Read Online Stargate SG-1: Sacrifice Moon by Julie Fortune - Free Book Online
Authors: Julie Fortune
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video camera and held it out to the side, trying for a good angle.
Chevrons lit up on the Stargate as the address locked in.
The one dialing hit the red ball on the DHD, and the Stargate activated, plasma boiling like water. When it settled into a shimmering
pool, the veiled travelers began to walk up the steps. One or two faltered and had to be helped along by their fellows. The armed security
detail didn't move, until one ripped off her veil and backed away. She
turned to run, but spears clashed in front of her, forming a glittering
fence.
"She's just a kid," Carter blurted in alarm. "Sir - "
"We don't know what's going on, Carter," he said flatly. "Hold
your position."
He didn't like it, really didn't like it. The girl was crying. One of
the others took off his veil and came back down a couple of steps to
take her by the shoulders, then embrace her. A man old enough to be
her father, maybe. He put her veil back on and adjusted it, then his
own, and led her by the hand up the steps.
"No bags," Daniel said softly.
"What?"
"They're not carrying any bags. No packs, no food... nothing.
This isn't travel. They don't expect to need anything, where they're
going."
One by one, they disappeared through the wormhole. The man led
the girl through, still holding her hand tightly.
The one who'd dialed the gate, and the few left standing at the
foot of the steps, removed their veils and dark robes as the wormhole
disengaged with a snap and a flare.
Familiar faces underneath. "Acton," Daniel murmured. "And the
rest of the town council... um... Jack...?"
The town council was turning in their direction. Acton's finger
pointed at them.
"Think our diplomatic card's been pulled," Jack said. "Right. Time
to go."
He led the way toward the Stargate, MP5 held at the ready across
his chest, warm and lethal. Acton wasn't pointing at them any more,
but his expression had gone dark and rigid.
"Tell him thanks for the hospitality, but we're due back home."
There was some back and forth, fluid syllables that sounded, on
Acton's part, more than a little angry. Daniel gave it right back, short
terse responses, and Jack watched his eyes begin to glitter.
"Apparently," Daniel finally said, in a flat, tense aside, "we
shouldn't have seen that. Some kind of religious taboo."
So this wasn't going so well. Perversely, he felt himself relax. At
least things were back to normal - trouble.
"Just dial the gate, Daniel," Jack said, and stepped in to face off
with Acton. He'd been right, this guy wasn't just your average gladhanding politician. Acton had that dead-eyed stare of a man who'd
fought and killed, and he didn't blink when Jack engaged him in a
silent battle of wills.
Behind them, Daniel moved toward the DHD. One of the guards
got in front of it, blocking his path. Jack brought his MP5 up in an
unmistakably threatening way and pointed it right at Acton's chest.
"Go around him," he said flatly.
"Jack, he may not understand..."
"Oh, he understands," Jack said. Acton's eyes were burning with
fury. "Just dial."
Daniel eased around the guard and began entering symbols. Each
solid chunk of the sequence eased just a tiny bit of tension in Jack's
spine.
They were going to get out of this after all, and leave it for Hammond to fix whatever diplomatic valve they blew. Good in theory....
... until it all went to hell.
"Colonel O'Neill!" Teal'c yelled, a full-throated cry of warning, and the Jaffa's staff weapon fired with a shockingly loud burst.
Whether they'd been looking for a fight or not, they were in one
now; Jack instantly shifted his grip on the MP5 and slammed the butt around to connect with Acton's head. Acton went flying. Dammit,
we're outnumbered, I don't want to kill these people...
He spun to assess the situation, just as Teal'c took a step back, firing over the heads of advancing security guards. Something happened
Jack couldn't actually see; Teal'c went down in a haze of crawling
blue
Chevrons lit up on the Stargate as the address locked in.
The one dialing hit the red ball on the DHD, and the Stargate activated, plasma boiling like water. When it settled into a shimmering
pool, the veiled travelers began to walk up the steps. One or two faltered and had to be helped along by their fellows. The armed security
detail didn't move, until one ripped off her veil and backed away. She
turned to run, but spears clashed in front of her, forming a glittering
fence.
"She's just a kid," Carter blurted in alarm. "Sir - "
"We don't know what's going on, Carter," he said flatly. "Hold
your position."
He didn't like it, really didn't like it. The girl was crying. One of
the others took off his veil and came back down a couple of steps to
take her by the shoulders, then embrace her. A man old enough to be
her father, maybe. He put her veil back on and adjusted it, then his
own, and led her by the hand up the steps.
"No bags," Daniel said softly.
"What?"
"They're not carrying any bags. No packs, no food... nothing.
This isn't travel. They don't expect to need anything, where they're
going."
One by one, they disappeared through the wormhole. The man led
the girl through, still holding her hand tightly.
The one who'd dialed the gate, and the few left standing at the
foot of the steps, removed their veils and dark robes as the wormhole
disengaged with a snap and a flare.
Familiar faces underneath. "Acton," Daniel murmured. "And the
rest of the town council... um... Jack...?"
The town council was turning in their direction. Acton's finger
pointed at them.
"Think our diplomatic card's been pulled," Jack said. "Right. Time
to go."
He led the way toward the Stargate, MP5 held at the ready across
his chest, warm and lethal. Acton wasn't pointing at them any more,
but his expression had gone dark and rigid.
"Tell him thanks for the hospitality, but we're due back home."
There was some back and forth, fluid syllables that sounded, on
Acton's part, more than a little angry. Daniel gave it right back, short
terse responses, and Jack watched his eyes begin to glitter.
"Apparently," Daniel finally said, in a flat, tense aside, "we
shouldn't have seen that. Some kind of religious taboo."
So this wasn't going so well. Perversely, he felt himself relax. At
least things were back to normal - trouble.
"Just dial the gate, Daniel," Jack said, and stepped in to face off
with Acton. He'd been right, this guy wasn't just your average gladhanding politician. Acton had that dead-eyed stare of a man who'd
fought and killed, and he didn't blink when Jack engaged him in a
silent battle of wills.
Behind them, Daniel moved toward the DHD. One of the guards
got in front of it, blocking his path. Jack brought his MP5 up in an
unmistakably threatening way and pointed it right at Acton's chest.
"Go around him," he said flatly.
"Jack, he may not understand..."
"Oh, he understands," Jack said. Acton's eyes were burning with
fury. "Just dial."
Daniel eased around the guard and began entering symbols. Each
solid chunk of the sequence eased just a tiny bit of tension in Jack's
spine.
They were going to get out of this after all, and leave it for Hammond to fix whatever diplomatic valve they blew. Good in theory....
... until it all went to hell.
"Colonel O'Neill!" Teal'c yelled, a full-throated cry of warning, and the Jaffa's staff weapon fired with a shockingly loud burst.
Whether they'd been looking for a fight or not, they were in one
now; Jack instantly shifted his grip on the MP5 and slammed the butt around to connect with Acton's head. Acton went flying. Dammit,
we're outnumbered, I don't want to kill these people...
He spun to assess the situation, just as Teal'c took a step back, firing over the heads of advancing security guards. Something happened
Jack couldn't actually see; Teal'c went down in a haze of crawling
blue
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