“I was only a young lieutenant in Apophis’ ranks when the trial was eliminated. It was I who implored the false god to end such a heinous practice.”
Overhead, the glider passed by once more. North this time, and at a higher altitude and velocity. As much as Teal’c wished to hear Bra’tac’s story, he also hoped the ship would soon return to Yu’s fortress so that they may retrieve Daniel Jackson.
“What happened in this trial of Amen’ta?” asked Major Carter.
“A candidate for First Prime would be placed within a maze much like this one. The task was to find their way out.”
“How hard could that be?” asked O’Neill as he shifted his weight beside Teal’c. “Ouch! Damned thorns.”
Indeed, Teal’c had suffered several stabs from the offending protrusions. They were annoying in their inability to bend.
“Unlike ourselves,” Bra’tac replied, “Bay’lik of the Red Grove was given no food. No water. No weapons.”
“Bay’lik. I’m guessing he was a friend?”
“Indeed he was, O’Neill. Bay’lik was much loved by both his god and all Jaffa.”
“And he needed weapons because?”
“Vicious beasts — Amen’ta — were set within the maze as well.”
“Amen’ta are native to Chulak,” Teal’c said. “Much like Earth’s lions, but with the head of a crocodile. Ferocious in nature.”
Bra’tac grunted. “I have seen firsthand the evidence of their ferocity.”
Teal’c grasped Bra’tac’s arm in solidarity. “You need not share this tale if — ”
“I must. For my own sake as well as yours.” Bra’tac squeezed Teal’c’s hand and then released it. “The last candidate to undergo the trial was Bay’lik. Though Bay’lik was young, he inspired much loyalty from the Jaffa. We would follow him into the caves of Ne’tu if he asked.”
“I’m guessing Bay’lik didn’t survive,” O’Neill murmured.
“He did not. When seven days had passed, Apophis ordered me to take those closest to Bay’lik into the maze so that we may find his remains. Armed, we felt sure of ourselves. We were young warriors and our god favored us…”
“Did you find Bay’lik?” asked Major Carter.
“We found his bones stripped of flesh, his symbiote torn in half.”
“And the Amen’ta?”
“In my haste to recover Bay’lik’s remains, I did not think to warn the others with me. An Amen’ta attacked, its fangs ripping all but three of my men apart before we were able to slay the beast. All because I had been thinking of the dead and not those who’d entrusted their lives to my care.”
A cough in the darkness. O’Neill.
Teal’c considered Bra’tac’s words. He knew his old friend believed O’Neill’s steadfast determination to rescue Daniel Jackson placed other elements of their mission at risk, including the need to recruit more Jaffa to their cause, but Teal’c knew O’Neill. He had faith in his Tau’ri brother’s overriding drive to protect all of them, no matter the personal cost. Hence the reason for this subterfuge with Ambassador Huang.
Within the group’s fallen silence, Teal’c listened for a sign that Yu’s glider may have returned. He heard nothing.
O’Neill tapped him on the shoulder. “Think they’re gone?”
Teal’c leaned out of the hole and looked up at the night sky. “For the moment.”
A dull glow appeared within Major Carter’s hands, illuminating the hole. She had pulled out the communication device. Ambassador Huang and General Hammond’s faces hung within the ball. Teal’c glanced over at Bra’tac. The Jaffa Master now seemed more weary than agitated.
“Major Carter, are the gliders gone?”
“We think so, General, but I’m going to have to keep the ball under wraps until we’re sure it’s safe. I’ll need both of you to keep pretty quiet. With your approval, Mister Ambassador.”
“Ouch!” Having slid his hand along the inner wall of their hole, O’Neill now rubbed one palm with the other. “Laying it on a bit thick, don’t you think, Carter?” he mumbled.
“If you must,” said Ambassador Huang, the grey in his beard accentuated by the display’s silver-brown glow. It disturbed Teal’c greatly that he had yet to place the old man. It disturbed him more that the S.G.C. had yet to uncover who the ambassador really was.
“As soon as you are able, please permit us to view the surroundings once more. It is one thing to listen, but — ”
“Listening is about all I can give you right now,” Major Carter said.
“Understood,” said General Hammond. “Be careful.”
“Is my father around, sir?”
General Hammond shook his head. “He’s with Dr. Frasier at the moment, Major. I’ll give him your regards.”
Teal’c shared a look with O’Neill. If Jacob Carter and Selmak were working with Dr. Frasier, perhaps an answer would come soon.
Major Carter signed off and stuck the ball back into her pant leg. The hole was once again plunged into near darkness. “Bra’tac, I promise you, we’re going to get through this. It’s a very different situation.”
“Perhaps it is,” said Bra’tac, his voice wooden. Distant. “But a man’s memories are sometimes a beast as painful and dangerous as the Amen’ta.”
“Yeah…” O’Neill said softly, and then, his voice took on the forced cheerfulness Teal’c had come to recognize. A voice meant as much to buoy himself as those around him. “But hey! You’re forgetting something.” The electric ‘ka-chink’ of enabled zat sounded in the darkened hole. “Unlike Bay’lik, we’re armed.”
“Are we?” Bra’tac asked harshly. “You yourself have shown that you do not consider the zat a worthy weapon. And how do you propose we escape this maze without any light? A glider could return at any moment.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. Carter, how far in do you think we are from our starting point?”
“Hard to tell, sir. We never got a very good look from above. We could be several kilometers in or only feet away from where we started.”
“Teal’c, you think you could get us back to the beginning of the maze?”
Teal’c was certain he could retrace their steps. It was simply a matter of finding the tunnels in which the light sticks lay. Going forward would be another challenge. “We dare not use any light source in case the glider returns.”
“Not a problem,” said O’Neill. “Actually, it’s a small problem, and it’ll hurt like hell… for me, at least, but anything beats sitting in this hole any longer.”
He had begun to crawl toward the exit, and then stopped. “If that’s all right with you, Carter? I know you’re in charge, but my knees are killing me and besides, I think I can get us through this godforsaken maze.”
“I’m all for that, sir.” At Major Carter’s direction, they crawled out into the night. Without the moon to light their way, the tunnel was still quite dark. Only a few stars overhead poked through the vegetation covering the tunnel’s ceiling.
O’Neill tentatively placed his hand on the hedge wall and then yanked it back. “Damn. Someone remind me why I stopped wearing gloves on these little missions of ours.”
Teal’c joined him by the wall. “What is it you are planning, O’Neill?”
His friend looked at him, the glint of a nearby star illuminating darkened eyes filled with sad determination. “A way out. Whether Bra’tac thinks we’re doing the right thing or not… we’re getting Daniel back. That’s the only reason we’re here.”
Teal’c shook his head. “I do not think Bra’tac believes otherwise.”
“Yes, well, at the moment, I’m not so sure. He’s still pretty pissed at me for shooting those Jaffa.” O’Neill paused. He looked over at Bra’tac and then returned to tentatively probing the hedge wall. “You know, I’ve got my own beasty memories, too — hell, we all do — but I get Bra’tac’s point.”
“Indeed.” Teal’c bowed his head in agreement. In joining SG-1, he had dedicated his life
to a path of redemption from such memories.
“Memories suck. No doubt about it.” O’Neill plucked a thorn from the hedge and hand it to Teal’c. “But sometimes, T, sometimes, they’re all we’ve got.”
* * *
Sam followed Colonel O’Neill’s lead with Teal’c and Bra’tac bringing up the rear. Though they didn’t encounter any more Jaffa on the trail, she’d ordered everyone’s zats engaged just in case. A low hum grew louder the further they plodded through the maze, a hopeful sign that they were getting closer to the photonic shield surrounding Yu’s fortress.
Through every twist and turn of the interconnected tunnels, she struggled to bite back any protest. It wasn’t that she was bothered by the fact that the colonel led the way. Nor was she concerned that, as temporary commander of this mission, she really should be the one out front. She could care less about protocol.
What troubled her was the colonel’s short hushed gasps as he slid his left hand along the walls of the hedge maze. He never broke contact, never lifted his hand no matter what the walls consisted of. Some tunnels were comprised of gnarled roots and branches; others contained unavoidable thorns which completely covered the walls. Through it all, Colonel O’Neill pushed on. He always turned left, and by the sound of things, always closer to their objective.
Knowing he’d object to any expressed concern, Sam focused on the sound. Low pitched, she placed it at least several octaves below middle C. She suspected Yu’s photonic emitter generated some sort of side effect, possibly due to particle bombardment, but she was guessing. There was no way to know until she could examine the device for herself, and that would be impossible.
The vines overhead had thinned out, allowing in some pre-dawn light. They’d just rounded another corner when Colonel O’Neill stopped and swore softly. He’d hung his head low, the band on the back of his ski cap glistening with sweat.
“Colonel, are you all right?” Sam whispered.
“God, that sound’s annoying,” the colonel said. “Carter, you think we’re close enough to stop for a second?”
“Hang on.” Glancing over her shoulder at Teal’c and Bra’tac, she gestured for them to scout ahead. The two ran to the end of the tunnel and disappeared from view. Only moments later, they returned.
While Teal’c came up beside her, Bra’tac stopped in front of the colonel. A silent look went between them. Finally, Bra’tac said, “I should not have doubted you.”
The colonel smirked. “Next time, I’m taking bets. Three to one odds.”
“There are no Jaffa to be seen,” Teal’c said as he holstered his weapon. “The maze ends beyond the next bend. From there, it is a short distance to the rear entrance of Yu’s fortress. A low wall surrounds the area, though it can be easily scaled.”
“Not without a little help from the medkit,” the colonel said, raising his left hand in the air.
Even in the low light, Sam could see the deep cuts on his palm and fingers. With her own pack weighed down with equipment, Teal’c had carried supplies. He unsnapped his pack, pulled out the medkit and offered it to the colonel.
Sam grabbed it. “Break out some energy bars, Teal’c, and make sure everyone gets some water in them.”
Teal’c unwrapped an energy bar and silently handed it to the colonel. He distributed bars to Bra’tac and Sam and then passed around a canteen.
“Permission to sit, Major?” The colonel pointed at the communications ball stuffed in her pocket.
“It’s turned off, sir. I had it in listening mode then thought it might be better to be safe than sorry. I should probably reengage it once we get back under way.”
The colonel sat down heavily and nibbled at his ration.
Sam unzipped the medkit and pulled out a tube of antiseptic and some gauze, she cleansed the blood off the colonel’s hand. “You’re lucky. Most of these cuts are pretty shallow.”
“Good. I like shallow.” He handed the canteen back to Teal’c who stowed it away in his pack.
Sam glanced up at Teal’c. “Take Bra’tac and stand guard by the turnout until I clean up Colonel O’Neill’s hand.”
With a nod of his head, Teal’c gestured silently for Bra’tac to follow. The two rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight.
The colonel grabbed his neglected ration bar and took a bite. “You’re pretty pushy for a commanding officer.”
“Learned from the best, sir.”
Having found a few thorns stuck in his palm, Sam grabbed a pair of tweezers from the kit. The first one slid out easily enough. Only a few centimeters in length, a green bark-like substance coated the thorn. The second one was embedded deeply and she had to dig around a bit to loosen it.
“Ouch, Carter!” He yanked his hand away. “Maybe I taught you how to be a dictator, but there’s no way I’m taking credit for you being such a lousy nurse.”
“Sorry, sir.” She grabbed his hand again and braced it against her knee. “Where’d you learn how to get through a maze?”
“Can we talk about this later, Carter?”
“Sure. I’m just trying to keep your mind off my lousy nursing.” She pressed the tweezers’ head against the thorn in his palm to nudge it loose.
He sighed. “It was something Bra’tac said… about memories.”
“Ah, so you’ve been in a maze before. On purpose?” She continued to push on the skin next to the thorn.
“With Charlie. It was Halloween, and like pretty much every other five-year-old, he wanted Dad to take him to a corn maze. So I did.”
Knowing how difficult it had to be for the colonel to talk about his lost son, Sam kept some levity in her voice as she continued to work on pulling out the thorn. “So you got lost?”
“Oh, you bet.” He paused a moment as if lost in thought. Finally, “Some young teen punk came along and rescued us. The kid taught us the ‘wallflower technique’ for getting through a maze and out the other side by keeping a hand on the wall the entire time.”
“Sounds like a smart kid.” She slid the thorn out and held it up for him to see, but his gaze remained fixed on the sky overhead. She tossed the tweezers back into the kit, and pulled out a roll of gauze. She began wrapping his palm. Though he had a few nicks on his fingers, she left those uncovered.
“Charlie spent the rest of the day babbling on about that teen, as if he was some kind of hero,” he said thickly.
For a brief moment, Sam considered telling him that if Charlie were alive today, he’d have a hero for a father, but she decided against it, not wanting to rub salt in a wound that had never properly healed. Instead, she said, “Whoever that kid was, he saved our sixes today, sir.”
“You got that right, Major.”
Sam sat back on her heels and packed up the kit. She stood up and nodded at the bandaged hand. “How is it?”
The colonel joined her, wiggling his fingers. “Good as new. Thanks for keeping the fingers free.” He offered her a lopsided grin, his earlier mood forgotten. “Can’t hook bait without two sets of fingers.”
“I’d pay good money to see Daniel hook bait without getting squeamish.” Heck, she’d pay good money to see Daniel, period. With that thought in mind, she retrieved the inactive communications ball from her pocket. It was time to get moving.
The colonel’s smile dropped off. He put his good hand on the back of his neck. “Carter, have you felt a breeze… Any sort of wind or anything while we’ve been here?”
She looked up from the ball, surprised by his question. “No, sir. Any particular reason?”
He shook his head. “No reason. Turn that thing back on and let’s get the show on the road.” He backed away and then walked off toward Teal’c and Bra’tac’s position.
Sam began to enable the communication ball, though try as she might, she couldn’t get her mind off the colonel’s parting question. He’d said something about a breeze earlier in the maze, but she dismissed it as unimportant. But the way he had asked that question…
Raising the com
ball to eye-level again, Sam pocketed her concerns. For the moment, their worries were far more immediate than phantom breezes.
* * *
Hiding behind the last maze hedge, Jack scanned the area with his scope, searching for trouble. The low thrum had become an outright deafening as they’d neared the compound. He blocked out the sound as best he could, focusing instead on the six-foot-high stone wall blocking entry to a plain lime-washed building lined with a raised iron and brick terrace. Above the building rose the fancy curved walls and copper-topped turrets of Yu’s fortress.
“No Jaffa,” he shouted over the noise. Carter, Teal’c and Bra’tac huddled behind him. It was the only way to hear each other without giving their positions away. “No gliders or any other red flags.”
“Colonel, may I?”
“Hold on a second, Major.” Jack raised the scope higher. Four windows lined the top floor, but they were too damn narrow. Small flames flickered inside the center two windows, but for all he knew, Yu could be up there alone, toasting marshmallows for breakfast.
And Daniel could be dead, gone, off to Oma-ville.
Get it together. Since when did a bit of unexplained breeze on the back of the neck spook you?
Since the last time they’d lost Daniel, that’s when.
Jack shoved the thought aside and handed the scope to Carter. The com ball was back on her vest pocket, Huang’s grubby grin plastered all over the damned thing.
Carter took in the view.
“There is nothing to be seen of this shield?” Bra’tac asked.
“Not that I can make out.” Carter said. “No incandescence, no spectrum shifts. If it was still dark out, maybe, though I don’t think we should wait much longer.” She handed back the scope.
Stowing it back in his vest pocket, Jack caught sight of a small rock on the ground. It was about the size of baseball. Picking it up, he said, “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. That sound’s annoying. Any guess which side of that wall the shield’s sitting on?”
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