Altered
by Bekah See
Colonel Samantha Carter groaned aloud as consciousness forced itself upon her. She didn’t want to wake up. She hurt too much for that. But there was no denying her body’s decision to revive, so she finally stopped fighting and opened her eyes.
Okay, this is different, she thought. She was standing upright and looking down at a polished black marble floor. Which meant something was holding her up. Which meant she was restrained, which meant she had been captured. Again.
Sam raised her head and took in the tacky gold filigree on the walls around her. So it was a goa’uld who had gotten her this time. Funny. She had thought she was done being captured by snake heads.
“Colonel Carter.” Teal’c’s voice penetrated the fog in her brain and she turned her head, wincing as the muscles in her neck protested the abuse.
“Teal’c.” She licked her lips. “Where are we?”
Teal’c straightened and looked around the long narrow chamber. “We were taken prisoner by the jaffa that ambushed us on PX7-498. I believe we are being held deep underground, but I do not know what planet we are on.”
“Ah.” Sam looked him over, trying to see if he had sustained any injuries. He was standing with his back to a post, his arms secured behind him over a shoulder height crossbeam that sat on top of the vertical one. He looked as unflappable as always, though Sam could see some lines of strain around his eyes. She glanced behind her and saw that she was similarly restrained, but her shoulders were screaming from holding her weight while unconscious. She stood upright, noting the trembling in her knees, and took a deep breath as her shoulders relaxed.
“Are the others here?” she asked, automatically glancing around the room for the nearest entrances. She saw none.
“I have seen no sign of Colonel Mitchell or Vala MalDoran. They may have escaped capture.”
“Or they were taken and are being held somewhere else. At least we know Daniel’s safe.”
“Indeed. His trip to Egypt was most fortuitous.”
Sam stretched her neck, rolling it over her shoulders and easing the cramping that had begun to set in.. “How long was I out?”
“Several hours. I was beginning to worry.”
“Worry? Why? You know how zats affect me.”
“I do. However, you were shot twice today, though the attacks were hours apart. And you are not as young as you used to be.”
She glared at him. “Thanks a lot Teal’c. Like you’re one to talk! How long were you on that ship?”
Teal’c’s slight smile faded and he looked away. “Fifty very long years.”
Sam caught the change in his mood and blanched. “Oh god, Teal’c, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make light of it. I was just making a joke. A bad one.”
He turned back to her. “There is nothing to apologize for, Colonel Carter. What happened, happened. Nothing can change that now.”
They lapsed into an awkward silence, Sam silently berating herself for her callous remark. Her head was clearing rapidly and she was able to take in more of their surroundings. She and Teal’c were staked in the center of a long rectangular room, surrounded by garish gold goa’uld writing on the walls and ceiling. An ornate bench fashioned in the shallow U-shape that the goa’uld seemed to favor, sat on a dais at the front of the room, its surface shining silver in the flickering torchlight . Sam guessed it to be carved from platinum or some other precious mineral. It looked as if the owner had tried to soften the hard surface by throwing a riot of silks and furs in every color and pattern imaginable over the surface. On the right side, shimmering blue silk was draped over some kind of garishly bold orange drape, both atop a huge fur of some kind of black and red stripe. On the left, a wild pattern of purple and yellow clashed with a big white paisley embroidered on the ugliest shade of green she had ever set eyes on. The ensemble as a whole set Sam’s eyes to watering and her head to pounding even more than it already had been. Tall white lights sat on either side of the throne and Sam assumed they were supposed to throw a soft glow over the chamber, but the effect was obliterated by the weak flickers the lamps were throwing out. Most of the chamber’s lighting came from the various small flames set into torches on the walls and pedestals around the room.
Sam lifted her head and looked around, twisting her head as far as her sore neck would allow. Most of the narrow room was shrouded in shadow, but she could make out tattered black draperies hanging at intervals from the high ceiling. She suspected this chamber had once been grand and glittering, but now it just looked rundown and dingy. She frowned. No self-respecting goa’uld would allow itself to live in such squalor. Her assessment of their situation went down a couple of notches.
“Teal’c,” she said, looking at the prominent symbol etched into the wall behind the throne. “Do you have any idea who took us and why?” The mark was very similar to the one adorning the big jaffa’s forehead, but without the circles surrounding the snake figure.
Teal’c looked troubled. “I have not seen her as of yet, but there is a strong possibility that we have been captured by a former mate of Apophis: a goa’uld called Kor’ana.”
“A former mate? As in a queen?” He nodded. “I thought most the queens were gone.”
“As did I. This is most disturbing.”
“When were they together? Do you know anything about her?”
“Only what is told in legends,” he replied. “Kor’ana became queen to Apophis shortly after he left earth, and for many years they ruled side by side over hundreds of worlds and millions of slaves and Jaffa. After several thousand years, however, he set her aside.
“Why?”
“It is said he no longer wanted her as his queen because she was becoming unstable, and was passing the trait to her offspring.”
“An unstable goa’uld. Imagine that,” Sam said sardonically.
“Indeed. However, Kor’ana never realized that Apophis had broken ties with her. He gave her a system of her own to rule, and for many centuries, she was content. Apophis sent supply ships filled with gifts and slaves to keep her so, and the worlds she ruled provided for the rest of her needs.”
“Why was Apophis pandering to her? Why not just get rid of her?”
“Kor’ana had many supporters among the lesser goa’ulds, and one of the most extensive spy rings of all the system lords. Messengers reported only to her, and were very loyal. Apophis wanted the network for himself, and so had to appear to keep Kor’ana in his good graces.”
“Okay,” Sam said, pulling on her bonds to test their strength. They tightened around her wrists as she struggled, and she quickly gave up to avoid cutting off her circulation. “But Apophis has been dead for years. Why is she still here?”
“It is possible that she does not yet know of Apophis’ death. None of the other system lords ever spoke to Kor’ana, nor did they know where she was.”
“But if her surveillance ring is as extensive as you say, then there is no way she could not know.”
Teal’c nodded slowly. “This is true, however, before I left Apophis’ service, I heard certain underling goa’uld speaking of infiltrating the network. Apophis had been feeding Kor’ana false information for decades, and the ring was then nearly under his total control. There was talk that he was abandoning her to her fate. At the time I was unsure who they were talking about, but now, being here and seeing her symbol on the walls, I am positive it was her.”
“Great. So either we’re here because Kor’ana thinks Apophis is still alive and wants to feed us to him, or because she knows he’s dead and wants revenge.”
The sound of the door opening several yards behind them stopped their conversation. Sam and Teal’c both twisted, trying to see who was coming in, but neither could move enough to get even a glimpse. Several sets of footsteps echoed through the chamber, walking toward them, and eventually several burly jaffa came into view, staff weapons at the ready. They were followed by a tall wiry woman whose face displayed the cold arrogance Sam had come to associate with all goa’uld, though her movements were jerky and stilted. As she moved closer, however, and her jaffa spread out and revealed her completely, Sam blinked in surprise. Dressed scantily in a garment of sparkling colored disks, the woman glittered in the torchlight like a shattered prism. Gold and silver rings shone from every finger, and a garishly ugly gold tiara sat atop her mass of stringy brown hair. A hand device that seemed to have been painted bright purple completed the lurid ensemble. The goa’uld was barefoot, and her fingernails and toenails were painted green, making her middle age appearance seem that much more ridiculous.
“Well well, look what my little net has brought in. The shol’va, Teal’c. Your reputation is legendary.” Kor’ana swayed up to him, her hips moving far more than was needed for her stride. Her voice was human normal and smooth as oil. Raising a long curled fingernail, she caressed Teal’c’s jaw line and smiled as he clenched his teeth. Then, abruptly, she pulled her hand back and slapped him, hard, across the face. One of the golden rings on her fingers cut his skin and blood began to trickle down his cheek. Teal’c said nothing, but looked over her head and at the wall beyond, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing she had hurt him. Kor’ana pouted for a moment, her mouth twisting almost comically, then she shrugged and turned her attention to Sam. “And his little friend Samantha Carter, how wonderful to finally meet you.”
“Wish I could say the same,” Sam said, forcing herself not to gag on the foul aroma emanating from the woman’s mouth. “What do you want with us?”
“Oh, I want much from you, my dear,” Kor’ana purred, running her fingers through Sam’s hair and over her face as if she were a pet. “You and your jaffa friend shall provide me no end of amusement for as long as I choose to keep you here. And oh, what fun we shall have!” She chuckled deep in her throat as one claw like fingernail stopped on Carter’s cheek and scraped a bloody line identical to the one she had inflicted on Teal’c. Sam ground her teeth, fire burning through her face, but she did not drop her gaze as Kor’ana continued. “Eventually, once I am finished amusing myself, I will turn you over to my mate, and he will complete your deaths.”
Kor’ana had watched Teal’c as she taunted Carter, noting how his jaw clenched as he strained at his bonds. His reaction seemed to amuse her. Icy blue eyes flashed white and she smiled evilly as she leaned closer to Sam, who moved back as far as her restraints would allow. “We must be careful, however, as I don’t have access to a functioning sarcophagus at the moment, and it simply wouldn’t do for you to die before my beloved comes for you.” Abruptly she straightened and clapped her hands like a child about to open a new toy. “But we have time, never fear. Apophis is not due to return for several weeks.” She turned away with a smirk and ascended the steps to her throne which gleamed chaotically in the light. She touched a button on the arm of the chair, and the torches dimmed to nothing, leaving only the soft white pillar lights sputtering behind her. Suddenly silhouetted, she raised an imperious arm. “Cali, come here.”
Sam looked around at Teal’c, and mouthed, “Cali?”
Teal’c nodded at a knot of five jaffa clustered near the door. Sam looked and saw a child, no more than nine or ten years old peering at her through the press of armored torsos. The girl was stunningly beautiful, with long, straight raven black hair and huge green eyes that were wide with curiosity as she studied the strangers. Her carriage was confident, but not arrogant like Kor’ana, and her expression as she studied the prisoners was almost gentle. The child looked up as the queen spoke her name and walked forward to sit on the black marble steps at her feet.
“Now, my child,” Kor’ana said, obviously relishing what was coming. “You will watch and see how it is done.”
“Yes, mother.” Cali pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. Her green eyes stared dutifully at the prisoners. “I am sure it will be instructive.”
Sam stared, sickened at the high pitched dual voice coming from Cali’s mouth. How old was the poor girl who hosted the monster within her? Did she know what was going on? Did this goa’uld enjoy hurting her as so many of the parasites seemed to enjoy harming their hosts? Sam ground her teeth in frustration. There was nothing they could do at the moment, but she promised herself she would help this child if she could.
Kor’ana spoke again, her voice low and seductive. “Kadan, you may begin. Start with the woman. Teal’c obviously cares for her and it will be entertaining to watch his reaction as she is beaten.” An overly large jaffa broke from the rest, and the gold of his tattoo caught the torchlight as he approached the steps and knelt at the base. Kor’ana’s first prime, then. After a brief moment, he rose and approached Carter, a sneer twisting his broad face.
Sam glanced over at Teal’c and an unspoken communication flashed between them: any response will cause more pain, so keep still no matter what.
She turned back to the dais and saw Cali studying her closely, eyes narrowed in puzzlement. She had obviously caught the exchange and was wondering what had been communicated, but she said nothing, leaving Sam to wonder what her game was.
But all concern over the girl vanished as Kadan landed his first blow, a hard roundhouse punch to her cheek that jerked her head hard to the right. Pain spidered over her shoulder and neck and arced through her face as muscles tore and bone splintered. The ferocity of the strike stunned her. It had been a long time since she’d been hit that hard. She spit out blood and tried to keep her head still, but she knew this was just the beginning. Kadan alternated between blows to her face and body with jolts from a pain stick he’d had in his belt. Sam set herself to bear down and push away the pain, but her resolve to not cry out was weakening. She could not help it when the pain stick was used, but she could keep herself from making any more noise than she had to. When Kadan circled around behind her and drove a hard fist into her kidney, however, she buckled, and her relative silence was broken with a wrenching cry. Gasping, she tried to stand, to take her weight off her shoulders but deep resonating agony was coursing through her and she could not. She groaned aloud, not realizing she’d done it, and registered blearily that Teal’c was beginning to struggle. She let her head hang, but shook it slowly and carefully, hoping her friend would understand and be still. He seemed to get the message for which Sam was grateful, even as Kadan hit her directly in the middle of her spine with the pain stick, ripping a scream from her throat. The less he reacted, the shorter this would be.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Kor’ana held up a hand. “Enough. We don’t want her unconscious, after all. She needs to witness the punishment of the shol’va, and for that, she must be fully aware.”
Sam hung in her restraints, watching blearily as blood dripped from what felt like a thousand streaks of fire that crisscrossed her face, neck and shoulders. Her ribs caught harshly against her chest every time she breathed and her stomach and kidneys throbbed from the pummeling of Kadan’s mailed fists. Her eyes were swelling rapidly until she could barely see through the gloom of the room. She raised her head briefly and looked at Cali, still sitting on the dais at her mother’s feet, and even through the haze of pain, Sam stared. Were those tears glinting on the girl’s cheeks? She squinted, trying to make out the face more clearly, but lightening flashed across her neck and she dropped her head again, trying not to pant for the pain.
She heard, but did not see, Teal’c grunt as Kadan started in on him. She did not look as Kadan jammed the pain stick into Teal’c’s body or when she heard bone crack under a particularly vicious blow. Instead she kept her eyes on the floor where her enemies could not see her agony. Or her tears.