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Chapter 9: Colonel Jack O'Neill
Big H thinks we're coming out, he'd better recheck his snake-thoughts and try again.
I like Kasuf. Hell, more than like him..but no way in this world or any other is Heru'ur getting his hands on Skaara or Daniel...and I know Kasuf understands that it just can't happen.
Skaara is straining against my hands, trying to go out there after his father. I'm whispering to him that now isn't the time, we'll get Kasuf back. Finally I can feel him relax against me, his eyes looking at me with a trust I can only hope to live up to. I pull him back into the darkened room and go to Daniel again.
He's awake. "Jack? What is it?"
I let out a deep breath then explain the situation to him. Just as I expected, he tries to get up.
"We have to go after him, Jack.."
Daniel is pale even in the dim light, but his half-open eyes are full of determination.
"We will, Daniel. Let's just try to do this without getting anybody else captured."
He nods and slips back to lean against the wall. "Any chance of going for help?"
There's that Dr. Jackson military mind at work, again. I shake my head. Heru'ur is bound to have the gate under guard. The trick's going to be getting out of this village right under his snaky nose.
I peek out of the window and see the Goa'uld setting up camp on the hilltop. Heru'ur is sitting on a big throne of a thing.these guys sure believe in bringing along the comforts of home, no doubt about it. Kasuf is chained to one of the scruffy trees, still looks okay.for now. The few poor villagers who weren't killed or couldn't run fast enough to escape are being herded into one of the outbuildings.looks like a couple dozen older folks and a few kids. Damn.better not tell Daniel or Skaara about that just yet.
For the moment Heru'ur holds all the cards and I'd bet good money he knows it. Kasuf being here tells me Mr. Earrings has been planning something like this for a while...probably since he tried to kidnap Sha're's child back on Abydos. With Amaunet and Apophis, please-please-let-him-be-really-dead-this-time, gone and now with Klorel hopefully still host-less.Heru'ur must figure the Harsiesis child is up for grabs. He's probably had spies on Abydos and even in Apophis' own back yard all along. When Skaara returned home for a visit, Heru'ur must've set this all in motion.
I don't doubt for a minute that he remembers Daniel.and me. Daniel pretty much spit in the guy's face in that way only Daniel can do.multi-talented, our Daniel. And I did sort of give Heru'ur something to remember me by. Much as I hate to say it this particular Goa'uld is plenty smart enough to put two and two together.Kasuf plus Skaara plus me and Daniel plus a missing kid plus a little snaky espionage has got to add up to trouble for us.
Yeah, by now Heru'ur has to know the kid never was with Apophis and Amaunet. If he was watching Kasuf, he knew who Skaara was when he showed up back home. He's probably had somebody here watching Daniel and Skaara for days. He may not know exactly how Daniel figures into all of this, but he likely figures it's pretty fishy that Daniel was around back when the kid disappeared.
Daniel is visibly trying to pull himself together.it sure doesn't look easy. His eyes are unfocused, the hair on his forehead damp with sweat, and his mouth is drawn tight in a way that tells me he's trying hard to hold back the sounds of pain his body is screaming to release.
I dig into their packs and come up with two first aid kits and an empty bottle of prescription painkillers. Damn Fraiser anyway, letting Daniel go off-world.without us.in this condition. There's got to be more behind all this than anybody's telling me. I don't care how good a line of archaeo-bull Daniel ran past Hammond, the old man had to think there was a damn good reason for putting the SGC's number one resident expert in all things linguistic at risk.
I think maybe.maybe hell.I'm just a little pissed at Daniel, too. But I can't yell at him right now. I guarantee he knows we will be talking about this later. I pass three aspirin out of the first aid kit to Daniel and he swallows them without comment. He's looking at me like he expects me to lay into him any minute now.any other time I would, but I just can't look into those eyes full of physical and emotional pain and think about making it any worse. Colonel Marshmallow, that's me.
I try to smile reassuringly at him again. "We'll get out of this somehow, Daniel and get Kasuf back."
Daniel nods and motions for me to help him up. "God, I hope so, Jack."
Daniel's pretty shaky and breathing hard, but he manages to stand on his own. It's getting darker outside so he risks a peek out the window. I see the shadows in his eyes deepen as he catches sight of Kasuf. Daniel closes his eyes for a moment then looks up at me in question. I nod my head, promising in the gesture that we aren't going to let anything happen to Kasuf. I get a tight smile in response and start to feel a little better about the situation. Daniel may be hurting, but he's focusing on the bigger picture.a determined Daniel is a guy I always want on my side.
Heru'ur is standing now. That superior tone I remember so well drifts easily down to us. "Dr. Jackson, Skaara.I know you are aware of my guest. I know what he is.to both of you. You have until sunrise to come to me freely.or he dies."
Okay, there's the expected ultimatum. These guys must take classes in unoriginal domination. So we've got until sunrise. Now all we need is a plan.