FIC: "Hard Times in Bad Lands," Sam/Janet, Janet/f, Part 2
This is Part Two of Two. Part One was posted earlier. Move along until you find it. :D
Title: Hard Times in Bad Lands, Part Two
Author: geonncannon
Pairing: Sam/Janet, Janet/f
Word Count: 19,091
Category: Action, first time
Spoilers: Stargate the Movie, Jolinar's Memories, The Devil You Know, The Changeling
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about these ladies.
Rating: NC17
Author's Notes: This is for mlspikie, as a thank-you for my birthday presents.
Summary: SG-1 responds to a call for help only to discover an unusual situation.
Go Read Part One First!
Part Two
Janet woke the next morning, lying flat on her stomach. She looked at sunlight streaming in through the bizarre, arched window for a moment before remembering where she was, and why she was so sore. And so satisfied. She smiled and pressed her face into the pillow. She was amazed she had gotten any sleep at all. She twisted, tangling herself in the sheets, and looked around her room. "Meret? Djeserit?" She held the sheet to her chest and sat up.
The room was empty. No sign that anything had happened the night before. Janet felt slightly disappointed, but she knew there could be no strings. A fleeting pleasure. Still, she had hoped the night before had meant something to Meret as well.
She wrapped the sheet around herself and climbed out of bed. When she looked up, she caught sight of herself in a wide, oval mirror across the room. She did a double-take, then reached up to touch the blue-and-white lotus flower tucked behind her ear. She smiled, plucked the flower and inhaled the scent.
Maybe it didn't have to be so fleeting after all.
#
Sam didn't sleep at all that night. She sat in her quarters and stared out the window at the village below. She spent most of the time chiding herself for crying. It wasn't like Janet was hers, or that she had made any attempt to let Janet know how she felt. And good for her, getting lucky on an alien world. It wasn't like she had any time on Earth for herself. Between taking care of Cassandra and the job, she couldn't possibly attempt to juggle a relationship.
Around dawn, Sam remembered some of her own greatest hits. Dana, in DC, lying on the couch in Sam's apartment. Sam crawling over Dana, both of them in underwear and tank tops, Sam nuzzling the silky red hair and joking, "Why so serious?" before Dana rolled over and said, "We need to talk." Or Karen in Santa Barbara. That had worked well for a while; they enjoyed each other's company while they climbed their respective corporate ladders. When the relationship ran its course, they parted company amicably and moved on.
Sam was never unfaithful to the women she dated, but there was always a third wheel in the relationship. The United States Air Force. When she met Janet, there had been a spark. But she ignored it. Trying to juggle a work relationship with an outside-work relationship was hard enough, but trying to do it while keeping both parties in the closet... and then Cassandra arrived, and Sam knew she couldn't burden the girl with yet another secret she would have to keep.
And now it had been six years, and somewhere along the way, Janet became permanently out of reach. Why do I feel so heartbroken? It's not like I've been carrying a torch for her all these years. Sam laced her fingers behind her neck and leaned back. No, she argued with herself, But you have spent six years in very close quarters with a beautiful, funny, intelligent woman who you could have loved if you'd given yourself a chance. And the thought of losing the potential is heartbreaking.
There was a knock on the door and Daniel said, "Sam? We're all meeting in the main hall, if you're ready."
Sam grabbed the jacket off the foot of the bed and said, "Yeah. I'm coming."
She shrugged into the jacket as she followed Daniel down the corridor. She forced herself from looking at Janet's door as they walked past, refusing to acknowledge anything about this morning was different than any other morning. Janet was no virgin. She had probably been with a lot of women in the past. The only difference last night was that Sam was unlucky enough to witness the opening ceremonies.
They entered the main hall to find O'Neill, Teal'c and Janet already present. Sam refused to look at Janet for fear of seeing the 'morning after' glow. She instead joined O'Neill at the window. He was looking out over the village, a similar view to the one Sam had watched all night. He glanced at her and said, "Well, I hope everyone else got a good night's sleep, too."
"Sorry, sir," Sam said, although she thought it was ironic to apologize for oversleeping when she was probably the only team member who hadn't gotten any sleep at all. "It won't happen again."
He waved off the apology and turned to the rest of the team. "We've seen how he operates, how he treats his people, so... for the time being, I say we put our focus firmly on the patients. Their well-being is paramount. If Hapy doesn't do anything untoward, fine. We'll help his people and head home with a thank-you for the cornbread last night. Daniel, today you do what you do best; snoop around. Find out Hapy's and history, see if it jibes with what he told us. Maybe there's a reason he and the rest of the Goa'uld aren't a great big happy family."
"Nice one," Daniel said.
"Thank you. It's been harder than you would think." He turned to Teal'c. "T, head back to the Gate and check in with Hammond. Take the time to check out these Jaffarmers are really just hoeing the fields and planting the corn. Carter, you can assist Fraiser in the..."
"No," Sam said. She realized how blunt her refusal was, and cleared her throat. "I mean... Janet can handle it without me. And if I get close enough to the people of the village, I can tell if there are any Goa'uld trying to blend in with the rest of the population."
"Sensing Goa'uld has become difficult since losing my symbiote," Teal'c admitted.
"Well, if the Doc doesn't mind losing her assistant for the day...?"
Janet was looking at Sam, but shook her head. "No. I should manage."
Daniel said, "I'm almost afraid to ask, but... what will you be doing, Jack?"
O'Neill held his hands out to indicate the palace around them. "Wandering the halls of the Hapy-iest place on Earth. Or P42-817. You know what I mean." He waved them away. "Go on. Get out of here."
Sam and Teal'c turned to leave the corridor. Just before Sam left, she heard Daniel speaking to Janet. "If you need someone to take Sam's place, I'd be happy to put off my, ah, snooping."
"No, that's all right, Daniel. I'll ask Meret to lend me a hand."
Sam clenched her teeth and shook her head as she followed Teal'c outside.
#
Teal'c remained silent as they passed through the village, hands clasped behind his back and returning the smiles and greetings of people they passed. Once they passed through the archway and found the path leading to the Stargate, he said, "These people appear quite contradictory. They are aware of worlds beyond their own, yet they know not of the threat posed by the Goa'uld. They do not fear."
"No, they don't," Sam muttered.
"They in fact seem quite open to creating a good relationship with our people."
Sam scoffed and shook her head, scanning the trees as they walked.
"Major Carter." She turned her head to look at him. "When I am the talkative one in a conversation, it is usually a sign that something is amiss."
She couldn't help but smile at that. "Sorry, Teal'c. I just have a lot on my mind this morning. I didn't really sleep well. Or at all."
He nodded slightly. "I see. I did not think the sound would travel so far as to disturb your sleep."
"Sound?"
He looked hesitant. "My quarters shared a wall with that of Dr. Fraiser."
Sam closed her eyes. "Oh. Um... yeah."
"I have found myself able to sleep through most disturbances at the SGC. However, the sounds Dr. Fraiser--"
"Teal'c," Sam said. "Can we please not talk about it?"
"Very well." He remained silent for most of their trip to the Stargate, but spoke again when they could see the clearing. "I have spoken with several of the Jaffa loyal to Hapy. They do not view him as a god, though they bear his mark proudly."
Sam said, "I haven't seen the mark clearly. What is it?"
"Two curled lines intertwined," Teal'c said. "It symbolizes how Hapy joined together Upper and Lower Egypt on your planet."
Sam smiled. "Did you get that from Daniel?"
Teal'c inclined his head. "Indeed. I have found a great many parallels between Earth mythology and--" He suddenly stopped in his tracks at the edge of the clearing, taking a moment the scan the grass.
Sam lifted her gun slightly. The rest of SG-1 never took Teal'c's gut instincts for granted. "What is it?"
"Someone has been here recently," he said. He dropped into a crouch and ran his palm across the blades of grass. He rubbed his fingers and Sam saw the morning dew and remnants of the previous night's storm still wet on his skin. She looked again at the clearing and saw subtle paths cut through the grass. Someone had walked through the clearing either to or from the Stargate, and very recently. Teal'c was standing again, looking at the forest surrounding the Gate.
"We would have seen them on the path."
"If they did not wish to be seen, they would have avoided the path at all costs. However, that does not mean they did not see us." He walked to the DHD and scanned the buttons. "They are still here. The DHD has not been disturbed."
Sam grabbed her radio and spotted footprints in the mud at the edge of the clearing. A lot of footprints. "Colonel, come in."
"O'Neill here."
"Sir, we may have some uninvited guests on the way."
#
Janet spent most of the morning showing the local doctors how to care for the patients, to make them as comfortable as possible and lessen the symptoms as best they could. During a quiet period, Meret approached Janet and said, "I don't think I've thanked you for everything you have done for us. Thank you, Janet, for working so hard to save the lives of my people."
"I think you thanked me a lot last night," Janet said. "But that may have been for something different."
Meret smiled and touched Janet's arm.
"As for helping your people... all I can do right now is somewhat alleviate their pain. There are drugs on Earth, but they haven't been approved by the FDA." She realized she was speaking to an alien and said, "Oh. Um, there's a whole process that drugs have to go through before they're deemed safe to use. In case of side effects or unforeseen complications. I'm going to try to put in for a clinical trial, pull some strings, but the fact that the test subjects are not from Earth..." She frowned. "That might actually be a plus for those buffoons, now that I think about it. They wouldn't view it as endangering human lives."
"No matter their reasoning, we would welcome their help."
"Me too," Janet said. She was about to speak again when her radio came to life.
"Fraiser, come in."
"Colonel."
"Are you alone?"
Janet excused herself, letting her fingers trail down Meret's arm as she stepped away. "I am now. What's going on?"
"Teal'c's spidey-sense tingled when he and Carter got to the Gate. He thinks we should be expecting some unwelcome visitors. If you've got a way to lock down that hospital, I suggest you do it."
"Yes, sir." Janet returned to Meret's side. "Is there a way we can fortify this place?"
"Why?"
"The ugly side of Hapy's family tree is on their way."
#
O'Neill and Daniel left the castle and headed for the brick wall that marked the edge of the village. "They snuck through the Stargate and quietly made their way to town. Why would they do that?"
"Maybe they've been coming here a long time. Maybe Hapy isn't as happy with his little corner of the universe as he's led us to believe."
"So he's secretly working with another Goa'uld? To what end?"
"To the same end they always have, Daniel," Jack said. "More power, more followers, more riches. You know the Goa'uld."
"And the Goa'uld know us," Daniel said. "We spent the night in Hapy's castle without being taken prisoner. He's left us alone."
O'Neill stopped at the entrance of the village and looked at the trees. He thought for a moment and then looked back at the castle. "He has left us alone. Did you see him this morning?"
"No. I just assumed he--"
O'Neill started back toward the castle at a run. "Maybe the Jaffa got here earlier than Teal'c thought."
#
Teal'c held up a fist and Sam stopped behind him. She crouched and scanned the forest around them. She didn't sense any movement, but she knew that Teal'c could probably tell if a butterfly flapped its wings in China. He moved his head slowly as he examined the darkness between the trees. He shook his head and they both rose and began their trek back to town.
"The distress signal," Sam said. Teal'c glanced at her over his shoulder, but didn't slow. "That has to be it. A Goa'uld heard the signal and decided to check the planet out. He wants to make sure the people don't post a threat before he makes his move." She looked up as if she could see the orbiting pyramid ship with her naked eyes.
"A likely scenario," Teal'c said.
"The Prometheus is evacuating former followers of Camulus from a nearby planet."
Teal'c nodded. "We are near the farthest reaches of his territory. It stands to reason--" Teal'c suddenly straightened and turned his eyes to the sky.
Before Sam could even wonder what had caught his attention, a bolt of yellow flame streaked across the sky. It impacted somewhere within the city walls with a deafening explosion. The ground trembled beneath their feet. "Looks like Camulus didn't think too much of Hapy's defenses."
"Indeed," Teal'c said. He and Sam ran the rest of the way back to the village as the ship opened fire again.
#
O'Neill and Daniel were nearly to the castle when the attack began.
The first blast came out of nowhere and took out one of the tallest spires of the castle. It erupted like a firecracker and the streak of energy continued until it obliterated a small block of homes. The impact knocked both men off their feet and caused a tremor that damaged every other house in sight. The ship in orbit continued to fire, curiously focusing its attention on the area outside of town, to the south. People began screaming, leaving their homes either to see what had happened or out of fear they would be next.
O'Neill got to his feet and pulled Daniel up, looking around for the best position. "If whoever is upstairs decides to just level this whole place from the comfort of his ship, there's not a hell of a lot we can do."
"The Prometheus isn't far away," Daniel said, coughing as smoke wafted past them. "Maybe they could even the playing field a little."
"Right, but since I left my intergalactic cell phone back at the SGC, let's work on a plan B." He grunted, and then finally settled on the most appealing choice. "We need to get these people out of here."
"Jack, some of these people are sick. We can't take them back to the SGC and risk exposing them to..."
"Then we'll take 'em to the Alpha Site, take care of them there. I'm making this shit up as I go along, Daniel, work with me!"
"Right, sorry."
"Come on. Let's make sure the hospital wasn't hit."
They headed down a side street just as an inhumanly loud voice filled the air.
"People of this world. Bow before your new god and master, Camulus. Your former god was weak and unworthy. I will bring you such health and prosperity as you have never known. If you refuse, your world will be laid flat and you shall all perish."
Daniel said, "Health? Why would he mention..." He closed his eyes as realization dawned. "Oh, God. The distress call. Camulus must have heard it and came to take advantage of their weakened state."
"Swell guy," O'Neill said.
"My Jaffa are already among you," Camulus continued. "Should they meet with any resistance, you will be destroyed."
O'Neill muttered, "We know you have a choice when it comes to asshole overlords, and we thank you for flying with Camulus Airlines. You are now free to move about the--" His comment was cut off by the butt of a staff weapon clipping him on the chin. O'Neill staggered back and the Jaffa stepped out of the alley. O'Neill brought his weapon up and said, "Well. They always told me talking would get me into trouble."
"Tau'ri," the Jaffa sneered.
"Jaffa," O'Neill sneered in the same manner. "Looks like we have a stalemate. Which one of us do you think is the faster draw, do you think? Care to test it?"
"I will bring you before Lord Camulus, and I shall be greatly rewarded."
"Yeah. Or I could just let him shoot you."
The Jaffa's frown turned into a shout of pain as the staff blast hit him square in the back. O'Neill stepped out of the way as the Jaffa fell, then bent down and stole his staff weapon. He tossed it to Teal'c, who caught it one-handed. "Call it a souvenir. Nice timing."
Teal'c shifted the weapon to his other hand, his fingers stretched around it and his own staff weapon. "There were no sign of Jaffa in the woods."
O'Neill was still massaging his chin where the Jaffa had hit him. "Yeah. I think they've all closed up town. No one in or out."
"Was Hapy in the palace when it went up?"
"No clue. Haven't seen him today. We were just on our way to the hospital to make sure it didn't get hit."
He thought he saw Sam tense at the mention of the hospital, but he put it off as concern for Janet.
#
Meret lifted her head and said, "What's that sound?" just before the castle exploded. The resulting tremor threw Janet and Meret both off their feet, but Janet managed to catch the edge of a patient's bed to keep from falling. The few patients who were strong enough sat up and looked around, wondering if hallucinations were part of their illness. Janet pushed herself up and said, "Everyone, please, stay calm. Stay in your beds."
The front door of the building swung open and three heavily-armored Jaffa stepped inside. "Remain where you are!" the one in the lead shouted. The other two aimed staff weapons at the gathered doctors and patients. "Who is in charge here?"
Janet stepped forward. "I am. And I'm only going to ask you once to leave this place."
The Jaffa smirked. "Or you will harm me?"
"These people are sick. They need my full attention, and I cannot give them that with you aiming those weapons at me." She reached out and slapped one of the staff weapons aside. "It's not helping their mental state. So yes, leave, or I will force you to leave."
The lead Jaffa laughed and turned to look at the Jaffa to his right. "I do so enjoy it when they decide to fight." When he turned to face Janet again, the beaker she had thrown smashed between his eyes. He howled as the shards cut his flesh, and brought his hands up to try and wipe away the burning liquid that had been inside it. He turned and disappeared through the doorway, his screams echoing as he fled down the street.
Janet, who had kept her hand on the staff she pushed away, suddenly pulled it toward her. She put her foot out and, when she felt the hard metal of the Jaffa's chest plate against her shoe, pushed back with all her might. He stumbled back outside, but she kept her grip on his weapon.
She flipped it around and aimed it at the third Jaffa. "I said get out of my hospital!" she shouted.
The Jaffa turned to run, but stopped short. Janet heard the sound of gunfire and the Jaffa went down. A few seconds later, Sam appeared in the doorway and brought her gun up at the sight of the open staff weapon.
"Sam!"
"Janet," Sam breathed.
Janet was taken aback by the depth of emotion in Sam's eyes. Her gaze was strong, almost too strong to look at, but she kept eye contact.
The moment was broken by Daniel's arrival. He looked at the staff in Janet's hand and said, "Oh. Well. I guess you have things under control here."
"Wanna bet?" Janet said. "Any and all help is greatly appreciated."
Daniel said, "Where is Meret?"
"Oh, God," Janet said. She turned and ran back to where she had seen Meret fall. Her black hair was streaked with blood, her eyes closed. Janet gently rolled Meret onto her back and checked her eyes. She did a quick examination and breathed a sigh of relief. "She just hit her head. Sam, can you help me?"
"What do you need?" Sam asked.
"I need to move her onto a bed." They lifted Meret between them and moved her to an empty gurney. "I need to find something to stop the bleeding." As they gathered supplies, Janet said, "What was hit? We felt the explosion, so something must have gone."
"The castle," Sam said. "We don't know if Hapy was inside or not. None of us have seen him."
"Not... at the castle."
Janet touched Meret's cheek. "Don't speak, Djeserit. It's all right."
"No," Meret said. She swallowed hard, eyes squeezed shut against the pain. "Hapy... was not in the castle today. South of the village. His workshop. I believe he wished to... present you with a token of friendship."
Sam and Janet exchanged glances. Janet said, "Okay. Thank you. We'll make sure he's not hurt."
"Leave the village from the southern exit. Nearest... th-the tannery. It is nearly an hour's walk to the workshop. Hapy left early. He wished to surprise you... at this eve'al."
Janet made sure Meret's wound was dressed before handing her over to another doctor. They met O'Neill and Daniel at the entrance to the hospital. Sam said, "Meret told us that Hapy was outside town, doing something in some workshop. I think that's why Camulus was focusing his attack outside of town."
"Take Teal'c. Check it out."
"All due respect, sir," Sam said, "you'll need Teal'c here to deal with the Jaffa. But Hapy may be hurt. If you think the hospital can spare Janet..."
O'Neill only hesitated for a moment. "Okay. Go."
They started to leave, but Teal'c stopped them by holding one of his staff weapons out to Janet. "You appear to be proficient with this."
"Right," Janet said. She made a face of disapproval, but she took the weapon.
#
Sam led the way through town, making sure they didn't cross any Jaffa patrols. The people of the village were being gathered up and moved toward the center of town, near the castle. Sam quietly dispatched the Jaffa guarding a southern exit with a quick slip of the knife. She wiped the blood on her uniform slacks as Janet came out of hiding and looked at the body. "Do you do that often?"
"I've only done it once before," Sam said. "And that's twice too many times. Come on."
Sam wasn't sure why she had suggested that Janet come with her. On the surface, it made sense to have a doctor in case one of Camulus' blasts had hit the target. But one of Janet's fellow physicians would have been just as good. The truth was that Sam wanted to spend time with Janet, even if they were under fire and running for their lives. Not to mention the fact that taking Janet would keep her away from Meret.
Outside the city walls, Sam knelt next to the last group of trees and looked at the land from a tactical viewpoint. The forest died away almost immediately, giving way to wide, rolling hills edged with dangerously sharp rocks protruding from the ground like the planet's broken bones. She could see impact craters where Camulus' weapons had hit. "Not a lot of cover out here," Sam said.
"Looks like the coast of Scotland."
Sam frowned. "You've been to Scotland?"
"Mm-hmm," Janet said.
Sam let the matter drop. "Okay. We're going to be out in the open for a long time. Are you ready?"
"I think so."
"Do you really know how to use that thing?" Sam asked, nodding at the staff weapon.
Janet hefted the weapon, aimed it, and caused the bell at the far end to snap open. "I think I have it," Janet said. "Hopefully I won't have to use it."
"That's no attitude to have," Sam said. "You either plan to use it, or you stay behind."
Janet blinked, surprised at the sharpness in Sam's voice. "Right. I'm sorry. I'm more used to being a doctor than a soldier. I'm sorry."
"It's all right. I'm sorry." She swallowed hard and turned away, eyeing the terrain. "Okay. It's now or never. Are you ready?" Janet nodded, and they broke cover. Sam took the immediate lead, making sure she didn't leave Janet too far behind. Sam constantly scanned the horizon, keeping an eye out for either Hapy's workshop or Jaffa in pursuit of the self-proclaimed 'lazy Goa'uld.'
They had been running for nearly ten minutes when Sam heard Janet cry out. She turned in time to see Janet sprawl on the ground, the staff weapon half-tossed out of her reach. Sam turned back and knelt next to Janet's head. "What happened? Are you all right?"
"I think I twisted my ankle," Janet said.
Sam looked at Janet's legs and saw the toe of Janet's right boot stuck between two thick stones. It was twisted at an unnatural angle, the sole still almost flat to the ground despite Janet's seated position. "I think it's worse than that," Sam said. "I think it's broken."
"Ah, shit," Janet groaned.
Sam sat up and looked around. Nothing even resembling cover for miles, and they were much too far away from the town to turn back. They had no idea where Hapy's workshop was or if she could carry Janet there on her own.
Janet was already pouring herself a handful of pain pills. She swallowed them dry and said, "Look, Sam, just leave me here..."
"No," Sam said.
"Sam, you have no choice. You have to find Hapy..."
"And if he's injured? I'll have to carry him and you back to the city. You're my priority now." She moved down Janet's body and carefully removed her foot from the crevasse. She tested the flesh through Janet's boot and was relieved to discover the bone hadn't broken the skin. "We have to get you back to the hospital."
"Sam, if Hapy dies..."
"Fuck Hapy," Sam said. "If he dies, then it's bad for the people of this world. If anything happens to you..." She stopped herself before she could finish the thought. She helped Janet roll over and said, "Come on. Let me help you up." She put Janet's arm across her shoulders and stood up slowly. Janet hissed, keeping her weight on her left foot, and leaned hard against Sam's side. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Fine."
They started back toward town, moving at a snail's pace now. Janet looked up and saw the red brick wall in the distance, a seemingly impossible stretch to cross. "Sam, even if we make it back to town... the Jaffa will..."
"I'm not giving up on you. I'm not leaving you here to die."
"Sam..."
"Be quiet. I can't talk and carry you at the same time."
"I was going to say thank you."
Sam looked away and tightened her grip on Janet's waist. "Come on. We're almost there. We just..." She recognized a noise that was suddenly filling the air, but she refused to acknowledge it. Instead, she began to speed up.
"What's..." Janet turned and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, no. Oh, God..."
The blast from Camulus' mothership slammed into the ground a hundred feet away from them. Sam and Janet were peppered with bits of flying debris and Janet buried her face against Sam's shoulder. "Do you think he saw us?"
"Either that or he's getting some target practice in with these rocks. Either way, we should probably..."
"Hurry the hell up," Janet said.
Sam looked over her shoulder and saw another bolt streaking through the atmosphere. She swallowed hard and said, "Janet, knowing I would never bring this up under any other circumstances, but you're small and I'm strong." She bent down, swept Janet's legs out from underneath her, and cradled Janet to her chest.
"Jack O'Neill doesn't hear a word of this," Janet said as she wrapped her arms around Sam's neck.
"Not a--" The world to their right exploded and Sam cringed, protecting her face from the debris. When it was safe to speak again, she said, "--peep."
The weapons fire began to pick up, constant ground strikes causing earthquakes and aftershocks to overlap. Soon Sam felt like the entire world was shaking apart. She tried hard not to jostle Janet, but it was unavoidable. Her arms and legs both protested as she ran for the relative safety of the village, but she knew she was never going to make it.
"Sam! There!"
Sam followed Janet's outstretched finger and saw a narrow crevasse in the hillside. It was ragged and narrow, but it would certainly qualify as cover. Another ground blast and Sam felt the heat of it against her back. Camulus was getting better aim, or he was getting tired of playing around. Whichever it was, Sam knew that there wasn't going to be anymore cat and mouse. She dropped to her knees next to the opening and said, "In, in. Go in." Janet crawled into the darkness on her hands and knees while Sam shed her jacket to cut down on her bulkiness.
Once she was safely inside, Sam crawled in as well. The sharp rock tugged at her T-shirt on one side, her body rubbing against Janet's on the other. She rolled onto her side, facing Janet, and looked down to make sure her boots were all the way in. She unhooked her flashlight from her belt, and Janet yelped. "Sorry." Sam turned the light on, blinked at the brightness, and used the beam to examine their hiding spot.
The opening stretched for another forty yards or so before it became too narrow for the light to penetrate. Janet shifted and there was another inch or two of space between them. Their backs were to the stone walls, their legs intertwined, and neither had much space to move. Janet managed a weak smile, her face lit from below like someone telling a ghost story at camp. Sam looked away and pretended to examine the rest of their hideout. "Hopefully Camulus will stop bombarding the area now, or else we may have just entombed ourselves."
"Will we be able to get out on our own?" Janet asked. "I'd hate to call Teal'c to come yank us out."
Sam shifted and placed one hand against the top of the crevasse, the other against the floor. She pushed herself down, inadvertently brushing her body against Janet's, and said, "Just push ourselves out," she said, returning to where she had been lying. She was face to face with Janet, both of them on their sides, and Sam had to close her eyes to ignore the intimacy of their position. She swallowed hard and said, "We should be safe here even if the bombardment continues. Are you all right? How is your ankle?"
"Fine," Janet said. "It's not the first tight space I've gotten myself into."
Sam smiled nervously. "We should conserve these batteries."
"Yeah," Janet said.
Sam turned off the flashlight and they were cast into darkness.
"Thank you for not leaving me behind, Sam."
"I couldn't have. Colonel O'Neill would have had my ass."
Janet chuckled in the dark. Sam realized then that she was completely safe, like in the darkness of her bedroom. She reached out and felt Janet, but it was easy to pretend she wasn't there. And if she wasn't really there, it would make what she wanted to do so much easier. She moved her hand to Janet's shoulder. She cupped Janet's face and leaned forward until their lips met. Janet made a quiet, surprised sound, and Sam withdrew. Her fingers were light against Janet's cheek, proof Janet was still there, and Sam breathed deep and caught Janet's scent in the air.
"Sam," Janet said. Her voice was a sigh that might as well have been a shout. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"
Sam whimpered and, unable to come up with anything coherent to say, instead kissed Janet again. This time the sound Janet made was inviting, eager. Sam teased with the tip of her tongue and Janet parted her lips. A moment later, their tongues touched and Janet balled her fists in the front of Sam's T-shirt to pull her closer.
They twisted against each other, thwarted by the confines of their hiding place. Janet moved her hands down, exploring Sam's breasts through her T-shirt and bra, while Sam moved her hands down to Janet's hips. She fought with the catch of Janet's trousers and broke the kiss, panting for air. "Is your ankle okay?"
"I don't have ankles right now," Janet groaned. "Touch me, Sam..."
Sam pushed her hand into Janet's pants, and they both moaned. Sam lowered her head and blindly searched until she found Janet's lips again. Janet tugged Sam's shirt up and pressed her hands against bare flesh. "Oh, Sam. I want to touch you."
Janet's hands were like fire against Sam's skin, and she hoped they would leave a mark. She nipped at Janet's bottom lip and brushed two fingers against Janet's underwear. Janet bent her uninjured leg and pressed her thigh between Sam's legs. "Ride it," Janet panted, and Sam began to rock against Janet's thigh. Janet pushed her hands higher and squeezed Sam's breasts through her bra. "I want to see you," Janet moaned. "Next time I want to see you, all of you, while you make love to me."
"Yes, Janet," Sam said. She kissed Janet's throat and bent down to kiss her breasts. She wished she could taste Janet's flesh, but for now she was satisfied with this. Janet's words - next time - rang in her head. Sam lifted her head and said, "Next time I want to see you when you come. I want to see all of you."
"Sam," Janet sighed. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out sharply, almost like a hiccup. "I'm going to come, Sam." She ran her hands over Sam's arms and gripped her shoulders.
Janet rocked against Sam, her thigh brushing between Sam's legs, and Sam slapped a hand over Janet's mouth to quiet her. "There are Jaffa everywhere," Sam warned. "Shh, shh..."
Janet twisted her head and Sam's fingers slipped into her mouth. She sucked on them as she trembled once more, every muscle tightening before she collapsed spent and weak to the stone ground. Sam slipped her fingers from Janet's mouth and covered her face with kisses. She took Janet's face in her hands and said, "Close your eyes." She kissed Janet's eyelids and then pulled back.
"We just had sex," Janet whispered.
Sam smiled and brushed her thumb over Janet's bottom lip. "Yeah, we did."
"I've wanted to do that... for some time."
Sam touched Janet's cheek with the back of her hand. "You're crying."
"I love you, Sam."
Sam closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to Janet's. "I wish I had known."
They kissed, slowly this time, taking the opportunity to get used to one another, and Janet ran her hands over Sam's body. When Sam broke the kiss, she said, "I didn't understand how I felt about you until I saw you last night. I wish I had understood. I wish I had been strong enough to... take that step."
"It doesn't matter. It's been taken."
"And we might die."
"At least we can go with one less regret."
Sam kissed Janet's lips. After a moment, she lifted her head and listened. "Camulus isn't shooting anymore. Maybe he thinks he got us. I should go get help," she said. "Let people know you've been hurt."
"If you have to."
Sam kissed Janet again. "There will be post-coital cuddling next time. I promise."
"The next what?"
Sam moved her lips to Janet's ear. Janet's hair tickled her nose and closed eyelids, and Janet's scent surrounded her. Sam pressed her lips to Janet's cheek and then whispered, "The next time I make love to you."
Janet moaned. "Hurry back."
Sam slid from the cave using the maneuver she had shown Janet earlier. She scanned the surrounding area for signs of Jaffa and then knelt next to the opening. Janet smiled back at her. "I'll be back as soon as I can," Sam promised. She handed Janet her handgun. "Use this if anyone you don't recognize tries to get you out of there, okay?"
"Okay."
"I'll stay in touch on the radio. I... love you, too."
Janet closed her eyes and said, "Go. Hurry."
Sam nodded and finally forced herself to leave Janet behind.
#
The city was preternaturally quiet. Several homes that they'd passed on their way out of town had been leveled. She heard no sounds of battle, no shouts from Jaffa seeking resistance. She prayed that the rest of SG-1 was safe, but she knew they wouldn't just sit around and wait for the Jaffa to round up and execute all of the citizens. She kept to the side streets as she walked through town, ever alert for signs of Jaffa.
A horn sounded, and Sam moved to a recessed doorway. They were gathering. But where? She scanned the rooftops and realized there was only one logical place; the courtyard of Hapy's castle. She checked the knob of the door where she was hiding and found it was unlocked. She slipped into the house, crossed a dining room where an interrupted breakfast stood cold on the table, and searched until she found a ladder leading up to the roof.
Sam climbed out onto the woven shingles of the roof, dropped into a crouch, and began running toward the next house. It was an easy enough jump, and she made it without breaking a sweat. She continued in this manner until she reached the center of town, a house with a clear view of the courtyard. Sure enough, a large group of villagers were gathered in front of an improvised stage. And right in the very front, identifiable by their green uniforms, knelt the rest of SG-1 and Janet's medical team.
"Wonderful," Sam muttered.
The stage was filled with Jaffa, far more than Sam could hope to eliminate on her own. Even if there was some way to get the team's attention, she didn't know what they would hope to accomplish without weapons. No matter what she did, people would die. She checked her ammo and eased forward. She stayed low enough that she hoped no one would be able to spot her, but the green camo made her stand out against the yellow shingles she crossed.
She leapt to another house and hid behind a chimney. She was close enough now to hear the Jaffa's speech. "--before your new god, Camulus. You will denounce your former, false god. When Camulus arrives, you will vow your loyalty to him. You will be put to work for him. You will vow to fight for him, to die for him."
"This we swear," the gathered villagers recited.
Sam couldn't help but feel sorrow at the defeat in their voices. They had survived so long in peace, only to be brought down by asking for help. It sickened her that anyone would use a distress call in such a way. It was like kicking someone while they were down. It just wasn't done. Sam sighted her P90 until she found the silver bald cap of the lead Jaffa. One bullet. Maybe it would cause enough confusion to let SG-1 make their move. Or maybe it would cause the other Jaffa to open fire on the captives, beginning with the pesky Tau'ri.
She was about to throw caution to the wind and open fire when the wind suddenly shifted. Sam lifted her head and looked at the sky, frowning as storm clouds suddenly massed over the courtyard. Where the hell did this come from? I thought last night's storm moved on. Instead of rain, a gust of wind suddenly blew through the village. Sam had to lower her weapon to keep from blowing off the roof.
"You fool!" a deep Goa'uld voice called out.
The captured villagers all turned in the direction of the voice. Hapy strode forward through the front gates of his palace, one hand extended. The red ruby of his ring glowed like a tiny sun. Sam remembered seeing a similar ring before, and she still winced at the memory of the hangover the lightning bolts had caused. Suddenly, she was hopeful again. She sighted on the Jaffa once more as Hapy began to speak.
"You claim to represent Camulus? I beg to differ. Camulus long ago gave this world up, abandoned its people to fate. Which of his pathetic lieutenants do you truly serve? Grannus? You tell your god that I have kept the people of this world safe from harm for a thousand years, and I will continue to do so long after he is forgotten. I have kept this world not through the charity or ignorance of my enemies. I have kept this world because I have earned it, and I will kindly ask you to leave and never return!"
He thrust his hand forward on the last word, and thunder roared. Lightning erupted from the clouds overhead and the Jaffa managed only a few strangled screams before they were incinerated. After a moment, Hapy lowered his hand, shook his head, and said, "Every few hundred years. Like clockwork." He sighed heavily, smiled, and said, "Why is everyone on their knees?"
The crowd erupted in a cheer.
#
Janet was brought back to the village on a litter and one of her doctors gave her a cast for her ankle. Meret stood to one side, a bandage instead of a blue lotus on the side of her head. Sam entered the hospital and hesitated when she saw who Janet's guest was. When Meret and Janet both turned, Sam had no choice but to continue on. "Hey. How's the patient doing?"
"Proving the adage that doctors make the worst patients," the doctor said. He slapped Janet's leg and said, "Should be good as new in a few weeks."
"Looks like you got lucky," Sam said.
"Lucky? I missed the entire light show."
Meret laughed. "Hapy does have a flair for the dramatic. He only regrets he was unable to provide assistance earlier in the invasion. He was, unfortunately, asleep."
"He slept through that?" Sam said. "I can't even sleep through the garbage truck coming early in the morning."
Meret smiled and touched Janet's shoulder. "I'll see you before you leave?" Janet nodded and Meret bent down to briefly brush her lips against Janet's cheek. Sam fought down the surge of jealously the move caused, and stepped aside to let Meret leave.
When they were alone, Sam cleared her throat and said, "Must not be easy to walk away from this." She nodded at the cast. "Figuratively speaking."
"Even if I hadn't gotten injured, I didn't have much of a choice. They need more help than I can provide," Janet said. "I'll check in with them on occasion, but other than that I couldn't give them what they needed."
"Check in with them... and with Meret?"
Janet blushed and looked away. "No. Meret was... a momentary thing. There's someone else I'm interested in." She swallowed and refused to look at Sam.
Sam moved closer to Janet's bed. "I think that someone else is interested in you, too."
Janet met Sam's eyes and smiled. "Yeah?"
Sam lifted Janet's hand and kissed the knuckles. "Are they going to set you up with a wheelchair?"
"Crutches. A wheelchair wouldn't do much on the terrain out there."
"Ah, right. I was kind of hoping I could push you."
"You already got to carry me. What else do you want?" Sam raised an eyebrow and Janet laughed. "Okay. So now I have to worry about double entendres?"
"Yes," Sam said. She looked to make sure they were alone, then bent down and kissed Janet's lips. "I'll come get you after we're done talking to Hapy."
"I'll be waiting."
Sam brushed her hand over Janet's shoulder and reluctantly left the hospital.
#
Hapy was overseeing the reconstruction of a home, leaving the lost spire of his castle for another day. If nothing else convinced Jack O'Neill that Hapy was a different kind of Goa'uld, then seeing him put others first sealed the deal. "I can only apologize it took me so long to discover what was occurring. Four times I have had to defend my right to this world. Not much, in the grand scheme. But enough to be annoying."
"Right," O'Neill said. "Listen... this whole... sleeping through the end of the world thing. I'm not buying it."
"Buy?"
"I don't believe you."
Hapy shrugged. "I have always enjoyed the refreshing benefits of a good night's rest. A luxury, to be sure, but--"
"I sent Teal'c out to your 'workshop.' He snooped around a little." Hapy's smile faded. "Want to explain why someone who doesn't use a sarcophagus... has a sarcophagus?"
Hapy closed his eyes and let his shoulders sag. "I do not use it frequently. Only when necessary, unlike my brethren who use it as a... a mood enhancer. Should my host become ill or suffer a debilitating injury, I use the sarcophagus rather than taking another host. It makes the time between transfers longer. It is for the benefit of the people."
Daniel said, "You got the illness going through the village."
Hapy nodded. "The Goa'uld could not combat it alone. I did not wish to force an election on my people so soon."
O'Neill said, "So you did it to help your people? The people who are currently dying of the illness you just cured yourself of." Hapy looked away. "Our planet is prepared to provide resources to you. We're willing to put a lot of time, money and effort into helping your people. But a lot of people will still die."
"The sarcophagus changes you."
"Desperate measures," O'Neill said. "I'm not saying let them use it every time someone breaks their leg. But to stop an illness that's threatening to wipe out your people? It's time you gave up the secret. For the benefit of your people."
Hapy nodded. "There is much truth in what you say, Colonel."
"Yeah. Every now and then I get a little wood on the ball."
"Perhaps I could also allow you the benefit of the sarcophagus."
"No," O'Neill said without hesitation.
"Not you specifically. But perhaps... a member of your team."
O'Neill glanced at Hapy and then looked at Daniel. "What did you have in mind?"
#
Janet tested her weight on the foot that had, until a moment ago, been encased in plaster. "Not bad," she said. "But now I feel guilty for wasting all that plaster."
Teal'c withdrew the hand he had extended to help Janet balance. "Dr. Fraiser. Are you certain you are unharmed?"
"I'm... fine. It feels a little peculiar," Janet said, smiling nervously. "My brain knows I had a broken ankle two hours ago, so it's reluctant to let me move on it. Plus, I kind of made a promise to myself that I would never use one of these."
"Well, it was either that or hobbling around for a month or two," O'Neill said. "The SGC can't afford to have you out of commission for that long. Just... tell us if you start developing megalomaniacal tendencies." He squinted at her and said, "Well... any more than usual."
"Ha-ha," Janet said.
The workshop was a large stone structure, built like a labyrinth. There was indeed a workshop, but the sarcophagus was located deeper into the structure. Janet and her medical team supervised the transport of the sick to the workshop, carrying those in the worst shape in litters. Healthy villagers helped in the transportation, and also in assisting the sick into the sarcophagus. It took several hours, and twilight was settling by the time Janet finally allowed them to use the technology to heal her foot.
"Don't get too used to this thing," Daniel said. "Trust me, it takes its toll."
"I've used it four times in the past five hundred years, and I still feel the darkness for a long time afterward. Trust me, Dr. Jackson, I am aware of the dangers it represents. And now that it has been revealed to the people, I fear they will be unable to help themselves from using it. Imagine, every time a loved one falls ill, or a child loses their sight. Imagine all the senseless accidents. How could I possibly refuse anyone the right to such technology?" He sighed and reached out as if to run his hand along the golden façade.
A moment later, something within the sarcophagus sparked. The light within the chamber flickered and failed, and within seconds, the golden box was nothing more than a decoration.
"You know, you could have given it to us," O'Neill said. "Research and backward engineering..."
"Perhaps. But I do not doubt it is better this way. Unless the humans of your world would be less tempted to make use of it."
O'Neill shrugged. "Good point." He checked his watch and said, "Okay. We can make it to the Gate in time for check-in, so what do you say we just call it a mission and head home?"
"Sounds good to me," Janet said. She turned to Hapy. "Even though your people have been healed of the disease, I'm going to send another medical team through in a couple of days. I want to make sure there can't be another outbreak like this."
"We would be in your debt, Dr. Fraiser. I thank you."
"Well," O'Neill said. "Everyone made it out in one piece, Camulus or whoever was pretending to be Camulus has been sent packing, and the illness has been cured. Hapy days are here again."
Daniel groaned and rolled his eyes. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"
"Thought of it on the way out here."
Janet looked to the back of the room and said, "Where is Sam?"
#
Meret sat on a stone near the entrance of the workshop, twisting the stem of a blue lotus flower between her fingers. Sam exited the building, saw her, and approached slowly. "Meret. Do you want to be alone?"
"No, please," Meret said. Sam approached and Meret smiled up at her. "How have the healings gone?"
"Very well. They've managed to heal almost everyone." Sam stopped a few feet from Meret and said, "Did you know about the sarcophagus?"
"He never used it in my lifetime. There were whispers, hints, of him going to the country and returning revitalized. I believed them to just be legends." She looked up at Sam and said, "May I ask you a personal question? You do not have to answer; Janet told me your people value their privacy above all else."
Sam said, "You can ask, but I won't promise to answer."
Meret nodded. "That's fair." She looked out over the rough countryside. "There is a person on your team who cares deeply for you. I do not wish to reveal their identity, out of respect for their privacy, but I thought you should know. I believe you feel the same way. It would be a pity if you did not allow yourself happiness for fear of rejection."
"Did she say anything?" Sam said. "To... I mean, when you were..."
"You know?" Meret said.
Sam looked at the ground. "She told me she loved me."
Meret's face brightened. "Oh, Major Carter. I am thrilled for you. And you love her as well?"
"Yes," Sam whispered.
"Then erase the reasons you have concocted for not being with her. Move past them. You will find it easier to ignore them than to beat your head upon them. And once you have crossed that barrier, you will find so much peace. And from what I have seen, you deserve peace more than most." She stood and held out the blue lotus. "This is for you. Your love has one, too. Find her. Give her the flower."
Sam nodded and took the flower. She twisted the stem between her own fingers and nodded. "Thank you."
"Consider it a gift, for saving our people." She leaned forward and kissed Sam's lips. It was a chaste kiss, and both women kept their eyes open for the duration. When Meret withdrew, she said, "You should go find her."
Sam nodded. They returned to the workshop just as SG-1 and Hapy were on their way out. "Ah, there she is," O'Neill said. "Doc was getting worried about you."
"Sorry," Sam said, more to Janet than her CO. She tucked the flower into her vest before the rest of her team could see it.
"It's okay," Janet said.
"Would you care to accompany us to the Stargate?" Daniel asked Hapy. "There's so much I would like to ask you. Maybe there's hope for other Goa'uld to overcome their genetic memory brainwashing. Maybe there's a chance there are others like you out there."
"I am sorry, but I must refuse for now. I thank you for the invitation, but there is much to do here. Dismantling the sarcophagus for one. Meret, my dear, will you lend a hand?"
"Of course, beloved," Meret said.
Hapy nodded to her and turned to the team. "We will keep in contact. Your medical teams have assured me they will do their best to make sure we never suffer another plague such as this. And perhaps we can also avoid another confrontation with my terrible brethren."
"We'll do what we can," Daniel said. He shook Hapy's hand, then turned to O'Neill.
"Madame Meret, Hapy," O'Neill said. "I can officially say, now that I've known you for a while, that it has been a pleasure."
Meret smiled. "Thank you for giving us a chance, Colonel."
"You have taken a great deal of humor from my name, Colonel. Do you, by chance, know what Oh'nil means in our native tongue?" Meret rolled her eyes and covered her smile with one hand.
O'Neill frowned and looked between them. "No... what?"
"Perhaps it is best you do not know."
"Wait, hold on, what does it mean?"
"Farewell, SG-1," Hapy said, waving as he returned to the dark interior of the workshop.
"What does it mean?" O'Neill shouted again as Daniel pushed him onto the trail.
Sam and Janet fell into step together, following the still-grousing O'Neill and Daniel. Janet bumped Sam's elbow with her own and said, "Hey."
"Hey. How's the ankle?"
"Good. I'm almost past the mental block I put up telling me not to put pressure on it."
"I'm glad." Sam reached into her vest and withdrew the blue lotus. "Meret... told me to give this to you. I think it's symbolic."
Janet took the flower, smiled, and smelled the bright yellow center. She didn't break stride as she turned to face Sam and stretched up to stick the flower behind her ear. "There. Yellow and blue. Brings out your hair and your eyes. It's gorgeous."
Sam blushed and faced forward.
Up ahead, O'Neill said to Daniel, "You're the linguist. What do you think it means?"
Janet looked over her shoulder to see Teal'c was more interested in surveying the damage from the attack than eavesdropping on their conversation. "I think when we get back, I can ask Colonel O'Neill to take Cassandra for an evening so we can... talk about what happened out here."
"I don't think so," Sam said.
Janet looked crestfallen and nodded. "Oh. Well, we can do that, too."
"No," Sam said. "I meant I don't think we need to talk about it. Colonel O'Neill can take Cassandra for the night, and you and I can... can make up for lost time."
Janet smiled and dipped her chin. She reached out, brushed the back of her hand against Sam's, and nodded. "Okay. Okay, we can do that, too."
"Good," Sam said.
A few seconds later, O'Neill turned to Daniel and snapped, "What do you mean it's an STD?"
#
Janet closed her eyes. The petals of the blue lotus flower brushed through her bangs, over her forehead. They traced her nose, hesitated on her lips, and then dipped down. It circled her breasts and her lips trembled as she tried not to laugh. The flower dipped down, over her stomach like fluttering butterfly wings, and then paused between her legs. Janet gathered her nightgown and bent her knees slightly.
The flower traveled back up and Janet opened her eyes.
Sam touched the flower to Janet's cheek, smiled, and bent down to kiss Janet's lips. Janet guided Sam's hand out, stretching their arms to drop the flower on the nightstand next to its twin. She threaded her fingers through Sam's, and pulled her hand back. Sam smiled and covered Janet's body with her own.
They had a lot of lost time to make up for.
Title: Hard Times in Bad Lands, Part Two
Author: geonncannon
Pairing: Sam/Janet, Janet/f
Word Count: 19,091
Category: Action, first time
Spoilers: Stargate the Movie, Jolinar's Memories, The Devil You Know, The Changeling
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about these ladies.
Rating: NC17
Author's Notes: This is for mlspikie, as a thank-you for my birthday presents.
Summary: SG-1 responds to a call for help only to discover an unusual situation.
Go Read Part One First!
Part Two
Janet woke the next morning, lying flat on her stomach. She looked at sunlight streaming in through the bizarre, arched window for a moment before remembering where she was, and why she was so sore. And so satisfied. She smiled and pressed her face into the pillow. She was amazed she had gotten any sleep at all. She twisted, tangling herself in the sheets, and looked around her room. "Meret? Djeserit?" She held the sheet to her chest and sat up.
The room was empty. No sign that anything had happened the night before. Janet felt slightly disappointed, but she knew there could be no strings. A fleeting pleasure. Still, she had hoped the night before had meant something to Meret as well.
She wrapped the sheet around herself and climbed out of bed. When she looked up, she caught sight of herself in a wide, oval mirror across the room. She did a double-take, then reached up to touch the blue-and-white lotus flower tucked behind her ear. She smiled, plucked the flower and inhaled the scent.
Maybe it didn't have to be so fleeting after all.
#
Sam didn't sleep at all that night. She sat in her quarters and stared out the window at the village below. She spent most of the time chiding herself for crying. It wasn't like Janet was hers, or that she had made any attempt to let Janet know how she felt. And good for her, getting lucky on an alien world. It wasn't like she had any time on Earth for herself. Between taking care of Cassandra and the job, she couldn't possibly attempt to juggle a relationship.
Around dawn, Sam remembered some of her own greatest hits. Dana, in DC, lying on the couch in Sam's apartment. Sam crawling over Dana, both of them in underwear and tank tops, Sam nuzzling the silky red hair and joking, "Why so serious?" before Dana rolled over and said, "We need to talk." Or Karen in Santa Barbara. That had worked well for a while; they enjoyed each other's company while they climbed their respective corporate ladders. When the relationship ran its course, they parted company amicably and moved on.
Sam was never unfaithful to the women she dated, but there was always a third wheel in the relationship. The United States Air Force. When she met Janet, there had been a spark. But she ignored it. Trying to juggle a work relationship with an outside-work relationship was hard enough, but trying to do it while keeping both parties in the closet... and then Cassandra arrived, and Sam knew she couldn't burden the girl with yet another secret she would have to keep.
And now it had been six years, and somewhere along the way, Janet became permanently out of reach. Why do I feel so heartbroken? It's not like I've been carrying a torch for her all these years. Sam laced her fingers behind her neck and leaned back. No, she argued with herself, But you have spent six years in very close quarters with a beautiful, funny, intelligent woman who you could have loved if you'd given yourself a chance. And the thought of losing the potential is heartbreaking.
There was a knock on the door and Daniel said, "Sam? We're all meeting in the main hall, if you're ready."
Sam grabbed the jacket off the foot of the bed and said, "Yeah. I'm coming."
She shrugged into the jacket as she followed Daniel down the corridor. She forced herself from looking at Janet's door as they walked past, refusing to acknowledge anything about this morning was different than any other morning. Janet was no virgin. She had probably been with a lot of women in the past. The only difference last night was that Sam was unlucky enough to witness the opening ceremonies.
They entered the main hall to find O'Neill, Teal'c and Janet already present. Sam refused to look at Janet for fear of seeing the 'morning after' glow. She instead joined O'Neill at the window. He was looking out over the village, a similar view to the one Sam had watched all night. He glanced at her and said, "Well, I hope everyone else got a good night's sleep, too."
"Sorry, sir," Sam said, although she thought it was ironic to apologize for oversleeping when she was probably the only team member who hadn't gotten any sleep at all. "It won't happen again."
He waved off the apology and turned to the rest of the team. "We've seen how he operates, how he treats his people, so... for the time being, I say we put our focus firmly on the patients. Their well-being is paramount. If Hapy doesn't do anything untoward, fine. We'll help his people and head home with a thank-you for the cornbread last night. Daniel, today you do what you do best; snoop around. Find out Hapy's and history, see if it jibes with what he told us. Maybe there's a reason he and the rest of the Goa'uld aren't a great big happy family."
"Nice one," Daniel said.
"Thank you. It's been harder than you would think." He turned to Teal'c. "T, head back to the Gate and check in with Hammond. Take the time to check out these Jaffarmers are really just hoeing the fields and planting the corn. Carter, you can assist Fraiser in the..."
"No," Sam said. She realized how blunt her refusal was, and cleared her throat. "I mean... Janet can handle it without me. And if I get close enough to the people of the village, I can tell if there are any Goa'uld trying to blend in with the rest of the population."
"Sensing Goa'uld has become difficult since losing my symbiote," Teal'c admitted.
"Well, if the Doc doesn't mind losing her assistant for the day...?"
Janet was looking at Sam, but shook her head. "No. I should manage."
Daniel said, "I'm almost afraid to ask, but... what will you be doing, Jack?"
O'Neill held his hands out to indicate the palace around them. "Wandering the halls of the Hapy-iest place on Earth. Or P42-817. You know what I mean." He waved them away. "Go on. Get out of here."
Sam and Teal'c turned to leave the corridor. Just before Sam left, she heard Daniel speaking to Janet. "If you need someone to take Sam's place, I'd be happy to put off my, ah, snooping."
"No, that's all right, Daniel. I'll ask Meret to lend me a hand."
Sam clenched her teeth and shook her head as she followed Teal'c outside.
#
Teal'c remained silent as they passed through the village, hands clasped behind his back and returning the smiles and greetings of people they passed. Once they passed through the archway and found the path leading to the Stargate, he said, "These people appear quite contradictory. They are aware of worlds beyond their own, yet they know not of the threat posed by the Goa'uld. They do not fear."
"No, they don't," Sam muttered.
"They in fact seem quite open to creating a good relationship with our people."
Sam scoffed and shook her head, scanning the trees as they walked.
"Major Carter." She turned her head to look at him. "When I am the talkative one in a conversation, it is usually a sign that something is amiss."
She couldn't help but smile at that. "Sorry, Teal'c. I just have a lot on my mind this morning. I didn't really sleep well. Or at all."
He nodded slightly. "I see. I did not think the sound would travel so far as to disturb your sleep."
"Sound?"
He looked hesitant. "My quarters shared a wall with that of Dr. Fraiser."
Sam closed her eyes. "Oh. Um... yeah."
"I have found myself able to sleep through most disturbances at the SGC. However, the sounds Dr. Fraiser--"
"Teal'c," Sam said. "Can we please not talk about it?"
"Very well." He remained silent for most of their trip to the Stargate, but spoke again when they could see the clearing. "I have spoken with several of the Jaffa loyal to Hapy. They do not view him as a god, though they bear his mark proudly."
Sam said, "I haven't seen the mark clearly. What is it?"
"Two curled lines intertwined," Teal'c said. "It symbolizes how Hapy joined together Upper and Lower Egypt on your planet."
Sam smiled. "Did you get that from Daniel?"
Teal'c inclined his head. "Indeed. I have found a great many parallels between Earth mythology and--" He suddenly stopped in his tracks at the edge of the clearing, taking a moment the scan the grass.
Sam lifted her gun slightly. The rest of SG-1 never took Teal'c's gut instincts for granted. "What is it?"
"Someone has been here recently," he said. He dropped into a crouch and ran his palm across the blades of grass. He rubbed his fingers and Sam saw the morning dew and remnants of the previous night's storm still wet on his skin. She looked again at the clearing and saw subtle paths cut through the grass. Someone had walked through the clearing either to or from the Stargate, and very recently. Teal'c was standing again, looking at the forest surrounding the Gate.
"We would have seen them on the path."
"If they did not wish to be seen, they would have avoided the path at all costs. However, that does not mean they did not see us." He walked to the DHD and scanned the buttons. "They are still here. The DHD has not been disturbed."
Sam grabbed her radio and spotted footprints in the mud at the edge of the clearing. A lot of footprints. "Colonel, come in."
"O'Neill here."
"Sir, we may have some uninvited guests on the way."
#
Janet spent most of the morning showing the local doctors how to care for the patients, to make them as comfortable as possible and lessen the symptoms as best they could. During a quiet period, Meret approached Janet and said, "I don't think I've thanked you for everything you have done for us. Thank you, Janet, for working so hard to save the lives of my people."
"I think you thanked me a lot last night," Janet said. "But that may have been for something different."
Meret smiled and touched Janet's arm.
"As for helping your people... all I can do right now is somewhat alleviate their pain. There are drugs on Earth, but they haven't been approved by the FDA." She realized she was speaking to an alien and said, "Oh. Um, there's a whole process that drugs have to go through before they're deemed safe to use. In case of side effects or unforeseen complications. I'm going to try to put in for a clinical trial, pull some strings, but the fact that the test subjects are not from Earth..." She frowned. "That might actually be a plus for those buffoons, now that I think about it. They wouldn't view it as endangering human lives."
"No matter their reasoning, we would welcome their help."
"Me too," Janet said. She was about to speak again when her radio came to life.
"Fraiser, come in."
"Colonel."
"Are you alone?"
Janet excused herself, letting her fingers trail down Meret's arm as she stepped away. "I am now. What's going on?"
"Teal'c's spidey-sense tingled when he and Carter got to the Gate. He thinks we should be expecting some unwelcome visitors. If you've got a way to lock down that hospital, I suggest you do it."
"Yes, sir." Janet returned to Meret's side. "Is there a way we can fortify this place?"
"Why?"
"The ugly side of Hapy's family tree is on their way."
#
O'Neill and Daniel left the castle and headed for the brick wall that marked the edge of the village. "They snuck through the Stargate and quietly made their way to town. Why would they do that?"
"Maybe they've been coming here a long time. Maybe Hapy isn't as happy with his little corner of the universe as he's led us to believe."
"So he's secretly working with another Goa'uld? To what end?"
"To the same end they always have, Daniel," Jack said. "More power, more followers, more riches. You know the Goa'uld."
"And the Goa'uld know us," Daniel said. "We spent the night in Hapy's castle without being taken prisoner. He's left us alone."
O'Neill stopped at the entrance of the village and looked at the trees. He thought for a moment and then looked back at the castle. "He has left us alone. Did you see him this morning?"
"No. I just assumed he--"
O'Neill started back toward the castle at a run. "Maybe the Jaffa got here earlier than Teal'c thought."
#
Teal'c held up a fist and Sam stopped behind him. She crouched and scanned the forest around them. She didn't sense any movement, but she knew that Teal'c could probably tell if a butterfly flapped its wings in China. He moved his head slowly as he examined the darkness between the trees. He shook his head and they both rose and began their trek back to town.
"The distress signal," Sam said. Teal'c glanced at her over his shoulder, but didn't slow. "That has to be it. A Goa'uld heard the signal and decided to check the planet out. He wants to make sure the people don't post a threat before he makes his move." She looked up as if she could see the orbiting pyramid ship with her naked eyes.
"A likely scenario," Teal'c said.
"The Prometheus is evacuating former followers of Camulus from a nearby planet."
Teal'c nodded. "We are near the farthest reaches of his territory. It stands to reason--" Teal'c suddenly straightened and turned his eyes to the sky.
Before Sam could even wonder what had caught his attention, a bolt of yellow flame streaked across the sky. It impacted somewhere within the city walls with a deafening explosion. The ground trembled beneath their feet. "Looks like Camulus didn't think too much of Hapy's defenses."
"Indeed," Teal'c said. He and Sam ran the rest of the way back to the village as the ship opened fire again.
#
O'Neill and Daniel were nearly to the castle when the attack began.
The first blast came out of nowhere and took out one of the tallest spires of the castle. It erupted like a firecracker and the streak of energy continued until it obliterated a small block of homes. The impact knocked both men off their feet and caused a tremor that damaged every other house in sight. The ship in orbit continued to fire, curiously focusing its attention on the area outside of town, to the south. People began screaming, leaving their homes either to see what had happened or out of fear they would be next.
O'Neill got to his feet and pulled Daniel up, looking around for the best position. "If whoever is upstairs decides to just level this whole place from the comfort of his ship, there's not a hell of a lot we can do."
"The Prometheus isn't far away," Daniel said, coughing as smoke wafted past them. "Maybe they could even the playing field a little."
"Right, but since I left my intergalactic cell phone back at the SGC, let's work on a plan B." He grunted, and then finally settled on the most appealing choice. "We need to get these people out of here."
"Jack, some of these people are sick. We can't take them back to the SGC and risk exposing them to..."
"Then we'll take 'em to the Alpha Site, take care of them there. I'm making this shit up as I go along, Daniel, work with me!"
"Right, sorry."
"Come on. Let's make sure the hospital wasn't hit."
They headed down a side street just as an inhumanly loud voice filled the air.
"People of this world. Bow before your new god and master, Camulus. Your former god was weak and unworthy. I will bring you such health and prosperity as you have never known. If you refuse, your world will be laid flat and you shall all perish."
Daniel said, "Health? Why would he mention..." He closed his eyes as realization dawned. "Oh, God. The distress call. Camulus must have heard it and came to take advantage of their weakened state."
"Swell guy," O'Neill said.
"My Jaffa are already among you," Camulus continued. "Should they meet with any resistance, you will be destroyed."
O'Neill muttered, "We know you have a choice when it comes to asshole overlords, and we thank you for flying with Camulus Airlines. You are now free to move about the--" His comment was cut off by the butt of a staff weapon clipping him on the chin. O'Neill staggered back and the Jaffa stepped out of the alley. O'Neill brought his weapon up and said, "Well. They always told me talking would get me into trouble."
"Tau'ri," the Jaffa sneered.
"Jaffa," O'Neill sneered in the same manner. "Looks like we have a stalemate. Which one of us do you think is the faster draw, do you think? Care to test it?"
"I will bring you before Lord Camulus, and I shall be greatly rewarded."
"Yeah. Or I could just let him shoot you."
The Jaffa's frown turned into a shout of pain as the staff blast hit him square in the back. O'Neill stepped out of the way as the Jaffa fell, then bent down and stole his staff weapon. He tossed it to Teal'c, who caught it one-handed. "Call it a souvenir. Nice timing."
Teal'c shifted the weapon to his other hand, his fingers stretched around it and his own staff weapon. "There were no sign of Jaffa in the woods."
O'Neill was still massaging his chin where the Jaffa had hit him. "Yeah. I think they've all closed up town. No one in or out."
"Was Hapy in the palace when it went up?"
"No clue. Haven't seen him today. We were just on our way to the hospital to make sure it didn't get hit."
He thought he saw Sam tense at the mention of the hospital, but he put it off as concern for Janet.
#
Meret lifted her head and said, "What's that sound?" just before the castle exploded. The resulting tremor threw Janet and Meret both off their feet, but Janet managed to catch the edge of a patient's bed to keep from falling. The few patients who were strong enough sat up and looked around, wondering if hallucinations were part of their illness. Janet pushed herself up and said, "Everyone, please, stay calm. Stay in your beds."
The front door of the building swung open and three heavily-armored Jaffa stepped inside. "Remain where you are!" the one in the lead shouted. The other two aimed staff weapons at the gathered doctors and patients. "Who is in charge here?"
Janet stepped forward. "I am. And I'm only going to ask you once to leave this place."
The Jaffa smirked. "Or you will harm me?"
"These people are sick. They need my full attention, and I cannot give them that with you aiming those weapons at me." She reached out and slapped one of the staff weapons aside. "It's not helping their mental state. So yes, leave, or I will force you to leave."
The lead Jaffa laughed and turned to look at the Jaffa to his right. "I do so enjoy it when they decide to fight." When he turned to face Janet again, the beaker she had thrown smashed between his eyes. He howled as the shards cut his flesh, and brought his hands up to try and wipe away the burning liquid that had been inside it. He turned and disappeared through the doorway, his screams echoing as he fled down the street.
Janet, who had kept her hand on the staff she pushed away, suddenly pulled it toward her. She put her foot out and, when she felt the hard metal of the Jaffa's chest plate against her shoe, pushed back with all her might. He stumbled back outside, but she kept her grip on his weapon.
She flipped it around and aimed it at the third Jaffa. "I said get out of my hospital!" she shouted.
The Jaffa turned to run, but stopped short. Janet heard the sound of gunfire and the Jaffa went down. A few seconds later, Sam appeared in the doorway and brought her gun up at the sight of the open staff weapon.
"Sam!"
"Janet," Sam breathed.
Janet was taken aback by the depth of emotion in Sam's eyes. Her gaze was strong, almost too strong to look at, but she kept eye contact.
The moment was broken by Daniel's arrival. He looked at the staff in Janet's hand and said, "Oh. Well. I guess you have things under control here."
"Wanna bet?" Janet said. "Any and all help is greatly appreciated."
Daniel said, "Where is Meret?"
"Oh, God," Janet said. She turned and ran back to where she had seen Meret fall. Her black hair was streaked with blood, her eyes closed. Janet gently rolled Meret onto her back and checked her eyes. She did a quick examination and breathed a sigh of relief. "She just hit her head. Sam, can you help me?"
"What do you need?" Sam asked.
"I need to move her onto a bed." They lifted Meret between them and moved her to an empty gurney. "I need to find something to stop the bleeding." As they gathered supplies, Janet said, "What was hit? We felt the explosion, so something must have gone."
"The castle," Sam said. "We don't know if Hapy was inside or not. None of us have seen him."
"Not... at the castle."
Janet touched Meret's cheek. "Don't speak, Djeserit. It's all right."
"No," Meret said. She swallowed hard, eyes squeezed shut against the pain. "Hapy... was not in the castle today. South of the village. His workshop. I believe he wished to... present you with a token of friendship."
Sam and Janet exchanged glances. Janet said, "Okay. Thank you. We'll make sure he's not hurt."
"Leave the village from the southern exit. Nearest... th-the tannery. It is nearly an hour's walk to the workshop. Hapy left early. He wished to surprise you... at this eve'al."
Janet made sure Meret's wound was dressed before handing her over to another doctor. They met O'Neill and Daniel at the entrance to the hospital. Sam said, "Meret told us that Hapy was outside town, doing something in some workshop. I think that's why Camulus was focusing his attack outside of town."
"Take Teal'c. Check it out."
"All due respect, sir," Sam said, "you'll need Teal'c here to deal with the Jaffa. But Hapy may be hurt. If you think the hospital can spare Janet..."
O'Neill only hesitated for a moment. "Okay. Go."
They started to leave, but Teal'c stopped them by holding one of his staff weapons out to Janet. "You appear to be proficient with this."
"Right," Janet said. She made a face of disapproval, but she took the weapon.
#
Sam led the way through town, making sure they didn't cross any Jaffa patrols. The people of the village were being gathered up and moved toward the center of town, near the castle. Sam quietly dispatched the Jaffa guarding a southern exit with a quick slip of the knife. She wiped the blood on her uniform slacks as Janet came out of hiding and looked at the body. "Do you do that often?"
"I've only done it once before," Sam said. "And that's twice too many times. Come on."
Sam wasn't sure why she had suggested that Janet come with her. On the surface, it made sense to have a doctor in case one of Camulus' blasts had hit the target. But one of Janet's fellow physicians would have been just as good. The truth was that Sam wanted to spend time with Janet, even if they were under fire and running for their lives. Not to mention the fact that taking Janet would keep her away from Meret.
Outside the city walls, Sam knelt next to the last group of trees and looked at the land from a tactical viewpoint. The forest died away almost immediately, giving way to wide, rolling hills edged with dangerously sharp rocks protruding from the ground like the planet's broken bones. She could see impact craters where Camulus' weapons had hit. "Not a lot of cover out here," Sam said.
"Looks like the coast of Scotland."
Sam frowned. "You've been to Scotland?"
"Mm-hmm," Janet said.
Sam let the matter drop. "Okay. We're going to be out in the open for a long time. Are you ready?"
"I think so."
"Do you really know how to use that thing?" Sam asked, nodding at the staff weapon.
Janet hefted the weapon, aimed it, and caused the bell at the far end to snap open. "I think I have it," Janet said. "Hopefully I won't have to use it."
"That's no attitude to have," Sam said. "You either plan to use it, or you stay behind."
Janet blinked, surprised at the sharpness in Sam's voice. "Right. I'm sorry. I'm more used to being a doctor than a soldier. I'm sorry."
"It's all right. I'm sorry." She swallowed hard and turned away, eyeing the terrain. "Okay. It's now or never. Are you ready?" Janet nodded, and they broke cover. Sam took the immediate lead, making sure she didn't leave Janet too far behind. Sam constantly scanned the horizon, keeping an eye out for either Hapy's workshop or Jaffa in pursuit of the self-proclaimed 'lazy Goa'uld.'
They had been running for nearly ten minutes when Sam heard Janet cry out. She turned in time to see Janet sprawl on the ground, the staff weapon half-tossed out of her reach. Sam turned back and knelt next to Janet's head. "What happened? Are you all right?"
"I think I twisted my ankle," Janet said.
Sam looked at Janet's legs and saw the toe of Janet's right boot stuck between two thick stones. It was twisted at an unnatural angle, the sole still almost flat to the ground despite Janet's seated position. "I think it's worse than that," Sam said. "I think it's broken."
"Ah, shit," Janet groaned.
Sam sat up and looked around. Nothing even resembling cover for miles, and they were much too far away from the town to turn back. They had no idea where Hapy's workshop was or if she could carry Janet there on her own.
Janet was already pouring herself a handful of pain pills. She swallowed them dry and said, "Look, Sam, just leave me here..."
"No," Sam said.
"Sam, you have no choice. You have to find Hapy..."
"And if he's injured? I'll have to carry him and you back to the city. You're my priority now." She moved down Janet's body and carefully removed her foot from the crevasse. She tested the flesh through Janet's boot and was relieved to discover the bone hadn't broken the skin. "We have to get you back to the hospital."
"Sam, if Hapy dies..."
"Fuck Hapy," Sam said. "If he dies, then it's bad for the people of this world. If anything happens to you..." She stopped herself before she could finish the thought. She helped Janet roll over and said, "Come on. Let me help you up." She put Janet's arm across her shoulders and stood up slowly. Janet hissed, keeping her weight on her left foot, and leaned hard against Sam's side. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Fine."
They started back toward town, moving at a snail's pace now. Janet looked up and saw the red brick wall in the distance, a seemingly impossible stretch to cross. "Sam, even if we make it back to town... the Jaffa will..."
"I'm not giving up on you. I'm not leaving you here to die."
"Sam..."
"Be quiet. I can't talk and carry you at the same time."
"I was going to say thank you."
Sam looked away and tightened her grip on Janet's waist. "Come on. We're almost there. We just..." She recognized a noise that was suddenly filling the air, but she refused to acknowledge it. Instead, she began to speed up.
"What's..." Janet turned and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, no. Oh, God..."
The blast from Camulus' mothership slammed into the ground a hundred feet away from them. Sam and Janet were peppered with bits of flying debris and Janet buried her face against Sam's shoulder. "Do you think he saw us?"
"Either that or he's getting some target practice in with these rocks. Either way, we should probably..."
"Hurry the hell up," Janet said.
Sam looked over her shoulder and saw another bolt streaking through the atmosphere. She swallowed hard and said, "Janet, knowing I would never bring this up under any other circumstances, but you're small and I'm strong." She bent down, swept Janet's legs out from underneath her, and cradled Janet to her chest.
"Jack O'Neill doesn't hear a word of this," Janet said as she wrapped her arms around Sam's neck.
"Not a--" The world to their right exploded and Sam cringed, protecting her face from the debris. When it was safe to speak again, she said, "--peep."
The weapons fire began to pick up, constant ground strikes causing earthquakes and aftershocks to overlap. Soon Sam felt like the entire world was shaking apart. She tried hard not to jostle Janet, but it was unavoidable. Her arms and legs both protested as she ran for the relative safety of the village, but she knew she was never going to make it.
"Sam! There!"
Sam followed Janet's outstretched finger and saw a narrow crevasse in the hillside. It was ragged and narrow, but it would certainly qualify as cover. Another ground blast and Sam felt the heat of it against her back. Camulus was getting better aim, or he was getting tired of playing around. Whichever it was, Sam knew that there wasn't going to be anymore cat and mouse. She dropped to her knees next to the opening and said, "In, in. Go in." Janet crawled into the darkness on her hands and knees while Sam shed her jacket to cut down on her bulkiness.
Once she was safely inside, Sam crawled in as well. The sharp rock tugged at her T-shirt on one side, her body rubbing against Janet's on the other. She rolled onto her side, facing Janet, and looked down to make sure her boots were all the way in. She unhooked her flashlight from her belt, and Janet yelped. "Sorry." Sam turned the light on, blinked at the brightness, and used the beam to examine their hiding spot.
The opening stretched for another forty yards or so before it became too narrow for the light to penetrate. Janet shifted and there was another inch or two of space between them. Their backs were to the stone walls, their legs intertwined, and neither had much space to move. Janet managed a weak smile, her face lit from below like someone telling a ghost story at camp. Sam looked away and pretended to examine the rest of their hideout. "Hopefully Camulus will stop bombarding the area now, or else we may have just entombed ourselves."
"Will we be able to get out on our own?" Janet asked. "I'd hate to call Teal'c to come yank us out."
Sam shifted and placed one hand against the top of the crevasse, the other against the floor. She pushed herself down, inadvertently brushing her body against Janet's, and said, "Just push ourselves out," she said, returning to where she had been lying. She was face to face with Janet, both of them on their sides, and Sam had to close her eyes to ignore the intimacy of their position. She swallowed hard and said, "We should be safe here even if the bombardment continues. Are you all right? How is your ankle?"
"Fine," Janet said. "It's not the first tight space I've gotten myself into."
Sam smiled nervously. "We should conserve these batteries."
"Yeah," Janet said.
Sam turned off the flashlight and they were cast into darkness.
"Thank you for not leaving me behind, Sam."
"I couldn't have. Colonel O'Neill would have had my ass."
Janet chuckled in the dark. Sam realized then that she was completely safe, like in the darkness of her bedroom. She reached out and felt Janet, but it was easy to pretend she wasn't there. And if she wasn't really there, it would make what she wanted to do so much easier. She moved her hand to Janet's shoulder. She cupped Janet's face and leaned forward until their lips met. Janet made a quiet, surprised sound, and Sam withdrew. Her fingers were light against Janet's cheek, proof Janet was still there, and Sam breathed deep and caught Janet's scent in the air.
"Sam," Janet said. Her voice was a sigh that might as well have been a shout. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"
Sam whimpered and, unable to come up with anything coherent to say, instead kissed Janet again. This time the sound Janet made was inviting, eager. Sam teased with the tip of her tongue and Janet parted her lips. A moment later, their tongues touched and Janet balled her fists in the front of Sam's T-shirt to pull her closer.
They twisted against each other, thwarted by the confines of their hiding place. Janet moved her hands down, exploring Sam's breasts through her T-shirt and bra, while Sam moved her hands down to Janet's hips. She fought with the catch of Janet's trousers and broke the kiss, panting for air. "Is your ankle okay?"
"I don't have ankles right now," Janet groaned. "Touch me, Sam..."
Sam pushed her hand into Janet's pants, and they both moaned. Sam lowered her head and blindly searched until she found Janet's lips again. Janet tugged Sam's shirt up and pressed her hands against bare flesh. "Oh, Sam. I want to touch you."
Janet's hands were like fire against Sam's skin, and she hoped they would leave a mark. She nipped at Janet's bottom lip and brushed two fingers against Janet's underwear. Janet bent her uninjured leg and pressed her thigh between Sam's legs. "Ride it," Janet panted, and Sam began to rock against Janet's thigh. Janet pushed her hands higher and squeezed Sam's breasts through her bra. "I want to see you," Janet moaned. "Next time I want to see you, all of you, while you make love to me."
"Yes, Janet," Sam said. She kissed Janet's throat and bent down to kiss her breasts. She wished she could taste Janet's flesh, but for now she was satisfied with this. Janet's words - next time - rang in her head. Sam lifted her head and said, "Next time I want to see you when you come. I want to see all of you."
"Sam," Janet sighed. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out sharply, almost like a hiccup. "I'm going to come, Sam." She ran her hands over Sam's arms and gripped her shoulders.
Janet rocked against Sam, her thigh brushing between Sam's legs, and Sam slapped a hand over Janet's mouth to quiet her. "There are Jaffa everywhere," Sam warned. "Shh, shh..."
Janet twisted her head and Sam's fingers slipped into her mouth. She sucked on them as she trembled once more, every muscle tightening before she collapsed spent and weak to the stone ground. Sam slipped her fingers from Janet's mouth and covered her face with kisses. She took Janet's face in her hands and said, "Close your eyes." She kissed Janet's eyelids and then pulled back.
"We just had sex," Janet whispered.
Sam smiled and brushed her thumb over Janet's bottom lip. "Yeah, we did."
"I've wanted to do that... for some time."
Sam touched Janet's cheek with the back of her hand. "You're crying."
"I love you, Sam."
Sam closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to Janet's. "I wish I had known."
They kissed, slowly this time, taking the opportunity to get used to one another, and Janet ran her hands over Sam's body. When Sam broke the kiss, she said, "I didn't understand how I felt about you until I saw you last night. I wish I had understood. I wish I had been strong enough to... take that step."
"It doesn't matter. It's been taken."
"And we might die."
"At least we can go with one less regret."
Sam kissed Janet's lips. After a moment, she lifted her head and listened. "Camulus isn't shooting anymore. Maybe he thinks he got us. I should go get help," she said. "Let people know you've been hurt."
"If you have to."
Sam kissed Janet again. "There will be post-coital cuddling next time. I promise."
"The next what?"
Sam moved her lips to Janet's ear. Janet's hair tickled her nose and closed eyelids, and Janet's scent surrounded her. Sam pressed her lips to Janet's cheek and then whispered, "The next time I make love to you."
Janet moaned. "Hurry back."
Sam slid from the cave using the maneuver she had shown Janet earlier. She scanned the surrounding area for signs of Jaffa and then knelt next to the opening. Janet smiled back at her. "I'll be back as soon as I can," Sam promised. She handed Janet her handgun. "Use this if anyone you don't recognize tries to get you out of there, okay?"
"Okay."
"I'll stay in touch on the radio. I... love you, too."
Janet closed her eyes and said, "Go. Hurry."
Sam nodded and finally forced herself to leave Janet behind.
#
The city was preternaturally quiet. Several homes that they'd passed on their way out of town had been leveled. She heard no sounds of battle, no shouts from Jaffa seeking resistance. She prayed that the rest of SG-1 was safe, but she knew they wouldn't just sit around and wait for the Jaffa to round up and execute all of the citizens. She kept to the side streets as she walked through town, ever alert for signs of Jaffa.
A horn sounded, and Sam moved to a recessed doorway. They were gathering. But where? She scanned the rooftops and realized there was only one logical place; the courtyard of Hapy's castle. She checked the knob of the door where she was hiding and found it was unlocked. She slipped into the house, crossed a dining room where an interrupted breakfast stood cold on the table, and searched until she found a ladder leading up to the roof.
Sam climbed out onto the woven shingles of the roof, dropped into a crouch, and began running toward the next house. It was an easy enough jump, and she made it without breaking a sweat. She continued in this manner until she reached the center of town, a house with a clear view of the courtyard. Sure enough, a large group of villagers were gathered in front of an improvised stage. And right in the very front, identifiable by their green uniforms, knelt the rest of SG-1 and Janet's medical team.
"Wonderful," Sam muttered.
The stage was filled with Jaffa, far more than Sam could hope to eliminate on her own. Even if there was some way to get the team's attention, she didn't know what they would hope to accomplish without weapons. No matter what she did, people would die. She checked her ammo and eased forward. She stayed low enough that she hoped no one would be able to spot her, but the green camo made her stand out against the yellow shingles she crossed.
She leapt to another house and hid behind a chimney. She was close enough now to hear the Jaffa's speech. "--before your new god, Camulus. You will denounce your former, false god. When Camulus arrives, you will vow your loyalty to him. You will be put to work for him. You will vow to fight for him, to die for him."
"This we swear," the gathered villagers recited.
Sam couldn't help but feel sorrow at the defeat in their voices. They had survived so long in peace, only to be brought down by asking for help. It sickened her that anyone would use a distress call in such a way. It was like kicking someone while they were down. It just wasn't done. Sam sighted her P90 until she found the silver bald cap of the lead Jaffa. One bullet. Maybe it would cause enough confusion to let SG-1 make their move. Or maybe it would cause the other Jaffa to open fire on the captives, beginning with the pesky Tau'ri.
She was about to throw caution to the wind and open fire when the wind suddenly shifted. Sam lifted her head and looked at the sky, frowning as storm clouds suddenly massed over the courtyard. Where the hell did this come from? I thought last night's storm moved on. Instead of rain, a gust of wind suddenly blew through the village. Sam had to lower her weapon to keep from blowing off the roof.
"You fool!" a deep Goa'uld voice called out.
The captured villagers all turned in the direction of the voice. Hapy strode forward through the front gates of his palace, one hand extended. The red ruby of his ring glowed like a tiny sun. Sam remembered seeing a similar ring before, and she still winced at the memory of the hangover the lightning bolts had caused. Suddenly, she was hopeful again. She sighted on the Jaffa once more as Hapy began to speak.
"You claim to represent Camulus? I beg to differ. Camulus long ago gave this world up, abandoned its people to fate. Which of his pathetic lieutenants do you truly serve? Grannus? You tell your god that I have kept the people of this world safe from harm for a thousand years, and I will continue to do so long after he is forgotten. I have kept this world not through the charity or ignorance of my enemies. I have kept this world because I have earned it, and I will kindly ask you to leave and never return!"
He thrust his hand forward on the last word, and thunder roared. Lightning erupted from the clouds overhead and the Jaffa managed only a few strangled screams before they were incinerated. After a moment, Hapy lowered his hand, shook his head, and said, "Every few hundred years. Like clockwork." He sighed heavily, smiled, and said, "Why is everyone on their knees?"
The crowd erupted in a cheer.
#
Janet was brought back to the village on a litter and one of her doctors gave her a cast for her ankle. Meret stood to one side, a bandage instead of a blue lotus on the side of her head. Sam entered the hospital and hesitated when she saw who Janet's guest was. When Meret and Janet both turned, Sam had no choice but to continue on. "Hey. How's the patient doing?"
"Proving the adage that doctors make the worst patients," the doctor said. He slapped Janet's leg and said, "Should be good as new in a few weeks."
"Looks like you got lucky," Sam said.
"Lucky? I missed the entire light show."
Meret laughed. "Hapy does have a flair for the dramatic. He only regrets he was unable to provide assistance earlier in the invasion. He was, unfortunately, asleep."
"He slept through that?" Sam said. "I can't even sleep through the garbage truck coming early in the morning."
Meret smiled and touched Janet's shoulder. "I'll see you before you leave?" Janet nodded and Meret bent down to briefly brush her lips against Janet's cheek. Sam fought down the surge of jealously the move caused, and stepped aside to let Meret leave.
When they were alone, Sam cleared her throat and said, "Must not be easy to walk away from this." She nodded at the cast. "Figuratively speaking."
"Even if I hadn't gotten injured, I didn't have much of a choice. They need more help than I can provide," Janet said. "I'll check in with them on occasion, but other than that I couldn't give them what they needed."
"Check in with them... and with Meret?"
Janet blushed and looked away. "No. Meret was... a momentary thing. There's someone else I'm interested in." She swallowed and refused to look at Sam.
Sam moved closer to Janet's bed. "I think that someone else is interested in you, too."
Janet met Sam's eyes and smiled. "Yeah?"
Sam lifted Janet's hand and kissed the knuckles. "Are they going to set you up with a wheelchair?"
"Crutches. A wheelchair wouldn't do much on the terrain out there."
"Ah, right. I was kind of hoping I could push you."
"You already got to carry me. What else do you want?" Sam raised an eyebrow and Janet laughed. "Okay. So now I have to worry about double entendres?"
"Yes," Sam said. She looked to make sure they were alone, then bent down and kissed Janet's lips. "I'll come get you after we're done talking to Hapy."
"I'll be waiting."
Sam brushed her hand over Janet's shoulder and reluctantly left the hospital.
#
Hapy was overseeing the reconstruction of a home, leaving the lost spire of his castle for another day. If nothing else convinced Jack O'Neill that Hapy was a different kind of Goa'uld, then seeing him put others first sealed the deal. "I can only apologize it took me so long to discover what was occurring. Four times I have had to defend my right to this world. Not much, in the grand scheme. But enough to be annoying."
"Right," O'Neill said. "Listen... this whole... sleeping through the end of the world thing. I'm not buying it."
"Buy?"
"I don't believe you."
Hapy shrugged. "I have always enjoyed the refreshing benefits of a good night's rest. A luxury, to be sure, but--"
"I sent Teal'c out to your 'workshop.' He snooped around a little." Hapy's smile faded. "Want to explain why someone who doesn't use a sarcophagus... has a sarcophagus?"
Hapy closed his eyes and let his shoulders sag. "I do not use it frequently. Only when necessary, unlike my brethren who use it as a... a mood enhancer. Should my host become ill or suffer a debilitating injury, I use the sarcophagus rather than taking another host. It makes the time between transfers longer. It is for the benefit of the people."
Daniel said, "You got the illness going through the village."
Hapy nodded. "The Goa'uld could not combat it alone. I did not wish to force an election on my people so soon."
O'Neill said, "So you did it to help your people? The people who are currently dying of the illness you just cured yourself of." Hapy looked away. "Our planet is prepared to provide resources to you. We're willing to put a lot of time, money and effort into helping your people. But a lot of people will still die."
"The sarcophagus changes you."
"Desperate measures," O'Neill said. "I'm not saying let them use it every time someone breaks their leg. But to stop an illness that's threatening to wipe out your people? It's time you gave up the secret. For the benefit of your people."
Hapy nodded. "There is much truth in what you say, Colonel."
"Yeah. Every now and then I get a little wood on the ball."
"Perhaps I could also allow you the benefit of the sarcophagus."
"No," O'Neill said without hesitation.
"Not you specifically. But perhaps... a member of your team."
O'Neill glanced at Hapy and then looked at Daniel. "What did you have in mind?"
#
Janet tested her weight on the foot that had, until a moment ago, been encased in plaster. "Not bad," she said. "But now I feel guilty for wasting all that plaster."
Teal'c withdrew the hand he had extended to help Janet balance. "Dr. Fraiser. Are you certain you are unharmed?"
"I'm... fine. It feels a little peculiar," Janet said, smiling nervously. "My brain knows I had a broken ankle two hours ago, so it's reluctant to let me move on it. Plus, I kind of made a promise to myself that I would never use one of these."
"Well, it was either that or hobbling around for a month or two," O'Neill said. "The SGC can't afford to have you out of commission for that long. Just... tell us if you start developing megalomaniacal tendencies." He squinted at her and said, "Well... any more than usual."
"Ha-ha," Janet said.
The workshop was a large stone structure, built like a labyrinth. There was indeed a workshop, but the sarcophagus was located deeper into the structure. Janet and her medical team supervised the transport of the sick to the workshop, carrying those in the worst shape in litters. Healthy villagers helped in the transportation, and also in assisting the sick into the sarcophagus. It took several hours, and twilight was settling by the time Janet finally allowed them to use the technology to heal her foot.
"Don't get too used to this thing," Daniel said. "Trust me, it takes its toll."
"I've used it four times in the past five hundred years, and I still feel the darkness for a long time afterward. Trust me, Dr. Jackson, I am aware of the dangers it represents. And now that it has been revealed to the people, I fear they will be unable to help themselves from using it. Imagine, every time a loved one falls ill, or a child loses their sight. Imagine all the senseless accidents. How could I possibly refuse anyone the right to such technology?" He sighed and reached out as if to run his hand along the golden façade.
A moment later, something within the sarcophagus sparked. The light within the chamber flickered and failed, and within seconds, the golden box was nothing more than a decoration.
"You know, you could have given it to us," O'Neill said. "Research and backward engineering..."
"Perhaps. But I do not doubt it is better this way. Unless the humans of your world would be less tempted to make use of it."
O'Neill shrugged. "Good point." He checked his watch and said, "Okay. We can make it to the Gate in time for check-in, so what do you say we just call it a mission and head home?"
"Sounds good to me," Janet said. She turned to Hapy. "Even though your people have been healed of the disease, I'm going to send another medical team through in a couple of days. I want to make sure there can't be another outbreak like this."
"We would be in your debt, Dr. Fraiser. I thank you."
"Well," O'Neill said. "Everyone made it out in one piece, Camulus or whoever was pretending to be Camulus has been sent packing, and the illness has been cured. Hapy days are here again."
Daniel groaned and rolled his eyes. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"
"Thought of it on the way out here."
Janet looked to the back of the room and said, "Where is Sam?"
#
Meret sat on a stone near the entrance of the workshop, twisting the stem of a blue lotus flower between her fingers. Sam exited the building, saw her, and approached slowly. "Meret. Do you want to be alone?"
"No, please," Meret said. Sam approached and Meret smiled up at her. "How have the healings gone?"
"Very well. They've managed to heal almost everyone." Sam stopped a few feet from Meret and said, "Did you know about the sarcophagus?"
"He never used it in my lifetime. There were whispers, hints, of him going to the country and returning revitalized. I believed them to just be legends." She looked up at Sam and said, "May I ask you a personal question? You do not have to answer; Janet told me your people value their privacy above all else."
Sam said, "You can ask, but I won't promise to answer."
Meret nodded. "That's fair." She looked out over the rough countryside. "There is a person on your team who cares deeply for you. I do not wish to reveal their identity, out of respect for their privacy, but I thought you should know. I believe you feel the same way. It would be a pity if you did not allow yourself happiness for fear of rejection."
"Did she say anything?" Sam said. "To... I mean, when you were..."
"You know?" Meret said.
Sam looked at the ground. "She told me she loved me."
Meret's face brightened. "Oh, Major Carter. I am thrilled for you. And you love her as well?"
"Yes," Sam whispered.
"Then erase the reasons you have concocted for not being with her. Move past them. You will find it easier to ignore them than to beat your head upon them. And once you have crossed that barrier, you will find so much peace. And from what I have seen, you deserve peace more than most." She stood and held out the blue lotus. "This is for you. Your love has one, too. Find her. Give her the flower."
Sam nodded and took the flower. She twisted the stem between her own fingers and nodded. "Thank you."
"Consider it a gift, for saving our people." She leaned forward and kissed Sam's lips. It was a chaste kiss, and both women kept their eyes open for the duration. When Meret withdrew, she said, "You should go find her."
Sam nodded. They returned to the workshop just as SG-1 and Hapy were on their way out. "Ah, there she is," O'Neill said. "Doc was getting worried about you."
"Sorry," Sam said, more to Janet than her CO. She tucked the flower into her vest before the rest of her team could see it.
"It's okay," Janet said.
"Would you care to accompany us to the Stargate?" Daniel asked Hapy. "There's so much I would like to ask you. Maybe there's hope for other Goa'uld to overcome their genetic memory brainwashing. Maybe there's a chance there are others like you out there."
"I am sorry, but I must refuse for now. I thank you for the invitation, but there is much to do here. Dismantling the sarcophagus for one. Meret, my dear, will you lend a hand?"
"Of course, beloved," Meret said.
Hapy nodded to her and turned to the team. "We will keep in contact. Your medical teams have assured me they will do their best to make sure we never suffer another plague such as this. And perhaps we can also avoid another confrontation with my terrible brethren."
"We'll do what we can," Daniel said. He shook Hapy's hand, then turned to O'Neill.
"Madame Meret, Hapy," O'Neill said. "I can officially say, now that I've known you for a while, that it has been a pleasure."
Meret smiled. "Thank you for giving us a chance, Colonel."
"You have taken a great deal of humor from my name, Colonel. Do you, by chance, know what Oh'nil means in our native tongue?" Meret rolled her eyes and covered her smile with one hand.
O'Neill frowned and looked between them. "No... what?"
"Perhaps it is best you do not know."
"Wait, hold on, what does it mean?"
"Farewell, SG-1," Hapy said, waving as he returned to the dark interior of the workshop.
"What does it mean?" O'Neill shouted again as Daniel pushed him onto the trail.
Sam and Janet fell into step together, following the still-grousing O'Neill and Daniel. Janet bumped Sam's elbow with her own and said, "Hey."
"Hey. How's the ankle?"
"Good. I'm almost past the mental block I put up telling me not to put pressure on it."
"I'm glad." Sam reached into her vest and withdrew the blue lotus. "Meret... told me to give this to you. I think it's symbolic."
Janet took the flower, smiled, and smelled the bright yellow center. She didn't break stride as she turned to face Sam and stretched up to stick the flower behind her ear. "There. Yellow and blue. Brings out your hair and your eyes. It's gorgeous."
Sam blushed and faced forward.
Up ahead, O'Neill said to Daniel, "You're the linguist. What do you think it means?"
Janet looked over her shoulder to see Teal'c was more interested in surveying the damage from the attack than eavesdropping on their conversation. "I think when we get back, I can ask Colonel O'Neill to take Cassandra for an evening so we can... talk about what happened out here."
"I don't think so," Sam said.
Janet looked crestfallen and nodded. "Oh. Well, we can do that, too."
"No," Sam said. "I meant I don't think we need to talk about it. Colonel O'Neill can take Cassandra for the night, and you and I can... can make up for lost time."
Janet smiled and dipped her chin. She reached out, brushed the back of her hand against Sam's, and nodded. "Okay. Okay, we can do that, too."
"Good," Sam said.
A few seconds later, O'Neill turned to Daniel and snapped, "What do you mean it's an STD?"
#
Janet closed her eyes. The petals of the blue lotus flower brushed through her bangs, over her forehead. They traced her nose, hesitated on her lips, and then dipped down. It circled her breasts and her lips trembled as she tried not to laugh. The flower dipped down, over her stomach like fluttering butterfly wings, and then paused between her legs. Janet gathered her nightgown and bent her knees slightly.
The flower traveled back up and Janet opened her eyes.
Sam touched the flower to Janet's cheek, smiled, and bent down to kiss Janet's lips. Janet guided Sam's hand out, stretching their arms to drop the flower on the nightstand next to its twin. She threaded her fingers through Sam's, and pulled her hand back. Sam smiled and covered Janet's body with her own.
They had a lot of lost time to make up for.