Chapter 56

Despite lingering protests, Kebechet was kept in the infirmary. Mitchell stood at her bed, staring down at the prone and dying figure with mixed emotions. On the one hand, she was extremely beautiful. It reminded him of something his grandma used to say about how the devil always wore a pretty face. If Shifu was to be believed, this girl was as good as the devil himself. Maybe, worse. If that was at all possible.

"She always had admirers," whispered a small voice from behind.

Mitchell turned around to see the man, Netan, Shifu called him, standing up unsteadily behind him.

"Whoa, pal, you're recovering from major surgery, you should go back to bed."

"I'm fine," Netan replied as he took an unsteady step forward, losing his balance. If it weren't for Mitchell's quick thinking, he would have landed face first on the floor. "Maybe I should return to bed."

"Ya think?"

Putting one arm around Netan's shoulder, Mitchell guided him back to the bed. It took several minutes for the nurses to reattach all his tubes and wires and for Lam to give him a quick once over before they had finally been alone.

"So how long were the two of you married?"

Netan looked to Mitchell in suprise, "How did you - "

"A little glowing birdy told me."

"For supposed enlightened beings they sure do have big mouths."

Both Netan and Mitchell laughed simultaneously.

"Seriously, what happened to her?"

Mitchell could see how quickly Netan's face turned dour.

"She was so sweet. So kind. So loving. Like I had said earlier. She always had admirers. And it wasn't hard to see why. She could see the good in people, even when there wasn't anything there. We had first met when we were teenagers. I came from bad stock. Growing up the only opportunities I had were given to me thru charity. Everyone knew it. Everyone judged me. That is until I met Aleajandra. She saw something in me that even I didn't see and helped me to become the man I always wanted to be: a successful and respected member of the community."

"How long after you met did you get married?"

"We were married quickly, but not long, a year at the most, before the Goa'uld came. They destroyed everything. Killed almost everyone, and so I believed Aleajandra included. With the help of a Tok'ra we formed a rebellion that usurped the Goa'uld reign on our planet, freeing our people. It was then I heard rumblings. Whispers that she had been taken as a host. And for the last ten years I have wondered. I have looked for clues. Held to hope. And now that I know for a fact that she is alive, that is all I have to show for it."

Mitchell met Netan's gaze at Kebechet. If looks could kill, she would already be dead.

"I'm really sorry, man. I honestly though I just knicked her."

"Dr. Lam has explained to me what has happened. And I do not blame you. I blame myself. If I had not been so caught up in my own wants and needs I would have never went looking for her. I would have never awakened her," Netan replied greviously as he shot a glance at Daniel Jackson. "None of this would have happened."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, allright? All you were doing was trying to rescue your wife from the clutches of the Goa'uld. Trust me if there is anyone who will get where it is you were coming from, its Daniel."

"But I should have never went along with Kebechet to begin with. I don't even know why I let myself be led around the way I did."

"Hey, I don't blame you. And I don't think anyone here will. None of us were aware of the bigger picture, hell I'm not even sure what the bigger picture is anymore."

Netan nodded softly, "I thank you for your understanding. It is oddly comforting."

"Don't mention it," Mitchell said as he gave Netan a friendly pat on the arm. "Now, I was wondering if you would be willing to answer a few questions for me. Shifu gave me an idea of what's going on but I keep feeling I am missing something. I want you to start from the moment you found your wife and fill me in on everything that happened from there. I need to find out what she was doing to Daniel and why. It may be the only thing that can save him.

"Sure," Netan said as he sat up softly. "Ask away."

ooooo

Vala had been walking for hours.

As Terik had said the pain in her chest had ceased and her heart continued to beat. It still ached something terrible and there were moments when she felt her heart struggling within her chest. Although she was alive, she was far from being physically fine. It was something she tried desperately to hide from Terik, who she knew would have made them rest or completely stop their trek all together. But Vala had to keep going. Her mind focused on getting off of the planet and back to Daniel.

Thanks in part to Terik being a Healer, the escape from the ship had been relatively easy. Now they were marching thru vast forestry in order to reach a safe haven the Underground had set up on a nearby ridge. It was their hope of securing her a shuttle to a moon on the outskirts of Ori space. It was the only planetary body in that system that could support life and it was so far out of sight the Ori did not bother with it. It made for the perfect headquarters for the rebellion.

As they walked along, she had come to accept that there was no way she could rescue her daughter on her own. That she needed help. Daniel's help. Despite everything that screamed in her mind and in her body to find her daughter, she knew that even with the help of the Underground, she didn't stand a chance without him. She had to keep the faith that Tomin would keep his word and protect her. She had see the kindness return to Tomin, who had been seething since her betrayl. She had no doubt in her mind that she would.

oooooo

The argument between Sheppard and Weir continued right up until the Odyssey's arrival.

"We'll talk more about this later, John," Weir said as she walked out the door.

"Elizabeth, please," Sheppard continued as he trailed right behind her. "You know I am right about this!"

Weir stopped dead in her tracks, turning to Sheppard with a look he rarely saw, but knew it meant business.

"We're not going to refuse Daniel and the other wounded access to medical treatment just because one of them may be the bad guy. Does that mean we are going to let our guard down. No. It means that we will just keep a closer eye on our patients. And if what you say turns out to be true, we will take matters in order to deal with it. But for now, I need you one hundred percent, on your guard and standing beside me while we try and deal with this. There is alot going on here, John and the only way we are going to get thru it is together."

Sheppard hated to admit that she was right, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

Weir looked at Sheppard and he looked back at her in a way they had only done a few times prior. It spoke of something more profound, an intimate trust neither wanted to really dwell upon.

"Now lets get going," Sheppard said breaking the uncomfortable silence. "We've got guests to greet."