Part 17 (1/2)
But triumph only lasted a moment.
A powerful blow struck her across the face, slamming her backward so hard she hit the floor with an oomph that knocked the breath from her lungs and the knife from her fingers.
She scrambled to her feet, fighting for breath, but the Amam didn't give her a moment. It was on her, large fingers curling into her jacket as it lifted her off her feet and held her dangling in mid-air.
”It has been too long,” it hissed, ”since I fed on one such as you.”
And then it smashed her against the wall, holding her there with one hand at her throat as it raised the other to expose the feeding organ on its palm.
”Go to h.e.l.l!” she spat, gripping the arm at her throat and trying to push it away. It was hopeless, but she refused to die without a fight.
”Carter!”
She couldn't turn her head, but, from the corner of her eye, she saw the colonel watching her in horror. She didn't want the face of her killer to be the last thing she saw so she held onto the colonel's gaze, let it anchor her as the creature snarled.
”I will savor you,” it breathed, like a vile caress.
She shuddered, choking in a gasp past the fingers at her throat. ”Sir...”
His eyes widened in panic. ”Carter!”
And the creature struck, driving its hand into her chest and crus.h.i.+ng her against the fleshy wall of the chamber. She screamed, flinging her head back as pain lanced into her heart.
Dimly, she could hear the colonel shouting and cursing but her ears were ringing, head swimming as her life was wrenched out through her chest. Her fingers were numbing, her legs jellifying and then - It dropped her. Clutching its hand as if it burned, the Amam staggered backward, gasping for air as it fell to one knee.
Sam didn't wait to wonder why, she just acted. Forcing her body to work, she aimed a kick at the creature's chest and sent it sprawling onto its back. Then she was on it, pulling the stun weapon from its holster in one swift move and firing once, twice, three times. It jerked beneath the crawling electrical charge, and then lay still.
She spun, caught the second creature a moment before it grabbed her, and threw herself backward as she fired again. The third had its weapon drawn, but she dodged the first blast and landed two clean shots to the creature's head. They sent it to its knees and the third laid it out completely.
Only when all three were down did Sam let her own knees give way and she crumpled, gasping for breath, to the floor.
”Carter...”
She couldn't reply, just rolled onto her hands and knees and concentrated on breathing past the pain that still knotted her chest.
”Sam?” Daniel this time. ”Sam get up...”
Just a few more breaths.
”Major!” It was an order and she responded instinctively, sitting back on her heels. At least the world had stopped spinning, even if her mind felt upside down. ”Carter.” The colonel was speaking to her like she wasn't quite there - maybe she wasn't. ”Carter, you have to get the knife.”
Yes, the knife. She shook her head, trying to clear it, and pushed herself back to her feet. Her knees buckled at the first attempt, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand. The knife lay close to Daniel, hidden in the shadows. Her legs wobbled as she walked, but she was breathing easier now, although she still felt weak from whatever that thing had done to her. Grabbing the knife, she braced herself for a moment against the pod holding Daniel. Then, with visceral pleasure, she plunged the blade into the tendrils that held him in place, sawing at them and grimacing at the oily substance that leaked out when the blade sliced deep.
It didn't take long before Daniel was free and pulling her into a swift, fierce hug. ”Sam, thank G.o.d,” he whispered against her neck.
”I'm okay,” she said, holding tight for a moment and then pulling back. ”Go free the colonel. I'll help Teal'c.”
She tried not to look at the faces of the other prisoners as she made her way over to Teal'c, and definitely didn't look at the withered corpse on the floor. But she saw enough to tell her that most were beyond help - comatose, maybe even dead.
”Teal'c,” she said, focusing on his face and not the horror all around them, as she started cutting him free.
”Major Carter.” He held her gaze, not looking away for a moment, as if aware that she needed his presence. ”That was most impressive.”
Sam shook her head. ”I didn't do anything,” she said, working the serrated edge through the leathery bonds. ”It just let me go.”
”Because you're blessed by the G.o.ds.” Hunter spoke from behind her and she threw him a quick glance as she struggled to free Teal'c.
”What do you mean?”
”The G.o.ds are powerful. The s.n.a.t.c.hers can't feed on them they bless.”
Sam exchanged a look with Teal'c. ”Jolinar?”
”It is possible.”
At last Teal'c's arms were free, he pulled out his own knife and after that it didn't take long to get him out. Released from the coc.o.o.n, he put a hand on Sam's shoulder and gave it a brief squeeze. ”Thank you,” he said. ”Once more, I owe you my life.”
”Teal'c,” she scolded gently. ”I thought we agreed to stop counting?”
He gave a slight smile and then his eyes moved to Hunter. ”We cannot leave him.”
”There must be twenty other people in here,” she said, glancing down the length of the chamber. They couldn't free them all.
The colonel was free now too, brus.h.i.+ng the last of the gunk off his uniform. He stopped when he reached the unconscious body of the Amam who'd attacked her, crouched down and studied its face intently. Then he stood up, walked over to one of the other creatures and snagged the weapon from its limp hands. Turning back, he fired twice into the body of Black Hair, then twice into the other two creatures, and stood watching the blue energy fizz across their skin. None of them would be waking up any time soon.
He caught her eye when he looked up and there was something dark and furious there; it made her glad he was on their side. But all he said was, ”We need to get outa here. Now.”
”Yes sir.”
Teal'c said, ”We cannot leave this man, O'Neill.”
”Teal'c -”
”I can help you!” Hunter broke in. ”Please - I know this place. I can get you out, and I can get you to Dix.”
The colonel shrugged, unimpressed. ”And what's Dix?”
”Ah, not 'what',” Daniel said, coming up behind him, ”who. Remember what Elspeth told us?” He looked at Hunter. ”Dix is a man, right? A resistance leader?”
”He's the resistance leader,” Hunter said, as if Daniel was stating the blindingly obvious. ”First Prime to Hecate.”
”First Prime, huh?” the colonel flung Teal'c a look. ”How about that?”
Teal'c didn't respond, although his expression hardened.
”Sir?” Sam said. ”If there's a Goa'uld here and this planet's gate is inoperative, that suggests there's a ha'tak in orbit. Possibly with a Stargate on board.”
The colonel frowned, a deep line carved between his eyebrows. He obviously didn't like the idea, but what choice did they have? It was clear now that there was no chance of the Amam helping them. ”This Dix guy,” he said eventually. ”Why would he help us?”
”I already told you,” Hunter said. ”Dix leads the resistance. He'll help anyone who fights the s.n.a.t.c.hers.”