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VAE VICTIS
Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Tara, land of dreams
Posts: 317 |
Sam sat down onto the rude cot, exhaustion consuming her. Taking deep breaths, she tried to overcome the wooziness surging up through her. She held one breath longer than necessary and closed her eyes. She focused all her effort on listening to the gentle rustling hoping to calm herself. The rustling gave way to... footsteps? Footsteps close by... quiet padding at the doorway!
Sam?s eyes widened, Daniel wasn?t due back so soon! Who could it be?
Gagging suddenly, she shifted to the end of the bed and searched the hut for a weapon, for anything. No such luck, no rocks, sticks, lead piping or conveniently placed anvils. Well, she could probably have ruled that out from the start, but nothing?
Struggling not to hyperventilate, she dragged herself behind the door and leaned against the frame. Maybe she could buy a few minutes...
A dark shadow fell across the threshold and the door swung in, slowly and oh-so quietly. Sam held her breath as the stranger entered.
?Teal?c!? Sam gasped in shock and relief.
?Major Carter,? Teal?c spoke softly, ?I apologise if I startled you, but stealth was required.?
Sam let go the breath she had been holding in a drunken giggle, ?Oh, Teal?c! And we thought we were going to have to come for you... oh...? Sam?s knees buckled again, wheezing in pure, unadulterated relief, the wash of abject fear totally vanquished.
?Major Carter, are you not well?? Teal?c sounded disturbed.
?Not exactly. I?m just...? she stopped, leaning against him. ?Teal?c, my head hurts.?
Sam?s voice was quiet and childlike, her emotions involuntary passengers on a roller coaster. Her head reeled with the sudden changes from fear to giddy relief to lethargy.
?Major Carter, the Amazon Selene is in the town and I believe that Daniel Jackson is in danger. We must retrieve a GDO and return back through the Stargate.?
?Mmmm, ssshure. Just let me sleep a little first, M?kay??
Teal?c frowned, ?Major Carter, the poison is making you feel drowsy, you must fight it.?
?Hmmm??
Sam heard Teal?c?s muffled voice, but his works registered no meaning. She slid further into his strong arms, incredibly glad for the comforting embrace.
******************
Daniel surveyed the shelves upon shelves of bottles lining one entire wall of Selene?s home. She seemed quite the amateur alchemist and Daniel wondered if any of the Amazons even realised their drink of choice was spiked.
Daniel didn?t know which to choose. Neat, angular lettering announced each of the vials and beakers, but he squinted impatiently at the writing. Dim lighting, a pounding head and the notable absence of his glasses rendered the script illegible. Damn! He didn?t have time for this. Sam didn?t have the time. Nobody had time. Daniel moved away from the wall toward the door where he hoped the sunlight would aid his sight.
?Looking for something, Slavedaniel??
The archaeologist?s jaw dropped at the unexpected intrusion. He jumped back in shock, his ribs protesting the movement. Framed in the doorway, Selene stood with matted hair crowning her bloody face like some bizarre avenging angel.
?Surprised to see me, are you?? Selene uttered in a weakened voice.
?No,? he half-lied, ?I knew I shouldn?t let sleeping dogs lie.?
It was Selene?s turned to look shocked and splutter.
?Don?t come a step further, Selene,? Daniel warned, his panicked hand grabbed for something with which to defend himself. His fingers fumbled onto a wooden object and he brandished his weapon with determination, not bothering to verify what he was holding.
?You wish to defend yourself with this, Daniel? Do you really?? Selene scoffed.
Daniel held his weapon up higher, but never diverted his stare from her. Damnit, he couldn?t let her plant doubt.
?Yes, I do. Now tell me which of these will cure Sam,? Daniel injected as much bravado as he could, last refuge of the cornered.
Selene laughed a horrible, gurgling sound and stepped forward. Her head pulled back in a cobra-like stance, ready to strike, hand fisted on her knife. Blood from her head wound trickled down her jaw line, tracing an intricate pattern down her neck. Daniel stared in fascination at the crimson and braced himself for her attack.
?Not so fast!?
********************
Jack clung to the wall, hobbling as stealthily as he could manage. A shape stumbling with grace to match his own caught his attention and he looked up. Selene. He gritted his teeth with the realisation the woman would reach their common destination before he could. Ignoring the protest from tired joints, he lurched forward at an unsteady pace.
Selene?s hacking laugh grated on his ears as he flung the door open. She advanced on Daniel, who was clutching a hairbrush as though it was a machete.
?Not so fast!? Jack growled menacingly.
Selene twirled, confused at the new voice. Seeing the threat, she swung out toward Jack with the blade in her hand.
?Jack, no!? Daniel cried and grabbed at Selene?s shoulder in a frantic attempt to stop the swing.
Jack stumbled back awkwardly in an attempt to avoid the deadly arc. He hadn?t considered if she was armed, concern for his team outweighed caution. He fell against the doorframe but it was not far enough.
Selene carried on forwards, bloodlust writ large behind her otherwise dull eyes. Daniel clung, the jerking swing obviously causing him pain. Jack noted the archaeologist?s eyes water and his face twist into a grimace.
?Let go of me!? Selene screamed and shrugged Daniel off. He went flying and landed solidly on the bed.
Jack was simultaneously trying to cringe against the wall and stand up, but as Selene turned to swat at Daniel, he lunged desperately at her legs. Together they tumbled onto the floor, a mess of tangled limbs.
?Daniel! Grab her arms!? Jack yelled, hoping his cry would reach the stunned man.
Daniel immediately stepped forward and stamped a foot on the Amazon?s right hand. Jack pinned her other arm down and she was forced to release her grip. Daniel kicked the blade from her fingers, bent down and picked it up.
?Good, good...? was all Jack could manage. He held out his hand for the knife, but Daniel merely stared at his hand then glanced at the bloody blade.
Selene drew back and Jack pulled himself up in the corner, eyeing her as she retreated to the opposite corner. ?Daniel, give me the damn knife, get the hell back to Carter. Teal?c?s with her.?
Daniel stared at the blade mournfully another second, then looked over at the snarling Selene.
?No,? Daniel stated with deadly calm.
?No??
?No,? Daniel reaffirmed and turned to Selene, ?Tell me which is the antidote.?
Selene spat at his feet and laughed insanely.
Jack?s eyes widened. Poison?
?Tell me which is the antidote.? Daniel?s voice carried a note of quiet authority that startled the Colonel.
?Never. If I can?t have you, then she won?t, either!?
Jack snarled, he wanted to make this sadistic bitch pay and if she?d hurt Carter... He needed to get whatever information he could from her NOW, but he sensed Daniel needed to do this.
Daniel stepped forward, ?Selene, you will tell me how to save Sam. We came here in peace and all you have done is beat four kinds of crap out of us, starve us, pump us full of drugs and just generally abuse us.?
Selene glared up at him, a silent, mocking grin curling her lip.
?Now, I am a patient man, but I know plenty of people who are not. I?m sure... Leyda- or whatever her name is- won?t be too pleased with you. Why don?t you tell us which is the antidote and we?ll let you go.?
?Hah! Do you think you can threaten me?? she laughed. ?Never have I seen men like you before, but that will do you no good.?
Selene drew back to stare at him from under her matted fringe. Daniel sighed slightly and half turned to the Colonel, but gasped as a whirr of browns flew at him. Bringing his hands up protectively, Daniel shrieked.
Daniel stood yelling, bellowing as if his life depended on it. Jack watched in horror as Selene lunged again, her war cry ringing in discord. And then it stopped. And only Daniel?s voice remained.
?Daniel. Danny...? Jack stood and touched the younger man?s arm gently. Daniel turned to look at him, face gaunt and harrowed. ?What?s wrong, Daniel??
The linguist stepped back, and Jack could see Selene?s slumped form crumpled on the floor, crimson lifeblood gushing in arterial fury. And Daniel was holding the knife.
?I- I killed her!?
?No. No you didn?t. She jumped you. She knew you had the knife. You reacted in self-defence. It wasn?t your fault.?
?But I...?
?Daniel. Don?t. She would have killed you, me, Teal?c... and if you?re not quick, she could still kill Carter.?
Daniel jumped and Jack felt incredibly guilty for jerking him out like that, but it had to be done. ?Daniel, this is important. Can you tell which of these is the antidote??
?Didn?t you hear me asking the same question? I can?t even read the labels in here!? Daniel cried, running a hand through his hair.
Jack noted Daniel sounded slightly panicky and decided the younger man needed him help focus on something concrete, ?Grab as many as you can. We?ll see if we can read them outside, or at least take them back for the Doc to analyse.?
Daniel nodded quietly and reached for the closest bottles.
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SKIP'S FIC! New WIP Archive, made by little old me!My Livejournal- warning, not G rated.
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