STATUS: SAR MISSION ON STANDBY
APPROX 2050 HRS LOCAL TIME
2 JUL 03/1010 HRS BASE TIME
“I need you to relinquish your weapon, sir.” Sam held out her hand, brushing against the communications ball hanging from her vest. She hated that device, just as much as she hated every moment of what had to come next.
Colonel O’Neill’s long fingers tightened on his P90. “You don’t want to do this, Major,” he whispered. “Not yet.”
Bra’tac and Teal’c remained a few feet back. The rising moon lit both their faces in apparent astonishment.
“Colonel, you’ve given me no choice.” She held out her hand again for emphasis. “You disregarded our orders, sir.”
Colonel O’Neill glimpsed down at her hand and glowered. “You can’t do this, orders or not.”
“I’m sorry, sir. General Hammond gave me the authority shortly before we embarked.”
“And of course you didn’t bother to check Air Force regulations on your own, right Carter?” His face tightened into an angry mask, one Sam never imagined would be directed her way. “What a good little soldier you are.”
“Sir — ”
“You can’t relieve me of command. The rules state there has to be two officers present. Nope, sorry, not going to happen.”
Bra’tac stepped forward. “I disagree… or is Teal’c’s new honorary rank merely an empty promise?”
“There’s a reason it’s called ‘honorary’.” The colonel raised up two fingers of his free hand in a mock version of air quotes.
“So you admit to only placating Teal’c in hopes of… in the hopes of what, O’Neill? So that he may stay with you and not join the ranks of the Jaffa Rebellion more directly?”
“For crying out loud, Bra’tac. This isn’t about you or your little rebellion.”
Bra’tac’s eyes narrowed. “Little?”
“Sam, can you hear me?” It was her father, speaking through the com device.
Sam groaned. Nice timing, Dad.
Colonel O’Neill rolled his eyes. “You gonna take that call or not?”
She pushed the ball out from its webbing and held it up. Her father was in the briefing room, a smug Ambassador Huang beside him. Sam knew ‘hate’ was a strong word to use, but at the moment, it seemed to define pretty much everything involved with this mission. Especially Ambassador Huang.
“We read you, Dad. Five by five.”
“General Hammond requested I relay that the mission, as planned, is still a go.”
Huang leaned in, his face filling up the ball’s display. “Confine Colonel O’Neill to the ship, Major Carter.”
“No, sir.” Sam shook her head. “The colonel’s still needed if we’re going to succeed on this mission.”
“By whose authority?” Huang snarled. Clearly, he didn’t like this anymore than Sam, though for different reasons.
“Mine as commanding officer.”
“Ha!” Colonel O’Neill laughed. “That’s a joke.”
Sam kept her eyes on the com device, knowing that if she looked at the colonel — even for an instant — she’d break. “Mister Ambassador, if you have a problem with my decision, I suggest you take it up with General Hammond or the Secretary of the Air Force, sir.”
Inside the briefing room, someone’s palm covered the display. When it was removed, Huang’s face had zoomed back out to include her father.
“If anything changes on this end, kiddo, we’ll keep you informed. In the meantime, proceed as discussed.”
“Right.” Sure Dad, easy for you to say.
Sam stuck the com ball back on her vest. “Colonel, that rifle is a direct violation of our orders. Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.” She held out her hand once more.
Teal’c came up beside the colonel. “O’Neill, if we are to rescue Daniel Jackson, and not return home in disgrace — ”
“Like I care what people think.”
“Nonetheless, our orders remain,” Teal’c said softly.
“Fine, whatever.” The colonel shoved his rifle at Sam.
Grabbing her pack from the ground, she ejected the partially spent magazine and stowed it and the rifle inside.
“Permission to use the head before we move out, Ma’am.” Bad attitude in full force, the colonel had come to attention and saluted.
“I will accompany you, O’Neill,” said Teal’c.
“No,” Sam replied. She pulled off the com ball and handed to Teal’c. “You hang on to this. I’ll escort the colonel in case he tries anything inappropriate.”
Colonel O’Neill raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t think Huang wants to watch me take a piss?”
“Sir,” she warned. Now wasn’t the time for clever wisecracks.
“Fine then.” The colonel stormed off.
Sam followed, acutely aware of the sympathy on Teal’c and Bra’tac’s faces as she walked by.
* * *
Daniel’s life had tunneled down into one long round after another of Wéiqí. More than half the board was covered in Yu’s black stones while Daniel had barely ten white ones in play. He’d start to build up a new section, far removed from Yu’s massive blot of black stones in the center, only to have the Goa’uld’s black stones surround him until they were all captured.
The sun set as they continued playing the extraordinarily complex game. Through it all, Yu never gave him an inclination as to what would happen once all the stones were played, all the rounds finished, and Daniel had lost… which in Daniel’s mind seemed inevitable.
Win or lose. Live or die. One thing was certain, time was running out. There were just so many moves left on the board. He’d have to do something, figure out some way out of there, before the game ended. A part of him, the archeologist inside, wished he could stay there long enough to find out more about Yu’s time on Earth, to learn how much influence the Goa’uld really had on those early days in China.
Even that part of him wanted to live, no matter what Jack had thought. Daniel knew he didn’t want to die. Not on some obscure planet, far from his friends and home.
Lao Dan had just removed their evening meal when Daniel struck upon a new strategy. A two-part strategy, actually. He’d need to distract Yu long enough to have the Goa’uld let down his guard. Then, he might have a chance at either finding a back way out of the throne room or, at worst case, knocking Yu out when he wasn’t looking. Daniel looked around the room, settling on the jade sculpture beneath the cherry tree. It was small enough to lift, though big enough to do some damage.
But first, he needed to distract Yu. The only way that would happen was if Daniel started winning, or at least made it harder so Yu would have to concentrate more fully on the game.
Feeling Yu’s gaze on him as he scooped up a piece from his diminishing bowl of white stones, Daniel studied the board—the whole board—as if it was a chess game. Five rounds had been played, each on a different section of the board. The far left bottom, middle and top sides were covered in black stones, as was the center and an area right above it. That left the mid sections in all four quadrants and the far right top and bottom.
Early on, he’d set a stone at each corner, an homage of sorts to how Jack would often split up SG-1 to surround a target. If Daniel could build up the two remaining corners, he might have a chance. Under Yu’s watchful eye, he plunked down a stone on the board’s outer edge, next to his corner piece.
Yu plunked down a black on the edge next to his. Daniel dropped a stone on the other side of his first, grouping three whites together. Yu set down another stone, this time inside the V Daniel had created. With a smile, Daniel dropped a white in on the other side and cut off Yu’s play.
He picked up the black stone with a smile. It was his first win.
“A good move.” Yu stuck his fingers into his lacquered bowl and picked at his stones.
“Don’t give up on me yet. I might actually win.” As nonchalantly as possible, Daniel dropped his solitary bl
ack beside the board.
“And you believe winning will free you.”
Daniel flinched. Had he been wrong? “Will it kill me?”
“That depends on you.”
“Just how many days of playing do you expect of me?”
Yu narrowed his eyes. “Just how many days of not answering my question do you expect me to tolerate?”
“I can’t answer your question. I don’t remember being here. Really.”
“And yet, you were.” The Goa’uld took up one stone from the bowl, examined it, and the dropped it back down. “I can only assume from your refusal to answer my question that you do wish to stay here, indefinitely. But before you decide, I will remind you of one thing…”
Yu put down his bowl and gazed steadily at Daniel. “We share a common enemy. That enemy is Anubis. While you and the Tau’ri may consider him new to your fight, he is a very old enemy of my house.”
Daniel put his head in his hands, his mind racing over the best course of action. He knew Yu told the truth. Undercover as Yu’s lotar, Daniel had seen firsthand how, of all the Goa’uld, Yu had been the most vehemently opposed to Anubis’ reentry into the System Lords’ Alliance.
If ever there was a cliché, the old ‘enemy of my enemy is my friend’ seemed more apropopriate than ever.
Besides, striking Yu with the statue was a dumb plan. He knew that. Between the Jaffa outside the door and who knew how many were garrisoned throughout the fortress, the chances of Daniel getting out alive were slim to none.
Recognizing that sometimes the best strategy was the truth, Daniel stared back at Yu. “If I tell you, will you let me go?”
“If you tell the truth, you shall be rewarded.” Yu said with a nod. “Tell me how you managed to appear here, in my throne room. More importantly, how did you know Anubis would attack Abydos?”
Realizing he’d been holding his breath, Daniel let out a long sigh. “A little over a year ago, I died.”
“Yet you are very much alive,” Yu observed.
“I am, but at the time when I came here, I wasn’t.”
The Goa’uld’s eyes flashed white. “Now you speak to me in riddles.”
Daniel raised a hand. “Trust me, I’m not. What happened was… I ascended.”
“Explain.” Yu leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
Daniel explained the process of Ascension, deliberately leaving out any mention of the Ancients or their technological abilities, such as building the Stargates. The last thing Yu, or any other Goa’uld needed to know, was how advanced the Ancients had been. He finished his explanation by sharing the truth about Anubis. “He ascended at one point, too. I think right after you killed him in battle — ”
“That was a thousand years ago,” Yu murmured.
“Yeah, well… the other Ascended beings threw him out. He’s basically only half-ascended, some sort of state that makes it necessary for him to wear a shield to contain his energy.”
“And you? Were you thrown out as well?”
Daniel shrugged. “I don’t know. Like I said, I can’t remember.”
And there it was. He really didn’t know. The answer lay so out of reach, so far beyond anything he could even begin to guess at, that even admitting his uncertainty hurt.
Admitting his feelings to a Goa’uld didn’t help, either.
Yu sat quietly for a moment, stroking his imperial beard, thinking who knew what? Daniel hoped he was contemplating how to send him home.
Finally, Yu spoke. “I promised you would be rewarded.”
A ten ton weight fell off Daniel’s back. “If you take me to the Stargate, I’ll give you the coordinates.” The new Alpha site would be out, he couldn’t let them know its coordinates, but Sam had mentioned a new mining operation on P3X-403. He could gate there. Then, he’d borrow someone’s GDO and gate back to the S.G.C. A shower, a debrief with Jack and General Hammond, and then, sleep — in a real bed, no less.
“You misunderstand me,” said Yu, reaching under the table.
“By ship then? I guess you could take me back to where you found me.”
“I have a different reward in mind.” He brought up a small ebony box worked with a jade rendition of his symbol.
As the Goa’uld opened the box, Daniel realized with a sinking feeling that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Take them.” Yu held out four jade dragons, each no larger than his thumb. They were intricately carved, similar to the Chinese dragons popular in modern Earth culture. The dragons stood on miniature pedestals, their claws raised in the air as if fighting some unseen force. Each one’s eyes were painted a different color: gray, red, green and blue. The same colors as the chairs in the room Daniel had slept in last night.
Daniel didn’t want them. He wanted to go home. “But you said — ”
“They will give you an advantage in our game.”
Daniel clenched his fists. “I told you what I know. Now let me go.”
“Take them,” Yu boomed.
“I’m not playing your stupid game,” Daniel shouted back.
“Take them!”
In afterthought, Daniel realized he should have taken the pieces and he should never have raised his voice.
Both these thoughts occurred to him as Yu’s hand shot up, his Goa’uld ribbon device erupted, burrowing sheer pain into Daniel’s head. A thousand fire ants crawled around his skull, pushing and pulling at every blood cell in his brain.
Finally, Yu withdrew his hand and Daniel sank down to the cold, dark floor. He had a choice, that was perfectly obvious.
Either pass out or play another round of Wéiqí.
The choice was made for him. His eyes slid closed.
Chapter Ten
PLANET DESIGNATION: LORD YU’S
HOMEWORLD (P3X-042)
STATUS: ENEMY OCCUPIED TERRITORY
APPROX 2100 HRS LOCAL TIME
3 JUL 03/1020 HRS BASE TIME
Jack stopped in front of what he was pretty sure was the entryway to the cargo ship. It was hard to tell, the thing being in stealth mode and all. Having blood dripping down his left brow didn’t make it any easier.
Carter silently came up beside him. One glimpse over his shoulder confirmed that Teal’c and Bra’tac were still within earshot. So was that damn Goa’uld com ball.
Disgusted, Jack turned back around, staring at where the ship should be. “You gonna let me in, Carter?”
With a sigh heard halfway around the planet, she thumbed the ship’s remote. The air rippled. Like a wave of water on the shore, the ripple regressed, revealing the ship’s hatch only an arm’s length away. Without waiting for permission, Jack palmed the door open and stepped inside.
The door slid closed and he went aft, aware the entire time that Carter was hot on his heels. Jack kept his mouth shut. When he reached the head, he shoved the door open and entered. Again, Carter followed him in.
She slammed the door shut, hard. Jack almost flinched, but then remembered he’d as much reason to be angry as she did. When she whirled toward him, he met her glare for glare.
It was the ultimate stare down contest.
Until he couldn’t help himself. He smirked.
She flashed one of those toothy grins back at him.
“Geez, Carter,” he said with a shake of his head, “you ever think of going into television? You’d make a hell of an actress.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, sir. I’m fairly certain Ambassador Huang believed every bit of it.”
“Ambassador Huang… Just repeating that bastard’s name makes me want to wash my mouth out with soap.” Jack glanced toward the overkill of a bathtub. “Carter, do the Goa’uld even use soap?”
“Wouldn’t know, sir. I brought my own.”
“Always be prepared, they say.” For the first time in too damn long, Jack allowed himself a brief smile. It felt great to be out of sight of that damn eavesdropping com ball.
He touched the wound over his eye and brought back his hand. No
t too bloody, but he’d need stitches thanks to Bra’tac slamming him with that branch. Damn, that old man had a temper about as bad as his own.
“Would you like me to get the med kit, sir?” Carter asked.
“Probably wouldn’t be a good idea to drip blood all over Lord Snakehead’s fancy palace, huh?” He leaned in toward one of the mirrors. The whole damn room was covered in them. Narcissism and Goa’uld went hand in hand.
He had blood on his brow, on the side of his face, and on the collar of his black tee. Just great. “Get my pack, too, if you wouldn’t mind, thanks.”
While Carter went aft to collect his things, Jack scrutinized the damage. Half an inch long and right on the eyebrow, as usual. Maybe he should just paint a target on it.
Maybe he should just kick himself while he’s at it. As royally screwed as this mission had been from the start, it’d gone from bad to worse.
Carter returned. “Do you want me to stitch that up for you, sir?”
“I got it.” Close quarters with Carter was one thing; he’d learned how to lock that room down tight. But after spending the last day play-acting at being pissed at her, the need to assure himself that they were good was too damned tempting.
Having her right up in his face just wouldn’t fly.
He grabbed the orange nylon med kit and his pack, dumping them both on the sink counter. He zipped open the med kit and rummaged inside for an iodine wipe. “All right, let’s review the situation, Major.”
Carter sat down on the edge of the tub. “We still don’t know if Huang has some sort of connection to Lord Yu.”
“Oh, we know.” Stripping off his vest and jacket, he dumped them on the floor and ripped open the wipe. “What we don’t know is how the hell this guy got past White House security clearances. Diplomat, my ass.”
Between the aerial welcoming committee hovering over Yu’s fortress and the nasty skirmish they just went through with the Jaffa, Jack could feel it in his gut. Someone had tipped their hand to Yu. He was betting it was Huang.
Jack dabbed the yellowish brown gauze on his brow. Damn stuff stung, though it was better than ending up in the infirmary with a needle full of antibiotics in his ass. Cleaned up, it didn’t look so bad.
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