Part 35

The gun recoiled and metal became hot as the bullet left the barrel. Hands twitched at the tremor and the gun stilled.

But the damage was already done.

Daniel Jackson watched as Colonel Jack O'Neill staggered back a step before falling. The younger man looked on unemotionally as the man he called friend dropped to the floor and became still.

Her voice-

It was telling him it wasn't enough.

One bullet was not enough.

The enemy before him would cause him more pain.

More pain.

He didn't want that. Did he ?

Death to the enemy and the pain will vanish.

The gun lifted again. The sound of the hammer cocking was loud, as loud as if all other noise had vanished with the first shot. All he could hear was her, the gun and-

His voice.

"Dan… iel."

The hand paused. Daniel tilted his head slightly towards the figure on the ground, listening to the raspy voice despite himself. There was a groan as the figure tried to sit up.

"Damn. Almost forgot about my flak jacket." Groaning again, the person in front of him fingered the spot where the bullet had struck, in the center of his chest. He looked up, freezing at the sight of Daniel standing there in the center of the clearing.

"L-listen to me…"

He didn't hear the words. They sounded like gibberish. Their meaning was lost to him.

"You don't… d-don't want to do… this." The voice grew stronger as the body on the ground began to move.

He wasn't dead.

But he had shot him.

What matter of beast was this ?

The gun was raised again as Daniel took a step back, fearfully.

Brown eyes, half dazed, looked up at him from the ground. Daniel stared back at them. He had seen them before.

"Daniel."

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He lifted the gun higher in front of him, to ward off the person who was lurching in front of him, hand extended out to grab him, pull him down, returning him to the pain again.

"Give me the gun."

He wanted to say the words, but nothing came out. A strangled sound hung in the air between them and Daniel started when he realized that it came from him. It sounded pathetic, like a drowning animal making one last bark before going under.

"Give me the gun."

What was he saying ? Daniel trembled as the person came closer, hand extended to him like a claw. He was going to get him. He was going to take him just like she said he would. He had to kill him while he had the chance.

But-

There was another voice.

A tiny one.

Screaming.

Crying.

Wailing.

Begging.

Pounding within the confines of his mind, banging at the walls of his consciousness to try and get his attention.

But he couldn't hear it. He couldn't understand it.

Like he couldn't hear what this man, who took yet another step, was saying either.

The person was coming closer now, inches away from him. Daniel gasped. When had he come so near ? The gun rose again, the hand shaking to a point that it blurred.

"L-look at me, Daniel." The voice was louder now. Stronger. "Look at me."

"Lower the gun."

"Come on, Danny."

The voice cracked a little, as if breathless. "Come on. Hand it over. You don't want to do this."

His other hand went up to his head, fingers searching for the fire that was searing behind the burns on his temples. He must have said the words out loud because the person stopped in his tracks.

"I know. I know." The voice lowered to a soft hush. "It won't hurt any more. Just give me the gun and I swear… it won't h-hurt any more."

"This will not do at all."

Movement to the left and right behind him, causing the man in front of him to stiffen.

Daniel jumped as a strong hand shot out and grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around. Behind him, he could hear the beast he failed to destroy, fighting with another.

Amber.

Red hair, soft and shiny.

Glowing eyes.

Daniel choked off a sob when he saw her standing in front of him, surrounded by her guards, Tery'ka standing beside her with a dark smug look on his face.

"Bitch." The voice behind him sounded furious.

Hathor smiled as she approached Daniel. She seemed to enjoy how the young man flinched from her touch.

"You keep away from him !"

"You were so close, Beloved." Hathor whispered into Daniel's ear, her breath hot against his skin. She ignored the screaming that was coming from the other as she circled Daniel, pinned as he was by the strong grip of the guard. "We had watched with great pleasure as you killed the woman you once called Carter and hoped you would dispatch our enemy just as quickly."

"N-no…" The beast sounded shocked as he struggled weakly in the guard's grasp. "You bi-"

Hathor turned around, her eyes flashing gold, and slapped the monster across the face. The man fell silent, but his dark eyes burned with such intensity that she paused, refraining from delivering another blow. Then she smiled, motioning towards Daniel.

"Do you like our gift to you, Tau'ri ?" she said as she stroked Daniel's cheek. The young man turned his head away from the touch but one of the guards forced him to turn back. "We had planned so long for this moment." The Queen's eyes narrowed as she studied the prisoner before her. Then she turned her eyes back to the young scientist with a smirk.

"As much as we dislike inflicting such pain on our Beloved, it was necessary to teach him about our enemy." Hathor turned back towards the other man, one hand resting possessively on Daniel's shoulder. Her eyes glowed. "You."

The monster snorted.

"You're not going to have him." He laughed harshly. "Haven't you learned that already ?"

"But we already do have him." The Queen smiled as she watched the man still in shock at her words. "Perhaps you would like to see what we have done to… persuade him to our… point of view. Perhaps you would like to see how he begged to have the honor to kill you."

"You're lying."

One of the guards picked up the metallic visor, handing it wordlessly to Hathor. Daniel tensed at the sight of the device in her hand. The Go'uald Queen smiled, pretending to consider putting it back on him. After a moment, she handed it to Tery'ka and appeared to enjoy the choked sob of relief from the young man when he realized that she wasn't going to.

"We would not lie." She leaned over to Daniel, who swallowed and closed his eyes, kissing him on the cheek amidst the outraged roaring from the beast. Daniel didn't know which he was more afraid of - the beast, whose eyes burned like black fire, or her, with the voice that made everything else disappear. "Not about something we are so very proud of."

The Go'uald circled behind him, ordering the guard to release him. Daniel's arms dropped to his sides as he stood there, staring at the man before him and wondering why the screaming bothered him so much.

"If it's me you wanted, you should have gone after me," the person snarled. Daniel took a step back from the voice. The movement caught the man's attention and he clenched his fists. "He has nothing to do with what I did to you."

Hathor hissed, her eyes burning with hatred, the rage that boiled inside her every night she had to sleep in her sarcophagus until her wounds heal, knowing her armies outside were decimated because of him.

"He has everything to do with you !" Hathor stalked over to the man, her guards tightening their grip on his arms before he could lunge at her. "Killing you would be too easy. Destroying you…" She smiled darkly. "Would give us so much more pleasure." The Queen waved towards Daniel, who was standing there, looking at her with fear.

"Do you see this ? The spirit we have taken from you ? From him ?" She purred as she sauntered back to Daniel, her arm slipping around his shoulders, laughing softly when the young man flinched but didn't pull away. "I want this to be the last thing you see before you die by his hands. And know that he will never… never… be free of me."

Something cold and long was slipped into his hands and Daniel looked down numbly at the staff weapon he had been given.

"Kill him," Hathor whispered to him. "And the pain will go away."

A flash of memory came as she mentioned the pain, seeming to burn every fiber of his body. He gasped, missing the beast whispering his name, and staggered back a step. Hathor laughed softly, giving him a little push forward.

Daniel raised the staff weapon.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Water.

She lunged up, trying to break the surface, her legs kicking desperately to stay afloat, to stay alive, but the waves grabbed her once more and yanked her down to its depths.

Water… Dragging and pulling at her.

She couldn't find anything to hold on to.

Water… Twisting her body in its cold grip.

She was so tired. So tired.

Water… Numbing her pain with its coldness, taking the air from her lungs.

Until-

"Are you alright ?" a voice demanded as strong hands grabbed her from the icy river. She heard several grunts around her as men pulled her motionless body from the strong current, water splashing onto her face as numerous feet kicked up the surf. She felt herself being dropped unceremoniously onto the ground.

Major Sam Carter tried to speak, but her teeth were chattering too loud for her to form any words.

When she felt hands upon her, searching her, she clenched her fists and lashed out. One of the men exclaimed as it barely missed him.

"Easy ! Easy ! It's us ! The good guys !"

She felt a jacket being wrapped around her as another voice muttered a curse - they had found the bloody wound on the back of her right shoulder. The Major hissed as a hand pressed down on it.

"Just missed her flak jacket, sir. Went clean through. Shit, there's another bullet, right here. Stuck in the jacket. Didn't go through. Man, she lucked out with that one. I can feel the indentation."

"Damn it. Let me see if I can… ow !"

"Sir ?"

Sam looked up blearily, water dripping from damp bangs, as two men flickered in and out of her view. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her vision, waving off the hands to help her up, she focused on the one hovering closely. Gray hair came to view, the narrow carved features sharpened and-

"Dad !" she exclaimed. The man chuckled.

"Hey, kiddo." General Jacob Carter accepted the wet hug from his daughter. "Scared the shit out of me when this guy and I saw you rushing past us in that river."

Carter turned her head and saw Anderson, sporting a bruise on his cheek. He shrugged sheepishly at her questioningly look.

"General Carter thought I was one of the bad guys and I thought he was a snake head." He flushed, darting a look towards Jacob. "Well… actually… he…"

Jacob shook his head. Then he turned to Sam, his expression serious. "The kid here told me about Daniel."

"We saw him," Sam said in a raspy voice as she coughed out the rest of the river. "We got him out of Hathor's place, but-"

Jacob winced all of a sudden, rubbing his own shoulder. Sam whirled her head sharply towards him, shuffling over to her father.

"Are you alright ? Tery'ka came to the SGC and-"

Selmac suddenly emerged. "Tery'ka is a spy."

Stunned, Carter rocked back on her heels. "What ?"

The eyes dimmed, returning to normal. Jacob shook his head and whistled. "Damn, I wish you tell me next time you're going to do that." He nodded to himself to a voice only he could hear. Looking up, he saw Anderson's face. "Sorry. Selmac feels pretty strongly about this. Apparently, Tery'ka's been with the council for a very long time. It's a bit of a shock to hear-"

"Are you sure ?" Sam blurted out. "I mean… about Tery'ka… my God, he was walking around our base the whole time !"

"He told us Colonel O'Neill was caught in some trap. Got us to bring Jackson out here," Anderson said, his eyes narrowing as he recalled. "We went looking for you, then he disappeared and Jackson got caught in those Stargate rings."

"They took him to Hathor's lair," Sam murmured. "Oh my God. She's been wanting him back since we rescued him-"

"He wasn't rescued," her father interrupted, "she let you take him back." Sam turned towards Jacob, her eyes wide. "I think… Tery'ka lured me and Selmac out here as… bait… I was shown a message from another spy in her army, that she had discovered an SG team was exploring here and would be returning. She set up base here and waited."

"And in came Daniel," Sam whispered aghast.

"It was probably the icing on her cake when it turned out to be Jackson coming through," Jacob agreed. He eyed the horizon and the darkening sky with a frown. The twilight hours were beginning. "Selmac holds too high a position for you guys to ignore. She knew you would come to try and rescue me and Doctor Jackson would come along to show you the way."

"Daniel didn't remember anything."

"She probably didn't have enough time to program him completely before you came through to get him." The former General sobered. "But it may be enough for her purpose."

Sam shook her head. She couldn't believe she was hearing all this.

"Programming ? Daniel ?" It couldn't be true. "No. Not Daniel. He would never have listened to her orders-"

"Then who shot you ?" Jacob asked gently. Carter bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Sam, but I think she got to him first."

"Smith and Tesh-" Anderson breathed.

"Probably diversions." Jacob scowled. "There wasn't enough time to use both the nimertha and the ken'thkyuo-"

"The what ?"

Jacob motioned towards his face, around the temples. "It's like… a piece of metal that goes around the face." His jaw clenched as he recalled what Selmac told him about the device. "That thing could be called a portable electroshock device. Damn thing was a favorite of Ra's. Hathor got it as a … gift a while back."

"Nice," Anderson muttered.

"Daniel…" Sam's hand went up to her mouth. "He had something like that on him when we got him out."

"Probably the key to start his… orders." Jacob flinched again.

"Dad ?"

"I'm alright," Jacob muttered. "When we were here, I got cornered by her men." He grinned crookedly. "Had to take a dip in the pool." He pointed towards her. "Runs in the family I guess." The To'kra rubbed his shoulder ruefully. "It's taking Selmac some time to heal me. We hadn't been able to stop for long."

"Have you been able to contact Johnson or anyone from your team ?" Sam asked the other soldier, but Jacob stepped in with the response.

"He can't." Anderson silently pointed to the sky. "When I ran into Anderson here, he took me back to the Stargate. We found two death gliders parked right there. Johnson and the rest of SG-3 were nowhere in sight." Sam looked at the sergeant, who was staring at the line of trees glumly and she felt a pang of sympathy for him. "They were probably captured by Hathor's men," Jacob said quietly.

"Or maybe they're hiding out until word gets through," Sam suggested and got a grateful grin from the soldier.

Jacob realized how his words had sounded and smiled briefly at Sam. "That's a real good possibility, Sam."

"What about Jackson ? And Colonel O'Neill ?" Anderson asked anxiously. "We can't just leave them here."

"We're not going to," Sam responded darkly. She shot a warning look towards her father. "I know we don't have the manpower, but she thinks I'm dead and might even think you are too. That's a major advantage for our side. She won't be expecting us."

"We've just got to find them," Anderson muttered.

A distant blast from a staff weapon echoed throughout the forest. The three glanced up startled. Jacob exchanged a look with his daughter.

"That might be a good direction to start," Jacob said, thumbing the direction behind him.

----------------------------

Part 36

Jack O'Neill had really thought he was dead from the moment he saw the muzzle flash of the gun. As the bullet struck him, right in the heart, throwing his body back before he crashed down to the ground, all Jack could think of was what would happen to Daniel when the younger man woke up from whatever he was under.

But he wasn't dead.

He had forgotten all about his flak jacket.

Even now, as he stared at the pain pinched face of his friend and at the wavering staff weapon Daniel held, he could feel the bullet tip, trapped within the molding of his jacket, digging into his chest but not puncturing it.

It was like a premonition of what was to come.

"Daniel," he whispered as the staff weapon was raised to eye level and blossomed open with a spark that danced across the ridges of the petals like a bee across a flower.

Funny how you notice these kind of things at the wrong time, Jack thought as he steeled himself for the blast, stopping himself from flinching with an effort of will.

Hathor laughed, her eyes shining with expectation as she watched the young scientist aim the weapon at Jack. She didn't even give the bodies of Smith and Tesh a second glance as she stepped away from the two men still standing, as if she was a spectator trying to get a better perspective on a masterpiece.

Her masterpiece.

"Now, Beloved," she whispered, barely able to keep her voice steady in her excitement, her hands clasped together in front of her.

Daniel said nothing, his arms now surprisingly steady as his hands held the device, despite it's weight. But…

Jack's breathing hitched in his throat as he saw that Daniel's eyes were glazed with remembered pain, empty of recognition. Just underneath was the glistening of moisture.

Somewhere, somewhere deep down inside, Daniel Jackson was trapped, remaining a witness to everything.

This thought frightened Jack more than anything else, to a point that he refused to accept the fact that he was going to die right here.

Not now.

Not by Daniel's hand.

"I thought you wanted me dead." Jack kept his voice stiff, drenched with the hate he felt for her. It was easier to do this than he had figured. "I'd have thought you would have wanted the pleasure of killing me yourself."

The Go'uald's eyes glowed as she correctly guessed his tactic. Her smile deepened.

"Pathetic," she said, as she shook her head. "You wish to spare him the burden of your death." Hathor took delight in Jack's effort to secure some mercy for his friend. She curled her hands, stroking Daniel's shoulder with her knuckles. "All the more reason to have him do the task."

Jack clenched his jaw. His eyes seemed to change color, turning to black coals as he looked intently towards her. The woman paused, studying the colonel with mild interest.

"Such passion." She said the words as if she were commenting on a piece of meat. Her eyes went up and down the length of Jack's body appreciatively. "It is a shame you had betrayed us. We would have welcomed you as our First Prime or as a host for one of our children."

Silent now, Jack turned his gaze back to Daniel and his eyes softened. The young man did not react, even as Jack mouthed to him that it was okay.

"Kill him." Hathor had grown tired of the taunting. She was anxious to witness his death. "Kill him now."

Daniel's arms visibly moved, his hands gripping the pole of the staff weapon tighter, while Jack just stood there, watching his friend and waiting.

Nothing.

Hathor frowned as the seconds passed and no sound of a blast was heard. She turned her head towards Daniel and hissed.

The young man just stood there, the staff weapon still aimed towards Jack, tears now trickling openly down his cheek.

He was fighting it.

Hathor could not believe this was possible, but he was fighting it.

Furious at this turn of events, she barked an order to her guard, who stepped forward, pulling the staff weapon away from unresisting hands. He then backhanded Daniel's face, much to Jack's outrage. The young man staggered back from the blow, his knees folding and depositing him on the ground.

"Leave him alone !" Jack howled as he twisted unsuccessfully in the guard's grip.

"You have failed us again, our Beloved," Hathor hissed as she stood over Daniel. "First you deny us, now you disobey ?" She opened her palm, revealing the ribbon device to the fading sunlight. Jack's guard released the colonel and took a step away from him. The sky darkening above her, her jewel appeared to glow even brighter as she turned it abruptly towards Jack, her eyes still on Daniel as she spoke.

"Watch us kill your friend and remember what you have suffered before." Hathor's once satisfied smile twisted into a line of hate. "Remember and know that it will never end for you." With that, the device glowed.

A flash of light raced across the clearing and Jack flinched instinctively. But when the expected heat of death was missing, he looked down at his chest.

No gaping hole.

The Jaafa guard behind him groaned, toppling back. The others whipped around with their weapons raised, circling Hathor and Daniel protectively.

Jack just stood there, stunned.

"Step away from Daniel Jackson," a deep voice boomed.

The colonel grinned when he saw one of the shadows from the line of trees begin to move. Teal'c limped slightly as he came into view, his staff weapon in his hands, still directed at the line of guards. Jack took a step back, grabbing the staff weapon from the dead guard and aiming it at Hathor's back.

The Go'uald Queen snarled, glaring at Tery'ka, who was coolly eyeing Teal'c.

"I should have been certain of your death before rejoining my Queen." Tery'ka's eyes glowed. "It is a mistake I will not repeat."

"You are To'kra," Teal'c said. "Why would you betray them in their fight against the false gods ?"

"I would rather be a false god than an animal hunted by them. I do not believe it is my fate to die backed into a corner."

Tery'ka smiled as he bent down and hauled Daniel up by the arm. Jack and Teal'c both tensed as the To'kra retrieved the fallen gun, aiming it at Daniel's head. Hathor laughed softly with approval.

"Even if you could kill one of the guards," Tery'ka calculated coldly. "I will fire first, before you can attack again, and your Tau'ri friend will be dead."

"If he dies," Teal'c's voice was flat, his eyes brewing with emotion. "I will ensure that your death will be a long and painful experience." The Jaafa growled as he turned his attentions towards Hathor. "I have never enjoyed killing, but I will also redeem great satisfaction with your death."

Jack suppressed a shiver. He had never heard a voice like this from Teal'c before. He concentrated on keeping his stolen weapon aimed at Hathor's head.

The Goa'uld Queen was not impressed. "You would risk this Tau'ri's life for a small chance at my destruction ?" She snorted at the idea. "You may perhaps kill two of our guards and him another two." She waved lazily towards Jack. "Then what ?"

Teal'c tensed as Tery'ka pressed the muzzle of the gun further into Daniel's temple. The young man stared into nothing, just standing there, his arms dangling by his sides.

"How fast are you ?" Hathor breathed.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Sam looked up at the sky and muttered a curse. They barely had two hours of light left before the planet became shrouded in darkness.

"Should we try contacting SG-3 ?" her father asked as they stopped within a cluster of trees.

Shaking her head, she motioned to the forest around her, wincing as her shoulder throbbed painfully with the movement. Anderson nodded silently in agreement. They had no idea where SG-3 might be hiding and couldn't risk exposing their position with the loud cackle of the walkie-talkie.

"How's the shoulder ?" General Carter asked.

Sam shook her head impatiently. There was no time for that. She glanced at her digital watch and swore softly at the time.

"Our twenty-four hour window is almost up," she said. It was hard to believe that it had only been a day. She felt like she had been here for weeks, the grime of the planet hanging on her like a heavy mantle.

"How much time before they lock our codes out ?" Anderson asked.

She showed three fingers and wagged her hand up and down. A little over three hours.

Now it was her father's turn to curse. "That would be bad now, wouldn't it, Sam ?" The Major gave her father an exasperated look.

"Carter," Anderson whispered. Father and daughter looked up. Anderson sighed. "Sorry. *Major* Carter. I think I hear them." The Sergeant pointed towards a direction to his left.

Cocking her head towards that direction, Sam could hear faint voices coming from where Anderson was pointing. Nodding, she motioned them to follow. Eyeing her father, she pointed to the left, made a circular motion with her finger and then motioned towards the right to Anderson.

The two men agreed, giving an okay signal and separated, slipping silently into the forest.

++++++++++++++++++++++

"How fast are you ?" Hathor taunted as she cast a smile towards Tery'ka.

The To'kra made a quick count. "Seven against two, Colonel O'Neill. Even your Jaafa friend is not that fast."

Jack scowled at them but didn't lower his weapon.

"Want to make that five against seven, bastard ?"

Hathor spun around and saw Jacob emerged from behind a tree, his zat gun pointed at her. The surrounding guards stepped back, even closer to their Queen.

"I think that sounds fair," another voice remarked, wryly.

Hathor turned the other way and hissed. "You !"

Sam Carter grinned. "Still can't get my name ?" She darkened. "I'm getting sick and tired of being counted out of the fight here." The Major raised her rifle up a little higher. "I don't die that easily." She glanced over towards Daniel, not managing to hide her concern very well.

Jack grinned widely now. "Got to talk to you about your timing, Major."

"I happen to think it's just fine, sir," Sam responded, glueing her eyes on the Go'uald Queen. "I have first dibs."

"Wait in line," Jack snarled.

Hathor tilted her head up a little. "You would not dare risk your friend here !"

Jack took a step forward. "And you're crazy if you think I would let you leave this place with him."

"He'll be dead before you can even think of approaching me." Hathor gestured towards her five guards, their backs still towards her. "Even your zat guns can't get past them to reach us."

The colonel narrowed his eyes. Inside, he knew she was right. The guards were standing close enough to block their target and yet far enough that they couldn't fire the zat gun to get them both.

Hathor laughed softly as if she read Jack's mind. "Lower your weapons. You know I can kill him here and revive him again later on. I have the means, but you don't." Everyone stiffened at those words. "Lower your weapons."

"How about lowering yours ?"

Jack turned his head slightly, chuckling when he saw Johnson pop up a few yards away from Sam's position. As if answering a cue, Booker and Tomes stuck their heads out from behind Teal'c. The Jaafa nodded his head at Jack, a hint of a smile showing on his lips.

"It appears the odds are with us now, O'Neill."

"Sorry about not coming to your nice death glider party by the Stargate," Johnson drawled. "But… well… we just didn't like the food you were serving."

"Where the hell you guys been ?" Anderson grumbled good-naturedly, though he was smiling broadly, relieved to see that the rest of his team was okay.

"I could ask you the same question," Johnson replied as he kept his gun aimed at the circle of guards. "The second Tomes here saw those ships coming, we went incognito."

Jack nodded as he turned his eyes back to Hathor, his lips curled in a smug smirk.

"Who's going to lower whose weapons now ?"

Hathor's eyes flashed once. She motioned to Tery'ka as she hissed. "I will *not* let you have him."

The gun clicked as the hammer pulled back.

"No !" Jack shouted.

Hathor smiled, waving her hand across the gem in her other hand. A loud whine sang out into the clearing and everyone froze. Tery'ka turned his head towards his Queen with wide eyes, his mouth opened to question her.

"Kill them all !" she commanded her warriors as she swiftly pushed the traitorous Tok'ra away.

Hathor grabbed Daniel roughly by the arm as Tery'ka tumbled away from within the protected area. The guards, trained to obey her every whim, began firing wildly at the line of trees. Jack rolled away as one shot landed by his feet. He didn't dare fire, and neither did anyone else. Daniel was still too close to the guards and Smith and Tesh were still lying out in the open.

"He Hathor !" Tery'ka shouted. Hathor pulled Daniel closer to her.

"We have what we wanted," the Queen said in a harsh voice. "We have no further need for you." She turned towards Jack with a smirk. The whine grew louder. "You will *never* have him," she said in her eerie dual voice and the ground shimmered under her feet, strange lettering appearing.

"O'Neill !" Teal'c called out in alarm. "It is a transport ring !"

"No !" Jack yelled.

He fired wildly at the ground where the guards stood, scattering them and leaving Hathor open to attack. With a burst of energy, he ran over, jumping to the spot where the first one appeared. The Queen screeched as the colonel's hands wrapped around her throat. She released Daniel to grab at Jack's wrists and the young man fell to the ground in a folded heap at her feet.

The second ring appeared.

"Colonel !" Sam shouted as she ducked another blast. She mimicked the colonel, firing at the ground close to the guards' position, spreading them further.

Jack couldn't answer as the last of the rings stacked on top of each other and the beam took hold of the three of them, freezing his hands around Hathor's throat. Carter's last sight of Jack O'Neill was the twisted murderous expression on his face before the beam surrounded them.

Then… they vanished.

-----------------------------------

Part 37

The light that had stilled his hands before was now released and, almost instantly, Jack tightened the fingers around Hathor's throat once more. The rage he felt seemed to burn to their very tips. He couldn't even step back and think it over if he tried.

Hathor twisted in Jack's grasp, screeching, gasping, and cursing his very existence. Abruptly, she lashed out her hand, cracking it across his cheekbone like a whip. The blow threw him off of her and he staggered back.

His legs struck Daniel, who still lay on the floor in a senseless heap, and he toppled over.

That was when Jack realized where they were.

The golden walls were carved with hieroglyphics that gleamed with their own light. The floors were smooth and cold under his palms, reflecting Hathor's approach as she stalked over, her hand outstretched, the gem of the ribbon device growing with color.

They were on a ship.

Hathor's ship.

"You have betrayed us time and time again," she said coldly, her voices merging into a single tone of hate. "We do not wish to see you any more."

"So leave," Jack snapped, one hand drifting back to wrap around Daniel's wrist. He felt for his heartbeat, barely hiding the sign of relief when he found a good strong pulse. The younger man stirred under his touch.

Hathor studied Jack, her eyes narrowed like cat's slits as she hissed at him. "You have been a curse on our side, spoiling our plans time and time again."

"Sorry," Jack quipped as he moved his hand away from Daniel's. He froze when he felt the cold metal of the discarded gun, barely covered by Daniel's folded legs. Jack shuffled back to get closer, under the guise of trying to get away from her.

"We should have you taste the nimertha," Hathor continued, still coming ever closer. "We should have you kiss our feet. Have you beg us to kill you. We should have you watch us take your friend, further and further away from the life he has known, let you watch him turn into our Pharaoh." Hathor's eyes flashed. "Yes... we should." She waved towards the room. "But your destruction will give us more satisfaction."

The chamber lightened with the motion of her hand, brightening. The wall behind her shimmered and a panel appeared. On the panel, lush green trees wavered and then focused into a picture of a clearing, the river flowing madly besides it.

"Perhaps you would like to see the death of your friends before we have our Beloved slice your heart out."

Jack snorted as he moved closer to Daniel. "Never going to happen."

"All he needs..." Hathor smiled as she pulled out a device. Jack's blood ran cold when he recognized it as the device she had taunted his friend with before. "...is a reminder."

Behind him, Daniel began to stir, much to Jack's dismay. The colonel gripped the frail wrist again, silently pleading with him to remain calm, but he did not know how Daniel was going to react when he woke up.

And the gun was still underneath him.

"He believes you betrayed him." Jack did not respond. He could feel Daniel's hand in his, as it clenched into a fist. "He believes you were there, watching him suffer." The hand tried to pull away from Jack's, but the older man held on tight. "He believes your death will release him."

Jack moved in a little more closely, letting Hathor continue with her gloating as he tried to reach behind himself for the gun before she realized that Daniel was awake.

"He believes that you deserve to die."

"He no longer calls your name. He no longer believes you will help him."

"You are the demon that he must destroy." Hathor laughed.

"N-no."

The two whipped their heads around. Daniel was trying to sit up, his arms trembling from the effort. He gasped from the exertion, still trying to pull his hand away from Jack's. Before the older man could say anything, Daniel saw the gun and grabbed it.

No, Jack thought as he saw the gun wavering wildly between him and Hathor.

"He will only listen to me, Tau'ri," Hathor said, laughing.

++++++++++++++++++++++

From the moment Colonel Jack O'Neill had disappeared, the planet seemed to have exploded into fire and light.

The ground trembled beneath their feet as staff weapons and rifles fired simultaneously. The Jaafa, after recovering from the shock of their Queen abandoning them in the clearing, had begun firing back as they headed for whatever cover they could find. Self-preservation instincts had kicked in, taking over from any loyalty they had previously felt.

Sam winced as a shot flew past her, the heat of it burning her face like sunburn. She heard someone yelp behind her but the returning fire that continued told her that the damage was not life threatening. She looked towards the center of the clearing, where Smith and Tesh still lay. Miraculously, none of the shots seemed to be coming near them, probably because of the guards who had fallen around them like a morbid shield, but no one could get near them to bring them out of danger.

Tery'ka had recovered from the shock of his ally abandoning him and now his face was purple with rage. Pulling out a glove like device, he slipped it onto his right hand and waved the left over its gem. A flicker of light and a force field rose. He snarled something to the guards, who immediately lined up alongside him, firing wildly at the trees. Sam could hear the soldiers swear as they dodged the burning debris. Fire sparked the leaves, the ground cracking and blackened with the blasts.

Sam swore softly as she recognized the force field. They had first seen one when Apophis had used one and it had proven to be impenetrable unless by a crude weapon like a knife or arrow. Neither of which she had.

"Tery'ka !" Selmac's voice sang out towards the clearing even as guards dropped dead at his feet. "Surrender and we will spare your host body !"

The To'kra laughed bitterly. "That does not seem a good bargain for me, Selmac."

Jacob's eyes flashed, visible even from a distance. Sam could see the disappointment on her father's face as the renegade Tok'ra refused. "You have betrayed your people, Tery'ka."

"I have betrayed no one. I was always loyal to myself." The To'kra grabbed one of the dead guards' staff weapon. With a snap, he aimed it at the two unconscious soldiers. "Stop your firing or they will die."

Sam grabbed at Anderson's elbow before he could bolt forward.

"Hostages will do you no good," Johnson shouted from where he was. The CO did not look happy with the turn of events.

"Nor will my death." Tery'ka's eyes shone as he cast them towards the former General. "Selmac, perhaps your host would not be so quick to refuse what I offer in exchange for my life."

The Tok'ra, hidden in the underbrush, fell silent. Moments later, Jacob's voice boomed out.

"What is it that you want ?"

"Safe passage."

He glanced across at his daughter, who shook her head.

"What do I have as a guarantee that you won't kill them anyway ?"

"Nothing," Tery'ka said coldly. "Only my word..."

Someone nearby snorted.

"Can you get a clear shot at his arm ?" Sam whispered to Anderson, who shook his head.

"He's got that damn energy shield around him," the Sergeant replied softly, his eyes glued to where his friend's bodies still lay.

Sam frowned. What she wouldn't give for a crossbow right now.

The traitor's voice held a deadly edge as he came closer to where the two soldiers lay. He nudged one of them with the tip of his weapon. The man didn't respond.

"Let me pass through with them safely and I will return them to you alive. If not," The staff weapon sizzled as Tery'ka activated it, smiling grimly as everyone leaned forward anxiously. "I will shoot this one in front of you right now."

++++++++++++++++++++++

"We are not the one who caused you your pain, Beloved."

"Don't listen to her, Daniel."

The voices sounded distorted. He couldn't tell who owned the one he had woken up to. One held a promise of salvation, a release from the agonizing pain that pierced him behind the eyes. Both voices sounded angry to him now, screaming at him to do things though he couldn't understand the reason why. He eyed the two, their images wavering from being human to demonic creatures with claws and glowing eyes. He closed his eyes oce more.

Everything felt numb, his arms and legs moving of their own accord, with his own will having no say in the matter.

The only thing he could feel was the cold metal of the gun in his hand. Someone was telling him to shoot. To kill the monster before him. Then the pain would go away.

But which one was the monster ?

"Daniel, look at me."

"Do not listen to him. Remember who you-"

"Shut the hell up !"

"He can not fight us. He had already obeyed us before-"

He had... He had killed... oh God... he had shot someone before... a friend... he had...

Daniel's hands began to shake as memories of what he had done began to materialize in front of him like a movie projection, flickering, images superimposing themselves over the two beasts who stood before him. He could hear them both snapping their jaws, both seemingly eager to devour him and each unwilling to let the other come near him. The gun shook and for a moment, Daniel feared it would fall from his hand. His other hand came up and he grabbed his wrist, but he wasn't sure if it was to steady the gun or to lower it.

"Daniel-"

The voice was whisper soft, but he heard it.

"Concentrate here... look at me..."

"It's okay... just look... come on, Danny..."

His eyes flew open to stare at the closest monster. The image appeared to have faded a little, wavering into another face he thought he had seen before, but-

Frustrated, a groan escaped his lips as he took another step back. The beast closest to him came closer, it's claw extended to him.

"Stay away from him !"

A bolt of lightning seemed to have come from one beast, striking the other. Daniel cried out as he saw the first beast crumple under the impact, flying across the room and slamming into him, causing them both to crumple to the ground. Daniel curled up within himself, holding on to the gun as if it were a talisman.

"Beloved."

Soft hands reached out to hold his face between them, but all he saw were claws. And glowing eyes.

The eyes...

The other beast stirred, moaning with pain. Daniel cringed when he felt the claw on him now. He wanted to scream. To tell both of them to leave him alone. To tell them both to go away, but something inside was screaming that only one of them was truly a beast.

But which one ? Which one ?

There was someone he could call out to. He knew it, deep down inside. There was a name he used to call out and knew that everything would be okay after that.

He... he couldn't remember it right now.

"D-don't touch him..."

A laugh that sent chills down his spine was close to Daniel's ear, a claw gently raking his back. He couldn't move any more. The gun in his hand was still. Soft laughter, a gentle touch that felt possessive, was surrounding him and then he remembered.

That touch...

That voice...

He had heard it all before...

He... had done things...

Things he didn't want to...

Daniel tried to scramble away. From that touch, from both of the beasts, but they seemed to claw and grab at him until he finally screamed. Then both stilled, but one of them whispered his name.

"You will not deny us..."

That's what it had said before and he had...

The gun whipped out in front of him, but it didn't seem to deter the monster who stood before him. He could hear himself saying something, but for the life of him, he couldn't understand what it was. All he knew... all he was sure of....

There were monsters before him.

He had to get rid of them. Get rid of them all. Because no one was here to help him.

No one.

The elusive name that he couldn't remember, he could not be here. So he was alone. In pain. With monsters.

Daniel fired the gun.

--------------------------

Part 38

Jack had faith in the idea that, no matter what, he could always get his team back home in one piece. Together. Whole. If nothing else, despite the ugliness of war, of death, he had always had that one thing going for him. It made the impossible seem possible. The terrible just a bit more bearable.

But-

He watched as his friend veered away from him with a mix of fear and confusion and it surprised the colonel - it hurt more than the bullet still trapped within his bulletproof vest. And that faith Jack had always thought would be the one certainty, no matter what, cracked just a little.

Jack had to get Daniel back.

Somehow.

Even if it killed them both.

She was not going to have him. Not going to put him through whatever hell she had done before and was now promising for the future.

No.

Jack would see her in hell first before he would allow that to happen.

It was as though the battle between the two was forgotten, as both his and Hathor's eyes went towards Daniel, who was still inching away from both of them with the most terrified look Jack had ever seen on his friend's face.

"Daniel, look at me." Jack rose, reaching out his hand, wanting to take the gun away from him. The younger man shrank back.

Hathor stayed where she was, confident, her eyes glowing as she saw the uncertainty in Daniel's eyes.

"Do not listen to him. Remember who you-"

"Shut the hell up !"

Jack was half tempted to lunge at her again, but she fingered the gem in her other palm and he knew there was no way he could beat her to it. And the man before him was too frightened to provide any help.

"He can not fight us. He has already obeyed us before-"

Jack ignored the silky voice and forced his voice to be firm, to make his words into an order and try get the other man's attention.

"Daniel-"

Shaking his head, his eyes shut tight to try and block out whatever horrors his mind was showing him, Daniel just waved the gun wildly at both of them. Jack paused, hearing Hathor hiss, displeased with the lack of obedience from the scientist.

"Concentrate here... look at me..." Jack said sternly. Daniel looked up - Jack sucked in his breath when he saw the wild despair in his eyes. "It's okay... just look... come on, Danny..."

The young man paused, blinking at the nickname. Encouraged, Jack tried to come closer. Hathor snarled at the turn of events, whipping out her hand once more.

"Stay away from him !"

Like a sudden gust of wind, Jack felt it coming and he turned around quickly, trying to dodge the blow. It hit him square in the chest and he found himself thrown backwards. Dimly, he heard a cry before he slammed into clothing and flesh. He tangled with Daniel and the two of them lay in an awkward heap on the ground. The younger man jerked, shoving him roughly back and scrambling away from Jack.

Dazed, Jack could only watch with blurred vision as Hathor approached Daniel, her hand outstretched towards him. The man tried to sit up but his arms felt as though they were nailed to the floor.

"Beloved."

Jack wanted to scream when he saw Hathor caress Daniel's face, a predatory smirk on her lips as she turned her head back towards him, but all that came out of the colonel was a soft moan of pain. Dismissing him then, she returned her attentions to the Daniel, almost purring when he cringed at her touch. Eyes flashed as they surveyed him like a prize.

Daniel jerked back from the hands, his eyes wide at the sight of hers glowing. He opened his mouth, as if to call out to someone, but his lower lip trembled and he closed his mouth again. The Go'uald Queen cooed as she tried to pull him up, away from Jack. The young man stiffened. Jack shakily tried to grab Hathor by the ankles but she kicked his hands aside easily enough.

"D-don't touch him..." Jack rasped, but Hathor just laughed, giving him a mere glance as if she had forgotten he was there. Daniel pulled his hand away and Hathor frowned.

"Daniel... step away from her... think what you're doing-"

"He is your enemy. He must-"

"Just get away from her. Daniel... come on... follow my voice."

The young man waved his gun wildly, a strangled scream coming from his throat and the two stopped, both refusing to believe that they could not reach him.

"Daniel."

Hathor narrowed her eyes, taking another bold step. "You will not deny us..."

Daniel cried out softly, a range of emotions flashing across his face. His body shook as he tried to back away. Jack kept calling him as he struggled with step by agonizing step to reach him. He could hear Daniel, rambling on and on, his voice fading at some points. It almost sounded like he was chanting.

"Go away... no... hurts... go... leave me alone... some... someone... please..."

Jack gritted his teeth, forcing his elbows to lock and pushing himself off the floor. His chest felt like it was on fire and he was sure that at least one rib must be broken. But that was not important. He had to reach Daniel. He could hear him. Jack had promised that it wouldn't hurt any more. So he had to get up.

With exaggerated movements, Jack lurched up, half-swaying as he got to his feet. Hathor snorted at the sight although her eyes held mild surprise that the Tau'ri could even get up after such a blow. She raised her hand again towards Jack and the man flinched, in expectation of a further blow.

"Do you not want the pain to leave you ?" Hathor said softly, her voice mesmerizing. Daniel stilled, his eyes wide as they were focussed on her face, the gun lowering just a little.

"We can make it all go away, Beloved." Hathor wiggled her fingers, revealing the ribbon device she had aimed towards Jack. "Kill him and it shall be done." Her eyes turned to white fire as her lips curved to a smile.

"Return to me."

"Daniel."

Daniel fired the gun.

It struck her in the shoulder first.

Hathor staggered back, her eyes wide with shock. She lowered her head, gaping at the wound that was bleeding sluggishly down her royal robes. Her head snapped back up furiously. There was no doubt in her mind now that the battle for his servitude was lost.

But she wasn't going to let that damned Tau'ri have him either.

With a scream that rose the hair in the back of Jack's neck, she lunged towards Daniel, her ribbon device flashing as it build power to strike. The colonel shouted, stumbling in shaky legs, trying to reach his friend. But there was no need.

Daniel fired the gun again.

And again.

And again.

It was like the room filled with the sound of thunder, the roaring of bullets leaving its chamber was louder than Hathor's outraged screams or Daniel's pained cries. The echoes remained stubbornly and Jack had to shake his head to make the ringing in his ears go away.

Wheezing, Jack looked at Daniel, who was still standing there, hands still extended in a shooting stance. The young man was gasping, out of breath from his yelling. He stood there, gawking at the body on the floor, the blood that seeped out and onto the floor. With a soft moan, Daniel took a step back, one hand to his head now, his face scrunched up into a mask of pain.

Jack didn't give Hathor another look. Five bullets were more than enough to ensure her death. He kept his eyes on the young man instead. He forced his knees to lock as he made his way over to his friend.

"Daniel-"

Startled, the young man whipped around - he stared at Jack, his eyes wild. He opened his mouth but nothing came out and he stumbled backwards. When his back hit the surface of a column, Daniel threw up his hands to ward Jack off, the gun dangling from his fingers.

"It's okay," Jack said softly, keeping his hands down to his sides. He ignored everything else. The stench of spilled blood, the screen where the battle had for some reason quieted, even the loud hammering of his own heart that he sworn Daniel could hear. He ignored the irrelevant and just concentrated on reaching Daniel.

Eyes glazed, Daniel didn't look as though he recognized his long time friend and pressed closer to the wall. It looked as though he might start trying to climb it any second.

"Daniel... look at me... really, really look at me..." Jack continued, trying to not let the panicked expression on the young man's face dig a deeper hole in his soul. He kept his voice steady, willing it to not crack, shouting to himself to not run over there and just grab hold of his friend before he slipped further away from him. It was the hardest thing he had to do, to restrain himself, to slow down, and just talk as if everything was fine.

As if it would all go away if Daniel would just take his hand.

Jack wished it were that easy.

The anthropologist tensed as he saw Jack come closer and the gun came back up again. Jack froze.

On that day, Jack had hoped to God that he would never, ever have to exorcise his friend's monsters again.

And yet.... here he was.

"S-stay back," Daniel stuttered to the beast only he could see. He shook more when he saw Jack didn't leave him alone. Biting his lower lip until it bled, Daniel waved the gun frantically in his direction. His voice dropped to a soft, desperate plea. "P-please... leave me alone."

"I'm not here to hurt you. She's gone. There's no one left here to hurt you."

"M-monster."

"No. No monster." Not out here in front of us at least. "Just me."

Daniel opened his mouth, looking as though he wanted to call out to someone, to anyone who would help him, but confusion washed over his face when no name came to mind.

"It's Jack," the colonel whispered, unable to stop his voice from trembling. "God, Daniel. It's me."

The young man's eyes seemed to lighten with the words and he turned his head a little. He opened his mouth, silently mouthing the name, but no sound came out. Frustrated, Daniel slumped against the column, grinding the heel of his hand on his forehead.

"I'm right here. I told you... I won't let it hurt any more." Jack stepped forward.

Blue eyes widened, the pupils now pinpricks, Daniel whipped up the gun again at Jack's bold step forward. Before Jack could say anything else, he fired.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Sam Carter didn't know how long they had been standing there, staring at each other in silent challenge. The Tok'ra-

No, he isn't Tok'ra, she thought angrily to herself. Tok'ra wouldn't betray their own people like this, turn over their highest figure over to the most evil person she had ever encountered. No Tok'ra would do such a thing. It wasn't a memory from Jolinar, the Goa'uld who shared her body for a short time before giving up its life to save hers. No. This was something she knew to be true.

No Tok'ra would make a deal with the devil.

Sam tightened her grip on her rifle. Tery'ka noted this and his eyes gleamed with disapproval.

"Why do you not come out here and face me ?" Tery'ka said, nudging the staff weapon into one of the unconscious soldier's backs. Anderson growled but Sam stuck out her hand, stopping him before he could make a move. She darted him a warning look and he stayed back.

"Killing them will do you no good," Sam shouted across the field. "You'll be dead right after that."

"Ah... but two lives for the cost of one ?" Everyone seemed to have stiffened and Tery'ka chuckled. Then, like a shutter, his face lost the smile and a menacing look came over his face. "What will it be ?"

++++++++++++++++++++++

Click.

Jack's eyes widened when he heard the hammer of the gun strike nothing. Casting his sense of relief aside, he opened his hands out wide, trying desperately to show Daniel he was no threat.

The young man gave a sound of frustration, his finger pulling at the trigger over and over again. The clicking sound of the empty gun grated on Jack's nerves. The colonel thought he had never heard anything as loud as

that.

"Daniel." Click, click, click. "Look at me."

The young man whimpered as he saw Jack approach him, now only inches away. With a cry, he tossed the gun at him as a last resort, which Jack dodged easily enough. Brown eyes crinkled sadly at the move.

"Do you really want to hurt me ? Huh ?" Jack stretched his hand out a little further. Daniel shrank away from the fingers hovering in front of his face. "Daniel... I would never... never... hurt you. None of us would. I swear." Blue eyes blinked and Jack felt encouraged to see that the shivering that had raked Daniel's body seemed to lessen. He kept his voice soft, calm, as he came closer. "Never, Daniel."

The young man blinked again.

"You remember who I am, right ?" Jack smiled as naturally as he could, even though it felt like his face was going to crack from the strain.

"M-mon-"

"No... not a monster... Jack."

The colonel felt his heart drop to his stomach when Daniel shook his head, moaning as he slid down to the floor. The young man dropped his head in his hands and began to tremble even more.

"D-daniel ?"

"H-help."

"I will, but you gotta give me your hand."

"H-hurts."

"I know. I know." Jack soothed. "But she's not here any more. You beat her. She has no power over you now." He crouched down but didn't dare come any closer. "Come on... it's over."

"N-no... no."

"Danny." The young man lifted his head at the nickname, blearily looking at Jack. The eyes seemed to clear a little and Daniel blinked rapidly. "Let me take you home."

The lower lip trembled as Daniel tilted his head towards Jack. He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but shut it again. He moaned as he rubbed his eyes, shuddering when he felt Jack's hand on his shoulder. When the strong hand squeezed, he looked down at it in surprise.

No claws. Just... a hand. A human hand.

No pain either.

Daniel stared at the hand, his own dropping to the floor. Gaping at the fingers curled around his shoulder, Daniel swallowed.

"J..." The young man cringed, waiting for the pain to return. Nothing. "J-jack ?"

The colonel grinned, broadly now. "Yeah."

Daniel choked back a sob.

"Jack ?" his voice asked again, more strongly now.

The older man nodded, at a loss for words. Daniel shuddered, leaning his head back against the column, his eyes glazed as he stared at the ceiling. He frowned when he saw the golden surface and looked back towards his friend. The scientist's face visibly lightened at the sight of Jack.

"Jack."

Jack moved his free hand to the other shoulder. He nodded mutely. Daniel sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"I... was coming here to rescue you. They said... you were trapped." Daniel said faintly.

Jack chuckled quietly. "Thanks."

Suddenly Daniel moaned and Jack was dismayed to see a single tear trickle down his friend's cheek.

"I think... I did... I did... some very bad things... Jack..." Daniel fell forward and Jack caught him neatly before he hit the floor. He ran a hand up and down the young man's back, trying to soothe away the shudders. "B-bad... things..." Daniel half sobbed. He took a deep breath, about to continue when he froze.

The body went stiff in Jack's arms and the colonel pulled back to see what was the matter. Daniel's eyes were huge, fixed on something behind him. And Jack realized that Hathor's body was lying dead behind them.

"N-never..." Jack tensed. She wasn't dead. "N-never..." The body stirred a little, one hand flailing out and flopping to the side. "N-never... we... we... will never let you... have him... vengeance... you..."

Jack hauled Daniel up onto his feet, trying to block his view of the dying Queen, but the anthropologist saw enough and seemed to have shut down at the sight. A hand curled around Jack's forearm with an iron grip, but Daniel didn't say a word as he stared at the bleeding body before them and watched it sit up.

Hathor's eyes flashed once, dulled, then flashed again. She pulled out a sphere, similar to the one Jack had seen before in the tunnels. It glowed bright yellow and the ship began to tremble.

"You will die," she rasped. "Even if we must take you with us."

-----------------------------------------------

Part 39

Jack looked around the room, a heavy feeling coming over him as the ship began to rumble under their feet.

"What did you do ?" he asked tightly but the woman would only laugh, blood bubbling from her mouth.

Squeezing Daniel's shoulder reassuringly, he stepped away from him and stalked over to Hathor. The woman, half hunched over, looked at him with eyes filled with hate. She didn't resist as Jack snatched the sphere away from her. The colonel ran his hands frantically over the smooth surface but the vibrations the ship was suffering did not cease. With a curse he tossed the device down, the item rolling away from his feet.

"You... can not l-leave here..." Hathor rasped, her smile so victorious, Jack wanted to go over there and choke her, but he just glared at her as she continued to gloat. "W-what was ours... is always ours." Laughing, coughing, the Queen did not seemed bothered with her approaching death.

"N-never...Tau'ri..." Hathor pushed up from the floor, sitting there, bleeding, but as if she were on a throne.

"He's mine." She smiled, moving her hand a little, gingerly touching the gem on her other hand, on the back and Jack knew.

Looking up at the ceiling, Jack saw the circle, the slits that he knew opened to deposit the rings and he knew.

"Never," Jack snarled, lunging forward and grabbing her savagely by the wrist. The woman's eyes widened and she shrieked at him in her language as he wrenched the gloved device free from her hand. Jack pulled away from the clawed grip at his legs and went back over to Daniel. The young man had made no move since Jack left him, his eyes still on the Queen.

Jack gently turned Daniel's head away.

Blinking, Daniel noticed Jack for the first time. The older man pulled at him, over to the spot where the circle hovered above. The young man obediently followed without a word.

"Theyka kisuer Tau'ri !" Hathor screamed at him, her voice rising above the increasing wails of her dying ship, suffering from her own hand.

It was Jack's turn to smile at her.

"This is goodbye," he said simply and mimicked the motion he had seen her try to do before. The whine was barely audible with the din that was going on within the ship, but Daniel heard it, his head whipping up in alarm. "It's okay," Jack murmured as the first ring descended.

"O'Neill !" Hathor screamed, but Jack ignored her. He deliberately faced Daniel, blocking the young man's view of the woman, crawling in a path of her own blood, trying to reach them. So he didn't see her lift her ribbon device towards him, the jewel on her palm flashing as the third ring came down.

++++++++++++++++++++++

The ground shook as if the planet itself was breaking apart.

Tery'ka heard the whine of the Stargate rings before everyone else did and smirked. He lifted the staff weapon ever so slightly, not flinching at all as bullets flashed like fireflies on his shield. Casually, he stepped back just as the first of the lines on the ground began to glow.

"Shit !" Johnson shouted as he recognized the signs from before. "He's getting away !"

The Tok'ra laughed out loud as bullets failed to break his barrier. "Fools ! I can kill you all here right now, but I must return to settle a debt-"

A hand grabbed Tery'ka by the ankles. Shocked, the alien looked down and saw the ashen faces of Tesh and Stone looking up at him grimly.

"R-remember us ?" Tesh mumbled. He nodded towards Stone and the two gave a yank, dragging the Tok'ra down the ground before he could anything. They rolled away as the alien fell, grunting as they got up together.

With a yell, Tery'ka landed only halfway within the glowing ring on the ground. The shield around him flickered as the first ring materialized on top of him. Tesh and Stone stumbled away, half supported by Johnson and Jacob when they burst out from cover. Neither one of them blinked as the scream came before it died abruptly.

Sam winced as she watched the last of the rings slicing through, the beam carrying what was within its boundaries, leaving the rest behind. There was nothing else that could be done for him.

"We have to find out where this takes-" she began, already thinking about finding Jack and Daniel.

"Something's coming back !" someone shouted, pointing to the beam solidifying in the center of the rings.

++++++++++++++++++++++

She was alive. It was all he could think of. Her eyes bore down on him like a knife slowly digging into his chest. She was alive.

He... there was no stopping her.

"You... can not l-leave here."

No, he couldn't. He couldn't even get himself to move.

"W-what was ours... is always ours..." Her laughter filled his head. The room suddenly felt cold. Very cold.

He couldn't breathe.

"N-never... Tau'ri."

She wasn't going to let him go. Ever.

"He's mine."

Daniel felt his throat closing up. There were no monsters after him. He was the monster. Her monster.

He felt an arm grab him but he no longer cared if it took him to death or to salvation. Neither could give him comfort. Because there was no way he could redeem himself either way.

Monster.

Hathor looked like she was emerging from a pool of blood, sitting in a puddle of her own life seeping away from her and for a moment, Daniel thought he saw claws, reaching, stretching, trying to reclaim him as her own.

A hand lightly touched his chin and turned his eyes away.

His lungs expanded and he found that he could finally breathe. Focusing watery eyes, he saw a face in front of him and he panicked until he felt a strong squeeze on his forearm.

"Jack ?" Daniel called out faintly. The older man just nodded, pulling him closer as he steered him towards somewhere.

Where were they going ? There was no place to go. They were trapped.

"Theyka kisuer Tau'ri !"

Daniel shuddered.

"This is goodbye," Jack said and Daniel felt, rather than saw, Jack finger something in his hand. The high pitched sound came from above.

Jack leaned closer to his ear, his hand squeezing Daniel's arm again as he whispered, "It's okay."

"O'Neill! " Hathor screamed, her voice rising higher than the growing noise that surrounded them.

The last of the rings came down and Daniel felt the beam warming them up before the familiar tingle came over to whisk them away. Jack shifted slightly, probably to support Daniel because his legs were like string. Now Daniel could see over Jack's shoulder and he started to cry out in alarm just as the beam froze them.

Hathor's eyes, filled with hate burning right towards his face, as she lifted her hand and blasted them with her ribbon device. Just as the last of her fury screaming out in the ship faded away, the blast struck the rings and Daniel felt as though he was on fire.

++++++++++++++++++++++

The Tau'ri were escaping once more. She... was dying.

The impossible had occurred once again . Slighted by the Tau'ri, the very being she had desired for so long during her recuperation after their last encounter.

He was escaping. She was dying. No. She couldn't allow this to happen !

Forcing the last of the air out from her lungs, screaming the name of her enemy, Hathor forced pained limbs to move. Her weapon stirred to life in her palm and she aimed it towards the rings.

He must die. Even if she was to die with him- No... she was a Goddess. Goddesses do not die.

Inside, somewhere, her host was laughing as her strength failed to bind and hold the original consciousness silent.

"O'Neill !" Hathor screamed, more to block out her rebelling host mind, the burst of fire coming from her hand soaring across to hit the rings.

The rings sparked, twisting in her eyes, turning black and gold with the electrical flames. And she sneered as she heard the human groan. Only one regret, when she caught the terrified eyes of her Beloved, made her smile fade just a little. But it was a small price to pay for vengeance. And then... they vanished.

"NO !" she shouted, outraged that even the last scene of their death throes was denied to her. In her rage, she missed seeing that the beam was bringing her another visitor. Her eyes bulged when she saw the head of her follower, the one she had betrayed, roll to her feet.

Tery'ka.

And then, the ship around her exploded.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Hot.

Everything was hot.

He could feel the lightning eating his flesh, electrifying everything in his skin. Like a switch, it charged his mind and it reversed. Like a tape, images flashing backwards as fast as wildfire, they raced by his eyes and he saw.

He saw. Everything. And he remembered.

The beam released him and he felt air on his face, indicating he had really, truly escaped Hathor's ship. He could hear Jack groan just under his ear, the older man's grip on him slipping away. He could hear voices that sounded vaguely familiar, some sounded like ghosts returning, haunting him for his sins, for his terrible deeds. They were probably here to devour his soul. But it didn't matter.

Because he remembered.

"Oh... God..." Daniel sobbed out softly and felt the world rushing past him as he fell. The light around him fled like a terrified animal and he didn't feel the strong arms lifting him up into a strong cradle as he welcomed the darkness returning to take him to a place of nothingness.

++++++++++++++++++++++

"Colonel O'Neill ?"

"Um," Jack said, furrowing his brow at the voice.

"Sir ?"

He opened his mouth, wanting to tell them to leave him alone, but what came out was a dry cough. And he frowned. That didn't sound right.

"Sir." A hand came with the voice now, shaking him insistently by the shoulder, surprisingly hot on his chilled flesh.

"O'Neill."

Jack bolted up with that last thought, gasping as needles of pain danced along his ribs in scorn for that foolish move. His hand went up to where it hurt and he felt the tight bindings of yet another brace.

"Sir, you have to lie still, you've been out for almost a day now."

Jack turned his head, which felt unusually stiff for some reason and gawked at Carter.

"W-where's..." He coughed again. A hand floated by his vision with some water and he took it gratefully. Sipping just enough to quench his parched throat, Jack tried again. "Where's Daniel ?"

Sam came into focus and he saw the hesitation in her eyes. It made him sit up straighter.

"Major." He forced as much strength into his voice as possible. "Where's... Daniel ?"

"He is here, O'Neill," Teal'c said quietly, pointing to somewhere behind Jack.

The colonel turned his head and saw, two beds down, a huddled figure under a thin blanket, his back turned to all of them. When he called out hoarsely to it and received no response, he turned back to them.

"You..." Sam began, tearing her eyes away from the still form. She looked tired, worn and Jack knew she must have been here the whole time. "You two just suddenly appeared in front of us in those rings, but there was something wrong." She took a deep breath before continuing.

© November 24, 1999 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

To Stargate fans and to the actors of the show that just inspires us all. =)