“Good morning, Camper! Sleep well? I did.” “Good morning, Jack. I’m happy, you’re happy.” Daniel muttered grumpily, still sipping at his coffee, as he stood bleary eyed in the Gate Room. “Aw, buck up there, Scooter! It is a beeeeeutiful 0600 this morning and a perfect opportunity to see the sunrise on…. P4X- 224, or as I like to call it, Ruinscape!” “Can I ask why you have to come with me? Why couldn’t Sam or Teal’c or, heck, Siler? As you so gracefully said, it’s a deserted planet, not Gou’uld Central.” “Oh, I’m hurt!” Jack cried, throwing his empty left hand over his eyes in mock pain. “You’d rather be all alone on a deserted planet than with your best friend?” “Best friend?” Daniel asked, hiding a smirk. “Oh, you cut me to the quick! Here I am, ready to head off with you to the planet of never-ending boredom, just for your curiosity I might add, and you have the gumption to inform me you have another best friend. Well, mister, that’s the last straw!” Jack went storming off in mock dejection while Daniel broke into a fit of giggles. “Gumption!? God, Jack…” Jack popped his head back around the doorway, grinning. “Got ya outta your funk, didn’t it?” “Did not.” “Did too!” “Did not.” “Did too… Oh, shut up!” Jack’s chocolate brown eyes danced with humor as he swatted half-heartedly at Daniel’s head. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand!” Daniel mouthed the words ‘popsicle stand’ to the back of Jack’s head and followed him up the ramp and through the stargate. *** Okay, Daniel had to admit that P4X-224 wasn’t quite as exciting as expected. In fact, it was downright boring! Daniel glanced surreptitiously over to Jack, comfortably napping against what could only be described as a rock. Daniel cleared his throat quietly. “Bored, Daniel?” Jack asked, smirking, his eyes still closed. “Not bored, just… “ “Mind numbingly, outta your mind, rather be watching a hockey game, bored. Right?” Daniel sighed and shook his head. “Almost.” He agreed ruefully. Jack hopped up from his resting place. “Finally! I was that bored two hours ago. So, we’ve still got a day or two before we head back, what do ya wanna do?” “Do? Jack, come on! There’s nothing here to do! Just rocks, rocks, and more rocks!” “Artifacts.” Jack corrected with a grin. “Rocks.” Daniel repeated emphatically. “Hockey pucks?” Jack suggested mischievously. “Alright.” Daniel said with a long-suffering sigh. “Yes!” Jack cheered boyishly and ran off in search of sticks. *** “He shoots, he scores! And the crowd goes wild!” “There’s no crowd, Jack, and that was totally a foul.” “Was not.” “Was too!” “Daniel, don’t you watch hockey? You gotta get a little physical, at least!” “Physical?! Jack, my shirt looks like I went ten rounds with Teal’c, and I think I might have broken my wrist!” “Aw, come on! Sprained, maybe.” Jack leaned back against the post they were using for a goal, an impish grin cracking across his dust covered features. “Whoa!” Jack’s exclamation of surprise was lost in the thunder of the tall stone post crashing to the ground. Jack sat up as the dust started to settle. “Jack!” Cough. “Jack, you okay?” Daniel coughed as he made his way through the clingy yellow-brown dust. “I’m okay. What happened?” Daniel looked him over to make sure he was really okay before examining the broken base of stone. “Uh oh.” Daniel muttered, a worried look on his face. “What?” Jack asked, climbing to his feet to look into the broken column. “I think we might be in trouble.” Daniel said, moving aside to let Jack in. “Yah. Let’s head back to the Gate. Double-time.” Jack moved with his words, slinging the pack over his shoulders and taking the safety off his gun. Daniel followed silently as they raced back to the Stargate, eight miles away. The dull red glow of illuminated Gou’uld writing slowly blinked, finally awakened after centuries buried in stone. *** “Okay, this time it wasn’t my fault.” “I know.” “You’re the one that suggested hockey. I was ready to head home…” “I said, I know.” “And it’s not my fault because I wanted to go there either, I couldn’t have known…” “Danny.” “Yah?” “Shut up. It’s my fault, okay.” “Okay.” “…” “Jack?” “What?” “It’s not your fault either.” “Thanks, Danny.” *** “Jack?” “Yah?” “You got a plan?” “Workin’ on it.” “Oh… Jack?” “Yah, Daniel?” “Who do you think we got captured by now?” “I don’t know.” “Gou’uld?” “The gold’s a good indication, yah.” “No writing, Jack.” “No Jaffa yet, either.” “So, not Gou’uld?” “I didn’t say that.” “Oh.” “Daniel?” “Yah, Jack?” “You worried?” “I guess.” “Me too.” *** The solid gold door of their solid gold cell slid silently aside. The loud steps of a troop of gold armored Jaffa hammered against the walls. The first prime’s gold tattoo was two crossed arrows over a shield. The helmets of the other Jaffa were great gold female lions, faces seemingly fluid in their carved perfection. “Our Queen commands your presence.” The thunderous voice of the first prime broke the tense silence. “Yah, that’s all well and good, but who is your Queen, exactly?” Jack asked confrontationally. “She will inform you of her name if she so wishes.” “Jack.” Daniel whispered. “Huh?” Jack grunted, never taking his eyes off the patiently waiting Jaffa. “I think we should go quietly.” Jack risked a glance at him. “Why?” “Let’s just say, if their Queen is who I think she is, we need to be as accommodating as possible.” “Worse than Hathor?” “Maybe, but not quite as volatile.” “Okay.” Jack cleared his throat. “We will be pleased to meet your Queen.” The first prime nodded regally and left the cell. Jack and Daniel, surrounded by Jaffa, talked quietly. “Anything I need to know before we meet her?” “Her name is Neith -also known as Nit, Net and Neit.” “Nit?” “Jack.” Daniel said warningly. “Okay, anything important?” “Of all Egyptian gods and goddesses, Neith is often referred to in Egyptian texts as the ‘eldest,’ and even as the ‘first’ deity. She’s also the mother of Ra.” “I thought Hathor…” “Yah, I know. Weird family.” “Yah think?” “Anyway, her temple, of which nothing now remains, bore the inscription: I am All That Has Been, That Is, and That Will Be. No mortal has yet been able to lift the veil that covers Me.” “Cocky, ain’t she.” Daniel sighed and continued. “She’s considered a wife of Seth.” “Uh oh.” “No, I think it’s okay. It’s said that she interceded in the war between Heru’ur and Seth, over the Egyptian throne, recommending that Heru’ur should rule.” “So, not a lot of love there.” “No. A great festival, called the Feast of Lamps, was held annually in her honor, and according to Herodotus her devotees burned a multitude of lights in the open air all night during the celebration.” “Cool, party girl!” “Not exactly. In her usual representations she is portrayed as a fierce deity, a woman with the head of a lioness, or a human female wearing the Red Crown; Goddess of war, weaving, and water.” “The three W’s. Weading, Writing and Withmatic.” Daniel sighed again. “Okay, Danny, I got it. Bad chick.” “Yah think?” Daniel parroted back as they came to a stop outside a large set of gold double doors with lion head handles. *** Jack had always wondered, well not always, but for a while, why the snakes picked such ugly female hosts. Hathor, hips from here to eternity and a 42-inch waist- Anise, lips so large she looked like she’d eat your face and the style of a Nazi- Nirrti, her eyes crossed so bad she must have a magnet in the stupid dot on her head- Osiris, I mean, I know the snake’s a guy, but come on! Shouldn’t the man have some taste? She has no boobs whatsoever and teeth like a mule. Speaking of mules, Garshaw’s face would do injustice to mules everywhere! Not so with this snake, obviously. She rose from the chaise lounge she had been lying on, the filmy excuse for a dress clinging provocatively to every curve. As she swayed towards the men, Jack’s eyes dilated further with every step. She wasn’t tall, just average, her curves were slender, toned, her hair a pleasingly plain brown, her eyes large and dark. It wasn’t her features, though delicate, that made her so attractive. It was the way she carried herself. Jack shook his head slightly, as if to throw off the effect she had on him, and cleared his throat. He glanced over at Daniel and shrugged slightly at Daniel’s questioning gaze. A slight gesture of his hand, and Daniel started. “Hello. We are peaceful explorers. I’m… “ He was cut off mid intro. “You are Daniel Jackson, and this, this is Colonel Jack O’Neill. I have heard much of you. I am Neith, your Queen.” She eyed Jack appreciatively as she spoke, hardly glancing at Daniel. “That’s funny, haven’t heard of you at all.” Jack goaded. Daniel shot him a look of alarm. He shrugged. Neith’s eyes glowed dangerously. “You would be wise to keep silent.” “Now that’s something I’ve never been good at!” Her eyes flashed again. “We shall have to rectify that.” Daniel interjected before Jack went too far. “Nei… My Queen, may I enquire as to our presence here?” “Indeed you may.” Neith turned from them as she spoke, seating herself regally on the edge of the lounge. “My armies have become weak, my warriors old and feeble. I have limitless weapons, yet no one to weald them. Therefore, I came looking for the most cunning warrior. That he slipped into my grasp was fate. I can train strength, but I cannot give cunning. You are my warrior, O’Neill.” “You want me to train your armies?” Jack asked incredulously. “You still understand so little.” Neith shook her head in amazement. “I want you to create my armies.” Daniel’s eyes widened in alarm, “Jack! She means…” “I know what she means, Daniel! And I’d die before I helped create more Gou’ulds!” Jack’s eyes narrowed to slits, preparing to fight. “You are a fool, O’Neill!” Neith shouted angrily, eyes glowing as she rose from the couch. “You will beg for the pleasure of my arms! Take them away!” she commanded her guards. *** Daniel and Jack were escorted swiftly from the room. Tossed back into the cell, O’Neill paced like a caged tiger. Daniel wrapped his arms around himself and sat, thinking, in the corner. “Jack, what are we going to do?” Jack ceased his pacing for a moment, glaring at Daniel. “We’re gonna get the hell outta here! That’s what we’re gonna do!” Daniel stood quickly, stress winning the battle as he blew up. “Oh, yah, that’s all we’ve got to do! Just get outta here, huh?! That plan may be fine for you ‘Mr. Warrior’, but I just figured out why there’s no writing on the walls! Isis, also a Goddess, if you remember, invented writing! And suffice it to say their relationship wasn’t exactly friendly! So, why am I here, Jack?! What’s she gonna do with me?!” His voice broke and his screaming changed to a frightened whisper. “Jack, she doesn’t need me. I’m expendable.” Jack’s expression softened. “Daniel, look at me.” Daniel looked up, swallowing rapidly. “We will get out of this. Alive.” Daniel closed his eyes and ducked his head. “You don’t know that, Jack. This is one situation that’s beyond your control.” *** Jack had been gone for hours, and Daniel was increasingly frustrated. After their little tiff last night, they had barely spoken. Jack spent most of the night searching for a way out while Daniel tried to get some sleep. According to his watch, the Jaffa had come for Jack around eight AM. That meant it had been nearly ten hours since Daniel had last seen him. That was ten hours too long. Worried, Daniel unconsciously imitated Jack, pacing the floor of the cell in ground-eating strides. When the cell door finally slid open, almost twelve hours since Jack had been taken, Daniel was unprepared. Jack, minus his shirt, hung between two meaty-looking guards, appearing unconscious. The guards dropped him inside the cell and departed quickly. “Jack?! Oh, God, Jack, answer me!” Daniel gently turned him over and reached for a pulse. Before his fingers touched Jack’s throat, Daniel jerked back in surprise. There was a thin, strait line at the base of his neck. “No!” Daniel whispered in horror. Surely, they wouldn’t have… Jack couldn’t be a Gou’uld! Daniel pushed back into the farthest corner, shivering violently. “Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.” Daniel prayed to himself, body rocking instinctively. Jack began to stir. Daniel stood, pressed into the corner, as far away as he could get. Jack shook his head, as if to clear it, and stood slowly. Daniel gulped and took one step forwards. “I won’t tell you anything, so you might as well kill me!” Daniel stated, his false bravado shattered by the warble in his voice. Jack looked at him quizzically and shook his head, a frown etched into his now perfectly clean face. He opened his mouth to speak, and then snapped it shut abruptly. “What’s the matter? Gou’uld got your tongue? You guys usually boast about now, if you’re new at this.” Daniel said angrily, fear pushed to the side. Jack shook his head again and came closer. Daniel started to back away, but then changed his mind. After all, where could he go? Daniel straitened up, almost at attention, and awaited whatever this strangely silent Gou’uld had in mind. Jack stopped a few feet away. Reaching out, he touched the base of Daniel’s throat, causing Daniel to gulp in fear. Jack shook his head emphatically. Then he raised his fingers to cover Daniel’s lips and shook his head again. Jack let his hand drop and stood silently. Daniel let a ray of hope peek out. “Jack?” he asked hopefully. Jack nodded, a wry smile appearing on his face momentarily. “Jack!” Daniel grinned, relived. Then his face fell. “Oh, God, Jack! What did they do to you?!” Jack scrunched up his nose in disgust. He made a slicing motion across his throat. “They cut you? What, surgery?!” Jack nodded. He pointed to his lips and mouthed Daniel’s name. “They took away your voice!” Daniel looked horrified and sympathetic. “What for?” Jack grinned and cocked his head. “Oh, Jack, you didn’t! What did you say to her?! I told you to be careful!” Jack shrugged, anger entering his eyes. He shook his head. “Yah, hard to say no without upsetting her, huh?” Daniel asked, a statement more than a question. Jack sighed silently and nodded. They sat, sharing the thin sleeping mat on the floor. Daniel frowned, thinking seriously. “Jack, maybe you should consider… “ Jack interrupted him, shaking his head vehemently. “But, Jack, who knows what she’ll do next time?!” Jack shook his head again. Daniel sighed and gave up, knowing how stubborn Jack could be. *** They came for Jack again the next morning. Both Daniel and Jack struggled, irrationally, to stop them. They did not succeed. Jack was dragged, still struggling, out of the cell, while Daniel could only watch helplessly, bound by the strong arms of the Jaffa. They had sat up all night together, each knowing that something dreadful was about to happen. Daniel could not hold back a tear as Jack’s chocolate brown eyes alternately begged for help and sent strength, and then were finally blocked by the hulking mass of Jaffa pulling him away. The moment Jack was out of sight, Daniel sagged, limply, in the arms of the Jaffa. He hardly noticed when he was released from there grasp and the golden door slid shut. *** Daniel fell into an exhausted slumber. He jerked abruptly awake at the sound of marching. Daniel stood, preparing himself for what might come through the door. The golden door slid open, revealing several Jaffa, a canopic jar, Neith, regally attired, and a limp, naked Jack, held upright by Jaffa. Ignoring everyone but Jack, Daniel pushed his way past Neith and kneeled by his friend. “Jack.” Daniel whispered, reaching instinctively to comfort his friend. Jack raised his head. Daniel gasped, eyes widening in horror, and leapt to his feet. “What did you do to him!” Daniel screamed, advancing quickly on Neith. The Jaffa moved to stop him, but Neith waved them away. Daniel stood inches from her, seething. “I took from him what was displeasing to me.” Neith said calmly, looking down her nose at Daniel’s display of emotion. “Displeasing! Those were his eyes! And you, you…” Daniel’s anger took away his words. “I removed them.” Neith finished, smoothly. “He had impudence in his eyes, therefore, I removed them.” “You son of a…” Daniel roared, raring back to punch her, Gou’uld or no Gou’uld. She caught his fist in her much smaller hand, smirking as she forced him to his knees in front of her. “You, also, have impudence.” Daniel glared at her, silently. “You will worship me.” “I don’t think so.” Daniel growled, still glaring. “But I do.” Neith said, sneer still firmly plastered on her face. The two Jaffa holding Jack released him and came to her side. They grabbed Daniel’s arms and plastered him against the back of the cell, face pressed into the gold. “What are you doing?! Get off me!” Daniel shouted, fighting to pull out of their grasp. Jack rose to his feet, precariously leaning against the wall- determined to help his friend. Daniel heard the seal open on the canopic jar, “No! Let go! You can’t!” he screamed, struggling harder, to no avail. Jack ran his hands along the wall, trying to reach his friend before they did whatever they were threatening. He would have cried out, would have screamed for them to stop, but he was helpless to stop them in any way. All he could do is struggle towards Daniel’s terrified screams, and hope he could somehow help. The writhing symbiote clasped its jaws eagerly as it was raised from the canopic jar, winding tightly around Neith’s wrist when she brought the creature into Daniel’s field of vision. Daniel pulled away as far as he could, a look of utter revulsion on his face. He shook his head mutely, too terrified to scream, his bright blue eyes wide with fear. Neith petted the creature gently. Looking into Daniel’s eyes, she smiled. “I am your Queen, and you, you are my servant.” With that, she released the symbiote. It flew towards Daniel and sunk its razor sharp teeth into the back of his neck. As the creature squirmed its way into his body, Daniel couldn’t hold back a cry of pain. “Jaaaack!” he shrieked in a voice bereft of hope. Unconscious, Daniel crumpled to the ground, released from the arms of the Jaffa. Neith and her entourage left silently, closing the cell door behind them. *** Jack’s heart stopped at the sound of his name. As he heard the Jaffa depart, he could only hope they had left his friend alive. Falling to his hands and knees, Jack crawled in the direction of that last, desperate scream, hoping to find his friend miraculously unharmed. Finally stumbling across the soft material of Daniel's sleeve, Jack ran his hands over Daniel's body, searching for damage. There was no telling what those SOBs had done. At least he was still breathing. Daniel moaned and turned over, the sound of fabric loud to Jack's now sensitive ears. "Danny, are you alight?" Jack asked, concern tingeing his voice. Jack was still weak from the torture they had inflicted on him earlier, his hands shook with exhaustion and the adrenalin was wearing off. He wanted, no needed, to know Daniel was okay. "Jack?" Daniel croaked. "Yah, Danny, I'm here. I'm here." Jack comforted, running his thumb across Daniel's dirty, stubbly cheek. Jack couldn't see Daniel's eyes widen, nor the look of horror that flitted over his face. Jack's only indication that anything was wrong was the sudden tenseness of Daniel's body. "What? What is it?" Jack asked, alarmed. "Jack, get away! I'm not..." Daniel's throaty cry of alarm stopped mid sentence. Jack, now seriously worried, shook Daniel's shoulder. "What, get away from what?! Danny!" His voice rose in volume as Daniel's silence lingered. A terrifyingly echoic voice answered him. “My name is not Danny. I am K’Pan. And you are mine!” Jack paled and scrambled back, colliding with the wall. It wasn’t possible. Daniel couldn’t be a Gou’uld. Jack shook his head, unable to stop himself. A disturbing laugh erupted from Daniel’s lips. *Neith Of all Egyptian gods and goddesses, Neith is often referred to in Egyptian texts as the "eldest," and even as the "first" deity. Neith (also known as Nit, Net and Neit) her symbol, like the town of Sais itself, two crossed Arrows over a shield The mother of Ra her temple (of which nothing now remains) bore the inscription: I am All That Has Been, That Is, and That Will Be. No mortal has yet been able to lift the veil that covers Me. thus considered a wife of Set. Despite this, it was said that she interceded in the war between Heru’ur and Set, over the Egyptian throne, recommending that Heru’ur rule. woman with the head of a lioness A great festival, called the Feast of Lamps, was held annually in her honor, and according to Herodotus, her devotees burned a multitude of lights in the open air all night during the celebration In her usual representations, she is portrayed as a fierce deity, a human female wearing the Red Crown Goddess of war, weaving, water. Ok. Jack’s eyes and voice box out sex slave for Daniel not do same and have to hear it. Daniel sees what goes on but behind partition/ chained to wall, can’t make sound. Finds Jack w/o voice/ eyes huddled up on floor of cell ‘crying’. Jack broken, Daniel gou’ulded? Like Samson thing? Daniel at first thinks Jack Gould, but not just incision for surgery. Daniel enforced brain labor why still around. Don’t know how ends. Doesn’t? Daniel Gou’uld, threaten O’Neill. Neith gets mad, throws Daniel across room. Daniel begs O’Neill kill him. Looking for warrior infusion in army? Why want O’Neill. Came to Neith!