Sam nodded and came to the front of her cell. Daniel did the same and they stood for a moment looking at each other.
“Ok,” he said. “We’re not digging our way out, and we’re not cutting the bars.”
Sam shrugged. “I’ll try to remember to pack some thermite next time.”
“Next time we’re stupid enough to meddle with one of Janus’s devices?” Daniel asked. “Yeah, good plan.” He paused. “Maybe when the guards bring supper?”
“If they bring supper.”
Daniel looked over his shoulder. “Dex? They do feed us, right?”
The big man didn’t open his eyes. “Yeah.”
“At a regular time?”
“You’re not going to be able to jump them,” Dex said. “There’s too many of them.”
Unfortunately, Dex was right. Sergeant Pollard brought three covered trays after the regular meal time had ended, but he was escorted by three Marines, one of whom remained at the top of the stairs to give himself a clear field of fire in case of trouble.
“I’ll collect the trays in the morning,” Pollard said. “When I bring breakfast.”
“Thank you, Sergeant,” Sam said, and earned an embarrassed look.
When they had gone, Daniel settled himself on the edge of his cot and poked idly at the tray. The covered bowl held yet more stew, probably the last left after everyone else had eaten, but he made himself finish it and the rather tasteless slab of doughy bread. Dex inhaled his, wiping the bowl clean with his bread, and looked rather wistfully at Sam’s plate until she finished. Daniel piled his dishes together and set them by the door, keeping the spoon out of some vague idea that it might come in handy. According to his watch it was almost nine by the expedition’s clock, and he glanced at the lantern.
“Do they leave that on all night?”
“Yeah.” Dex sprawled on his cot again, the metal creaking under his weight.
Daniel leaned against the bars, scowling. The problem was, if Jack had managed to make contact with Sheppard — well, first Sheppard obviously wasn’t being cooperative, or Jack and Teal’c would be back. And that left him and Sam as potential hostages for Jack’s good behavior, which could get unpleasant really fast if they weren’t careful. Of course, it was also possible that all his calculations were completely wrong and Jack and Teal’c had been snatched up by the Wraith. The thought was enough to start him pacing again. But surely they would have heard if more Wraith had come through the Stargate, and surely the Wraith would have gone for a better target than two well-armed men — unless they’d gone after the Athosians as an easier target? Daniel shook his head. No, Jack and Teal’c were with Sheppard and the Athosians; the trick now was to figure out how to join them before Sumner tried to make use of them.
And to that end — It wouldn’t do anybody any good for him to keep pacing like this. He made himself stretch out on the cot, conserving his strength until he could figure out what to do. The lantern cast odd, unmoving shadows across the cells, and he left his glasses on so he’d be ready to move in an instant.
He hadn’t expected to sleep, but something woke him, and he held himself still and quiet as he opened his eyes. Yes, there it was again, a soft scraping noise, and he looked instinctively toward the stairs. Nothing was moving there, but he saw Sam sit up, too. Dex was on his feet, very silent for such a big man, staring at the gap where the floor had collapsed. Something was moving in the dark, motion that resolved to a dirty, human hand groping for purchase on the stone floor. Sam had her multi-tool ready, stubby blade unfolded.
The seeking hand found a grip, and a man heaved himself into sight. He was small and disheveled, his Atlantis uniform jacket smudged with dirt, but he moved with quick purpose, dragging a knapsack out of the hole behind him and scrambling to his feet.
“Hello, Ronon,” he said, softly, and stopped, seeing the others.
Daniel blinked — he had no idea who the man was — but Sam’s jaw dropped. “Dr. Zelenka?”
“Colonel Carter? Does this mean we have a ZPM?”
Sam winced. “Sorry, no. We’re not even properly from this timeline.”
“Oh, so Rodney had it right after all? I am surprised.”
In spite of everything, Daniel grinned. “I don’t suppose you have a way out of here.”
“But yes.” Zelenka held up an object a little longer than his hand. “In fact — perhaps you could translate the inscription? I have been using it without benefit of an operating manual.”
He held it so that Daniel could see the lines of Ancient writing, though he didn’t let it out of his hands. It was some kind of cutting tool, Daniel thought, but it was hard to tell what its original purpose might have been. “It says, ‘don’t look into the aperture’,” he said, and Zelenka gave a wry smile.
“I had already deduced that much, thanks. Rodney is right, most things are not labeled in what one might call a useful fashion. But that is not to the point.” He adjusted the device, frowning over the tops of his glasses, then turned so that his body shielded the lock on Dex’s cell from the stairs. There was a soft hiss and a flash of light, mostly obscured, and Zelenka stepped back, freeing the lock. Dex eased the door back and slipped forward to watch the stairs while Zelenka moved on to Sam’s cell. He cut that lock as quickly and then turned to Daniel’s door.
“Let us hope,” he said. “This is rechargeable and sometimes the charge fades quickly —”
“Now you tell me,” Daniel said, and heard the nervousness in his own voice.
The device hissed, producing a single point of blinding white light. Daniel looked away, shielding his eyes, and heard Zelenka’s sigh of relief.
“Ok. That’s got it. Now, let’s get out of here.”
“I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth,” Daniel began, and Sam gave him a look.
“Then don’t.”
“It would be nice to know where we were going.”
“Out of here,” Zelenka said, and Sam nodded.
“That’s good enough for me.”
The hole Zelenka had come through was narrow and twisted awkwardly, so that Daniel had to push himself down the rocky slope and then under a slab of stone, and there was a bad moment before Dex figured out how to get through the gap. Daniel held out a hand to steady him and Dex took it, breathing hard.
“Thanks.”
“Tight squeeze.”
The Satedan nodded. “I’m not really fond of narrow spaces.”
Zelenka produced a pair of flashlights and handed one to Dex.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was only expecting one of you.”
“I have one,” Sam said, producing it, and Daniel hid a sigh.
“Is this part of the city’s tunnel system?” he asked.
Zelenka nodded. “We think so. I think it’s mostly for maintenance. It seems to connect primarily things like the power control room and what I think was the waterworks and the old transport system hub.”
“Wait a minute,” Daniel said. “Do you know —? Does it connect to a building, an installation with a big gold snake on the wall?”
“Yes,” Zelenka said. “And you would know what that is?”
“It’s one of Janus’s devices,” Daniel answered, “or at least it was in our world. If you have a Janus?”
“The Ancient scientist? The one who’s creations are always trouble?” Zelenka nodded. “I am familiar with his work.”
“One of his devices got us here. Sam, if we can get to that without having to go above ground, without Sumner’s goons seeing us —”
“That would definitely be a good thing,” Sam said. “But that may not be our best plan at the moment. Dr. Zelenka.”
“Yes?”
“We were told you had deserted to the Athosians.”
“Those would be Sumner’s words, I’m sure,” Zelenka said. “But, yes, I did not like the way things were going in the city, and thought I would be better off with Major Sheppard. Because I was the one who found the tunnels,
and was mapping them when the Wraith first came, I offered to carry messages back and forth between Sheppard and the friends he still has here. When I found Ronon in the cells, I thought it would be best to get him out of there. We don’t want to make enemies of Sateda as well as the Wraith.”
“Or the Athosians,” Dex said.
“Yes, well, I hope we are mending that,” Zelenka answered. He swung his flashlight as they approached a junction, the beam picking out bursts of faded color and fragments of what had once been elegant carving. “The transport system,” he said. “It was like the chambers on Atlantis — did you go to the city first?”
Daniel nodded. “The rooms that beam you across the city?”
“Yes, just like on Star Trek.” Zelenka held up his hand. “Be careful now, the floor collapsed into a deeper tunnel. I have shored up this side, here, but we should take it one at a time. And, Ronon, you go last.”
Dex nodded.
Sam swung the beam of her flashlight, holding it steady on a ledge maybe eighteen inches wide that ran along the base of a pockmarked wall. Zelenka had rigged a rope handhold, but the whole thing looked precarious, and the gap, when Daniel leaned cautiously to look, seemed very deep indeed. Zelenka scrambled across easily enough, and then Sam followed, first handing her light to Daniel. Daniel grabbed the rope in one hand, careful not to let the flashlight’s beam fall too far into the emptiness beneath, and came across in a rush, grateful to feel solid ground underfoot. Dex hesitated for a moment, but then took the rope in a death grip and picked his way along the ledge.
“It is easier from here,” Zelenka said. “But it is more than an hour’s walk to where the tunnels leave the city. We should be able to contact the Athosians there, but only if we arrive well before sunrise. Otherwise we will have to wait until dark again.”
Daniel glanced at his watch. They should just make it, assuming there were no unexpected delays, no cave-ins or collapsed tunnels, but Zelenka seemed confident of the direction. And once they were back in contact with the rest of SG-1 — it was still hard not to think of Jack as part of the team — then they could see what they could do in Janus’s installation.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Interlude
THE HIVE came out of hyperspace precisely on target, slipped easily into orbit over Athos without additional expenditure of energy. In the privacy of his laboratory, Seeker studied the sensor displays, life form readings superimposed on a planetary map, and tapped the controls to bring the ruined city of Emege into closer focus. There were humans there, though the sensors were finding it hard to come up with a solid number. The Ancients had designed their buildings to conceal their numbers, and even their ruins provided some measure of protection. That was the central nest, though, he was sure of it.
He tapped the controls again, shifting north and west, searching the areas where the Athosians had been known to hide in the past. There were life signs there, certainly, but not as many as he would have expected, and he pulled back, touching controls to run a global scan. Yes, there were others, widely scattered, none large enough to be worth Culling in any normal circumstance — not that they would Cull twice in a generation in any case, or not if it could be avoided — and he brought the focus back to Emege.
A familiar shadow moved to join him, looming over his shoulder to study the screen, and he did not need to look up to recognize the Consort.
*Guide.*
*What have you found?*
*About what we expected.* Here in his own place, Seeker did not bother to guard his thoughts as closely. He and the Consort had come to the queen’s hive together, cousins and lovers, cleverman and blade come to try their fortune with the new queen of a new hive like the young men in a hero-tale. The queen had favored them both, admitted them both to the zenana, though Seeker had not yet been permitted to sire a child. He shoved away that feeling, jealousy and sorrow mixed, and Guide rested a hand on his shoulder.
*They’re guarding the Ring as well?*
Seeker nodded. *As though they only expect us to attack through it.* He touched controls, bringing up a closer scan of the field where the Stargate stood. *You see how they are deployed, in the edges of the forest.*
*It doesn’t make sense,* the Consort said, and Seeker nodded again.
*And that is why I wish to question some of them. Preferably more than one.*
*You still think they might be Ancients.*
*They are not normal humans,* Seeker said. *That’s obvious. Their technology has leapt beyond anything I have ever seen a human produce, and I cannot see our own kin producing such weapons, never mind allowing humans access to them.*
*We tend to settle our difference with greater subtlety,* the Consort agreed.
*Well, I certainly see nothing to be gained in allowing the kine to slaughter each other,* Seeker said. *Particularly if we get nothing from it. Nor do I like the notion of these new weapons being turned on us.*
*No, that would indeed be… regrettable.*
*If they were Ancients,* Seeker said, *they would know what we are and how to fight us. If they were ordinary humans, they wouldn’t have the weapons or the courage to use them. Everything indicates that they are humans who have never known the Wraith, but how that could be — I have no answer. Therefore, we must question them.*
*Snow agrees.* Between themselves, they used the Queen’s name, the memory of her mind’s touch, shared and secret intimacy.
*I thought she would.*
The Consort dipped his head in agreement. *However, she has set conditions.*
*Again, I thought she would.*
The Consort showed teeth in a smile. *She doesn’t want to lose any more blades, and would prefer not to lose drones, either.*
*I daresay.*
*She’s serious.*
*I don’t doubt it.* Seeker looked up from the maps, frowning slightly. *I’m just not sure it’s possible. The Young Queen has stirred the nest, and they will be on their guard.*
*Perhaps a diversion?*
*Would be useful, yes, but I cannot promise it would be safe.*
The Consort grinned at that. *Well, no, there are no guarantees in the business.* He paused. *The Young Queen’s Pallax has volunteered to assist us.*
*Because he did such a brilliant job the first time?* Seeker’s smile was sardonic.
*I think he wants to make amends, yes,* the Consort answered, *and he wishes to impress his lady. And he is not utterly a fool.*
*No.* Seeker turned back to his displays, touched keys to set the data cascading down the screen again, a rain of green and gold that resolved into a new set of images, the life sign readings overlaid on a map of Emege and the area around the Stargate. *I’ll grant that he has promise.* And considerable courage, to attach himself to the Young Queen when the Queen herself was still young and strong enough to consider all service her due, but that was another matter entirely. *I agree that a diversion would be our best choice. If we send Darts to harass the humans at the gate field, perhaps they will take that as the main attack, and send out reinforcements from the city. Another Dart, or perhaps a pair, could take them then with little risk of loss.*
In the screen, shapes moved, sketching the plan, and the Consort nodded slowly. *Are you planning to land drones by the Ring?*
*I would expect it to be necessary,* Seeker answered. *But I will leave that decision to the Pallax.*
The Consort gave him a considering look. *And which of them would you like to see fail, I wonder, the Pallax — or my daughter?*
They were close enough to touch without effort, close enough to set feeding hands in an instant’s thought, but Seeker did not step away. *She is your daughter. I do not forget it.*
The Consort relaxed slowly. *I didn’t think you would.*
It was as close to an apology as he was likely to come, and Seeker nodded. *We should do this soon — tonight, if possible. The sooner we can determine the nature of these humans, the easier it will be to deal with them.*
*I agree.
* The Consort paused. *You think we’re going to have to kill them.*
*I’m very much afraid so,* Seeker answered, and bent to his work again.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Taken
IT WAS surprisingly comfortable in the Athosian caverns, or at least it would have been if it hadn’t been for the three large men with guns who were watching the only entrance. And the pair who sat at the entrance to the cavern, shotguns resting on their laps. At least there was light — not from one of the expedition’s lanterns, though there were half a dozen of those scattered about the main room, but something that looked a lot like an oil-fashioned oil lamp and burned a thick purple liquid that smelled faintly of balsam. Jack had eyed it thoughtfully when they’d been escorted to the cave, but there was no structure to burn down, just the beds and bedding and the folding stools, and even if he could figure out something they’d gain by setting them on fire, there were too many people watching them. He saw Teal’c’s shoulders relax as the Jaffa came to the same conclusion, and Jack lowered himself carefully to one of the folding stools.
“Might as well take it easy,” he said, for all that it was the last thing he wanted to do.
“Indeed.” Teal’c gave the stool a thoughtful glance, and seated himself cross-legged on the woven matting that covered the floor. It looked like it was made from some kind of grass, Jack thought, and certainly it cut the worst of the chill from the dirt and stone. One of the women had brought a padded jar and two cups, and he pried the top off, sniffing carefully.
“More tea,” he said, and poured them each some. He lowered his voice as he handed one of the cups to Teal’c. “Any sign of a back door?”
“No, O’Neill.” Teal’c accepted the cup, his expression unchanged. “I cannot look more closely without drawing suspicion, but I see no other exit.”
“Yeah, I didn’t, either.” Jack sipped at the tea, barely tasting it. He didn’t see any way of fighting his way past the guards, either, though maybe once it was fully dark they’d have more of a chance. The Athosians didn’t look like the sort of people who got careless very often.
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