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Part 13: Jack
I hope this works...
Daniel's hanging on like the trouper he is, but it's definitely by his fingernails.
We make ourselves as comfortable as possible on the floor of the cell...and I look at Daniel. He nods that he's ready...but I wonder if he's really up for this.
This has got to work.
We start off by thinking of the Keeper's planet, the way it looked when we first gated in. It's a beautiful planet...nothing at all like the Keeper has led the residents to believe. I use my anger toward the Keeper and all he's put us through to, hopefully, plant the seeds of doubt in their minds. I know Daniel is trying to communicate the concepts of pain, both emotional and physical...I don't even want to think of how he's doing it. I just know that, regardless of his own feelings, he'll get it done.
The second part of the plan is a little trickier, but I turn my thoughts in that direction and move as quickly as possible.
We must be doing something right...or maybe wrong, depending on your point of view...because I hear booted footsteps approaching the cell door. The Jaffa are back, grabbing us off the floor and shoving us roughly down the corridor. They return us to the bridge where Klorel and Amaunet are waiting.
I'm trying to keep my mind on the plan and I can see Daniel is, too.
Klorel is gloating about what he's going to do to us, while Amaunet is running a possessive hand down Daniel's back. He doesn't react...doesn't respond...sticking to the plan. They seem to be getting angrier by the minute. Which probably means the Keeper is getting just as angry...
Good. It's about time he joined the fun.
Amaunet brings her ribbon device to bear...aiming it once again at Daniel, this time flinging him against the wall. He goes down hard, but waves a hand to let me know he's mostly okay. We know now that this is the Keeper's way of trying to distract me; I'm just sorry Daniel has to serve that unenviable purpose.
We stick to the plan.
Amaunet looks at me strangely for a moment. "Do you not care what happens to him, O'Neill? He is your friend."
"He was your husband, that doesn't seem to be stopping you." I say it under my breath, trying to keep to the plan...but my mouth always did have a mind of its own.
She activates her ribbon thingy again, shoving Daniel back against the wall. It's all I can do not to react, but I can't...
Daniel gets up again...slower, real or not....something hurts.
Amaunet is enraged. "How can you allow this, O'Neill?" She orders something in Goa'uld-ish and one of the Jaffa raises his staff weapon, activating and firing it before either of us can react. I have another one of those slow-motion moments...I can see Daniel bracing himself, his eyes closing and I know he's trying to convince himself that the blast of energy coming toward him isn't real...
God...I hope we're right...
The flash strikes him, but that's all....Daniel's still standing.
Amaunet, Klorel and the Jaffa fade out.
I run over to Daniel and catch him before he can fall down. There's no visible damage, but it's like he said before....the mind can convince the body of many things...
"I'm okay, Jack," he's breathing heavily and his voice tells me differently, but I nod my head anyway.
"So what happens now?" I ask.
He starts to answer, but another voice interrupts him.
"Now, you will die."