"Dad!"
"Huh...?"
"Wake up, Dad! You've got to get going before it's too late," the
voice continued insistently. I tried opening my eyes, but they didn't
seem to want to work right.
"Please, Dad, you've got to wake up!" Dammit, couldn't a man get a
decent night's rest around here?
"Charlie?"
"Yeah it's me, Dad. Wake up for me. Please?" he begged. I tried
again, and my eyes listened to me, this time. When they focused, I saw
that my son, Charlie, was standing in front of me.
"Whatcha doin', Charlie?" I asked. He gave me a relieved smile and
grabbed hold of my hand.
"You're almost out of time. If you don't move now, you won't have
time to make it to the Stargate," he explained reasonably. Yeah, as if
that explained everything. My mind still felt fuzzy and thinking was
difficult.
"Where are we, Charlie?" I asked as I looked around. From what I
could see, we were standing on the roof of my house. Huh? How'd I get
there?
"You're inside Ba'al's fortress, Dad. Remember? That Redneck guy put
a Snake in your head again."
"Oh yeah...now I remember. Wait a minute, son. How long have I been
out?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you, Dad. You've been out for
over two hours and you're running out of time." Crap, he was right.
According to Carter, the snake knockout drug was only supposed to last
about four hours. That left me just under two hours to make it out of
Ba'al's House of Fun.
"Where am I, Charlie? I mean...where did those goons put me after I was
snaked?"
"They dumped you in the sarcophagus," he replied soberly. "Dad? You
have even less time than you think, because some of the drug was
neutralized when it revived you." Double crap. This was so not a good
thing. Guess I'd better get moving then. With that thought, Charlie and
my immediate surroundings evaporated, leaving me in darkness.
I forced my eyes open again and found myself stretched out on a soft
bed. Fortunately, someone had gone to the trouble of dressing me, so
that was one less thing I had to worry about. I really hadn't wanted to
traipse around Ba'al's place in my birthday suit again. When I tried
pushing myself up into a sitting position, my arms seemed sluggish in
responding to my commands, but I blamed it on the after-effects of the
sarcophagus. That is, until a whispering voice inside my head told me
different.
"Why do you persist in your feeble attempts to oppose your God,
foolish host? Your pathetic efforts to defy me shall not go unpunished.
Yield to me immediately, and perhaps I shall spare your body from my
wrath," Ba'al taunted.
Now, I understood why I was having such trouble moving around. Fear
of the consequences of failure gave me the extra spurt of adrenaline I
needed to get me sliding off the bed. A momentary look around led me to
the conclusion that I was in Ba'al's bedroom. Frantically, I searched
for some shoes and slipped my feet into a pair of slippers that were
beside the bed.
As I stumbled out the door of his chamber, I tried to figure out the
most expeditious way out of the building. A quick search of our shared
memories revealed the proper path to follow, and I headed down a long
hallway at a shuffling pace as the Snake's voice continued to rant and
rave inside my head. Pounding my fist on my thigh brought some relief
because the resulting ache distracted me from his threats. As I turned
another corner, I saw Renek jogging toward me. Crap.
"Jaffa, kree!" I grunted. "Attend your God, Renek," I ordered. He
looked surprised to see me, but bowed and followed along behind me. So
far, so good, I thought.
"My Lord Ba'al, what are your wishes," he asked.
"I need not explain myself to you, Renek! For I am your GOD," I
growled, hoping he wouldn't notice that my voice didn't have the usual
deep echoing effect of a Goa'uld.
"Yes, my Lord," he replied. Nevertheless, I could tell by his
attitude that he was suspicious.
"Follow me, Jaffa. Kree!" I snarled in an attempt to imitate the
voice of a Snake. However, the voice of Ba'al that resonated inside my
head was back, and it sounded louder this time.
"Submit to your God, for you are much too weak and pitiable to
withstand my absolute authority." Hitting my thigh again didn't drown
out his voice this time. Resolutely, I forced myself to keep moving
because I knew that I was running out of time.
Up ahead, I could see a dark courtyard lit by flickering torches.
Doggedly, I continued to struggle toward my goal and freedom. My
footsteps faltered when I was hit by a tendril of fire that raced
through my body. Damn, the knockout drug was definitely wearing off.
Renek must've noticed me stumble, because he was suddenly at my side,
preventing me from falling to my knees.
"My Lord, your host is weak and is not yet fully recovered from the
implantation. Allow me to assist you to your chambers," he implored.
"Silence, Jaffa! Your God must return to the Stargate," I insisted
stubbornly. "Assist me. Kree!" The effect was ruined when I collapsed
into his arms and moaned in pain as another sheet of fire rippled
through my body. Crap. The Snake inside my head was doing his best to
keep me from escaping.
The courtyard seemed so close now, only a couple of yards away. With
the spirit of grim determination, I pushed away from the Jaffa and
staggered toward the beckoning exit. Just a bit further, I chanted to
myself. When my body was engulfed in yet another sheet of pain, I bit my
lip to keep the moan from escaping my lips and using the wall as a
support, lurched on in the direction of my goal. Just a few steps more,
I recited to myself. When, I finally stumbled out into the nighttime
air, I realized that Renek was still at my side. He reached out to
steady me once more when I nearly fell to my knees.
"My Lord, you are in need of the sarcophagus," he argued firmly.
"No, must...get...to...the...Stargate," I insisted again. I desperately tried
to break away from his strong grasp, but his muscles were like iron. Yet
another flood of sizzling pain erupted through my body, and this time, I
couldn't keep the groan from leaving my lips. My knees buckled
underneath me, leaving Renek carrying my entire weight.
"My Lord, the sarcophagus awaits you," he ordered firmly as he
lowered me gently to the ground.
"No...please," I whispered. Then, I felt my eyes flash white, and I
realized that I had run out of time. Without my willing it, my mouth
opened and spoke in a deep resonating tone.
"Jaffa, kree! Attend your God," Ba'al commanded. The sound of running
feet was the last thing I heard before everything went black.
***
I was adrift in a black prison of sensory deprivation. Nothing could
penetrate the abyss. Alone with my thoughts, I struggled to remember how
I'd gotten there. After some effort, the memory returned of the Goa'uld
entering my body a second time and my desperate, but futile attempt to
escape. Ba'al. Crap.
I fought to envision Charlie and my rooftop observatory and knew I
was succeeding when his face swam into view in front of me. By
concentrating harder, I could hear his voice urging me to follow him.
"Come on, Dad. You can do it," He smiled encouragingly and held out
his hand to me. In my mind's eye, I pictured my hand reaching toward
him. When I could feel his small hand cupped inside mine, I breathed a
sigh of relief.
"Charlie, you're back."
"Of course I am, Dad. We've got to move fast because you have to
sneak off to your rooftop hideout while he's not paying any attention to
you."
Using my son as a guide, I struggled to visualize my rooftop
sanctuary. Slowly, I created it, piece by piece, until it was complete.
With an almost audible snap, I found myself holding my son's hand and
standing beside the ladder leading from the ground up to my rooftop. I'd
made it! No one else was there with us, and I took a moment to admire
the view. In the distance, I could see the snow-capped summit of Pike's
Peak surrounded by wispy clouds. The sun shone down upon us and felt
warm upon my skin. It felt like heaven and I didn't ever want to
leave.
"It's good to see you again, Charlie," I acknowledged as I knelt down
to embrace him in a tight hug.
"I'm just keeping my promise, Dad. You know, the one where I said I
would always watch over you?"
"I remember, son. I just hate the fact that you have to keep bailing
your old man out of trouble, that's all," I admitted sheepishly.
"No problem, Dad," he admonished with a grin.
"How long will I be able to stay here, Charlie?"
"I don't know." We both moved over to sit cross-legged on the floor.
The memory of how I'd been dragged out of my sanctuary the last time
made me shiver.
"Don't think about him, Dad," he warned. "Whenever you do that, he
notices you."
"OK... Can you update me on what my friends are doing? I remember you
told me before about your rules." The images of my dead friends, Charlie
Kawalski and Janet Fraiser, abruptly appeared on the roof. It looked
like the SGC Guardian Angel Squadron was on duty again. Sweet. I could
use all the help I could get. Later, I would have to talk to them about
their acronym. Somehow, the 'SGC GAS' just didn't cut it.
"Hey Jack. Fancy meeting you here," Kawalski smirked.
"Back atcha," I answered with a mock salute.
"What's up, Doc?" I grinned. Evidently, Janet had heard that one a
few times before, and shot me a dirty look.
"Still the smart ass, aren't you, Jack?" she retorted.
"Hey, not in front of the kid," I objected as I covered my son's ears
with my hands. He shrugged my hands away from his head and shot me a
dirty look. After all, he'd heard more than his fair share of cuss words
come out of his own Dad's mouth while he was still alive. I think it's a
male testosterone thing, either that, or a product of being around the
military too long.
"Can any of you fill me in on how my friends are doing?" I asked
plaintively. Yeah, I admit it. I missed them.
"Of course, Jack. When you stumbled outside Ba'al's fortress, Thor
was able to get a fix on your location, but couldn't beam you out
because of the interference of the shields. Sorry, buddy. You almost
made it," Kawalski reported.
"Sure, but 'almost' only counts with horseshoes and grenades. So what
else can you tell me?"
"General Hammond has been informed of all recent developments. He's
still back at the base running things until you get back, Jack,"
reported Janet supportively. "So that's one less thing for you to worry
about." By common assent, we avoided talking about certain subjects.
They knew as well as I did that I couldn't be told about the location of
my friends. Nor could they advise me of any of my teams' plans as my
respite from the Snake inside my head could be interrupted at
anytime.
"So now what? Do I just wait around until I get hauled kicking and
screaming out of here, or what?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, that's about the size of it, Jack,"
acknowledged Fraiser. "It would help if you could keep yourself occupied
with something."
"How 'bout a barbecue? I know it's a cliché and a tad crazy having
the grill on my roof and all, but what are they going to do? Sic the
Fire Marshall on me?" With my words, my gas grill appeared beside me,
complete with glowing coals, utensils, and marinating steaks and
burgers. Since the coals were already hot, I grabbed the spatula and
deposited a couple of the hamburger patties and a steak on the grill
above the hot coals. They sizzled and crackled realistically as they
began to turn brown. Now all I needed was some sodas to drink.
As quickly as the idea was formed, a cooler full of sodas and ice
appeared beside the barbecue grill. Cool. Grinning, I reached down to
snag a couple of cans, handing them out to my friends. Smiling in
remembrance, I placed a can of root beer in my son's open hand. That had
always been his favorite. I chose a coke and popped the tab. My friends
were all drinking their sodas and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Lifting my can in the air, I made a toast.
"To old friends."
"To old friends," they agreed as they all raised their cans in
response to my toast.
Popping sounds recalled my attention to the cooking meat. I expertly
flipped them all over so they could finish cooking. Janet was bustling
around, getting the rest of the food and the plates ready.
Before long, the steaks and burgers were char-grilled to perfection
and we were all sitting on the floor munching away on the goodies.
Charlie had gotten into my stash of chips and gummies and was stuffing
them into his mouth like they would be outlawed at midnight. I just sat
there, enjoying the peacefulness of it all. An odd whisper in the wind
suddenly caught my attention. As I cocked my head to listen, I noticed
my friends shaking their heads at me. The attack against my refuge had
begun.
"Don't listen, Dad," my son implored with a sad look on his face. The
sound came again, only this time it was louder. I shook my head
violently and scooted over to hold my son in my arms.
"Hold onto me, Charlie," I begged. "Don't let go." His arms wrapped
around my waist and he snuggled up onto my lap.
"Submit to your God, impudent host," Ba'al ordered contemptuously. I
shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut to better concentrate on feeling
my son's comforting presence in my lap.
"Focus on me, Dad," he urged.
The first wave of pain hit me like a jolt of electricity, sending my
body into spasms. I bit my lip, and curled around my son, in an attempt
to retain the feel of him in my arms. For a while, it worked, and I was
able to uncurl my body and open my eyes. I sighed in relief when I
realized I was still on the roof.
Then I was hit by another surge of pain, but it was more intense this
time. Grimly holding onto my vision of Charlie, I did my best to ride it
out. It hurt, though...bad. I struggled to bring my breathing back under
control.
"You are incapable of withstanding your God's superior might. Submit
to me and I may be merciful to you. Tell me about the weapon," Ba'al
demanded.
"No," I whispered.
Charlie was gone. I could no longer feel him in my arms. Once again,
that Snake had hauled me out of my refuge. His image stood towering over
me. As before, he was wearing my body and speaking with my voice. His
eyes flashed in anger, and I was overwhelmed with another sheet of fiery
pain that caused me to cry out.
"If you tell me what I what to know, I will stop the pain," he said
reasonably.
"I...can't," I panted.
"I don't believe you," he argued. He smiled in a perverted parody of
my cocky grin.
"Thor... locked it...away," I insisted.
"I have searched your mind, and I know that you can provide me with
what I desire." Another wave of fire consumed my senses and left me
gasping for breath.
"I just told you...I can't get to it," I answered between clenched
teeth.
"I do not believe you. With time, and the right incentives, you will
give me the information. Think on this, my foolish host, you belong to
me and I have all the time in the world to wear down your resistance.
Your pitiful efforts cannot prevent me from seizing whatever I wish," he
assured me confidently. Then his, no, my eyes flashed white again and my
world went black.
After enduring such intense torment, the nothingness of sensory
deprivation was almost welcome. Tentatively, I tried imagining Charlie
again, but gave up after my efforts weren't rewarded. With the awareness
that he wouldn't exile me to the darkness forever, I settled down to
wait it out.
Some time later, the Snake inside my head permitted me to watch the
world through his, no, my eyes. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure if
he was doing me any favors by allowing me to view his actions. The
knowledge that I couldn't influence him to change his brutal behavior
and could only look on helplessly while he strengthened his power base
made me seethe in frustration.
Ba'al kept Loki busy producing clones of the super soldiers. The
little Asgard scientist was guarded constantly and didn't look like he
was being treated very well. When he saw the body of 'Jack O'Neill'
ordering people around, he looked shocked. But, he caught on real fast
when he heard the echoing resonance of my voice and Ba'al made my eyes
flash white. The Snake appeared to be getting a kick out of Loki's
reaction to his new host and communicated his delight to me at every
opportunity. When he felt my chagrin, he laughed even louder. His
efforts to demoralize me were working and we both knew it. Crap.
Periodically, he would banish me to my black hole for a while. Even
though I knew this was part of his brainwashing technique, I began to
look forward to the times when he let me out to view his world. He'd
stopped interrogating me about the Ancients, but he really didn't have
to question me anymore. He knew I couldn't hold out against him
indefinitely, and was waiting for the passage of time to erode my
defenses. And time was on his side.
The next several times he let me out to see his world, I recognized
that Ba'al was reasserting his authority over his Army of Jaffa. He was
accomplishing this by ordering his super soldiers to execute entire
squads of them for the smallest of infractions. Renek didn't look happy
with the way that things were going. In contrast, Ba'al seemed to exult
in the pain and destruction he was causing and totally disregarded the
disapproving looks of his First Prime.
During another one of my outings, Ba'al permitted me to eavesdrop
while he communicated with the System Lords about the upcoming Summit.
When they discovered the identity of his new host, they all seemed
shocked, which pleased the Snake in my head to no end. In fact, I had to
endure his gloating boasts for days afterwards. With the use of my
caustic wit, I attempted deflect his comments, but he easily repelled my
mental jabs at his ego.
As the day of the Summit's commencement neared, Ba'al let me out more
often. Renek could be seen preparing the fleet for the coming journey to
the meeting place. As usual, it was taking place at the space station in
the Hasara System. Ba'al was planning to take the bulk of his fleet to
the meeting, along with his army of super soldiers. Loki was coming
along with us too. I guess Ba'al wanted to keep his pet Asgard scientist
close to him. Knowing him, he probably planned to use him to further
intimidate the other System Lords. Most of his Jaffa Army was being left
behind on his planet, though.
Ba'al constantly bragged about his plans to take over as the Grand
Poobah of the Snakehead Social Club while I did my best to ignore him.
It worried me that I was becoming used to being totally controlled by
him. Not surprisingly, he thought it was quite amusing. His endless
taunts of how he had broken 'his mighty Tau'ri host' got on my nerves,
big time. I refused to call him my Lord, though, and he didn't like
that. Not one bit. Oh well, if that was the only way I could hang on to
my identity as Jack O'Neill, then I would take it and run with it. On
the other hand, he refused to address me by anything other than 'my
host'.
Another component of his plan of demoralization was unveiled in the
days preceding the Summit. Somehow, he'd managed to collect several
blonde-haired, blue-eyed, female slaves. When he revealed his harem of
Carter look-alikes, I was so stunned that I was unable to mask the
dismay and revulsion I felt.
Unlike before, I began to dread being summoned from my dark prison by
Ba'al because I knew what he had planned. It usually consisted of
forcing me to watch him raping, torturing, and/or killing one of those
women. When he ordered his victims to beg 'Jack' for mercy, I raged
against him and his depravity. Of course, my anger and threats did
nothing more than provide him with more entertainment. Even though I
kept telling myself that those poor unfortunates were not Carter and
that I wasn't to blame, their cries of agony and terror followed me back
down into my dark solitary confinement where I was consumed with fury
and shame.
During this time, I noticed Renek examining me closely, and couldn't
help but wonder what was going through his head. It was obvious that his
days as First Prime were numbered, and he knew it. I could only
speculate how that might turn out. By now, I was very careful to guard
my thoughts, because I knew that my Snake roommate had access to them.
Worst of all though, I'd reluctantly concluded that it would be too
demoralizing to even dream of rescue. I could only hope that my friends
would keep their promise and free me from this living death.
I'd been exiled to my dark hole once again, when I suddenly
experienced unexplained pain. To my astonishment, I realized that I'd
regained control over my body and senses. When I opened my eyes, I saw
Renek standing over me holding a zat. Well, that explained the pain as
well as the silence of my Snake roommate. Grabbing at my chance, I sat
up and looked Renek in the eye. He looked nervous and was speaking to
me.
"We must hurry, Tau'ri O'Neill. The effects of the zat'n'ktel will
paralyze Ba'al for only a short time."
"Where are we going, Renek?"
"Outside, O'Neill. The Asgard are awaiting us," he assured me. He
helped me to my feet and we both took off at a run. Strangely, the
hallways were empty as we hurried toward the exit. The floor shook under
our feet and I could hear the sounds of explosions.
"What's going on? I asked my companion.
"The combined forces of the System Lords are attacking Ba'al's
Outpost." Sweet. I guess Renek had finally gotten sick of Ba'al's power
games and turned on him. The floor shook again and the overhead lights
flickered as detonations continued to boom all around us. The exit was
coming up and I began hoping that we might actually break out this time.
With a feeling of dread, I felt the first stirrings of the Snake inside
my mind.
"It's wearing off, Renek," I warned. "If I don't escape, promise that
you'll disintegrate me with your zat. Please?"
"I promise, O'Neill," he replied solemnly. We exited into the night
air and continued running through the courtyard. However, I began
experiencing difficulty coordinating my muscles and realized that it
wouldn't be long before Ba'al regained control. Already, I could hear
him raging at me.
"Renek," I gasped. "He's coming. Just zat me and go." He dropped my
arm and turned to face me with his weapon raised. At that same moment,
we were both surrounded by white light. Then my world went dark and I
knew that Ba'al had me again. The sound of his mocking laughter followed
me into oblivion.
***
Slowly, I swam through a heavy fog until I finally perceived a light
ahead of me. Cautiously, I reached for it, and realized I could hear the
sounds of an Asgard medical pod in my ears. Fearing a trick, I attempted
to locate the presence of my Snake companion and was shocked when it
wasn't there. Deciding to take a risk, I warily opened my eyes. Above my
head was the familiar translucent lid of the medical pod.
Could it be possible that I'd escaped? I tried closing my eyes and
opening them again. The scene before me hadn't changed and my eyes still
obeyed my commands. As I watched, the lid retracted into the sides of
the pod. Turning my head, I was able to confirm that I was in an Asgard
medical pod. Experimentally, I tried moving my arms, and really wasn't
surprised when I felt the restraints. A familiar face appeared in my
field of vision. Ernie.
"Welcome back, Jack O'Neill. Long time, no see," he commented with a
bounce.
"Ernie?" I whispered hoarsely.
"Ya think?" he replied.
"How?" Interpreting my question accurately, he continued.
"Thor used the transporter device to beam you and Renek aboard 'The
O'Neill II'. Once the shield generator was blown to smithereens, Thor
was also able to beam up Loki. The Asgard renegade is now in the pokey,
Jack O'Neill." Serves him right, the little flat-assed, meddling Dr.
Moreau wannabe. Hope he rots in jail.
"Oh... Is Renek OK?"
"Yes, Jack O'Neill, he is in good health and has been bugging me
about you." Gee, Renek had turned out to be an all-right type of guy
after all.
"My team?"
"They are aboard and have been pestering me to allow them see you
ever since we beamed you back," Ernie explained.
"Sounds great, Ernie. When can I see them?"
"You can visit with them later, after you have rested, Jack O'Neill."
I nodded slowly in agreement, realizing I still felt exhausted. I still
needed to know one more thing, but was almost afraid to ask it. I felt
skeptical that I might be free of Ba'al's domination, but hesitant to
concede defeat, just in case it might actually be true. Taking a deep
breath, I went for broke.
"Ba'al?" There, I'd said it. I could only trust I wasn't in for the
letdown of a lifetime.
"Utilizing the extraction procedure, he was removed from your body
soon after you were transported to our vessel. After we confirmed that
it was indeed Ba'al, the symbiote was disintegrated. I believed it would
be best if you were knocked out for the procedure, so I slipped you a
mickey," he assured me solemnly. Ba'al was dead?
"Dead?" I asked again.
"Yes, he is dead, Jack O'Neill. As in totally and completely tango
uniform and tits up. He is an ex-snake."
"Sweet," I whispered. It was true. I was free! Despite my best
efforts to remain awake and savor my freedom, I could feel my eyes
sliding shut. Resolutely, I opened them again.
"Ernie? Thanks," I whispered. I was losing the battle to keep them
open.
"No problemo, buddy," Ernie assured me with a bounce for emphasis. I
smiled and let sleep take me.
***
When I opened my eyes again, I quickly realized that I had company
from the faint buzz of conversation in the background. By concentrating,
I could discern the voices of Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c. However, the
sound of her voice brought back very unpleasant memories, and for a
moment, I wondered if I hadn't escaped after all. A quick, but thorough
inventory of my mind revealed no trace of the Snake's presence. Whew! I
decided to let them know that I was finally awake.
"Hey guys." It worked because I heard the sound of approaching
footsteps. Soon, the faces of my friends were gazing down upon me as I
lay on the bed. They looked pleased to see me and had grins on their
faces. Even Teal'c. Wow! When I saw Carter's face, though, I winced
involuntarily and had to close my eyes. Crap. Seeing her face just
reminded me of all those poor Carter look-alikes that Snake had
tortured.
"That you, Carter?" I asked fearfully. From the puzzled look on her
face, I knew she must've thought I'd finally lost it.
"Of course, it's me, Sir. Who else would it be?" God, if she only
knew!
"It's nothing, Carter. You just reminded me of someone else for a
minute. Guess I'm still kind of groggy," I replied warily with the hope
that she would let the subject drop. Time for one of Jack O'Neill's
famous tactics in diversion.
"Whatcha doin' kids? I asked with a smile.
"Ernie most graciously granted us permission to maintain a vigil by
your bedside, O'Neill. We have been awaiting your awakening for several
hours," Teal'c stated with a small bow.
"Cool," I replied. I didn't feel nearly as worn-out and sore as I'd
felt before. Hopefully, that improvement meant that I could get on with
my life. Jack O'Neill with a life? What a concept!
"Anybody care to bring me up to date?" I asked. Carter responded
first. At least she didn't sound exactly like those other women's
voices.
"When we were unable to transport you off the surface of Ba'al's
planet, we set our contingency plan into motion. Fortunately, Renek
contacted us and offered to supply us with the information we needed to
extract you," she explained. Then Teal'c took over.
"After the super soldiers began systematically executing Jaffa loyal
to Ba'al, Renek realized he needed to halt the senseless slaughter of
his soldiers. With this in mind, he was able to successfully sabotage
the shield generators protecting Ba'al's fortress. Jaffa loyal to him
also disabled the shields of his Ha'taks in orbit around the planet.
Therefore, when the combined fleet of the other System Lord's attacked,
Ba'al's forces were taken by surprise and easily defeated." Then Daniel
took over from Teal'c.
"As soon as the shield generators were disabled, Thor was able to
beam Loki up to the ship along with you and Renek. Once you were all
safely onboard, Loki's laboratory was destroyed. According to Thor, the
renegade scientist will be incarcerated for a long, long time. And I
have the feeling that the security guarding him will be much more
stringent than the previous time."
"How long was I gone?" I asked curiously. While I was that snake's
host, I'd lost all track of time and couldn't help but wonder just how
long I'd been imprisoned in that living death.
"A period of three weeks has elapsed since the time you were abducted
from the hallway of 'The O'Neill II'," Teal'c advised. Crap, in some
ways it had seemed much longer. More like an eternity.
"Three weeks, huh?"
"Yes, Sir," Major Carter confirmed. "General Hammond has been briefed
on your status and asked me to pass along his good wishes. He said to
tell you that your job as CO of Stargate Command is still waiting for
you."
"Wow. You mean they still want me back even after being snaked a
second time? What about the huge honkin' security risk I pose?" I asked
incredulously.
"According to General Hammond, the President himself, made that
decision, Sir," she assured me with a smile. Sure, I wanted my command
back, but because of all the crap I'd been through, I'd been convinced
that dream was totally out of my reach. The news that I was returning to
the SGC infused my body with sudden energy and hope.
"So kids. What's next on the agenda? When do we get back home?" A
swishing door announced the arrival of my two Asgard friends, Ernie and
Thor.
"We will be orbiting your planet in about eight of your hours
O'Neill. We have timed our arrival to coincide with your full recovery.
Because of our advanced medical technology, Eir deemed it would be wise
to supervise your complete medical treatment," Thor advised me
solemnly.
"That's cool, Thor. By the way buddy, thanks for yanking my ass out
of there. You know that I'll never be able to repay you for that. You
too, kids. Thanks for sticking by me and not giving up."
"It was, as you say, no big deal, O'Neill. Rather it is we who owe
you a great debt, as you were instrumental in causing the downfall of a
very powerful and dangerous System Lord. Thanks to your efforts, the
status quo has been restored to the Goa'uld hierarchy," answered Thor. I
just shrugged my shoulders in answer to the Asgard Supreme Commander. By
turning my head, I could see that Ernie was busy moving shells around on
the surface of the control-console.
"Upsy daisy, Jack O'Neill. It is time that you were allowed to sit up
for a bit. Perhaps this will help," he commented as the head of my bed
began to rise, propping me up in a semi-upright position. I liked the
fact that it allowed me to look around the room and take in the
wonderful sight of my friends surrounding me. I realized I was dressed
in some kind of gown and that several tubes were attached to my chest.
Guess I wasn't ready for pants, yet. To my surprise, this discovery
didn't bother me. I guess, deep down inside, I knew I wasn't up to par
yet. Both my mind and body would need more time to heal.
"Thanks a bunch, Ernie. It's good to see your face again too. Have
you eaten all of my stash of gummies yet?" I asked with a frown.
"That is for me to know and you to find out, Jack O'Neill," retorted
my Asgard Doctor. Yep, his education on Tau'ri customs was coming right
along. All my friends were grinning now and even Thor managed to look
guilty. Guess I'd gotten him hooked on them too. I couldn't wait to hear
the effect that those gummi candies would have on the Asgard
population.
"Renek has expressed the wish to speak with you, O'Neill. Shall I
allow him to approach you?" asked Teal'c. "He seems quite enthusiastic
about his newfound freedom and has been actively recruiting others to
the cause of the Free Jaffa."
"Sure, Teal'c. Tell him to come on in," I replied. To tell you the
truth, I was curious to hear what he had to say. I also felt that I owed
him big time. If he hadn't helped me out back there...
"Why don't we all leave so they can have some privacy, guys?"
suggested Daniel. "I have the feeling that they have a lot of things to
talk about."
I watched as they all went out the door. Renek must have been waiting
just outside, because as soon as they left, he walked in. He looked at
me uncertainly and then marched up to my bedside. I was shocked when he
fell to one knee in front of me and bowed his head.
"Tau'ri O'Neill, I have come before you today to beg your
forgiveness," he stated humbly. Huh?
"Oh, for crying out loud, Renek. Get up off your knees so I can look
at you," I ordered. When he complied with my request, I continued.
"Why don't you pull up a chair so we can have a little chat. It
sounds like you have a lot to get off your chest." I waited until he was
seated.
"What's this crap about begging me for forgiveness, Renek? I should
be the one thanking you for hauling my ass out of there. If it wasn't
for your help, I'd still have a snake in my head." He still wouldn't
look me in the eyes. Guess it was time to try something different.
"By the way, doesn't Renek translate as 'honor'?" I asked. When he
gave me a surprised look, I knew I had his attention.
"That is correct, O'Neill. However, I believe it should be altered to
Tok'Renek because of the dishonorable way I have behaved toward you and
my Jaffa brethren." His eyes were fixed on the floor again. How could I
convince him that we all make mistakes?
"Look at me, Renek," I ordered firmly. "If it makes you feel better,
then I forgive you. But first, you need to understand something. As
soldiers, you and I both have had to do some damn distasteful things in
our time. Yes, that includes me too. I don't like to think about those
things, but can't escape the fact that I did them."
"You and I differ, in that you are indeed an honorable warrior,
O'Neill," he objected.
"Would you cut the crap and listen?" At his nod, I continued. "Sure,
I don't like the fact that you grabbed my ass and turned me into a
Snakehead again. It hurt like hell, and I sincerely hope that I never
have to go through that again," I admitted.
Because of his position as former First Prime to one mean and sicko
Snake, he'd been party to some pretty nasty stuff. And I knew that he
couldn't be ignorant of how such torture affected its victims. Hell,
he'd probably watched as they slowly went insane and died from the agony
inflicted on them. I glanced back to the seated Jaffa. The look on his
face was one of confusion and fear.
"Listen, Renek. I'm not sure that I can grant you absolution for your
crimes. What I mean, is..." As I struggled for the right words, he raised
his eyes to meet mine.
"Have you tried talking about this to anyone else, Renek?"
"Indeed, I have, O'Neill. I have spoken at length with your friend,
Teal'c. It was he who recommended I discuss this with you," he
admitted.
"That's a good start, Renek. If anyone can understand where you're
coming from, it would be him. Tell me, do you consider Teal'c to be an
honorable man?" I asked.
"Of course, O'Neill. Why would I not believe such a thing? His act of
defiance against his former Master, Apophis, took great courage. His
achievement has inspired many Jaffa to seek their freedom from the
Goa'uld oppressors."
"Yet, as the First Prime of Apophis, didn't he commit many crimes of
brutality? After all that he's done, how can you trust someone like
that?" I asked in an effort to drive my point home.
"I do not honor the misdeeds of his past, rather, I admire him for
the valor and integrity he has since demonstrated. Ever since I made his
acquaintance, he has shown me nothing but respect, despite the fact that
I caused great harm to a dear friend of his," he explained.
"Why can't you give yourself the same break that you've given to
Teal'c? Or aren't you as deserving of a second chance to start over with
a clean slate?" I could see that my words had got him thinking.
"Listen, Renek. I'm certainly no angel myself. Sometimes the only way
I can sleep at night is if I tell myself to get on with living my life
in as honorable way as possible. Since none of us can change the past,
all we can do is try to make amends. If we spend our time wallowing in
guilt and regret, the bad guys win. I don't know about you, but I so do
not want that to happen. So what do you say, Renek? Will you forgive
yourself and try to make things right? It sounds like you've already
made a good start by joining the Free Jaffa." My words seemed to take
the former First Prime by surprise, but I could tell that he had
listened to what I had to say.
"Thank you for your words of wisdom, Tau'ri O'Neill. You are indeed a
wise and extraordinary leader of your people," he stated. Then he gave a
small bow of his head. Hopefully he would think on my words because his
addition to Teal'c's cause would be a big boast in Jaffa morale.
"That's cool, buddy. Why don't you get the rest of our friends in
here so we can make some plans," I suggested. He got up and gave me
another slight bow.
"As you wish," he assented before heading for the door. When he
returned, all my friends were smiling and talking amongst themselves.
Things were definitely looking up for the time being. Since I would be
heading back to the SGC soon, I had some plans to make.
"So, Thor. What's the plan? Will you beam us straight back to the
SGC?"
"No, O'Neill. General Hammond and President Hayes have requested that
you and your team be transported directly to the Oval Office in the
White House. Eir and I will be accompanying you." The White House, huh?
Well, I don't blame the President for wanting to check me out. After
all, I'd been snaked twice and I'm sure he had a whole honkin' bunch of
questions for me.
"That sounds just peachy, Thor. Anybody hungry? I could go for a cup
of Daniel's coffee and some potato chips and gummies right about now," I
added plaintively.
"I do not think so, Jack O'Neill," contradicted Ernie. "You still
look like something the cat dragged in. Perhaps after you have received
additional rest and medical treatment, your belly will be ready for such
food."
"Aw, for crying out loud, Ernie. I feel fine," I groused. To tell you
the truth all this company was getting to me. In fact, my body was
feeling numb and my mind felt like it was going to blow a circuit at any
second. After all, this was the most people I'd talked to since I'd been
snaked the last time. Ernie seemed to realize my brain was starting to
overload.
"Everyone must leave now, as Jack O'Neill is in need of additional
treatment. Will you leave willingly, or do I have to throw you out?" I
gave them all a wan smile. No one seemed in a hurry to argue with Ernie.
Wise choice.
"We shall all take our leave at this time, Ernie. However, we wish to
be notified when O'Neill can once again receive visitors," intoned
Teal'c as he shepherded everyone out the door.
"Thanks, Ernie," I murmured. "All this company was kind of
overwhelming. Guess I'm still not used to being around people yet."
"Ya think?" he asked with a bounce. Then he began moving shells
around again and I started feeling sleepy.
"Nighty night, Jack O'Neill," he stated. "I am ensuring your rest by
slipping you another mickey." Then, it was lights out for Jack
O'Neill.
***
The well-known feeling of helplessness and despair filled me as I
realized that I was standing in front of Ba'al's throne. A
familiar-looking woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes knelt in on
the floor in front of me. She gave me a terrified look and pleaded for
her life yet again.
"Please, Jack! Don't hurt me. I love you. How can you do this?"
I watched in horror as my hand with the ribbon device rose once more.
Vainly, I tried to stop my hand from moving. When my arm faltered, I
knew a flash of triumph. However, it was extremely short-lived. After
just a brief pause, my arm completed its upward journey and I felt a
surge of power run through my body and exit my hand through the ribbon
device. A golden beam of killing energy flashed from it to end at the
forehead of the kneeling woman. Her wide-eyed gaze was riveted to my
face as blood trickled out of her nose and ears. The beam only stopped
when her eyes glazed over and lost all sign of life. Her body slumped
bonelessly to the floor and I was forced to watch helplessly as she was
dragged off to join the others who had died before her. But, Ba'al
wasn't finished with me yet.
"Foolish host, why to do continue to oppose my dominance over you. I
am your Master now, and you are mine for eternity. You must be punished
for your impudence."
I was immediately consumed in a river of fire that rippled endlessly
through my body. Screaming in agony, I awoke to find myself back in the
Asgard medical pod with the sound of my outcry still echoing in the
room. I heard a gasp and saw that Carter was standing about a foot away
from my bed. Seeing that I was awake, she apprehensively took a step
toward me.
"Sir? Are you all right? You seemed to be having a nightmare."
"Yeah, you could say that," I muttered shakily. Lifting my hand to my
face, I discovered it was drenched in sweat. Carter had heard me scream
and knowing her, she wouldn't leave until I gave her an explanation.
Crap.
"Sir? Do you want to talk about it? Whatever it was about, it must
have been a doozy. I was afraid to get anywhere near you in case you
tried to deck me in your sleep."
"Sorry to scare you like that, Carter. You don't need to worry about
it because I'll get over it with time. Just like all the other crap I've
been through."
"You know that you really should talk about it. If you don't it'll
just eat you up inside. Sir, you can trust me with this. Does it have
anything to do with the funny looks you've been giving me since you've
been back?" I did a quick double take at her words. Guess I hadn't been
hiding my reactions as well as I'd thought. She'd sat down in the chair
next to my bed as if to illustrate the fact that she wasn't leaving
until she received a satisfactory answer.
"Yeah, it does, Carter. That Ba'al character was a real piece of
work. I swear he'd lay awake at night just thinking up ways to make my
existence miserable. Most of the time, he kept me penned up in a dark
hole with no access to my senses. A new twist on the old 'sensory
deprivation torture' I guess. That's not the half of it, though. Don't
ask me how he did it, but he managed to create a personal harem of women
with blonde hair and blue eyes that looked just like you. He even
ordered them to call him 'Jack'." By now I was sweating and shaking
again and I had to take a deep breath before I could continue. God, how
I hated talking about this crap.
"Take your time, Sir. I'll be here as long as it takes for you to get
through this," she said with a reassuring smile.
"Anyway, that bastard's favorite game was to make me watch while he
tortured and raped them. All the while he was doing this, those poor
women were begging him to stop. If they slipped up and didn't call him
Jack, he got real pissed and was even rougher on them. Then, when he got
tired of the pain-game, he'd kill them and drag in another one to take
her place. Whenever I tried to stop what he was doing, he would punish
me by shooting pain along the nerves in my body. And I was never able to
stop him, Carter. He always won, no matter how hard I tried."
Resolutely, I turned away knowing I couldn't look her in the eyes
anymore. God only knew what she thought of me and what I'd done. Feeling
a gentle touch on my shoulder, I about jumped out of my skin. Surprised,
I realized it was Carter.
"Sir? Why won't you look at me?" she asked tremulously.
"Don't you get it, Carter? I raped and killed all those women. Me, as
in Jack O'Neill, tortured all those poor girls to death. And the last
thing they saw was my face smiling down at them. They took that image
with them when they died, Carter," I admitted miserably. To keep from
looking at her, I fixed my eyes on the ceiling above my head.
"Jack, it wasn't you that did all those horrible things. It was
Ba'al. He had total control over your entire body. You said yourself
that you tried to stop him. Didn't you?"
"I should've tried harder, Carter. Maybe if I had, those women would
be alive today. Instead, they're dead and it's my fault. I killed them."
Keep your eyes to the front, Jack. Don't you dare look at her, Jack.
Without warning, the ceiling was replaced by Carter's face and she
looked pissed. There was nowhere to hide now. Crap.
"That's where you're wrong, Jack. You weren't in control, Ba'al was.
If you want to blame anyone for those deaths, blame him. This is one
burden that you shouldn't take on, Jack, because it doesn't belong to
you. Please believe me," she pleaded angrily. Flinging my arm across my
eyes, I shook my head in violent negation of her words.
"Jack, do you remember when Skaara was taken as a host?" she asked.
Taking my nod as her answer, she continued.
"He tried to kill you several times. Didn't he?"
"Yeah, I remember," I answered warily from behind the arm shielding
my face and my shame from her eyes.
"You forgave him for all that. Didn't you?"
"You know I did, Carter. It was Klorel, doing that stuff, not him. He
tried to stop him from doing those things, but the Snake in his head was
just too strong."
"If that's the case, then what makes you so different from him, Jack?
Huh?" she asked reasonably. Damn the woman and her logic. Without taking
my arm from my eyes, I just shook my head in misery. A myriad of evil
memories were racing through my head to the point that I couldn't think
clearly anymore. Curiously enough, she seemed to understand my
confusion.
"Jack, you've just been through a horrific experience and it's going
to take you some time to recover your sense of self again. You're not
just healing from physical trauma, you know. Why don't I let you get
some rest? You look like you could use it," she added. At the mention of
sleep, I panicked and slipped my arm down to look pleadingly at her.
"No! I mustn't sleep, Carter. Help me stay awake. As soon as I close
my eyes, he's waiting for me. Don't let me go to sleep."
"Would you like me to get Ernie, Sir?"
"Do you mind?" In answer to my question, she just smiled and nodded
her head.
"Hey, Ernie. Jack needs you," she called. As usual, it worked and he
came bouncing into the room. That little guy must do nothing but hang
around in the hallway just waiting for us to need something.
"Ernie, Jack's having some trouble sleeping and just had a doozy of a
nightmare. Do you think you could help him out?"
"Yeah, sure ya betcha. I'll slip him a mickey," he replied. He
adjusted some shells on the console. The last thing I saw was Ernie and
Carter exchanging triumphant high fives. They'd known about this shit
all along. Crap.
***
When I opened my eyes again, I could see that I was still lying
propped up in bed. However, the gown was gone and had been replaced by
pants. The tubes were gone from my chest too. Guess that meant I'd be
getting sprung from Ernie's Infirmary and going home soon. This time,
the thought of returning to my responsibilities didn't fill me with such
doubt as it had before.
"It is good to see that you are once again alert and aware of your
surroundings, O'Neill," commented Teal'c. I hadn't noticed him sitting
cross-legged on the floor and I started.
"For crying out loud, T. Don't sneak up on me like that. You about
gave me a heart attack."
"There was no attempt on my part at subterfuge, O'Neill. I had no
wish to draw the fleece of a sheep over your optical receptors," he
remarked as he gracefully rose from the floor. Obviously, his knees were
still in excellent shape, unlike mine.
"That's 'pull the wool over my eyes', T," I said with a grin. "How
long before we go home, Teal'c?"
"Thor has advised me that we are now in orbit around the Tau'ri home
planet. Arrangements are currently being made for appropriate clothing
to be brought for our use," he informed me as he walked toward my
bed.
"Does that mean I have to wear my Class A's," I asked with a resigned
sigh.
"Indeed. As does Major Carter."
"Crap. I hate those things. Hey Teal'c, buddy. Is there any way I
could get out of wearing that monkey suit?"
"There is not, O'Neill. I believe that you will have to smile and
endeavor to endure the experience. General Hammond himself dispatched
Daniel on the errand to deliver the clothing to you. The General seemed
most insistent on the choice of your apparel, O'Neill." By this time,
Daniel had appeared at the door and was carrying a garment bag over his
shoulder. He was dressed up in a suit too.
"Hey, Danny-Boy. Who died?" I asked with a smirk.
"Huh? Oh, nobody died, Jack. The General insisted we get all dressed
up for our visit to the Oval Office. We have just enough time for you to
put these on."
"What about that cup of coffee you promised me, Daniel? Do you have
any idea how long it's been since I had a decent cup of vanilla roast?"
I whined plaintively. Hey, I can grovel...if it's for the right
reasons.
"Oh, all right, Jack. I'll get my coffeemaker brewing up some of the
good stuff. The President of the United States will just have to wait,"
he answered with a grin.
"You're my kind of man, Danny-Boy. Hey T, tell Thor that we'll be
slightly delayed. OK?"
"I shall comply with your wishes, O'Neill," replied my Jaffa friend
as he inclined his head regally and departed the room.
"Hey, Ernie! Get in here!" I shouted. The little Asgard Doctor
must've been loitering in the hallway, because he came bouncing right
in.
"Danny-Boy promised me a cup of his best coffee, and I'm not leaving
here until I get some. Is that clear, Doc?"
"Coming right up, Skippy. I'll beam the coffee and munchies right
over," agreed Ernie. Yes, life was definitely looking better, I thought
with a satisfied smile.
Epilogue
In a subterranean cavern far below the surface
of a deserted Outpost, a strange and unholy tableau was unfolding.
Tu'at, the High Priest of the Lord Ba'al, gazed with fascination at the
creature swimming languidly in the tank. Soon it would be time for it to
take a host. He mentally congratulated himself for having the foresight
to coerce the weak Asgard slave to create several copies of his God
prior to the last implantation. Tu'at himself had ensured that the
cloned symbiotes had been spirited away to this secret location. Just in
case. Although all aspects of this undertaking had been initiated
without the knowledge of his Master, in retrospect, he believed his God
would thank him for his foresight.
Unfortunately, his God's former host had succeeded in escaping to
rejoin his Tau'ri brethren. Mentally, he damned the blasphemous Tau'ri
for his Master's destruction and vowed retribution for the sacrilege.
Although the Asgard slave had created many copies, only this one
remained. It had proved its worthiness by ruthlessly eliminating its
opponents.
The Goa'uld symbiote continued to swim gracefully in the tank as it
awaited a vessel worthy for it to inhabit. Abruptly, it began to thrash
angrily, raising ripples on the water's surface. My Lord Ba'al is angry,
the Priest thought worriedly.
"Soon, My Lord. A host worthy of your supreme
powers will be presented to you soon," he promised.
The End
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