Malone knew what he was doing was dangerous, but there was a creed he adhered to, one he'd learned from Colonel Jack O'Neill. 'Never leave a man behind', those were words to live by, especially on missions like these. He guided Mitchell along, ready to grab him should the rope break, and could hear the others talking to him. He knew what was happening, and glanced over his head as the colonel spoke in a voice filled with pain.

"Let go...rope break..."

"We're almost across, Colonel, just hold on a little longer."

"No...can't let...die..."

"I won't let you die, Sir..."

"Not me...you...can't let you d...die for m...me."

"That's my choice, Colonel, but right now I'm not willing to let either of us die."

"Make or...der."

"You could, but my dear ol' mama used to tell me I had selective hearing, so I guess I'm not hearing very well right now," Malone said, relieved when Jackson reached out and grabbed Mitchell. Between them they held on for dear life as the rope above them snapped and they realized just how close they'd come to losing the man.

"Th...thanks," Mitchell managed. He'd landed on his side and desperately wanted to stay where he was, yet he knew Layonna would not give up the search for him. It wasn't long before Teal'c was helping him stand and he shook his head when the bug Jaffa tried to lift him. "Walk...legs cramping."

"As you wish," Teal'c said, but remained close by his friend's side as they started moving along the tunnel.

Carter listened for any sign of pursuit and hoped Shanisia and the others had been able to stop Layonna, but something told her the woman wasn't that easy to get rid of. She nodded to Jackson that she was all right and fell into step beside him. The changes in Cameron Mitchell scared her, but she kept it from showing and silently hoped Carolyn would be able to help him.

SG1SG1SG1SG1

Layonna caressed the creature before she released it from its chains and watched as it unfolded it's segmented body. The changes had been hard on Karberis, but it had made him more beautiful in her eyes. She was sure the same thing would happen with Mitchell, but she would not allow him to be vicious. She would make sure she controlled him once she took him away from his friends. Perhaps, she would have him kill Samantha Carter instead of letting Karberis do it. That would be true justice for her.

"Now, Karberis, you know the path across the realm and you must stop them before they reach the other side. I will be with you and if they escape you will find yourself back here and I assure you the consequences will be deadly. Do you understand?"

"Yes," the creature answered, teeth bared as he fought to keep from looking into her eyes.

"Very well...if you do as I say you will be allowed your peace."

"I can go home?"

"No, that is not possible. The changes to your body have already made you into something unrecognizable to your people. They would not understand what happened and would probably burn you alive and if I remember your people properly I believe they would serve you for the evening repast. Do not fear, Karberis, you will be given the burial you deserve."

"I want to be left alone."

"You will be as soon as this is done and Mitchell takes your place. So sharpen your fangs and you claws and let's go feast on the intruders," Layonna said and stroked the creature's soft underbelly.

SG1SG1SG1SG1

Ryan Thomas worked alongside the Two Talosians who'd volunteered to help him. They were a married couple who'd worked with the people from the other side. The division between the two factions seemed to have been forgotten since being taken to the other realm. He'd found several references to the war between the two factions, and found that the stronger the hostility, the closer they were to the crossover. That's what he was callin it anyway, and until someone said differently, that's how he would refer to it.

"Excuse me, Sargeant Thomas," the female whose name he could barely pronounce called.

"Did you find something?" Thomas asked.

"I'm not sure, but this section is...or should I say was protected. It opened when I reprogrammed it and I believe it has to do with the war and why it continues...continued after all these years."

"Okay, so what does it say and does it make sense?" Thomas asked.

"It says that the war was started to keep us from growing strong and defeating creatures like Layonna. They crossed into our realm and took everyone who could see them. Those people never returned and if what I'm reading is correct those people became the serpents we've seen. There came a time when Layonna's people decided what they were doing was wrong, and so there were longer periods of peace. Eventually the fighting started again and I believe it was done so that we could see those creatures."

"I don't understand how that would happen?"

"We are different from you, Sargeant Thomas," Donitalio, the large male answered. "Our bodies secrete a substance when we are afraid. The more fear we feel, the more of this substance we secrete. This allows our minds to be open to the things we would not normally see. I believe this was the original reason for the fighting between my people."

"I hate when others take advantage...your people were forced to fight for someone else' gain and that just isn't right," Thomas said.

"I agree, but we did not know how to stop it even though we knew the fighting was wrong," Donitalio answered.

"Well, if we can get the others back maybe we can find a way to shut down the path between the realms.," Thomas told them.

"I hope we can...my people are slowly disappearing," Donitalio said. "I have been checking the past entries and it seems there are fewer Talosians after each attack from the other side. If it is allowed to continue my people will completely disappear with in three centuries."

"We won't let that happen," Thomas vowed.

"If you cannot shut this down there is no way to stop it," the female said.

"Then we'll find a suitable planet an relocate all of you," Thomas said.

"But this is our home."

"I understand that, but if there is no other way."

"Then we would leave," Donitalio told his wife. "Marisiana is with child and I do not want the baby brought up in a world where he or she is afraid. I wish there was a way to talk with the creatures. We could possibly change how they see us."

"When Colonel Carter and the others get back we'll figure this out," Thomas told them.

"I hope so...I do not wish to leave my world," Marisiana told him and held her hand against her stomach.

"I understand how you feel...I know I'd hate never seeing Earth again," Thomas answered and began working to unlock the other files as the Talosians worked on the other console.

SG1SG1SG1SG1

Mitchell could feel the others surrounding him, but there was something new that only he could hear. The sound was high-pitched, but it seemed as if no one else was aware of it. The loud pinging hurt his ears and sent shock-waves of pan through his skull. He dropped to his knees and cried out as Carter knelt beside him.

"Cam, what's wrong?" Carter asked worriedly.

"S...something's com...coming...need to go...leave me..."

"No way in hell, Colonel," Malone snapped and readied his P90 as the sound finally reached human ears. It was unlike anything he ever heard and seemed to be carried on a strong wind that brought stinging nettles along with it.

"Sam...please...go..."

"Colonel, I'll hold off whatever this is as long as I can. Get Colonel Mitchell out of here," Malone said

"Sargeant, you won't be able to hold it off on your own," Carter said.

"I will stay with Sargeant Malone," Teal'c said.

"No...leave me t...the gun and go!" Mitchell ordered, but he knew they were not listening to him as Carter and Jackson helped him to his feet. Tucker moved to take point as the team split up.

"We'll be right behind you!" Malone assured them as the wind picked up and the howling became painful.

"Sam..."

"Stop talking and move, Mitchell!" Jackson ordered and ignored the heated glare turned in his direction before they moved toward what they hoped would be freedom from Layonna.

SG1SG1SG1SG1

"It is not far now, Karberis. I can feel him," Layonna said and smiled when she felt the creature shudder beneath her touch. There was no doubt in her mind that it would kill Mitchell's friends and once that happened she would have what she wanted.

Karberis easily flew over the opening in the ground and landed on the opposite side. He tucked his wings beneath it's segmented body and hissed at the smell surrounding him. The others were close by, and he felt Layonna touch his head before moving forward. He needed to please her, needed the freedom this final act would bring him. To die now, would mean the end of the suffering he'd lived with for too long. If the cost of his freedom meant he had to kill, then kill he would.

"Do you sense them as I do, Karberis?"

"They are close," the creature answered.

"We must act now before they escape into the other realm," Layonna warned. "Kill them all, but leave Mitchell for me."

"I will do as you say," Karberis told her and began moving along the tunnel. It's claws and wings combined to push back the walls a if displacing the stone while making sure the ceiling would not collapse down on them.

Layonna knew danger lay ahead of them and stayed behind Karberis, using his segmented body as protection in case the humans opened fire on them. She knew they would not give Mitchell up easily, but as long as Karberis did as she ordered, she would have him before the end of the day.

"Stay back or we'll open fire!"

"Leave now and I will allow you to live!| Layonna said.

"Go back and we might just do the same for you!"

"That is funny, but right now I am not in the mood for humor. Leave Mitchell or die...it is as simple as that!"

"Lady, we don't take kindly to threats!"

"It wasn't a threat...it was a fact. Colonel Carter, if you can hear me then you would be well advised to do as I say," Layonna said, but wasn't surprised when there was no answer from the woman. "This is my final warning, Colonel Carter...leave Mitchell or you all die."

SG1SG1SG1SG1

Malone held his P90 while Teal'c levelled the Zat weapon at the area where the voice came from, but so far there was nothing for them to shoot at. He listened carefully for any sign that Layonna was moving forward, but even the wind had died down.

"Very well, I will take your silence to mean you do not believe me. Your deaths are on your heads...Karberis, kill them."

Malone stayed hidden in the small recess he'd found and shuddered when the air around him felt heated and the screeching sound he'd first heard echoed off the stone walls. He opened fire as the creature seemed to shift in and out of focus even as Teal'c shot it with the Zat. There was no way they could have missed at this distance, yer it seemed unharmed as it moved. Malone swore he could hear it tearing at the stone walls and knew there was no way they could kill it short of bringing the whole tunnel down on it.

"Shoot at the rocks above it!" Teal'c ordered and started firing even as the creature bared it's fangs and flame shot from its mouth. He shifted his feet and tried to stay behind the rock face as rocks fell from above his head. He fired the Zat at the creature, but it didn't seem to be fazed by it and he knew they needed to retreat before the serpent reached their position.

"Teal'c we need to get moving," Malone called.

"Indeed," the Jaffa answered and fired again.

"Move out...I'll cover you!" Malone ordered and fired several rounds into the approaching creature. "Go, Teal'c, I'll be right behind you!"

The Jaffa nodded and moved out of his hiding place as Malone laid down cover fire. He hurried after the others and could hear the screeching sound of the serpent's wings as the shattered the walls of the tunnel. He glanced over his shoulder, listening for Malone, but there was no sign that the man was following him.

Malone fired at the creature until he was sure Teal'c had reached the safety of the bend in the tunnel. Taking a deep breath, he fired several rounds and exited the recess just before the creature reached him. He fired over his left shoulder and heard Layonna speak what must be the serpent's name.

"Kill him, Karberis, or you will never know peace!"

Malone knew he had to hurry or the creature would be upon him. He thought he heard Teal'c up ahead, but could not acknowledge the Jaffa's warning as fire spread along his back. It burned, searing his clothes to his skin as a taloned appendage reached for him and dragged him backward. His shoulder was numb, his arm useless, and his upper body trembled as the creature sank its teeth deep in his throat. He knew he was dying and raised his weapon until it was level with the serpent's eye. He fired several rounds and heard his own dying scream echoed by the very thing that was taking his life.

TBC