50
Selmak awakens slowly, with difficulty. For an unknown time she hovers on the verge of consciousness, unable to comprehend what is happening. Jacob? His name is her first coherent thought.
'Rest' he tells her silently. 'Don't try to do anything. Be quiet.'
But you are in pain. I must...
'No. Don't try to help me. I'm all right.'
Rapidly he explains what has happened to them. 'If the Goa'uld realize you are awake, they will force much more of the sedative on me. I'm able to purge the small amounts they use to maintain your coma, but I don't think I can handle a large dose.'
She understands. I will do as you say. When I am stronger, we will decide how to proceed.
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51
The MALP signal shows that there are two Jaffa on guard at the gate on P5Y-884. They immediately destroy the machine when it comes through the gate, but SG1 and SG5 are only a few seconds behind it, and take down the guards before they have time to call for assistance. With the two teams are Master Bra'tac, and To'kel, his protégé, a Free Jaffa warrior.
The wormhole dissipates and the ten intruders vanish into the nearby woods, dragging the bodies of the Jaffa with them and hiding them in the undergrowth. They spread out, in groups of two, heading northeast toward the location of the settlement, based on the information from the previous visit to the planet.
Three kilometers from the gate, they crest a hill and look down into a valley more than a kilometer across and continuing east and west out of sight. A river runs down the middle of the valley. Below them, four Ha'taks, Goa'uld motherships, rest on docking pyramids. Damage can be seen on all of them. There is a great deal of activity around the ships.
The teams take cover in the edge of the woods and observe. The docking and repair area takes up most of the valley. Across the river, at the edge of the hills, is a village consisting of probably thirty or forty adobe or wooden buildings. Up the valley, a kilometer to the east there is a large military-style encampment of tents and lean-tos.
There are groups of workers, slaves no doubt, busy making repairs on the ships. Jaffa guards are posted around the workspace, but there seem to be no guards at the rim of the valley.
"This is Apophis' planet," Brat'ac says. "Their most likely threat is from the slaves. They do not expect any trouble from outside."
"So how do we know which ship is Farah's? If it's even here?" Colonel Sharp asks.
"I will go down and find out," To'kel offers.
Jack glances at him and then at Bra'tac.
"We can trust him," Bra'tac assures them.
"All right," Jack says to To'kel. "Be careful, though."
"I shall. I will listen and learn what I can. If that is no help, I will ask for Farah's ship. I will say I have a message from my system lord."
The young Jaffa slips away into the woods again, moving around the rim of the valley away from the place where the SG teams are concealed.
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52
Jacob has had to endure two more torture sessions, as well as purge another small dose of the sedative drug. Selmak is slowly gaining strength, and has been able to partially heal some of Jacob's internal injuries.
'Every little bit helps,' he tells her in a small attempt at humor.
I believe the ship is docked, she says. I have detected no shipwide movement or vibration for some time now. Even maintaining orbit would result in some movement.
'They must be making repairs. Hopefully it will take a while. Long enough for Sam and her team to find us.'
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53
It is three hours before Tok'el returns. The sun is setting.
"Farah's ship is the second from the left," To'kel says, pointing to one of the Ha'taks. "It suffered moderate damage from the mines. Repairs are expected to be finished in another day."
"So tonight will be our best opportunity," Bra'tac suggests.
"The troops have been removed from the ships," To'kel adds. "Only a small complement of Jaffa are left on guard. The rest are in the encampment to the east."
"Even better," Jack says. "It'll make it easier to find Jacob if he's there."
"May I suggest that Bra'tac, To'kel and I conduct the rescue," Teal'c says. "We will be less noticeable inside the ship. You can position yourselves to give us cover when we emerge with JacobCarter and the Tok'ra operative."
"In the dark, you can probably get away with that, " Jack said. "You can probably even get away with seeming to have prisoners."
Teal'c tilts his head fractionally. "Indeed."
"Sir?" Carter asks.
"Daniel and I," he pauses and glances at the others, settles on SG5's second-in-command, "and Captain Austin will go in as your prisoners. We shouldn't be stopped on the way to the ship. If we are, you can say we're workers and you caught us trying to escape—what is it, Carter?" he says to Sam, who is clearly upset.
"Sir, let me go with you!"
He shakes his head. "Sorry, Major."
"Why not?! He's my father!" She bites her lip, belatedly adding, "Sir."
"That's exactly why, Major!" He emphasizes her rank, reminding her where they are. "That and the fact that I don't see any women down there around the ships." He holds her gaze, but speaks to the young Jaffa, "To'kel, any women down there?"
"I saw no women. They are likely in the settlement beyond the river."
"You and SG5 will cover us, Major. Understood?"
She glares at him, but relents. "Understood! Sir!" There is a world of anger in those two words.
"You have something else to say, Major?" Jack challenges.
She bites down on the reply she wants to make, holds his eyes for a long moment. "No, sir. Good luck, sir." She says the words quietly, but it is clear how she feels.
Daniel looks from one to the other. God help Jack if he doesn't bring Jacob back, he thinks. Of course, if Jack does not get Jacob out, it probably means Jack will not have made it out alive either.
"Thanks," Jack forces himself to turn away from Sam as he speaks, toward Colonel Sharp.
For the next minutes they discuss details of their plan. They will wait until an hour past midnight to go in. That way, hopefully, many of the Jaffa and slave workers will be sleeping. They retreat into the forest to wait. Bra'tac and Teal'c volunteer for first watch at the rim of the valley, and the others vanish into the trees. They eat MREs—no fire, no light—and then Airman Klein and Lt. Winters of SG5 stand watch as the others lie down to sleep.
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54
Sam can't sleep. She hates that Jack is going in without her. His reasoning makes sense—the presence of a woman in the docking zone may be enough to raise an alarm. She knows she was wrong to let her emotions show. This is a mission, just like any other, and he is her superior officer. She regrets showing her anger at him the way she did, and from here on she is determined to keep herself under control. But she still thinks she should be with them. It is her father, after all, that they are trying to rescue...
Of course this could all be fruitless. The rumor could be just a rumor. There might not be any captives. Or it might not be Jacob. But the Tok'ra would know if any other operatives are missing. No, if there are captives, they are almost surely her father and Leara.
She moves restlessly, trying to settle. She lay down on the ground beside Jack half an hour ago, not close enough to touch, but she needed to at least be near him. He is turned on his side away from her, and she lies with her back to him, but she can feel his presence. Rolling onto her back, she stares up at the sky. Through the trees she can see glimpses of stars. There is a light breeze, and the leaves above her move gently. The night is warm, and they did not bother to take out sleeping bags. Her head is resting on the rolled up jacket she pulled from her pack. She is still wide awake.
Once again, she shifts her position, turning on the side toward Jack, and finds that he is lying there watching her. At some point he has turned to face her, and now his eyes are open and very soft on her face.
When he sees her looking back, he blinks slowly and draws a deep breath. His thoughts have been going places that he has no business allowing them to go under these circumstances; they are a potentially very dangerous distraction! Damn it, Jack! he thinks. Focus on the mission! He reaches up and scrubs at his face; he shifts his gaze slightly so he is looking over her shoulder.
No, she thinks. Don't look away from me. "Sir." She whispers the word, less than a whisper, even, barely a breath of sound, softer than the breeze.
He refocuses on her face and the corner of his mouth twitches. "Carter." He shapes her name with his lips.
"I'm sorry." Another mere breath.
A small gesture of his hand waves the apology away. "Not a problem."
"Please be careful." I love you, her eyes say.
"Always." Me, too.
They lie still for a while, simply looking at each other. At last he smiles faintly and closes his eyes. She watches him for a few more minutes, and then feels herself drifting toward sleep...
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55
The corridors of the ha'tak are dim, deserted and very familiar. Every Goa'uld ship they've seen seems to have been designed by the same decorator—which is actually working out well for Jack and his team. It means they know where to find the ship's equivalent of a brig.
They hadn't been challenged crossing the open valley floor toward the ship. The one guard at the pyramid entrance had merely glanced at the tattoos the Jaffa wore and waved them in. Teal'c had allowed Daniel to use camo makeup to darken the gold emblem on his forehead, so as not to call attention to it, however it is still Apophis' mark. There is the chance that Teal'c or Bra'tac will be recognized, but it is a slim one; most of Apophis' fleet originally belonged to some other system lord, and are staffed by Jaffa who would not know them by sight.
Now they are moving quickly along the corridor away from the ring room. The prisoner cells are located on this level; there will likely be more guards here. Jack, Daniel and Lt. Austin are armed with concealed Berettas and zats; the three Jaffa have their staff weapons as well as zats. Bra'tac is in the lead; at the next intersection he raises a hand for them to halt. They flatten themselves against the wall and Jack moves up beside Bra'tac, and carefully looks around the corner. The guard station is five yards down the corridor. Four Jaffa are visible. Beyond them are a line of cells. It is too dim to make out anything inside the cells, but if they were empty, guards would be unnecessary.
Jack signals for them to withdraw, and they move back down the corridor, out of earshot. "We go with the plan we discussed," Jack whispers. He looks to the three Jaffa. "Go. We'll back you up."
Teal'c nods. With Bra'tac and Tok'el he marches toward the intersection. They turn the corner in formation and advance on the guards. Jack, Daniel and Austin crouch at the intersection, their weapons ready.
The squad leader steps away from his post to challenge Teal'c as they approach.
"Who are you? What is your business?"
"You have the Tok'ra prisoners here?" Teal'c demands, ignoring the questions.
"Yes."
"The Lord Apophis has ordered us to remove them to his mothership."
The squad leader sees that Teal'c and Bra'tac both wear Apophis' sign, but he still offers an objection; "Mallphor will not like this," he says.
"So be it," Teal'c says haughtily. He assumes Mallphor is the chief interrogator. "My Lord is angry that Mallphor has accomplished so little. He will oversee the questioning himself."
"I must notify Mallphor."
"You dare question the Lord Apophis' orders?!"
The squad leader snaps to attention. "No!"
"Unlock the cell!"
The man turns and leads them to one of the cells. He punches the keypad and the door slides open.
"Bring them out!" Teal'c orders.
The squad leader motions to one of the other guards and they enter the cell. A few moments later, the two prisoners are hauled into the corridor. Jacob is on his feet, but appears barely able to stand. His eyes widen slightly when he sees Teal'c. The woman is only semi-conscious, and the guard lets her slump to the floor. Teal'c eyes the two of them, then turns to the squad leader and gives one decisive nod.
An instant later the air is filled with electrical charge, as all three Jaffa rapidly draw and discharge their zats at the guards. Three go down immediately and the fourth is just raising his weapon when Jack steps into the corridor and brings him down with a blast from his own zat. Several shots later, there is no trace left of the guards.
"Jacob!" Jack exclaims moving toward the older man and grasping his arm.
Jacob straightens and smiles. "I'm not as bad off as I look, Jack. I knew you'd find us."
"Course you did. How's your friend?" He gestures to Leara. Daniel and Bra'tac are kneeling, examining her.
"She's not so good. Needs some medical attention."
"What about her snake? Couldn't help her?"
Jacob gives him a mild glare at the 'snake' remark. "Apophis has found a way to incapacitate the symbiote without harming the host." He quickly explains about the drug, and how he was able to combat its effects on Selmak.
"That sounds pleasant," Jack says, looking slightly disgusted.
"We do whatever works," Jacob replies.
"Well, right now what we've gotta do is get out of here," Jack declares. "Daniel, can you help her?"
"I will carry her, O'Neill," Bra'tac says.
"Good enough. Daniel, you help Jacob. The rest of us will cover you. Let's go."
The corridors are as deserted as they were on the way in, and they encounter no one until they reach the pyramid entrance. Teal'c ambushes the guard from behind and breaks his neck with one twist. He hides the body inside the pyramid, since zat fire might be detected. They cross warily over the open space between the pyramid and the edge of the valley, and climb quickly into the trees at the rim. Jack is tempted to breathe a sigh of relief, but then reminds himself that they aren't through the gate yet.
Sam greets her father with a quick hug as they enter the forest, speaking to him softly.
"We need to move out before they discover their prisoners are gone," Jack says. He turns to Col. Sharp. "Vic, take point, with your team. Teal'c, To'kel, Daniel and I will cover the rear. Carter, you and Bra'tac tend to Jacob and Leara. Go, everybody!"
So they move, as quickly as possible, toward the stargate.
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