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Prisoner of the Heart…
by Bethany
“Do you dare???” He said. “Do you?”
“Jack, no!” Sam screamed.
“You shouldn’t ask me that!!!” O’Neill yelled, and charged at the Goa’uld.
Teal’c shot his Zat gun once, felling the figure before him.
“We’ll be back, Sam!” Daniel Jackson was already running, but she heard him clearly.
Teal’c carried the unconscious weight of Jack O’Neill’s body, as he, too, ran for his life.
“You have to tell us what he wants with her!” Daniel pleaded. “We can’t risk turning up in the wrong place just because of my guess-work…”
“It is likely the only way we will ever retrieve Major Carter from the clutches of this Goa’uld, Nessus.” Teal’c admitted wearily.
“I thought you were the expert on Greek Goa’ulds, Teal’c!” Jack was exasperated. “It was a Greek snake that killed ya father, for heaven’s sake!”
“Calm down, people…” Hammond stated. “Give Doctor Gardiner room to breath.”
“Osiris had dealings with Nessus, it is true, Daniel… And, with all everyone here has done for me, I wish I could dredge up some memory to help Major Carter’s cause…” Sarah was utterly genuine.
“We’ll just have to wait until Jonas gets back from his visit to Nimue on PX777…” Hammond stood at the head of the Briefing Room table.
Jonas Quinn had travelled to a wonderful world… And, to a wonderful woman. Nimue, Priestess of 777, was an elfin alien, someone who had escaped the clutches of Nessus, finding refuge and a home among her kind people… Jonas Quinn had first met her soon after his first Christmas with the people of Earth, and had fancied that all his best Christmases had been delivered to him by hand, right there – not literally on his doorstep - all at once… Nimue had extended a personal invitation to Jonas Quinn, hoping for his return, and despite the circumstances, he was oh-so-very happy to see her again, as if under her graceful spell…
“Nessus was obsessed with the fairness of the maiden Rocha, host to the Tok’ra, Jolinar…” Nimue explained. “I remember how he tried to win her for his harem…”
“You were part of this group?” Jonas queried gently.
“He captured me, as he has captured your Major Samantha Carter, yes…” Nimue said softly. “I did not look like Rocha, but he thought that I would make a good vessel for his Queen… My people live eternally, even compared to the Goa’uld…”
Jonas tore his eyes from her… Not for long. This setting only served to reflect the beauty that emanated from her.
“The Tok’ra Martouf rescued me, when he came to rescue his love, Rocha… I returned to this world…” Nimue, her auburn hair cascading around her glorious face, and providing a warm frame for her chestnut eyes, looked up into the pink skies of her planet. “I have often wondered what happened to the lovers, Rocha and Martouf…”
“Martouf is still alive and well, and Rocha lives in the memory of he and Major Carter…” Jonas assured.
“This is why Nessus wants Samantha Carter…” Nimue admitted. “You can only be thankful that he no longer has a Queen.”
“We pray…” Jonas sincerely muttered.
“We’re ready to go bring her home, George…!” Jacob Carter spoke of his only daughter.
“Not without me, you won’t…” O’Neill said resolutely, standing with every member of his team bar the Major, beside Jacob Carter and Martouf of the Tok’ra.
“God be with you on your journey…” George spoke into the microphone up in the control room. He watched SG1, the Tok’ra contingent, SG2 and 3, and Doctor Frasier, all troupe determinedly through the Event Horizon.
Sam awoke, slightly. Being drugged was not fun. She had tried to fight the overwhelming power, as she had the drugs given her at St. Christina’s. But these were drugs too strong for her. Jack… She couldn’t help but think of him. Rescue me, please… Find some way of getting past the bastard’s guard…
Hold on, Sam… We’re not far behind ya! Jack thought, as he marched forward.
“Thank God we know they’re still on this planet, Colonel…” Frasier kept pace alongside him, glancing across him to check on Sam’s fraught father, Jacob.
“How do we know that, exactly..?” Selmak, Jacob’s Tok’ra, needed to know…
“We’ll get her back!!!” Jack said hotly, as he turned, confronting the figure of Jacob.
“She is my child..!” Selmak replied.
“She belongs to Jacob!!!” Jack stated.
“And Selmak and I share everything, Jack…” Jacob suddenly said. “A life, a cause, my body, our minds… Everything… Including love and family!”
Daniel put a calming hand on Jack’s shoulder, and made him turn away from the argument. Everyone carried on in silence.
Martouf walked quietly, even more so than the others. His mind raced with memories… He was shaken from them only when Teal’c assured him:
“We shall find her, Martouf… I have great faith in the combined powers of Daniel Jackson’s intuition and the determined spirit of this rescue party…” Then, the men continued in their search silently, as before.
Jack grabbed Teal’c’s staff from the Jaffa’s steely grasp. He shot several charging Jaffa warriors’ with it, angrily, and repeatedly, as Teal’c took down a few members of the battalion with one of several Zat guns strapped to the Tauri warrior’s uniform he wore.
Daniel raced forward, shooting a Jaffa in the back with a P90. The Jaffa died on his feet, and fell face down to the dirty earth. Daniel continued charging, shooting mercilessly, face forward, at the figure with the Goa’uld ribbon device.
“I will die defending my Love!!!” The being screamed.
“You got that right!!!” Jacob Carter yelled, as he felled the Goa’uld, Nessus, extinguishing the ribbon device that created a crater in which the body of Nessus now ate dust. Jacob stood at the other side, opposite Daniel, across the chasm. He turned on his heel, and raced into the dilapidated palace, intent on rescuing his youngest child.
Daniel dove into the chasm, and up the other side, kicking dust into the dead eyes of Nessus.
Everyone else followed him.
SG3 stood guarding SG1 and 2, a long with the Tok’ra. They were left behind, as the rescuers headed down the deep corridors.
“Where the hell is she???” Jacob whispered frustratedly to Jack and Martouf.
“We will find her, sir…” Martouf stated.
Jack kept marching beside them, focused only on her.
Daniel caught up with them. “She isn’t in those other corridors…” He stated. “I know she isn’t.”
“I hope your intuition is right, Doctor Jackson…” Selmak said coolly.
“It is, General…” Jonas confirmed. “You’ve read the reports about Daniel’s abilities since his near-Ascension… Have confidence, sir. Doctor Jackson will lead you to your daughter…
Sam opened her eyes painfully.
“Hey…” Her father carried her, face up to the harsh sky, as if she were a child again.
“We’re nearly back at the Gate, Sam… Stay awake because the General is gonna need your report, OK???” Frasier encouraged her.
Sam’s bloody and battered hand fell from where it had rested on her chest seconds ago.
Jack caught and steadied her trembling arm, placing her injured hand back on her chest, as they all continued to walk… But, momentarily, time seemed to last forever, as she concentrated on his concerned face, and was aware of the look he shared with her father. It was as if he had felt her weak heart beating in her chest, as he had returned her flailing arm to comfort. And now, they knew each other’s hearts…
“Good to see you..!” His voice said gently. “You must be missing us, stuck in here all day…” He joked.
“Missing you… Yeah, I’m missing you…” She managed to get her voice to say.
“Well,” Jack began. “I’ve taken some time off… And I aint goin’ fishin’…”
“He’s gonna keep an eye on you for me while I get back to my duties… I think I can trust you to stay out of trouble..?” Jacob laughed, and took his daughter’s hand in his. He smiled, and Selmak said to Samantha, “Be well, daughter…”
She smiled weakly, contentedly… “I promise to stay out of any trouble he doesn’t get me into..!” She looked, undoubtedly, lovingly, up at the relieved face of Jack O’Neill.
When Jacob had left the room, Jack took the hand that he had held, and savoured the feel of her warm skin in the palm of his hand.
THE END…