said dryly. Anger stirred despite their precarious position. There was no doubt in her mind that Kitana had played a part in SG1 going missing; was responsible for the worry and hurt that had made Cassie feel like total crap for weeks.
Vala cleared her throat. 'Perhaps we should all take a moment to take a deep breath and...'
Kitana glared at her.
'You're part of the Cult.' Cassie stated.
'I lead the Dragons.' Kitana's chin rose proudly.
'What happened to our friends?' Vala asked forcefully. 'You know, don't you?'
Kitana scowled. Her dark eyes flashed with anger. 'They betrayed me.'
'You mean they worked out your little scheme to get off this planet.' Cassie corrected.
'You have no idea.' Kitana sneered. 'Our ancestors were the most cherished of our God. They were to be her next vessel. The humans despoiled them; raped them; imprisoned them in marriages.'
Cassie felt a twinge of sympathy.
'Believe me,' Vala began, 'I understand your anger at what happened to your ancestors.'
'Not just to them!' Kitana snapped. 'We are still chattel. Your Tau'ri friends do not care! They only want the naquadah.'
'Admittedly,' Vala grabbed Cassie's arm before she could say anything, 'the Tau'ri may seem that they are only concerned with their own agenda but they care. They care more than most.'
'If you had talked to them,' Rya'c added, 'they would have listened to you.'
'He's right.' Cassie said. 'They would have taken it to the Council or they would have offered you sanctuary. But instead you tried to trick them into taking you off world.'
Kitana smiled humourlessly. 'You would have done the same in my place.'
Cassie glared at her.
'And now you will help us leave and so we may find our God.' Saki stepped up beside her leader; the meek maid persona completely dropped, revealing a fierce young woman in its place.
'She is a False God.' Rya'c said strongly.
Vala patted his shoulder. 'Your father would be so proud of you.'
'She is our Queen.' Kitana shot back. 'You are merely Jaffa.'
'A Free Jaffa who bows to no False God!' Rya'c said passionately.
'Your God abandoned you.' Cassie pointed out calmly. 'Why do you even want to be reunited with her?'
'She is our God.' Kitana asked angrily.
Vala and Cassie exchanged a look before Vala turned back to her with a shrug.
'Well, yes, actually,' Vala said, 'that was our thought on why.'
'You will activate the lock. One of you must have the ability.' She reached towards her neck and lifted a triangular object made of naquadah. 'Every lock has a key.'
'You don't seriously expect us to help you.' Cassie looked at Kitana askance.
Vala held up a finger. 'Would you excuse us just for a moment?' Without waiting for an answer and ignoring the weapons pointed at them, Vala pulled Cassie and Rya'c into a huddle.
'What are you doing?' hissed Cassie.
Vala's eyes slid to the communicator which was still in her hand and open. Cassie's eyes widened; Jonas could hear everything. Rya'c nodded cautiously to acknowledge he'd also seen it.
'I think we should help them activate the Stargate.' Vala said without any further preamble. 'It's what we want. It's what they want.'
'Vala, even if I feel some sympathy for what their ancestors went through, what they're going through, I don't think...'
'I will not assist those who worship the Goa'uld.' Rya'c whispered, cutting in and making Cassie's point for her.
'Here me out.' Vala said, glancing again at the communicator. 'I activate the Stargate on the condition that you two go through first. Perhaps they'll follow; perhaps something, say the rings, will get in the way.' Her eyes flitted towards the floor and the mark of the rings and back up to Rya'c and Cassie. If the rings activated, they would take Vala out of the line of fire and would delay the Cult from following them.
'Sounds like a plan.' Cassie said.
Rya'c nodded sharply.
Vala turned back to Kitana with a broad smile on her face. 'We're willing to make a deal.'
Kitana stiffened. 'You are hardly in a position to bargain.'
If anything, Cassie thought with a flicker of amusement, Vala's smile widened.
'Look, we both want to get through the Stargate.' Vala strode back towards Kitana, apparently heedless of the weapons.
The crowd of women around Kitana bristled.
'You agree that my friends and I go through first.' Vala said. 'I'll activate the lock.'
'We could just kill your friends.' Saki suggested.
'You could,' Vala agreed, still smiling, 'but then I would probably get killed in the ensuing fight and the power that makes the lock work won't work for you if I'm dead.' Her smile widened as she stopped just in front of the DHD and trailed a finger along the edge. 'So what will it be?'
Kitana glowered at Vala but she cast a look around her group and nodded. She lowered her weapon. 'So be it.'
'Get into position.' Vala called out.
Rya'c picked up their weapons. He tossed one of the zats to Vala and dragged Cassie towards the Stargate and just off to the side. They would be able to dart through as soon as the wormhole stabilised.
Vala grinned at them confidently and gave a thumbs up, as Kitana apparently inserted her necklace piece into the oval crystal. Vala stooped and pressed her hand against it. The Stargate began to dial. Vala moved forward quickly to stand in the outline of the ring on the floor. Cassie could see she was watching which symbols lit up; memorising the address so that she and Jonas could follow.
Cassie readied herself as the last chevron locked and the wormhole erupted; Vala ducked to avoid the whoosh before it settled back into a puddle. The temple chamber was bathed in pale blue light.
Vala waved at Rya'c and Cassie. 'Go!'
Rya'c went first; running into the wormhole without a backward glance. Cassie made to follow him; she hoisted her bag with one hand and the other clutched her zat nervously. She looked back over her shoulder at Vala.
Their eyes caught and Cassie saw Vala nod at her even as the former thief raised the communicator and turned back to the DHD, zat in hand. Vala was going to shoot the DHD before the rings took her back to the cargo ship, Cassie realised; prevent the Cult from following after them. A quick glance toward Kitana showed the Cult getting restless; they wouldn't wait much longer.
Cassie turned back to the wormhole and hurried into the event horizon.
