AMALGAMATION
by: Julia Reynolds
Feedback to: Julia@wrenlea.demon.co.uk

*****

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to
MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created
solely for entertainment purposes and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or
trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is
coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the
actual story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the
author(s).

*****

'If we are alive, are we not entitled to freedom? What gives any being the right to shackle
another, caring little for their right to be free? On what basis do you make these decisions?
On what basis do you have the right to call yourself a God?'

The darkness was stifling. Strange colors, strange glistening hues, lit briefly by their
flashlights, soaked the walls of the giant cavern. A dampness. A feeling of age, of a history
ingrained within the roughened surface of the stone. A feeling of immense oppression, and of
despair.

Daniel couldn't shake the feeling. He gazed around him, his eyes drinking in the sight, the
sound of gently trickling water against the far side distracting him for a moment. He flicked
his flashlight up and walked forward, a step behind Sam Carter as she took readings and
searched the cavern with eyes more trained than his to look for signs of danger.

"Okay, boys and girls, what've we got?" O'Neill's cheerful voice broke the silence, sending an
echo around the chamber, breaking into Daniel's morbid thoughts, an assault on his solitude.

"It's pretty much as the MALP recorded, sir. Fresh oxygen atmosphere, so there has to be some
sort of entrance somewhere, refreshing the supply," Sam replied, her voice authoritative, yet
guarded. Daniel knew her well enough to know that she never committed to anything unless she
was sure. Sam wasn't sure.

She started forward, continuing to look down and monitor the readings. "No life signs in the
vicinity, as we expected, but there's the writings to consider," she added as she reached the
nearest wall and allowed her fingers to trace across the carvings hewn there. The rock felt
hard, rough. The inscriptions hadn't been worn down much over time, they looked almost fresh,
they could have been scratched out that very year, and yet the area around the Gate looked
unused, deserted.

Daniel took out his notepad and pencil and crouched into a comfortable position next to the
nearest column of letters, his flashlight flicked into an upward position as he squinted
through his glasses at the inscriptions. This was his thing. They could fight, solve physics
problems and make strategic decisions. But when the writing was on the wall, who did they call
for? Daniel smiled to himself, a satisfied smile, and settled down for the duration.

Sam smiled gently, knowingly, as she turned to see him drop down next to the wall. She knew he
would be in his own world now and decided it was best to leave him to it. Based on previous
missions this could be a long process.

"Carter, scout out the north side and see if you can find anything. Teal'c you check the south,
behind the Gate. I'll keep a weather eye out here," O'Neill ordered as he set his pack down at
the DHD. There was a feeling about the place he didn't like. He didn't usually go by hunches,
but the feeling was something he felt he'd experienced before and it gave him the creeps just
trying to remember it. Damn the writings. Trust Carter's inquisitive, persistent eyes. He
wondered if General Hammond would have sanctioned a scouting party, if it hadn't been for
something Carter had spotted on the MALP's video playback. Inscriptions, carvings. Signs of
civilisation. He didn't like the idea of gating into a cave but, hey, what the heck, they'd
done worse.

Sam moved to the north of the Cavern, her flashlight picking out each crevasse, each change in
direction of the mostly curved rough surface. She moved her hand slowly towards each crack,
feeling for signs of air. If the air supply was through a small crack and the cavern was sealed
then they'd take down as much of the inscriptions as they could and go home. A part of her, the
intrepid explorer part, wanted to find a way through, and a part of her wanted to get back
through the gate. She couldn't put her finger on what was wrong with the cave. Just that it
wasn't right.

And then she found something. A twist in the contour of the chamber, which was masked by its
darkness. Hidden from sight, it was narrow but certainly passable. Sam could feel the gentle
current of air as she put her face toward the crevasse, which now came into view. She was now
out of sight of the others and out of sight of the gate. She weighed up going through it alone
and then changed her mind.

"Colonel! I've found something," she shouted as she returned to the chamber.

"Teal'c, stay with Daniel," O'Neill barked as he jumped to his feet and moved towards the
figure of his officer. "Okay, Carter, what's up?" he said as he reached her.

"An entrance maybe," she said shrugging, as she led the way back to the crevasse. "The air
supply is definitely coming through here. Whether there are more openings, I don't know. This
one's passable with difficulty but it could lead to the surface," she said hopefully.

O'Neill put his face to the cold air which was filtering through and sighed, looking at
Carter's face, her expression of 'Hey, it's your call. Do we go or what?'

O'Neill moved back into the chamber and looked over Daniel's shoulder, eyeing his scribbling
and his intense gaze. He was lost in his own world, his own thoughts. O'Neill shook his head
and smiled. He admired Daniel's tenacity. He just knew he wouldn't have the patience to try and
unravel what was carved there. If anyone could, it had to be Daniel.

"Daniel, you got anything for me?" he asked resting his hand on Daniel's shoulder to pull his
attention to him.

"Uh? Oh, sure...well actually not yet." Daniel pulled his eyes from his writing, reluctant
self-sacrifice written all across his face. "Jack, I've only just scratched the surface. It's
an ancient dialect, similar to Babylonian but there's some anomalies which don't add up,"
Daniel answered and then immediately returned to his notepad, his eyes dropping back to the
page, his pencil racing.

"He's gone," O'Neill muttered. Sam smiled to herself behind him

"Teal'c, mind our friend, here. We're about to try a topside visit, maybe. Radio silence unless
there's a problem. Understand?"

Teal's understood but his eyes narrowed. He didn't like the chamber one bit. Not one bit. But
he was a Jaffa, a warrior. His Commanding Officer was giving him an order. He wasn't about to
disobey it, even though his heart yearned to be going to the surface if he could, just to get
away from the stifling atmosphere.

"I understand, Colonel O'Neill," came the muted response.

Sam put her helmet back on and watched O'Neill do the same, then they moved back towards the
rear of the chamber, shouldering their M-16 rifles..

"Teal'c doesn't like this place anymore than we do, sir," Sam commented as she flicked her hand
flashlight on and shone it into the crevasse.

"Yeah, well the sooner we leave this place won't be soon enough for me either, Captain,"
O'Neill replied, grimacing.

"Shall I?" she asked, pointing her flashlight into the passage.

"I think on this occasion, the ladies first rule is shelved, Captain," O'Neill joked as he
grabbed her flashlight and manoeuvred past her. He started to inch through the narrow space. He
could feel every piece of rock, every jagged edge, poking into his ribs and every other part of
his body. Carter's breath clearly echoed behind him as she inched her way through, keeping her
eye firmly on the beam of light.

The end of the crevasse opened out into another chamber, smaller than the previous one. The
space was oppressive, the roof of the chamber low at this point.

"Some kind of ante-room?" commented Sam. O'Neill shrugged and ran his hand along the surfaces
again.

"More inscriptions," he said as his fingers felt the finely carved lines. "Better not let
Daniel in this one or we might as well make camp," he joked as he moved around the room,
shining his flashlight into every corner. Sam turned to look behind them, to the passage and
then took a step backwards. She pointed her flashlight at the wall.

"Colonel," she said quietly and pointed the light for him to see what she could.

"Jeez, what was this place?" he muttered as he moved in to look. Large rings in the wall, one
on one side of the entrance to the passage and one on the other. A large bore chain hung
redundant from one.

Sam swallowed. "A holding cell of some sort?" she offered unhappily.

"Sweet," was O'Neill's only comment. He swung his light upwards and pointed.

Above the passageway, just tucked under the roof of the cavern about seven feet up, there was
an obvious tunnel running along the top of the passageway back towards the Gate chamber.

O'Neill shrugged, looking at Carter who gave him the same look. It was the only visible exit
from the smaller chamber.

"Looks like we've got some crawling to do, Captain," he said, his heart sinking. He didn't like
this one bit.

"I think ladies first on this, Colonel. Not much choice," Sam said with determination and
positioned her rifle securely across her shoulders.

O'Neill nodded reluctantly. He knew he had to leg her up there first. He cupped his hands and
hoisted her foot upwards. She grabbed the ledge and hauled herself into the small tunnel.

O'Neill jumped, his hands gripping the ledge and then he pulled himself up to follow her.

The tunnel was small but smoother than the passageway, almost man-made in its design. There was
no light source, just pure inky blackness.

Sam crawled forward on all fours, her jacket flashlight her only means of keeping from bashing
into the sides. On more than one occasion she was grateful for her helmet as her head came into
contact with protrusions from above, strange dips in an otherwise, seemingly flawless surface.

The air came cooler now, fresher somehow.

"Whoa," she said as she rammed her shoulder hard up against the side of the tunnel, its sudden
ninety degree turn, invisible in the small amount of light her flashlight offered.

"You okay, Carter?"

She nodded in the dark and mumbled a "Yes". Gee, she wished she hadn't done that, she thought
as she reached up to massage the bruise.

"I think we're moving away from the Gate chamber," she advised O'Neill who moved up closer
behind her.

"Any sign of life?"

Sam shook her head, flicking her recorder nearer to her face to see it in the gloom. "Not so
far. I.." and then she took in a breath.

"There's something ahead, sir, not far from here. Life readings," she said, apprehension
tingeing her voice. O'Neill could hear it and he didn't blame her. Having seen what he'd seen
in the antechamber he wasn't sure he wanted to meet anyone who might be responsible.

O'Neill flicked the radio to his mouth. "Teal'c, he hissed."

"Yes, O'Neill." Teal'c's steady voice gave O'Neill a sense of comfort, knowing that his two
friends were safely at the Gate should anything happen to any of them.

"Got a feeling we're gonna be meeting some of the natives. How far's Daniel got?" he said.

Daniel's voice echoed back through the radio into the stillness of the tunnel.

"Jack, there's something here you've got to see," he said, and then he paused. "Where are you
guys anyhow?"

"Somewhere above you we think. What's up?"

"Colonel, we've got company," Sam interrupted, her voice quiet, her hand resting gently on his
arm.

O'Neill swung around, his eyes fixed on the face which poked around the corner and eyed them
with displeasure, the weapon it held pointed directly at them, the hum of what it was capable
of discharging, dangerously close.

*****

Daniel stretched his arms and massaged his neck and looked at the radio in despair. Perhaps
they'd entered some sort of dead area for transmission. Damn it, he desperately needed to talk
to his friends again.

What he'd translated so far of the inscriptions made for heartbreaking reading. He felt
vindicated that his initial assessment of the chamber was of oppression and despair. And yet it
was so much more than that. It was a statement on a world, the like of which he'd not
encountered before. Not even in their travels to other Goa'uld strongholds. It had been a few
minutes since Jack had stopped transmitting. In that time he'd translated a final fragment of
text, the majority of which he'd managed to decipher. It told him one important fact. A fact he
needed his friends to know. A fact, which had made his heart sink.

He picked up the radio and switched it to transmit again. He turned to speak to Teal'c and then
noticed him scanning around the chamber, his staff weapon readied.

"Daniel Jackson, we must conceal ourselves at once," he said and jumped down from the steps to
the Gate.

Daniel immediately gathered up his pencil and notepads and joined Teal'c in the far shadows at
the back of the chamber. He'd long since stopped questioning Teal'c's sense of urgency. It had
saved them on too many occasions.

Daniel could feel Teal'c's tense body next to him. He could hear his steady breathing. He
glanced up and watched the Jaffa's eyes stare intently at the far end of the cave.

Teal'c put a finger to his own lips and kept his eyes fixed forwards.

Small movements from the far side. A strange sound of scraping. Rock on rock. Then a moment
filled with silence. Suddenly, two strange looking creatures came into view, weapons scanning
the cave, and peered in their direction. Then they moved forwards. Daniel felt sure they
couldn't be seen in the darkness. Nevertheless he instinctively attempted to make himself
smaller somehow, withdrawing into the shadows. He put the radio slowly to his lips. If he had
to, he could warn the others.

*****

O'Neill's finger lifted slowly from the radio to hear Daniel's voice, urgent, warning.

"Jack, Sam! You've got to get back. This whole place is..."

The static, which ensued, filled the small space and made Sam's heart ache. O'Neill stared at
their strange visitor and swallowed.

"Guess we forgot our hall passes, Carter," was all he could think of saying.

*****

Eyes, elongated, almost oval in shape with dark centres. There was an almost reptilian look to
the man, which sent shivers down Sam's spine. Somewhere in there a human being dominated.
Certainly the limbs seemed human enough in shape beneath the uniform. She felt hypnotised,
spell bound by its eyes as it stared unblinking at them.

They watched the man draw a hand across his mouth and then mutter something almost
unintelligible into a small transmitter at his wrist. His other arm, slightly scaled in
texture, held the weapon steady, always towards them, always with a clear shot if he wanted to
use it.

O'Neill caught Sam's eye and grimaced. She shot him a shrug and eyed the radio meaningfully.

O'Neill nodded and brought it towards his mouth slowly. The man watched but made no effort to
stop him.

"Daniel," he hissed as he pressed the transmit button. For a minute they listened to the static
hiss which was returned. Then a faint voice.

"Jack? Where are you? Are you still on the move?"

"Oh we're not going anywhere right, now," Jack replied, relieved to hear his voice. "You got
company?" he asked, hoping for a negative.

"Um..yes, as a matter of fact we do," Daniel replied warily. "Same as yours I expect?" The
question was obviously rhetorical. "I think we're on our way to wherever you are. Jack,
something's not right with all this. I found something out in the inscriptions. Needed to warn
you...."

The static resumed. Sam's heart sank and she prayed Teal'c and Daniel were keeping their heads.

"Damn," Jack muttered as he clipped the radio back onto his jacket.

The man suddenly moved, his speed taking them by surprise. He was between the two of them
within seconds. With one hand he lifted Sam's weapon from her and pushed her forwards roughly.
With the other he held his weapon at O'Neill's throat. O'Neill could feel the man's breath
brush his cheek as he leant forward, his eyes fixed on his. O'Neill felt his own weapon being
swiftly removed and watched as Sam moved out of his vision and down the side tunnel, on her
hands and knees. Their visitor waved his weapon and pushed O'Neill after her.

"Hey, watch your manners," O'Neill said as he moved along the surface.

The smoothness of the surface was definitely man made he decided. Despite its smoothness it was
dusty and hadn't been used for some time. Jack didn't know quite what to make of what he'd
seen. A prison or holding cell of some sort outside the chamber which held the gate, and now
this. Some sort of man-made tunnel leading to where? Not for the first time that day he wished
Daniel were there to chew it over with. He could see Carter in front of him and then he saw
light. Faint at first but within seconds it lit the tunnel.

Suddenly they were clambering free of the tunnel and dropped some six feet to the ground below
them, followed in an instant by the strange man, who was up within seconds, his weapon stuck in
O'Neill's back, his other hand clasping Carter's shoulder and hauling her to her feet.

The strange almost guttural voice began again as he walked them forwards.

Sam looked around her in a mix of admiration and unease. The tunnel had come out into some sort
of temple. Pillars of gold marble, encircled with elaborate carvings of what looked like
scarabs, stood in pairs leading towards a single set of steps. Standing at the top of the
steps, in a pose of solitary domination, a throne. It faced outwards towards the entrance to
the Gate. The steps up to the throne were also carved from marble and shone, the throne itself
being inlaid with more scarabs, their bodies entwined around the arms. Despite her misgivings
about the place, Sam felt a sense of awe at the people who had built it, and she found herself
drawn to its beauty and strange sense of purpose. It had a hypnotic quality, which she found
hard to ignore. She turned to look at the entrance to the tunnel behind them and her eyes
narrowed. The entrance was encircled by a depiction of the gate itself. On either side were two
suns, carved into the stone and inlaid with gold.

O'Neill followed her gaze and felt an overriding sense of disbelief. The damp, primitive
chamber, which held the gate, was in total contrast to the opulence which he saw here. He shook
his head.

"Carter, does something seem odd to you? I mean apart from the obvious?" he said quietly as
they moved forward.

Sam tried to shrug the man's hand from her shoulder where his somewhat long talons were biting
through her jacket and into her skin but he held firm, her struggles only causing him to grip
tighter.

"I'm not sure, sir. I mean this is pretty nice compared to where we've just come from," she
answered, wincing. "Ouch, will you cut it out," she said and tried elbowing the man. He arched
his body away from her and glared, holding tight.

O'Neill watched the proceedings with growing anger. Almost as if the man caught his thoughts,
his weapon moved an inch further into the back of O'Neill's jacket. A warning.

O'Neill continued, trying to ignore him. "Exactly. On plenty of worlds we've seen, the gate
room is usually pretty okay, sometimes even guarded. On this world, we got what? The opposite.
Keep the gate in the dark, in the cellar? I don't buy it." He shook his head. He'd have loved
Daniel's take on this one. He suspected he'd have a few things to say about it. He realised he
was missing his friend again.

"Maybe they don't use the gate anymore, sir. We didn't see any evidence of it being in regular
use," Sam replied, her mind turning over what he was saying, and knowing in her heart that what
she was saying was the vaguest stab in the dark.

O'Neill shook his head. "Doesn't make sense. That room we saw. The one with the chains. That
sure had a purpose. Didn't look as though they chained some guard dog up down there, now did
it?"

Sam nodded silently. He was right and the thought frightened her somehow.

The huge gates at the end of the throne room were flung open suddenly.

Two men marched in, stopped abruptly and then turned, their arms outstretched, weapons in each.
They bowed towards one another. They were both of the same strange reptilian and human mixture.

"Is this any way to treat our guests?" a voice declared from beyond the gates.

Their captor released them both as soon as he heard the voice.

Sam swung her shoulder around in a circle, trying to free it from the knot which was now her
muscle. She turned to O'Neill and caught his eye. He acknowledged the look and nodded towards
her jacket, the hand gun barely visible beneath. For some reason the alien hadn't thought it
necessary to check for more weapons. A fact O'Neill was strangely perturbed by, but was
nevertheless counting on. She nodded in return. O'Neill felt the comforting bulge of his own
weapon as it hung beneath his arm.

"I can assure you that you wouldn't get the weapon into your hands before my guards killed
you," the voice continued. The owner swung into the room, long, red robes flapping around his
ankles as he walked. The red material was threaded through with gold and silver and shone as
the light caught it. His skin was pale and drawn and his eyes a sharp piercing blue. His hair
receded to just in front of a small red cap which sat neatly on the crown of his head. He
didn't seem to possess the vaguely reptilian features which his guards did. A fact which
escaped neither of his guests. He reached them and made a flourish with his hand.

"I am honoured," he said and eyed O'Neill with interest. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am
Zophra. And you are?" he asked, his head on one side. Sam thought he looked like a small bird
listening for worms, so intent was his expression.

"We didn't say." O'Neill replied and smiled condescendingly.

"Of course you didn't. And I don't blame you for feeling hostile but I can assure you we mean
you no harm," Zophra said, smiling benevolently. Too benevolently for O'Neill's liking. No one
was this nice, not when they'd just stuck a weapon in your back.

"Our friends?" Sam asked, stepping forward.

"Your friends are fine. You may join them now, if you wish," he said as he turned to speak to
her, and then he stopped, his eyes widening. "And you...you are female?"

Sam frowned. Okay she looked less than feminine in her combats and helmet but hell was it that
much of a surprise.

Zophra's palor blushed the palest pink as he watched the frown.

"I'm sorry, I have offended you. My sincerest apologies, my dear. Let me relieve you of this,"
he reached out and swiftly lifted her gun from her jacket before she could react, and then
reached up and pulled the helmet from her head. She moved back immediately and watched as his
eyes widened. His hand moved instinctively towards her head, his fingers brushing lightly
against her hair. He smiled and let them entwine into a lock of her hair, his expression one of
pure rapture.

Sam felt a revulsion work its way through her until she couldn't bear it any longer and she
raised her hand, gripping his wrist tightly until he released his fingers from her hair. His
eyes lit with admiration at her daring, as he reached up again and fingered a single lock of
hair.

O'Neill watched the proceedings with his hand poised. No matter what the guy said, he'd get to
his weapon fast if he had to.

Sam had had enough. No one did that to her. Not if she didn't want them to. She took a swing
and slapped him hard across the face. Within seconds one of the guards turned, his hand coming
up suddenly and smashed his arm across her, forcing her to sprawl backwards across the ground.

"Imbecile," Zophra shouted, fingering his cheek as he moved his other hand from his cloak. He
raised it and pointed his finger at the guard who instantly bowed his head and sunk to his
knees.

"You will pay for your stupidity," he said and beckoned with his finger to the hapless man.

The man shuffled towards him, his head bowed. As he neared, Zophra reached out and pressed his
hand to the man's forehead. A soft glow underneath, within his palm spread across the man's
temple.

"May your friends know why you are shamed," Zophra said quietly, removing his hand and clapping
both hands together, as the man slumped to the floor, his eyes open, his heart racing, his eyes
registering acute pain as a deep mark appeared on his forehead..

Sam's eyes widened as she pulled herself to her feet. Two guards came into the room and
immediately moved to the body.

"You did that because he pushed me?" she asked, unable to believe the severity of the
punishment.

"He broke our law. The punishment is swift, painful and permanent," Zophra replied and smiled,
ignoring the dragging sound of the guard being manhandled towards the doors.

"Kind of harsh, isn't it?" O'Neill said as he moved forwards, his hands raised, as a guard
reached into his jacket and relieved him of his own gun.

"It is our law. We have few rules, but those which are in place, must not be broken. For a
composite or underclass to touch a perfect human woman is one of them." Zophra smiled again and
turned to Sam. "Especially one with such light coloured hair," he added.

O'Neill figured that if he smiled too any times he'd have to wipe the smile from his face. He
felt less than benevolence coming from the guy anyway and this "underclass" thing ground at his
gut.

"And you have the right to touch me?" Sam persisted. O'Neill winced. Hell, couldn't she leave
it?

"I am neither composite or underclass as is obvious, my dear. I will forgive this insult for
now. Please however, remember that in future," Zophra replied, his eyes narrowing, his face
losing its mask for an instant, and then recovering swiftly.

Sam opened her mouth to reply and then caught O'Neill's eye. He firmly shook his head. Hell, he
had to shut her up somehow, before she ended up somewhere he didn't want her to, and he ended
up somewhere he didn't want to either.

"You must be tired. We rarely receive visitors through our portal. It is said that those who
come through, are sent through for a purpose, by the Great Ones who reside on the other side.
We must respect their decision to send you to us, and we must learn why you have been gifted to
us," Zophra said as he indicated the main doors from the chamber. "There is always a reason,"
he added, glancing at her meaningfully, and it sent a chill through Sam.

*****

Daniel sat with his back against the wall of a large, rather exotically decorated room. The
large display of cushions were all that were provided for seating and he had placed two large
red ones near to the wall and made himself as comfortable as he could. He studied the pages of
his notepad carefully. What he read frightened him. He knew that the translations from the
writings were rather sketchy. He didn't fully understand the Babylonian inscriptions but the
meanings were painfully clear and they disturbed him.

He reached into the bowl of grape-like fruit and popped one into his mouth. The juice was
refreshingly cold and sweet. As he chewed, he thought.

Teal'c stood impassively next to him, his staff weapon resting lightly at this side, his
fingers linked around it. So far, no one had tried to take it.

"Teal'c, have you ever come across anything like this world?" Daniel ventured between
mouthfuls, to his large friend.

"I have seen many Goa'uld worlds, Daniel Jackson, but not as this one," Teal'c replied
sombrely.

"Well..it could be that it's not essentially Goa'uld, only touched by them in recent years. If
it's kept its own identity, it might be that it wouldn't be recognisable as a Goa'uld
stronghold, despite what we learned from those inscriptions," Daniel replied, his eyes
narrowing, taking in the scarabs which wound their way around the more ornate legs of a large
table against the wall.

The scraping of the door as it opened wide, distracted him from his contemplation.

Both sets of eyes turned suddenly as the doors flung open and the welcome sight of their two
friends appeared at the doorway.

"Rest for a while. I will come for you when the time is right," Zophra said and bowed at all
four of them. "The guards will remain at the door for your protection," he added as he turned
and flourished out again.

O'Neill grimaced. "Who's he kidding?" he muttered and turned to smile at the remaining members
of his team. He clapped Daniel on the back.

"Danny, my boy. Good to see you. Now give me what you've got on this place," he said and
grabbing a couple of the large cushions he sat himself down to listen.

Sam sat down on a set of steps rising from the floor. They led to the back of the room. She
rested her chin on her hands, listening to the two men.

"Okay. Remember that I've only just started to crack what I've seen down there, but what I did
see doesn't make for good bedtime reading," Daniel said and took his glasses off to rub the
corners of his eyes. He felt tired.

"So what's new? Let me have it," O'Neill said and leaned back, his arms behind his head. Damn
it he might as well be comfortable if he was going to get bad news.

Daniel put his notebook down and looked at O'Neill.

"Okay, this whole complex seems to have been a glorified segregation center. That cavern, the
one where the gate is, was used to ship out the lower classes, or at least the people
considered to be some sort of subset of the species," Daniel said.

"And we know this because?" O'Neill said, his eyebrows raised.

"Well the writings don't give us too many facts per se, I mean it's not like some sort of
library or anything, but from what I can see, the inscriptions were made by the people who were
kept down there while they waited to be sent away," Daniel said, flipping his notepad to find a
representative inscription.

"Care to give us an example?" O'Neill asked.

"Yes. There was one in particular which kind of summed up the whole situation," Daniel answered
and started to scan his finger down his writing. "Here. Near to the gate I found this." He
cleared his throat and then read.

"If we are alive, are we not entitled to freedom? What gives any being the right to shackle
another, caring little for their right to be free? On what basis do you make these decisions?
On what basis do you have the right to call yourself a God?"

"See, from what I'd found elsewhere added to this, it's obvious that someone, actually one
person, up here was choosing who to send down there," he added thoughtfully.

Sam raised her head from her chin. "Daniel, you said, they shipped them out. Shipped them out
to where?"

"Well this is the part you're not going to like," Daniel replied.

"I don't like anything you've said so far," O'Neill muttered, his arms lowered, his sense of
apprehension growing.

Daniel ignored the retort and continued. "From the writings I've translated, the people who
waited to leave through the Stargate were waiting to be fetched by the Goa'uld and used for
slaves. The descriptions match what we've seen ourselves."

A deep silence descended on the group.

"Who would do that? To their own people?" Sam asked, her heart sinking.

Daniel hesitated.

"Why is it I sense worse news coming?" O'Neill muttered to himself, eyeing Daniel warily.

Daniel ignored him and caught Teal'c's eye. The Jaffa was silent. His face betraying no
emotion.

"I guess I can't think of anything worse at the moment," Daniel conceded and then continued.
"Except there appears to be a resident System Lord somewhere in this complex."

"Oh, for crying out loud, " was all that Jack could think of saying as he let Daniel's words
sink right in.

*****

"And which little beauty would this one be?" O'Neill said, almost with resignation. Hell,
System Lords kept creeping out of the woodwork. Trust them to find themselves on a planet which
was host to another one.

"Khepera," came the quiet response. Teal'c turned his head and looked at Daniel, his eyes
widening.

"Daniel Jackson. Khepera is dead. I have heard the tales from men who watched Ra destroy him
many years ago."

Daniel shrugged and reached into the bowl of grapes again. He knew what he'd read. Sam got up
off the steps and sauntered across to them.

"Well I guess they thought Hathor was dead once," she added to the conversation.

"Yes, but there's a difference, Captain. Hathor disappeared. If Teal'c's right, and there were
actual witnesses to his death, how in hell's name is he here?" O'Neill asked. "Daniel,
suggestions?"

Daniel sighed. He hated what he'd read. "All the inscriptions on the chamber wall tell of a
continual cleansing, a purge of the lower caste here. Anyone who didn't fit whatever warped
standard Khepera had established, got shipped out and the weak simply disappeared. It fits with
what we know of Khepera as an Egyptian God. He was the God of self-generation and self-renewal.
Ethnic cleansing suits his MO. You see all the scarabs everywhere? Khepera was seen by the
Egyptians to have the head of a beetle. That's one more pointer for the theory that this is his
stronghold."

Sam fingered a gold scarab which wound its way up the column nearest to her. She shuddered
inwardly.

Daniel continued. "He was also known as the God of the Rising Sun and I expect that pissed off
Ra, who was also known as the God of the Sun. Khepera was a self made God in Egypt. Ra probably
saw him as a usurper to the throne."

Teal'c interrupted. "Daniel Jackson is correct. It is doubtful that Ra would tolerate Khepera's
insolence. But those tales of his death that I heard, were told by men who do not lie, nor
fabricate to gain attention. If they say that Ra killed him, then I believe that is what they
saw."

O'Neill shook his head. "Okay, let's say this Khepera somehow rose from the dead."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

O'Neill caught the look and raised his hand. "Stay with me on this one, Teal'c. Say Khepera
miraculously survived. What's he doing here? And more to the point, why is he sending half the
population back to Goa'uld town? Doesn't make sense if he was on Ra's hit list. Not exactly my
idea of low profile."

"But, sir, Ra is dead. Maybe Khepera is back in favour again," Sam offered shrugging.

O'Neill nodded. "Okay, I'll buy that. With Ra dead, Khepera might be sneaking back into favour,
but the whole set-up here still doesn't make sense," O'Neill said.

Daniel nodded reluctantly. "I'd have liked to have got more of the inscriptions translated."

"I'd like to get the Tokra's take on this," Sam muttered.

"Well we're on our own on this one, kids," O'Neill replied and thought for a minute.

"If the people here are used to seeing Goa'uld foot soldiers come through the gate and take
slaves back, why aren't they afraid of you, Teal'c?" he said.

"Because your Jaffa friend does not wear the armour of the guards," a voice replied.

SG1 swung around in unison. Teal'c lowered his staff and pointed it.

The tall figure, which stood in the doorway laughed. "You think I would face the Tau'ri without
some sort of a personal force field?" His laughter ran across the room, echoing off the walls.

O'Neill waved a hand at Teal'c who lowered the staff.

"Khepera, I assume?" he said, his eyes taking the Goa'uld's and locking with them.

"How astute of you," Khepera replied and moved forwards. "The Tau'ri have progressed well since
we left your pitiful little planet. The tales I have been hearing do you justice."

O'Neill acknowledged the barbed compliment with a nod.

"Strangely, we can't return the compliment. I mean, you're supposed to be dead," he said.

Khepera pulled himself to his full height, his eyes glowing slightly. "My death was widely
exaggerated," he replied and flicked his eyes to Sam.

O'Neill caught the look and stiffened.

"A Tau'ri female? How delightful," Khepera said and moved into the room. "Zophra was very
excited about you my dear. I see your beauty was not exaggerated," he added.

Sam stepped backwards. Khepera's eyes glowed brighter and his hand came up, the palm glowing.

"I don't think so," O'Neill said as he side stepped quickly and stood in front of her.

"Colonel, I can..." she started.

"Not this time, Captain, not this time," he said firmly.

Khepera lowered his hand and smiled. "I can wait. There will be other times," he said. He stood
feet from O'Neill. His head moved to one side and he digested what he saw in front of him.

"Touching. The Tau'ri's weakness is still prevalent I see. Protection of each other at any
cost. You will never win against the Goa'uld, you are too weak, too bound up in compassion and
acts of self sacrifice. The Goa'uld are strong, they care little for such things. Your weakness
will be your downfall."

"Well we weren't so weak when we got rid of Ra, were we?" Daniel said.

Khepera rounded on him, his eyes flashing. "Ah, so this is indeed the Tau'ri group who killed
the great God, Ra, is it?"

"Not so great...." muttered Sam under her breath.

Khepera spun around again. "You dare to take Ra's name and lessen its significance. You would
dare?"

"Hey, now Ra's not your buddy. You kinda got killed by him, or so we heard," O'Neill said,
interested at his reaction.

Khepera drew himself upright and hissed. "You are fools. You believe what you hear and not what
you see with your own eyes. Ra did not kill me. Ra was my ally. Ra faked my death and sent me
through the Gate to provide us both with an invincible army. My death was a ploy. My destiny
was to provide a secret army for us both, and then to sit by Ra's side when he had defeated
those who would challenge him. You have destroyed our original plan. Your meddling has cost me
greatly."

"So I guess going home is out of the question?" O'Neill quipped and raised his eyebrows at the
others.

Khepera smiled. "I will send you to your home planet when I have finished with you. But your
homecoming will be as painful for those who find your bodies as for yourselves," he said.

"Revenge is sweet," muttered O'Neill.

"My revenge for Ra's death will be very sweet indeed. However, I must acknowledge that your
team has caused many problems to my enemies. For that I may thank you in some small way.
Perhaps your bodies will never return home." Khepera turned towards the door.

"Gee, don't be a stranger now," O'Neill shouted as the door shut behind him.

"Way to go, Daniel. Telling him how we kicked Ra's ass right into hyperspace," O'Neill
muttered.

"Well, I did think that Ra was his enemy. Goa'uld don't usually form alliances." Daniel replied
shrugging.

"Daniel's right, colonel. If Ra had been his enemy then logically Khepera would have been
grateful," Sam said.

"Okay, okay, you don't have to gang up on me," O'Neill said and sat down heavily. "Choices?" he
said looking around at each of them.

"Get to the gate," offered Sam. As the words left her lips she knew it would be a pointless
effort even trying.

"Yeah, well Captain, somehow I don't think we're going to get very far past those damn guards,"
O'Neill said and looked across at Teal'c.

"I could take out the next group who enter through the door, O'Neill," Teal'c said, fingering
his staff intently.

"Sure, we could try that," O'Neill said thoughtfully, and a thought started to come to mind.

"Daniel, do we know anything about the so-called underclass on this planet?" he asked.

Daniel took off his glasses and took out a handkerchief to clean them. He was silent for a
second and then spoke. "The walls did indicate that the underclass were "multitudinous" - the
inscriptions' words, not mine. If that's so, then possibly there are some left somewhere. You
thinking resistance?"

O'Neill nodded. "We need for two of us to get out of here and track down anyone who can help
us. The other two need to get back to the gate and fast. If we can get some reinforcements
here...." his words trailed off as the door opened again, and he swiftly put a finger to his
mouth and then sat back against the cushions.

Six guards entered through the door, together with Zophra and a young woman, heavily veiled but
wearing a side arm. Her eyes peered out from behind the veil, dark and cold.

"The great Khepera demands that you be taken to our preparation rooms," he said and bowed.

Alarm bells started ringing in O'Neill's head as the others leapt instinctively to their feet.

"Preparation for what?" O'Neill asked, his face registering a mixture of apprehension and
anger.

"I am not permitted to inform you. However, Selphic will be carrying out our Master's
instructions. She will explain," Zophra replied, his face impassive.

Selphic bowed and then clicked her fingers.

Two human/reptilian guards moved swiftly towards Teal'c, his staff coming up in seconds and
opening fire on them immediately. They staggered backwards momentarily and then launched
forwards. Teal'c stared at his weapon in disbelief, the discharge had merely damaged their
clothes, their skin appeared intact. He looked at O'Neill in surprise as his staff was removed
and he was bundled through the doors.

"Perhaps you would wish the guards to become more violent with your other friends?" Selphic
said, her eyes narrowing as she stood in front of O'Neill.

"Oh, I don't think so," he replied and swiftly reached forwards towards her, his hand taking
her veil and pulling it swiftly away from her face, his other hand grabbing at the weapon which
nestled at her waist.

One of the guards lifted his energy weapon and fired.

As O'Neill fell to the floor he noticed through the mist which became his companion, that the
woman had a strangely deformed face, her features part reptilian, part human and part something
he couldn't comprehend. As a fog took his senses and muted the pain he wondered if he cared.

*****

"Jack. Come on out of it." The voice was damn persistent. The fog felt nice. He didn't want to
wake out of it. Damn it, why should he? Then he felt the shaking and it irritated him. He
pushed the perpetrator away with his arm and slowly opened his eyes reluctantly.

"Jeez, Daniel. Can't a guy get some rest around here?" he said as he pushed himself up on one
hand and massaged his temples ruefully with the other.

"You've been out for four hours. I kind of thought you might like to know what's happened to
the others," Daniel said as he helped O'Neill to a more upright position.

O'Neill grimaced. "What were those things, anyway?" he said as he shook his head fiercely,
trying to shake the ache and the fog away.

Daniel shrugged. "Some sort of stun gun," he suggested.

O'Neill nodded and then looked over to him. "You okay?" he asked.

"Sure. I'm more worried about the others. That woman or whatever she was, Selphic, she took
Carter away when you were hit. Teal'c was already gone. It seems like they've got different
plans for each of us," he said glumly.

"Divide and conquer," O'Neill said slowly and then got to his feet with a grunt, the exertion
causing his head to pound.

Daniel nodded and looked up at him. "You might as well sit down, Jack. I've had four hours to
look over this place. There's no way of getting out."

O'Neill looked at him sceptically. "Mind if I take a look. Nothing personal," he said, and
winced as he stretched his arms.

Daniel nodded, understanding. "Be my guest," he offered.

O'Neill walked slowly around the room, his eyes scanning the walls and then the ceiling. Then
he walked back again, this time scanning the walls and the floor. The room was a simple square
shape. The walls were white, the ceiling was white and the floor was white. There was one
entrance, which was also the exit. A set of eight bars running vertically down the length of
the wall, each one set four or so inches apart from the other. There was no sign of a lock.
There was a small silver convenience in the corner and a small metallic tap which protruded
from the wall. A tiny droplet of water had found its way to the end of the tap.

Finally he dropped down next to Daniel. "Okay, you win," he said.

"It's not a victory I want," Daniel mumbled and leant back.

O'Neill nodded in agreement. "Do we know where they took Carter and Teal'c?" he asked, not
really sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Daniel looked at him, his eyes hollow. He knew that they were the only chance the other two
had. He knew that somehow they had to get out. He also knew that when Jack found out where they
had been taken and why, his urge to get out would make him as desperate as he'd been while Jack
had been unconscious.

He looked down at his hands and the scratched and bleeding nails and fingertips. He hadn't told
Jack how long he'd tried to wrench the bars apart, even though he knew it was impossible. He
hadn't told him how long he'd tried to wrench the damn tap from the wall just to get some sort
of weapon to get them out. Now he knew Jack would do the same and he also knew how futile it
would be.

*****

"Spit it out Daniel," O'Neill said, puzzled. He hadn't seen Daniel quite so reticent in a long
time.

"Teal'c's been taken to be reconditioned," Daniel said and before he could go on, O'Neill put
his hand on his arm.

"Just a minute. Reconditioned? For what?" he asked puzzled.

"To become Khepera's first Jaffa," Daniel said simply. He was trying to make this as painless
as possible. He was failing.

"More details?" O'Neill asked, his eyes boring into Daniel's, a mixture of concern and anger
reflected in his eyes.

Daniel sighed. "Okay, you want it, you got it. Khepera sees Teal'c as ideal for building up his
new army. He's Jaffa and he carries the only other Goa'uld on this planet. By subverting Teal'c
he has a powerful warrior in his army. Khepera knows that without Ra's support he has to build
his own forces here, where no one knows he is. Then he can strike against Heru'ur and Sokar and
whoever else is out there."

O'Neill raised an eyebrow. "Teal'c won't subvert very easily," he said.

Daniel looked down.

"What?" O'Neill said, somewhat alarmed at his friend's attitude. Sure Teal'c was in trouble but
he was strong. Trying to subvert him probably wouldn't work anyway.

"Khepera's methods of subversion are apparently unique," Daniel muttered.

"Like?"

"Like fitting him with an implant. An organic implant. One which will live in harmony with his
larva but won't let him do anything to go against Khepera." Daniel answered.

"And you know all this because?"

"Zophra took great delight in telling me all about it once they'd put us in here. I guess he
figured we can't do anything to stop it." Daniel said.

"And Carter?"

Daniel shook his head. "You're not going to like this either."

"Like I really like what they're doing to Teal'c? Come on Danny, spill it."

"Khepera's going to use her as a host in some sort of genetic experiment." Daniel raised his
eyes to look at O'Neill.

"You said that there were no other Goa'uld larva on the planet," O'Neill said, his mind racing,
his nerves on edge.

"And there aren't. Jack, Khepera's been working on genetically creating a new species. A
species he can call his own. A species to populate his armies, and populate his world.
Remember, I told you he was the God of self-generation and self-renewal. He's probably been
experimenting genetically for hundreds of years in some form or other. You can see from the
guards that he's modified reptilian and human DNA. You saw the guards' skin doesn't penetrate
easily. But he wants more, Jack. Much more."

"Do I want to know this?" O'Neill said, looking doubtful.

"I guess you should know what we're up against," Daniel replied and got to his feet. He turned
and stared through the bars at nothing in particular.

"Selphic's managed to combine the reptilian/human DNA with something else. I'm not sure what,
but they're sure excited about it. They're going to use Sam as a genetic guinea pig to see if
it can survive. If it can, then we'll be next on his list."

Jack kicked at the wall angrily.

*****

Sam looked around her. The room was basic but spotlessly clean. She'd been sitting for what
seemed like an eternity, waiting. She was worried about the others. Jack had been hit by that
energy weapon and Daniel looked horrified as she'd been led away after Teal'c. She didn't like
Selphic one bit. She'd been put in this room, sat on a chair and then they'd locked the door.
No word of explanation, nothing.

Then suddenly the door opened.

"We need to take some blood," Selphic announced as she walked in. She reached forward for Sam's
arm, her eyes flashing as she spoke.

Sam backed away from the chair and folded her arms. She wasn't about to co-operate with them.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, conscious or unconscious," Selphic said as she
snapped her fingers and two guards entered the room.

Sam contemplated their weapons and knew that she was no good to the others if she lay
unconscious for the next hour. Reluctantly she stretched her arm forward.

"Good," Selphic muttered as she roughly gripped Sam's arm and placed a small round instrument
on the skin. She pressed a button. A slight stinging and red liquid flushed into the container.
She placed a small pad on the wound and moved to go out of the room.

"Wait. I need to know why I'm here. I need to know where my friends are," Sam said.

"Your friends are well. For the moment. You will be reunited soon enough. You are here because
you have been honoured by the great God, Khepera. You are his chosen one."

"Wait...." The door closed behind Selphic. Sam folded her arm and rubbed the pad across the
skin ruefully. She felt a sense of relief that her friends were all right, but being Khepera's
chosen one sounded a dubious honour somehow.

Sam sat back on the seat and waited.

*****

The passageway was dark as it always was. Dark and damp. The stones here were rough, a sure
sign that the passage wasn't used much. That was to his advantage. Forgotten routes, forgotten
ways, forgotten lives. The youngster edged towards the corner of the wall, his stealth his best
weapon.

This part of the palace outer-ring was abandoned. Khepera didn't think he needed to defend
against attack from outside. The threat was always from within, from the ring of water in the
bowels of the palace and from beyond.

Tornak pulled the roughly made hood over his head and gripped his blade tightly. He didn't want
to use it, didn't want to kill anyone. The guards knew no better. Crafted from something Tornak
didn't understand fully, they were pure servants to Khepera, knowing nothing of their heritage,
of the men and women who had died to give them life. Without the building blocks of life, the
composites would not exist. Tornak knew that. Tornak had been taught that. Tornak wanted to
teach others about it, but there were few others left. Few humans, to pass his knowledge to. It
is as it must be. His teacher warned him to stay hidden, stay away from the center of the
palace. Now Tornak had strayed too far in and yet had been rewarded by sight of them. Sight of
the newcomers. Tornak had to tell his teacher and warn him. Warn him that the day of reckoning
approached, as he had been told it would.

The large hand, which smothered his mouth suddenly and took his breath from his throat, was
familiar. Tornak relaxed into the stranglehold.

"You'll get yourself taken through the ring, boy, one of these days," the rough voice hissed
steadily in his ear and then dragged him quietly to the side and through a dark passage to
their left.

The smell of decay greeted their nostrils as they made their way slowly down towards the deep
chamber. Down beneath the inner part of the palace and extending towards the outer defences,
the chamber lay well behind the Gate chamber, out of sight and forgotten by all but the few
humans who remai
victories, small annoyances to Khepera, but victories all the same.

"Morphan, you'll scare me so much one day," the boy chided insolently and was playfully cuffed
by the older man.

"Saving your sorry backside, boy, and that's all the thanks I get," the older man said laughing
as he greeted the two men who guarded the entrance to a smaller chamber at the rear, an almost
mirror image to the Gate chamber.

The chamber was basic but comfortable. A low bed, curtained behind a wooden bench and table.
Some shelves which held books and writing material. Morphan lit a candle and placed it on the
table. He gestured for the boy to sit.

"I have news, teacher," the boy said, sitting down on the bench, his heart racing at the news
he was about to impart, a strange cocktail of excitement and fear.

Morphan turned to his pupil and smiled.

"And what news is so important that you risk your freedom for it, boy?"

"The ring has given up four strangers to Khepera, teacher. Three men and a woman. A flaxen
haired woman, teacher."

Morphan's eyes narrowed. "And the men? They are as we are? Not composites?"

"No, teacher, they are not. They are as we are. All except one. One has a strange mark here,"
and the boy touched the center of this forehead swiftly. "His head bears no hair and he carries
a weapon as you have warned me the Ring bearers do."

Morphan turned and lifting a jug from the table, he poured straw colored fluid into two mugs
and passed one to the boy. Tornak gratefully sipped at the liquid.

"It is time, isn't it teacher?" the boy said.

"It is time, my boy, it is time. Go to the perimeter and seek out Sten and his men. Tell them
to come to me."

Tornak drained his cup and wiped a grimy hand across his mouth. He hesitated momentarily and
then risked mentioning it. "And those down below?" he asked, his eyes reflecting terror and
excitement.

"I have told you not to speak of them, Tornak. They are not to be disturbed. Not yet. Their
time will come soon enough, soon enough," Morphan said and smiled gently.

"Are you pleased with me, teacher?" Tornak said as he wrapped his cloak around him and eyed his
teacher warily.

"You have done well, my boy. You have done well. Now go with all haste. Before it is too late."

As the boy turned to leave, Morphan put his hand on his shoulder and turned him to face him.

"Tell me, Tornak. The woman? Is she with Khepera yet?"

The boy shook his head, his eyes burning. "Selphic has her. I saw them take her to her rooms."

Morphan's spirits rose. "Then it is not too late. Go, go with speed, my boy. Bring me Sten."

The boy nodded and fled, upward through the chamber and back through the passage towards the
palace perimeter and Sten's people.

In the small chamber, Morphan extinguished the candle and sat down to think. He bowed his head
for a minute and then raised it. His eyes glowed bright, an illumination never seen by his
pupil. His voice, deeper, in control, called for his two guards.

They bowed in deference.

Morphan faced them and raised his hands. "Send word to the creatures below. Tell them to
prepare."

Then he uttered four words, but the words were enough.

"Tok'ra, it is time."

*****

Teal'c paced the room which he'd been given. He'd stood patiently for well over an hour but now
his nerves were on edge. Had he been split up from the others because they were prisoners and
he wasn't? His mind raced behind the calm exterior of his face. His staff had been taken from
him before he'd entered the room. He'd tried to take it back but four guards had overcome him.

Teal'c remembered back to that. The strangest thing was that they'd been trying not to hurt
him. They'd been rough, but even when he'd lashed out at two of them, they'd merely restrained
him and pushed him into the room, then locked the door. Teal'c didn't understand.

The room was comfortable, an exact replica of the room they'd been in earlier, only smaller. A
bed was hidden behind exotic drapes, which billowed gracefully in the draught from a high up
open window. Food and a pitcher of what looked like wine sat on a low table nearby. Teal'c had
no appetite.

The door swung open and Zophra moved swiftly into the room, followed by two guards. He bowed
and then smiled.

"You are honoured indeed. Khepera will be coming to your chamber within seconds. Your destiny
is envied by all who serve him. Please accept my allegiance to you, my Lord, when your destiny
is sealed this very day. I will be your....." Zophra's voice trailed off, a choking sound
coming from his mouth instead. Teal'c looked up sharply.

Khepera's hand rested lightly on Zophra's head. He smiled broadly at Teal'c and then looked
down at Zophra.

"You will be his what, Zophra? Your allegiance is to me. To no one else. Without me, you would
have been taken by the Ring bearers. Do I make myself understood?"

The choking continued.

"I will take that as your oath of total loyalty," Khepera said and moved his hand.

Zophra dropped to his knees, his eyes watering, and fingered his throat, coughing as he did so.
He nodded, his eyes taking Teal'c's and then dropping in submission.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the proceedings. Why had Zophra tried to place his allegiance with
him? What was he saying about destiny? Teal'c was half inclined to treat his words as the
babblings of a madman, but there was something in Zophra's eyes, a desperation, which gave him
a bad feeling in his gut.

"And now, my dear Jaffa, it is time for you to meet something. Something which will soon become
better acquainted with you," Khepera said and snapped his fingers.

Selphic moved slowly into the room, her veil once more attached firmly to the side of her face.
She placed a small box on the table and bowed, her head reaching towards the floor, her hands
outstretched in complete submission.

Teal'c stood impassively, his fingers flexing. His Goa'uld larva moved, agitated inside him.
Something in the box, something his larva could sense was wrong.

Kherpera reached across and lifted the lid of the box slowly. His dipped his hand in and pulled
a small vial of clear liquid from the box. He lifted it to his face and peered intently inside.
Teal'c could see nothing.

"Just one of these inside you, my friend, and you would be mine. Mine. Loyal to me and me
alone. Think what a dozen could do. Selphic here told me that the human scientist who
manufactured the originals was a genius and a perfectionist. I had to kill him. No one is that
perfect. No one except for me, of course." Khepera laughed loudly at that. "Selphic assures me
she is not a genius nor is she a perfectionist. She is close, of course. I made her. I know how
close she is."

Khepera's eyes glinted and Teal'c saw the madness for an instant. The madness of a dictator,
believing himself to be a God. A dictator, who held the destiny of every living creature on his
world, in his own hands.

Khepera closed his fingers over the vial and smiled at Teal'c.

"Nano-technology. The perfect solution to implantation. The scientist was almost right. It was
almost perfect. He forgot one thing. To thrive inside a Jaffa, to thrive side by side with a
Goa'uld, there had to be something else, something the host couldn't reject. Something the
larva could co-exist with, side by side. Selphic here, my sweet child, has found that
something. Organic material combined with these little beauties. Mind control which will carve
out its own place within you, my friend. Mind control which will ensure your total loyalty,
your total service to me."

Teal'c's mind raced. "I will never serve a Goa'uld," he said firmly.

"You will have no choice," Khepera said slowly, his eyes glowing for an instant and then dying.

"I would rip it from my body before I submit to you," Teal'c said, his jaw locked in
determination.

"And how many can you rip from your body? How will you know where they are, where they have
hidden? These little beauties will become a part of you. They will attach themselves to places
even the best surgeons would be unable to find." Khepera smiled and placed the vial back inside
the box.

"My body will reject them," Teal'c said.

"Very astute. Perhaps a normal body would reject them, yes. Perhaps a normal body would die in
the process. Your body is host to a Goa'uld larva, your body will welcome them."

Teal'c stood silently.

"You do not ask why your body will welcome my present to you. Your mind is confused. You will
soon be the first ever Jaffa to serve Khepera. Does that not excite you?"

"It does not," Teal'c replied.

"Then know this, the organic material which has been used contains Goa'uld DNA. My DNA. You
will be linked to me as no other First Prime has been linked to its master. This is the start
of history, my friend. Warriors who are linked to their master, unable to act against him,
unable to betray him. Able only to do his will, at all costs. To do otherwise would cause you
so much pain....need I go on?" Khepera clapped his hands and Selphic swept up the box and left
the room.

Teal'c watched her go and noticed a haunted look in those dark eyes behind the veil. Selphic
and Zophra betrayed their emotions. Undying loyalty was something you had to earn, not beat out
of people. Teal'c knew this well. Teal'c also knew the look of desperation. Both had displayed
it.

"If the experiment is successful in you, my friend, you will travel secretly to other worlds
and bring me other Jaffa. They too will be implanted, and so the leaders of my army will grow.
Invincible, unstoppable and loyal."

Khepera's eyes glazed for a moment, a look of reverie on his face. Then he snapped back to the
present. "You will be prepared for this opportunity. Selphic will call for you when she has
finished with her other duties."

Teal'c raised his eyebrow in query.

Khepera moved towards the door and turned to face Teal'c. "You are not the only one who will be
gifted today, my friend. Your friend, the woman, is to be endowed with a wonderful gift. She is
to be first host to my new composite. I have waited for a long time for this. This day shall be
remembered in history. I will talk with you more."

As Khepera left the room, Teal'c sat down to think. He had to get out of there, he had to.

*****

Daniel rested his hand on the bars of the prison cell, his thoughts turning over slowly. A
Goa'uld System Lord hiding on a planet and building an army. It made perfect sense of course.
Khepera knew that the odds of defeating the likes of Heru'ur or Sokar were infinitesimal.
Without some sort of advantage he'd never win and probably be destroyed in the process.

"He's more dangerous than any of the others, you know," Daniel muttered out loud.

"Huh?" Jack looked up from where he was sitting.

"Oh sorry, just thinking out loud," Daniel said and turned to his friend. "I was just thinking.
Khepera could turn out to be the most dangerous of the System Lords, or at least of those we
know about. He's playing with genetics here. A whole army of creatures the other System Lords
might have trouble beating."

"Makes him our number one target then," Jack replied and grimaced. "'Course, we could just let
him take out the others first and then go for him," he added wryly.

"The System Lords have been around a long time. A few years of battles won't mean anything to
them. We're the ones with time constraints, Jack. We've got to stop him here, right now,"
Daniel said and sighed, rubbing his eyes under his glasses.

"Yeah, well we got kind of problem, right now," Jack said ruefully looking at the bars. "I'm
thinking we gotta get ourselves a distraction." he mused.

The sound of guards approaching made them both turn. "Maybe not," O'Neill said as he leapt to
his feet and readied himself. For what, he wasn't sure.

"You will come with us," the first guard said. "Selphic has need of you." He touched a bracelet
which clung to his wrist, and the door to the cell swung outwards.

"Just who I wanted to talk to," said O'Neill sarcastically as he went through, followed by
Daniel.

O'Neill's mind raced. They had to make their escape now. They might not get another
opportunity. He didn't have time to warn Daniel. Didn't have time to formulate a plan. The four
guards flanked them, two in front and two to the rear. He'd have to rely on Daniel taking the
rear two. He turned and caught Daniel's eye briefly. Whether he understood he couldn't tell.

They turned a corner in the corridor and he lunged forward, knocking the first guard to the
floor and grabbing at the second guard's shoulder. He heard scuffling behind him and said a
swift and silent prayer than Daniel was doing his part.

The knife, which rested in the guard's belt, was easy to pull clear. Jack thrust it purposely
forward into the man's stomach and up, lifting the guard slightly with the effort. The grunt
was the last sound the guard made. The second guard lashed out with his hand, the reptilian
skin hard and cold on Jack's jaw. Jack dropped to the ground, his head spinning for a second
and then rolled quickly to the side as the guard pulled free his weapon and fired, the energy
burst disappearing into air. O'Neill reached across and grabbed at the dead guard's weapon and
then rolled again. The cry of dismay as the second burst of fire missed its target was followed
by one of pain. O'Neill spun around to see Daniel lowering a weapon and watching the guard fall
to the floor unconscious. Two guards lay prone on the floor behind him, a knife and blood
nearby.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow.

Daniel shrugged and looked at the weapon now resting at his side. He smiled an odd smile and
then his face paled. As he swayed Jack knew he'd paid a price for his success. He caught him
just as he was about to hit the floor, a spreading smudge of red just showing on his jacket
beneath his rib cage.

*****

"Jeez, Daniel, I don't know how you managed this," O'Neill muttered lightly, as he lowered him
gently to the floor of the corridor, concern mirrored in his eyes, as he watched the red smudge
deepen.

"Not intentional, I can assure you," Daniel managed to joke back and then winced, putting a
hand to the wound. "Too vulnerable out here, Jack," he said and tried to get up, failing
miserably.

"Whoa..easy, Danny boy. Leave it to me," O'Neill said and placed both his arms around his
friend's chest to lift him, knowing that Daniel was right. Staying out in the open like this
was pointless. They had to get out of the corridor.

O'Neill managed to half-drag Daniel along the corridor until he rounded a corner, out of sight.
To his relief he saw a door leading off the corridor. He pushed on it hard but it wouldn't
move.

"Damn," he said and lowered Daniel once more to the floor.

There didn't seem to be a lever. Firing on the door would bring attention to them. Then he
remembered the bracelet on the guard. Propping Daniel up against the wall he moved swiftly and
silently back down the corridor until he reached the bodies. He grabbed another of their
weapons for good measure and then manhandled the bracelet from the dead guard.

Daniel's eyes were closed when he got back to the door, his hand draped across his wound.
O'Neill fingered the bracelet impatiently. At first nothing seemed to happen. Then a sudden
sound and the door slid open.

"Come on, buddy, hang on a little longer," he encouraged as he bent to lift his friend through
the door and into the darker passage beyond. Daniel groaned as O'Neill lifted him. Once inside
he considered his options briefly. He had to deal with Daniel's stab injury and he had to get
them to somewhere to hide.

He gingerly lifted Daniel's shirt and inspected the bloody wound. The gash seemed small but
deep. He had nothing to cover the wound and he needed to put pressure on it. Jack remembered
that Daniel always carried a supply of handkerchiefs on his person, so he felt carefully around
his friend's jacket. To his relief, a small wad of four clean white handkerchiefs were in the
inside of the jacket. He pressed two to the wound hard, eliciting a sharp wince from his
friend.

They had to hide. He knew that. If someone opened the damn door they were sitting ducks.
O'Neill's mind raced as he pressed down on the pad. How could he move Daniel and maintain the
pressure?

Suddenly, A scuffling sound behind him diverted his attention momentarily. He gripped the alien
weapon and moved himself into position next to his friend, his hand reaching across and
maintaining the pressure on the wound.

"You can put your weapon down," the voice said. It was strong and strangely reassuring.

"And like I'm going to trust you?" O'Neill said half-heartedly in the direction of the voice.

"You need our help. Your friends need our help. Trusting us might be your only chance." The
voice replied calmly.

"Show yourself, then I might listen," he replied, his eyes looking around him, unable to tell
where the voice was coming from.

"You are wise to trust no one. But we mean you no harm. You look like you need our help
urgently. Turn around. We are behind you."

O'Neill scrambled around and saw the wall behind him open up, its grating sound alarmingly
loud. It revealed a route into the darkness. Two figures emerged swiftly. They pulled their
hoods back.

"And you are?" O'Neill asked.

"We are your last hope and you are ours," the first man said and then he lowered his head. When
he raised it, his voice had changed. O'Neill flinched momentarily at the change in tone.

"We are Tok'ra," came the simple sentence. O'Neill relaxed inwardly.

*****

Sam Carter was bored. She'd sat in the room for what seemed like hours. The door was locked.
The room was empty except for a medical couch and a chair. She kicked her heels endlessly as
she sat perched on the medical couch, her thoughts measured. She wasn't afraid, she knew she
was able to handle most things. She was more worried about what had happened to her friends.
She felt frustrated at being unable to help them, unable to get out of the room. The sound of
the door opening was a welcome distraction.

She was almost pleased to see Selphic, an interruption to the solitude, although the feeling
swiftly faded as she watched the veil lower and the dark eyes burn with an anger she'd not seen
there before.

"My master's anger will make the palace walls tremble," Selphic declared as she stood, her
hands by her side, her face contorted with fury.

Sam looked quizzical. "Why?" Was all she could think of asking.

"You know why," the woman replied, although a doubt crossed her features momentarily as she saw
the puzzled look on Sam's face.

Sam shrugged and pulled herself down off the couch. She wasn't sure how she could have pissed
off Khepera yet. She wanted to and intended to, but so far she'd done nothing except give a
blood sample. "What, he doesn't like my hair color anymore?" she half joked and then wished she
hadn't.

Selphic moved towards her so fast Sam didn't have time to react, and slapped her fair and
square across the cheek. Sam steadied herself, her eyes burning with anger, and instinctively
raised her hand in retaliation.

"If you touch Selphic, I will kill you," the comment came from the doorway. She saw Zophra
stand, his weapon pointed at her, his eyes burning. She saw Selphic throw him a look of thanks
and then she backed away from Sam, away towards the door.

Sam fingered her cheek ruefully. The look of caring which had passed between Selphic and Zophra
surprised her, and yet perhaps it shouldn't have. Finding a common bond in a place filled with
despair and killing wasn't so far fetched, was it? Sam eyed them both with interest. Something
they weren't telling her, something they were afraid of admitting.

"You have deceived us. Your looks deceived us. Your blood contained elements which I have
witnessed only once before. You are not what you seem," Selphic said and Sam thought she caught
a tear glisten in the cold eyes of the woman before her. "He will punish me, he will destroy me
for my ignorance," she added flatly.

Sam shook her head. "I'm me. I don't know what you thought I was. I'm sorry I'm not. Well
frankly I'm not sorry but..."

"Silence. Khepera will see you now. Your fate will be determined by him. Perhaps he will not
blame Selphic. Perhaps he will see your treachery. Your body may be of no use to him now alive.
He will decide how best to use it," Zophra said.

Zophra waved the weapon towards the door.

Sam didn't move. She stared at Selphic for a single moment. "Listen, I can help you. I can help
you to escape from here. I know that's what you want. Just let me go," she said, looking across
at Zophra.

Zophra exchanged a glance with Selphic who shook her head vehemently. Sam had touched a nerve
and she knew it. They both wanted out, that's what they wanted. She'd laid temptation before
them but they were too afraid to take it.

"Your words are treacherous. Khepera must deal with you," Zophra said, drawing his attention
back to Sam, and he waved at her to move.

Sam left the room with a feeling of relief at being out. She hadn't been able to persuade her
two captors, but she knew she'd interested them. Out of the room she might be able to do
something. Out she might be able to help the others. She'd caught the look of fear on the faces
of the two palace officials and her thoughts raced. So, Khepera's most loyal subjects not only
feared him, they wanted to leave him. She decided to bide her time. Fear was a useful weapon.
Nevertheless, one SG1 officer against four guards and two palace officials didn't seem like
good odds. She was no good dead. She'd wait her opportunity.

As she left the medical chamber and headed for the main palace rooms, interested eyes watched
from the shadows.

*****

Daniel winced and gritted his teeth as Morphan ran his hand across the knife wound, the healing
device which nestled in his palm giving a sensation of warmth. His forehead burned and he felt
dizzy, but the sensation of warmth was comforting. He laid his head back on the pillow and
tried to relax.

"This will help the healing process but it cannot do everything. I will give you a mixture
which will also help the pain and will fight any infection," Morphan said as he got off the bed
and moved to his shelves.

O'Neill smiled reassuringly at Daniel and squeezed his shoulder gently as he moved from the bed
and sat down at the table. His relief at Daniel's recovery had turned to curiosity about their
saviours. He looked down and started to examine the alien weapon he had in his hands.

"Do you know where our friends are being held?" he asked as he glanced across at Morphan who
was mixing a green colored liquid together in a small wooden cup.

Morphan turned and passed the cup to O'Neill and nodded at Daniel.

"Give this to your friend, then I will tell you what we have found out," he said, moving across
to the door and conferring with a man who had appeared there suddenly.

O'Neill took the cup and perched next to Daniel. Putting one hand under his shoulders and
lifting him into a sitting position, he used his other hand to put the cup to Daniel's lips,
allowing the green liquid to filter slowly into his mouth.

Daniel paused for breath and grimaced. "Yuk," he said.

"Gotta take your medicine, Danny boy," O'Neill said jokingly as he insisted he finish it and
noted mentally that he looked better already.

"Yeah, well next time I'll make sure you take some too," Daniel replied and wiped his hand
across his mouth as O'Neill lowered him back onto the bed.

"Your friends were being held by Khepera in separate parts of the palace. This made it hard for
us to stage a rescue. We are few in number. I was about to tell you that we had chosen the most
important one to rescue." Morphan said as he sat down at the table.

"Not going to happen," O'Neill interrupted, his face set in determination. "We don't choose
who's the most important. All my team are."

"Admirable sentiments Colonel. Unfortunately Khepera's plans don't allow for sentiment. Our
small numbers do not allow for sentiment. We could have rescued only one. If your friends had
still been apart we would have had to make a decision. As it is, Khepera is bringing them
together within the hour. The consolidation ceremony will bring together the main players in
Khepera's army, and his most important supporters. Your two friends are also main players in
this ceremony. They can no longer be rescued."

O'Neill looked at Morphan with a mixture of relief and anger at the attitude. "So, my team
haven't been...well you know..?" he asked.

"Not yet. Your friends will be consolidated with their new implants at one ceremony. If we do
not stop them from becoming new implants for Khepera, then all is lost. We have waited for this
day so that we can take out all Khepera's top people in one place. Our small force has
precluded an attack before now. His people have been too spread out. Some exist outside the
palace and its environment. We will not miss this opportunity. Khepera would only bring
everyone together when there is something everyone must see. Something everyone must fear. The
consolidation ceremony is it. It is unfortunate that both your friends are involved in this.
One would have sufficed. But their participation is essential. Our forces are too small, too
scattered to mount separate attacks. One attack will be quite sufficient."

"Hang on just a minute. 'One would have sufficed'? Sounds pretty final to me. Weren't you going
to bother asking us what we thought?" O'Neill felt his anger rising. "You say you're going to
take these people out? How? My people are in there too."

"Casualties of a greater war, O'Neill. We in the Tok'ra have suffered many casualties through
the centuries but all to a greater good. We ask your help to completely destroy the gathering.
Join with us. Only then can we say we have destroyed potentially the most dangerous System Lord
who lives."

"You want our help. We get Carter and Teal'c out. No casualties, just out. Understood?" O'Neill
said, his anger evident at the complete disregard for his officers.

"Know this, O'Neill. We would do this alone. Your help is an added bonus. Rescuing your friends
before destroying the gathering will jeopardise our plan. I cannot sanction it. Having your two
friends on center stage is a fortunate distraction, which we need. Khepera will not hold the
consolidation ceremony unless he has two perfect hosts. Your friends are these two hosts.
Taking them out from under Khepera and then achieving a surprise attack is impossible." Morphan
shook his head sadly. "I am disappointed in the Tau'ri. Sacrificing two people for the good of
many worlds would be honourable. You do not view it this way?"

"We kind of get attached to our friends," O'Neill replied and then looked across at Daniel.

"Jack's right. We can't leave Sam and Teal'c in there. Surely there's a way?" Daniel asked,
propping himself up, the green liquid making his pain ease now. He felt much better.

"There is one," the voice said from the doorway.

Two of Morphan's men flanked a small, diminutive, hooded figure, eyes burning as the hood
lowered.

"I may be able to help you," Selphic said simply as she stepped forward.

O'Neill swung around and pulled the alien weapon to his hip. Morphan signalled for him to lower
it.

"Why does Selphic bother herself to visit with us?" he said and moved towards her.

Selphic bowed. "Morphan mocks me. Your reputation far exceeds that of a mere lower caste," she
said.

Morphan drew a breath between his teeth. "When you are in my house you do not speak of people
in such a tone, child."

Selphic lowered her head. "It is not my intention to insult anyone," she whispered and Daniel
noticed a tear fall to the floor.

Morphan nodded to his two guards to leave and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Too long under Khepera's influence, child. No matter. You have offered your help to us. Come
tell us what it is you would do," he said.

Selphic eyed O'Neill warily and sat at the table opposite him.

"I found your escape and removed the evidence," she said quietly. " I knew that you would find
Morphan, or that he would find you."

"Sweet," commented O'Neill and then raised an eyebrow as Morphan shot him a look. "And why did
you do that?" he asked puzzled as to her motive.

"Your friend offered us escape," she said quietly.

"And which friend is that," O'Neill asked, raising his eyebrows.

"The woman."

"Good for Sam," Daniel muttered and he and O'Neill exchanged glances.

"I cannot do anything for her, not now that Khepera will know what she is," Selphic said, her
eyes hollow. "Her blood sample was contaminated. I cannot hide this from him. He will know that
she has already been a host," she added.

Morphan looked at O'Neill, his eyes narrowing. "She is the one who was Jolinar's host?" he
asked.

O'Neill nodded, curious that Morphan knew.

"I have heard of her. We will use this to our advantage," Morphan said. "It will be a
distraction."

O'Neill looked up. "Now hang on just a darn minute. Using my officer as a distraction isn't in
the game plan."

Morphan raised his hand for silence. "Khepera will lose his temper when he finds out that your
friend is no longer pure. At that moment we must make our move, when his concentration and that
of his guards is distracted. We can help her to escape at that time. There will be no
argument."

O'Neill shrugged. He knew one thing. When Khepera found out the truth, he'd be real pissed with
Carter. O'Neill knew that he had to make sure he was ready to take out Khepera right then. No
mistakes. No messing. Carter's life depended on it.

Selphic rose. "Khepera made me. He made me suffer. He cares little for his creations. We are
useful only when he deems that we are. I want him to pay for that. I want his people to know.
Give me this chance and I will help you. I will help with the distraction at the ceremony. Give
Zophra, give me the chance to escape and we will help you free your friends," she pleaded, her
eyes darting from Morphan to O'Neill.

Morphan pulled Selphic's veil back across her face and signalled for his two guards to escort
her back to the palace.

"If you are telling the truth then we will help you. If you are lying and this is some form of
treachery, then you will wish you had died here, standing before me. Do you know of the
catacombs?"

Selphic nodded, swallowing, her eyes widening at the word.

"Those who live down there would love a new companion. Do I make myself clear?" he said flatly.

Selphic turned to leave.

As she moved, Morphan put a hand on her shoulder and turned her back towards him.

"Those who haunt the catacombs would come for you wherever you are. If you deceive us, I will
send them for you."

Selphic nodded and shuddered as she left.

"Those who haunt the catacombs?" O'Neill repeated quizzically, looking at Daniel, his mind
turning over what he'd heard.

Morphan turned to them both. "There are more inhabitants of this world than you would know," he
said, his words full of meaning and threat.

*****

Teal'c stood on the steps next to the throne, his hands bound in front of him. His size was
equally matched, by two large human-reptile guards flanking him. One guard held Teal'c's staff
to one side. His SGC jacket had disappeared, along with his tee shirt. Draped across his chest,
he wore a red and gold belt, inlaid with a single scarab near to the shoulder. He stared
directly ahead, emotionless.

The chamber was full. Mainly reptilian human composites, but there were a few notable
exceptions. Older men and a few women. Pure human stock, attractive and well-dressed. They were
whispering to one another animatedly. Some were pointing excitedly at Teal'c. A total hush fell
over the room as the door opened.

Sam walked into the room ahead of her escort, her head held defiantly. Zophra and Selphic had
disappeared some while back. The four guards however had not. She saw Teal'c and her heart
leaped. He was safe, for the moment at least.

Teal'c's eyes flicked towards her, acknowledging her briefly. She returned the look, puzzled.
Was this a pretence, this mask of indifference? She couldn't be sure.

"Teal'c," she called, willing to take a chance. The crowd let out a collective gasp. The chosen
should not communicate with one another. The handle of her guard's weapon pushed her fairly and
squarely in her back, causing her to grunt with discomfort and move forward. She guessed the
rule about touching her, only stood firm when there was anyone to notice what was happening.
Seemingly the guard felt safe at the moment.

"Silence in the chamber," the guard said for all to hear, his thick almost guttural voice
barely distinguishable as human. Sam guessed that combining the DNA of two entirely different
species had resulted in a strange assortment of vocal chords in the recipient.

Teal'c remained still although he longed to acknowledge her call. He was biding his time as she
had thought. He knew just one thing. No one was going to implant him with anything. No one.
He'd die first.

The guard pushed Sam to the steps and forced her to climb them. She stopped as she drew
opposite Teal'c, the throne between them. Her guards pulled her jacket from her shoulders and
took her hands, binding them in front of her, just as they had Teal'c.

Khepera made his appearance within minutes and acknowledged his other guests as he passed them.
Stopping to touch a woman's face or squeeze a man's hand. His presence seemed to fill them with
a reverence. Sam marvelled at the Goa'uld skill for manipulation. Sycophantic pandering was an
emotional display Sam had seen in subjects of other System Lords she'd encountered, although
admittedly fear was the usual emotion they displayed.

He turned to his audience, a benign expression of contrived love on his face. They applauded
softly.

Sam raised her eyes to the ceiling in frustration. She longed to tell them who they were really
dealing with. That he'd slit their throats if they dared to defy him. She knew better though,
that if she were to stand a chance of getting herself and her friends out of there, she had to
stay as calm as Teal'c was.

Khepera drew a hand swiftly to silence them.

"My subjects, I called you here today to witness the birth of our new empire. The birth of a
new beginning for all of you. The promised days which I foretold to you are now upon us. My
armies will increase thousand fold. The armies which I created for you to lead, will stand
before the Ring of water and take my kingdom through to the other side. In confidence.
Unbeatable. Strong. Witness what I have promised you. Witness what these years of cleansing
those who did not belong here have made. The Great ones on the other side of the Ring have sent
these creatures to me in return for our sacrifices. We sent them our weakest. We sent them only
those in our society who would fail us. Look what we are sent in return. As it was written. As
I promised you. We will be strong. We will move forward. Witness and wonder."

The throng applauded louder this time and then knelt as one. A union of people who understood
nothing more than this was their God, their leader. Anything he said was true. He had always
promised them more and now he was about to deliver his promise. They cared for little else.
They were the remaining people, the chosen ones. Those who had given up their very neighbor, in
the hope of appeasing a God who both strangely terrified them and yet gave them hope. They
feared him and loved him unconditionally.

These were the worst of their species and Khepera knew it. Devious, self-centred and traitorous
to their own kind. Survivors. So like the Goa'uld he himself was. He looked at their faces and
saw reflected there a mirror image. It satisfied his vanity and his lust for power. He gazed at
the faces of his highest ranking composites. To have created them himself. To have crafted them
from other creatures. He felt a warm sense of satisfaction, of being a creator in his own
right. Once today was done he would be more powerful than ever.

He turned to look at the two humans who were about to bring about his dreams, and his feeling
of power increased. Nothing was going to stop him. Nothing.

Khepera moved past Sam and slowly drew a hand up towards her face as he did so. She moved her
head away, the guards gripping her tightly and forcing her nearer to him. He smiled briefly and
waved them back. "No matter. She will come when I ask," he said and turned to look admiringly
at Teal'c. "My Jaffa", he said quietly, and ran a finger down the belt which was draped across
Teal'c's shoulder . Teal'c neither flinched nor reacted facially. He was waiting for his
moment.

Khepera sat down on the seat, which was his throne and spread his robe to the side. The crowd
below him kneeling in stunned silence, awaiting whatever it was their God was about to deliver.

Khepera clapped his hands and the doors opened. Through them six hooded figures appeared. Two
were carrying black boxes bound with gold thread. The boxes were placed on the steps at
Khepera's feet as four of the figures withdrew and knelt. Selphic pulled her hood back and
bowed. Zophra stood beside her, his hood flicking back from his head.

"My Lord. The implant awaits its host," Selphic said, her veil concealing her features.

Khepera beckoned to her gently. "Come my child and deliver to me the miracle which you have
made possible. Come and allow your God to bestow on you his grateful thanks."

Selphic moved forwards and climbed the steps, the black box now in her outstretched hands. As
she neared his feet she knelt and opened the lid of the box carefully. She heard Sam's sharp
intake of breath but ignored it, although her heart went out to the woman who witnessed what it
was she was about to receive. Her hand gently reached inside the box and tenderly withdrew the
occupant. The crowd shuddered as one.

Khepera put his hand out and took the creature which nestled in Selphic's hand and pulled it
towards him. He looked at it lovingly. Centuries of work. Centuries of waiting. Now he was
about to allow his most treasured creation to have the life it desired. To complete its destiny
within a human host, a perfect human host. He held his hand up and rose to his feet.

"See this woman. See that she is perfect. A woman with flaxen hair. A woman so different from
you all that her beauty shall be a beacon of light in my palace." He smiled at Sam and then
rose from his throne.

"Behold your destiny," he said and turning to Sam he beckoned her closer. She stepped back but
was pushed forward by the guard who gripped her arms. Nearer to Khepera. Nearer to the
creature.

Sam's heart sank and she felt revulsion well up in her, but she steeled herself for what was to
happen to her. She felt helpless and yet empowered. Empowered from within to withstand whatever
Khepera was going to do.

He stretched out his other hand and grabbed her behind the neck, forcing her to come closer. He
smiled at her and then she watched his eyes start to glow. Sam saw the creature struggle in his
hand. A creature that seemed to be made from something which shouldn't, couldn't exist. Around
four inches in length and two in width, it had a reptilian torso and beetle-like head. Its four
legs ended in minute but deadly claws and its fanged jaws opened and shut, carrying a pitiful
mewing sound as it searched the air around it with long antenna. It looked as though someone
had thrown it together. A misfit which was trying to achieve more, but which couldn't. Not
without one essential ingredient, a host. Sam felt her head being turned slowly to face
Khepera. She took his eyes and locked with them, defiantly, unswervingly.

Khepera's eyes glowed brighter and then faded, his hand containing the creature moving aside,
ready to bring it closer when the time was right. Sam felt his grip on her neck tighten. His
face drew nearer to her. Then his eyes darkened, widening. She felt his breath brush her cheeks
briefly and then he pushed her hard to the floor, letting his grip go, a single strangulated
groan coming from his lips.

Sam raised her head and saw Khepera point and snap his fingers. Two guards moved down the
steps.

Selphic found herself unceremoniously being hauled up the steps and passed to Khepera who held
her at arm's length.

"You deceived me. You were my own creation, my very own. You would deceive me? This woman, this
abomination is not pure. This human creature has been a host before. Tell me you did not know
of it. Tell me that I am wrong." Khepera was almost screaming for her to answer. The crowd
stayed in shocked silence, witnessing something they hadn't expected.

Selphic raised her eyes to meet his, defiance mirrored in them. "Yes, I knew of it. Her blood
contained a substance which I have only ever seen in yours. I knew that she was not the pure
human which you wanted."

A tear found its way from her eye and she wiped her hand fiercely across her face. Then she
slowly pulled her veil from her face, so that he could see her expression of regret.

"Your God is unkind," she announced suddenly and, pulling herself from his grip, turned to face
the crowd, revealing her disfigurement. As she pulled her hood from her head, Sam glimpsed the
true extent of Khepera's genetic experiment, and she winced inwardly for the pain, the betrayal
the woman obviously felt.

Selphic stood in front of the audience in defiance. "Your God is not perfect," she said and
then fell forward, a shriek of pain leaving her lips as she tumbled down the steps.

Zophra rushed to her side in seconds, his eyes raised to meet his God's, a look of hatred and
fear brushing his face.

Khepera lowered his hand, the golden ribbons of the Goa'uld device draped across his fingers
and palm. As Selphic lay gasping for breath beneath him, he reached for the first box and
placed the creature within it. He reached for the second box and lifted the two together
reverently.

He looked at Selphic and Zophra with feigned pity. "You will both die for your treachery. You
will die long and painful deaths."

Sam found herself unguarded and unwatched, her two guards intent on Selphic and Zophra. Khepera
moved towards Teal'c, his back to Sam, fingering the second box intently, his face murderous.

Sam pulled herself quietly up the steps and towards where her friend and his guards stood. She
wasn't about to let Teal'c be the next victim. She wasn't going to let Selphic's pain be for
nothing.

The hooded figure, which suddenly took the steps two at a time, launched itself at Khepera from
behind, knocking him off balance and sending him clattering into his own throne. Khepera let
out a scream of frustration as he turned his hand towards the attacker, a gold beam of light
cascading from the ribbon device.

O'Neill dove sideways, his hood pushed back from his head. He rolled off the steps down to the
floor and avoided the beam by inches. Daniel moved forward and pushed his hood back from his
face. He launched himself at the first of Teal'c's guards, pushing him backwards off the dais.
Teal'c sideswiped the second guard with his bound hands and then knocked Daniel sideways to
avoid the beam that Khepera was about to aim in his direction. Daniel winced, the nagging pain
in his wound reminding him that he wasn't a hundred percent yet.

The beam didn't materialise. There was a grunt of pain, which came from the System Lord
instead. Carter's bound arms tightened around his neck, gripping him until his eyes bulged and
his body sagged. The two fell forwards down the steps in a flailing of arms and legs. With them
the two boxes clattered to the floor, spilling their contents.

The composite creature scuttled swiftly from the open box, its antennae searching the air
around it for life, for a possible host. Sam rolled sideways, deftly avoiding it and then leapt
to her feet. The blast of energy raced between her and Khepera, exploding the composite into a
cloud of tiny pieces. Then Teal'c turned his staff weapon towards Khepera, who screamed in
anger at seeing his creation destroyed, and clawed at the steps, pulling himself towards them,
grabbing at the contents of the second box in desperation. Teal'c stood calmly and aimed his
staff.

"No! Destroy me and the contents of this box will destroy you all!" screamed Khepera as he
clutched the box to him.

He held the vial which he withdrew from the box and locked his eyes on Teal'c. Then turned to
look from Sam to Daniel and then to O'Neill.

O'Neill waved for Teal'c to lower the staff.

"Tau'ri, my people will take you," Khepera said calmly and confidently.

O'Neill shook his head and grinned. "Don't think so," he replied.

Khepera pulled himself up and turned to look at his people. They stood in submission, their
hands in the air, their faces resigned, beaten. Hooded figures stood behind them, weapons aimed
directly at them.

Morphan stepped forwards.

"The Tau'ri and the Tok'ra, Khepera. Together such an alliance is unbeatable. Your death will
be but a whisper on the wind. After all, you are dead already, don't forget," Morphan said and
raised his hand, a similar ribbon device nestling in his palm, the beam starting to protrude
from its surface.

Khepera sneered and lifted the vial towards him. "Destroy me and this vial will be released
into this room. The nano-creatures will invade your very souls. The genetic imprint, mine, will
spread throughout your bodies and then beyond. My control will be complete. Even beyond death I
will control you." He laughed and lifted the lid from the vial.

O'Neill turned to Morphan, his eyebrows raised. "I guess this wasn't part of the plan?"

*****

'You have taught us that we are nothing. You have shown us to revile life itself. We are those
whom you despise, those whom you would shut from existence. You have taught us well. You have
taught us to extinguish that which is bad. That which is rotten. So be it.'


Tornak's arm was gripped tightly as he hovered helplessly behind a pillar in the far side of
the room, his heart thumping loudly in his chest, his stomach churning at what was happening in
front of him.

"Silence, boy," the hiss of a strange voice spoke into his ear. Tornak could feel the hot
breath and blade at his throat and he flinched.

"Another movement like that and it'll cost you your vocal chords," the voice whispered, almost
inaudibly.

Tornak froze.

"Now listen carefully. Listen to the only hope you've got of ever seeing your friends again,"
it continued. "There's about to be a distraction. When it starts, get the Tau'ri and your
friends through the passageway to the Ring of water. Get them as far away from this place as
it's possible to get them. Is that understood?"

Tornak hesitated. If he nodded he could have his throat slit.

"I'll take your silence as good sense and an agreement," the voice said. "Now turn slowly
around."

Tornak felt the hand move from his throat and the stranger move slightly away. He started to
turn slowly and then felt a hand clamp over his lips as he confronted the creature who stood
before him. The scream started to move from his throat and make its way to his mouth but the
hand held tight, preventing the sound from escaping into the room. Tornak felt a gag move to
his throat to follow but swallowed it back.

"Find me offensive? So do I. It is of no consequence. Take these words to your friends and to
the Tau'ri. Tell them that Khepera will be no more. Khepera dies in his own world. A world of
his own making. A death of his own making. We will ensure that the Ring ceases once you have
passed through it. We will ensure that no more are taken from this place and enslaved. That no
other creature suffers as we have. Tell them that."

Tornak nodded and then tentatively held out his hand. The creature gazed at him for a moment,
hesitating and then slowly held out his hand to grasp the boy's.

"You're the Miscreants?" Tornak whispered as he took in the sight of something, which for him,
was a folktale come into being.

"Not our word," came the simple, quiet reply. "We are those of whom you speak, yes," he added.

"From the catacombs?"

"Yes, that is where we have lived out our miserable lives. What have we been doing for all
these years? We have survived. Beneath the palace, far down beneath. We roam deeper than you
have ventured. We are...a community," he said softly, with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Why now?" Tornak whispered.

"Because we have been waiting. We know it is our time because Morphan has called for us."

"I....." Tornak wanted to know so much more but felt a finger placed on his lips and the
creature shook his head slowly.

"There is no more time. Ask Morphan. When you have left this place he will tell you about us.
Let your lips speak our names with pride and not with revulsion."

Tornak nodded, and saw that through the deformed features of the creature who stood in front of
him, there was a face filled with pain, filled with regret. A creature which had steeled itself
for what was to come.

*****

Khepera stood triumphantly, his fingers caressing the vial, his ultimate salvation. They
wouldn't dare kill him, wouldn't dare to risk endangering themselves. He held the final
solution in his grasp.

O'Neill looked to Morphan for some sort of clue that he knew this would happen, that this was
all a part of the plan, but the Tok'ra's face was unreadable, implacable, staring at Khepera,
daring him to make the first move.

Daniel stepped forward. O'Neill moved to grab his arm. Sam felt a strangulated warning die on
her lips and Teal'c fingered his staff more carefully.

"Actually I don't think you'd be able to infect the whole room with one vial," he said,
feigning seriousness, feigning a carefree attitude when deep down he was scared as hell,
knowing that in reality one false move and the vial would infect the surroundings just as
easily as a super virus.

"Ah, Dr Jackson. You are as clever as you are foolish. Do you not think I know exactly what
this vial will do? This is all my creation, borne through Selphic, and she is mine too. No one
who is borne of my creation can leave my service, no one."

"Your arrogance is your downfall."

A collective gasp from the room, and the sound of small, strangulated sobs of horror from
several women in the audience.

SG1 turned in unison to gaze on the speaker.

If miscreant was the word used to describe the group of people who stood before them, it was
inaccurate. If monster had been used it might have been more accurate, and yet these were no
real monsters. As deranged scientists in fiction had created their sad pathetic creatures, so
Khepera had created these. That however was where the similarity ended. There was no pride in
his creations, no sense of awe in making something which lived and breathed. These people,
these misshapen experiments, these creatures, had been left to die, left to fend for
themselves. Discarded, thrown away, as a bad apple is thrown when it is shown to be rotten.

These were Khepera's forgotten children.

Khepera paled visibly, stepping backwards, moving up the steps towards his throne, his fingers
clutching the vial tighter, as though somehow it could protect him from seeing what was in
front of him. "I will use this," he threatened, his eyes glowing as his anger and fear
increased and became more than two emotions, they became one.

The first creature moved towards him, the others closing in behind.

"You cannot do anything to hurt us," the creature said. "You have done all that you can do to
us already," he added. As they neared the steps, the creature turned and nodded at Tornak who
stepped from behind the pillar.

"Do it," the creature said and then turned back to face Khepera, who was clambering upwards,
fingering at his throne, grabbing at the symbol of his power as if in some way it could protect
him.

Tornak raced forwards and touched Morphan on the arm who swung around.

"Tornak, it must be time," he said and smiled benignly at the boy, who whispered briefly in his
ear. Morphan nodded and smiled and then gathered his people with a sweep of his arm. He looked
at O'Neill.

"We leave," he said simply and watched as Tornak moved towards the narrow tunnel, encircled by
the symbol of the Gate.

Morphan's people ushered Khepera's entire audience swiftly up into the tunnel one by one.
Tornak beckoned to SG1 to follow.

"We're leaving?" O'Neill asked as he glanced at Khepera and then raised his eyebrows at
Morphan.

"Our side of this is done," Morphan replied. "Khepera's children will do the rest," he added
and then ushered them speedily through the tunnel, hastening Selphic and Zophra with him.

"Guess this was all part of the plan," Daniel said to Teal'c as they moved at speed towards the
tunnel.

As Sam pulled herself up into the tunnel she allowed herself a single glance backwards.
Khepera's children were encircling the steps leading to the throne, their eyes intent on their
prey.

*****

The chamber leading to the Gate, despite its gloom, looked welcoming compared to where they'd
just come from.

One of Morphan's men leapt onto the platform and dialled up a planet of their choosing.

"O'Neill, I ask this of you. We of the Tok'ra will take Khepera's generals and his supporters
to a place where we can decide what to do with them. We ask that you wait until all of us have
passed through before activating the device to your own world." Morphan said as he faced
O'Neill by the Gate. "We ask that you protect the Gate for us until we have gone."

"You're going to kill them, aren't you?" said Sam as she moved up behind O'Neill.

Morphan's eyes narrowed and he looked at her silently, studying her face.

"The Tok'ra high council will take that decision," he replied and then added "You are the one
who was host to Jolinar?"

Sam nodded.

"Then I am honoured," he said and bowed slightly.

Sam looked bemused but nodded her head in brief response.

"If the memories of Jolinar are as strong in her as I believe them to be, then you must keep
her safe," he said turning to O'Neill. "She may yet prove to be your greatest asset in the
fight which you are going to face."

Sam looked down, embarrassed.

O'Neill glanced at her and reached out and shook Morphan's hand. "We will," he said simply.

"Um..could I ask something..before you go?" Daniel said as he moved forwards.

Morphan nodded and turned to face him.

"Where were those creatures living? You mentioned catacombs earlier, but I haven't seen
anything which refers to them. I mean there's nothing mentioned of them in any inscriptions and
Khepera sure looked surprised to see them," Daniel ventured.

"They lived in Tok'ra tunnels beneath this place. They were believed by Khepera to be dead and
indeed many were, but when the Tok'ra came to this place in secret many years ago, we created
the tunnels and saved those who Khepera abandoned. Abandoned because they were deformed, not to
his liking. Now they will have their revenge. That is all they have ever wanted. We owed them
that. Life owed them that." Morphan looked down and then his voice changed into a deeper tone
as his head rose.

"Tau'ri. Those creatures believe that they can destroy this Gate. Khepera is stronger than they
think. I fear for us all if Khepera manages to live. Go to your world and send a device of
destruction back through. Destroy this complex and all that surrounds it. Ensure that what has
been started is finished. Send word to us that this deed has been done."

"But we'll destroy those creatures along with Khepera," Daniel protested and looked at O'Neill.
"Jack, you can't do that."

O'Neill locked eyes with Morphan and a silent understanding passed between them.

The creatures knew all along that they would be susceptible to the vial. They'd bluffed so that
everyone else could escape. Once Khepera released it they would become his servants, under his
control. For all O'Neill knew it might be too late already. The creatures were relying on them,
on the Tok'ra, to ensure that their agony would end this day.

Morphan bowed, his eyes acknowledging the trust which they'd established, and then turned to
follow Tornak up the steps and through the Gate. As soon as the field had dispersed Sam started
dialling home.

Teal'c turned suddenly, his staff pointing towards the ante-chamber.

O'Neill's eyes narrowed and he pulled his rifle from his back. "Carter, speed it up," he barked
as he heard the footsteps, the shuffling sound.

Sam pressed the last symbol and breathed a sigh of relief as the final chevron locked into
place, the Gate activated. She moved from the DHD, her rifle swung around and in her hands in
seconds.

"Let's get out of here, campers," O'Neill shouted and moved towards the Gate.

The strange murmurings, the gutteral sounds came from three of the creatures who sloped into
view from the ante-chamber. Their eyes burned, not only with pain but with hatred. A hatred
only Khepera could have instilled there.

"Warn Hammond what we've gotta do," O'Neill shouted as Teal'c reached the Gate first and turned
briefly to fire his staff into the middle of the creatures.

Teal'c leapt through swiftly followed by Daniel, who glanced behind to see the three creatures
moving towards O'Neill. His look of dismay and warning shout, frozen on his lips as he
disappeared.

Sam raised her weapon and fired a round into their midst. Their shouts of dismay as one of
their number fell forward with a grunt was followed by a murderous screech.

A blade raced across the chamber closing the gap between the creatures and Sam within seconds.
She dropped, clutching her leg as it imbedded in her thigh.

O'Neill raced towards Sam and grabbed her under the arm. Half dragging her, he pulled her
through the Gate, turning to fire another round into the small group of creatures who were
hovering at the edge of the gate hesitating, looking in awe at this mammoth ring.

"Close the Iris," O'Neill shouted as he dragged Sam down the ramp and deposited her at the
bottom. "Can we get a medic here?" he added as he bent down to pull her swiftly out of the way
of a vehicle which was being positioned at the bottom of the ramp, its deadly payload being
placed on top.

The sound of sickening thuds as the first of the creatures hit the iris, made Sam's stomach
churn. She lifted haunted eyes to O'Neill who nodded sympathetically, and bent to look at the
knife and its wound.

Daniel stood, his hand covering his mouth, as he stared at the Iris and mentally cursed what
they were about to do.

When the thudding had stopped, the room went silent. A knife-cutting solid silence.

O'Neill looked up and locked eyes with General Hammond. Hammond nodded.

"Send it through," he said into a microphone and the chevrons started to engage again.

Janet Fraiser appeared in seconds and assessed Sam's condition. She had her patient swiftly put
on a gurney and was about to take her to the infirmary.

"I have to see this," Sam said, pleadingly, gritting her teeth, her hand gripping Janet's arm.
The pain could wait.

Janet nodded at the two soldiers and escorted Sam up to the main command room where a view from
the vehicle's on board camera could be seen.

"We don't even know if Khepera's still there or gone," said Daniel to no one in particular.

"We know squat, Daniel. We still gotta do this," O'Neill added.

The vehicle's camera sprang into action as soon as it reached the other side of the gate.

The view was one of devastation. Bodies strewn across the chamber floor in front of the gate.
Not a single movement. The camera panned across the chamber. The creatures appeared to have
attacked one another, a madness taking them. Or was it a realisation of what they'd become? In
their final agonies had they realised that the only way to defeat Khepera was to destroy
themselves, before it was too late? O'Neill put his hand to his mouth and watched the picture
in front of him with a sense of great loss.

"Do we detonate?" the technician asked as he looked intently at Hammond.

Hammond turned to O'Neill. "Your call, Colonel," he said.

O'Neill put a hand up for silence and moved closer to the screen, his eyes narrowing.

"Can you direct the camera to focus in on one of the bodies?" he asked the technician.

"Yes, sir. Which one?" the young technician asked.

"That one," O'Neill said and moved to the screen and tapped one of the bodies lying nearest to
the Gate.

As the camera focussed in, movement was caught. Slight, subtle, but movement nevertheless.

Khepera's eyes flicked open and he raised his head, aware of the camera suddenly. His face
darkened and he raised himself up on one arm, his other hand lifting to activate the ribbon
device and destroy the camera lens.

"Let's do it," O'Neill said as he stared Khepera in the eyes. The look of haunted resignation,
of defeat, which had come both painful and unexpected, lay across his face and reflected in the
dark eyes.

As the screen flashed and went white, O'Neill turned and caught Daniel's eye. A look of
solidarity, and of understanding passed between them. No recriminations at what they'd done.
Daniel had seen the devastation only Khepera could have caused, and the justification for what
they'd done was no longer needed. The creatures were at peace. Finally, irrevocably at peace.
Daniel understood that.