Stargate SG-1: Sacrifice Moon

by Julie Fortune

  "She'll sleep a while," Jack said, and looked across at Daniel. "How you doing?"

  "I'm not going to go for your throat, if that's what you're asking. Not yet, anyway."

  Jack checked his watch. "Still got hours to go until sunrise. Get whatever rest you can. I'll watch you."

  "Jack. You won't hesitate - "

  "If it comes to it, I'll hog tie you next to Carter."

  "Thanks." Daniel gave him that faint, rare smile. "I think."

  He went back to his corner, wrapped himself up in blankets and, to all appearances, went back to sleep. Jack let a decent amount of time pass, until he was sure everybody was out of it, then met Teal'c's gaze across the room.

  "Next time you hear me having a nice chat with a Goa'uld outside in the back, feel free to step in," he said.

  Teal'c's eyes widened. "You spoke to no one, O'Neill."

  "Trust me, I did. Nice girl, name's Artemis, glowing eyes. Crazy as a bedbug, even by Goa'uld standards." Jack frowned when Teal'c's expression didn't change. "You didn't hear us?"

  "I heard nothing."

  Jack ran it over in his head, but he knew it had happened. Hadn't it? He could still feel the sharp dig of her fingernails in his throat, and when he touched the sore spot his fingers came away with a light smear of red.

  "Never mind," he said. No point in beating Teal'c up about it. If Artemis could alter behavior with these damn collars, could make Carter a killer and drive Daniel to violence, it was a piece of cake to blot herself out of Teal'c's awareness while she had a private chat. `Nobody moves alone from now on, not even to piss. We go on the buddy system."

  Teal'c inclined his head, acknowledging both the order and the wisdom of it, and then settled in for the long, hopefully quiet night.

  Running. Always running.

  Sam running next to him, dressed not in heavy BDUs but in a short white tunic, her long legs flashing pale in the moonlight. She grinned at him, the grin of a wolf, a predator and he felt himself grinning back. He'd never felt this free. There was nothing in him but the wild red beauty of letting himself loose. Doubts, regrets... those were old things, human things, left behind in the dark

  Knife in his hand, warm as the blood in his veins. The prey, running, panting and scrabbling ahead. He laughed at its clumsy progress and separated from Sam, darting around the shadows to close on it from the side.

  They pounced together took it down and tore at it with nails and teeth and knives, bathing in the blood and moonlight and choked, desperate screams, and it was sweet, so sweet...

  Daniel looked at Sam across the limp, trembling body of the prey, and she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life. Flushed, fevered, blood-spattered and vividly, violently erotic. She led a hand brimming with blood to his lips, and he drank the thick salty copper from her fingers, and he had never felt so much apart of anyone, anything...

  "Dan'yel, " a voice whispered. It wasn't Sam, who was voiceless now, except for the sounds of the hunt. He looked around in the still moonlight, then down.

  Down at the bloody, dying prey.

  Down at Share, whose wide dark eyes were full of despair and fear and love. Reaching out to him in helpless entreaty.

  Oh God no no no no...

  Daniel jerked awake and let out a shaking moan as he curled in on himself in a protective ball. His hair was matted with sweat, his clothes soaked with it; his breath was coming fast and thick in his chest, and he wanted to tear it all off and run, run...

  That's what she wants. She wants you to run.

  He swallowed, tasted blood and froze. Just a dream, it was just a dream. Sam was still lying on the other side of the room, tied up. Her eyes were open, and her breath coming in short gasps, but she hadn't been outside in the moonlight. They hadn't...

  ... hadn't killed together.

  Yet.

  The sun was a pale blue mist on the horizon, just rising.

  Jack had fallen asleep, sometime during the night; he was leaning against the door, eyes shut. Daniel rolled up his blankets and stowed his gear, then crawled over to Teal'c. The Jaffa hadn't slept at all, that he could tell.

  "Daniel Jackson," he greeted him. "O'Neill should rest another hour to maintain his strength."

  "Yes. Sure....Teal'c, did I - "

  Teal'c knew what he was asking. "You slept."

  Daniel nodded, and couldn't meet the Jaffa's knowing dark eyes. He moved over to Carter, who had wriggled herself into a sitting position against the wall. Her eyes were clearer now, and touched with the same appalled expression he still felt himself.

  "Oh God," she said in a whisper when Daniel came close. "What did I do?"

  "Nothing. Well... you tried. We got to you in time."

  Her eyes welled up with tears, and she blinked them furiously away. "I dreamed - God, Daniel, I dreamed about killing people. About... eating them. And -"

  "And it felt good," he finished softly. "I know. I dreamed it too." He settled in next to her. "How are the wrists?"

  "Painful," she said with a fragile smile. "What did I do? Try to gnaw them off?"

  He touched her shoulder gently. "Captain - Doctor - "

  "After all this, I'd think you could call me Sam."

  "Sam," he repeated. "Sony. How are you feeling?"

  "Like I spent the night in cuffs." Her eyes stayed on his face. "Ah. You mean, do I feel like ripping any throats."

  "Something like that."

  "No." She let her breath out in an unsteady rush. "At least, I don't think so. I didn't know - I just thought that yesterday I was - I hate this. Why is it me? Why is this happening to me?"

  He'd had the same chorus running through his head since waking up, and he didn't know the answer. He touched her shoulder instead and indicated the cuffs. "Look, I'd take these off, but - "

  "It's the Colonel's decision," she finished for him decisively. "I understand. I'm okay, Daniel. Thanks for - thanks for not making this worse."

  He met her eyes squarely, this time. "It'll probably will get worse, you know. For both of us."

  "Then I guess we'll just have to rely on each other."

  "Not so sure we should," he said somberly. "I'm not sure either of us are any too reliable right now."

  Her blue eyes were very clear, very direct. "Do you think the Colonel is thinking any more clearly than we are?"

  Another unanswerable question; Daniel remembered the flash of - something - in Jack's eyes, his inability to react when Carter stood over a helpless victim with MP5 ready to fire. The old Jack O'Neill would have stopped her, with force if words wouldn't suffice.

  He'd been assuming that the influence of the collars had been making him and Carter stronger, faster, more violent; maybe that was true, but maybe the opposite was true for Jack and Teal'c. Weaker, slower, more passive.

  Victims.

  Victims and predators. Dividing them.

  "Teal'c," he said; the Jaffa turned his attention toward him and came at his gesture. "Let me borrow your knife."

  "I do not think this is a wise course of action, Daniel Jackson."

  "She's all right. We're all right, as long as the - " He gestured vaguely up at the ceiling. " - sun's up. It only takes hold in moonlight."

  "So you believe."

  "Yes," he nodded. "So I believe. Now that we know, we can resist it during the day. Teal'c, we can't leave her tied up. You know that."

  He held out his hand, watching Teal'c's face; the Jaffa thought it over, then silently drew the blade from its sheath and handed it over, hilt first. Daniel bent and slit the ties holding Carter's wrists; she sat up, rubbing the bandages, and stood up with a fast, fluid motion.

  The moonstone on her collar was straight up and down, a clear half-moon.

  If this is what she's like when she's only half under the influence...

  He couldn't finish the thought. He became aware of the knife still in his hand, warm and oddly familiar, and handed it back to Teal'c with a nod.

  "You're going to have
to restrain us at night," he said. "And no matter what happens, don't let us loose."

  From the far comer, the boy Pylades said, "If you had any courage, you would use that on yourself. Her, then you." His voice was soft but clear. They all turned to look at him, and Daniel caught the cool shine of Carter's eyes a second before they softened into something more rational, more normal, more Sam. "I will not let you kill my sister. I'll cut your throats as you sleep, first."

  "We're not going to hurt you," Carter promised. "We're going to find a way out of this. You have to trust us."

  He gave her a scornful look - Daniel couldn't imagine having that much self-possession at that age, especially under circumstances like these - and pulled a bronze knife from under his robes. Triangular, with a ram's head. "I wouldn't let you hurt us," he said. "Touch my sister and I'll give you back to the gods."

  "Fair enough."

  They settled down next to the camp stove, and sorted out breakfast as Jack slept on.

  Damn.

  Jack woke slowly, feeling exhaustion drag at every cell of his body, and blinked at the bright light facing him. Morning. Crap. He'd fallen asleep on watch. He groaned as he pulled himself out of the awkward sitting position, and his ankle set up its trademark throb to remind him that all was not well with the world.

  So, nothing new.

  Except that Carter was up, unrestrained, calmly drinking coffee and talking in undertones with Daniel across the room. For a second Jack couldn't remember why that was wrong, and then it flooded back with a vengeance. Moonlight. Running. Carter's finger on the trigger.

  "Teal'c." He made the name a snap, and saw the Jaffa draw himself up to a more formal angle and put down his breakfast. "Restrain her."

  Carter slowly put her coffee down and raised both hands. "Sir? I'm okay. Really. Daniel thinks it only happens at night."

  Jack levered himself up to a standing position and had to grab wall to keep upright. He didn't let his stare waver. "Did I ask for Daniel's opinion, Captain Carter?"

  "Jack, she's unarmed..." Daniel indicated the MPS, sitting in Teal'c's possession, and the Beretta and knife bundled together by the Jaffa's pack. "You can't keep her tied up all the time."

  "Watch me. Carter? Nothing personal. I just don't want to have to shoot you. Looks bad on my record" He yanked another set of zip ties loose from his vest and tossed them at Daniel.

  Who just let them lay there at his feet.

  "Daniel..."

  "No, Jack." A muscle flickered in his tensed jaw. "She's not insane. I'm not insane. As long as the sun's up, we can cope with this. You have to let us try."

  Two against two. Even though he and Teal'c had the superiority in strength, training, and - admit it - longevity, Jack's tactical spider sense was warning him that the fight would get brutal. Daniel would go down, but not easily; Carter would do damage, and they'd have to do unto her in return. Add in his bum leg...

  Jack kept his face blank, the calculations secret. "One hour before sunset, we find a defensible camp, and you and Carter get tied up. No arguments. And if I see anything before then that makes me itchy - "

  Daniel nodded. After a few seconds' lag, Carter followed suit.

  "And you," Jack said, pointing at Teal'c. "Next time, wake me up

  Teal'c inclined his head, more in acknowledgment of the words than a promise to obey. Jack gave up, hobbled to the group, and fished a breakfast packet out of the pile. Daniel wordlessly handed over a cup of instant coffee that went down hot and bracing.

  Across the camp stove, Iphigenia leaned over to whisper something in her brother's ear, blushing furiously; the boy took on a rosecolored hue, too, then looked helplessly around the room, fastening on Captain Carter. He cleared his throat and said, with stiff formality, "My sister asks that you accompany her."

  "Where?" Carter asked, nibbling on a strip of reconstituted bacon, and then glanced at the girl's blush and averted eyes. "Ah. Bathroom. Could use one myself, actually."

  She grabbed a pack of tissues from her pack and stood up, offered a hand to Iphigenia, and the two walked out the back entrance. Jack exchanged a look with Teal'c and nodded once; the Jaffa moved to the door. Privacy was a risk they couldn't afford just now. With his experience at Apophis's right hand, Teal'c had probably perfected the art of watching without looking...

  The women were back in five minutes, about the time it took Jack to swig down another cup of coffee and wolf down a fast, cold breakfast, and then they broke camp and took bearings again - Carter this time, using her enhanced athletic abilities to scale a nearly sheer wall and take a view of the maze. Wind stirred her blonde hair as she shaded her eyes; and she pointed decisively in the same direction Jack's compass heading confirmed. Good enough. At least the place wasn't reorganizing itself during the night.

  Carter thumped down flat-footed in front of him, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling. The picture of health. He felt old, looking at her, not to mention cranky and damaged.

  "There's another open area up ahead," she reported. "Looks like some kind of camp there."

  "People?"

  "Five or six that I could see."

  Could be good news, could be bad... he was leaning toward bad, this morning. "Move out," he said, poker-faced. "Daniel. Take point, and don't pick up any souvenirs today. Hang back when you approach this camp. Kid - Pylades - you and your sister, stay with Teal'c."

  Daniel hitched his pack into a more comfortable position and put on his boonie hat, which looked oddly at home on his head, then set off down the narrow, rubble-strewn path. The wall next to them had intricate carvings; Jack watched the man's eyes slide longingly over them, but he didn't slow down. Might make a soldier of you yet. The thought didn't have the satisfaction he'd expected.

  Carter was still watching him. He hitched his eyebrows at her and settled his ball cap more comfortably, made an after you gesture.

  "Sir," she said. "Daniel's not armed. Neither am I."

  "Aware of that, Captain."

  "You're putting unarmed team members in front?"

  "Let's put it this way, I'd rather be watching over you," he said. "Nothing personal, Carter. We'll reverse when we get closer to the camp."

  "Sir, if you'd give me a handgun..."

  "No."

  Silence. Wind whipped sand at them, but neither of them blinked. Jack slid on his dark sunglasses.

  "Move out, Captain," he said. "That's an order."

  She shifted her weight fluidly, with animal grace, and stalked away, moving after Daniel.

  He let out a slow breath and limped after.

  They were attacked, by Jack's calculation, just thirty minutes later. It happened fast - a hoarse yell, a blizzard of rocks being hurled, and Daniel went down to his knees, stunned. Carter darted forward and grabbed his shoulders, dragging him behind a broken, headless statue. Jack saw a bright red bloom of blood on Daniel's face and felt a surge of pure fury, mostly at himself.

  "Sir!" Carter yelled. He ignored the screaming protest of his ankle and surged to a run, hearing Teal'c's boots pounding behind, and slid feet-first into cover next to Carter. He had the MP5 up and searching targets in seconds. He felt a tug at his waist and knew Carter had drawn his handgun, but he was past arguing about that.

  Teal'c's staff weapon fired, blasting chunks of rock into the air, and Jack heard panicked screams and running feet. He added a rattling blast from the MP5, sighted on fleeing black-robed attackers, and held fire.

  Something hit him in the back and bit cold and sharp; he slammed forward against the cold marble and started to turn but Carter was faster, twisting like a cat and emptying the clip of the M9 with surgical precision.

  A body thumped down behind them.

  "Sir," she said, alarmed, and he felt her hands on his back. "Spear. Doesn't look deep, I think the vest stopped it. Hold on."

  He choked back a groan as she yanked it free and held up a bronzetipped pole with about a quarter inch of red at the tip for his inspection. Her fingers probed the wou
nd with merciless efficiency.

  "Flesh wound," she said. "The vest slowed it down, the ribs stopped it - "

  "Yeah, I'm blessed," he said breathlessly. "Daniel?"

  "I'm here." Daniel was trying to get up; Jack pushed him down and glanced into his eyes. He looked dazed, and there was a jagged cut pouring blood down the side of his face.

  "Carter. Check him out."

  She holstered the pistol and did the follow-my-finger thing, probed his head wound and pronounced that it was a good thing he'd been wearing the boonie hat.

  The street was quiet again. Teal'c came jogging up, looking con cerned.

  "The kids?" Jack asked.

  "They fled during the attack," Teal'c said. "I have been unable to locate them. We should move. This area is not defensible."

  Jack tried sitting up and found that the hole in his back wasn't as bad as he'd feared; he winced when he turned, but it was do-able. The body lying behind him had a neat grouping in the chest, and whoever the guy was, he'd been wielding one of those bronze knives.

  Old blood on his hands.

  "I thought you said you were okay during the day," he said to Carter, and nodded down at the body.

  She looked startled. "I am, sir."

  "He wasn't."

  They contemplated that in silence, and then Daniel reached over and folded back cloth to reveal the man's silver mesh collar, and the stone in the center.

  It was black. Coal black.

  Daniel's was one quarter. Carter's was one half. Teal'c's, so far as Jack could tell, was still pure white, and he knew his was, too - how he knew that, he couldn't have said, but it felt true.

  "Well," Daniel said, breaking the silence, "At least we know what we have to look forward to." He sounded shaky, and not a little spooked.

  The dead man's mouth was caked with blood.

  Carter, after a pause, held out the M9 to Jack.

  "Keep it," he said soberly. "You were right, Captain. Teal'c. Give her back the MP5." He handed back Daniel's pistol and knife as well, or tried to; Daniel shook his head. "Take them."