SG1-16 Four Dragons (18 page)

On hands and knees, Jack felt for the hole. A thorn jabbed his hand but he kept probing. A few more inches to the left and, “Found it!”

“Teal’c, Bra’tac, climb in,” Carter ordered.

Jack scrambled further back in the hole to make room. He barely made out the hulking shape of Teal’c crawling in when the ground began to thrum. “Let’s go, let’s go! That glider’s almost over head.”

“I shall remain out here,” Bra’tac insisted.

“No you won’t,” Jack said. “Teal’c, grab him.”

Teal’c yanked Bra’tac inside. Just as Carter dove in, the glider buzzed overhead. It’d been a close call.

Too close, in Jack’s opinion, and yet…

He touched the back of his neck. Had someone, or something, tried to warn him of the approaching glider?

* * *

As they awaited the glider’s departure, Teal’c crouched alongside his friends within the dark, makeshift foxhole. By his count, the ship had made three passes of the immediate area, each time at a lower altitude. It was his hope that the light sticks sown in the other tunnels they’d passed would be obscured from above.

Finally, the glider’s engine grew distant. It had departed the immediate vicinity. Teal’c estimated the ship was searching further west, where they had yet to traverse. Relieved, he inhaled deeply, the pungent scent of dank soil beneath them filing his nostrils. His breathing and that of the others returned to normal — all apart from Master Bra’tac whose shallow breaths were loud in the cramped space.

Teal’c did not know what troubled his old friend and was hesitant to ask while amongst the others. He would wait for Bra’tac to share his woes when he was ready.

O’Neill had no such patience. “Bra’tac, unless hyperventilation is your idea of a good time, it might be nice of you to tell us what’s got your panties in a bunch.”

Bra’tac exhaled loudly. “It is nothing, O’Neill.”

“I’m sorry, Bra’tac,” said Major Carter, “But something’s got you wound up. You’ve been like this since we entered the maze.”

Far off, an animal cried out, the sound low, as if the creature was in pain. Teal’c felt Bra’tac tense beside him.

“That whole ‘conjured memory’ thing you mentioned earlier,” said O’Neill. “You mind telling us what that’s about? We’re flying blind here and the more intel we have, the better chance we have of getting out of here… and getting Daniel back.”

Teal’c noticed the hesitation in O’Neill’s voice when mentioning their mission to rescue Daniel Jackson, but more immediate concerns required his attention. He placed a hand on Bra’tac’s arm. “You are the bravest Jaffa I know. If you are troubled, the cause must be genuine. Should you not share the reason so that we may understand?”

Bra’tac sighed. “I am a foolish old man, but this maze… It is reminiscent of the ancient trial of Amen’ta.”

“The ancient test once used to deem those worthy enough to become Apophis’ First Prime,” Teal’c explained. “But by my time, no one, not even you, old friend, would share its details.”

“I was only a young lieutenant in Apophis’ ranks when the trial was eliminated. It was I who implored the false god to end such a heinous practice.”

Overhead, the glider passed by once more. North this time, and at a higher altitude and velocity. As much as Teal’c wished to hear Bra’tac’s story, he also hoped the ship would soon return to Yu’s fortress so that they may retrieve Daniel Jackson.

“What happened in this trial of Amen’ta?” asked Major Carter.

“A candidate for First Prime would be placed within a maze much like this one. The task was to find their way out.”

“How hard could that be?” asked O’Neill as he shifted his weight beside Teal’c. “Ouch! Damned thorns.”

Indeed, Teal’c had suffered several stabs from the offending protrusions. They were annoying in their inability to bend.

“Unlike ourselves,” Bra’tac replied, “Bay’lik of the Red Grove was given no food. No water. No weapons.”

“Bay’lik. I’m guessing he was a friend?”

“Indeed he was, O’Neill. Bay’lik was much loved by both his god and all Jaffa.”

“And he needed weapons because?”

“Vicious beasts — Amen’ta — were set within the maze as well.”

“Amen’ta are native to Chulak,” Teal’c said. “Much like Earth’s lions, but with the head of a crocodile. Ferocious in nature.”

Bra’tac grunted. “I have seen firsthand the evidence of their ferocity.”

Teal’c grasped Bra’tac’s arm in solidarity. “You need not share this tale if — ”

“I must. For my own sake as well as yours.” Bra’tac squeezed Teal’c’s hand and then released it. “The last candidate to undergo the trial was Bay’lik. Though Bay’lik was young, he inspired much loyalty from the Jaffa. We would follow him into the caves of Ne’tu if he asked.”

“I’m guessing Bay’lik didn’t survive,” O’Neill murmured.

“He did not. When seven days had passed, Apophis ordered me to take those closest to Bay’lik into the maze so that we may find his remains. Armed, we felt sure of ourselves. We were young warriors and our god favored us…”

“Did you find Bay’lik?” asked Major Carter.

“We found his bones stripped of flesh, his symbiote torn in half.”

“And the Amen’ta?”

“In my haste to recover Bay’lik’s remains, I did not think to warn the others with me. An Amen’ta attacked, its fangs ripping all but three of my men apart before we were able to slay the beast. All because I had been thinking of the dead and not those who’d entrusted their lives to my care.”

A cough in the darkness. O’Neill.

Teal’c considered Bra’tac’s words. He knew his old friend believed O’Neill’s steadfast determination to rescue Daniel Jackson placed other elements of their mission at risk, including the need to recruit more Jaffa to their cause, but Teal’c knew O’Neill. He had faith in his Tau’ri brother’s overriding drive to protect all of them, no matter the personal cost. Hence the reason for this subterfuge with Ambassador Huang.

Within the group’s fallen silence, Teal’c listened for a sign that Yu’s glider may have returned. He heard nothing.

O’Neill tapped him on the shoulder. “Think they’re gone?”

Teal’c leaned out of the hole and looked up at the night sky. “For the moment.”

A dull glow appeared within Major Carter’s hands, illuminating the hole. She had pulled out the communication device. Ambassador Huang and General Hammond’s faces hung within the ball. Teal’c glanced over at Bra’tac. The Jaffa Master now seemed more weary than agitated.

“
Major Carter, are the gliders gone?
”

“We think so, General, but I’m going to have to keep the ball under wraps until we’re sure it’s safe. I’ll need both of you to keep pretty quiet. With your approval, Mister Ambassador.”

“Ouch!” Having slid his hand along the inner wall of their hole, O’Neill now rubbed one palm with the other. “Laying it on a bit thick, don’t you think, Carter?” he mumbled.

“
If you must
,” said Ambassador Huang, the grey in his beard accentuated by the display’s silver-brown glow. It disturbed Teal’c greatly that he had yet to place the old man. It disturbed him more that the S.G.C. had yet to uncover who the ambassador really was.

“
As soon as you are able, please permit us to view the surroundings once more. It is one thing to listen, but
— ”

“Listening is about all I can give you right now,” Major Carter said.

“
Understood
,” said General Hammond. “
Be careful
.”

“Is my father around, sir?”

General Hammond shook his head. “He’s with Dr. Frasier at the moment, Major. I’ll give him your regards.”

Teal’c shared a look with O’Neill. If Jacob Carter and Selmak were working with Dr. Frasier, perhaps an answer would come soon.

Major Carter signed off and stuck the ball back into her pant leg. The hole was once again plunged into near darkness. “Bra’tac, I promise you, we’re going to get through this. It’s a very different situation.”

“Perhaps it is,” said Bra’tac, his voice wooden. Distant. “But a man’s memories are sometimes a beast as painful and dangerous as the Amen’ta.”

“Yeah…” O’Neill said softly, and then, his voice took on the forced cheerfulness Teal’c had come to recognize. A voice meant as much to buoy himself as those around him. “But hey! You’re forgetting something.” The electric ‘ka-chink’ of enabled zat sounded in the darkened hole. “Unlike Bay’lik, we’re armed.”

“Are we?” Bra’tac asked harshly. “You yourself have shown that you do not consider the zat a worthy weapon. And how do you propose we escape this maze without any light? A glider could return at any moment.”

“I’ve been thinking about that. Carter, how far in do you think we are from our starting point?”

“Hard to tell, sir. We never got a very good look from above. We could be several kilometers in or only feet away from where we started.”

“Teal’c, you think you could get us back to the beginning of the maze?”

Teal’c was certain he could retrace their steps. It was simply a matter of finding the tunnels in which the light sticks lay. Going forward would be another challenge. “We dare not use any light source in case the glider returns.”

“Not a problem,” said O’Neill. “Actually, it’s a small problem, and it’ll hurt like hell… for me, at least, but anything beats sitting in this hole any longer.”

He had begun to crawl toward the exit, and then stopped. “If that’s all right with you, Carter? I know you’re in charge, but my knees are killing me and besides, I think I can get us through this godforsaken maze.”

“I’m all for that, sir.” At Major Carter’s direction, they crawled out into the night. Without the moon to light their way, the tunnel was still quite dark. Only a few stars overhead poked through the vegetation covering the tunnel’s ceiling.

O’Neill tentatively placed his hand on the hedge wall and then yanked it back. “Damn. Someone remind me why I stopped wearing gloves on these little missions of ours.”

Teal’c joined him by the wall. “What is it you are planning, O’Neill?”

His friend looked at him, the glint of a nearby star illuminating darkened eyes filled with sad determination. “A way out. Whether Bra’tac thinks we’re doing the right thing or not… we’re getting Daniel back. That’s the only reason we’re here.”

Teal’c shook his head. “I do not think Bra’tac believes otherwise.”

“Yes, well, at the moment, I’m not so sure. He’s still pretty pissed at me for shooting those Jaffa.” O’Neill paused. He looked over at Bra’tac and then returned to tentatively probing the hedge wall. “You know, I’ve got my own beasty memories, too — hell, we all do — but I get Bra’tac’s point.”

“Indeed.” Teal’c bowed his head in agreement. In joining SG-1, he had dedicated his life to a path of redemption from such memories.

“Memories suck. No doubt about it.” O’Neill plucked a thorn from the hedge and hand it to Teal’c. “But sometimes, T, sometimes, they’re all we’ve got.”

* * *

Sam followed Colonel O’Neill’s lead with Teal’c and Bra’tac bringing up the rear. Though they didn’t encounter any more Jaffa on the trail, she’d ordered everyone’s zats engaged just in case. A low hum grew louder the further they plodded through the maze, a hopeful sign that they were getting closer to the photonic shield surrounding Yu’s fortress.

Through every twist and turn of the interconnected tunnels, she struggled to bite back any protest. It wasn’t that she was bothered by the fact that the colonel led the way. Nor was she concerned that, as temporary commander of this mission, she really should be the one out front. She could care less about protocol.

What troubled her was the colonel’s short hushed gasps as he slid his left hand along the walls of the hedge maze. He never broke contact, never lifted his hand no matter what the walls consisted of. Some tunnels were comprised of gnarled roots and branches; others contained unavoidable thorns which completely covered the walls. Through it all, Colonel O’Neill pushed on. He always turned left, and by the sound of things, always closer to their objective.

Knowing he’d object to any expressed concern, Sam focused on the sound. Low pitched, she placed it at least several octaves below middle C. She suspected Yu’s photonic emitter generated some sort of side effect, possibly due to particle bombardment, but she was guessing. There was no way to know until she could examine the device for herself, and that would be impossible.

The vines overhead had thinned out, allowing in some pre-dawn light. They’d just rounded another corner when Colonel O’Neill stopped and swore softly. He’d hung his head low, the band on the back of his ski cap glistening with sweat.

“Colonel, are you all right?” Sam whispered.

“God, that sound’s annoying,” the colonel said. “Carter, you think we’re close enough to stop for a second?”

“Hang on.” Glancing over her shoulder at Teal’c and Bra’tac, she gestured for them to scout ahead. The two ran to the end of the tunnel and disappeared from view. Only moments later, they returned.

While Teal’c came up beside her, Bra’tac stopped in front of the colonel. A silent look went between them. Finally, Bra’tac said, “I should not have doubted you.”

The colonel smirked. “Next time, I’m taking bets. Three to one odds.”

“There are no Jaffa to be seen,” Teal’c said as he holstered his weapon. “The maze ends beyond the next bend. From there, it is a short distance to the rear entrance of Yu’s fortress. A low wall surrounds the area, though it can be easily scaled.”

“Not without a little help from the medkit,” the colonel said, raising his left hand in the air.

Even in the low light, Sam could see the deep cuts on his palm and fingers. With her own pack weighed down with equipment, Teal’c had carried supplies. He unsnapped his pack, pulled out the medkit and offered it to the colonel.

Sam grabbed it. “Break out some energy bars, Teal’c, and make sure everyone gets some water in them.”

Teal’c unwrapped an energy bar and silently handed it to the colonel. He distributed bars to Bra’tac and Sam and then passed around a canteen.

“Permission to sit, Major?” The colonel pointed at the communications ball stuffed in her pocket.