Author: Maria
E-mail: maria8475@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: All characters and property of Star Gate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions i.e. The Powers that Be. I am just borrowing them for a while because its more fun than what I should be doing! No copyright or trademark infringement was intended.
Summary: SG1 are on a seemingly peaceful planet (that’s never good news really is it??) Set sometime before Exodus.
PART 1
The dual suns shined in a clear blue sky. The gentle breeze swayed the tree tops, making the purple leaves dance and sparkle in the sunlight. Several species of birds were cooing and singing. The combined sound filling the woods with music. It was utterly peaceful. The most tranquil planet SG1 had visited in months and Colonel Jack O’Neill was bored senseless. “Okay kiddies we’ve been here for over three hours and explored this fine scenery. I don’t see any sign of Apophis, or anyone else for that matter. Do you think we can go home yet?”
“Sir, The Tok’ra did say that Apophis was probably not here any longer.” Carter said.
“Yes and they were right! Once we get back you can give Anise a pat on the back.”
“Umm Sir, we’re supposed to be trying to confirm the Tok’ra reports of whether Apophis actually was here or not and if he really has joined forces with Somnus. And maybe if we’re lucky some clue as to where they’ve gone from here.”
“Yes, yes Carter, I know the mission brief. There just doesn’t seem to be anything here and I’m still not sure why WE ARE having to do recon for the Tok’ra.”
“Because we’re their friends, Jack” Daniel piped up. Not quite sure what Jack’s problem with the planet was anyway, personally he was enjoying the change in pace.
“Their friends, right.” Jack echoed sounding less than convinced. But that wasn’t surprising, General Hammond had practically had to order him on this mission. “Damn Tok’ra” Jack muttered under his breath. The others either didn’t hear him or decided to ignore him. “Fine” Jack said giving in “Remind me of the deal with this Somnus.”
“Somnus, The Roman God of Sleep and Healer of the Ill. Known by the Greeks as Hypnos. He first appeared in texts by 1st-century BC scholar Marcus Terentius Varro, who......”
“Daniel! This is why I stopped listening the first time round. Can you PLEASE just keep to what’s relevant here!” Jack said, knowing he was being an even greater ass than usual and at the moment not particularly caring.
Daniel for his part didn’t even blink, okay he was a little hurt but it was Jack and he was used to it. “Well what’s important is that if the information the Tok’ra picked up is correct, Somnus has the power to knock humans, Jaffa and Goa’uld unconscious.”
“Nice!” Jack acknowledged, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“What we don’t know is if it’s done chemically, technologically or by using some kind of mind control.” Daniel continued.
“But chemicals or technology may leave behind something we can detect, which is what I’ve been trying to do” Sam added “I’m still not coming up with anything.”
“Neither am I” Teal’c said, reminding everyone that he WAS still there. After a few moments he spoke again. “I am however detecting something.....it seems that there’s a Goa’uld mothership in orbit around this planet.” Teal’c voice took on a very slight edge of urgency. “They are getting ready to fire.”
“Okay everyone take cover.” Jack shouted, running toward a spot he’d just seen where the cover from the trees was the thickest and dragging Daniel with him. Sam and Teal’c followed.
Once there Teal’c spoke again “It was most strange. I scanned a moment ago and there was nothing. I do not know where that ship come from.”
“Well how about right now we concentrate on getting outta this mess. We can worry about little technicalities like that some other time.” Jack said before Sam had a chance to voice any ideas.
“Do you have a plan, O’Neill?” Teal’c asked.
“Sure, get back through the gate!” Jack shouted, trying to keep his voice above the weapons fire before he realised that there was none. “They’ve stopped firing.”
“I can no longer detect the ship.” Teal’c said.
“How much does that mean, if we couldn’t detect it before?” Daniel asked.
“I’m not sure. But I’m not just waiting around in these trees, we’re going home. Carter, Teal’c keep your weapons ready. Daniel stay close.” They walked in this way all the way to the gate. But before Daniel could start dialling, Goa’uld transport rings deposited a rather large group right in front of them.
“This is crazy, I still can’t detect their ship!” Sam cried in an uncharacteristic show of frustration.
“Of course you can’t! Did you really believe that we could not improve our technology far beyond your primitive understanding.” Apophis replied, stepping out from behind his Jaffa guards, with another Goa’uld at his side.
The new Goa’uld really did look like he could easily have inspired a Greek or Roman God. He was about six feet tall, with bulging muscles on both his arms and legs. His short light brown hair was complemented perfectly by his hazel eyes.
“Dr. Somnus, I presume.” Jack quipped.
“You will call me God.” Somnus’s voice boomed and echoed, exactly as Jack would have expected it to.
“Or what, you’ll cure the nasty bought of insomnia I’ve been struggling with the last couple of weeks. Please, go right ahead.”
“If you insist.” Somnus started to move forward, but Apophis put a restraining hand on him.
“Patience, my friend. I promise you’ll get your chance with them. But first Dr. Jackson, I was hoping we would cross paths again. I have something to show you.” Apophis indicated for the rest of the Jaffa to spread out, revealing yet another Goa’uld.
Daniel stared at the latest arrival, completely stunned. His body wouldn’t move, his voice wouldn’t work. His mind couldn’t think. Eventually he managed a strangled whisper “S...Sh....Sha’re”.
PART 2
Spoilers: Forever In A Day, The Devil You Know.
From a dark, long forgotten, deeply buried place inside her own body, Sha're cried with invisible tears. Her husband, her beloved Dan’iel was here. She wanted to rejoice but she knew Apophis's power and his hatred of the Tau'ri, especially her Dan’iel and now she feared for him. More so than she had ever feared for her own fate, and she had feared a lot.
Hearing her name uttered from his own lips must have empowered Daniel for he went from one extreme to another. His body and mind went into overdrive. He could almost feel the adrenaline rushing through his system, overriding his higher brain functions. He was working only on impulse. As such, he ran towards his beloved, luckily the rest of SG1 were reacting slightly better and Daniel felt himself be pulled back by both Jack and Sam.
“Damn it guys!” he screamed, streams of tears pouring down his face unnoticed and unchecked “Can’t you see who that is?!?”
Apophis replied for them “It is my queen, Ammonet.”
Daniel shook his head passionately “No, no, no, it can’t be......It’s not possible.....She died.....She did.....died.....We all were there.....We buried her!” He turned to Jack, not quite sure if he was still lucid. But the look in his friend’s eyes reassured him that he wasn’t completely crazy.
“Yes. The Sho’va was responsible for the pain he caused my beloved. He will pay with his live. Again and again and again. Until eventually I tire of seeing him suffer at which point my beloved Ammonet can repeat the entire cycle again. And his accomplices will share in his fate. All but our dear Dr. Jackson.......I have something special in mind for him. If I remember correctly, you took great pleasure in telling me she was no more. FOOL. My queen is eternal.”
“How?” Daniel didn’t worry about Apophis’s promises, he wasn’t even listening. His mind was still stuck on Sha’re standing alive only a few metres in front of him, almost close enough to touch. To hold. Almost.
Apophis was momentarily startled by the question but proud that he had saved the life of his cherished and had no qualms about revelling in his glory. “After my escape from Sokhar’s moon, I went to the planet of her birth, knowing that you archaic humans would want to ‘bury’ her. After scanning the area, I found where you had left her to decay. Then I rescued her. Using only the few Jaffa that I had at the time, I ordered her extraction. Then after months of upgrades to the sarcophagus, I modified it to help her despite the many months she had been dead. And together we rebuilt our empire.”
“Why?.....Why go to all the trouble? You could have just found another mate.” Daniel wasn’t sure just how much patience Apophis had left, or for that matter how much Jack had left, but he had to know.
“For love, it’s all because I love her deeply.” He saw the disbelief in Daniel’s eyes and asked “You still don’t believe me?”
“You have to have a soul in order to love.” Daniel stated simply.
“You let one of your friends kill her and then you put her in the ground and left her to rot. I resurrected her. You tell me, which one of us loves her more?”
The truth of this hit Daniel harder than if it had been an energy blast from the ribbon device and he stumbled backwards. However his friends still held him strongly and he regained his composure quickly, drawing upon years of practice. He was about to retort partly because he felt he owed it to Sha’re and partly because he thought that keeping Apophis talking may not be such a bad idea, at least he wasn’t shooting any of them.
But apparently Apophis was no longer interested in talking, “Somnus, why don’t we give Colonel O’Neill that demonstration he was so looking forward to.”
Somnus started to walk towards SG1 again. Jack, Sam and Teal’c still had their weapons at the ready and they immediately started firing. But, not unexpectedly, their bullets were blocked by the Goa’uld shield that appeared around him. Knowing what to do next they all took out the knife that was standard protocol, unfortunately they only had four between them and Somnus, with the protection of the Jaffa guards did not have a hard time escaping them.
“We really should carry more of those” Jack muttered just before Somnus reached him and held out his hand reaching for his right shoulder. As soon as Somnus had touched him it was too late to struggle, Jack’s shoulder exploded with pain, which spread through the rest of his body, until he crumbled to the ground, unconscious.
The rest of SG1 tried to struggle but they were no match against the formidable God like Goa’uld and he easily repeated the procedure three times. Until all of SG1 were curled on the floor, blissfully unaware of anything.
PART 3
Teal’c was the first to awake, maybe the effect that Somnus had was lessened by the presence of a Goa’uld. He quickly run to O’Neill and Carter to wake them up too. They both sat up and took a few moments to assess their surroundings.
“We’re on a Goa’uld ship.” Sam said, recognising it easily.
“That does seem to be the case. But I do not believe we are moving.” Teal’c intoned, gesturing towards the ‘window’ which showed they were in orbit around the same planet.
“And we’ve lost our weapons and equipment” Sam said searching her outfit.
About a hundred quips ran through Jack’s mind but he sacrificed them for a more pressing concern: “Where’s Daniel?” No one replied, Apophis’s ominous words replaying in their heads. “Who knows what trouble he’ll be getting himself into. We should probably find him.” Jack said lightly, in an attempt to dispel the black cloud that had appeared the minute Ammonet had, and was now practically a thunderstorm. It didn’t work.
So he tried a different, more familiar approach: “Anyone got any ideas on how to get out of here?”
Daniel awoke in what was obviously a chamber aboard a Goa’uld ship and found himself surrounded by Jaffa. Two of them guarded the entrance, another two stood erect around him. All of them had their weapons raised, always anticipating and prepared for trouble. Daniel was unarmed and couldn’t see the rest of SG1. Unsure of what to do he found his mind wondering to Sha’re. He thought back to the first meeting and how wrongly he’d interpreted it. He thought about that one perfect, happy year he’d had. Until he met Sha’re he’d given up on happiness. Unacceptance, guilt, mockery, guilt, misery and more guilt. These had been his childhood companions, ever since that fated day in The New York Museum of Art.
But Sha’re had changed all that. She had loved him, accepted him, understood him. And he’d let Apophis take her and then he’d let Teal’c kill her and then he’d given up on her and left her to rot. Oh damn! He felt that old treacherous stirring in his abdomen. It left him nauseated, breathless and unable to form words or even a single thought. It was gut wrenching and over-whelmingly powerful. More Guilt!
And then he knew. It was an absolute. Crystal clear. Unquestionable. The numerical value of Pi is 3.14159265359. A molecule of water is an atom of oxygen covalently bonded to two hydrogen atoms. He would save Sha’re. He didn’t know how. He didn’t particularly care. He didn’t even know how he knew. He just knew that he would.
Teal’c was now using his Goa’uld knowledge to lead Sam and Jack, down the corridors to the Goa’uld equivalent of a weapons locker.
Daniel was still trying to figure out what do to when Apophis and Ammonet walked in. Again Daniel wanted to go to her, to touch her, just to convince himself that she was real and not some cruel figment of his imagination. This time he didn’t have his friends to stop him so he moved forwards. Apophis protectively moved in front of both of their wife and raised his ribbon deviced hand. Daniel only barely registered it. Getting to Sha’re seemed so much more important, so he continued forward. The Jaffa, following Apophis’s lead, also turned their weapons on him. But still Daniel moved forward. Apophis was just about to use his hand when the rest of SG1 rushed in. Jack and Sam were each holding two zat guns, whilst Teal’c had a zat and his staff weapon and they had the rest of their gear back.
All the Jaffa were focused on Daniel and SG1 took them out easily. However this gave Apophis time to react and he turned his hand towards the newcomers. Only to find several weapons pointed towards him. Jack threw a zat at Daniel too, hoping to give Apophis no chance to retreat. However it had a very different effect. Daniel looked at the gun and decided he didn’t want to risk using it, not with Sha’re so near, he wouldn’t do that do her again. So instead he screamed “NOOO!”
“What?” Jack was taken a little off guard.
“Jack, no. We can’t shoot” he continued trying very hard to keep his voice even, he wanted to sound rational, just so that his friends would buy his desperate plan “Apophis, you have several of your own *advanced* Goa’uld weapons pointed towards you. And if memory serves, the Goa’uld don’t use your personal shields on your own ships, it’s a waste of energy.” Daniel silently thanked Shifu for leaving impressions of some memories with him. “So how about a trade?”
“What do you propose?” Apophis asked.
“I was kinda wondering that myself” Jack informed him.
“We let you and your mate Ammonet” Daniel spitted the word as if it were poisonous “live. In exchange she must willingly leave Sha’re and take another host.”
“Daniel, that would still involve taking an innocent human life” Sam reminded him. He was trying not to think about that and so ignored her.
“What do you think?” he asked.
Ammonet answered “I have bonded to this body and I enjoy the way it feels. And the process you are describing will involve a lot of pain for myself and both hosts. I will not go through it easily. However I will consider your request if the new host is her.” She said pointing towards Sam.
“Absolutely not!” Both Jack and Daniel replied. Sam knew that she would have willingly sacrificed herself to save another life, especially Sha’re’s but nonetheless she looked a little relieved at her friends reactions. Daniel knew he could no longer ignore the price. Sha’re deserved to live but so did Sam and so did every other human being. Ammonet, however, did not. Daniel raised his weapon to shoot Apophis but Ammonet stepped in front of him, and the blast reached her instead. She writhed in pain for a few seconds before falling to the ground.
Daniel felt his whole world crumble, it did not matter that she had only shot once and Sha’re was not dead, he had caused her great pain and he couldn’t imagine anything worse. He fell to the ground too, his legs no longer able to support him. He leaned back against the wall of the chamber, wanting to feel it’s solidity, needing to know that there was still some stability in the universe. However he was denied even this simple pleasure, the wall did not hold, instead it parted and Daniel fell backwards until he banged on to the floor. The pain on his head from the floor was mild compared to the pain that burned inside him and he sat up again to see the amazed faces of his three friends looking back at him and Apophis unconscious on the floor next to Ammonet. Someone, sometime must have zatted him too but Daniel had no recollection of it.
Teal’c was the first to collect himself. “I have heard of these ante-chambers. They are quite frequent in Goa’uld ships. Their doorways are concealed and they contain transport rings for emergency use. However, only the Goa’uld on a ship are told of their positions. This knowledge is not deemed worthy for their Jaffa servants.”
“Well Danny boy, it looks like you found us an escape route!” Jack beamed. “Teal’c can you get it to transport us back to the planet.”
“I believe so.”
“Well get on it. Carter help him. Daniel...” Jack paused when he looked at the last place where Daniel had been and found him missing. It didn’t take too long to work out where he was. He had knelt down next to Ammonet and was trying to lift her into his arms. Jack walked over to help him, but Danny shook his head. This was something he wanted to do by himself.
He spared a look towards Apophis, “Is he dead?” he asked, knowing that he wouldn’t care if the answer was yes, actually hoping that it would be.
“Nah.” Jack replied “I thought about it, but I realised it would be worse for him to wake up and find his mate missing.” Daniel smiled, realising the truth in Jack’s words.
They both walked over to where Sam and Teal’c stood, ready to return to the planet, from which they could gate home. Daniel carried the sleeping figure with him, and for one brief moment allowed himself to imagine that it was not Ammonet but Sha’re. And his earlier absolute flooded his body, mind and soul. He would save her.
PART 4
“General! With all due respect. We can’t just leave her in a holding cell!” Daniel argued for what seemed like the hundredth time.
“Calm down, son. It’s only been 8 hours. I’m sure the Tok’ra will arrive here as soon as possible.” General Hammond replied calmly, once again.
“Remind me again, why exactly we need to involve them?” Daniel was having a difficult time keeping the bitterness out of his voice.
“Because we have an alliance with them which involves sharing all possible sources of information about the Goa’uld. And like it or not that’s what Ammonet is.” The General did not enjoy playing devil’s advocate but realised that these orders came from too high up to ignore.
“Why not invite Maybourne too? We could make a regular party of it!” The frustration finally got the better of him, and he looked down at the table in the briefing room, not wanting to judge the General’s reaction towards the comment.
“Colonel Maybourne was informed of Ammonet’s presence, shortly after her arrival. He has some business to finish in Washington but should also be arriving shortly.” Hammond again remained as calm as possible, not wanting to make this anymore difficult on Daniel than it had to be.
Daniel looked up sharply and he wasn’t the only one. The last comment gained a reaction from all of SG1 and Janet Fraiser too, who had been sitting through the longest debriefing in living memory. “Maybourne??” Jack asked “Why wasn’t I informed of this?”
“SG1 seemed to have more important things to worry about, at the time.”
“You mean like making sure my wife was handcuffed and locked up securely enough!” Daniel attacked again.
Jack felt now would be a good time to change the topic: “On the bright side, when the Tok’ra arrive, they may be able to separate Sha’re from Ammonet.”
“The Tok’ra have no absolutely safe way of doing that, and you know it.” Daniel reminded Jack. Knowing it to be implicitly true since he’d spent every minute between arriving back to base and the start of the debriefing researching all the Tok’ra methods of doing that.
“Well then once they’ve spoken to her, we’ll take her on a little trip to Cimmeria. Thor’s new hammer will have her back to herself in no time.” Jack suggested, desperately trying to be optimistic, sensing how much Daniel needed that.
“Kendra said that that caused great pain and needed a strong mind to survive. At the time, I never doubted that Sha’re could do it. But after all she’s been through and Janet’s initial tests suggesting she hasn’t fully healed from....uhh......being dead.....yet....I don’t know if she’ll.......I can’t risk putting her through that.
“Well maybe The Asgard have another more gentler method.”
“If they did, why wouldn’t they use it instead of the Hammer. The Asgard wouldn’t want to risk causing the host any harm, unnecessarily.”
“Son, how do you want to do it?” General Hammond asked. In his question, a badly hidden promise that they would do it.
Daniel’s mind was racing. He knew he had General Hammond’s attention. Now he needed a plan. He was thinking faster than he’d ever thought in his life. Mentally he checked every advanced culture and alien they’d ever come across, who might be able to help. The Tok’ra. The Asgard. The Nox. The Tollan. Urgo. Aris Boc. Ma’chello.
Ma’chello. Why had that caused him to stop. Ma’chello. He let the word float around his head. Ma’chello. And then it hit him.
“Ma’chello!!!”
In the infirmary, Janet paced. She was a military trained doctor, who had to deal with life and death on a daily basis. Stress was not her style. But right now she was stressed. Very very stressed. To the casual on-looker it may have seemed that this was because she’d just done an anything but routine check up on a Goa’uld, who’d been hurtling abuse and threats at her the whole time, but what did casual on-lookers know.
Makepeace briskly walked in. “Doc, I told you, I’d get round to my check up sooner or later, you didn’t have to order me in here, it doesn’t.....”
“I didn’t call you for your check up.” Fraiser replied just as briskly, another out of character feature. She didn’t even wait for his inquistive look before continuing. “I just wanted to chat, you know we never get a chance to do that.”
“A chat?” Fretti asked, as he walked into the infirmary. “I hope that’s not why you wanted me here too. I was just about to go off duty!”
“You both were, that’s why I decided to chat to you two, not to mention that other than SG1, who are currently otherwise engaged, you’re two of or most seasoned officers.”
“Right...” Fretti said less than convinced and ignoring Makepeace’s self gratifing nod of agreement. “So what did you want to chat about?”
Janet took a deep breath, taking time to plan her next words. “As you know we have a live Goa’uld at the SGC. The Goa’uld whose host is Daniel Jackson’s wife.”
“Sha’re, if I remember correctly she was a hell of a woman!” Fretti exclaimed and then sombered realising she’s wasn’t exactly herself.
“What I’m not so sure you realise is that Anise and Maybourne are being called to the SGC to *question* her.
“Poor Daniel” Fretti muttered.
“Daniel’s trying to deal with it. He wants to use one of Machello’s special page turning devices with their little Goa’uld killers on her. We still have plenty of them left. And as already evidenced, they’re a safe and effective way of killing symbiotes without hurting the host.”
“But they’re all stored at Area 51 and Maybourne probably won’t give us access to them until he’s finished questioning?” Fretti completed, realisation begining to dawn on him.
“Wow. If only we could somewho get one without anyone at Area 51 mising it.” Makepeace added with a grin, signalling that he understood and was ready to try.
“Well gentlemen, it was nice talking to you, but I have patients to tend too. Goodbye.” Janet said before turning away and pretending to busy herself. “And good luck” she added under her breath.
Apophis and Somnus had been walking in silence, still on the ship. Somnus knew that Apophis was in a worse mood than any he had ever seen him in before and even with his advantage did not dare to interrupt Apophis’s thoughts.
But he knew to perform at his best, he needed to know what was required, so he could gather his strength. Eventually he began to speak: “Apophis, my lord, what do you intend to do with the Tau’ri?”
“Nothing.” Apophis replied simply.
Somnus was initially shocked but then thought he must have misunderstood, so tried again. “If you wish I, alongside your First Prime, will command your great army in an invasion of the Tau’ri. We will destroy every living being that stands in our way. We will turn their greatest buildings to dust. And we will rescue your mate.”
Apophis stopped his brooding for long enough to grace Somnus with a mirthless smile. “You’re young, so I will forgive your enthusiasm. You may have forgotten but The Tau’ri Stargate has a barrier, and I have still not learnt enough about Sokhar’s technology to be able to penetrate it. So we will do nothing.........for the minute. I did not let death claim my love; the Tau’ri will be no great challenge.” He did not elaborate, wanting his protege to feel awe-struck.
PART 5
Anise and Maybourne had both arrived a few hours ago and were in the process of interrogating Ammonet. Daniel alongside the rest of SG1 had been allowed to watch, on the condition that they would remain quiet and not interrupt the interrogation. Daniel had sat, tight-lipped, through questions about the extent of her relationship with Apophis; anything she knew about Heru’ur and other System Lords and her death and resuscitation. All the questions that Daniel only ever dared think about late at night, all those times when he couldn’t sleep because he missed her so much and longed for her even more. Every question seemed to be like a stab with an extremely sharp knife edge to his already shattered heart. And though Ammonet gave no answers at all to most of them, the ones she did answer, with absolutely no useful information of course, seemed to not only cut through his heart but his soul as well, but it wasn’t even close to over.
Maybourne asked another question, from his seemingly endless supply. “What purpose did Apophis have for the Harcesis child?”
Ammonet chose not to answer this question but one of her own will: “No doubt the Tok’ra have informed you that the Goa’uld do not procreate in the same manner as you and that it has been outlawed for centuries. Therefore neither I nor my lord knew how to accomplish this great feat. However my host seemed pleased and eager to demonstrate. Let it be known: it is not true that they are useful for nothing at all.” She said with a cruel smile.
From a dark, long forgetton, deeply buried place inside her own body, Sha’re wanted to scream. Then she wanted to hurt this smug, arrogant demon who had the nerve to use her own body, stand in front of her own husband and tell such blatant lies.
Daniel wanted to scream. Then he wanted to hurt this smug, arrogant Goa’uld who was accusing his wife, the woman he loved, of......... He couldn’t even think it. But knowing that anything he did might hurt his chances of convincing General Hammond to save Sha’re, he just left the room, slowly, not wanting to lose his balance. He stood just outside the doors and took slow deep breaths, trying to regain control. It didn’t work. His head felt light, faint. So he bend over, trying to get blood to it. That didn’t work either. Instead he felt the contents of his stomach come up. He tried to stop it but it was too late. He was already throwing up. The concept was so nauseating, so disturbing. He couldn’t believe it. He was absolutely sure that Ammonet had only said it to hurt him and there was no truth it it. But a tiny voice from somewhere deep inside him, whispered: ‘It makes sense you know, if Ammonet had to be dormant to protect the child during pregnancy then logically she would also have to be dormant before that, when.....’
Daniel cut off that voice, he didn’t want to hear anymore, by saying out loud: “No! NO! It can’t be true. Shifu is Harcesis and that is only possible with the mating of two Goa’ulds! Sha’re is not a Goa’uld! Therefore it can’t be true!!”
“Daniel, I learnt a long time ago, not to argue with you. You’re always right.” Jack said from behind him. Daniel turned to look at him. “Ahhh Carter sent me to check on you.”
“Do you mean it?” Daniel asked.
“What that you’re right about Sha’re? Absolutely!” Jack replied in the most confident ‘Colonel’ voice he could muster.
“Thanks.” Daniel believed him easily, because he wanted to. “Let’s go back in.” He said and started to walk in.
Jack nodded and followed muttering “Clean up in aisle 4” as he saw Daniel’s disbelief in a puddle on the floor.
“Tell us of the nature of Somnus’s power.” Anise was trying a different type of question. After all the previous ones had had no real replies.
“Far greater than anything you could ever hope to understand or recreate.” Ammonet was still not co-operating.
Anise had been ordered by Selmac and Maybourne by General Hammond to be gentle with her but they decided that a scare tactic might work. “I’m sure you know that the Tok’ra have effective but *painful* methods of extracting information” Anise began.
“Whereas our methods are just painful” Maybourne added.
“We’d rather not use them” Anise continued.
“But we will if you make it necessary” Maybourne concluded.
“HEY!” Daniel shouted from the back of the room. This was the absolute last straw. He was on emotional over drive as it was and he couldn’t take it anymore. Jack put a friendly hand on Daniel’s arm, recognising what Anise and Maybourne were doing but Daniel just shrugged it off and continued to walk towards them, about to speak again.
But Ammonet beat him to it with a unnerving laugh. “Your threats are obviously idle ones. My dear Dan’iel will not let any harm come to me.” She said, purposefully using Sha’re’s accent.
Daniel felt himself shiver and go cold. He tried to ignore her and focus on everyone else, a complete reversal of all his behaviour until now. “Anise, Colonel Maybourne, I would like to speak to you and the General.”
Ten minutes later they, alongside SG1 stood in General Hammond’s office whilst Daniel was presenting his case.
“General, interrogating Ammonet is a waste of time. Apophis is going to be looking for her. And if he finds a way to breach the iris, he won’t hesitate to destroy the entire base, at least, to get to her. We have to act now, to save Sha’re.”
“We haven’t gotten any valuable information from her yet, we have to continue trying.” Maybourne interrupted.
“You’ve been trying for hours. It has to be obvious, even to you, that she’s not going to give you anything. But Sha’re will. Getting her back is in your best interest too.”
“Dr. Jackson, I do not believe that you are completely accurate in this matter. If the Goa’uld leaves, the host will only remember vague impressions, fragments of information, nothing solid. Similar to Major Carter’s memories of Jolinar.” Anise stated, hoping to be able to hold on to a valuable resource like Apophis’s Queen.
Daniel had come way too far and been through way too much to be discouraged by the Tok’ra barbie. “Sam’s memories of Jolinar led us to the Tok’ra, which was the starting point of a powerful and valuable allaince and *friendship*, on both of our behalves. And she was only blended for a few days. Sha’re has been for years. Whatever ‘fragments of information’ she can give us would be at least as useful as Carter’s and a lot more so than anything you’re going to get from that snake in her head.”
“Jolinar was a Tok’ra, they naturally share their information with the host. Jolinar may not have been able to help it. But we didn’t get much from Skaara, the Goa’uld can supress the host too well.” Maybourne argued.
“Skaara is just a child, Kendra is proof that the host remembers.” Daniel added.
Maybourne was about to add more when Jack interrupted. “Well this could go on all day. General I sugeest you get on the red phone and explain to the good President that we ARE talking about the life of a human civilian here.”
“I did that as soon as Ammonet was brought back.” The General informed, surprising them and getting a grateful, if embarrased, look from Daniel.
“Yes and the President contacted me and gave me the authority to deal with this situation in whatever manner I saw fit.” Maybourne added.
“Really? I’m guessing the big guy hasn’t ever actually met you!” Jack retorted, feeling rather helpless and definelty not enjoying it.
Daniel tried yet again “Colonel, we all want the same thing. You, me, the President, Anise and everybody else. To get information about the Goa’uld and save the life of an innocent. Or at least I’m hoping we all want to save an innocent” he said in a tone that defied challenge “So why don’t we work together. Help me bring back Sha’re, you know I can’t do it without you. And then I will convince her to tell you everything she remembers. She’s an Abydion wife, she’ll listen to me.”
“Dr. Jackson, you’re missing the point.........” Maybourne began but couldn’t finish because suddenly the loud, clear, slightly panicked voice of an airman came over the con. “Unauthorised gate activation.”
PART 6
Everyone rushed to the control room, the argument forgotten, to see that about half the military personnel on base had gathered in The Embarkation Room, weapons at the ready. The Lt. sitting hopelessly at the main computer quickly moved for Sam but she was already typing commands. “You aren’t going to like this.” She started “Looks like [i]someone[/i] has managed to perfect a particle accelerator, much more powerful than Sokhar’s. At this rate they’ll be through the iris in ten minutes.”
“Three guesses on who that someone is!” Jack grimaced.
Daniel wasn’t willingly to play “Apophis - he wants Ammonet!!”
“I believe DanielJackson is correct.” Teal’c added.
“It does seem likely.” Anise also added.
“Nobody appreciates my humour!” Jack sighed falsely. And then noticing that at the minute no one did appreciate it. So he converted into his full ‘Colonel mode’. “Can’t you cool down the gate, like we did the first time, and delay his overly showy entrance?”
“I wouldn’t recommend it. I can’t be sure but from what I’m seeing here I think Apophis has managed to make another *little* adjustment. Looks like this accelerator can draw energy from it’s source AND target! Energy in any form! If we blast it with super cooled.......”
“Fascinating!” Jack replied in a tone that said ‘helllloooo - time limit’.
“So that won’t work” Sam finished taking the not too subtle hint, which caused something occured to her “But maybe, if I can deflect the beam away...no that’s not possible...not with the intensity deflection coefficient what it is.....BUT maybe I can decrease the beam hardening by deflecting the proportion of the beam with the greatest ionising power. That should be enough to protect the iris.”
“Good. Can you do it?”
“I have no idea. Until a few minutes ago, it wasn’t even theoretical!”
“Get on it.”
“Use whatever resources you need.” The General added.
“He’s after Ammonet” Daniel repeated, unable to comprehend why everyone else was acting so normal. “We should increase her guards.”
Jack and General Hammond exchanged a look. Jack was hoping the General would take this one but they both realised it was better if he did it himself. “Uhh Daniel, Ammonet is already guarded. By three men inside the room and two outside.”
“Against a contingent of Apophis’s Jaffa’s. It’s not enough!!!” Daniel replied, his voice both loud and shaky. Panic was beginning to overcome him.
“We need to protect key areas of the base and most of all try and stop them getting through the gate. I can’t spare any more for Ammonet, sorry Daniel.”
“You don’t have to spare many....not many...but a few? Right? Three?? Four?” Panic know mixed with dread.
Jack just shook his head in regret and apology. Stuck, as he was, between duty and a sincere desire to help his friend - both his friends. Sha’re too.
Teal’c had a solution though “Since I possess more strength than most members of the Tauri, I will replace one of the guards protecting Ammonet.”
“NOO!” Daniel shouted on impulse. His subconscious telling him that Teal’c would not hesitate to kill a Goa’uld and sacrifice it’s host, even Sha’re, if she threatened anyone else. But the looks of concern that he received from Sam and Jack and mainly the one of pure guilt that the normally stoic Teal’c graced him with, caused him to add “What I meant is that even Teal’c is not enough.....But that’s okay. I’m going too.”
“No, Daniel, you’re not. You are waaay to close to this. Teal’c won’t be able to concentrate fully if he has to worry about you too. You can stay here and help us keep them well away from her.” Jack said rationally. Of course what he meant was ‘*I* can’t concentrate fully if I have to worry about you. So stay where I can keep an eye on you.’
Daniel, though touched, was not buying it and not willing to argue. “I’m going too.”
“Sir, we have 5 minutes, at best before they penetrate the iris. I still haven’t managed to stop them.”
“Okay. Carter. keep trying. General, we’re going to need to supply everyone with knives, arrows, anything of the like that we can get our hands on, as well as the conventional weapons. Anise, get out of sight. Maybe you can go help ‘protect’ our guest. Whatever but let’s keep Tok’ra information away from the Goa’uld. Daniel, with Anise to help as well, they don’t need you.”
“I’m going too!”
“Fine.” Jack acquiesced realising he didn’t have the time to argue but made a silent prayer to whatever God looked over stubborn geniuses hellbent on a mission. “Teal’c keep on eye on Anise too will you.” He almost added ‘and Daniel’ but knew that Teal’c would do that anyway. No need to ruffle feathers.
“I will” Teal’c answered unnecessary. Before he, accompanied by Daniel and Anise, headed off in the direction of the holding cells.
Sam sighed in frustration “I’m sorry sir. I just don’t have enough time.”
“Then I suggest you arm yourself. That goes for you too Maybourne.....you still remember how to do that right?”
“I remember” Maybourne replied simply, instead of rising to the challenge. ‘After all *one* of us needs to keep a cool head.’
“General, maybe you should consider a relocation...” Jack continued, surprised at Maybourne’s self control.
“I’m staying right here.....General goes down with the base!” The General’s rare joke managed to get a smile from everyone in the room, everyone but Maybourne who was busy working on keeping that cool head!
“General, it’s the same principle as with Anise. You’re too valuable to run the risk of being captured.”
“Colonel, I’ve been serving in the military almost as long as you’ve been alive. I *do know* how to defend myself.”
“With all due respect sir, you’re as stubborn as Daniel!” Which resulted in more smiles all round (expect Maybourne of course). ‘Must be the nervous tension’ Jack thought ‘I don’t get this much of a reaction when I actually try to be funny!’
But that mood was changed instantaneously as Sam warned: “Sirs they’re coming through.”
PART 7
WARNING: Character death....maybe more than one, haven’t decided yet.
RATING: I’m not sure but I’m gonna make it PG-13 to be on the safe side.
At Sam’s warning, everyone rushed to the gateroom, to join the SFs already there, their new weapons at the ready alongside the more conventional ones.
The wormhole engaged. The reinforced titanium/trinium iris simply ceased to exist. A large ‘splash’ of naquada. And then scores of Jaffa came marching through. The members of the SGC fought bravely and hard. Countless Jaffa fell. But Apophis’s army was larger than ever. They kept on coming. Jaffa energised by the thought of serving their God well. No matter how many of them were killed, they kept on coming. Still no sight of Apophis or any of his pet Goa’uld. Wise tactic really, let the Jaffa wipe out the enemy, before they even make an appearance.
Human causalities lay scattered all over the Gateroom. Janet Fraiser ran from here to there, expertly dodging fire from both sides. Carrying no weapon. Her hands were too full of medical equipment. The SF assigned to ‘watch her back’ had fallen a long time ago. She was just too easy a target. And she knew it, not that that would stop her.
Jack reloaded his gun. No need to waste the more precious weapons on Jaffa who weren’t honoured enough by their Goa’uld masters to be given personal shields. ‘No don’t think like that’ he ordered himself ‘they’re the enemy. That is all you need to know.’ He reminded himself of his military training. But too many years around Daniel caused him to add ‘You can grieve later.’ Looking around, he could see their would be plenty of grieving. ‘God is that Simmons? Oh Fraiser’s there, she’ll make sure he’s okay.’ He smiled grimly ‘At least we’ve managed to keep them in the Gateroom. They can’t do...’ And that was the last thing he could think before he felt a searing pain, all down his left leg. His first impulse was too scream. But knew he couldn’t risk revealing his position. ‘Just sit tight, the Doc’ll get to you soon enough.’
Sam saw Jack get shot, saw who’d fired. Instantaneously she took him out. ‘Revenge really is sweet’. Her revenge cost her a lot though. She had, only momentarily, turned her attention away from the platoon of Jaffa who were trying to get through the doors and into the base. She was backing up SG7 in keeping them in. But as she turned back, she saw them go through. Silently she motioned SG7 to follow them. She was about to take up the rear ‘my mistake, I’ll fix it’ she thought. Until Janet came running to her.
“Jack’s down.” She whispered.
“So are a lot of people” the Doctor replied solemnly. “Which is why I have to stay here. But I sent Feretti and Makepeace on a mission, which I need you to finish.” Before Sam could even protest, already being *a little* busy with a mission, Janet continued telling her the details, quickly. Once finished Sam didn’t have the heart to argue. So she headed to the infirmary, hoping against hope that she hadn’t sent SG7 to their deaths.
Outside Ammonet’s cell Teal’c, Daniel, Anise and the guards, were even more agitated than the people fighting for their lives. They knew, of course, what was happening. Knew that their colleges and friends were in trouble, possibly dead. Knew that the whole planet could be over run by Apophis’s Jaffa. Yet they could only stand still and silent, waiting for an attack that might never come.
As if to answer their boredom, Sam appeared, her cheeks a little flushed. “Major Carter, were you not required...” Teal’c began but Sam stopped him with a wave of her hand.
“Daniel, I need your help.” She said grabbing his hand and dragging him in the direction of his office. Daniel was about to protest, this is were he’s supposed to be, but something in Sam’s expression made him reconsider. This wasn’t just another Jack method to keep him ‘safe’. This was serious.
“Okay” he said to her shaking his hand free and then turned to Teal’c. “That’s my wife in there.” He started but didn’t know what else to say ‘So don’t even think about killing her again?’ Or ‘This time I won’t forgive you?’ Or...
Teal’c, sensing his unease, rescued him with “I understand.”
Back in the Gateroom, things were getting seriously out of hand. There were just too many Jaffa and more of them kept coming.
Dr. Frasier had been shot at by a staff weapon at close range, squarely in the chest. ‘I guess the Jaffa thought I was too much trouble!’ she thought bitterly, not at all regretting her profession. She had ordered the rest of her staff to stay in the infirmary and get ready for the waves of injured that there were bound to be so she didn’t waste her energy hoping for a rescue. Instead she started shouting instructions to Lt. Dufresne, one of the marines, on how to treat the other patients. This is what she continued to do, through all the agony, right until the moment she lost consciousness.
And the Jaffa kept coming. It was impossible to keep them in. Currently they were flooding every adjacent corridor looking for The Queen of Apophis. What few soldiers from the gate room could still stand were following, and still shooting. Amongst them Maybourne and the General, who had managed so far to get away with only a flesh wound to his right shoulder. Who were joined by almost everyone on base, except those guarding Ammonet, all other ‘key areas’ had long been forgotten.
The soldiers who couldn’t stand, could still guard the Gate. Amongst them Jack and Simmons who had adapted a ‘shoot anything that comes through the gate’ policy. It still wasn’t working. There were too many ‘things’ coming through the gate. They couldn’t injure any more than one in ten. Which didn’t even slow them down.
After what seemed to them, like days of that but was in actual fact only a few hours, the Jaffa stopped coming. They waited, guns at the ready, but still no Jaffa. Just as they started to relax Apophis and Somnus arrived surrounded by more Jaffa - Apophis’s Red Guard. They all knew the drill and started shooting and throwing knives for all their worth. Still most of them were badly injured and only a few shots were successful . Apophis and Somnus managed to leave unharmed and headed straight in the direction of the holding cell - Apophis recalling it’s location from his last visit.
“Machello’s Goa’uld killers? How did Janet manage that?” Daniel asked Sam whilst rushing down an empty corridor.
“I didn’t ask. Seemed like a long story. Important thing now is to get them inside Ammonet.” Sam replied, just a tad impatiently. She was glad that she got to help Daniel bring Sha’re back of course. But the years of military training kept on telling her she should be out there protecting the base. Which is what she wanted to get back to, ASAP.
“Uuhh Sam, you do realise we’re heading away from......her.”
“Well I did think about going up and asking her ‘Hey Ammonet, mind if we stuff these little things up your royal ass so that they can kill you?’ but I decided that *may* not work.” She said, knowing that her impatience was definitely getting out of hand. “Sorry I’ve been spending way too much time around Jack O’Neill” she apologised and managed a smile out of him.
“So where are we going?”
“Your office. Ferreti and Makepeace managed to secure a Goa’uld tablet from Ma’chello’s collection too. Now we need someone familiar in Goa’uld to rewrite it into something Ammonet would want to read enough to turn the page so she’ll be infected.”
“Oooh! Yes! Of course!” Daniel almost shouted in his excitement. So what should we write?”
“You’re the linguist!”
“Someone is approaching” Teal’c, informed the rest of his group.
“Maybe Major Carter and Dr. Jackson are returning.” Anise suggested.
“No. The pattern of footfalls would indicate a group of Jaffa. It would be wise to prepare yourself” he said to the airmen, who proceeded to follow his suggestion. A few moments later, they were visible.
The shooting started.
“Daniel, be careful” Sam warned while going back towards Teal’c position “Sounds like a fire fight.”
“Sha’re! They...Sha’re....”
“...is who we’re going to save. But I can’t do it without you. Don’t lose it now, Daniel!” She whispered loudly, thinking ‘how come the military never taught how to deal with a man who’s had to go through waaay too much in his life and now fears losing his wife again for the second time.’
But Daniel had been through enough to know how to handle a situation like this. Within seconds, there was a visible change in his facade as he tried to control his emotions. Together they sneaked towards the group.
This gave them an incredibly well needed advantage. Sam shot the three Jaffa’s who were grappling with Teal’c. Whilst Daniel got out his knife and aimed for Apophis’s heart. Whether he was just a bad shot or on some subconscious level he couldn’t get himself to kill Apophis, he didn’t know. What he did know was the knife embedded in a non-fatal position in the left side of Apophis’s abdomen.
Apophis went down. His remaining Jaffa surrounded him, more worried about his life than there own, making them that much easier to kill. Daniel walked towards the fallen figure. Thought of all the pain he’d gone through because of this man. Thought of everything Sha’re must have gone through. All of a sudden him being a bad shot seemed like the more realistic option. He knelt down, ignoring the dead Jaffa, and twisted the knife deeper.
Apophis screamed in agony.
Some part of Daniel, which he’d thought never existed, smiled in satisfaction. He pulled the knife out again way to quickly and was about to reposition it when Sam spoke, the disgust evident in her voice “Um sleeping beauty might wake up any second to send us all to sleep.....” She said gesturing to the zatted Somnus.
“So kill him.”
“Actually I thought we could give him to Maybourne instead of Sha’re. So why don’t you leave..this....and come help Sha’re.” She finished, choosing her words carefully.
It worked “okay” he agreed quietly. Then followed Sam into Ammonet’s holding cell.
“My Dan’iel, I was wondering when you’d come back to visit me.” Ammonet teased using the inflections of her host. Daniel, though the pain radiated from his eyes, spoke with as much control as the situation called for: “Your Lord Apophis is attacking this world.”
Ammonet smiled smugly “He has come for me as I knew he would. You will all suffer greatly for your insolence.”
“He has come. However, we are a planet under Asgard protection and Apophis does not want to risk going to war with the Asgard.” Daniel continued neglecting to mention that Apophis hadn’t exactly acted like he gave a damn what the Asgard thought.
Ammonet’s arrogant smile vanished to be replaced with a look of genuine panic. ‘Good’ Sam thought ‘let the snake squirm a little.’
“Therefore we have come to an agreement. Apophis, at the moment, does not wish the destruction of this planet, so he will leave. On one condition, we let you go. We agreed. We have a copy of the document so you can read it for yourself and decide if you agree.” Daniel extended the Goa’uld tablet he’d falsified.
Ammonet took the tablet from him.
From that same dark place, Sha're screamed silently. She couldn’t control her voice but she could scream with her conscience. And she screamed. She had been through a lot. Had seen herself commit genocide.....and worse. Had watched in disgust while her Goa’uld captor tried to kill her husband. Had thought it was finally all over with her death, only to be brought back so she could go through everything again. But nothing compared to this. This insurmountable sense of betrayal. Her husband, her beloved Dan’iel, was letting her go. He was going to stand back and watch while the demon inside her won. It couldn’t be true. She couldn’t believe it. So she screamed. With all the energy she had left she screamed. And Ammonet, who spent so many years ignoring her, heard her.
She paused. “Why would you allow this do happen to your mate?”
‘Damn’ Daniel thought ‘that wasn’t a question I was expecting. Since when have the Goa’uld stopped to consider their hosts.’ He knew he had to put on a good act, so he let the formal stance he’d be holding for so long fall. He looked down at his hands and said: “Apophis is too powerful. I love Sha’re but the whole of the planet is at stake. There’s really no contest.” He said thinking that there really would be no contest, he’d pick Sha’re over the world in a heartbeat.
But Sha’re had been away from him to long to be able to sense his thoughts. She could only hear his words. She saw the truth in them. So Ammonet was convinced, she skimmed through the first page and then used Ma’chello’s page turning device to move on.
Outside the room, Somnus awoke to see the two human guards had their weapons pointed towards him. However they had made a mistake, they were standing too close to him. In the chaos Teal’c had forgotten to warn them. Somnus reached out both of his hands and in the same instant sent both of the soldiers to sleep.
Teal’c had his full attention on what he saw as the miserable form of a false god and fallen system lord lying pitifully on the ground. So was startled to hear the sounds of the airmen falling to the ground. He turned around to see what was happening but Somnus had already come up behind him and put him to sleep too.
He then swept his right hand through the air in front of him and a Goa’uld healing device appeared on it. It was another one of his special abilities - it had earned him his title as healer. He walked towards his master, Apophis and started to use the device.
Sam hearing the commotion and seeing that she was no longer needed in the room stepped out to see Somnus hunched over Apophis, she shot one of her knives towards him but he foresaw it and moved out of the way. It struck Apophis in his forehead. The symbiote was already weak and couldn’t even slow down the large amount of bleeding. Somnus moved back towards him and tried the healing device again. It wouldn’t work. He tried it again but then threw it off in frustration.
“What have you done?” He cried I can not heal an injury so severe without the help of a sarcophagus.”
Sam who had her last knife pointed towards Somnus replied with: “I don’t think that should be your biggest concern right now.” Somnus realising the truth in the statement fled from the hallway back towards the gate, signalling to the remaining Jaffa to do the same. Apophis had been defeated. There was no point in continuing this fight. The air force personnel, who were still not doing very well, were more than glad to just let them go back.
Daniel crouched down beside Ammonet who had fallen to the floor after being infected by multiple organisms. He held her, stroked her hand, patted her back, whispered reassuringly to her during every scream and every flinch. Not knowing if the pain was Ammonet’s or Sha’re’s.
Eventually she opened her eyes to look directly in his and said questioningly: “husband?”
PART 8
Daniel just cried. He’d wished and hoped for this moment for so many years and now that it had arrived he didn’t know what to do. He had so much to tell Sha’re, he didn’t even know where to start. All this emotion was presenting itself in the form of tears he couldn’t control. But at least this time, they were tears of joy.
Remarkably Sha’re was coping a lot better. She wasn’t really sure what was going on and what all the rushed activity around her was about. But she got the feeling that it was her fault. ‘No, not mine. Ammonets.’ She corrected herself. But it was hard to aviod the impression that a lot of people were severely injured and she couldn’t help feeling responsible.
“Dan’iel, I want to help them.” She said, just a little concerned that her husband hadn’t spoken to her yet.
“No, Sha’re. You’re weak, you need to rest. Let me take you to the infirmary.”
“No Dan’iel.” On Abydos she had always been taught to never disagree with anything her father, or later her husband said. But she’d spend years being an instrument for someone else’s whims. It felt good to be able to assert her independence. It helped that she knew that was what Daniel always wanted from her anyway. So she repeated, more sure of herself now. “No Dan’iel. I feel fine.....better than I have for many years. Let me do something to help them.” With that she got up from the floor and opened the door to the room that had finally freed her of her demon.
The first thing she saw caused her to turn back and bury her head in Daniel’s soft chest. The unmoving form of Apophis lying across the floor. Daniel felt like he was in heaven, he had stopped dreaming of being this close to Sha’re a very long time ago. He held her tight and wasn’t sure if he could ever let go.
Sha’re was thinking along the same lines. Most of her was anyway, a tiny little voice inside her commanded ‘Fight. You can’t let Apophis beat you like this.’ At first she just ignored it. She’d been living with two people inside her for long enough to know how to cope. Until she realised that this time that voice really was a part of her. She used to be that voice. So she reluctantly but firmly pulled herself away from Daniel.
He was about to protest until he saw her reach for the door again. Instantaneously he was behind her, hand resting lightly but reassuringly on her shoulder. “You’re strong enough to do this, my love.” He whispered in her ear.
“I am strong enough to do this.” She repeated out loud.
She opened the door again. Initially avoiding Apophis’s figure, but then she walked up to him and bent down, checking his pulse. There was none. She hadn’t expected one. But still she couldn’t put herself completely at ease.
Daniel sensing her distress smiled at her, saying: “We don’t have a sarcophagus.” She smiled too. Knowing that it was finally over. Both Apophis and Ammonet were dead. It felt like all her demons had been slain.
Her eyes wandered, taking in the sight of the corridor. Her new home. On the floor she saw Somnus’s discarded healing device. She put it on and almost instinctually managed to get it to glow. Walking down the corridor a little she came across a fallen airman, still breathing but only just. She used the device, not quite sure how she was doing so, within seconds though he was breathing normally. “Thanks” he croaked. Wondering why one of the snake-heads had helped him. Until she saw Daniel walk up beside her. “Oh congratulations Dr. Jackson.” Really meaning it. He didn’t know the geeky scientist all that well but he did know if anyone deserved a shot at happiness, it was these two.
A FEW HOURS LATER
Sha’re had been healing every causality she came across. She couldn’t bring back the dead, but nothing else seemed to stop her. ‘Maybe it’s just sheer determination’ Daniel mused ‘Afterall Kendra did say that it worked by mind control.’
Sha’re wasn’t alone in her determination. Sam had had the same idea. She’d retrieved their healing device from storage, though she was progressing slower, between them and with the help of every base personnel with any sort of medical training whatsoever, they had just about managed to save every life that could possibly be saved.
That just left Janet. She was the first one Sam had tried to save, she told herself, it wasn’t preferential treatment. It was triage, it made sense to deal with the most critical patients first. She wasn’t sure she believed that. It hadn’t mattered though, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t help her friend. She soon realised she was wasting time and the good little soldier inside her forced her to move on.
By the time Sha’re got to Janet, it was just a little too late. She had just stopped breathing moments ago. She exchanged a look with Daniel, both of them knowing that Sha’re hadn’t managed to save anyone this far gone. But she sensed this was someone close to her husband so she had to try. She ran the device over her chest, it didn’t make any difference. She ran it over the other wounds. Still no luck. So she started the procedure again. Again without any success. She saw Daniel take the hand of this woman. She could almost hear him praying for her. So she tried again. It felt good. To be able to use this technology for some good. Making up for a small amount of the pain, the beast in her body had caused. She realised that having two dead Goa’uld wasn’t enough - she was slaying her very last demon right now. Or at least she was trying.
Sam, as soon as she realised that there were no more causalities, came back to the gateroom to try Janet again. On entering, even under these circumstances, she took the time to be amazed by the sight that met her. She knew of course that Sha’re was back and playing field medic. But seeing Daniel and Sha’re side by side, trying to rescue the woman who had brought them together, was something worth smiling about. She appreciated the sight for just a moment longer. Then she joined Sha’re in her efforts. Together they caused Janet to stir, and than start breathing erratically, followed by an episode of violent coughing. After that it was just child’s play. Within half an hour, Janet was back on her feet and snapping orders as usual.
THE NEXT DAY
With the SGC returning somewhere close to normal, Maybourne and Anise had remembered their mission. Neither could be too disappointed at the result of this for too long though. Also Sha’re as with the ability to use the healing device, had implicit memories about a lot of Goa’uld technology and Apophis’s and Ammonet’s plans.
“It must be a side effect of Machello’s Goa’uld killers. We never have seen them in action on a Goa’uld before.” Daniel hypothesised.
Truth was, at the present time, no one really cared all that much. Sha’re was pouring out useful information. General Hammond, whose injury had also been treated by Sha’re, had given the whole base at least 64 hours of down time. It wasn’t like they could do much with the base in it’s current state anyway. It was going to take longer than that to get everything functional again. And that promised to be a long, tough effort so he wanted everyone to rest first.
Jack had other ideas. He was planning a party. The largest one in airforce history actually. Apparently the gateroom had good acoustics - absolutely perfect for a live band. And SG-12 were supposedly quite talented musicians.
THE PARTY
Music filled the gateroom and almost everywhere else. Siler had somehow managed to arrange it to be transmitted through the Comm system. Daniel and Sha’re were unsurprisingly inseparable and had been flooded with ‘congrats’. When Feretti tried it Daniel just mouthed a simple “Thank you” to him. It was not like he would be able to hear him in this anyway. ‘But I have to get the full story on that sometime’ he thought.
Makepeace and Jack were having a beer drinking contest. With all the Marines cheering on Makepeace but Sam, Janet and about three quarters of the female population of the base on Jack’s side (the former Danielites had thought it wise to switch since the much loved Dr. Jackson seemed like he would be a little occupied for a very long time - hopefully.) Jack was doing quite well, until he remembered Janet and Sam talking about how Makepeace had voluntarily helped to bring Sha’re back to them. So he let him win. Much to everyone’s amazement and Makepeace’s delight.
Jack had sent out personal invitations to Kasuf, Skaara and anyone else on Abydos who wanted to come along. At seeing Sha’re they were even more amazed than the beer contest fans and it took quite a lot of unsuccessful explaining. Before Sha’re just exclaimed “The Gods defeated all my demons and sent me back to you. We should accept it joyfully and not question it.” That worked. And currently the Abydosian kids were having a great time with this new version of ‘moonshine’. Much to Sha’res amusement.
Her sweet laughter echoed in Daniel’s ears. He could feel the warmth of her body next to hers. Could also see everyone else close to him - happy. Maybe it was his imagination but Sam seemed to be cheering for Jack just a little too enthusiastically. He smiled. Life didn’t get much better than this.
THE END - PHEW!!!!
okay, anyone got any last improvements before i submit it to the Sha’re/Daniel site? Oh and any ideas on how to end it - i know my ending was a little pathetic.
Author's Note: Most of the stuff on Somnus is made up, sorry but it’s been a long time since my history lessons!
So what do you think? Please be brutually honest, I'm a big Daniel-Sha're fan so I want to get this perfect. ANYTHING that you don't like, TELL ME!
Thank you everyone.