Beyond - part 2

TITLE : Beyond
AUTHOR : Jaclyn Horrod
EMAIL : jhorrod@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Action, Drama
SPOILERS : Set in Season 4 - spoilers for Into The Fire, Shades of Grey, Thor's Chariot.
SEASON / SEQUEL : Season 4.  If you haven't read Jaclyn's stories : Sacrifices, The Rescue and Deception's Kiss, Interactions, Inquisitions, you might want to read them first.  Continues in Sedition.
RATING : 15 /  Mature.
CONTENT WARNINGS : Mature subject matter, cussing (what do you expect from Jack O'Neill?!)
SUMMARY : O'Neill, freed from his liaison with Heru'Ur and Hathor, is hoping to return to his duties as team leader of SG-1.  But as he relives some of the memories with Jackson, he realises the ultimate goal of his ruthless and cunning former ally.  Now it's a race against time - can he and SG-1 prevent disaster?
STATUS : Complete.
ARCHIVE : Rabelais, Heliopolis.
DISCLAIMER : Stargate SG-1 and its characters belong to MGM, Gekko Film Corp and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money exchanged hands. No copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
AUTHOR'S NOTES : I would like to thank my extraordinary beta-reader, Rach, whose constant encouragement and assistance is so greatly appreciated.  I could not have continued to write without her support.
FEEDBACK : Most definitely!

Part 2.1

O'Neill regarded the irate system lord, nonchalantly shaking his head, deliberately calm and composed. Any indication that he might be concerned was concealed behind the demeanour he projected.

"Look, we don't need Daniel here, I think you kinda realised that right? The stones showed you I'm capable of harnessing the power of the Ancients," he paused looking the Goa'uld in the eyes. "He was in the way, and I owed him my life, so I repaid it. Relax!"

The System Lord stood, head back, his eyes glowing with indignation and anger, a show of his strength, of his dominance, confrontational, yet patient. "You did not ask my permission!" he snapped, moving from the doorway, where his impressive frame looked so imposing, toward O'Neill.

Jack stood, approaching him, the proximity between the two now almost negligible, he had to show his own strength, in order to ensure that the words carried the necessary conviction.

"We made a pact remember? I got final say when it came to Daniel, well I made it, I don't need your permission...or does the word ally having a whole other definition in Goa'uld town?" he vociferated.

The System Lord regarded him. "No, it means the same. Yet you do not show the same respect. You should have consulted me O'Neill, I may have had a use for Daniel Jackson," he insisted.

"Oh really? Got some artefacts you want logging, or some language your superior Goa'uld intellect can't crack? Or maybe you just wanted to try boring your enemies to death, all of which I grant you," Jack remonstrated, his body language equally as aggressive as his adversary, "might make the decision to release Daniel a poor choice!"

Heru'ur spun away from this cleverly worded, adeptly delivered, sarcasm. Amused by the colonel's wit, but not wanting to reveal that he had grown somewhat attached to the belligerent, yet likeable, human. In his long and eventful life, he was yet to encounter another being whom he considered worthy of such interest.

"So," Jack demanded, a hint of humour glistening in those brown eyes. "We gonna stand here posturing, or did you have something else in mind?"

"Very well, this was our agreement, and I shall honour my word. You have read the information sent by my spies?"

Jack looked suddenly vacant. "Yeah, about that, I can't read Goa'uld!" he admitted.

Heru'ur frowned. "You released the linguist," he mentioned, somewhat amused by that particular irony and this time allowing it to show.

"Yeah, bad timing," O'Neill conceded, a grimace sweeping his face. "Which kinda leaves you right?  So I'm thinking that maybe you'd take me through it," he beamed then, one of those smiles that was hard to resist. "Which will probably save time anyway... so, um."

Heru'ur raised his eyebrows; controlling his urge to respond in such a manner as might reveal any weakness, a heavy sigh. "Very well," he agreed. "This will take some time, acquaint yourself with comfort."

"Getting acquainted as we speak," Jack grinned.

Heru'ur's patient smile made O'Neill feel comfortable. He'd felt for a while that he could possibly push his luck, this Goa'uld was a little different from the others.

Sure he was a conqueror, nothing new there, but he had other qualities that Jack found it hard to pinpoint. That comfortable feeling was a problem though, for him personally, killing a Goa'uld who had him three to one on life saving endeavours was going to be hard, if at all possible, he'd need to settle the score, in his favour.

"You are in reflection?" Heru'ur enquired, having spoken twice with no response.

Jack regarded him, emerging from his thoughts. "Sorry, yeah...so, what we got?" he asked.

"Apophis concentrates most of his forces in the Zaxargon quadrant of space," Heru'ur began. "His armies are made up of his former Serpent guard, those that still remain loyal, and Sokar's forces."

"So, not so great?" O'Neill enquired hopefully.

"Sokar's forces are vast, yet, they are not as disciplined, nor as motivated as my armies," the Goa'uld told him.

"Okay, that's an advantage. So we take the Zax... um quadrant right?" Jack suggested. "You hit them from the right flank, I'll hit them from the left... short work!"

Heru'ur regarded the colonel, a look of recognition crossing his eyes. "This is an interesting strategy," he opined. "However, our own tactics will be far more decisive."

"What you do a stand off?" Jack enquired, confusion sweeping his face. "Now see, that's kind of defeating the whole winning issue," he argued.

"How so?"

"You're talking drawing two lines right, you on one side, them on the other?" Jack enquired, indicating this with his hands on the Goa'uld scrolls before them.

"Our battles are generally fought head to head, one against one," the Goa'uld confirmed.

"Too many losses, no wonder you didn't think the armies were large enough," the colonel told him. "See it's like choreography, which is probably a bad example. Okay, you try to anticipate the enemies strategy, if Apophis is looking for that kind of battle we'll lure him into a trap, kinda like we did with Zippy that time!" 

"I see. And this strategy has worked for your forces?" Heru'ur enquired.

"Yeah, it's like a pincer movement, you force the enemy into areas he doesn't wanna be, and then you have your ships waiting in ambush. It's kinda tricky with spaceships, but it's more or less the same principle," Jack explained, watching the expression's changing on the face of the Goa'uld. "You so don't get it, do you?"

"I see the simplicity of such a ploy," he said. "Yet, I can not see how this tactic would work in space. It is vast!"

"So's the sky, it's a simple drive and corner...." Jack's attempted explanation receiving yet another blank look from the Goa'uld.

"This is a Tau'ri ploy?" Heru'ur enquired.

"Yeah, you take some of your forces, outflank and drive the other ships toward more of your ships, who ambush them, quarter space, take a sector and… Okay, we're not on the same page here right?" Jack surmised.

"Can such a plan be shown in diagram?" Heru'ur enquired.

"Um, yeah... it's kinda easier, probably," the colonel said, thinking how great his drawing skills weren't. "But then again, I'm not great with drawing... so it might be just as confusing, but hey! I'll give it a go."

"Then we will use the Goa'uld device for such plans, your thoughts can be channelled into this device," Heru'ur explained.

O'Neill raised his eyebrows, a single nod of the head. He found it odd to be working so closely with his nemesis, trying to focus his mind on that fact more than any other, and appear to be working out a plan of action, was a problem. The thing was, everything he was suggesting would work, as much as he wanted out, he wanted payback more!

"Okay, so what else have we got.... the hand to hand kind of stuff on the planets right?" he asked, looking down at the device as Heru'ur began to impart it’s contents.

Two motherships, were generally in orbit of any given planet to protect it's ownership, with hundreds, and sometimes thousands of Jaffa deployed to the surface depending on the importance of it's yields.

"So, this entire system is controlled by Apophis' armies, so where's the snake held up?" His understanding of aerial combat far greater than that of the Goa'uld he now counselled, since the technology on Earth called for such an understanding, whilst the Goa’uld were more reliant upon the power and number of their forces.   As the positions of Apophis’ forces, and their number became apparent, he worked out the most effective way to nullify the superior numbers of the enemy.

"A very good point," Heru'ur told him, as the discussion became more intensive. The two soldiers in their element, forgetting the obvious differences between them, as their minds became wrapped in a common purpose; their goal to eliminate an enemy they both shared an incredible loathing for.

"Sweet!" Jack announced, now fully apprised of the task they faced.

"We will need this information recorded, the device will assist you," Heru'ur told him, stretching his arms out, sitting up straight as he did so.  The table both men had leant on uncomfortably low.

"Great, I guess that's gonna be easier," he agreed, distracted then he added. "Listen I'm kinda hungry now, can we get something to eat?"

"As you wish," Heru'ur concurred, the progress he felt he had achieved, measured in a more relaxed demeanour. "Perhaps I will join you."

"Sweet, a working lunch?" He looked at his watch. "Yep it's lunch!"

Heru'ur regarded O'Neill with a perplexed expression. "Our worlds are so different," he opined standing. "There is so much to learn, from us both, but first we shall eat!"

Jack nodded. The implicit understanding that seemed to be growing between them was almost uncanny. The Goa'uld showing his human face, yet still so removed from the humanity that he understood, but he'd made points, shown instances, where the humanity he knew was as cruel, as unforgiving as the Goa'uld themselves.

"Um, yeah okay," he replied. "That's chicken, kinda... stuff, is cool."

Heru'ur turned, regarding him once more. "Flesh?" he asked, a smile crossing his features.

Jack looked slightly nauseated at the description, a wry smile crossing his face. "Ah, yeah, we call it meat, or to be more precise, poultry!" he remarked.

Heru'ur raised his eyebrows, clearly curious of this apparent distaste for the obvious.

He left the room, making his way toward Nefir. It wasn't needed, he could easily have commanded the Horus guards to bring them food, but he felt he needed space, concerned that his judgment was erroneous, but unable to dismiss the thought that this Tau'ri, a race he considered as slaves, held the answers to defeating his enemies. His thoughts turned to the conversation with the colonel, recalling the many descriptions O'Neill had used to illustrate the plans he had suggested for conquering Apophis. He too felt the bond between the two was progressing, becoming more solid.  That troubled him, he was certain, almost as much as it did O'Neill. He knew that ultimately O'Neill possessed a free spirit, and one that could not adjust to the ways of the Goa'uld.... even his display of callousness had been driven by his desire to avenge himself of Ptah's invasion of his body, and possibly to eradicate the one creature that had been designed to infiltrate the Tau'ri undetected. He was sure, that would have been the cause for which his ally fought with such passion, without remorse or regret... but how to harness this?

This Tau'ri was dangerous, better to keep him close, to unlock the secrets he possessed, than to have him using those technologies he could yet master, and become a threat to the Goa'uld's undoubted dominance.

************

Jack reclined back onto the cushions, listening to the constant shuffling of feet from the Jaffa who passed by the open door.

His thoughts digressed from the planned assault on the system lords and Apophis, to the SGC, to home. He wondered if Daniel had made it back safely, if he too might once more cross the event horizon and be a part of the team, something that seemed so distant. It had come down to trust ultimately, and what he did now, collaborating with the enemy was possibly not the way to inspire it... but there were things he could gain, things he could learn.  Perhaps he kidded himself, but right now he didn't have a choice. If turning the Goa'uld against one another, and engaging them in a prolonged internal conflict helped to keep other worlds, and Earth safe, it seemed sensible to pursue it, sensible, but possibly not wise.

The servant entered almost unnoticed, yet O'Neill felt his presence, sitting up, looking at him. "Can I help you?" he asked curiously. The man did not carry a tray of food, and looked, felt, uneasy. Jack stood up, quickly, sensing danger. "Okay, just stop right there," he entreated.

The servant stopped, his hands concealed, evidently, obviously. "So who are you and what do you want?" Jack demanded, an edge to his voice, his muscles tense, alert, waiting.

"I am Dekh'ar, I am merely here to enquire as to your needs my lord," he stated.

Something in his voice told O'Neill he lied, the colonel instinctively allowing the man to close on him, his own protection foremost in his mind, those intense brown eyes holding the stranger firmly, warily in his sights.

"Right, well no, thanks I'm covered...Heru'ur has that part taken care of," he remarked. "I figure take-out, but hey, you know, it's probably gonna be ordered and delivered."   His quip missed by this nervous stranger. "So, you can go," he added.  He had no wish to engage anyone else, not today, the image of the host he had so cruelly slaughtered beginning to revisit him, to haunt his thoughts.

"You are a traitor to your people, to freedom," Dekh'ar spat. "I have to, for the sake of Earth, of the Tok'ra..."

"Alright, this is not gonna happen, you really don't wanna go there! Just turn around and leave, I'll forget you were ever here," Jack urged.

"I can not allow you to betray the alliance," Dekh'ar told him, drawing closer.

"Yeah right, well this is not the way to go about it, believe me, you're making a big mistake here, you so don't wanna do this," Jack insisted, moving back, giving himself room to react to whatever device the Tok'ra operative might unleash on him.

"No choice," the man responded, a Zat gun now evident. 

Jack took a deep breath, how to get through to this zealot, or perhaps it was a trap, to make him reveal his true intentions.  "This is crazy! For crying out loud, no one has to die here," he snapped, angry at being in the position, yet knowing he had little choice but to defend his life.

The Zat gun raised, he looked into the eyes of the Tok'ra, shaking his head slowly, his eyes filled with that bitter remorse he knew would be coming.

The man's body was flung across the room, as the hand device discharged it's powerful energy, O'Neill looked away at that moment, he had no wish to see the power he had unleashed, his thought had been to intense, he could sense the emotions draining from him. Cursing under his breath, he moved toward the prostrate body of the Tok'ra operative, cautiously kicking his leg, ensuring that he was indeed incapacitated.

"One dumb son of a bitch," he opined, kneeling beside the body, and realising that the man no longer drew breath. His eyes rolled heavenwards. "Oh crap!" he gasped, feeling for a pulse, he hadn't meant to kill, he'd meant to stun.  But such was the will to survive his instincts had taken over, deadly force!

Heru'ur's return distracted him, thankfully, from the solitude he suddenly felt... another life!

"O'Neill?" he asked, his eyes drawn to the lifeless body of his servant.

Jack kicked the Zat gun clear of the body. "Tok'ra!" he told the system lord honestly, almost unintentionally. His thoughts still tumultuous, needlessly killing allies certainly didn't help his cause, but then, why had the Tok'ra wanted him dead? Surely Daniel had told them of his loyalty? He felt angry, confused, both of which he couldn't afford to show, not here, not now.

Heru'ur looked furious, striding toward the body, collecting the Zat gun as he did so and disintegrating the remains.  He regarded O'Neill now. "They will pay for this," he snapped, the tension, the anger in him apparent. "You are sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure," Jack responded, walking back toward the cushions. "Unless," his mind recovered quickly, he had to distract the Goa'uld from that particular vengeance. "Unless it was meant to look that way, I mean, they don't usually give a resume first right?"

Heru'ur was intrigued. "What?"

"Well, I don't know too many Tok'ra operatives that make a point of telling you that they're Tok'ra operatives, do you?" Jack asked, deflecting the blame into a much more productive tool.

"You believe this was an attempt by?" Heru'ur demanded, stepping closer to O'Neill.

"Oh I'd say Nekhbet, but hey, I could be wrong. I just get the feeling he could have a jealousy thing, feels a little left out?" Jack suggested. "But like I said..."

"No!" Heru'ur responded, his well practised, much used arrogance sweeping his face, a vindictive, hateful sneer overwhelming.  "I too have sensed his hatred of you, your humanity does not serve you well O'Neill," he continued. "Yet this intrinsic need for survival is admirable!"

"Thanks.” There was emptiness in the gratitude. “So what now?" he enquired, feeling some what appeased with the thought that he may have successfully eradicated another Goa'uld.

"We eat! I will deal with Nekhbet, there is time," Heru'ur told him, a wicked tone which was even more predominant in his eyes, the glow of anger emanating toward his guest, the callous nature of a natural killer.

Jack felt nauseated, the emotions churning in his stomach, as much as the turmoil of his mind. The last thing he wanted to do was eat, yet he had little choice but to control the rage and the emptiness that coursed inside him.

Heru'ur detected that O'Neill was uncomfortable with killing, his ability to read the colonel's body language enhanced by the understanding he had began to feel of humanity.

"Killing this creature has alarmed you?" he asked, the question delivered without any need for scorn.

"I'm not real comfortable with killing people when I don't need to, no!" Jack replied, looking directly into the eyes of the Goa'uld.

"A weakness," Heru'ur observed. "Yet your instincts prevailed O'Neill, do you not see this as a strength now?"

"Listen, my philosophy about killing is simple, in self defence, or to defend the lives of innocent people, I'm not comfortable with it even then!" he confessed. "See to me, life is precious, not something you take lightly."

Heru'ur's intrigue peaked; he regarded the colonel with fascination. "Yet, in war, as with Apophis, or the Goa'uld, you have taken countless lives," he opined.

"Because it was necessary, defending the right to liberty, freedom, you know that pesky moral stuff we kinda believe in... It’s a matter of threat right? You see someone trying to take away those things and you react," Jack told him, addressing his own fundamental beliefs.

"But in strength, in conquest there is no threat... your world has no wars now?" Heru'ur enquired.

"Yeah, our world has wars, mostly over religion, land, property that kind of thing," the colonel replied.

"Yet, you fail to see the correlation?" the system lord contested. "You despise the Goa'uld as aggressors, as rulers... is this not what prevails in your world? One race against another in a struggle to become the dominant force?"

Jack shook his head. "It's different, okay, we don't want to be gods, take over and rule another country, or society, we just want our piece of it... peacefully!" he insisted. "I guess you don't get that part, right?"

"Our species are not so different, O'Neill. The Goa'uld rule because we have the power to do so, perhaps in time you will learn that one dominant race, can and would prevent the lesser species from needless wars." he asserted, sincerity in that belief, that left both men considering the charge.

"You enslave people," Jack retorted finally, searching to express his precedence. "Make them believe that you’re gods, for heaven’s sake, when you're just flesh and blood, like they are."

"Do the Tau'ri have a god?" the Goa'uld questioned.

Jack nodded, raising his eyebrows at the thought of the confusion that prevailed amongst the peoples of Earth over their many deities. "Oh we have a few actually," he explained.

"Your gods are other living creatures? Or like the peoples of Luxor, do you worship elements?"

O'Neill was surprised, intrigued by this statement. Heru'ur had a better understanding of Earth’s history than he'd thought.

"Ah, no, apparently...okay, this is gonna get a little complex," he cringed.

"It is not something in which you believe, is it?" Heru'ur asked, astutely detecting the colonel’s unease at being so uncomfortable with a subject he hadn't ever really considered. "You are a pragmatist O'Neill, your refusal to accept the Goa'uld as gods is well founded since you see us for what we really are. I would surmise that the existence of any higher being is something which you struggle to accept... there is too much pain and death in your world to believe in such foolishness," he concurred.

Jack smiled at the Goa'uld. "Um, that's pretty perspicacious of you," he acknowledged. "But, it's not that I don't believe, I just..." his eyes averted from the amused regard of his adversary. "Don't really think about it, I guess!" A sudden vacuous expression swept his face.

Heru'ur beckoned in the servants who brought their food, turning back and looking at O'Neill with the same amusement he had clearly found in the colonel's inability to dismiss or confirm his beliefs.

"Yes, I can see that," he replied.

"Yeah, I kinda got that," O'Neill lamented. "So food!" he announced, hoping to finally get off the subject.

Heru'ur nodded. "A safer topic, perhaps," he agreed.

"Ya think?" O'Neill asked. "Religion’s just not one of my strong points." An acknowledgement not really required given Heru'ur's deduction. "Just, out of interest, how old are you?"

Heru'ur considered the question, a good one perhaps to illustrate his superior knowledge. "Your Earth years?" he asked.

"Yeah, you get that time scale?" Jack questioned dubiously, wondering how he might best explain it should the answer be negative.

"Three thousand of your years," Heru'ur imparted.

"Whoa!" Jack responded. "That's um, pretty old. Sarcophagus?"

"I use it when required," the Goa'uld confirmed. "Not as often as you might imagine, unless wounded," he said pointedly.

"Yeah, um, sorry about that," Jack quipped, a grimace.

"You defended your friend, did you not?" Heru'ur responded.  "Make no apology. Survival is one particular aspect of your race that I admire!"

O'Neill smiled, tucking into the food. "Yeah," he agreed.

Neither man saw the watching servant concealed in the furthest part of the room, using the large screens that served for decorative purpose for cover.  The one Daniel Jackson had passed, the one the archaeologist knew as the true assassin. Jack O'Neill didn't know how right he was to have identified his attacker as one of Nekhbet's assassins, but Ulle, the Tok'ra spy, now knew. O'Neill had shown himself in the murder of this impostor that the assumptions of Pallas had been correct. He would wait. O'Neill's power was impressive; the easy despatch of the impostor had proven that.

He would need to be patient, wait in the shadows and eliminate the threat this traitor posed to the Tok'ra.

Part 2.2

Daniel strapped his sidearm to the webbing; it was one of several weapons he had requested from the master at arms. The insistence of Hammond that he go to the infirmary had finally borne fruit. He’d taken the necessary tests, proven he was trustworthy, and yet still he felt a deep sense of resentment for this procedure that would normally be second nature.

He knew it was anger, anger with himself for leaving his friend, for a whole series of events that he could neither control, nor predict. But there was guilt, and that guilt made him unreasonable in a way he’d never felt before. He didn’t want to listen to the obvious, that just made him feel even more helpless, the facts didn’t count here, he’d lost Sha’re to those circumstances, he wasn’t prepared to shoulder the guilt for O’Neill too.

Sam kitted up, watching him. His mood had been dark, unassailable since he had returned. She'd attempted to talk to him several times; he had been dismissive, even aggressive. He seemed to blame them all, and didn't care whether they knew it.  Teal'c had managed a fairly civil conversation with him.  But it had been, for the most part, restricted to one-word answers.

"Daniel you okay?" she asked, attempting to engage him once more.

He looked up, his face quizzical, almost as if he hadn't heard the question. "What?"

"I asked if you were okay?" Sam repeated patiently. "You're being overly introverted about this... I mean I get that you're mad."

"No Sam, I'm not mad, I'm disappointed, frustrated. These last three months have probably been the worst of my life!" he remonstrated. "And we're impotent, sitting around like a bunch of... of..."

She could the see the angst and emotion building up in him; she acted quickly, trying to deflate it.   "Daniel, we can't just go rushing off into the unknown like the cavalry, stop taking this whole thing personally," she insisted.

He stood up now, the tension quivering in his facial muscles. "Oh, it is personal Sam, to me it's very personal. Jack's done nothing wrong, he saved my life so many times I've lost count, yours too. It's very personal!" His voice shook with the intensity of that feeling, the anger barely controlled. "So don't tell me we can't go charging in, I know what's happening there, and if Jack gets killed by a Tok'ra, or ends up fighting side by side with Heru'ur it's going to be because of us, because we were too late to stop it. We let Jack down Sam, badly, why do you think he got me out?" Daniel snapped, his eyes intensified, almost wild.

Sam sighed heavily. "He means that much to me too Daniel, do you think any of us like this?" she demanded. "Everyone wants in on this, everyone wants to get the Colonel back, but militarily speaking..."

"Oh the military," Daniel's waspish tone sharp, unrelenting. "Yes, let's look at that shall we? What have the military done for Jack? Well they gave him a sidearm that killed his son; they then sent him on a suicide mission, that's why they chose him! They sent him to die, and then what do they do?"

The words felt like rocks falling on her. As she listened, she began to understand. Daniel knew O'Neill far better than she did, had seen him through his darkest hour, and come through the other side with him, and now as the illustrations became more real, she felt an empty feeling coursing through her, wrapped in guilt.

"They bring him back, and they just dump him right in the middle of all this with no support, and no trust, or did you forget that oh-so-nice comeback when he asked for your help?" Daniel charged bitterly.

Sam shook her head, she felt hopeless, almost desperate. "Daniel, I had to, it's..."

"Yes, it's dump someone on their ass whose confidence is zip and tell them they're not trusted. That just totally blew his confidence, it wrecked him Sam, even if he wouldn't totally show it. My God, do you know what that did?" The vindictive, spite that rolled from his mouth was well aimed, he knew that, but he felt no remorse.

Sam's eyes filled with tears, her own feelings about having to make that call still unsettled even if she'd followed procedure, hearing his retort, the tone of his voice had wrenched everything inside. Her heart sank. "Daniel, I'm sorry, but..."

"But what? It was Jack for god’s sake. Your damn military principles don't come into it, he's so confused, so alone, and I left him!" His voice shattered then, the guilt he felt overwhelming his ability to control himself.

Makepeace stumbled across the electricity that permeated the locker room; his stern expression fell, aghast at the scene.

"Just what the hell is going on here?" he demanded. "Major?"

"I'm, um, sorry sir, I can't…" she gasped through the veil of tears that streamed down her face.

"Dr. Jackson?" Makepeace asked, looking at the archaeologist.

"What?" Daniel's tone was deadpan, his rage emanated now toward the colonel.

"So help me, if you're sending her on a guilt trip...."

"You'll what Colonel? Court martial me? You're as guilty as she is!" he insisted. "With your damn ethics and your military protocols, you left him. When he most needed your help, you left him to handle it on his own, and if he's de... dead, I'll hold both of you responsible," he charged, picking up his hat and exiting the room.

Makepeace watched him go, turning to Carter. She was pulling herself together.

"Major, no matter what he said, you did the right thing, and Jack knows it," he assured, his tone was soothing, yet commanding. "Dr. Jackson has the luxury of allowing his emotions to get the better of him, we can't do that."

"I know sir," Sam replied. The tears wiped away, her tone stable. "It just, well it struck a cord. I’ll be fine sir, thank you."

"I know. I feel the same way as he does, but that doesn't get us anywhere." Makepeace asserted. "He feels guilty and he's taking it out on you, I know they're close..."

"He said some stuff sir, some... he's right, we should have known the Colonel wasn't compromised, he'd never let that influence him," she insisted. "He would have died before he'd risk his team sir."

Makepeace nodded. "Yeah, I know, but if we had given away our position and been compromised it would have been nine instead of two Major."

Carter looked at him. "We know the truth sir," she replied, inferring that Daniel's points were valid.

Makepeace shrugged, opening the door wide enough for them both to exit, but allowing Carter to go first. "Ain't it though," he sighed.

************

Jack looked up as the Goa'uld threw the device down on the table beside him. He was studying his own drawings. Having been supplied with some very primitive materials, he'd made a fine job of showing the moves he intended to have his motherships make.

"This will expedite the information far quicker," Heru'ur told him.

"And how does this work exactly?" Jack enquired, lifting the object, which resembled one of the tablets that Jackson had shown him in the past.

Heru'ur sat opposite, beginning to show him the basis of the information he would need to enter, before being able to actually send his thoughts to the device.

"I could use one of these at home for the groceries," Jack noted.

"Groceries?" Heru'ur's interest peaked at this new word.

Jack looked up, his expression quizzical, then amused. "Yeah, it's um, well, we have to actually go out and buy food," he cringed. "That sounds stupid to you right?"

"Such tasks are for slaves O'Neill," Heru'ur answered, that arrogance he seemed to have as a surplus, permeated his features.

"See, we don't do the whole slaves thing, there was a law passed," Jack stopped, shaking his head. "How do we do this?" he frowned. "I'm talking groceries with a Goa'uld!" It was more of a monologue to himself, which Heru'ur appeared to ignore.

"You find this difficult," he enquired, genuinely intrigued with the colonel's apparent and sudden unease.

"What making small talk?" O'Neill answered at length, a smile crossing his features as he looked across to see the interest on the face of the Goa'uld.  "We don't have much in common really right? Kind of difficult to make conversation about much that isn't to do with this battle."

Heru'ur considered that, his usual sneer now replaced with a droll regard.   "You like to make… small talk, which I expect would mean, prosaic discussion?" he remarked. "You are correct, O'Neill, such talk is difficult to create between us, since as you point out, we have so little in common, but," he continued, "I am willing to make an exception, to attempt to learn from you of your previous existence."

"An exception?" Jack's head inclined to the side, studying the Goa'uld. "You're trying to get into my head right?"

Heru'ur looked angry then. "I have no wish to be in your head, Tau'ri, since it is filled with things that I neither understand, nor want to. If your hatred for my race is still so egregious that you can only allow yourself to believe that which you want to, then so be it!" he snapped.

"Okay, was that petulance?" Jack asked, confused by this sudden outburst. "‘Cause it was just a question, for crying out loud!"

The System Lord fell silent; his gaze upon the drawings O'Neill had done, without really seeing them, then sharply lifted to look into the eyes of his ally.

"We know so little," he agreed. "My offer still remains, O'Neill, it is a gesture I find difficult to make, since I possess no…"

"Friends right?" Jack's guessing was close enough for the Goa'uld to acknowledge. "Well, that's kinda a little difficult, don't ya think, you're whole existence hasn't exactly been conducive to winning friends."

Heru'ur's gaze was intense. "You do not believe me capable of such a," he paused considering the word, "friend?" he concluded.

"Yeah I'm sure you’re fine, when you're not killing people and stealing their bodies, just not the way to win trust," O'Neill told him. "It's odd, though, different." He shook his head. "Listen we should probably get back to this invasion idea right? There are so many reasons why this is wrong..."

Heru'ur fell silent once more; his thoughts of the conquests, of the battles had been, for him, uncharacteristically second place to understanding what O'Neill had inferred.

O'Neill too felt strangely impalpable. The whole experience was becoming more and more surreal. "Let's just go for it? Kick Apophis' ass, and then maybe," he stated.

The Goa'uld sat back, regarding the colonel. "Go for it?" he asked.

"Okay, you're doing the humour thing right? And I'm too dense to see it?" Jack complained.

"Humour O'Neill? Yes, perhaps, but I find your choice of diction very... different, almost lost in a need to simplify," he imparted.

"Yeah, it's just Americanism, we don't do the whole Latin, Egyptian, use as many words as possible thing, it's, well, it's a pain in the Mik'ta!" he explained.

"A Goa'uld word," Heru'ur noted, his attention now reverting to the reason for this peculiar alliance, one that was beginning to throw him, as much as it seemed to confuse O'Neill.  He studied the drawings closely. "These will suffice, once all my Jaffa have been given this information, we will embark, our battles will be swift, then we shall secure the forces of Chronos. You will command your armies O'Neill, I have given this much thought, I shall assign Nefir to assist you with translation and communication."

Jack nodded slowly. "Okay, so I'll take this flank," he indicated to the drawing. "You'll handle this one, and we'll trap them between us and annihilate them, sound like a plan?"

Heru'ur stood. "This sounds very much like a plan!" he retorted, using the words of his ally intentionally, almost attempting to reach a commonality with this most difficult of adversaries.

"Sweet, let's get the Jaffa briefed shall we," Jack suggested.

"Briefed?" Heru'ur repeated.

O'Neill looked at him, shaking his head. "Are you gonna keep doing that? ‘Cause it's kinda annoying... brought up to speed, causa fletus expropter clarus!" he replied.

Heru'ur's smile broadened. "O'Neill, you are amusing, I like you!" he admitted.

Jack's expression bore surprise. He stood, looking away from the Goa'uld for a second. The perplexing thing, which he'd found hard to fathom, was now revealed to him by a simple statement. Something he didn't want to see, shown to him.

"You know, it's kinda odd, and maybe I'm just confused and freaked out by this whole weird situation, but, well, I like you too. Don't wanna get engaged or anything just..." he added, a smile adorned his features now. "Like your style, you've been kinda, well different, and I know we're both trying our best here to avoid getting sentimental, ‘cause we might end up killing each other, but well, there it is!"

"Indeed!" Heru'ur agreed. "This is a most unpleasant and vexing analogy, for us both." A reticent glance toward his friend. 

"Ya think!" Jack retorted.

The Goa'uld smiled. Another weird experience, since this smile was borne from simple pleasure.

"We, will brief the Jaffa," he conceded, having little else to say.

"Ah, listen, don't think I'm not grateful for this um, declaration of friendship, but I've been kinda wondering about Nekhbet," Jack stated.

"He is no longer a concern," Heru'ur retorted, the words said it all.

"Sweet! So I don't have to watch my back now right?"

"You are safe, O'Neill." Heru'ur confirmed.

The two men began to walk from the room, watched by Ulle; his hatred for O'Neill grew by the second.

"You know, you're more human than you like to admit," O'Neill told him.

Heru'ur paused, looking at the colonel, a nod. "Perhaps over time I have accepted that I am a part of such a creature, but I will never be truly human, you have too many weaknesses." he retorted.

"I get that, but you kind of miss it, you're missing the whole bonding thing, which is part of what you share," Jack opined.

Heru'ur's expression was a picture. "O'Neill, for this, I am thankful!" he replied.

**************

Martouf was surprised to see Jackson standing at the bottom of the ramp as he appeared through the event horizon.

"Daniel Jackson, is Colonel O'Neill here?" he asked immediately, his eyes averting to the control room.

"No!" Daniel snapped. "He's probably trying to avoid being murdered by a Tok'ra right about now, thanks to your so-called operatives!"

"I am sorry, I tried to stop it. How did you escape?" Martouf enquired, smiling at Sam as she appeared.

"Jack got me out," Jackson told him, his tone acerbic, his expression sullen. "Which would kind of negate the whole traitor aspect of your theory right?"

"Daniel, that’s enough, just shut up!" Sam ordered, her eyes filled with anger at his rudeness to someone whom she perceived had done his best to help.

"Oh yes, sorry, I forgot," the archaeologist opined. "Let's not upset our allies!" He turned then and walked away, leaning on one of the railings that led to the gate. "So, are we going to attempt to save the Colonel, or do we just write him off as another one of those statistics the military like so much?"

Carter ignored this latest assault on her senses, looking at Martouf. "I'm sorry, he's a little upset right now," she said. "What did the High Council say?"

Martouf's gazed momentarily at Jackson, then returned to Carter almost immediately. "I have been given permission to go with you, I only hope that we are not too late," he replied.

"Great," Sam replied. "We're all ready here, I'll just let General Hammond know."

Martouf watched her go, turning to Daniel. "Daniel?" His voice was almost a whisper.

Jackson looked across at him. "I suppose you’re going to apologise?" he said.

"No, I have nothing to apologise for," Martouf told him. "The actions of the High Council are not my own, nor did I agree with them!"

Daniel's terse expression dropped. He looked down, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"I guess I'm being a little too accusatory," he apologised. "I know it's not your fault, I'm just a little upset with the world right now. Bad day!"

"I understand, in your position, I would and do feel the same. I can assure you, I will do what is ever needed to ensure that Colonel O'Neill returns to us safely," Martouf told him. A warm smile offered.

Daniel returned the gesture, noting with interest the marines and the backup that now began to flood into the embarkation room.

"Well this is a switch!" he noted.

Martouf too seemed surprised at the forces. "Does General Hammond intend to fight Heru'ur's armies?" he asked.

"Oh I hope not," Daniel replied. "That would be a mistake!"

Colonel Makepeace made his way to the front of the assembled SGC teams.

"Okay, listen up," his voice raised, so as to be heard. "A small team will go through with Martouf. Since Dr. Jackson has already been on the planet, we're going to be led by him, once we've effectively taken out the forces at the gate, we'll send a signal through. You'll advance, Teal'c has command, and hold the Gate until we return with Colonel O'Neill is that clear?"

The sound of the soldiers who acknowledged filled the room. Makepeace nodded. "Alright, Lieutenant Simmons, let's get that wormhole established!" he snapped.

"Colonel, this is a mistake," Daniel argued. "You're launching an assault on a Goa'uld home world, there are way too many Jaffa on that planet, the whole American military wouldn't be enough to beat them back."

"Dr. Jackson, all we're looking to do here is preserve a way home, I don't intend to leave the gate unguarded." Makepeace told him. "Then we'll dump our gear and infiltrate the Goa'uld's... pyramid!""

"It's um, not a Pyramid, it's a palace, but anyway that's not exactly... this is just not going to work," Daniel insisted, glancing at Martouf for back up. The Tok'ra looked dubiously back at him.

"I believe Daniel Jackson is right Colonel," he agreed.

Makepeace shook his head. "We don't have time to change plans now," he asserted.

Carter stood beside him, Teal'c in the background; he too would wait, his appearance far too obvious to be included in the first wave of the assault.

The Gate began to illuminate, the symbols locking into place. Finally as chevron seven locked, the event horizon was established. Daniel stood upright, looking at Martouf.

"Well here goes insanity," he opined.

Martouf smiled, beginning to walk the few feet that would take them billions of miles to a planet neither particularly wanted to go.

*************

Heru'ur reclined comfortably in his quarters clutching the glass of Goa'uld beverage he had promised O'Neill. The two men relaxed, the plans distributed. It would be the final evening before they set off to conquer the system lords, and more importantly to both men, Apophis.

"So, apart from enslaving millions of people, and conquering the galaxy, how do the Goa'uld relax?" Jack asked.

His comfort with the relationship, since both had apparently admitted to a grudging friendship, coupled with an ultimate destiny that could see either one, kill the other, had increased.  The honesty finally absolved both of the constraints of deceit.

"Relaxation is a luxury for those without goals, without aims," Heru'ur responded. "My time would be employed in learning of new domains to conquer, in advancing the technology I possess to infiltrate and defeat my enemies."

"That's got to get kinda tiresome after what was it? Three thousand some years?" Jack retorted.

Heru'ur chuckled, perhaps loosened by the beverage. "This is why we are far more superior O'Neill, you endeavour to relax, and we endeavour," he said.

"Yeah, well I'll take relaxing over enslaving and conquering, it's in the Constitution!" Jack imparted. "Well mine anyway, I like to go fishing, you ever gone fishing?" A shake of the head. "Okay, so maybe not fishing right?"

The Goa'uld's expression unchanged, he regarded the grimace on O'Neill's features, deducing that this was perhaps something else his friend did not feel it worth discussing.

"Your habits are curious," he stated. "I can see now why the Tau'ri are not as powerful as the Goa'uld!"

"Hey, we kicked your ass enough times," Jack retorted. "Which isn't that bad considering we're relaxing right?"

"It is what has drawn you to me, O'Neill, your desire to understand, to learn that which makes the Goa'uld the force that you can never truly defeat.  We are millions now, controlling worlds you never perceived existed...."

Nefir's appearance brought both men back sharply to reality, both sensed trouble.

"My lords, the Tau'ri are attacking," he announced.

Jack looked at Heru'ur, surprise sweeping his features. "Look, let me deal with this, no one needs to die here," he implored.

"Send the guard," Heru'ur snapped. "O'Neill you will remain here!" he said, emphatically, beginning to walk from the room.

"Ah come on, you can't expect me to just sit by..." Jack argued.

The helmet on his golden armour closed around his face as he glanced back to see that the colonel had obeyed him.

The colonel took a deep breath, caught in two minds. He knew he had to help, but would he make it out of the palace if Heru'ur had ordered him restricted?

Looking down at the hand device, he shrugged. "I guess I'm going," he said. "What the hell are they thinking?" he snapped. The helmet activated.

As he attempted to leave, Ulle blocked his path, a Zat gun aimed at him, discharging. Jack's reaction was quick, immediately sending the force shield up, the charge dissipating against the powerful shield.   Ulle attempted a second discharge. The colonel still shrouded, regarded him through the imaging that the helmet utilised. "Tok'ra right?" Jack asked, the words sounding old, tired.

"I am of the Tok'ra, you may kill me now, I will tell you nothing!" Ulle snapped.

"Okay, this is just not the right time to have this debate, unless you missed it, it seems some of my friends are attempting to rescue me, which kinda sucks since this place is sewn up tighter than Fort Knox. So if you don't mind, can we do this at a later date?" O'Neill snapped, brushing past him.

The Tok'ra operative reacted quickly, a knife drawn from his belt. He lunged at the colonel, blind-siding him, the knife embedded sharply between his ribs, tearing into his flesh easily.

Jack felt the cold steel pierce his skin; the armour afforded no protection in that area. He felt the Tok’ra twist it, the blade grating against the bone of his rib cage, a nauseous feeling choked into his throat. He turned, the pain sweeping through his body, his hand raised, the discharge from the ribbon device powerful enough to send Ulle back, the knife dragged from his body as it did so, tearing sharply once more into new flesh.

"Ah, crap," he gasped, covering the wound with his hand. He slumped against the wall, sliding down it slowly, his breath difficult to draw in. The position of entry could easily have pierced a lung; panic swept over him.

The Horus guards Heru'ur had sent to ensure he made no attempts to interfere came upon the scene. Seeing the Tok'ra operative, the knife still clutched in his hand, they raised their staff weapons.

"NO!" Jack shouted his voice possessing no volume, the weapons discharged.

"My Lord." A Horus guard knelt beside him. "Jaffa Kree!" he snapped at his companion. "Find Heru'ur, tell him of this, I will take my Lord to a sarcophagus."

The second guard bowed his head, immediately leaving them.

"My Lord, breath slowly," the guard soothed, as he lifted O'Neill carefully, without effort.

"That's easy for you to say," Jack groaned, the helmet receding, the agony in his eyes now fully displayed, his breath coming to him in short rasps. "That hurts!" he added, before passing out.

************

Daniel raced for cover; the staff weapon blasts marginally missed him as he found safety behind the DHD. Makepeace discharged his weapon to cover Martouf and Carter, taking down three of the six guards who opposed them.

"Well this was a bad idea!" he opined.

"Sir, we've got to get back up now!" Carter shouted into her radio.

"Oh yes, back up," Daniel complained, completely pinned down. "And here come reinforcements, oh boy!"

The Horus guards who fought them took cover, secure in the knowledge that the Tau'ri would soon be overwhelmed. 

Three death gliders appeared on the horizon, more Jaffa streamed toward their location. Makepeace looked around him; there was no cover, nowhere to hide.

Daniel stood up, raising his hands high in the air. A Horus guard levelled his staff weapon at the archaeologist; Jackson closed his eyes... but then came the familiar tone of the Goa'uld.

"Jaffa, shel noc!" Heru'ur's voice boomed over the sounds of the blasts, the gunfire.

The Horus guard immediately acceded to his master’s wishes.

"Colonel you'd better surrender, I think you're outflanked," Daniel shouted at Makepeace.

Makepeace frowned, lowering his gun. "Do as he says Major, I think we've been had." The accusation carried to Daniel's ears, the archaeologist spun around, furiously.

"No, you've just been outfought!" he snapped. "Which if you'd listened to me in the first place..."

"Silence," Heru'ur boomed approaching Daniel, the helmet disappearing as he reached him. "Daniel, you return so soon. Jaffa, Kree, kal del mer'ac sham Tau'ri!" he spat.

The Horus guards began to encircle the four SGC personnel, Major Coburn dropped his weapon, Carter and Makepeace were already being rounded up, Martouf stood and surrendered.

Heru'ur sneered at them. "Tau'ri kree!" he snapped, watching the Horus guard push them toward him. Carter looked into the eyes of the system lord, who spun quickly.

"My Lord," one of his guards called out. "Kel dam mac, kree, O'Neill!"

Daniel looked up at the mention of Jack's name, barely able to make out the words of the obviously distressed Jaffa.

"You have taken him to a sarcophagus?" the system lord asked.   The Jaffa nodded, bowing his head, and backing away at the gesture from his master.   Heru'ur looked furious, turning back to the SGC personnel. "You will pay for this insolence," he warned, the snarling hatred he felt easily addressed in his regard of them.

"Um, Heru'ur?" Daniel asked. "Is Jack okay?"

Carter looked across at Daniel, concerned suddenly by the expression and the tone of that question.

The Goa'uld did not respond. He turned once more and headed away from the group, Nefir left to bring them back to the palace.

"Daniel?" Carter asked, as they were shepherded closer together.  "What's going on?"

"Well apparently, the Tok'ra assassin has managed to harm Jack in some way, I think we're going to get the blame for that, don't you?"

Martouf looked at Jackson. The two then pushed firmly by the surrounding Horus guard.

************

Heru'ur surveyed the sarcophagus, Nefir at his side. "My lord, the wound was not severe he will revive soon."

"How did this happen?” he demanded.

Nefir lowered his head in shame. It had been his Jaffa who had allowed the Tok’ra spy so close. He had no response, the Goa’uld’s stern gaze lifted then.

“Keep him away from the Tau'ri, bring him to my chambers once he is healed," he instructed.

"Yes my lord, and the Tau'ri?" Nefir enquired.

Heru'ur paused in the doorway of the chamber. "Have Daniel Jackson brought to me," he ordered.   Nefir bowed, looking back once more at the sarcophagus, ruefully.

***********

"Well this is just great!" Makepeace snapped.

"The Tok'ra operatives did not report such forces at the gate," Martouf was telling Sam, the two sitting side by side in the cell.

"Well perhaps if we hadn't come through the gate like dam busters we might have stood a chance," Daniel told him. 

"Which, by the way is probably what almost got Jack killed!"

"Dr. Jackson, so help me," Makepeace threatened.

Sam stood up. "Okay boys, you want to take this outside?" she asked. "We made a mistake, Daniel's right, we should probably have attempted to get in covertly."

"I was more concerned with the getting out part!" Makepeace stated. "Which might have worked if we'd had better information!"

"Oh, so now it's my fault the mighty military machine couldn't plan a rescue mission?" Daniel retorted bitterly. “Perhaps if you’d listened to Martouf and I, you’d have considered other options!”

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Martouf intervened. "We do not yet know what Colonel O'Neill can do. From the reaction of Heru'ur, I would say that the colonel is considered very important, which may go in our favour, if Daniel is correct about his position here!"

"Well I'm not holding my breath," the colonel opined. "Jack could be a Goa'uld!"

"No," Martouf argued. Jackson, who was also about to jump to the defence of O'Neill, allowed the Tok'ra to have his say. "It is already established that a Goa'uld can not control Colonel O'Neill, due to the power augmented by the knowledge of the Ancients that he possesses, it is more likely that any bond formed with Heru'ur has been through deceit on Colonel O'Neill's part, since I sincerely believe that Dr. Jackson is correct in his assumption that the Colonel's actions have been due to survival, and not treachery."

Makepeace sat down, his hand sweeping across his face. "Yeah, you're probably right, but it isn't like the Goa'uld's just gonna let us go because Jack says so!"

"Well we don't exactly know anything right now sir, I guess we're waiting to find out. And at least we're doing something!" Carter stated. "Instead of sitting back at the SGC not knowing what the hell's going on."

"Yeah, that's for sure, we're sitting in a cell, not knowing what the hell's going on instead," Makepeace snapped shaking his head.

"Well I guess if you'd listened to me in the first place, we might not be in a cell!" Daniel goaded, not about to let Makepeace off the hook.

The cell door opened, Nefir stood before them. "Daniel Jackson, you will come with me."   Jackson stood up, following the Jaffa from the room.

"Is that a good sign or a bad sign?" Makepeace asked.

Carter shrugged. "I guess we'll soon find out sir," she replied.

************

General Hammond ordered the rest of the team to stand down. Hearing the radio transmissions from his team, he had little choice.   He was sitting, with Teal'c, in his office as he discussed the situation with Major Davis; the Jaffa silently listened to the two men thrash out the problem.

Both were despondent, perhaps, in hindsight, it would have been more prudent to do nothing; yet, both had agreed that such a mission was worth the risk. O'Neill was a valuable member of the team, he was also the most dangerous, intelligence and security wise, to have on the team of the opposition.

************

Daniel stood before Heru'ur, his rueful expression unwavering. "So I guess you think we're pretty um, stupid right about now," he asked, before the Goa'uld had commented to confirm that supposition.

"Your attempt on O'Neill's life has failed, Daniel," Heru'ur told him.

"I think you know this wasn't an attempt on Jack's life, at least not by me," Jackson argued. "It was the fact that the Tok'ra had sent an operative to try and kill Jack that made us act in the first place. But I guess you don't actually care about that, and will probably use the propaganda against us?"

Heru'ur's arrogant expression was replaced by one of disdain. "I have no need to use such deception, O'Neill's desire to remain here has been his own," Heru'ur asserted.

Daniel looked disconcerted by that remark. "And, now you're trying to do the same thing to me," he contested.

"No Daniel, he's not..." Jack's voice.

Daniel turned around, seeing the colonel, still clad in the same uniform he'd worn two days earlier.

"Hello Jack," he greeted.

"Daniel. Look, Heru'ur, we don't need to keep them here, they'll just be in the way, let's just kick em back through the gate and get on with killing Apophis, and anyone else that gets in our way hah?"

"Jack?" Daniel asked, his puzzled tone, and expression directed toward his friend.

"Daniel?" O'Neill retorted.

"What's um, going on?"

"What, getting a little deaf Danny boy?" Jack spat. "You're not wanted here," he continued spelling it out as slowly as he could.

"The sarcophagus?" Daniel surmised.

"See that they are returned through the gate," Heru'ur agreed, an arrogant smile beaming on Jackson. "Do not attempt to come here again," he warned. “You owe your life to me Tau’ri, a debt I will willingly collect!”

***********

The door to the cell opened. Jackson returned through it, followed by Nefir and another Horus guard, his helmet concealing the identity.

"Um, guys, we really have a problem, now!" Daniel told them.

The three occupants stood, Carter approached Jackson. "Daniel, what's happening?"

Makepeace feared the worst. "Great!" he remarked. "We're gonna buy it on a damn Snake planet!"

The helmet of the second Horus guard unfolded. Jack O'Neill regarded them.   "No Makepeace, you and your team are going home, and do me a favour, don't do anything this stupid again, you're making me look bad!" he snapped.

"Sir," Carter seemed happy, relieved, yet confused by the statement. "Are you okay?"

"Yes Sam, never been better. So, Nefir here will take you to the Gate, and you get to go home… lucky you!"

"Sir, I," Carter began, startled by this information.

"Causa fletus expropter clarus!" Jack vociferated. "What part of 'go' don't you get?"

"No, no, we get it, we'll go." Daniel replied. "Now!" he emphasised.

Nefir bowed before O'Neill, "My lord," he said, as O'Neill turned to leave.

"Jack?" Daniel called out.

The colonel turned and faced him. "Vale meus amicus," he said to Jackson, reading his thoughts.  

"Voluntas, ut video tu brevi?"

Jack O'Neill smiled. "Forsitanus!" he replied.

Nefir was now left alone with the SGC personnel. 

Sam looked across at Jackson,  "Daniel, what did you just say?"

"It's um, not important," Jackson responded, looking at her meaningfully. A curious smile swept over his face.

***********

Jack watched them taken from the palace toward the Stargate. Heru'ur joined him, the two men silent.   He felt loath letting them go, such a brief encounter with home, home that he needed so desperately to return to.  But he had no other alternative, having them there was just a distraction he couldn't afford.

With or without them, he'd made up his mind exactly what he had to do, and that meant alone.  He now knew that Apophis was far more of a threat than Heru'ur. Having spent time with this particular Goa'uld, he felt confident that Earth was in no danger.

"You are brave to let them go, O'Neill," Heru'ur told him.

"Nope, I just don't need them here, not any more." the colonel replied, turning away once he could no longer see them.

Heru'ur watched him walk away, a triumphant expression adorning his stern and haughty features.

"And wise," he said.

Part 2.3

Hammond stood at the bottom of the ramp as the five appeared through the horizon. He looked from one to the other.

"What happened? We thought you were captured,” he demanded.

Makepeace looked at Carter, who looked to Jackson, who looked to Martouf. This quizzical, almost farce like scene, confused Hammond even more.

"We were sir," Makepeace finally responded. "Colonel O'Neill had us released and returned here, we were apparently in his way!"

"Dr. Jackson?" Hammond asked.

Daniel shook his head. "Jack got us released General, the Colonel's right about that, but it's not quite as cut and dried as he's making it sound. Perhaps we could get changed and meet in the briefing room?" Daniel offered, already beginning to walk down the ramp and head for the door.

"Good idea, I'd like to know exactly what's going on here!" Hammond snapped. "You've got fifteen minutes!"   Carter followed Makepeace out, leaving Martouf and Hammond alone.

"Martouf, what's your take on this?" Hammond enquired, leading the Tok'ra operative toward the briefing room.

"I am unsure. There is more to this than Colonel Makepeace understands, perhaps even than any of us did General Hammond. But Dr. Jackson will explain it," the Tok'ra told him. "Of that I am sure."

*************

Jack led Nefir toward the ship that would serve as his base of operations. The fleet of motherships had been gathered from all over Heru'ur's vast domain. Some sixteen planets were now without aerial or galactic defences.

"My lord, your armies are ready," Nefir told him as they reached the Pel'tac.

"Sweet, alright, let's move out kids, we don't have all day," Jack ordered.

The Jaffa bowed his head, setting the controls of the vast ship; its effortless ascent toward space began almost immediately.

The Goa'uld communication device activated before him, the face of a Jaffa from the army formerly in the service of Nurti appeared.

"Kel shak, O'Neill, I am Kalim, your first prime my lord," he announced, bowing his head.

"Sure, what do you want?" Jack asked.

"Forgive me my lord, I intended only to let you know that our ships are ready to follow your orders," Kalim replied reticently. “Your Jaffa await your will.”

"Great, I'll let you know if I change any plans, O'Neill out!" the colonel snapped.

Nefir raised his eyebrows, unused to such abrupt displays of rank, even from Heru'ur. This adroit human intrigued him, in all his years of service to his master, he had never once seen such an alliance.

"My lord, something displeases you?" Nefir asked.

Jack regarded him, both men confused by the other. "What? No why?"

"Your words were...." Nefir searched for the right expression.

"What? Rude? Dismissive? Spit it out," he insisted.

"Abrupt," the Jaffa responded, finally finding a word he hoped would not further displease O'Neill.

Jack's expression was one of surprise. "Okay, that's Earth military speak, you'll just have to get used to it," he explained, a frown etched into his brow. "And, by the way, it's Jack, or O'Neill. You keep calling me my lord, and I'm like looking over my shoulder for royalty or something!"

"Yes my... Jack," Nefir responded, somewhat astounded at this address.

"There you go," Jack encouraged, a grin at the obvious astonishment of his charge.

"All you got to do now is lose the 'my' part and we'll get a long swell."

The Jaffa nodded, returning his attention to the task of taking the ship into orbit.

***********

"So what exactly is happening then Dr. Jackson?" Hammond asked once the personnel involved were seated.

"Um, well, I think that Jack's only way to ensure that we were released after making an assault on a Goa'uld home world, which I'm sure Heru'ur saw as an insult to his strength, was to give his allegiance to Heru'ur for whatever battle they've been planning," Jackson explained, his thoughtful choice of words carrying complete conviction.

"So what are you saying Dr. Jackson? Have we definitely lost the allegiance of Colonel O'Neill to Earth?" Major Davis asked. “Is he staying with this Goa’uld?”

"I do not believe so," Teal'c intervened. "I believe what Daniel Jackson is saying is quite the opposite."

"Ah, thank you Teal'c, yes it is," Jackson concurred.

"And you know this how Daniel? He looked pretty comfortable to me wearing that damn Goa'uld uniform, and did anyone notice that stuff on his hands!" Major Coburn queried distastefully, angry with himself for believing in O'Neill, whom he saw as a traitor now.

"Then you'd be wrong," Makepeace argued. Daniel's surprised expression greeting this timely retort from the colonel. "Sir," the SG3 man continued. "I think the Colonel's got something on his mind, and whatever it is, we were clearly in the way. If I'm right, and I'm only guessing, due in part to what Dr. Jackson has told us, that he wants to prove that loyalty unequivocally, which means he's probably going to try and deal with Apophis!"

"Yes!" Daniel agreed immediately. “That’s exactly what I think, although,” he added dubiously, “I can understand why Major Coburn would think otherwise.”

Hammond shook his head. “Why has this Goa’uld accepted Colonel O’Neill as an equal?”

Jackson regarded the general. “That’s really hard to say, I’m thinking that he wants the knowledge that Jack has. It’s certainly not very Goa’uld like!”

"Daniel, what was the Latin?" Carter asked.

Jackson's attention was immediately diverted to the words he and O'Neill had spoken before parting. "Um, let me think, I was about to say vale meus amicus, which is goodbye my friend, but Jack said it before me. The um, other stuff was my asking if I'd see him again, and he replied, ah, maybe, which I took to mean if he survived, anyway... I agree with what Colonel Makepeace said, and I think we should authorise a mission right now to PJ5-909, I know they can help us."

"Help us? With what Dr. Jackson?" Major Davis enquired.

"To help Jack. Look, all of this started because the Goa'uld learnt about the Ancients’ download, Jack became more of a target to them because of this knowledge. If we can find them again, see if they might help us, we can reverse the whole process and...." He looked at the confused faces around the briefing table.

"Dr Jackson, we don't even know how to contact those aliens on PJ5-909 or if they are responsible for this, or could even undo it!" Hammond stated.

Daniel looked perplexed, he knew a lot more than he was willing to say at that point, understanding that since trust was an operative word, O'Neill's disclosure to Jackson that he'd known all along who was responsible for the powers, might irrevocably undermine his assertions that they trust O'Neill.

"Well if we don't try how will we know?" he persisted. "If they would, or could help us, wouldn't having that information blocked, significantly diminish Jack's value to the Goa'uld..."

Teal’c regarded Jackson, the archaeologist glancing across at him, reticence in his eyes. Both men knew. For a moment Daniel wondered if Teal’c would reveal that knowledge, or challenge him to do so, the Jaffa merely appeared to smile, although this was so subtle a gesture Daniel could barely read it as such.

"But first we'd have to get the Colonel back, and we've already seen how difficult that particular task is," Hammond insisted.

"Um, yes, and I think it's his choice to take on Apophis with Heru'ur. General, if this makes sense, I think they're the best hope we have of actually stopping him from attaining the kind of power that might become a threat to Earth," Daniel contended. “I mean, right now Heru’ur is aligned with the system lords, and has no interest in Earth, but Apophis?” The words, the expression on the archaeologist’s face implicit, they all knew what Apophis was capable of.

"Colonel O'Neill's choice of allies is a little disturbing Dr. Jackson," Major Davis retorted. “And how do we know he’s not being influenced, that it’s not some kind of Goa’uld trick?”

“We, um, can’t categorically rule that out Major, but since Jack defeated what he called the most advanced technology, albeit a Goa’uld, Heru’ur possessed, I think it’s pretty safe to assume that he’s himself!” Jackson retorted.

Davis shook his head. “But we can’t be a hundred per cent sure right?”

Hammond nodded. “Which is why I’m inclined to advise the Pentagon to change any and all protocols that Colonel O’Neill may be familiar with,” he asserted.

Samantha Carter considered Jackson’s theory. The Colonel O’Neill she knew would, under the circumstances, attempt to make the best of a bad situation. 

"Actually sir, I think Daniel's right," she stated. "If anyone is equipped to take on Apophis now it's Heru'ur, and with Colonel O'Neill's knowledge of tactics which would be completely unfamiliar to the Goa'uld, they might stand the best chance of overcoming his forces," she paused. “And I’m just not willing to accept that the Colonel would change sides, it’s just not in his nature!”

"Has everybody lost their mind?" Hammond enquired, astonished at what he was hearing. "People, this is a Goa'uld we're talking about here!"

"Yes sir, it is, but I think we have to accept the fact, that for whatever reason Colonel O'Neill trusts him. If the Colonel's willing to help him over throw Apophis, maybe he knows something we don't, like Apophis having plans to launch an attack on Earth," Carter argued. "If that's the case sir, we know the Asgaard aren't equipped to spare the ships to deal with such an assault, Heru'ur evidently is!"

Hammond looked at the faces around the briefing room table. Still trying to come to terms with what he was hearing.

"Alright, I'll take it under advisement. So we're assuming here that Colonel O'Neill, and this Goa'uld plan to prevent an invasion of Earth by Apophis?" Hammond reiterated.

"I concur General Hammond," Teal'c said. "Heru'ur most likely requires O'Neill's knowledge of the Ancients, in order to gain his trust, I believe he will do whatever is necessary!"

"Yes sir, I think that pretty much sums up our thoughts," Carter agreed.

Hammond considered the Jaffa’s statement. His own instincts told him that the O’Neill he knew wouldn’t turn against Earth, but his gut feeling, the distrust of the Goa’uld told him quite the opposite. He’d seen what they were capable of, Kawalsky had been a fine and dedicated officer too, in his mind he couldn’t quite see how they could accept that Heru’ur, one of the most powerful of the system lords, would accept and align himself with their cause. But he did trust his people. If even Teal’c was convinced that the colonel posed no threat to Earth, as Jackson, and Makepeace evidently believed then instinct would have to prevail... for now.

"Major Davis, alert the Pentagon that Colonel O'Neill is now on a joint mission, with an ally, in an attempt to prevent Earth's invasion, and that's exactly what I want in the report," Hammond ordered. “I’m going to accept what you all believe until we have proof to the contrary.” His eyes fell on each one of them. “But the codes and the protocols will have to be changed, we can’t risk Colonel O’Neill’s knowledge being used against us!”

Davis nodded. "Yes, sir, I figured something close to that myself," the Major stated.

"Colonel Makepeace, SG-1 will require a temporary replacement for Colonel O'Neill, that assignment is hereby given to you. Dr. Jackson, I want a report on my desk about your capture and subsequent imprisonment by this Goa'uld, and your personal report will include everything you have said and believe to be true and accurate here today!" Hammond continued. "If you're right Dr. Jackson, we'll need to ensure that the Colonel has somewhere to come back to," he concluded.

"Yes sir," Daniel replied, a smile sweeping his features.

"Dismissed!" Hammond snapped.

************

"My lord, Apophis’ forces approach," Nefir told Jack who cringed at the Jaffa's lack of memory.

"Alright, let's just keep it calm here, nobody opens fire until I give the order," O'Neill advised. "Contact Heru'ur, make sure he's where he should be... and Nefir, please cut the lord business!"

"Yes... Jack," the Jaffa responded. "I am hailing Heru'ur,"

The image of the system lord's sneering features appeared on the long-range communication device almost immediately.

"You all set there?" Jack asked.

"We are ready," Heru'ur replied.

"Okay, hit them hard, and move... don't hold your position, we want to lure them right into the trap. The other ships are in place right?" Jack's military persona was becoming more assertive by the second.

"Yes, they are deployed as you instructed. O'Neill?" Heru'ur concluded. “I wish you well!”

"Yeah, you too, O'Neill out. Nefir get me Kalim on that thing too," Jack ordered, watching Apophis’ ships drawing closer. "Gotta love being the bait," he remarked.

"My... Jack, Kalim," Nefir told him.

"Alright, gimme an update," Jack asked, looking at the face of the Jaffa.

"We are positioned opposite the fleet of Heru'ur my lord, we shall be ready as instructed at your command," he confirmed.

"Heru'ur's giving the order, we'll be kinda blindsided on this one, look sharp I don't want to get my ass shot off in the first wave, O'Neill out!"

He turned to Nefir, the concern on the Jaffa's face obvious.  "Hey, I've done this a thousand times, don't worry about it, always worked back on Earth, and they knew what was coming!" Jack reassured.

Nefir bowed his head. "I have every confidence in your plan my lord."

"Heads up, that's close enough, give the order to do the running thing now!" Jack snapped as the advancing ships were almost in range. "And let’s hope old Chronos is doing the exact same thing on Velkos!"

As O'Neill's small fleet turned and ran, the pursuing ships of Apophis were led between the forces of Heru'ur's and Nurti's Cheops vessels, whose weapons opened fire almost as soon as they were aligned, despatching them easily, twenty motherships exploding in the darkness of space. O'Neill looked on, a smirk crossing his features.

"Whoa!" he gushed. "Now that's kicking his ass!"

"My lord, Heru'ur hails you!"

O'Neill moved to the console, showing the image of Heru'ur. "Hey nice shooting!" he told the Goa'uld, who looked supremely smug in the return.

"We will need to be far more cunning O'Neill, I doubt Apophis will be so easily fooled again," Heru'ur advised.

"Listen try to contain yourself," Jack told him, the obvious excitement of so easily destroying such powerful ships overwhelmed the colonel.

Heru'ur's amusement was now clearly showing on his face. "A nice victory, Apophis commands over two hundred ships O'Neill, we have merely taken out..."

"A third, almost, of his fleet right, which makes our fleet a little bit bigger don't ya think, so lets go find some more of those things and whip their asses!" Jack asserted. "Then we can think about an nice invasion of Delmak, I take it he's residing there right?"

"That would be correct, O'Neill, however over one hundred ships protect this planet, such a target would require our forces combined with that of Chronos and Yu to be successful, we will concentrate on taking his domains, and reducing his armies," Heru'ur told the colonel.

Jack looked a little deflated, wanting to strike at the heart of the serpent, to wipe out Apophis in one fell swoop.

"We will head for the main planet in the system, and eradicate its forces, claiming it as our own, you may lead this attack!"

"Cool, Nefir, let's go kick ass on a planet!" Jack ordered. "See you there!" he told Heru'ur before signing off.

**************

Sam entered Daniel's lab, the archaeologist was working at his computer.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey!" Daniel replied. "So, your report done?" he asked cheerily.

"Yeah, yours?"

"Yes, I'm just working on some Goa'uld dialect I learnt on Heru'ur's planet. I guess until General Hammond gives us another mission, it's pretty much, catch up on some of the things I've been putting off," he told her.

"I'm trying to get my head around all this stuff," she admitted. "It's pretty weird when you think about it, I mean we're here writing reports happy in the knowledge that the Colonel is out there somewhere fighting Apophis with... another Goa'uld!"

Daniel turned away from his computer, looking at her more directly. "Listen, I um, was a little short with you before… the whole situation, this whole year has been well, weird, but I didn't realise before, that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, and I didn't really give Jack, or you enough credit for that, I was pretty mean, and I’m, um, sorry."

Sam smiled at him. "You know that's kind of funny, I was thinking how you were right, and how much we'd let you and Colonel O'Neill down, I still feel that way, I guess, but thanks, I appreciate it.  I can feel a little less guilty now." A mirthful gaze into Daniel's eyes.

The archaeologist reciprocating, both suddenly lost in a moment, where each finally realised things might, in time, get back to normal.  Daniel reached up and pulled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her, she gave no resistance, realising that his intention wasn't in any way an advance.

Teal'c entered at that moment, looking mildly surprised by the scene. "Excuse me, I will return later," he apologised.

Sam started giggling helplessly as she and Daniel left their embrace, Jackson's face collapsed into a huge grin.  

"Oh, boy!" he said. "I guess we'll have to explain that one later!"

"Do you think he thought we were?" Sam, still trying to control her mirth, asked.

"Um, yes actually, there was a definite, something in his voice that might have suggested that!" Daniel concurred.

"Wow!" Sam exclaimed.

"Wow, why?" Daniel asked looking slightly miffed by Sam's obvious dismissal.

"Well, I mean I just meant... Daniel!" she asserted, her cheeks flushing.

"Sorry," he retorted. "I just wondered why you wouldn't find me attractive, it's a childish thing, forget I um, said it."

"Sure," she replied, standing up. "And it's not that I don't find you attractive either, it's just... I'm kind of involved right now... with other things on my mind..." Her words becoming faster as she appeared to dig herself into a deeper hole.

Daniel, obviously a little more experienced in such matters, regarded her with a degree of amusement.   "And I'm grateful," he acknowledged. "For the consideration. Why are you blushing, exactly?"

Sam looked suddenly defensive. "I'm not blushing," she said curtly. "I'm just hot, and leaving!"

Daniel smiled to himself as he returned his attention to the computer, a warm smile, glancing around as she left; the smile became an impudent grin.

***********

The planet, finally in the window of the ship, looked very similar to Earth. Jack took a deep breath as it brought images of what seemed like a distant past.

"So how'd we play this then, gliders and landing, or just the gliders... and what about the indigenous people?" Jack demanded, a sudden after thought, the exhilaration still permeating his mind.

"Apophis destroyed all indigenous life when he conquered this planet my lord," Nefir told him.

"You're sure? I don't want to be wiping out innocent people," Jack remarked imperiously. "Greasy assed Goa'uld I can handle!" he added for good measure.

"It is as I said my lord, and the strategy of such an attack is your decision," the Jaffa responded.

"Alright, let’s get into the action then, land this thing and we'll have ourselves some good old fashion hand to hand." A smile crossed his face then, such a battle would ensure the least loss of life, something that made him feel a little less uncomfortable.

Nefir began to orbit the ship around the planet’s surface, detecting the concentration of Jaffa and equipment as being almost directly beneath them.

Jack stood back, away from the console, looking around at the Jaffa who had gathered in the Pel'tac, each bowing his head low as O'Neill's gaze fell upon him.

"Okay people, here's the plan, we're gonna take as many of them alive as we can, and add them to our forces. Let's make sure we don't get killed, other than that, have fun!" he announced.

The assembled Jaffa looked from one to the other. "A curious requested, my lord," Nefir pointed out.

"Ya think?" Jack asked him. "I thought it sounded quite reasonable actually." A grimace crept onto his bemused features.

Nefir regarded him with a look of reticence. "Yes my lord," he replied.

"Alright, let's hurry this along shall we, the sooner we do this, the quicker we can take on old snaky himself, so kree, or whatever it is you do!" O'Neill snapped, in a more military fashion.

**********

Heru'ur had taken his ships to a planet close to that which O'Neill now invaded, using the minimum of forces required to land.

He had not detected the cloaked vessels of Apophis, nor realised that the renegade Goa'uld lay in wait for his forces on the planet’s surface.

His capture, assured Apophis’ victory... or so he believed, since he had no way of knowing that the system lord had an ally as wily and cunning as Apophis himself.

Zipacna, overseeing the ambush of Heru'ur's forces, brought the system lord before Apophis now, within the pyramid of the planet’s surface.

"Kree, Heru'ur!" Apophis spat, his surly expression emanating triumph.

"Shel noc kree!" Heru'ur snapped defiantly.

Apophis stood, walking toward his former nemesis. "You will contact your forces, and tell them they serve me!" Apophis demanded.

Heru'ur regarded him with an impervious countenance. "Very well," he acceded.

***********

"My lord, Heru'ur!" Nefir shouted to Jack, as the colonel was about to lead his forces against those on the surface of his designated planet.

O'Neill turned immediately, heading back to the Pel'tac. His gaze rested upon the long-range communication device.

He spoke in Goa'uld, instructing all his forces to concede to the will of Apophis.

Nefir turned to O'Neill, his face dire. "My lord has been captured by Apophis, he instructs that all forces cede to the will of their new lord," the Jaffa explained.

Jack groaned inwardly, a heavy sigh pursing his lips. Earth seemed to be getting further away by the second. In control of Heru’ur’s forces Apophis would be unstoppable. He regarded the Jaffa, the concentration of his thoughts were towards a way out.

"The hell he does! Alright, let's forget this damn planet, where's Heru'ur, which planet was he going for?" Jack demanded.

"But my lord?" Nefir argued. "He wills us to concede."

"Jesus, do you all give in so easily? No wonder the slimy snake ass Apophis managed to secure so many damn ships,” Jack intoned, his eyes raging with anger. He stared at Nefir defiantly. “Get a message to all of our ships, I'm assuming control of Heru'ur's forces, and something else," he spat in full flow now.  "Don't argue with me, I get a little cranky when one of my friends is being threatened, got that!"

"Yes, my lord. Jaffa kree, shel noc, kree Apophis, shel kree O'Neill!" Nefir barked toward the Jaffa who remained in the room.

"Get in touch with Heru'ur's ships, I wanna know their status!" the colonel ordered.

"And Nefir, I want onto that planet in stealth mode you got that?"

"My lord?" Nefir asked, unsure of the word stealth.

"I need to get onto that planet unseen, can you do that?" Jack repeated.

"Yes my lord, we can take a glider down far enough away to ensure we are unseen," the Jaffa replied.

"Sounds like a plan, let's move shall we, the longer he has Heru'ur the less likely we are to get him back alive!"

************

"You were foolish to believe that I would fall for your invasion!" Apophis asserted.

"You will serve me, pledge your allegiance to Apophis!"

Heru'ur remained unmoved by the threats, confidently anticipating that his ally would, without doubt, react as he supposed to the challenge of his rescue.  Such was the hatred he had sensed in O'Neill for Apophis, closely mirroring his own.

"I will serve you," he replied without conviction.

Apophis glared at him.  Zipacna, who had led the triumphant forces against him glowered in his own self-reflected glory.

"Mark this day, for this is the day when all Goa'uld will serve me!" Apophis announced arrogantly.

************

Jack squeezed into the glider, Nefir taking the second seat, checking the controls.

"God I love these things," he opined. "You set?"

"Yes my lord," Nefir replied.

Three other gliders were designated to go down with them, a small force easier to control and situate, than the larger one waiting aboard the Cheops vessel that they now left at high speed.

"Woohoo!" Jack exclaimed as the glider surged forward. "Okay, you're giving directions or we'll end up in Kansas!"

Nefir's quizzical expression was unseen by the colonel, as the Jaffa tried to decipher the meaning of this rather eccentric Tau'ri whom he had come to regard with almost as much reverence as Heru'ur.

"Your left my lord, or we will end up amongst Apophis forces," he urged.

"Yeahsureyabetcha!" Jack chimed, turning the glider over into several rolls before bringing it on the final approach toward the planet.

Nefir cringed, holding his breath. "My lord!" he exclaimed.

"Relax Nefir, it's like riding a bike! Or flying an F-14" Jack asserted, controlling the death glider into a more cautious approach.

Nefir's eyes were wide; his hands gripped the side of his seat. He said nothing, attempting to maintain his composure.

The craft landed expertly, O'Neill lowered the limbs to hoist it high enough to allow them egress.

Once safely on his own two feet, Nefir let out the long breath that he had been holding for far too long. Goa'uld rarely flew gliders, and as such, the Jaffa was unaccustomed to taking second seat, nevertheless, he felt grateful to O'Neill that he had endeavoured to attempt to save his god, however ill‑fated he felt such a rescue might be.

"So, where's the snake?" Jack enquired.

"In that direction my lord," Nefir told him.

"Alright, let's wait for the others, I've got a plan!" the colonel imparted.

"We have no way of entering the pyramid with weapons my lord!" Nefir told him.

"You might not be able to, but I can!" Jack stated, holding his hand up, the one that still wore the ribbon device.

"Even so my lord, one such device against many!" Nefir argued.

"Will you just relax, and have a little faith, I've just got one Goa'uld to take out for crying out loud!" O'Neill asserted looking at the apprehensive expression of the Jaffa that now surrounded him. "Okay, look, you capture the leader, the rest just give in right? Kinda like Apophis thinks we're gonna do, so?" he contested. "Just one Goa'uld!"

Nefir smiled, seeing finally the intention of this audacious human. He bowed his head in respect.

"So, here's the plan, as first prime you'll lead me and these other guys in, I'll need a Zat, something to give up. When we get close enough to Apophis I'll take him out, clear?" O'Neill asserted.

"Yes my lord," he acknowledged, turning his attention to those surrounding them. "Jaffa, kree, you must ensure that our lord Heru'ur is protected once O'Neill kills Apophis."

"Okay, move out," the colonel ordered, leading the Jaffa toward the pyramid. His helmet activated, once more concealing his identity.

*********

Kalim brought his ships in behind those of Apophis, cloaked as the renegade Goa'uld's ships had been, awaiting the signal of his master, before unleashing weapons, the timing he had been told, critical.

Sixteen motherships were waiting to engage fifty. The odds heavily against them, yet he was confident that when the time came, this new god that had so easily defeated the Goa'uld and turned the allegiance of his first prime, would not fail them.

*********

Their weapons relinquished, the seven Jaffa who cleverly shrouded O'Neill from detection were led before Apophis.

Heru'ur recognised the figure of his statuesque first prime and, knowing that O'Neill's presence meant an attempted rescue, allowed himself a smile.

"My lord Apophis," Nefir announced. "We come to pledge our allegiance to you, and to kneel before our new god."

Jack felt the hatred in him rising, allowing himself a glance toward Heru'ur who stood to the left of Apophis, his ribbon device stripped from him. No shield to protect him should Zipacna attempt to avenge the death of his master.

He measured the distance quickly, Apophis attention suddenly upon him, the gold uniform similar to that of Heru'ur.

"Who is this?" Apophis enquired.

O'Neill braced himself, allowing the hatred and the anger to build. Pushing Nefir clear of his path, his hand raised up almost in slow motion, releasing a charge of such force that it slammed the Goa'uld through the back of the chair he rested on. Apophis registered fear and pain in his eyes as the energy crushed his rib cage. Struggling for breath he lay motionless.

Jack turned toward Zipacna, his shield raised. "Alright, just move a damn inch and I'll put your damn lights out too!" he warned, his heart racing with the adrenalin that surged through his body. 

Zipacna, who had barely had time to react to the assault on Apophis, stared at the figure who now clearly held him in his sights, the voice sounded familiar, yet in his panic and fear he did not, could not perceive of who the enemy was.

Heru'ur moved forward, taking a staff weapon from the shocked Jaffa beside him, discharging it at its former owner before standing beside O'Neill.

"Nefir Kree," he snapped. His first prime moved forward, alert enough to remain clear of O'Neill's hand device that so effectively covered Zipacna.

The Jaffa that surrounded the two men were watchful of the confused forces once loyal to Apophis.

His hand device securely back in place, Heru'ur turned and regarded the forces of his former foe. A sneer was now evident on his face. "Kneel before your God!" he commanded.

Jack released the mechanism to lower the helmet that had so effectively hidden his identity.  Zipacna's eyes widening, "A Tau'ri slave," he snapped, disbelieving that this could be possible.

"A dead snake’s snake!" Jack retorted moving forward, the Jaffa around him following.

He stopped, looking down at the dying body of his former nemesis, finally feeling the energy draining from him, finally allowing himself to relax.

"That was for Sha're and Daniel!" he told the near lifeless form of the Goa'uld. "Gimme a Zat!" he barked then, the rage still to completely drain from his body, the adrenalin finally beginning to ebb.

Apophis stared at him, the glowing eyes showing the recognition O'Neill hoped for, the terror of finally facing death etched onto his withering features. "You!" he whispered.

Heru'ur spun around. "No! His body must be preserved to show the system lords of our triumph!"

"Hey! You can forget about it, this guy has a nasty habit of rising from the dead and biting me on the ass!" Jack snapped.

The two men glared at each other. Heru'ur conceded, a nod. "O’Neill, it is your victory," he conceded, his eyes focused on the colonel, "you may choose!"

Nefir handed O'Neill a Zat gun, watching the colonel as he raised it. He discharged the weapon once, numbed to the feeling he might previously have had for the host.  He only saw Skaa'ra and Sha're, the pain he had felt from Daniel at her loss, his eyes focused on those of his most hated enemy, he paused, a cold callous regard shrouded his face. The second charge dispensed, he drew in a long breath, his finger poised over the trigger. The third discharge, he knew, would finally rid him of the Goa’uld. An explosion ripped into his ears.

“My lord, we are under attack!” Nefir yelled, the Jaffa within the Pyramid scattered, their weapons turned on one another. 

Jack spun around, his shield activated. Heru’ur dispatched two Serpent guards.

“O’Neill!” the Goa’uld system lord snapped. “We leave!”

Jack turned, looking down where Apophis had been. “Dammit!” he cursed, the body of his nemesis gone.

Heru'ur looked toward him. “Kree O’Neill!” he spat. His eyes glowed furiously, perceiving the danger of being surrounded by Apophis’ forces.

Jack O’Neill turned and looked at him. He shook his head slowly. “We’ve gotta find him,” he insisted, “before they put him in a damn sarcophagus.”

Heru’ur nodded. “That battle, O’Neill, will have to wait. Come, we take our leave.”

The colonel followed the Goa’uld, the battle raging all around them, protected by the Goa’uld technology. O’Neill felt almost deflated. He had come so close, and now at the very moment of triumph, he had been beaten. 

He turned and looked back at the Pyramid, as the rings from Heru’ur’s ships engulfed them. The hatred burnt in his eyes, consuming his thoughts. Now, more than ever, he wanted to destroy Apophis. All he’d achieved was to weaken the Goa’uld, to prevent perhaps an earlier assault on Earth, but he hadn’t stopped it.

He hadn’t won, and he wanted to win. Heru’ur regarded him, now back on the Pel’tac of his ship. 

“There will be time, O’Neill,” he said, reading the intense expression on his ally’s face.

“Oh he’s going down,” Jack insisted. “You’re right about that.” the colonel turned and left the Pel’tac.

Heru’ur looked out into space as the ships headed once more for his home world. “Now you see our power,” he remarked, “your hatred will serve me well!”

Part 2.4

Daniel ambled through the corridors at the SGC slowly, his attention on a report that had been written by Major Davis, via Tok'ra information sent through Jacob Carter, on the current status of Colonel Jack O'Neill.  It had been almost two weeks since SG-1 had seen their former commanding officer, after haphazardly attempting his rescue.

Most of them, whilst missing him, had managed to adjust to the 'new' team line-up, even Teal'c had began to establish a relationship with Colonel Makepeace, who since his return, appeared much more the team player.

"Daniel?" Carter called out.

The archaeologist turned to acknowledge the call. "Morning Sam, have you seen this?" he asked.

"What is it?" she enquired, looking at the report he offered.

"Well, it's from the Tok'ra actually, apparently, but this is totally unconfirmed, the alliance has managed to conquer and possibly eliminate Apophis. The, ah Tok'ra are trying to follow that up, but that's about it," he imparted. "Kind of, the Jack chronicles!"

"Colonel O'Neill?" Sam asked taking the documents from him and attempting to scan over the information.

"Ah, yes, he and Heru'ur are referred to as the Earth-Goa'uld alliance, which is kind of funny don't you think?" Daniel suggested, a wry smile sweeping his boyish features.

"Yeah, what would the Colonel say? Ya think!" Sam mimicked. "So we get our second mission today, right?"

Daniel glanced at her, a nod. "Which will actually mean we get to do something useful, instead of sitting around here waiting for updates on Jack... and the last one being an um, mining survey wasn't exactly what I'd term as a mission. So I thought I'd get in early and...."

Both laughed then. "Get an update on Colonel O'Neill," Sam concluded.

"Um, yes, actually. Why are you here so early anyway?" Daniel enquired as the pair reached the commissary.

"Oh I stayed here, had some things to check out on that new Rusapian technology that SG-13 brought back from P3R-514. It's a little behind the Tollan, but it could be useful," she replied. "Finally managed to get a scan frequency to show the internals..."

"Unauthorised off-world activation," the tannoys announced.

The two SG-1 members regarded each other. "I wonder what that could be?" Daniel asked.

The power began to drain from the facility, plunging the complex into darkness.

"The Asgaard," the pair said in unison, attempting to find the doorway without colliding into anything, or anyone. 

"Ow!" Daniel exclaimed, as he struck a table, just managing to prevent himself from plunging headlong over it. "Do you have a torch?" he enquired.

"Not on me... oh sorry!" Sam replied as she walked into someone.

"That's all right Major," Makepeace's low growling tone. A torch beam suddenly illuminated their faces. "I'm always prepared!" he added.

*************

Hammond had managed to make his way into the control room. "Has to be the Asgaard sir," Lieutenant Graham Simmons advised.

"I hope you're right Lieutenant," Hammond responded, his eyes fixed on the wormhole, apprehension masking his face.

**************

Carter and Daniel, following the adept Colonel Makepeace, entered the embarkation room looking up at Hammond barely visible in the red hue of the emergency lighting.

"Asgaard sir?" Carter shouted toward him.

Hammond shrugged.

All eyes fixed on the wormhole, the SF's, their weapons ready, adrenalin surging through them almost collectively, as they waited nervously to see what might emerge, Teal'c entering the scene.

"Major Carter?" he enquired.

"Don't know yet Teal'c," she responded. "But we're thinking Asgaard."

The appearance of seven Horus guards made her take breath sharply. "Or not," she sounded incredulous, shocked. 

The SF's scrambled closer.

"Hold your fire! They're unarmed," Daniel snapped. "It could be Jack,"

Hammond descended the steps, the team looking from one to the other. Two more Horus suited figures emerged, their golden armour denoting their status.

Heru'ur revealed himself first, his sneeringly arrogant features surveying the amazed expressions of the SGC personnel, followed by Colonel O'Neill. 

"Stand down campers," he announced. "We're unarmed!" He held his hands up, no ribbon device.

The wormhole disengaged behind them, the power restored to the facility.

"Colonel O'Neill what in God’s name?" Hammond demanded.

"General Hammond, I'd like to present Heru'ur, commander of the System Lords!" he began, remaining cautiously at the side of his friend.

"The guards were just a precaution in case you decided to open fire sir," O'Neill explained. "Apologies for the loss of power, but we didn't have a GDO!"

Hammond nodded dubiously toward the system lord, whose own acknowledgement was given in the form of his eyes glowing radiantly at the General.  O'Neill shook his head at that particular gesture.

"Jack what's going on?" Daniel asked dubiously, his relief at seeing the colonel tempered with the fear of his sudden appearance with the Goa'uld system lord. "How did you do that?"

O'Neill looked at Jackson, a half smile of recognition, his eyes returning to Hammond.   "With your permission, sir, I'd like to brief you all on a little problem!" O'Neill requested. "We don't exactly have a lot of time so?"

Hammond's expression, like that of the rest of the SGC personnel, bordered on dumbstruck.  "Colonel, I have your word that no weapons have been brought onto this facility? What about him?" Hammond asked, a gesture toward Heru'ur.

Heru'ur regarded Jack then. "Shal del mar'esh kree, Goa'uld!" he snapped, his expression becoming one of disdain.

O'Neill looked around at the obviously impatient Goa'uld. "Well, he doesn't leave home without them sir, but, you have my word, he's ah, safe!" Jack replied dubiously.

Hammond frowned, addressing his team now.

"Colonel Makepeace, have another team of SF's come down here, fully armed to escort Colonel O'Neill and Heru'ur to the briefing room," Hammond ordered.

Two Horus guards moved immediately in front of the Colonel and Heru'ur, protectively shielding their masters from the weapons that were still trained on them.

"Kalim, will you just relax!" Jack snapped. The Horus guard bowed his head and stood aside. "Nefir, it's cool, we're just gonna go to the briefing room. We’ll be fine."

Nefir waited for the command of his own master before acceding to the instruction of O'Neill.   Heru'ur turned to the colonel, the words not audible to anyone else. Jack nodded.

"Yeah I kinda get that feeling too!" he agreed. "Ah, General sir, Heru'ur isn't comfortable with the attitude he's sensing, and since you really don't want to piss him off, I'd kind of advise that we just go to the briefing room unescorted."

Daniel turned to Hammond. "I'd do as he asks General, I don't think we're in any danger," he asserted.

Hammond took a deep breath. "I hope you're right Dr. Jackson," he snapped, then back at O'Neill. "The guards stay here Colonel."

"Yes sir!" O'Neill agreed. "After you." He gestured at the System Lord who was looking toward Carter, his supremely arrogant demeanour making the Major's skin crawl.

************

Major Davis had been apprised the moment he reached the SGC, the party having to wait, on Hammond's insistence, for the arrival of a representative of the Government.

Heru'ur opted to sit at the opposite end of the table from Hammond; O'Neill was sitting with him, as a mark of respect.  The assembled SGC personnel were closely regarding the two.

"Well this is weird," Carter opined to Jackson who sat closest to her. Teal'c, beside him, nodded.

"Indeed, a most intriguing situation," he agreed.

"Odd being the operative word, I wonder how Jack managed that Asgaard thing with the power?" Makepeace enquired.

"Ancients, they built the Stargates Colonel, so I guess he pretty much knows how to drain the power out of whatever lies on the other side!" Daniel surmised, watching the two men who seemed ill at ease with their surroundings, yet strangely familiar to one another.

"That damn uniform’s a little much!" Makepeace opined.

"It's um, actually quite important to his position, the fact that Heru'ur appears to have afforded him the similar rank to his own is fascinating," Daniel enthused.

"Well I don't exactly enjoy seeing him in it!" Makepeace remarked.

"Yes, Colonel, I think we got that!" Daniel retorted. "But, um, if I remember rightly the attitude to Teal'c wasn't exactly enthusiastic to begin with, nor me come to think of it!" Daniel mused, perplexed at that thought.

Hammond and Major Davis emerged from the General's office finally, allowing the 'briefing' in the strangest of circumstances to proceed. Davis looked dubiously toward the Goa’uld, uncomfortable with having the enemy this close, yet equally fascinated by his apparent alliance with the Colonel.

"Colonel O'Neill, it's good to see you again sir!" Davis asserted. "But as you can appreciate for the record, we'd be interested in your informing us of when exactly you intend to return to active service at the SGC?"  Finally entrenching himself into position, his briefcase of notes unloaded onto the briefing table.

"That would be ah, not really open for discussion since we really don't have time for small talk here Major," Jack replied.

"Alright Colonel, do you intend to tell us exactly why both of you are here?" Hammond asked, finding the whole situation somewhat uncomfortable, seeing his most senior officer, and one he considered a friend, in the company and apparel of the enemy.

"About three days ago," the colonel began, his own feelings well hidden behind a stern and business like expression.  "Several Goa'uld motherships detected a fleet of UFO's entering the ah...."

"Carprixion system," Heru'ur told him, having become familiar with the colonel’s penchant to forget certain information, in the small amount of time they had spent together.

Daniel and Sam glanced at each other, as surprised as everyone else with the incredible amount of tolerance the Goa'uld seemed to have for the colonel.

"Thank you," Jack acknowledged, a grimace sweeping across those handsome features. "The ships were hailed without response. Since they were in violation of Goa'uld space, the motherships engaged them, which turned out to be a bad idea!" He winced. "They disabled one of the alien craft, but it seems that these ships were armed with some kind of advanced technology that literally sent the weapons systems on the motherships into overload, in short sir, they despatched them quite easily," he imparted, leaning forward now, more emphatic.  "Based on their course, and speed we figure they'll be entering your solar system within three weeks."

Hammond looked confused. "You think they're coming here?" he asked.

"We know they're coming here," Jack insisted, a glance toward Heru'ur who nodded.

"Since the beacons the Goa'uld detected had some kind of a frequency emitter, which they finally deciphered about three days ago, they effectively projected the coordinates the ships are heading for," the colonel continued. "We also managed to figure out some of the stuff from the disabled ship, the life forms were of human origin. We need some help with the rest, which is why we're here!"

"The Goa'uld want to assist Earth in destroying this threat?" Hammond enquired looking even more reticent. "If it even is a threat!"

O'Neill shook his head, his eyebrows raised slightly, denoting there might be an aside to that particular aspect of the visit.

"Well no sir, not exactly. He ah, didn't want to come actually." A nod toward Heru'ur, the system lord looking somewhat bored with the whole idea.  "Which would explain why he's a little cranky right now, since I insisted..."

"So Heru'ur came why?" Daniel asked.

Jack looked even more sheepish now than he had before. "Basically he doesn't trust that you wouldn't attempt to keep me here against my will, and since we were about to launch another assault on a rebel faction of Goa'uld, who have banded together to take on the system lords, it's kind of come at a bad time!"

"Colonel, I'd like to speak to you privately in my office!" Hammond demanded.

"Kree Tau'ri, shel noc desta s'ree O'Neill!" Heru'ur snapped, standing abruptly, the power in the Goa'uld sent the chair flying behind him, his eyes glowed furiously, the arrogant supercilious expression poured scorn into the words.

The SF's lifted their weapons at this apparent show of aggression.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jack exclaimed, startled by the rage, his hands raised. "General, I'd tell them to stand down right now." A tension in his voice, showed in his eyes, in the twitching facial muscles.   He knew the Goa'uld only too well, insults were not taken lightly, and this insistence to exclude him was seen as just that.

Hammond's gesture instantly ensured that the SF's obeyed this instruction.

"We're all a little tense here folks, so let's just keep this cordial okay?" he asked, turning then, when he felt it safe to do so, away from Heru'ur, toward Hammond. 

"Sorry General, but the office thing, it's not prudent right now," he stated, feeling uncomfortable about having to deny what he saw as an order, to prevent Heru'ur, who he already sensed was stretched to the limit on patience, from becoming too testy.

"I understand Colonel," Hammond replied, remaining seated. "But your, ally here must appreciate that this is an awkward situation, a few weeks ago we'd have been looking upon him as the enemy!"

"Oh, we get that sir, more than you know!" Jack admitted. "It's a little odd both ways, trust me." A smile crossed his face, rueful, yet confident. He looked at the SF closest to the chair the Goa'uld had thrown back and he snapped his fingers authoritatively. The SF responded without thought, replacing the chair.

Carter leant closer to Daniel.  "What did he just say?" she asked.

"Um, roughly translated, he thinks the General isn't showing Jack enough respect, and should kneel before him, or something!" Daniel explained

Carter's eyebrows shot up; her incredulous regard toward the archaeologist brought a smile to his face.

"So exactly what are you asking for here Colonel?" Hammond demanded, scowling at the Goa'uld, whose presence he found distasteful.

"We need SG-1 sir, well Daniel and Carter," the Colonel imparted. "Sorry Teal'c!" he added, an apologetic expression adorning his face.

The Jaffa bowed his head toward the Colonel.

"Absolutely not!" Hammond snapped back. "Colonel, this has gone far enough. Now unless you can supply me with compelling evidence as to why I should trust this... information, I'm inclined to deny your request!"

O'Neill closed his eyes, trying to remain calm. "Alright, obviously you've not been listening," he spat, ensuring that his less than tolerant ally, who had argued against even warning the Tau'ri of this threat, remained on the fringes of the discussion. "We're wasting our time here, but I just thought you'd appreciate our help dealing with something we're not even sure we can handle!"

Makepeace raised his eyebrows; O'Neill's obvious dissent toward a superior officer was clearly a challenge.

"Colonel, sit down!" Hammond scalded.

Heru'ur stood slowly. "O'Neill, we take our leave!" he announced.

Jack looked toward Hammond clearly frustrated. "Wait, just a minute," he asked his friend. "I'm not done here yet!"

"General Hammond, considering the source I'm a little disappointed with your attitude. Sir, we didn't have to come here, risking quite a lot to augment our gate, to bring you this information, but you'd better trust me. They're coming and if we can't decipher their codes and the dialect behind the ships, we're not going to be able to stop them. Now if you want that, fine, we're out of here!" he threatened.

Hammond looked shocked, his eyes saw Colonel Jack O'Neill, but his ears heard something altogether different.  Clearly the time he'd spent with the Goa'uld had affected him, his distinction between them and us becoming clearer as he spoke.

He looked at Daniel, perhaps the one person who knew the Colonel well enough now to rely upon.  Jackson indicated towards his office, the general read his eyes perfectly.

"Okay Colonel, just what exactly do you think it is that Major Carter and Daniel Jackson can offer that the Goa'uld don't have to break these codes?" Hammond replied, taking a step back from his obvious distrust of the Goa'uld.

"Well Carter's good with numbers, and Daniel's a linguist, which might help!" O'Neill pointed out, looking then at Heru'ur, who remained standing beside him. "And since I'm really out of favours here, I'd kinda hoped you'd see this for what it is!"

Hammond exhaled a long slow breath. "We'll take it under advisement Colonel, if you and Heru'ur would like to remain here, we'll have a decision for you presently!" he said standing. "If the rest of you would like to join me in my office!"

Carter glanced at O'Neill, a reticent smile.  The Colonel stared back without any attempt to reciprocate.

*************

"General Hammond if I may?" Daniel asked once the group were in the general office.

"Go ahead Dr. Jackson," Hammond confirmed.

"It's obviously a very odd situation, but if Jack's come here asking for my help, then I'd like to volunteer to go. Clearly he's here against the wishes of the Goa'uld, as witnessed by Heru'ur's behaviour, and I think this might be a way of building bridges," Daniel insisted.

"Have you forgotten that this is a Goa'uld we're dealing with here?" Hammond asked. "Not to mention the indications the Colonel appears to be giving about his alliance with them over Earth and the SGC?"

"Actually sir, I'd say we're dealing with Colonel O'Neill," Carter intervened, “he can’t exactly show too much of his hand sir.”

"Sir, clearly Jack's a little estranged right now, but I'd really like to try and redress the balance here sir!" Daniel argued.

"And, a Goa'uld," Major Davis added.

"Yes, I think we established that Major!" Daniel snapped looking back at Hammond now. "General, I realise this whole scenario is a little odd, and seeing Jack dressed in that attire and with that particular... with Heru'ur, is a little disconcerting. But I think his intentions are to try and assist us in what he obviously perceives as a threat sir!"

Hammond shook his head. "Dr. Jackson, I agree with you, but the fact is we've apparently already lost Colonel O'Neill from this command, I don't want a similar situation arising with you and Major Carter!" he confessed.

"Sir, that's not going to happen, Colonel O'Neill isn't likely to keep us, and maybe if we spent some time with him he'll feel a little more comfortable about coming back sir," Carter asserted. “And if he is right, we’ll need their help; anything that can effectively take out Goa’uld motherships, sir, is clearly a massive threat to Earth!”

"Alright Major, I'll authorise your mission to assist Colonel O'Neill with this problem, however I want assurances that both of you will be returned safely once you've deciphered this code, and I want daily reports back to the SGC!"

"Thank you sir," Sam replied.

"And Major, however Colonel O'Neill managed to augment the Gate, I want it destroyed!" Hammond instructed.

Daniel looked through the glass toward O'Neill and Heru'ur, the pair engaged in discussion, seemingly unaware of his regard. He couldn't help but be pleased that O'Neill seemed in perfect health, yet he detected something else there too. 

Hammond had astutely recognised the very definite correlation the Colonel appeared to be making between himself and Heru'ur, and the SGC.

That worried him, perhaps they had, as Hammond said, lost the Colonel, or maybe it was more a deliberate attempt to maintain the trust of his uneasy ally.

***********

Jack shook his head. "Will you just relax!" he told Heru'ur, who was beginning to become particularly difficult to appease, insisting on an immediate return home. "You can't exactly blame them for thinking we're not exactly trustworthy here.” His eyes widened slightly, making his point. “You're a snake for crying out loud!" An apologetic regard then, a bemused smile crossing his face. "Sorry!"  Shaking his head at the apparent insult he’d foisted at the Goa’uld.

"Clearly we waste time on your petty worries for this world O'Neill, had you given this situation thought, we would be dealing with the Goa'uld renegades instead of this!" he replied, ignoring Jack's slip. “And finding Apophis, a task I believed you would give more consideration to!”

Heru’ur was obviously aware of the Colonel's apparent distaste for his true appearance, yet unconcerned by it. He had shown himself on more than one occasion to be worthy of the role he now played in the Goa'uld's life, the last feat, in saving him from Apophis, and almost managing to kill his mortal enemy, an illustration of that faith, that was so precariously entrusted to a Tau'ri. A being he would have been eliminated without second thought a few months earlier.

"Look, we don't have a lot of choice here really. I mean think about it, they get here, they do whatever it is they're intending to do, which by the way, could be allying themselves against the Goa'uld, and then they turn around and come looking for the Goa'uld, I'm just playing it safe here!" Jack insisted.

Heru'ur nodded then, a considered expression crossing his stern features. "You are wise, O'Neill," he agreed.

"Thank you," O'Neill responded. 

Hammond's appearance in the briefing room immediately ended their brief, yet informative exchange.  Both men turned to face him, Jack apprehensive, whilst Heru'ur maintained his more obvious superiority.

"Both Major Carter and Daniel Jackson are prepared to assist you with this problem, I have therefore decided to allow them to return with you to attempt to decipher the new information, however, I have one or two conditions," Hammond told them.

"And those would be?" Jack enquired, doing so before Heru'ur could insist that they were in no position to ask.

"One, that both report back to the SGC daily at 08:00 hours," the General requested.

O’Neill nodded, that must sound reasonable, even to the Goa’uld who had little time, or consequence for the Tau’ri.   "Okay, and the second?"

"That we get a full report from you, concerning your position Colonel. “We can't allow your absence, however honourable, to go on indefinitely!"

O'Neill looked at Heru'ur. "Can I have a minute with the General?" he asked.

Heru'ur nodded.  The colonel followed Hammond back into his office.

"Close the door Jack," the general instructed.

O'Neill did as requested immediately.

"So, want to tell me exactly what's going on here Jack?" Hammond asked.

"Look sir, we don't have a whole lot of time here, so you're just gonna have to trust that I know what I'm doing.” Jack insisted, shaking his head. “This is so far out of control now, it’s, I can’t see where it ends sir.” A sigh, ruefully he looked into the eyes of his former commanding officer. “And if the Air Force and the SGC can’t handle that, well then I'm going to have to resign my commission, or retire, or what ever the hell makes the Air Force happy," he said finally, emphatically.

Hammond looked stunned. "Colonel, I'm not asking you to do that, I'm simply saying that we need to know exactly what's going on here!" he insisted.

"Well sir, I guess it's a little too complex to say exactly, and since I’m not sure what’s happening myself, or how the hell to even begin to explain it!” A shrug of his shoulders then, hands raised apologetically. “Well, I guess you'll just have to trust me!"

Hammond wasn’t sure he understood what O’Neill was telling him.

"Jack we can’t allow this to go on indefinitely. I don’t know how long the Pentagon is going to accept that an Air Force Colonel is, for all intents and purposes, AWOL,” he said.

O’Neill shrugged again. “Well I guess I’ll have to be AWOL then sir,” he replied.

“Ultimately Jack, I need an answer, can you tell me categorically that you’re in control here?” Hammond asked.

O’Neill chuckled to himself. “Um, no sir, I wouldn’t go that far exactly.” he retorted, clearly amused at the irony. “In fact, I can’t even tell you why Heru’ur’s putting up with so much crap from me, I guess he must want this stuff in my head pretty bad!” the Colonel opined at length.

Hammond nodded. “I see. Answer me something honestly?" he asked.

"Anything sir," the Colonel replied.

"Are you working towards the benefit of Earth?" Hammond's tone lowered. It wasn't a question he liked to ask, but it needed asking, he needed to have confirmation of what he was trying so desperately to believe in.   “I have to know that you’re not being seduced by this Jack, that somewhere in there you’re in control. Frankly this whole thing is unacceptable!”

Jack looked stunned. His face seemed to drop, become drained of blood.  His eyes narrowed, leaning on Hammond's desk. "Sir, if you need to an answer to that, I guess," he snarled furiously, "we're done here!"

Hammond sighed heavily. "Colonel!" he snapped. “You’re dangerously close to being considered a hostile.”

O’Neill turned and looked at him scornfully. “I thought I was already the enemy!” he intoned bitterly. “So it’s kinda nice to finally have it confirmed.” 

He was already making his way from the office, his anger apparent to Heru'ur. "We leave?" he asked.

"Damn right, we leave," he snapped, descending the stairs ahead of Heru'ur, who turned before pursuing to glance triumphantly at Hammond.

Major Davis arriving in the control room at the same time as O'Neill.

"Ah, Colonel about earlier?" he began.

O'Neill pushed past him. "It's not Colonel, Major, it's... My Lord!" he snapped. "Jaffa kree!"  He entered the embarkation room, his anger vented toward behaving exactly how he’d been accused of behaving, like the enemy.

Heru'ur paused. "The coordinates to my home world, you know these?" he enquired of Davis.

"No, I um," Davis responded he looked shell shocked. "General?"

"Lt. Simmons, enter the coordinates for P8H-912," Hammond instructed.

Daniel arrived in the embarkation room. "Are we all set, cause I think Sam's still getting her gear?" he asked the irate looking colonel, who was now flanked loyally by two of the seven Jaffa, that had stood unmoving for the past two hours.

"Well she'll just have to follow won't she?" O'Neill snapped.

"Um, Jack, is everything okay?" Daniel sounded concerned, a little vague, looking back up at Hammond's furious expression from the control room.

Heru'ur took his place at the bottom of the ramp beside his Jaffa.

"Dr. Jackson, you have a go to proceed as directed, if you fail to report back within 24 hours your GDO codes will be locked out, Major Carter will follow you tomorrow," Hammond instructed.

"Ah, okay," Daniel responded, clearly perplexed by the obvious hostility between Hammond and O'Neill, who closed the helmet on his uniform. "Oh boy!" he sighed

The Stargate began to dial out. "Let's go home!" Jack imparted as the event horizon formed before them.

**************

Hammond looked at Major Davis. "I think we just lost him!" he opined, angry at himself, as much as at his subordinate’s behaviour.

"Sir? What happened?" Davis evidently struggling to come to terms with this bombshell, watching the party of Jaffa envelop their leaders as they passed through the event horizon.

"Colonel O'Neill just resigned his commission Major! Put that in the file, and the fact that I now regard Jack O’Neill as a former ally of indeterminate status!" Hammond snapped, turning and making his way back to his office.

Carter who had just entered the control room, her kit in hand looked at the closing wormhole, and back to Davis. "Paul?" she enquired. 

"Sam, I really don't know," he sighed, his arms leaving his sides, a shrug. 

Teal'c who stood at the back of the control room looked direly toward Carter. "It would seem Colonel O'Neill has given notice to leave the SGC Major Carter," he explained.

Carter stared at him. "What? No, why?" she demanded.

"I am unsure, it would seem he and General Hammond are decidedly at odds," Teal'c replied.

"Am I going?" Carter asked, looking at Lt. Simmons now. "What did General Hammond say Graham, do I have a go or not?"

Lt. Simmons shrugged. "I um, think you'd better ask the General that Major, he's in his office," he responded. "I'd er, give him a minute though," he added.

Carter dropped her kit on the floor of the control room. "Great!" she exclaimed.

***********

The helmet now reduced once more, Daniel was able to see the Colonel's expression. "Jack?"  Daniel asked.  Heru'ur left the two men alone, sensing that O'Neill would need to finally sever his ties, as he had obviously done back at the SGC.

"What Daniel?" he snapped, still smarting over the exchange.

"Is this one of your throw caution to the wind moments?" Jackson enquired. "Because it looked pretty final to me?"

"Yes Daniel, I just resigned my commission, I guess you'd call that pretty final!" O'Neill replied. "Kinda closes the door a little don't ya think?"

"Um, well I guess. Are you sure? It seems pretty odd since you've worked so hard here to um secure it, and did you kill Apophis?" Daniel changed the subject quickly as he remembered the report earlier that day.

"Yep! That would be me!" O'Neill replied, making his way toward the palace. “Only he got away,” the Colonel added bitterly.

"That's um, great... he did?" Daniel stuttered.

"Daniel, if you don't mind, I've got a lot on my mind here! He's out there somewhere, and when I’m done with this, I’ll find him.” He turned then, his features heavy with angst. “And by the way, you're here to decipher some alien language, Kalim here will take you to the ship, let me know if you crack it!" he snapped, disappearing inside, leaving Jackson with the Jaffa.

"My lord is unhappy?" Kalim asked watching O'Neill go.

"Um, no, that would be an understatement actually!" Daniel replied, staring after the irate Colonel, perplexed. "Lead on, your lord has given a command," he added.

Jack O'Neill slammed the door closed behind him.  In the sanctity of his quarters he sat down, staring at the wall in front of him, the hieroglyphs embedded in leafs of gold.   "Home sweet home!" he said softly.

********************

Daniel read along the lines of text once more, perplexed by the apparent lack of any conformity to the script he saw.

"No! It's definitely not... wait!" He suddenly enthused.  Kalim, who stood in silence watching, startled by this sudden exclamation. His regard growing more curious, as Jackson persistently struggled with what appeared to him, and all other Goa'uld linguists that had attempted an accurate translation, to be gibberish.

"That's it!" Daniel declared. "Why didn't I think of it before?"

The Jaffa was unsure of whether to respond to these questions.

Daniel looked up triumphantly, wanting to share this break through and looking somewhat miffed that, considering the company, he had no one to share it with.  He'd been working for approximately 6 hours and only now had he comprehended the very base nature of the composition, that the letters were similar to a Greek and Japanese mix.  

His took his glasses off to rest his eyes. "So," he spoke aloud. "That would mean, yes! Okay, meaning," he continued, staring yet so engrossed in thought that he was not actually seeing anything.

Jack appeared, in the small arch that served as a doorway to the bridge of this particular ship, behind Jackson unseen.  A smile was on his face as he listened to the archaeologist. He acknowledged the Jaffa's acquiescent salute, a bow of the head, and waved him out.

"You know, it's a sign of madness talking to yourself," he announced, alerting Jackson to his presence.

Daniel turned around. "Hi, Jack, I didn't hear you come in," he replied, almost as if he should have.

The colonel, still clad in the now familiar uniform of Heru'ur, was holding a tray of food in his hand. He lumbered over and sat beside Jackson, albeit slowly in the constraining attire he had become so accustomed to.

"How's it going?" he asked, his eyes looking at the dialect, the patterns and lines of text that meant nothing to him.

"Well, it's the weirdest thing I've ever come across, almost symbolic of Ancient Greek and Japanese style writing. This, as you can imagine, is pretty hard to guess at. But I think I'm getting the idea now," he explained, rubbing his eyes.

"Stop doing that, how many times?" Jack scalded, shaking his head in dismay at Jackson's habit.

"Sorry! Nice to know you care though," he said pointedly, smiling as much at his own perception that he'd need to apologise, as that O'Neill still did that whole big brother thing he'd become so comfortable with in their relationship.

"Hey! Despite contrary belief, I care a lot. I'm just not sure Earth's where I belong!" O'Neill answered candidly, almost as if that particular realisation was difficult even for him to comprehend fully. "And before you ask!" he added.

"So you had an argument with General Hammond?" the archaeologist surmised, completely ignoring the warning. "And basically resigned, because?"

O'Neill shook his head, looking away, unsure that he wanted to go there whilst that wound still felt so open. "You should eat this stuff whilst it's hot, and don't get used to the delivery service either!" he asserted, avoiding the issue.

"Thanks," Jackson responded. "But you didn't answer my question. I mean, I know you've been through more in this last few months, than you've probably experienced in a lifetime on Earth, but is it really so bad that you want to just walk away?"

Jackson's penetrating gaze, searching for a response, left O'Neill little place to hide. He shrugged his shoulders.   "We do this talking thing all the time Daniel, so tell you what, let's give it a miss just this once hah?" he contested, a grimace forming on his features as he regarded the obstinate looking expression that Jackson now fixed him with.

"Um, no, I think this time it might be more important, so?" Daniel insisted.

"Okay, you tell me, what there is to go back for?" Jack asked honestly. "I can make a difference here, from the inside Daniel, and at least I know why the snakes don't trust me!"

Daniel looked sympathetically at the colonel now, almost as if he understood that particular emotion, a wistful repose settled on his face, a slow nod.

"I get that, I really do," he agreed his eyes fixed on the colonel. "I felt like that, for the longest time... like once I'd lost Sha're, coming back to Earth was almost too much, like I didn't fit anymore.  Basically I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself... I seem to recall someone mentioning that to me, anyway!" he added, another pointed glance at the colonel.

"That's a completely different scenario Daniel" O'Neill repudiated, a scowl on his face.

"Um, why?" Jackson insisted. "Why is there a difference Jack? Because you think people don't trust you? Or that they're questioning your loyalty?"  

"Go figure," Jack lamented, the grievous expression that entered those normally sardonic eyes accentuating the obvious anguish he felt. "Kinda a revelation hah?"

Jackson stared at him, unable to make eye contact though, looking away when the colonel returned his attention, it was as he feared; the one thing that could so easily weaken the most formidable and resilient character, the loss of trust, of loyalty from those whom he relied upon the most. Almost lost for words Jackson wondered best how he might find a way to combat the apathy that seemed to permeate O'Neill's present state of mind.

"Yes, it is," he replied apprehensively, struggling to find the right rebuttal "But I don't think that's any reason to give up Jack. It's um, almost like we've been down this road a hundred times, and every time you found a reason not to let go, not to give in. I admire that, it's what makes us so different, I'm usually the one who tries to walk away, and you're there, giving me a myriad of reasons why that would be wrong." Jackson's tone was filled with the admiration he so openly claimed, desperate to inspire O'Neill toward his way of thinking.

"Yeah, well that was before I got a head load of Ancients and Goa'uld!" O'Neill declared. "Work it out Daniel, you're the damn scholar. No way back right? No way to feel like I'm not being watched by people twenty four hours a day, wondering if I'm really some kind of Goa'uld spy,” O’Neill responded, the words almost a lament of sorts. “Heru'ur's not exactly what I'd call thrilling company, but at least I know where I stand, even if I don't like it!" he snapped. His hand swept across his face, agitation replaced angst.

"Jack, it's a big universe, bigger than we knew, but I just don't think there's any place out there to hide!" Daniel told him, the empathy in his voice almost reaching out and enveloping his friend.

O'Neill shook his head, standing. "Daniel, I'm not hiding, I'm just finding a way to fit in with all this stuff," he insisted, regarding the archaeologist with a smile, a wry smile that seemed to sweep sombre from him almost instantly. "That was pretty good by the way, very philosophical!" 

Jackson's features contorted, considering the compliment. "Thanks. But I happen to believe it!”

“You have that luxury Daniel,” Jack told him, “the whole positive thing, I don’t!”

Jackson regarded him. “Why? I’ve never known you to give up on anything. Falling out with Hammond isn’t exactly a new experience Jack!” he observed.

Jack O’Neill smiled at him. “Maybe,” he replied, his hands sweeping through his hair, “but it’s not exactly under normal circumstances right?”

Daniel nodded. “I can see how it would make you feel like that,” he agreed, turning more to face O’Neill now, those boyish features lit with an encouraging smile. “You’re angry, I’d be. But you’re not alone Jack, even Makepeace thinks you’re out here for us, for Earth... and that’s a pretty good indication right?”

O’Neill laughed. “Oh yeah, endorsement from a Jarhead, just what I need right now!” he remarked.

“So we can discuss this later right?” Jackson enquired, gesturing toward the text. “I really need to figure this out.”

"Danny boy, knowing you I'd say that's definitely something I can count on!" the Colonel concluded. "Now, eat, and then get back to work. Whether Hammond likes it or not, we've still got to find a way to stop those ships.   And er, Daniel?"

Jackson looked up, pushing his glasses up onto his head.

"I appreciate your loyalty... it means a lot!" Jack stated, leaving the archaeologist to ponder that last admission.

***********

"George," General Vidrine acknowledged as he sat down opposite Hammond, returning the General’s salute. Major Davis sitting next to him. "You mind telling me what this is?"

He threw the report Davis had submitted to him on Hammond's desk, the General picking it up and glancing over the content.

"It's the latest report I asked Major Davis to write concerning Colonel O'Neill," Hammond replied.

"I know what it is George, I'm just wondering exactly why, in the space of a few weeks, we're changing from liaison, and ally, to hostile?" Vidrine questioned.

"Based on his visit here, and when asked about his current status, Colonel O'Neill refused to confirm that he was working toward the good of Earth, and when pushed for that answer, promptly resigned his commission, I had no other choice but to commit it to his record." Hammond stated.

"This is the same Colonel Jack O'Neill who received the Air Medal? Who was prepared to risk his own life more times than I can recall from reading through the mission reports, to maintain Earth’s security?" Vidrine sounded baffled. "What's changed?"

"General, a lot has happened since then, and although I don't like it, and I sure as hell didn't want to admit it, the Jack O'Neill I knew seems to have been lost to the enemy!" Hammond lamented. "Whether that's some form of diabolical Goa'uld mind control or not remains to be seen!"

General Vidrine shook his head, vexed at what he was hearing.  He knew Hammond had given O'Neill more latitude than any other officer in his command, sensing that in some way perhaps Hammond felt responsible for the colonel's loss, and that this latest exchange, reported to him off the record by Major Davis, had in some way contributed to the General's decision to disavow his adjutant

"Well I'm not prepared to accept that George. I've read the reports of his capture, of the Goa'uld infiltration, and everything in those reports suggests that Colonel O'Neill went out of his way to not only safeguard the integrity of the SGC and Earth, but in the process also managed to cultivate a relationship with one of the enemy, who actually turned up here to save Earth? Is that what I read George, or was that fiction?" Vidrine queried.

"No sir, that's exactly what you read, but it's my honest belief that Colonel O'Neill's experiences have pushed him beyond the limit of what any soldier or man is capable of handling, and in delivering him into the hands of the Goa'uld have given them the opportunity they needed to affect his mind." Hammond opined.

"Then I'd say we have a problem," Vidrine remarked, "one which will need to be dealt with swiftly. Can we extract Colonel O'Neill?"

Hammond looked doubtful. "Anything's possible, I've got Colonel Makepeace working on a plan, Dr. Jackson is currently on the Goa'uld's home world with the same brief, and I intend to send Major Carter out tomorrow, if she can figure out how to prevent the Goa'uld from undermining our defences again," he informed.

"Yes that's right, the colonel used this technology embedded in his mind," Vidrine pondered. "George, your opinion now, is Colonel O'Neill a threat to Earth?"

Hammond considered that statement, his response almost immediate. "No sir, I don't believe that Jack's capable of that... but the Goa'uld," he admitted.

"My feelings exactly, and with no way to defend against them, we could have a serious problem," Vidrine said.

"General," Davis spoke up. "I think the colonel's intention in breeching our security was done purely to warn us of this impending threat from an alien race, by coming here, clearly he's shown his loyalty to Earth. Sir, personally I think our best bet of retrieving the colonel, is to find out exactly what he has on his mind."

"But he's already declared his willingness to resign his commission Major, what makes you think he'd be open to sharing his plans?" Vidrine enquired.

Major Davis looked apprehensively at Hammond, before returning his attention to their superior officer.   "I've spent some time talking to Major Carter, and particularly to Dr. Jackson, who seems to have the best read on the colonel's position. I think he had a gut reaction to the question of his loyalty sir, after recent events I can't say I blame him for that," the major imparted.

"Get to the point Major," Vidrine insisted, unsure of where this was leading.

"It's simply this, we already know that with the help of this Goa'uld, the colonel has almost eliminated a long standing enemy of Earth... something we've been trying to do for the past three years. He’s considerably weakened Apophis’ position, if all the Tok’ra reports are accurate. And that’s been achieved in less than a month,” Davis said. “Dr. Jackson believes that the colonel's intention is to somehow set the Goa'uld against one another, and weaken their whole infrastructure, and I think he's right!"

"Is that possible?" Vidrine asked.

"Well sir, I'm not sure, but according to Daniel, the futility of their nature leans toward a resentment for the colonel's apparent favour with Heru'ur, that's the system lord he's currently allied with, which, if what we learned from Thor is true, would mean that the other system lords might feel threatened. If they start an all out war..."

"Their numbers will be diminished, and we'll have a lot less to worry about!" Vidrine concluded, nodding his head slowly. "Can we get any kind of confirmation from Colonel O'Neill that this is the case, and not some speculation on the part of someone who's possibly biased?"

"I think we can sir, yes," Davis asserted.

"Then I think Colonel O'Neill might be in line for another Air medal! Is there any way we can help him?" Vidrine's attention was now solely on Hammond.

"Hard to say sir, as I said, I have Dr. Jackson working on determining when, or how the Colonel intends to make any moves... but it could take some time!" Hammond responded.

"And this other threat?"

"Hopefully, with the help of Dr. Jackson and Major Carter, the colonel's new allies will think it in their best interests to prevent them ever becoming a problem!"

"We're taking a lot on faith here, so let's make sure we have some back up plans, just in case, and that includes extracting, or if need be, eliminating, Colonel O'Neill!" Vidrine ordered.

Hammond and Davis exchanged a doleful glance. "Yes sir!" Both responded.

*************

"So it's really quite simple...." Daniel's third attempt to explain the text to Jack was greeted with the same askant expression.

"Which makes it much easier to remember!" Jack retorted, leaning up against the panels of the ship, shaking his head. "So you figured it out right? Bottom line, just a yes... please!" he implored, his head still full of a garbled explanation that he neither understand, nor cared to bother with.

"Yes, so once we have Sam here, and she cracks the codes to get me into the mainframe of their operating system... or whatever it is they use, but it's probably similar to some kind of super computer..."

O'Neill's eyebrows climbing steadily up his forehead and he listened ambivalently to another fascinating cocktail of words strewn together by Jackson.  His hand shot up finally in self-defence.

"Okay! Just stop!" he demanded. "So, once we get into the... thing, we can work out how these ships disrupted the energy used to generate the Goa'uld's weapons, right?"

"Right!" Jackson replied, a triumphant smile brimming across his face.

"Sweet! Couldn't you have just said so in the first place?" Jack appealed. "Instead of... you know, you just never cease to amaze me!"

Jackson's eyes narrowed, waiting for that verbal volley that might… would follow.

"Um, thank you," he said quickly.

"Ten thousand words!" O'Neill vociferated on cue. "Where ten might have said so much more!"

"Are you gonna start off on one of those longwinded tirades?" Jackson enquired, his features askew, a wince, which began to resemble a grin.

O'Neill's eyes went heavenwards. "What? You missed getting your ears chewed off?" he enquired.

"Well, strange as it may seem, no!" Daniel retorted, beaming broadly.

"Good, cause I'm not done yet, these Jaffas are all very well behaved, but they've got no sense of humour!" Jack told him. " And… Makepeace is in charge of SG-1?" The sudden change of direction, combined with the higher tone, startled Jackson.

"Um, yes actually, we're um, not communicating very well. Well actually, we just tend to ignore each other, mostly." Daniel confessed.

"What about Carter and Teal'c?" Jack levied. "I mean Teal'c doesn't..." His features contorted into a grimace.

"Ah, actually he and Teal'c get on pretty well now, they have this whole weapons issue. Apparently Teal'c has never seen his CO clean a gun before, he thinks it some kind of weird Earth ritual," Daniel reported, secretly enjoying the look of horror on O'Neill's face.

"Cleaning his weapon? Oh please! Makepeace probably sleeps with it," he retorted in disgust.

Daniel considered that seriously for a moment. "You know," he replied, a concerned expression sweeping his face, "you're probably right!"

"Hey! Trust me, with those Jarheads, it's a cert!" he opined.

"So," Daniel began.

"Arrgh!" Jack growled. "No! We're not doing this again Daniel, let's just keep off the whole subject!"

"I was going to ask if we could take a break actually," the archaeologist stated.

O'Neill's eyebrows drew down, a sheepish repose. "Um, sure...sorry!" he retorted, leading Daniel from the ship, back toward the distant palace now, the two men both wrapped up in their own thoughts.

"You said at the SGC that you had a problem with some rebel Goa'uld?" Daniel asked out of the blue.

O'Neill looking across at him, a nod. "Yeah, apparently they've been giving Nefertum some trouble, and as System Lords, we kinda have to intervene and kick their snaky little asses," he explained.

"System Lords, that title assumed by a Tau'ri?" Jackson mused. "That's um, interesting. So you control Nurti's armies?"

"Daniel, if you're trying to find out whatever information Hammond asked for, just be upfront about it," O'Neill insisted, a heavy sigh.

"Yes, I, um, sorry!" he replied, feeling a little awkward now at the clumsy attempt he’d made to deceive his friend.  "So without my needing to ask?"

"Basically I have two armies Daniel, Nurti's, and some of the Jaffa that were loyal to Apophis. Could use Teal'c actually, but I doubt he'd be anymore accepted than I was," O'Neill imparted.

Jackson paused then, scratching his head, distracted. "So you're accepted now?"

"Yep! Kind of comes with almost wiping out Apophis, and rescuing Heru’ur from becoming his minion." He held up his hand, the ribbon device glistening in the sunlight. "Should have had one of these things ages ago!"

"So what exactly happened?" Daniel probed, the two once more winding their way toward the palace. "I mean, you obviously didn't just get a shot at killing him in battle?"

"Nope, he out smarted Heru'ur, managed to capture him and most of his forces, so it was... you know, this is kinda old news Daniel, he's dead!" Jack asserted. "What does Hammond want to know exactly?"

Daniel took a deep breath. "Ah, well, um. Actually he wanted to be sure you weren't a threat to Earth, if you want the truth, I mean giving the Goa'uld the ability to shut down our defences wasn't exactly the most compelling evidence that you had Earth's best interests in mind!"

"Look, you want to know how I shut down the power grid at the SGC?" O'Neill asked, seemingly impatient now, at once more being questioned. "I used this Daniel." The ribbon device indicated. 

"Oh, I should have guessed," Jackson responded bemused, “what was my thinking, aim a ribbon device at the event horizon?”

O’Neill looked at him candidly. “Okay, so I used the power to amplify my thoughts, you know what they’re capable of right? Remember the whole deal at Nellis?”

Jackson’s face instantly indicated that he realised what O’Neill was telling him. The power he’d displayed in freeing them from the NID at Area 51

“Right through the iris?” Jackson asked, astounded.

"No big deal! And you can tell Hammond that. Now, are we done with the inquisition? ‘Cause I gotta tell you, it's getting pretty old!" he enquired as they reached the palace.

"No, I think that about covers it," Jackson agreed. "Look Jack, I really think you'd do yourself a favour by returning to Earth and telling General Hammond this. I know you're probably not particularly interested in hearing this right now, but I the whole experience was a little difficult for him to grasp."

"He's a General, Daniel, that's his job!" Jack commented. "And you're right, I really don't want to hear that right now, so tell him whatever he wants to hear, I really don't give a damn!"  A pointed look.

"Ah, right, what was I thinking?" Daniel retorted, ignoring the protracted disdain that O'Neill saw fit to glare at him with. “Jack O’Neill, the unforgiven!”

"Look, I'll probably be back in a day or so, if you and Carter figure this thing out, we'll deal with it when I get back," Jack advised him.

"Back?  Um, why where are you going?" Jackson sounded startled by this news.

"Little matter of a Goa'uld hunt! It can't wait, and I got the job." O'Neill told him.

"Oh," Jackson sighed.

"Yeah, kinda what I said too," Jack confessed.

Zipacna's appearance before them then ended their exchange. Even though Apophis had eluded him, O’Neill had made damn sure he’d captured his sidekick.

"My lord," he announced, bowing his head. "Your armies await you."

"Daniel, you remember Zippy?" Jack chided, knowing the Goa'uld found his remark offensive, yet as one of the vanquished had no recourse.

"Um, yes, hard to forget actually!" Daniel remarked.

"Well Zippy here's kinda one of the spoils of beating Apophis, I thought about killing him, but it’s much more interesting to watch him squirm don’t ya think?"

Daniel looked apathetically toward the Goa'uld who had so vehemently fought to prevent Skaa'ra's freedom. "You left him alive?" he asked scornfully.

O'Neill smirked at the Goa'uld. "For now," he retorted.

"Um, can I join you?" Jackson enquired.

"Might make it a little difficult to report back to the SGC, Hammond might get a little jumpy!"

"I'll send a message back now," the archaeologist insisted. "Jack, I'd really like to um, see this first hand!"

O'Neill shrugged. "Sure, why not, you won't exactly be in the way, it's a big ship!" he quipped. "I'll be in there, just come find me when you're done talking to Hammond!"

"Great!" Jackson exclaimed. "I won't be long!"

************

Daniel returned to the SGC, Hammond and Carter were waiting for him in the embarkation room.

"Dr. Jackson, something wrong?" Hammond enquired.

"Um, no actually I was just letting you know that I'm going to go on a little trip with Jack," he explained. "And, I spoke to him about your queries. Jack used the hand device to augment his power through the worm hole, so the Goa'uld don't have the power to open the iris," he concluded.

"Exactly where are you going Dr. Jackson, I thought the whole point of your being on that planet was to decipher the alien text?" Hammond demanded.

"Um, yes, and I've managed to decipher most, if not all of what's available, but there's some form of numerology that's preventing me from getting into their mainframe, which means I'll be able to access it once Sam cracks the code," he asserted. "General, I really need to spend time with Jack, and this is probably going to be my only chance without Heru'ur looking over his shoulder... please?"

Hammond looked at Carter. "It might be our best option of talking the colonel round sir," she opined.

"Alright Dr. Jackson, you have a go, but I'm not going to send Major Carter and Colonel Makepeace through to the Goa'uld planet without Colonel O'Neill's presence, let me know the minute you get back!" he ordered.

"Ah, yes, I'll... could you dial up the planet again?" he yelled at the control room.

Lt. Simmons waited for Hammond's confirmation before inputting the coordinates.

"Good luck Dr. Jackson," Hammond remarked, leaving he and Carter alone.

"So how was it?" she asked.

"He's really, really pissed off!" Daniel confided. "I think General Hammond may have intimated that he needed proof of Jack's loyalty, this could take a while."

"Look Daniel, I shouldn't be telling you this, if we can't get Colonel O'Neill to come back, General Vidrine has given the order to eliminate him," she told him.

Jackson's expression switched from attentive to furious in a second. "What? But that doesn't make any sense, this is insane!" he remonstrated.

"Think about it Daniel, if the Goa'uld find some one to really influence the Colonel, it's good night Earth, they don't think we have a choice!" she imparted. "And before you say anything, I'm as against this as you are, and so is Colonel Makepeace, and you know Teal'c's feelings about the Colonel."

"Um, yeah... only too well," he sighed. "Well thank you for that, I guess I now feel it's incumbent upon me to get him to come back, but I have to tell you, he's strung tighter than a bow right now!"

"I know, I could see. Just do your best Daniel," she asked. "It's not like I'm counting on you here or anything, but..." A smile.

"No, right, I'll just keep the latest SGC betrayal to myself, I don't think Jack needs to hear about this, it might just push him over the edge, and believe me, he's pretty close to, even if he won't admit it. Oh and Apophis?" Daniel recalled that piece of good news. "Jack killed him, but his Jaffa managed to take the body, which has significantly weakened his forces. And, oh, apparently he saved Heru'ur in the process, which would probably explain why Heru'ur felt compelled to honour his wish to help us!"

"You'd better go," Sam told him, wrapping her arms around him. "Take care!"

"I will, see you soon!" he replied, embracing her back. A smile between them as Jackson disappeared through the wormhole.

Carter turned to see Teal'c standing behind her.

"Major Carter," he greeted. "Colonel Makepeace asked me to find you, he has news!"

"Oh, great, thanks Teal'c, are you coming?" she asked.

"Indeed, I would not miss such news!" Teal'c informed her, the normally laconic Jaffa inserting some definite emphasis into the reply.

Carter regarded him dubiously. "Right, let's go shall we?"

***************

Daniel's trip back to the palace was short, due in part to his mind being filled with the possible second attempt on Jack's life from a so-called friendly.

He was irritated at the cynical, and unsupportive feeling that seemed to surround the colonel's behaviour.  He understood some of it, but it was, after all the one man who had proven countless times that he above all others could be relied upon to find a way to save his team, and Earth, that was in doubt here, that in itself should have been enough vindication.

"Daniel, were you planning on catching the next spaceship out of here?" Jack berated as he approached his friend.

"Sorry, General Hammond was a little more difficult to convince than I'd thought, um, we can go now!" Jackson replied.

"Gee thanks!" Jack retorted. "I'll let the three thousand Jaffa know they have your sanction, I'm sure they'll appreciate it!"

Jackson regarded the Colonel with one of those despairing and doleful expressions he seemed so adept at fashioning.

"God I've missed this!" he opined. "Which is a little scary," he added, almost in a whisper.

He followed O'Neill into the large gardens to the side of the palace. "O'Neill!" Heru'ur's voice boomed from behind them.

"Okay, don't do that!" Jack vociferated, having almost jumped out of his skin.

Heru'ur approached them, the colonel about to activate the rings that would take them aboard his command vessel.

"Chronos is under attack," he snarled.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Jack complained. "Doesn't he know how to fight his own battles?" He shook his head. "Which damn System Lord this time?"

"From ships similar to those which we seek, we must go to his assistance immediately," Heru'ur instructed.

"Um, why?" Jack asked. "Okay, don't answer that, I get it. You taking your own, or coming with?"

"I shall go aboard my own vessel, join me Daniel," the Goa'uld offered.

"Um, no, I'd feel a little more comfortable with Jack, if it's all the same to you!" Daniel replied.

Heru'ur frowned. O'Neill, sensing he saw this refusal as an insult, moved to deflate the impending tirade. "Yeah look, I'd kind of like Daniel to see why I'm content to stay where I am, if that's okay with you?" he asked.

The Goa'uld bowed his head. "As you wish!" he replied, turning and departing back for the palace.

Daniel watched him go, confused, and yet intrigued, by his acquiescence. "So what's the deal here," he asked as the rings enveloped the two men, arriving on the Pel'tac.

"Daniel, as hard as it might be for you, and Hammond and everyone else to understand I kinda like him," Jack admitted.

Daniel looked at him apprehensively. "Jack, there's probably something you should know about that!" he said, a dire tone in his voice, that rueful expression accosting his features as it had so often in the past when he was faced with something that made him uncomfortable.

O'Neill regarded him, the familiar grimace he wore so well meeting Jackson's apprehension.  "I'm not gonna like this am I?" he asked.

Part 2.5 

"Close the door Major!" Makepeace ordered, as Carter and Teal'c entered Makepeace's quarters, which resembled a well-ordered barracks, everything in its place.

The door closed, she regarded the colonel expectantly. "Teal'c said you had news sir?"

"Oh yeah!" Makepeace exclaimed. "You know about the order to eliminate Jack right?"

"Yes sir, if Daniel can't persuade him to return to the SGC." Carter replied, guarded in maintaining her composure.

"Right! Which if it happens, we'll get tasked with," the colonel continued.

"Colonel Makepeace, I cannot allow such an order to be carried..." Teal'c's statement was halted by Makepeace's gesture.

"Relax Teal'c, I have no intention of following it either!" he asserted, a smile of recognition crossing his rugged features at the surprise to that statement. "But, here's news! We're getting a fifth member added to our team, another scientist to work alongside Major Carter," he continued. "So I did some checking, and he's qualified, but he's also from the Teams, and his resume reads like the who’s who of assassinations!"

"Sir, we have to…" Carter also stopped prematurely by the colonel's raised hand.

"Teams?" Teal'c enquired. "He is a hockey player?"

Makepeace grinned. "Um, no not exactly!"

"The Teams is an elite force, Navy Seals, Teal'c," Carter told him. "I guess the equivalent of a First Prime."

"I see," Teal'c acknowledged. "Why are they then not called seals?"

Carter's patient smile greeted that comment. "Trust me, I don't think it quite suits their image!"

"Jack's not the target!" Makepeace imparted.

Carter looked confused now, glancing toward Teal'c, whose interest, whilst as keen as her own, was merely noted in the form of a cocked eyebrow.

"Heru'ur!" Teal'c stated confidently.

"Yep!" Makepeace confirmed. "Order is, Lt. Colonel Ross takes out the Goa'uld, we bring Jack back to Earth with us, and I can live with that!"

"Me too sir," Carter sounded a lot happier with that equation.

"Teal'c?" Makepeace asked, noticing the Jaffa's silence.

Teal'c regarded him. "Such a plan would be difficult to achieve, and would alter the balance of power amongst the Goa'uld significantly," he opined. "I am doubtful it would be effective, or to the benefit of the Tau'ri."

Makepeace and Carter exchanged glances. "It'll be difficult," the colonel agreed. "But we've got an opportunity here that we didn't have before!"

"Indeed," the Jaffa remarked.

************

Heru'ur hailed O'Neill as he stared inquisitively at Jackson, waiting for the archaeologist to drop the latest bombshell. His attentive gaze diverted toward the long-range communication device.

"What's up?" he asked, a tone lacking any real interest.

"I have had further communication with Chronos, his ships, what is left of them, are fleeing the enemy," Heru'ur told him.

"Are they pursuing?" Jack enquired.

"No!" the Goa'uld replied.

Daniel considered that, his brow furrowing as he saw the obvious pattern of behaviour.

"Has anyone thought that these aliens don't actually attack anything? They just appear to respond to hostility?" he asked.

O'Neill regarded him. "That's a good point, but what the heck do they want with Earth?" he questioned.

"You're sure that's where some of them were heading?" Daniel enquired.

"Completely sure Daniel, or did you think we paid a visit to Earth for the hell of it?" Jack replied sarcastically.

"Well, no, but you said they attacked the motherships only after being engaged, and if they're not pursuing Chronos, then maybe they just react badly to being attacked!"

"There's a thought," Jack agreed, directing his comment toward Heru'ur. "Doesn't exactly explain why they're invading this part of the galaxy though?"

"I will contact Chronos," he replied. "O'Neill, we must deal with this immediately!" he added, the device then terminated.

"He's a little spooked!" Daniel observed.

"It's kinda ruining the whole gods, all powerful thing, right now!" Jack replied.

"Yes, I can see how it would!" Daniel replied smugly.

"So. You were about to say?" Jack reminded the archaeologist sternly.

"Um, yes..." Daniel stuttered. "I er."

"Come on Daniel, you're usually so loquacious, how bad can it be?" Jack goaded.

"General Vidrine has apparently given an order that you be returned to the SGC, he's um, well, he's a little concerned with your knowledge falling into the wrong hands," Jackson began. "Which I guess is understandable since you brought an enemy of Earth right into the SGC without knocking!" Jackson's eyebrows danced up and down as he spoke, unable to maintain eye contact.

O'Neill, instantly recognized the signs. "And?" he probed, the intense scrutiny he now afforded Jackson unrelenting.

"Jack, if you don't come back..." Daniel could hardly find the words, finally forced to look at his friend. "You're facing another attempt on your life!"

O'Neill laughed, shaking his head. "And you were afraid to tell me that? For crying out loud Daniel, I'd expect it. It's kinda a black ops deal, can't have it? Kill it, don't want anyone else getting it!" Jack imparted.

The archaeologist raised his eyebrows, relieved yet surprised by the colonel’s blithe acceptance. "Oh!" he responded. "Well so much for my news." 

Jack still beamed brightly back at him. "Daniel, don't worry about it," he assured. "It's almost like text book stuff. Who’s Hammond sending with Carter?"

"Colonel Makepeace," Jackson replied.

"Oh please!" Jack groaned. "Makepeace? Vidrine has got to be kidding? I mean, Makepeace?"

"Well he is a marine Jack, and…" Daniel's attempt to view the SG3 commander in a serious light, rebuffed scornfully by the mocking expression of his friend. "So you're not worried?"

"Makepeace won't pull anything Daniel, he doesn't believe in it, order or no order!" Jack asserted. "Worried? Look where you are for heaven’s sake, I'm surrounded by two thousand Jaffa, not to mention the force shield." O'Neill's riposte delivered in typically bombastic fashion. "I'm kinda thinking that you'd better..." His words trailed off then, a fixated stare on his features.

Jackson looked curiously toward him. "Jack?"

"I can hear them," he said.

Jackson regarded the colonel closely, unsure of what he was saying. "Hear who?"

O'Neill didn't respond, locked in an almost trance-like state, his eyes seemed to widen.

"The Guardians," Jack's voice almost a whisper.

"Jack, can you hear me?" Daniel asked, moving closer to the colonel, the intense expression he displayed concerning the archaeologist.

"What?" O'Neill's retort unexpected as he seemed to snap out of the trance then, his attention returned to Jackson, a bemused shroud masking his face.

"You said you could hear them, the Guardians?" Daniel asserted, his eyebrows dancing up and down on his forehead as he attempted to make sense of the comment.

O'Neill turned quickly, "Kalim, get Heru'ur on that thing now!" he snapped.

"Jack what?" Daniel asked urgently.

"I'm not sure Daniel, but if my friendly Ancients download is anything to go by, we're in serious trouble!" he explained.

Jackson frowned, considering the connotations. "So they've come from another what? Part of the galaxy?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, and the Replicators? They're kinda tame by comparison," Jack told him the concern on his features enhanced by the lines forming from a deepening frown.

"Looks like we may have to work hand in… snake with the Goa'uld," he opined bitterly. "Ain't Hammond gonna love that though!"

***********

Chronos strode down the lengthy corridor toward the huge hall that many of the System Lords were gathered in.

O'Neill was deep in discussion with Heru'ur. "We're really gonna have to make him understand," he insisted. "Empathic creatures have a way of giving away their secrets without realising they're doing it!"

"Kree Shel Shak, Heru'ur, O'Neill," Chronos announced.  Ignoring the presence of Jackson, who was intrigued at the seemingly effortless way in which the colonel commanded such respect from the system lord.

"Tel Shak, Chronos," Heru'ur replied.

O'Neill offered a nod of recognition.

"You are positive that this information can be trusted?" That question directed toward O'Neill.

"I'm certain of it. They're telepathic Chronos, you know what that is right?" the Colonel asked. "So it's up to you. We might be able to find out what makes these ships work so effectively on ours," Jack imparted. "But you're gonna have to ask for help!"

"From slaves?" he sneered. "We will find the answer ourselves, leave the Tau'ri to their own fate!"

"Well you already tried that, your superior intellect couldn't even crack their language. Daniel could.” An intense stare permeated from O’Neill toward the argumentative system lord. “So you need any more persuading?"

Chronos glanced briefly toward Jackson then. "They have the answers to this?" he demanded, clearly irritated by O'Neill's impudence.

"Nope, but they can find them, these alien ships have energy inhibitors, Sel'kizubian technology," Jack continued, obviously containing the knowledge from his brief exposure to their thoughts. "They're the Guardians, they come ahead of the main party, find planets to settle on, basically rape of all natural resources and technologies, and then they move on. Kinda like you guys, only they don't exactly leave anything alive!"

The Goa'uld narrowed his eyes at O'Neill. "How do we know this is not some Tau'ri deception?" he asked.

"Hey, you wanna figure it out, be my guest!" Jack snapped.

"Chronos, kree!" Heru'ur boomed.

The System Lord took a deep breath. "Very well, we will unite with the Tau'ri in their destruction, but understand this, there will be no treaty between us!"

"Hey don't tell me, I'm on your side!" Jack retorted moving closer to the Goa'uld now.  "And, I'm not exactly happy about it either."

Chronos nodded. "We have little time," he agreed.

Jack turned to Heru'ur then. "I'm going to send Daniel, back to the SGC to brief their leaders on the situation, since they've started in our part of the galaxy first, we'd better do it soon!"

Daniel was astounded at how well O'Neill remembered his place. He'd maintained the pretence, even using diction to underline it.  It sounded strange, listening to the colonel talk in terms of 'them' when referring to Earth. But he saw something else too; something he thought had been missing. Jack O'Neill seemed, finally, to be in charge of his emotions, and certain of his role, challenging the System Lords, interacting as one of them.  It was fascinating to watch the information that O'Neill had learned of the Goa'uld being used against them.

"Daniel," Jack addressed him now, with renewed assurance. "You'd better pave the way for these negotiations, I figure it'll be three representatives from our side," he explained.

"Okay, and that would be?" Daniel asked.

"Heru'ur, Chronos, myself, and Daniel, I can't guarantee we'll be unarmed," Jack advised.

"I'll mention that too... when?" Jackson enquired aware of the attention of the two most feared system lords, almost self-consciously so.

"We'll be arriving in," Jack told him, glancing at his watch, "two hours, and Hammond had better get Carter and Makepeace moving in the opposite direction, I don't think we have time on our side here!"

Jackson nodded. "I'll um, get moving then!" he agreed.

***********

General Hammond listened intently as Daniel explained the proposed collaboration.   Colonel Makepeace, and Major Davis were also present in the General's office.

"In short, if Jack's right, we really don't have any option." Jackson concluded.

Major Davis looked on dubiously. "Can we trust them?" he asked.

Colonel Makepeace frowning deeply. "Since when do we trust the Goa'uld Major?" he replied cynically.

"You know," Jackson remarked, soaking in the irony, "that's exactly what Chronos said. General, I really don't think we have a choice here, they've got technology far superior to ours and these 'Guardians' wiped out seven of Chronos’ motherships."

Hammond sighed heavily. "I'll call the President and apprise him of this new development Dr. Jackson.” The General was fast becoming used to nasty surprises, but having the Goa’uld on Earth and in his facility once more, sat uneasily on his shoulders. “Major Davis, I suggest you contact General Vidrine, and the joint chiefs," he instructed. "We have two hours?"

"Um, no, it's closer to ninety minutes now," Jackson replied.

The General acknowledged with a nod. "Very well, Colonel Makepeace, prepare your team to embark, Dr. Jackson will remain here to act as an intermediary with the Goa'uld," he ordered. "There is one aside Dr. Jackson, I won't allow the Goa'uld onto this base with any kind of weapons!"