FIC: "Nothing Ventured," Chapters 4 and 5
Because I suck at building suspense, and because it seems like everyone is just waiting until it's all posted to read anyway, I'm just going to post the rest of this now. :) Chapters 4 and 5 now, the rest in another post (since it's still pretty long).
Title: Nothing Ventured
Author: geonncannon
Pairing: Sam/Teal'c, Daniel/Vala
Word Count: 26,188
Category: Drama, Action
Spoilers: Children of the Gods, Serpent's Venom, The Curse, Paradise Lost, Chimera, Heroes, Prometheus Unbound, Reckoning, Threads, Avalon, Ex Deus Machina, Counterstrike, Bounty, Talion, Unending, Ark of Truth,
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. This story is not canon, but I'll try to stick to canon as much as possible (with some secks thrown in, of course. ;-)).
Rating: NC17
Author's Notes: I was inspired to do this by reading the ST:TNG relaunch novels. This continues the story post-Ark of Truth to tie in the narrative to Stargate Atlantis Seasons 4 and 5, and Continuum. Ambitious of me, ain't it? ;-)
Summary: Teal'c debates his place in the universe while SG-1 tries to bring down a splintered faction of the Lucian Alliance.
Chapter Four,
Vala put both hands in the middle of Teal'c's chest, trying in vain to hold him back. The heels of her boots dug into the dirt road, but he wasn't even slowed by her interference. They had been on the outskirts of town, examining the remnants of what looked like a guard tower equipped with a laser, when the aborted call came through. Teal'c hadn't even waited for the entire message to play before he was headed back toward town.
Vala finally gave up on trying to hold him back herself and grunted, "Daniel, a little help, please?"
Daniel said, "Teal'c, we all heard the message--"
"Colonel Carter is in danger."
"Yes, and at the moment, we're probably her only chance of getting out of that danger. But we won't last very long if we go running in there half-cocked. It doesn't mean what you think," he said to Vala's arched eyebrows. "We need to figure out what's happening, and we need to know who we can trust. Okay? Teal'c?"
Teal'c glared at Daniel with murder in his eyes, his jaw working furiously. Finally, he stopped his forward advance. Vala, no longer meeting resistance, slumped against his chest and nearly fell. She patted his arm and said, "Good man, Muscles. I didn't want to have to hurt you."
"We must act quickly, Daniel Jackson."
Daniel said, "Well, they went with Solele, right? So we know that whatever happened, they have him watching their backs."
"Of course, she called for Colonel Mitchell as well," Vala pointed out. "If they were separated..."
Teal'c said, "There is a chance Rameris sent ground troops ahead in order to gauge public opinion. If Colonels Mitchell and Carter unexpectedly encountered a patrol, they may not have had time to defend themselves. We must act quickly."
Daniel nodded. "Right, but we need to act with as much information as possible. We need to talk to Abelard."
Teal'c hesitated, obviously eager to pursue whoever was harming his teammates, but he understood the wisdom in what Daniel was saying. "Very well," he growled. He looked toward the town and silently said the first prayer of his adult life; praying that Samantha was unharmed.
#
At first, Sam thought Cameron was the one trying to wake her. A wave of cold water hit her face, drenching her from the waist up, and he shouted, "Hey!" She spluttered and moved to wipe the water away from her eyes, but her hands were bound over her head. Movement made the chains of her shackles clink, and she remembered the ambush in Penza's living room. She blinked the water off her eyelashes and looked up to see Penza standing over her with a small wooden bucket.
"Penza," she said. "What's going on?"
"Looks like the Ark didn't exactly reach out and touch everyone out here," Cameron said. She looked to her right and saw Cameron chained to the wall next to her. His jacket was gone, leaving him in a black T-shirt and his uniform pants. He had a fresh cut on his cheek, seeping blood down toward his chin. "You were out for a while," he said. "You okay?"
"Yeah, peachy," Sam said. She examined herself and saw that her jacket was also gone, her arms bare and smeared with mud from the wall she was chained to. She scanned the room and saw windows near the roof; they were in a basement. Solele was standing a few feet behind Penza, mostly hidden by shadows. "Have they said anything about what they plan to do?"
"Quiet," Penza growled.
Cameron said, "Not yet. I think they want to wait until Rameris gets here and sell us off to him. Gaining favor with the new prick in charge."
Penza lashed out and slapped Sam in the face. The chains kept her from moving too far, but she did her best to move with the force of the blow. "Silence! We want nothing to do with that scum."
Sam shook her head to clear her vision; the little basket weaver had a hell of a right jab. "You know, Cam, next time I think I'll leave you behind when the Lucian Alliance is involved."
"Oh, yeah?" Cam said. "Why's that?"
"Yeah. First time we faced off against 'em, the whole team got tied up and beaten up. The second time, Teal'c got tortured. You and these guys do not mix."
Solele stepped forward. "You will be silent, or we will cut out your tongues."
"Nah," Cameron said. "You don't want to give Rameris damaged goods."
Solele pressed his knife against Cam's throat. "You believe we wish to buy favor? Rameris is swine. We want nothing more than vengeance for what you have done to us. What you have stolen from us." Tears burned him his eyes before he pulled the knife away. "You had no right. But I will gladly kill one of you quickly in order to kill the other in a more... gratifying manner."
Cameron tried to act nonplussed. "You hear that, Sam? He's not even going to try to catch the others."
"No ambition," Sam said.
Penza walked across the room and rifled through a large trunk. When she returned, she was carrying something against her side. "You will silence yourselves, or I will do it for you." She thrust her hand forward before Sam could realize what she was holding. The Goa'uld pain stick dug into her side, the three twisted barbs digging into her flesh. Energy arced between the three tines, using her body as a conduit.
Sam's body arched, her head thrown back and impacting the wall. She tried to contain the cry of pain, but it was useless. The back of her eyes burned, and energy shot from her mouth like a beacon, burning the back of her tongue and leaving a bitter, scorched aftertaste. She heard Cameron screaming, and the stick was withdrawn. Sam sagged against the wall, turning her face against her upper arm. She breathed deeply through the lingering aches, remnants of energy still making her muscles twitch.
"You son of a bitch!" Cameron growled.
Solele was unmoved. "Perhaps now," he said, "you will begin taking this seriously."
#
The team burst into the building where they had last seen Abelard, Teal'c prowling like a jungle cat as he swept the main room with his weapon. "Abelard!" His voice echoed off the walls and even Vala cringed at the sound of it. Abelard appeared in one of the doorways a moment later, confusion on his face. Teal'c grabbed the man before he could react, slamming him against one wall and pressing the barrel of his P-90 against the man's chest. It was one of the few times since Janet Fraiser's death that he wished he still carried his staff weapon.
"My friends," Abelard gasped, eyes wide.
"What have you done with our people?" Teal'c growled.
Abelard furrowed his brow. "Your people? The rest of SG-1? I do not understand. What has happened?"
Daniel stepped forward. "We were kind of hoping you could tell us. We got a message from Colonel Carter that she was in some kind of trouble."
"That is impossible. They are with Solele. Surely if there was any danger, he would have alerted the rest of the security forces."
"Unless Solele and the security forces are the danger."
Abelard finally showed anger. "How dare you..."
Teal'c pressed Abelard harder against the wall. "If any harm has come to... them..." He tightened his jaw, realizing he hadn't even considered Mitchell's welfare. His eyes flashed with anger and he forced himself to back off slightly.
"If something has happened, I will do everything in my power to rectify it. Please, allow me to assist you in finding them."
Daniel said, "Teal'c..."
He reluctantly released the leader, but didn't let his weapon waver. Abelard straightened his tunic and said, "Solele was escorting them to the town square. I will take you, I will show you that there is no cause for alarm. Please, allow me to take you there."
"If you attempt any sort of subterfuge," Teal'c warned, "it will not be allowed to succeed."
Abelard stared at the gun, eyes wide, and nodded his head. He gestured at the door and said, "Please. This way."
#
"For God's sake!" Cameron grunted. "That's enough!"
Sam sagged against the wall as the pain stick was withdrawn again. She panted, her shoulders burning from behind forced into such an odd position for so long. Penza stepped back, holding the pain stick across her midsection as Solele paced behind her. Penza watched him and then said, "What do you propose we do with them?"
"I am thinking."
Penza rested the barbs of the pain stick against Sam's throat, and she involuntarily flinched. A full blast of the energy that close to her brain stem could paralyze her. Or worse. "We should place their heads on pikes in front of the Stargate as a warning to those who would follow them. We should parade their corpses through the village square to show Rameris what we do to those who attempt to control us."
"This is SG-1," Solele said. "They do not deserve a quick death. They are solely responsible for destroying the Ori."
"Well, we had some help," Sam said.
Solele ignored her. "They must be held accountable for their crimes. For brainwashing billions of people across the galaxy to conform to their way of thinking." He stepped forward, towering in front of Cameron. "You are no better than the Goa'uld." Solele grabbed the front of Cameron's shirt and yanked him forward. "You will die slowly, to the cheers of the gathered faithful. Hallowed are the Ori."
"Hallowed are the Ori," Penza echoed.
"Penza," Sam said, her voice weak and tremulous. The woman glared down at her. "Penza, please. I have to... I can barely speak."
Penza glanced at Solele and stepped forward. "Do you wish to beg for forgiveness?"
"No," Sam said. "I just wanted to tell you I lied." She lifted her eyes. "Your baskets sucked." She whipped her head forward and smashed the bridge of Penza's nose with her forehead. Penza shrieked, and Sam twisted her body to wrap her legs around the shaft of the pain stick. As Penza fell, she released the stick. Sam let it fall, hooking it on the toe of her boot.
Penza recovered and came toward Sam, so Sam kicked the bottom of the stick with her other foot. The stick straightened out and Penza realized what was happening far too late. The pain stick hit her in the stomach, her forward momentum digging the barbs through her clothes and into her flesh. She clutched the stick with both hands, but it was too late. The stick gave a sickening lurch as it impaled her.
"No!" Solele cried.
The stick's triton dug into Penza's body, buried deep as light poured from every orifice. Solele lunged for Sam, but Cameron lashed out with both legs. He tripped Solele and sent him sprawling. Sam put the sole of her boot against the butt of the pain stick and shoved. Penza was thrown back, the stick too deeply now buried to fall free.
Penza writhed and howled as the energy surged through her. Her cries of pain echoed off the walls, and Sam winced at the sound of it.
Solele finally got to his feet and tore the pain stick from Penza's body. She instantly went limp, her hands falling to the ground on either side of her. Solele stared at the body, shock and anger written on his face as he realized there was no need to check her for a pulse. He dropped the stick to the ground, where it clattered uselessly, and slowly turned to face Sam.
"Murderer." He grabbed Cameron's P-90 off the ground and stepped back. "I have decided which of you will die slowly."
Sam closed her eyes and cringed as the basement filled with the sound of P-90 fire.
#
Abelard was a man on borrowed time, and he knew it. He asked everyone they encountered whether they had seen or heard from Solele in the past hour. Everyone pointed him toward the center of town. Teal'c stayed on Abelard, every sense focused on the man in case he tried to slip away or trick them somehow. When they finally reached the town square, Teal'c stepped forward and scanned the area. People were going about their normal day, pausing only when they noticed the team was nearby.
"Where would they have gone from here?" Daniel asked.
"I d-do not know. Please, you must believe me. I don't..."
"Quiet," Teal'c said. Screaming. Sounds of pure anguish. He spun toward the west, eyes narrowed as he listened. He focused on a single house and broke into a run. Daniel, Vala and Abelard followed. Teal'c leapt the low fence without breaking stride, running across the lawn until he spotted a rectangular window set low on the wall. He dropped into a crouch and peered through the glass, watching as Solele lifted a P-90 and aimed it at Samantha.
Teal'c brought his own P-90 up and shot through the glass without a second thought. Solele was thrown back with each impact, blood spreading across the front of his tunic. His weapon came up and he fired blindly into the wall. Teal'c parted his lips in a primal yell, unable to bring himself to look and see if any of the bullets had hit Sam.
When he finally stopped shooting, he turned and saw Daniel and Vala already going through the front door of the house. He got to his feet and followed them, overtaking them on the stairs to the basement.
Two dead bodies, Solele and a woman he didn't recognize, were slumped in the middle of the floor. Smoke curled and shifted in the darkness, rising toward the ceiling. He ignored the smell of blood and gunpowder, rushing immediately to where he had seen Samantha. Her arms were chained over her head, her skin smeared with mud from the walls.
She was passed out. Her skin was clammy, her long hair loose from the ponytail. Her chin rested against her chest, and Teal'c tenderly hooked two fingers under her chin to lift her eyes.
"Samantha," he whispered.
Sam's eyelids twitched, and then opened. She frowned at him until he came into focus and then she looked past him. "Teal'c," she said.
Teal'c was filled with gratitude, his eyes stinging as he realized how close he'd come to finally losing her. He touched her cheek and Sam looked into his eyes. "I'm okay," she said. "I'm fine. Get me out of these chains."
Teal'c glanced up at the locks and then at the bodies across the room. He stood and went to them, searching the deep pockets for the keys. He found them in Solele's tunic and carried them back to Sam. He unlocked her shackles and handed the key ring to Vala so she could do the same for Cameron. Teal'c eased Sam's arms down to her sides, his hands closed around her upper arm until he was sure she was in one piece. He helped her to her feet and gently said, "Can you stand?"
"I think so," Sam said.
Teal'c put her arm around his waist and let her lean against him as Cameron was freed. Cameron took the canteen Daniel offered and took a swig before handing it to Sam. "Just what the doctor ordered. What do you say we get the hell out of here before things get worse?"
Something impacted the side of the house, followed by the shattering of a window upstairs.
"I knew it as soon as I opened my damn mouth. I knew it was a mistake." He looped his arm around Vala's shoulder and said, "Thanks for the water. Lead the way, Gunga Din."
Daniel led the way up the stairs and stopped in front of the door. He eased his head around the corner and said, "They threw some stones through the window." He turned to Abelard. "Are there backyards on these houses? A way we can get out of here without being seen from the front of the house?"
"Yes," Abelard said. "Each yard is separated by stone walls." He put a hand against his chest to indicate how high they were.
Cam said, "It'll have to do. Let's go."
Daniel led the way through Penza's kitchen, holding open the back door. As Abelard and the rest of SG-1 slipped out of the house, people began to pound on the front door. "I guess they took offense at Teal'c firing into one of their houses."
"Seemingly without provocation," Teal'c said, realizing his mistake. To the people in the park, he had chosen a house at random and violently attacked it. They had no way of knowing what had been going on within. He looked at Sam and knew he would have done the same thing over again. There had simply been no time. "Perhaps it would be best to make a swift retreat to the Stargate."
"No!" Abelard said. "When Rameris arrives, we will be powerless to resist."
Cam snapped, "Your people don't seem very keen on our help."
"A small faction," Abelard said. His shoulders sagged. "Yes, I knew there was a group who still believed in what the Ori taught and were upset that we turned away from the religion when the Prior left. But you must believe that I was unaware Solele was among their numbers. Please, you cannot condemn our people based on the actions of a few."
"It's pitchforks and torches out there," Cameron said. "We may not have a lot of choice in the matter."
"Guys," Daniel said, "I think they're about to get inside. We might want to take this debate elsewhere."
Sam reached up and clutched Teal'c's hand. "It's okay. I think I can walk now." Teal'c reluctantly let her go, and Sam wobbled a bit before she got steady. "We need to retreat to the council hall," she said. "We can fortify there, and give people a chance to calm down. We'll allow representatives inside, explain what happened... hopefully we'll be able to talk some sense into them."
"If not, we can always brainwash them with the Ark of Truth," Daniel muttered. Sam shot him a look and he shut up.
Sam looked at the fences. "Which way is the center of town?"
Abelard pointed and said, "I will guide you."
Sam took her weapon from Teal'c, grateful he'd taken it from downstairs. "Thank you," she said, and he bowed his head to her as they crossed the back lawn. Abelard climbed onto the top of the stone wall and turned to help the rest of the team over. Sam was the last one over the wall, and she paused to look back toward the center of town. She could hear raised voices, and it sounded like a crowd was gathering outside of Penza's house.
"Colonel Carter," Teal'c said. She turned and saw him waiting to lower her to the other side of the wall.
"They're going to get inside, and find Solele and Penza's bodies. We might not have much hope of convincing them we're still the good guys."
"There is always hope," Teal'c said. He reached out and put his hands on her hips. Sam put her hands on his shoulders, and let him lift and lower her into the next yard.
When her feet were on the ground, she looked up at him and slid her hands down to his upper arms. "Is that something you learned on the Odyssey?"
He smiled and looked past her shoulder, ignoring the question. "That way."
Sam turned and saw the rest of SG-1 following Abelard to a wooden gate. Sam released Teal'c's arms and started after them. Teal'c looked over his shoulder one more time before he went after her.
Chapter Five,
They kept to the side roads on the way back to the council hall, moving to the shadows whenever someone came along the road. As they crouched beside one of the houses waiting for the latest group to pass by, Daniel twisted to face Abelard. "Why didn't you tell us about these people?"
"They are so small in number, I did not believe it would be an issue."
"How many people are we talking?" Sam said.
Abelard shook his head. "Impossible to guess. If Solele was one of them, then anyone could be."
Daniel pressed his lips together. "This doesn't make any sense. The Ark should have shown all these people the error of following the Ori."
"Maybe they were wearing their tin foil hats that day," Cameron said.
Vala said, "Maybe they're just angry. We took away their belief. Their religion. These people weren't brainwashed by the Ori. They willingly decided to follow their teachings. And in one fell swoop, they were abandoned and left on their own. Just because the Ori were false gods didn't make giving up the belief any easier."
"How many Jaffa have railed against the Free Jaffa Nation merely because they felt betrayed?" Teal'c asked. "It is no easy task to change the minds of an entire people."
"It's easier to live the happy lie than face a bitter truth," Sam said.
Daniel nodded and looked back out onto the street. "It looks like we're clear now."
Cam and Vala stood, following Daniel and Abelard from the shadows. Daniel and Abelard had just reached the narrow street when someone shouted, "There they are!" Cameron and Vala retreated back into the shadows, but Daniel didn't have that luxury. He grabbed Abelard's arm and pulled him forward, running toward the opposite side of the street as stones began to rain down on them.
"Butchers! Slaughterers!"
Daniel brought his hand up and a few rocks bounced off his forearm. He pushed Abelard behind the stone wall of someone's residence and ducked down next to him. "Great. Rocks. Could be worse, I guess..."
Something shattered overhead, and Daniel looked up to see the thatched roof of a nearby house was on fire. His shoulder sagged and he sighed. "We have got to be more careful about what we say on this planet. Mitchell!" He called. "They've got Molotov's!"
Even from across the street, he heard Mitchell say, "Well, of course they do, Jackson."
Abelard grabbed Daniel's coat sleeve. "Dr. Jackson, there are people in these houses."
Daniel looked at the burning house, and saw a second house across the street catch fire. He grabbed his radio. "Cam, there are people in these houses. We have to get them to safety."
"Right," Cam said. "Sam and I will lay down cover fire."
"Cam..."
"Zats, Jackson, with zats."
Daniel exchanged his P-90 for his own zat, handing a revolver to Abelard. "Only if you have no other choice. And aim for the ground in front of them, try to scare them off."
Abelard nodded worriedly as Daniel ducked out from the cover of the wall. A rock hit him in the shoulder, knocking him off-balance for a moment before he started running across the lawn. He heard the sounds of zats being fired off behind him, electric surges filling the street. A few villagers cried out as they were hit, and the barrage of stones began to slow.
Daniel pounded on the front door of the burning house. "Hello! Hello, is anyone in there? I'm here to help you!" He rammed the door with his shoulder, realizing too late that it was the same shoulder the rock had impacted. He clenched his teeth and repeated the move, and the door swung inward. He stumbled and stepped inside, quickly scanning the dark, smoke-filled dining room. "Hello!"
"My house," a man said from Daniel's left. Daniel turned and spotted him crouching between a chair and the wall.
"I know. We need to get you out of here, sir. It's all right." He reached out, and the man took his hand. Daniel guided him from the house to the fresh air.
"Stop," one of the attacking villagers said. "He has a hostage!"
Daniel rolled his eyes. "I suppose you could spin it that way," he muttered. He nodded toward the group of villagers and said, "Go on. Join them."
"Are they... not attacking you?"
"Don't give in to peer pressure. Go." The man started down the street, and Daniel took the opportunity to rejoin Abelard. Across the street, he saw more houses on fire. "I think we can get across the street if we hurry. Can you run?"
"I believe so..."
"Stay behind me." They stood up and ran into the street. Daniel had his zat gun up, and shot only when a rock began arching toward them. He took a chance, and aimed for the rock instead of the thrower. The electrical charge swam across the stone's surface, and the momentum was sapped from it. The rock fell a few feet short of them. Daniel ran behind the fence where Cameron and Sam were crouched.
"Sharp-shooter," Cameron said.
"Yeah." He looked around. "Where are Teal'c and Vala?"
"They're--" As Cam started to point, the burning roof caved in on the house. "Oh, hell."
Daniel said, "Keep the villagers back. I'm going to see if they were hurt." He got to his feet and ran to the fence, ignoring Sam and Cameron calling after him. Their zats fired again, and he was grateful for them watching his back. He leapt over the fence and found himself in a backyard, a group of stunned people standing nearby. They glanced at him when he arrived, then turned back to the remnants of their home.
Daniel approached the nearest one and put his hand on her shoulder. "My friends, where are they? The people dressed..." He indicated his own uniform.
The woman looked at him for a long second and then nodded toward the house. "I-inside," one of the people said.
Daniel looked at the flames, eyes wide. He couldn't believe anyone could survive that, not even Teal'c. Still, he couldn't give up hope. He ran forward and shouted, "Teal'c! Vala!" The back door was open and smoke billowed out into the beautiful afternoon sky. He brought the collar of his shirt up and tried to breathe through it as he squinted into the darkness. He couldn't see anything inside, no signs of movement or life. "Vala!"
"Daniel?"
He spun toward the voice and saw Vala coming around the corner of the house. Teal'c was behind her, his face smeared with dark soot. Teal'c was holding his right arm against his side, and Vala's jacket was singed at the edges. She smiled. "You weren't worried, were you?"
Daniel smiled and walked up to her. "As many times as I've watched you die? Hardly."
"Look who's talking."
Daniel pulled Vala to him and kissed her lips.
Teal'c arched an eyebrow.
Vala kept her eyes open through the kiss, her hands up and fingers spread as if surrendering. When Daniel pulled back, he said, "Sorry."
"Don't be," Vala said. She patted his chest and said, "Another time, perhaps. For now..."
Daniel nodded and motioned for the people from the house to stand up. "It's okay. You're safe now. There is a group of your fellow villagers on the next street over; go join them. Tell them we're not their enemies."
The people nodded, still in shock, and headed for the gate. But the time they reached the street, they were running.
"Do you believe that will help?" Teal'c asked as he watched the people flee.
Daniel shrugged. "Couldn't hurt. Come on, let's get back to the others."
They joined up with the rest of the team, who were still holding off the angry villagers with random bursts from the zats. "Glad to see we're all in one piece," Cameron said. He watched as the people Teal'c and Vala rescued appeared and the crowd turned their focus to their welfare. "These folks seem to be calming down; why don't we try to get someplace safe with locking doors?"
"Fine by me," Sam said. She turned and saw Teal'c, and smiled at him. He nodded to her, indicating he was okay, and she forced herself to look away. Cameron led the way out of the backyard, zat drawn and ready in case any of the villagers decided to start round two.
#
When they reached the council hall, Cameron and Teal'c made sure all the entrances were sealed off. Abelard assured them it wasn't necessary. "No one would enter without express permission. This site is considered sacred ground. No outside conflicts can cross over the threshold. It is forbidden."
Cam was unimpressed. "You got people burning down their neighbor's houses out there. Is that forbidden?"
Abelard looked away.
Sam said, "All right. We still have an hour or two until sunset, right?" Abelard nodded. "We should take the time to regroup. We're going to have a fight on our hands when Rameris finally shows up. Judging by what Penza and Solele said, we may end up fighting on two fronts. We're going to need some rest. Abelard, are there private quarters here?"
"Yes, several," he said. "The building has been used as a sanctuary often in our history. It is why I believe our people will uphold the covenant." He gestured for the team to follow him down one of the corridors. "There are enough rooms for all of you. Colonels Mitchell and Carter, you may take the two rooms at the far end; they have medical supplies as well as private lavatories. I extend to you my sincerest apologies for what has occurred."
"We'll live," Cameron said. "These rooms here?"
Sam went into the room farthest from the rest and shut the door. As soon as she was alone, she cupped her hand to her side and closed her eyes. The pain stick cauterized the entry points it made, but it did nothing for the pain. She winced and finally pushed away from the door, limping to the private lavatory Abelard had promised. She was grateful to find indoor plumbing, and she filled a basin with hot water while she looked for washcloths.
She peeled off her tank top and examined herself in the mirror. Six dark circles on her side, where Penza jabbed her with the pain stick. Bruises just beginning to fade into existence. She would definitely be a Rorschach test come morning. If they made it that far. She wet the washcloth and began cleaning the mud from her arms and hands.
Sam was almost finished cleaning when there was a soft knock at the door. "Just a minute." She picked up her shirt and slipped it on. "Okay. Come in." The door opened and Teal'c hesitantly entered the room. "Teal'c. Close the door." She returned to the bathroom and wet the towel again. The water was already murky and growing more tepid with each passing moment. Still, it felt better than nothing.
"Colonel Carter. Are you well?"
"I'm fine."
"Perhaps you should return through the Stargate for the remainder--"
"Teal'c, I'm fine," she said. She met his eyes in the mirror and held his gaze for a long time. Finally, she said, "But thank you."
He crossed the room and stood behind her, reaching around her to take the washcloth. Sam let him take it from her hand, then bowed her head as he pressed it to the back of her neck. She closed her eyes as he gently swept the terrycloth along her tired muscles, water gathering on the collar of her tank top and trickling down her back.
"That feels good," she said softly.
Teal'c's free hand came up and touched her upper arm. Sam tensed slightly at the touch, but she relaxed as he moved his fingers in slow circles. She swallowed hard and pressed back against him. She turned her head, eyes still closed, and said, "Teal'c..."
He pressed his face into her hair, his hand tightening around the washcloth. He reached out to place it on the counter and said, "Samantha." Sam pressed against him, and then suddenly his weight was gone. Her eyes opened and she saw him backing quickly away. "I cannot--"
"Teal'c," she said. She grabbed his wrist and kept him from escaping. He looked at her hand, then into her eyes. The sadness, the sorrow there whenever he looked at her. There was only one explanation. She remembered a question Daniel, stricken with amnesia, had once asked. "Teal'c, was there ever anything between us?"
He opened his mouth to tell her another lie, she was sure, but then he closed his eyes. Sam stepped close to him and slid her hand up his arm. She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled his head down to hers, stretching herself up to meet his lips. The kiss was tentative on Sam's part, just a quick touch to see how it felt, but she immediately understood it was something more to Teal'c.
Teal'c made a quiet noise in his throat and pushed her back. They moved back into the bathroom and her hips impacted the sink hard enough to jostle the basin. Water sloshed onto the counter, but Teal'c ignored it. He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her to him. He broke the kiss and turned his head away from her, loosening his grip on her pants. "Samantha, I apologize. I should leave."
Sam touched his face and pulled him to her for another kiss. "Don't go," she whispered, brushing her lips across his. "Just go slow." She ran her hands down his chest and pushed them away from the sink. She found his hand and threaded their fingers together as she walked him into the bedroom. Teal'c followed, eyes unblinking as if afraid she would disappear when he wasn't looking.
When they reached the bed, Sam sat on the edge and looked up at him. "I know these past few months have been torture on you," she whispered, very aware of the rest of the team in adjoining rooms. "Do what you have to do."
"Samantha..."
"I trust you," she said.
Teal'c dropped to his knees in front of her and touched her face with trembling hands. Sam closed her eyes and turned into the caress, parting her lips when his fingers brushed them. Teal'c leaned in and kissed her neck, and Sam gasped. His tongue went immediately to one of her most sensitive spots, his teeth nipping her ear just enough. She arched her back as his hands came to the straps of her tank top.
The kiss on her neck, the way it made everything in her spark, was enough to answer all of her questions. She and Teal'c had been lovers, for quite a while it seemed, and the past few months he had been forced to deny his feelings. "Teal'c," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. You should have told me. You should have said something."
He lifted his head and Sam kissed him. She pressed her tongue into his mouth and grabbed his shirt, working quickly to get it untucked. Teal'c leaned back and pulled the shirt off, tossing it across the room and letting Sam see his bare chest. She leaned forward and kissed him, tasting his lips and feeling the sharp rush of his breath against her mouth. Teal'c's hand went to the back of her head and undid her ponytail, threading the strands through his fingers. Sam put her hands on his bare chest, her hands warming against his skin. Teal'c pulled back and looked at her, eyes dark. Sam felt completely naked under his gaze, but she didn't want to turn away. He touched her face again, then dropped his hands to her thighs.
Sam scooted back on the bed, and Teal'c leaned back to put one of her feet on his thigh. He undid the laces of her boot and tugged it off, rolling the sock down and off as well. He cupped the heel in his hand and brought the foot up, gently kissing the largest toe. Sam gasped and resisted the urge to curl her toes. Who knew I would like that? she thought. Then she realized. He does. He knows me. Everything about me, and he loves me.
Teal'c repeated the ceremony with the other boot, then turned his attention to the catch of Sam's trousers. He spread her legs and settled between them, his hands on the insides of her thighs. As he lowered his head, Sam arched her back to meet him. He kissed her through her tank top and bra, teasing with his lips and teeth until she pushed him back. She pulled the shirt up and over her head, dropping it behind her on the bed. She was panting now, and groaned as he reached around her to undo the catch of her bra.
Sam let the bra fall, and cried out as his lips and tongue touched her breast. She put her hand on the back of his head and rolled her head back on her shoulders. His movements were methodical, slow explorations, gentle teasing. By the time he lifted his head, Sam was almost too dazed to return his kiss. She fumbled with his belt, suddenly unable to wait. She wanted him, needed to have him in her hands.
She fell back as Teal'c climbed onto the bed, their kiss unbroken as her hands pushed his trousers out of the way. He lay on top of her as she pushed her hands into his underwear and cupped his erection in her hand. "Teal'c," she said against his mouth. She ran her fingers along his length as he finally, mercifully, began undoing her pants. Sam reluctantly let go of him so he could push his underwear down, and his cock fell free against her thigh.
He lifted himself to push her pants down her legs, and she kicked them away, finally naked under her beautiful teammate, her another-life lover. He slipped one arm around her waist, holding her to him, and moved the other between her legs. He brushed the backs of two fingers against her, and Sam whimpered at the touch. Teal'c smiled, a tender, loving smile, and pressed the blunt tip of his penis against her opening.
"Teal'c," she whispered, "Teal'c, please."
He arched his back and slipped inside of her. Sam grunted and pressed her hands against his chest, her knees bent and closed around his hips. Teal'c kept his eyes open, locked on her face, and began to thrust gently against her. Sam reached up with one hand, bracing herself against the headboard. She met his every thrust and, when she was about to tell him to go faster or slower, he adjusted his speed accordingly without being told.
Sam opened her eyes and said, "You must have loved her very much."
"I loved you, Samantha," he said. "I still do." He bent and kissed her lips, pushing her closer and closer to her orgasm. When she came, she dug her fingers into his hips and pressed her body hard against him. Her breasts against his chest, her thighs against his flank, she wanted as much skin as possible touching. She bowed her head and nipped at his skin, tasting his sweat against her tongue, and he panted her name and began to withdraw.
"No," she whispered. "No, no, no, stay..."
"Samantha, I am..."
"It's okay," she said. She pressed her face against his chest and said, "It's okay. Stay inside. Stay inside of me." She found his nipple with her lips and ran her tongue around it in quick circles. Teal'c trembled and grunted, his body moving with sudden erratic jerks. Sam moaned as Teal'c came inside of her, closing her eyes. She kissed his shoulder, his neck and then his lips, holding on to him until she had to collapse back onto the mattress.
Teal'c covered her body with his own, their sweat cooling in the aftermath. Sam turned her head and pressed her cheek against the cool mattress, her hands running over Teal'c's sweaty back. His face was against her shoulder. "I have loved you longer than you have been alive," he whispered.
Sam shivered and drew his head to hers. They kissed gently, like the long-time lovers Teal'c remembered, and Sam got a hint of what life on the Odyssey had been like. "When we were trapped," Sam said, "When I'm sure I felt the weight of everyone's lives on my shoulders, you loved me. You gave me peace. Thank you, Teal'c. Even if I don't remember it. Thank you."
He nodded and finally, reluctantly slid out of her. He rolled to one side and pulled Sam to him. She closed his eyes, no longer concerned about the terrible wounds in her side or the memory of pain in Penza's basement. She rested her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "How long do we have until sunset?"
"It is slightly less than an hour away."
Sam nodded, her hair tickling his chin. "Okay," she whispered. "Long enough for a catnap." She kissed his skin once more and said, "Don't let me sleep too late."
Teal'c embraced her and said, "I will not, Samantha. You have my word."
Sam smiled and let herself drift off in his arms.
Title: Nothing Ventured
Author: geonncannon
Pairing: Sam/Teal'c, Daniel/Vala
Word Count: 26,188
Category: Drama, Action
Spoilers: Children of the Gods, Serpent's Venom, The Curse, Paradise Lost, Chimera, Heroes, Prometheus Unbound, Reckoning, Threads, Avalon, Ex Deus Machina, Counterstrike, Bounty, Talion, Unending, Ark of Truth,
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. This story is not canon, but I'll try to stick to canon as much as possible (with some secks thrown in, of course. ;-)).
Rating: NC17
Author's Notes: I was inspired to do this by reading the ST:TNG relaunch novels. This continues the story post-Ark of Truth to tie in the narrative to Stargate Atlantis Seasons 4 and 5, and Continuum. Ambitious of me, ain't it? ;-)
Summary: Teal'c debates his place in the universe while SG-1 tries to bring down a splintered faction of the Lucian Alliance.
Chapter Four,
Vala put both hands in the middle of Teal'c's chest, trying in vain to hold him back. The heels of her boots dug into the dirt road, but he wasn't even slowed by her interference. They had been on the outskirts of town, examining the remnants of what looked like a guard tower equipped with a laser, when the aborted call came through. Teal'c hadn't even waited for the entire message to play before he was headed back toward town.
Vala finally gave up on trying to hold him back herself and grunted, "Daniel, a little help, please?"
Daniel said, "Teal'c, we all heard the message--"
"Colonel Carter is in danger."
"Yes, and at the moment, we're probably her only chance of getting out of that danger. But we won't last very long if we go running in there half-cocked. It doesn't mean what you think," he said to Vala's arched eyebrows. "We need to figure out what's happening, and we need to know who we can trust. Okay? Teal'c?"
Teal'c glared at Daniel with murder in his eyes, his jaw working furiously. Finally, he stopped his forward advance. Vala, no longer meeting resistance, slumped against his chest and nearly fell. She patted his arm and said, "Good man, Muscles. I didn't want to have to hurt you."
"We must act quickly, Daniel Jackson."
Daniel said, "Well, they went with Solele, right? So we know that whatever happened, they have him watching their backs."
"Of course, she called for Colonel Mitchell as well," Vala pointed out. "If they were separated..."
Teal'c said, "There is a chance Rameris sent ground troops ahead in order to gauge public opinion. If Colonels Mitchell and Carter unexpectedly encountered a patrol, they may not have had time to defend themselves. We must act quickly."
Daniel nodded. "Right, but we need to act with as much information as possible. We need to talk to Abelard."
Teal'c hesitated, obviously eager to pursue whoever was harming his teammates, but he understood the wisdom in what Daniel was saying. "Very well," he growled. He looked toward the town and silently said the first prayer of his adult life; praying that Samantha was unharmed.
#
At first, Sam thought Cameron was the one trying to wake her. A wave of cold water hit her face, drenching her from the waist up, and he shouted, "Hey!" She spluttered and moved to wipe the water away from her eyes, but her hands were bound over her head. Movement made the chains of her shackles clink, and she remembered the ambush in Penza's living room. She blinked the water off her eyelashes and looked up to see Penza standing over her with a small wooden bucket.
"Penza," she said. "What's going on?"
"Looks like the Ark didn't exactly reach out and touch everyone out here," Cameron said. She looked to her right and saw Cameron chained to the wall next to her. His jacket was gone, leaving him in a black T-shirt and his uniform pants. He had a fresh cut on his cheek, seeping blood down toward his chin. "You were out for a while," he said. "You okay?"
"Yeah, peachy," Sam said. She examined herself and saw that her jacket was also gone, her arms bare and smeared with mud from the wall she was chained to. She scanned the room and saw windows near the roof; they were in a basement. Solele was standing a few feet behind Penza, mostly hidden by shadows. "Have they said anything about what they plan to do?"
"Quiet," Penza growled.
Cameron said, "Not yet. I think they want to wait until Rameris gets here and sell us off to him. Gaining favor with the new prick in charge."
Penza lashed out and slapped Sam in the face. The chains kept her from moving too far, but she did her best to move with the force of the blow. "Silence! We want nothing to do with that scum."
Sam shook her head to clear her vision; the little basket weaver had a hell of a right jab. "You know, Cam, next time I think I'll leave you behind when the Lucian Alliance is involved."
"Oh, yeah?" Cam said. "Why's that?"
"Yeah. First time we faced off against 'em, the whole team got tied up and beaten up. The second time, Teal'c got tortured. You and these guys do not mix."
Solele stepped forward. "You will be silent, or we will cut out your tongues."
"Nah," Cameron said. "You don't want to give Rameris damaged goods."
Solele pressed his knife against Cam's throat. "You believe we wish to buy favor? Rameris is swine. We want nothing more than vengeance for what you have done to us. What you have stolen from us." Tears burned him his eyes before he pulled the knife away. "You had no right. But I will gladly kill one of you quickly in order to kill the other in a more... gratifying manner."
Cameron tried to act nonplussed. "You hear that, Sam? He's not even going to try to catch the others."
"No ambition," Sam said.
Penza walked across the room and rifled through a large trunk. When she returned, she was carrying something against her side. "You will silence yourselves, or I will do it for you." She thrust her hand forward before Sam could realize what she was holding. The Goa'uld pain stick dug into her side, the three twisted barbs digging into her flesh. Energy arced between the three tines, using her body as a conduit.
Sam's body arched, her head thrown back and impacting the wall. She tried to contain the cry of pain, but it was useless. The back of her eyes burned, and energy shot from her mouth like a beacon, burning the back of her tongue and leaving a bitter, scorched aftertaste. She heard Cameron screaming, and the stick was withdrawn. Sam sagged against the wall, turning her face against her upper arm. She breathed deeply through the lingering aches, remnants of energy still making her muscles twitch.
"You son of a bitch!" Cameron growled.
Solele was unmoved. "Perhaps now," he said, "you will begin taking this seriously."
#
The team burst into the building where they had last seen Abelard, Teal'c prowling like a jungle cat as he swept the main room with his weapon. "Abelard!" His voice echoed off the walls and even Vala cringed at the sound of it. Abelard appeared in one of the doorways a moment later, confusion on his face. Teal'c grabbed the man before he could react, slamming him against one wall and pressing the barrel of his P-90 against the man's chest. It was one of the few times since Janet Fraiser's death that he wished he still carried his staff weapon.
"My friends," Abelard gasped, eyes wide.
"What have you done with our people?" Teal'c growled.
Abelard furrowed his brow. "Your people? The rest of SG-1? I do not understand. What has happened?"
Daniel stepped forward. "We were kind of hoping you could tell us. We got a message from Colonel Carter that she was in some kind of trouble."
"That is impossible. They are with Solele. Surely if there was any danger, he would have alerted the rest of the security forces."
"Unless Solele and the security forces are the danger."
Abelard finally showed anger. "How dare you..."
Teal'c pressed Abelard harder against the wall. "If any harm has come to... them..." He tightened his jaw, realizing he hadn't even considered Mitchell's welfare. His eyes flashed with anger and he forced himself to back off slightly.
"If something has happened, I will do everything in my power to rectify it. Please, allow me to assist you in finding them."
Daniel said, "Teal'c..."
He reluctantly released the leader, but didn't let his weapon waver. Abelard straightened his tunic and said, "Solele was escorting them to the town square. I will take you, I will show you that there is no cause for alarm. Please, allow me to take you there."
"If you attempt any sort of subterfuge," Teal'c warned, "it will not be allowed to succeed."
Abelard stared at the gun, eyes wide, and nodded his head. He gestured at the door and said, "Please. This way."
#
"For God's sake!" Cameron grunted. "That's enough!"
Sam sagged against the wall as the pain stick was withdrawn again. She panted, her shoulders burning from behind forced into such an odd position for so long. Penza stepped back, holding the pain stick across her midsection as Solele paced behind her. Penza watched him and then said, "What do you propose we do with them?"
"I am thinking."
Penza rested the barbs of the pain stick against Sam's throat, and she involuntarily flinched. A full blast of the energy that close to her brain stem could paralyze her. Or worse. "We should place their heads on pikes in front of the Stargate as a warning to those who would follow them. We should parade their corpses through the village square to show Rameris what we do to those who attempt to control us."
"This is SG-1," Solele said. "They do not deserve a quick death. They are solely responsible for destroying the Ori."
"Well, we had some help," Sam said.
Solele ignored her. "They must be held accountable for their crimes. For brainwashing billions of people across the galaxy to conform to their way of thinking." He stepped forward, towering in front of Cameron. "You are no better than the Goa'uld." Solele grabbed the front of Cameron's shirt and yanked him forward. "You will die slowly, to the cheers of the gathered faithful. Hallowed are the Ori."
"Hallowed are the Ori," Penza echoed.
"Penza," Sam said, her voice weak and tremulous. The woman glared down at her. "Penza, please. I have to... I can barely speak."
Penza glanced at Solele and stepped forward. "Do you wish to beg for forgiveness?"
"No," Sam said. "I just wanted to tell you I lied." She lifted her eyes. "Your baskets sucked." She whipped her head forward and smashed the bridge of Penza's nose with her forehead. Penza shrieked, and Sam twisted her body to wrap her legs around the shaft of the pain stick. As Penza fell, she released the stick. Sam let it fall, hooking it on the toe of her boot.
Penza recovered and came toward Sam, so Sam kicked the bottom of the stick with her other foot. The stick straightened out and Penza realized what was happening far too late. The pain stick hit her in the stomach, her forward momentum digging the barbs through her clothes and into her flesh. She clutched the stick with both hands, but it was too late. The stick gave a sickening lurch as it impaled her.
"No!" Solele cried.
The stick's triton dug into Penza's body, buried deep as light poured from every orifice. Solele lunged for Sam, but Cameron lashed out with both legs. He tripped Solele and sent him sprawling. Sam put the sole of her boot against the butt of the pain stick and shoved. Penza was thrown back, the stick too deeply now buried to fall free.
Penza writhed and howled as the energy surged through her. Her cries of pain echoed off the walls, and Sam winced at the sound of it.
Solele finally got to his feet and tore the pain stick from Penza's body. She instantly went limp, her hands falling to the ground on either side of her. Solele stared at the body, shock and anger written on his face as he realized there was no need to check her for a pulse. He dropped the stick to the ground, where it clattered uselessly, and slowly turned to face Sam.
"Murderer." He grabbed Cameron's P-90 off the ground and stepped back. "I have decided which of you will die slowly."
Sam closed her eyes and cringed as the basement filled with the sound of P-90 fire.
#
Abelard was a man on borrowed time, and he knew it. He asked everyone they encountered whether they had seen or heard from Solele in the past hour. Everyone pointed him toward the center of town. Teal'c stayed on Abelard, every sense focused on the man in case he tried to slip away or trick them somehow. When they finally reached the town square, Teal'c stepped forward and scanned the area. People were going about their normal day, pausing only when they noticed the team was nearby.
"Where would they have gone from here?" Daniel asked.
"I d-do not know. Please, you must believe me. I don't..."
"Quiet," Teal'c said. Screaming. Sounds of pure anguish. He spun toward the west, eyes narrowed as he listened. He focused on a single house and broke into a run. Daniel, Vala and Abelard followed. Teal'c leapt the low fence without breaking stride, running across the lawn until he spotted a rectangular window set low on the wall. He dropped into a crouch and peered through the glass, watching as Solele lifted a P-90 and aimed it at Samantha.
Teal'c brought his own P-90 up and shot through the glass without a second thought. Solele was thrown back with each impact, blood spreading across the front of his tunic. His weapon came up and he fired blindly into the wall. Teal'c parted his lips in a primal yell, unable to bring himself to look and see if any of the bullets had hit Sam.
When he finally stopped shooting, he turned and saw Daniel and Vala already going through the front door of the house. He got to his feet and followed them, overtaking them on the stairs to the basement.
Two dead bodies, Solele and a woman he didn't recognize, were slumped in the middle of the floor. Smoke curled and shifted in the darkness, rising toward the ceiling. He ignored the smell of blood and gunpowder, rushing immediately to where he had seen Samantha. Her arms were chained over her head, her skin smeared with mud from the walls.
She was passed out. Her skin was clammy, her long hair loose from the ponytail. Her chin rested against her chest, and Teal'c tenderly hooked two fingers under her chin to lift her eyes.
"Samantha," he whispered.
Sam's eyelids twitched, and then opened. She frowned at him until he came into focus and then she looked past him. "Teal'c," she said.
Teal'c was filled with gratitude, his eyes stinging as he realized how close he'd come to finally losing her. He touched her cheek and Sam looked into his eyes. "I'm okay," she said. "I'm fine. Get me out of these chains."
Teal'c glanced up at the locks and then at the bodies across the room. He stood and went to them, searching the deep pockets for the keys. He found them in Solele's tunic and carried them back to Sam. He unlocked her shackles and handed the key ring to Vala so she could do the same for Cameron. Teal'c eased Sam's arms down to her sides, his hands closed around her upper arm until he was sure she was in one piece. He helped her to her feet and gently said, "Can you stand?"
"I think so," Sam said.
Teal'c put her arm around his waist and let her lean against him as Cameron was freed. Cameron took the canteen Daniel offered and took a swig before handing it to Sam. "Just what the doctor ordered. What do you say we get the hell out of here before things get worse?"
Something impacted the side of the house, followed by the shattering of a window upstairs.
"I knew it as soon as I opened my damn mouth. I knew it was a mistake." He looped his arm around Vala's shoulder and said, "Thanks for the water. Lead the way, Gunga Din."
Daniel led the way up the stairs and stopped in front of the door. He eased his head around the corner and said, "They threw some stones through the window." He turned to Abelard. "Are there backyards on these houses? A way we can get out of here without being seen from the front of the house?"
"Yes," Abelard said. "Each yard is separated by stone walls." He put a hand against his chest to indicate how high they were.
Cam said, "It'll have to do. Let's go."
Daniel led the way through Penza's kitchen, holding open the back door. As Abelard and the rest of SG-1 slipped out of the house, people began to pound on the front door. "I guess they took offense at Teal'c firing into one of their houses."
"Seemingly without provocation," Teal'c said, realizing his mistake. To the people in the park, he had chosen a house at random and violently attacked it. They had no way of knowing what had been going on within. He looked at Sam and knew he would have done the same thing over again. There had simply been no time. "Perhaps it would be best to make a swift retreat to the Stargate."
"No!" Abelard said. "When Rameris arrives, we will be powerless to resist."
Cam snapped, "Your people don't seem very keen on our help."
"A small faction," Abelard said. His shoulders sagged. "Yes, I knew there was a group who still believed in what the Ori taught and were upset that we turned away from the religion when the Prior left. But you must believe that I was unaware Solele was among their numbers. Please, you cannot condemn our people based on the actions of a few."
"It's pitchforks and torches out there," Cameron said. "We may not have a lot of choice in the matter."
"Guys," Daniel said, "I think they're about to get inside. We might want to take this debate elsewhere."
Sam reached up and clutched Teal'c's hand. "It's okay. I think I can walk now." Teal'c reluctantly let her go, and Sam wobbled a bit before she got steady. "We need to retreat to the council hall," she said. "We can fortify there, and give people a chance to calm down. We'll allow representatives inside, explain what happened... hopefully we'll be able to talk some sense into them."
"If not, we can always brainwash them with the Ark of Truth," Daniel muttered. Sam shot him a look and he shut up.
Sam looked at the fences. "Which way is the center of town?"
Abelard pointed and said, "I will guide you."
Sam took her weapon from Teal'c, grateful he'd taken it from downstairs. "Thank you," she said, and he bowed his head to her as they crossed the back lawn. Abelard climbed onto the top of the stone wall and turned to help the rest of the team over. Sam was the last one over the wall, and she paused to look back toward the center of town. She could hear raised voices, and it sounded like a crowd was gathering outside of Penza's house.
"Colonel Carter," Teal'c said. She turned and saw him waiting to lower her to the other side of the wall.
"They're going to get inside, and find Solele and Penza's bodies. We might not have much hope of convincing them we're still the good guys."
"There is always hope," Teal'c said. He reached out and put his hands on her hips. Sam put her hands on his shoulders, and let him lift and lower her into the next yard.
When her feet were on the ground, she looked up at him and slid her hands down to his upper arms. "Is that something you learned on the Odyssey?"
He smiled and looked past her shoulder, ignoring the question. "That way."
Sam turned and saw the rest of SG-1 following Abelard to a wooden gate. Sam released Teal'c's arms and started after them. Teal'c looked over his shoulder one more time before he went after her.
Chapter Five,
They kept to the side roads on the way back to the council hall, moving to the shadows whenever someone came along the road. As they crouched beside one of the houses waiting for the latest group to pass by, Daniel twisted to face Abelard. "Why didn't you tell us about these people?"
"They are so small in number, I did not believe it would be an issue."
"How many people are we talking?" Sam said.
Abelard shook his head. "Impossible to guess. If Solele was one of them, then anyone could be."
Daniel pressed his lips together. "This doesn't make any sense. The Ark should have shown all these people the error of following the Ori."
"Maybe they were wearing their tin foil hats that day," Cameron said.
Vala said, "Maybe they're just angry. We took away their belief. Their religion. These people weren't brainwashed by the Ori. They willingly decided to follow their teachings. And in one fell swoop, they were abandoned and left on their own. Just because the Ori were false gods didn't make giving up the belief any easier."
"How many Jaffa have railed against the Free Jaffa Nation merely because they felt betrayed?" Teal'c asked. "It is no easy task to change the minds of an entire people."
"It's easier to live the happy lie than face a bitter truth," Sam said.
Daniel nodded and looked back out onto the street. "It looks like we're clear now."
Cam and Vala stood, following Daniel and Abelard from the shadows. Daniel and Abelard had just reached the narrow street when someone shouted, "There they are!" Cameron and Vala retreated back into the shadows, but Daniel didn't have that luxury. He grabbed Abelard's arm and pulled him forward, running toward the opposite side of the street as stones began to rain down on them.
"Butchers! Slaughterers!"
Daniel brought his hand up and a few rocks bounced off his forearm. He pushed Abelard behind the stone wall of someone's residence and ducked down next to him. "Great. Rocks. Could be worse, I guess..."
Something shattered overhead, and Daniel looked up to see the thatched roof of a nearby house was on fire. His shoulder sagged and he sighed. "We have got to be more careful about what we say on this planet. Mitchell!" He called. "They've got Molotov's!"
Even from across the street, he heard Mitchell say, "Well, of course they do, Jackson."
Abelard grabbed Daniel's coat sleeve. "Dr. Jackson, there are people in these houses."
Daniel looked at the burning house, and saw a second house across the street catch fire. He grabbed his radio. "Cam, there are people in these houses. We have to get them to safety."
"Right," Cam said. "Sam and I will lay down cover fire."
"Cam..."
"Zats, Jackson, with zats."
Daniel exchanged his P-90 for his own zat, handing a revolver to Abelard. "Only if you have no other choice. And aim for the ground in front of them, try to scare them off."
Abelard nodded worriedly as Daniel ducked out from the cover of the wall. A rock hit him in the shoulder, knocking him off-balance for a moment before he started running across the lawn. He heard the sounds of zats being fired off behind him, electric surges filling the street. A few villagers cried out as they were hit, and the barrage of stones began to slow.
Daniel pounded on the front door of the burning house. "Hello! Hello, is anyone in there? I'm here to help you!" He rammed the door with his shoulder, realizing too late that it was the same shoulder the rock had impacted. He clenched his teeth and repeated the move, and the door swung inward. He stumbled and stepped inside, quickly scanning the dark, smoke-filled dining room. "Hello!"
"My house," a man said from Daniel's left. Daniel turned and spotted him crouching between a chair and the wall.
"I know. We need to get you out of here, sir. It's all right." He reached out, and the man took his hand. Daniel guided him from the house to the fresh air.
"Stop," one of the attacking villagers said. "He has a hostage!"
Daniel rolled his eyes. "I suppose you could spin it that way," he muttered. He nodded toward the group of villagers and said, "Go on. Join them."
"Are they... not attacking you?"
"Don't give in to peer pressure. Go." The man started down the street, and Daniel took the opportunity to rejoin Abelard. Across the street, he saw more houses on fire. "I think we can get across the street if we hurry. Can you run?"
"I believe so..."
"Stay behind me." They stood up and ran into the street. Daniel had his zat gun up, and shot only when a rock began arching toward them. He took a chance, and aimed for the rock instead of the thrower. The electrical charge swam across the stone's surface, and the momentum was sapped from it. The rock fell a few feet short of them. Daniel ran behind the fence where Cameron and Sam were crouched.
"Sharp-shooter," Cameron said.
"Yeah." He looked around. "Where are Teal'c and Vala?"
"They're--" As Cam started to point, the burning roof caved in on the house. "Oh, hell."
Daniel said, "Keep the villagers back. I'm going to see if they were hurt." He got to his feet and ran to the fence, ignoring Sam and Cameron calling after him. Their zats fired again, and he was grateful for them watching his back. He leapt over the fence and found himself in a backyard, a group of stunned people standing nearby. They glanced at him when he arrived, then turned back to the remnants of their home.
Daniel approached the nearest one and put his hand on her shoulder. "My friends, where are they? The people dressed..." He indicated his own uniform.
The woman looked at him for a long second and then nodded toward the house. "I-inside," one of the people said.
Daniel looked at the flames, eyes wide. He couldn't believe anyone could survive that, not even Teal'c. Still, he couldn't give up hope. He ran forward and shouted, "Teal'c! Vala!" The back door was open and smoke billowed out into the beautiful afternoon sky. He brought the collar of his shirt up and tried to breathe through it as he squinted into the darkness. He couldn't see anything inside, no signs of movement or life. "Vala!"
"Daniel?"
He spun toward the voice and saw Vala coming around the corner of the house. Teal'c was behind her, his face smeared with dark soot. Teal'c was holding his right arm against his side, and Vala's jacket was singed at the edges. She smiled. "You weren't worried, were you?"
Daniel smiled and walked up to her. "As many times as I've watched you die? Hardly."
"Look who's talking."
Daniel pulled Vala to him and kissed her lips.
Teal'c arched an eyebrow.
Vala kept her eyes open through the kiss, her hands up and fingers spread as if surrendering. When Daniel pulled back, he said, "Sorry."
"Don't be," Vala said. She patted his chest and said, "Another time, perhaps. For now..."
Daniel nodded and motioned for the people from the house to stand up. "It's okay. You're safe now. There is a group of your fellow villagers on the next street over; go join them. Tell them we're not their enemies."
The people nodded, still in shock, and headed for the gate. But the time they reached the street, they were running.
"Do you believe that will help?" Teal'c asked as he watched the people flee.
Daniel shrugged. "Couldn't hurt. Come on, let's get back to the others."
They joined up with the rest of the team, who were still holding off the angry villagers with random bursts from the zats. "Glad to see we're all in one piece," Cameron said. He watched as the people Teal'c and Vala rescued appeared and the crowd turned their focus to their welfare. "These folks seem to be calming down; why don't we try to get someplace safe with locking doors?"
"Fine by me," Sam said. She turned and saw Teal'c, and smiled at him. He nodded to her, indicating he was okay, and she forced herself to look away. Cameron led the way out of the backyard, zat drawn and ready in case any of the villagers decided to start round two.
#
When they reached the council hall, Cameron and Teal'c made sure all the entrances were sealed off. Abelard assured them it wasn't necessary. "No one would enter without express permission. This site is considered sacred ground. No outside conflicts can cross over the threshold. It is forbidden."
Cam was unimpressed. "You got people burning down their neighbor's houses out there. Is that forbidden?"
Abelard looked away.
Sam said, "All right. We still have an hour or two until sunset, right?" Abelard nodded. "We should take the time to regroup. We're going to have a fight on our hands when Rameris finally shows up. Judging by what Penza and Solele said, we may end up fighting on two fronts. We're going to need some rest. Abelard, are there private quarters here?"
"Yes, several," he said. "The building has been used as a sanctuary often in our history. It is why I believe our people will uphold the covenant." He gestured for the team to follow him down one of the corridors. "There are enough rooms for all of you. Colonels Mitchell and Carter, you may take the two rooms at the far end; they have medical supplies as well as private lavatories. I extend to you my sincerest apologies for what has occurred."
"We'll live," Cameron said. "These rooms here?"
Sam went into the room farthest from the rest and shut the door. As soon as she was alone, she cupped her hand to her side and closed her eyes. The pain stick cauterized the entry points it made, but it did nothing for the pain. She winced and finally pushed away from the door, limping to the private lavatory Abelard had promised. She was grateful to find indoor plumbing, and she filled a basin with hot water while she looked for washcloths.
She peeled off her tank top and examined herself in the mirror. Six dark circles on her side, where Penza jabbed her with the pain stick. Bruises just beginning to fade into existence. She would definitely be a Rorschach test come morning. If they made it that far. She wet the washcloth and began cleaning the mud from her arms and hands.
Sam was almost finished cleaning when there was a soft knock at the door. "Just a minute." She picked up her shirt and slipped it on. "Okay. Come in." The door opened and Teal'c hesitantly entered the room. "Teal'c. Close the door." She returned to the bathroom and wet the towel again. The water was already murky and growing more tepid with each passing moment. Still, it felt better than nothing.
"Colonel Carter. Are you well?"
"I'm fine."
"Perhaps you should return through the Stargate for the remainder--"
"Teal'c, I'm fine," she said. She met his eyes in the mirror and held his gaze for a long time. Finally, she said, "But thank you."
He crossed the room and stood behind her, reaching around her to take the washcloth. Sam let him take it from her hand, then bowed her head as he pressed it to the back of her neck. She closed her eyes as he gently swept the terrycloth along her tired muscles, water gathering on the collar of her tank top and trickling down her back.
"That feels good," she said softly.
Teal'c's free hand came up and touched her upper arm. Sam tensed slightly at the touch, but she relaxed as he moved his fingers in slow circles. She swallowed hard and pressed back against him. She turned her head, eyes still closed, and said, "Teal'c..."
He pressed his face into her hair, his hand tightening around the washcloth. He reached out to place it on the counter and said, "Samantha." Sam pressed against him, and then suddenly his weight was gone. Her eyes opened and she saw him backing quickly away. "I cannot--"
"Teal'c," she said. She grabbed his wrist and kept him from escaping. He looked at her hand, then into her eyes. The sadness, the sorrow there whenever he looked at her. There was only one explanation. She remembered a question Daniel, stricken with amnesia, had once asked. "Teal'c, was there ever anything between us?"
He opened his mouth to tell her another lie, she was sure, but then he closed his eyes. Sam stepped close to him and slid her hand up his arm. She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled his head down to hers, stretching herself up to meet his lips. The kiss was tentative on Sam's part, just a quick touch to see how it felt, but she immediately understood it was something more to Teal'c.
Teal'c made a quiet noise in his throat and pushed her back. They moved back into the bathroom and her hips impacted the sink hard enough to jostle the basin. Water sloshed onto the counter, but Teal'c ignored it. He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her to him. He broke the kiss and turned his head away from her, loosening his grip on her pants. "Samantha, I apologize. I should leave."
Sam touched his face and pulled him to her for another kiss. "Don't go," she whispered, brushing her lips across his. "Just go slow." She ran her hands down his chest and pushed them away from the sink. She found his hand and threaded their fingers together as she walked him into the bedroom. Teal'c followed, eyes unblinking as if afraid she would disappear when he wasn't looking.
When they reached the bed, Sam sat on the edge and looked up at him. "I know these past few months have been torture on you," she whispered, very aware of the rest of the team in adjoining rooms. "Do what you have to do."
"Samantha..."
"I trust you," she said.
Teal'c dropped to his knees in front of her and touched her face with trembling hands. Sam closed her eyes and turned into the caress, parting her lips when his fingers brushed them. Teal'c leaned in and kissed her neck, and Sam gasped. His tongue went immediately to one of her most sensitive spots, his teeth nipping her ear just enough. She arched her back as his hands came to the straps of her tank top.
The kiss on her neck, the way it made everything in her spark, was enough to answer all of her questions. She and Teal'c had been lovers, for quite a while it seemed, and the past few months he had been forced to deny his feelings. "Teal'c," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. You should have told me. You should have said something."
He lifted his head and Sam kissed him. She pressed her tongue into his mouth and grabbed his shirt, working quickly to get it untucked. Teal'c leaned back and pulled the shirt off, tossing it across the room and letting Sam see his bare chest. She leaned forward and kissed him, tasting his lips and feeling the sharp rush of his breath against her mouth. Teal'c's hand went to the back of her head and undid her ponytail, threading the strands through his fingers. Sam put her hands on his bare chest, her hands warming against his skin. Teal'c pulled back and looked at her, eyes dark. Sam felt completely naked under his gaze, but she didn't want to turn away. He touched her face again, then dropped his hands to her thighs.
Sam scooted back on the bed, and Teal'c leaned back to put one of her feet on his thigh. He undid the laces of her boot and tugged it off, rolling the sock down and off as well. He cupped the heel in his hand and brought the foot up, gently kissing the largest toe. Sam gasped and resisted the urge to curl her toes. Who knew I would like that? she thought. Then she realized. He does. He knows me. Everything about me, and he loves me.
Teal'c repeated the ceremony with the other boot, then turned his attention to the catch of Sam's trousers. He spread her legs and settled between them, his hands on the insides of her thighs. As he lowered his head, Sam arched her back to meet him. He kissed her through her tank top and bra, teasing with his lips and teeth until she pushed him back. She pulled the shirt up and over her head, dropping it behind her on the bed. She was panting now, and groaned as he reached around her to undo the catch of her bra.
Sam let the bra fall, and cried out as his lips and tongue touched her breast. She put her hand on the back of his head and rolled her head back on her shoulders. His movements were methodical, slow explorations, gentle teasing. By the time he lifted his head, Sam was almost too dazed to return his kiss. She fumbled with his belt, suddenly unable to wait. She wanted him, needed to have him in her hands.
She fell back as Teal'c climbed onto the bed, their kiss unbroken as her hands pushed his trousers out of the way. He lay on top of her as she pushed her hands into his underwear and cupped his erection in her hand. "Teal'c," she said against his mouth. She ran her fingers along his length as he finally, mercifully, began undoing her pants. Sam reluctantly let go of him so he could push his underwear down, and his cock fell free against her thigh.
He lifted himself to push her pants down her legs, and she kicked them away, finally naked under her beautiful teammate, her another-life lover. He slipped one arm around her waist, holding her to him, and moved the other between her legs. He brushed the backs of two fingers against her, and Sam whimpered at the touch. Teal'c smiled, a tender, loving smile, and pressed the blunt tip of his penis against her opening.
"Teal'c," she whispered, "Teal'c, please."
He arched his back and slipped inside of her. Sam grunted and pressed her hands against his chest, her knees bent and closed around his hips. Teal'c kept his eyes open, locked on her face, and began to thrust gently against her. Sam reached up with one hand, bracing herself against the headboard. She met his every thrust and, when she was about to tell him to go faster or slower, he adjusted his speed accordingly without being told.
Sam opened her eyes and said, "You must have loved her very much."
"I loved you, Samantha," he said. "I still do." He bent and kissed her lips, pushing her closer and closer to her orgasm. When she came, she dug her fingers into his hips and pressed her body hard against him. Her breasts against his chest, her thighs against his flank, she wanted as much skin as possible touching. She bowed her head and nipped at his skin, tasting his sweat against her tongue, and he panted her name and began to withdraw.
"No," she whispered. "No, no, no, stay..."
"Samantha, I am..."
"It's okay," she said. She pressed her face against his chest and said, "It's okay. Stay inside. Stay inside of me." She found his nipple with her lips and ran her tongue around it in quick circles. Teal'c trembled and grunted, his body moving with sudden erratic jerks. Sam moaned as Teal'c came inside of her, closing her eyes. She kissed his shoulder, his neck and then his lips, holding on to him until she had to collapse back onto the mattress.
Teal'c covered her body with his own, their sweat cooling in the aftermath. Sam turned her head and pressed her cheek against the cool mattress, her hands running over Teal'c's sweaty back. His face was against her shoulder. "I have loved you longer than you have been alive," he whispered.
Sam shivered and drew his head to hers. They kissed gently, like the long-time lovers Teal'c remembered, and Sam got a hint of what life on the Odyssey had been like. "When we were trapped," Sam said, "When I'm sure I felt the weight of everyone's lives on my shoulders, you loved me. You gave me peace. Thank you, Teal'c. Even if I don't remember it. Thank you."
He nodded and finally, reluctantly slid out of her. He rolled to one side and pulled Sam to him. She closed his eyes, no longer concerned about the terrible wounds in her side or the memory of pain in Penza's basement. She rested her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "How long do we have until sunset?"
"It is slightly less than an hour away."
Sam nodded, her hair tickling his chin. "Okay," she whispered. "Long enough for a catnap." She kissed his skin once more and said, "Don't let me sleep too late."
Teal'c embraced her and said, "I will not, Samantha. You have my word."
Sam smiled and let herself drift off in his arms.