Another hot, sandy planet. Another gate, shimmering in the distance with a mystical heat, almost identical to the hundreds of other they had seen in their travels.
The MALP hadn't warned them of the danger. It hadn't detected the ship slowly orbiting the large planet, a ship that eerily resembled the ancient pyramids of Giza. They were exploring dutifully, although the heat was beginning to get to them. Sam Carter slapped imaginary bugs at her neck, her sunglasses shielding her eyes from the searing heat of the alien sun. Daniel Jackson was wandering aimlessly, bored by the lack of evidence of civilisation. Teal'c, a warrior first and foremost, watched the scenery as if it might grow teeth and snap at them. Colonel O'Neill was exploring enthusiastically, and Sam likened him to an early adventurer on Earth.
Unfortunately, all they had been greeted with on arriving through the wormhole was a peaceful, deserted and somewhat hot planet. Still, they had their orders and after an uneventful day of exploring, they settled down and struck camp for the night in a small cave. It seemed the best option, because Carter predicted that the weather at night would be a startling opposite to the day. They settled down, worn out nicely by their adventures.
"I will take first watch." Teal'c stated firmly. His human friends tried to protest, but the big Jaffa ignored them kindly. He didn't need as much sleep as they did, so it seemed logical that he would guard them first while they slept.
Daniel slept off to the side, he seemed to feel most comfortable sleeping when he had his back against a wall. This led to Sam and Jack sleeping next to each other in the centre of the cave, but at a respectable distance. Neither wanted to be the first to cross that imaginary line.
Even though she was a staunch professional and committed completely to her job, Sam admitted to herself frequently that Jack had an unnerving effect on her. It hadn't interfered with a mission yet, and Sam saw no harm to letting her mind wander at the right times, like now, when she was lying on her back in the cool cave, Teal'c's attention riveted on the bushland visible outside and Jack's soft breathing so close she could almost feel it on her face. Was he asleep? She didn't know. She chanced a quick glance at him, but his eyes were closed and his expression peaceful. She thought to herself.
What would happen if she crossed that line? Regs were regs and..she didn't let herself finish that thought. She thought it possible that they could bend the regs with their positions at the SGC. It was after all, like no other military base on Earth. she thought to herself sadly. With that somewhat disturbing thought, she drifted off to sleep.
Jack shook her, and in that hesitant state between dreaming and awake she smiled and mumbled
"Jack?" When it finally registered that she wasn't dreaming, reality hit and she sat up quickly, the last vestiges of sleep gone as she tried valiantly not to blush. She hoped he didn't think anything else of it. Where he had touched her shoulder still tingled.
"Morning Major Carter." He said, sending a fake cheery smile her way. He wasn't his best in the mornings.
They geared up and left the cave, setting out to explore more of the planet. The morning was quiet except for the birdsong. It came as a complete surprise, then, for the peaceful silence to be broken by the unnerving WHOOSH of transporter rings.
The team took no time to think. They scattered and dived for cover. Sam found herself behind a large rock. Over to the left, Daniel was visible, hiding in a leafy tree. Sam didn't know how he had managed to scale the thing that quickly, but she was glad of his surprising inner strength that helped him survive. Frantically she tried to see where Teal'c and Jack had ended up, but she could not see without giving herself away to the Goau'ld, and Jack would kill her for that, if the Goa'uld did not.
As the rings dispersed, she counted four Jaffa and a Goa'uld. Her heart seemed to stop beating as she recognised the fiery red hair, the unmistakable, outrageous clothes. Hathor.
her mind screamed, but nevertheless, she was looking at the distinctive figure of the Goa'uld who had once taken over the SGC, and nearly killed Jack in their next encounter. SG-1 still had the element of surprise, so Sam aimed her gun at the woman she hated. Before she could fire, Hathor shouted a command, and the Jaffa started to come directly for her. Surprised, Sam wondered what had given her cover away. She fired quickly, aiming for the Jaffa who were approaching. The bullets simply fell to the ground when they reached a shield much like the one they had seen Apophis using during their time with the Nox. Jaffa had shielding?! Frantically, she reloaded and fired again, but to no avail. Seeing no other option open to her other than hand to hand combat, she threw her empty gun at them and jolted to her feet. She managed to get a few clear hits before they grabbed her tight.
Daniel was now firing at the Jaffa, but it had little effect, except to draw attention to his hiding spot. Distantly, Sam heard Jack shouting, and the sight of Hathor approaching spurred her to fight harder to escape the grasp of the men who held her. It was impossible odds, two huge men holding both her arms, the other two fighting off the rest of SG-1. She was helpless to do anything when Hathor reached her, and passed a device she had never seen over her forehead. It reminded her of the hand devices she had used to kill Seth, but it was different, the gem was a different colour, and it seemed more ornamental. She shrieked as a searing pain started in her head, and continued down her spine, until the world receded into blackness.
Jack barely had time to react to seeing Hathor again, who he had presumed dead, when he realised the Jaffa were headed directly towards Sam. Daniel had drawn their attention, giving Jack the opportunity to stand and fire unnoticed. Useless, of course, his brain registered, for not only did Hathor have the same shielding as Apophis, but so did her Jaffa. So the remaining SG-1 members could only watch as Hathor somehow rendered Sam unconscious, using a device that seemed familiar. A big Jaffa held her lifeless body in his arms, superman- style. It was this sight that spurred Jack into a white hot rage.
As the enemy group made their way over to the clearing they had first appeared in, and the WHOOSH of the transporter rings appeared again Jack jumped up and sprinted towards the group. He dived for them, hoping to knock them down or disrupt their shielding or something, *anything* but letting her go without a fight. Instead, he hit only air, as the transporter rings dispersed, taking Sam with them.
"NO!" Jack shouted, sprawled on the ground. He slammed his fist into the ground in anger, swearing. Daniel had a horrified expression on his face as he approached Jack. Teal'c looked disturbed. Slowly, Jack stood up, his face pale. "Sam." He whispered to himself. "They've got Sam."
"It was a planned attack, O'Neill." Teal'c stated. "They knew exactly where Major Carter was, they appeared and started directly for her. They acquired her and left."
"There must be a ship in orbit." Daniel said.
"There is only one part I cannot understand." The Jaffa continued.
"What?" Daniel asked, painfully aware that he and Teal'c were continuing this conversation as Jack stared at the ground.
"Why they would want Major Carter. Hathor has shown an interest in you, Daniel Jackson and in Colonel O'Neill, but not in Major Carter.
"I don't know." Daniel took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "Jack? Any ideas?"
"None." Jack replied, finally looking up. Daniel was shocked by the pain visible in his eyes. Usually his friend covered his hurt like a bandage wrapped tightly over a wound, but this wound was raw and Daniel had all the evidence he needed in Jack's eyes.
"Jack," Daniel said, leaning forward to put a comforting hand on his friends shoulder. "We'll figure this out. We'll get her back."
In front of his eyes, he saw the man's face harden into that of the soldier. "I know we will Danny."
The next step was obvious. They had to find a way up to the Goa'uld ship. Jack was racking his brain trying to remember everything he knew about Goa'uld transport rings. Martouf had said that you needed two sets of rings, one to send, one to receive and that matter is transported in a direct line between the two rings. So the next thing they had to do was search the clearing thoroughly. As it turned out, thoroughness wasn't needed. Sitting on top of a bush, as if it had been carelessly discarded was a Goa'uld wrist device. Daniel and Jack knew from their time on Abydos that this device activated the transport rings.
"It's a trap." Jack said woodenly.
"Yes, O'Neill." Teal'c confirmed. "It would not be so easy unless Hathor wanted us to follow."
Jack looked at his two friends firmly. "You have two choices. You can go back to General Hammond and explain the situation. He will probably abandon the rescue mission. We've encountered Hathor before, and we know the damage she's capable of. Secondly, you can come with me and try to rescue Sam, and when the four of us get back to SGC, we'll write up a report that'll leave the General sleepless for more than a few nights. What do you think?" His cavalier words were betrayed by the wounded look in his eyes.
"Either way, you are going to Major Carter's rescue." Teal'c said. It wasn't a question; merely a statement.
Jack nodded, saying nothing.
"Then I will accompany you." The Jaffa murmured.
"I was always going." Daniel stated.
Jack nodded stiffly, but he felt a pride in his friends that he had never known before. They weren't just his team, they were friends, all of them, willing to risk their own lives for a team mate.
The transporter rings made him feel slightly dizzy, but Jack brushed it aside. They were ready for anything, adrenaline so high they felt like it could actually be possible to jump out of your own skin.
The ship was eerily quiet. Jack suspected that Hathor and company knew they were here, and were merely ignoring them for a time to let them settle in, so to speak. They explored the ship for awhile, Daniel noting the golden décor and Egyptian looking hangings without even commenting. Jack was going mad with worry for Sam. Her being captured by a Goa'uld was bad enough, when none of them had been able to help her, but to be captured by Hathor…well, who knew what grudges Hathor was holding?
Finally, they came to a holding room. Jack knew the show was about to begin. Ever since they transported to the ship, his bad feeling had been getting steadily worse. As the ornamental door slid open, the sight that greeted them froze them in their tracks. Sam was being held by a form of energy, that clasped itself around her wrists, suspended from the ceiling. Standing in the room, obviously waiting for them, was Hathor, surrounded by Jaffa guards. Her green eyes registered surprise for a moment, before being replaced by a sinister gleam.
She smiled arrogantly, and said, "We didn't expect you to be here so soon."
Jack replied, "We didn't expect to see you again." The vision of Sam struggling with her pulsating bracelets caused Jack to come to the point quickly. "What do you want, Hathor?" he asked. "If it's Daniel, I can tell you, he's moved on."
To his left, Daniel nodded once.
"Our last encounter with the Tauri' left us intrigued." Hathor drawled. "We decided to monitor your movement within the Stargate system."
"To what end?" Daniel asked gruffly. He didn't like dealing with Hathor, and Jack didn't blame him.
"You ruined our plans to rise to our rightful place with the system lords." Hathor spat, becoming angry. "We have not forgotten."
"So? You've had your little fun. Let Captain Carter go and believe me, you'll never hear from us again."
Hathor blinked, looking towards the ground, until her head raised slowly, and her eyes glowed an eerie yellow. "No. We have brought you here for vengeance."
In the back ground, Sam moaned softly and struggled again. Jack stepped forward, but the Jaffa stopped him.
"Lady, if you like vengeance, keep going and I'll show you some-"
"Enough!" Hathor spat. "We have had enough of your insults and disobedience. After you foiled our plans the last time, we became obsessed with seeing you dead. As time went by, we realized that would be too easy for those who dared to cross Hathor!"
Instinctively, Jack knew what was going to happen. Hathor had figured it out, how Sam held the team together, touching them all in different ways. She kept Daniel away from his depression, helped Teal'c adjust to Earth culture. Jack wondered.
"In our infinite wisdom, we have decided the best course of action would be to simply have your worst nightmares come true.' Hathor continued, and Jack rolled his eyes. Would this woman just kill them all and get on with it? She was driving him batty. However, he knew that wasn't going to happen. Whatever Hathor had come up with in that twisted snake-head of hers, death would probably seem preferable.
"We toyed with the idea of invading your home planet with an assault that would leave it a smoldering rock in space, but unfortunately our resources are limited. We wanted to strike at-" she inhaled, and smiled at Jack, "a more personal level." She indicated Sam. "Your weakest link. Not because she herself is weak, but if you snap one link…" she raised her arm and Sam appeared to be having trouble breathing. "The rest will follow."
Sam raised her head, gasping for breath, and looked directly at Jack. Her eyes were not pleading for help, they were anguished, knowing she had probably led her friends to their deaths. As her fight for air grew worse, she turned her head away. Jack's panic quickly intensified. The three remaining team members moved as one as Jack quickly knocked a Jaffa out. They attacked with an intensity that belied their fear.
They all realised now what Hathor had planned. She was going to kill Sam, leaving the other three helpless to do anything but watch. The worst thing they could imagine was a member of their team being killed senselessly. Especially that member, who was dear to them all.
"Enough!" Hathor shrieked. The her Jaffa drew back, she waved a hand and Sam began to fill her lungs with air once again. "We know you, Jack O'Neill." Hathor said. "The Goddess of fertility and love knows your deepest thoughts and feelings."
"You are not a god." Teal'c stated calmly.
Hathor switched her attention to Teal'c. "Do not speak to us!" She stepped forward until she was touching Jack's cheek. Jack ground his teeth, wanting desperately to lift a hand and smack the bitch, but he feared for Sam suffering for his actions.
"We know you ache for this woman." Daniel looked up at this statement directed at Jack. Previously he had locked his gaze on Sam; now he glanced over to Jack to see how his friend was taking this new development.
"We know your dreams and your fantasies." Hathor continued.
Jack merely locked gazes with the Goa'uld. There was a deadly gleam in his eyes and Hathor wondered briefly what would happen if she pushed this Tauri too far. "We know you how you dream of showering her with gifts and convincing her of your love."
No reaction from Jack. He knew the Goa'uld was baiting him. Though it cost him, he remained silent. Inside, he imagine her was wringing her skinny little neck. Hathor sniffed. This whole plan hadn't turned out to be half as much fun as she'd thought. She'd had enough of playing. Time for the finale.
"It has been interesting, once again." Hathor smiled without warmth. "We look forward to our next meeting. Just the three of you."
"Hathor, what're you to doing…" Jack's warning was dissolved along with the rest of them as the whine of the transporter rings filled their ears.
They re-materialised, and Jack howled. "NO! Sam!"
He imagined Sam was still aboard the ship, while they had apparently been returned to the planet, but Daniel's agonised "Oh god, Sam." Made him realise that she too, had been returned.
Jack sprinted over to her, and skidded to a stop beside her on his knees. Her face was pale, eyes closed. She looked peaceful.
Frantically, Jack tried to find a heartbeat. He laid his ear against her chest in a final try, but he could hear nothing. So this was Hathor's plan. One word stuck in his mind as he called Daniel over to help him with CPR. Effective. Hands over her chest as he had been trained, he tried desperately to put his feeling into each compression. He thought. Her skin was still warm, his mind registered. So warm. But soon it would be getting cold..
He didn't care that his deepest feelings had been cut open in front of his friends by a woman he now hated with a passion. He didn't care that they now knew the depths of those feelings when he himself had only just begun to figure it out. All he cared about was Sam taking a small breath, and a heartbeat beneath his hands.
They continued CPR. Daniel had tears running unashamedly down his face as he leant over and forced air into Sam's starving lungs. Teal'c guarded his friends from any danger he could imagine, but the scowl on his face would have warned any intruder away. Jack felt sorrow well up in his chest, but he ignored it. She would take a breath. She would. Any second now.
"Dammit, Sam." He muttered. "Dammit!"
"Jack, I really don't think-"
"Don't even say it Danny-boy." Jack snarled.
Daniel shook his head, but continued. He knew that if Sam died like this, Jack would never forgive himself. It would hit him as hard as Charlie's death. So he continued, for both his friends sake.
Jack thought. When it happened, Jack thought he had imagined it. Sam gasped, and fought to sit up. Jack scooped her up into his arms and held her, thinking the heartbeat he felt was the sweetest sound he's ever heard.
Sam opened her eyes slowly. Her chest was tight and sore, and she had dreamt about being kissed by Daniel. But here she was, being held tightly by Colonel O'Neill. She was confused more when put a hand up to touch his face and felt his silent tears. She returned the hug, alarmed. All she remembered was fighting for air.
Jack carried Sam through the Stargate, and all four members of SG-1 were very relieved to see the gate room again. He took her straight to the infirmary, and explained to Janet what had happened.
"You had to revive her?" Janet was aghast. She gave Sam a cursory examination, then slipped quietly out of the room so Jack and Sam could have a moment together before Jack was called to explain things to General Hammond.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked her gently.
"I feel like I've been hit by a truck." Sam told him with a small smile. "But, yes. I'll be okay. Thanks to you."
Jack allowed himself a small smile. He turned to leave, but Sam stopped him with a hand on his arm. "It is true, Jack, what Hathor said?"
He turned to face her. He became fascinated with her eyes and avoided answering the question.
She took his silence for a negative answer and smiled bravely before lying down again and turning away. She closed her eyes and waited for Jack to leave the room. Instead, she felt his hand on her forehead, a cool touch that made her shiver with pleasure. He ran his fingers through her hair and she knew without him having to tell her, that Hathor had hit the mark.
"Later, Sam. I promise. I don't want her to have anything to do with us finally getting together."
"I understand." She smiled up at him and he felt his heart finally start to heal. The still features he remembered as he had tried to revive her slowly faded in his mind and were replaced with the vision in front of him; his Major smiling brightly at him. Teal'c and Daniel entered the room and the reunion was a happy one. Jack didn't know what the future held, but he suspected that as long as they faced it together - all FOUR of them, it would be okay.
/End/
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Story Notes: NOTES: This actually has a plot, even if it is only there for the emotional torture of the Characters. AND: HATHOR RETURNS MUAHAHAHA - ahem. I realise I've taken some liberties with both the transporter rings and with Hathor, but lets just call it poetic license and move on, okay? :> Kes
End Notes: What did you think? Is it ok? Kestra@primus.com.au
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]