CHAPTER 45

All Kebechet could do was laugh.

"You do know, given what you just witnessed me do to Morgan, that the weapon you carry is u;seless. I can kill you without blinking an eye."

"Then why don't you do it already?" he said lowering his weapon and spreading his arms out to his sides in an antagonizing manner. "Put me out of my misery."

Kebechet frowned, her mockery turning to the deepest of sincerity.

"I can stand here and explain things to you ad nauseum but in reality, you would only understand a small portion of it. Even if I were to try, there is not enough time to do so. You must trust me. Trust me to know what I am doing and to trust there are things I must do or say to which you will never understand. Netan, my love, you will never bare the weight of the burden that I now carry and that I have for so long. She would never allow you to and I will not either. Now you must go back up to that ship and do as I ask of you."

Kebechet chuckled softly, sauntering over to Netan until she was just inches from his face. Caressing the side of his cheek, she pulled her face up to his ear, whispering softly.

"I am your wife, Netan. I was then. I am now. I always will be."

"If that is true. I am not sure if I can stand around to see what you will become. I don't think my heart could t --"

Before Netan could finish his words, Kebechet watched in horror as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground as if he were a puppet whose strings had been cut. The fear inside grew even deeper when she realized the rapid and irregularly thunderous beating of his heart. Kneeling at his side she felt frozen with sheer panic. That with all her power and knowledge she stood agape at what she should be doing.

"The people on the ship above us have the means to save him, that is, if you allow them to."

The quite and calm voice broke Kebechet out of her panic. She looked up in its direction and immediately seethed. For there, standing with utter compose and stalwart resolve was Shifu.

"You!!! What have you done to him?"

"I believe the words you used with Daniel were 'heavy and irreversible systemic collapse of vital cardiac functions in widespread extent.' Or something along those lines."

"Stop what you are doing!" the panic in her voice changing quickly to anger. "You are going to kill him."

"I am not doing anything to him. He was ill to begin with Kebechet. Gravely so. This much you know. What is happening to him now is inevitable. And whether or not he dies, that is entirely up to you."

Kebechet rose from her feet in rage, "Stop this or so help me I -"

"You will do nothing. I am not Morgan. I am not bound by the laws of The Others. And while you may be powerful, that is true. I do not stand here this moment alone. I stand before you will the will and strength of the people of Abydos with me. A people who love and care for Daniel Jackson as I do. They are very protective of him. Although small in power, they are greater in number and while not a formidable force against The Others -- they are more than enough to deal with you, should you see to make it so. I doubt, given what you have done to Morgan, The Others will see fit to prevent us from dealing with you ourselves."

Although she knew could wipe the floor with the little runt easily, she was not in a position to call his bluff. The constant sound of Netan's faltering heart fluttered in her mind.

"What do you want?"

"What are you doing to Daniel?"

"What I promised Father."

"Which is what exactly?"

"To resurrect him. The nanities that Father implanted inside of Daniel when he was briefly his host contain with in it a complete copy of his consciousness. They were dorment until Vala used the Ancient Communication stones. The distance between herself and Daniel generated a tremendous amount of energy, enough to awaken them. But not all of them. In order for that to occur, the energy requirement must be tremendous as well as direct."

"And you can do that here?"

"Yes. By giving him access to his genetic memories, it is as if we are flipping on a switch, each creating its own spark until finally there is enough energy to have them all up and running."

"So you have decieved Daniel."

"No. Father, for all his wisdom, was blind to the truth. Because of the hatred he had accumulated over the years did not possess the foresight that I do now. He understood that Daniel was important. He never understood exactly why. Not in the way that I do now. He was hoping to exploit Daniel. To use whatever it would turn out hew was meant to become for his own gains."

"But you see things differently?"

"Daniel is The Prophet. He is the one spoken of in The Book of Origin. He is this galaxies only hope for survival against The Ori."

"The Ori are not yet here. There is still time to prevent their arrival in this galaxy."

"Delay, yes. But they will come. That cannot be stopped. And when they come it will be swift and without mercy. They will bring salvation by the sword and those who wield those blades shall do so without question or remorse. And why? Because they bear with them the greatest weapon of all. Devotion. Unbinding and unwavering in its strength and it will only grow. There are civilizations barely hanging by threads because of the tyranny of the Goa'uld. Those who do not possess the knowledge or tools necessary to forge their own paths now that they are gone. Those ripe and waiting for a savior to come along to take their place. To make things better. For all of the Tau'ri's ability and knowledge they stand no chance against The Ori. Especially with The Orici at the helm. If we stand any chance we must even the playing field."

"Daniel."

"The Orici is part Goa'uld from Vala, part Ancient from Daniel and human from both her parents. Just add in the strength and knowledge of The Ori and you have a being whose power this galaxy has never seen."

"Oma did not believe this was a good idea. She knew it was not wise. You cannot fight evil with another evil and expect to win."

"Oma lived in fear. Fear of The Others. Fear of what she knew needed to be done. I do not possess that fear. I will see Daniel thru to his destiny."

"If you allow the box to open, you know not what you will be letting out."

Kebechet grinned, "I have already opened the box. However this time, we are letting hope out."

"We cannot do this to Daniel."

"Daniel chose this."

"You did not give him the full story."

"I gave him what he needed to know to get him where he needed to be. I did what needed to be done. And deep down, you know that I am right."

Shifu said nothing, for with all his reseverations, he did not see that they had any choice. If they stood a chance, this may be the only way.

"What would you have me do?"

"Get Netan to the ship and make sure that we are not to be disturbed until Daniel is ready."

With a small flash of light, both Shifu and Netan vanished.

"And as it was written, so shall it be," Kebechet whispered as she walked down the corridor and towards Daniel's chamber.