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[ Chapter 1: Decisions | Chapter 2: Mission Together | Chapter 3: Captured | Chapter 4: Time to Talk | Chapter 5: Rescue? | Chapter 6: Together | Chapter 7: Ori Planet | Chapter 8: Escape Plans | Chapter 9: Taking Over an Ori Ship | Chapter 10: Escaped? | Chapter 11: On the Run | Chapter 12: An Old Base | Chapter 13: A Surprising Find - and a Decision | Chapter 14: Blended - and a Surprise | Chapter 15: Getting Along | Chapter 16: Going Home ]


* denotes host/symbiote internal communication

Chapter 7 summary: SG-2 and the rest of SG-1 arrives with an anti-Prior device, hoping to take out the Prior and rescue Sam and Martouf/Lantash.
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"Ah, Mitchell. Have you brought this device that should be able to incapacitate the Prior?" Theros asked.

"Yes, I have. Where's my people?"

"All in good time. How does it work?"

"This device will emit a high, ultra-sonic frequency targeting a specific portion of the Prior's brain, temporarily blocking his ability to use his powers," Daniel explained, adding. "If we hit the right frequency."

"Listen, that's not important right now. What matters is that it works," Mitchell said, annoyed.

"Hopefully," Vala added, in a low voice.

Mitchell, Teal'c, Daniel, and Vala, together with SG-2, had arrived on the planet shortly before, bringing an anti-Prior device. With the improvements that had been done to it, it should be able to disable the powers of the Prior for long enough to kill him.

"As long as you are certain of that. He must be killed, of course, but due to...unforeseen circumstances...that can regrettably not be done on this planet. You will have to take him with you."

"What!" Mitchell stared at him.

"Are you crazy?" Daniel asked. "We're lucky if we can disable his powers for long enough to kill him - to risk waiting while we move him off world is insane, and we very likely won't succeed!"

Theros looked unhappy, but apparently decided he needed to tell them the truth. "The Prior did not leave when we thought he did. Instead, he has attended meetings with both Jaffa and humans of this world. It would seem he has gained quite a following among the ungrateful, heretic scum!"

Mitchell sighed deeply. "I suppose we should have expected it - that's what usually happens. How many people does he have?"

"Uncertain. Fairly many, I should say. I had to dispose of two men I had deemed loyal, this morning. The Jaffa have had...some problems as well. To think that they would betray their Lord when she has taken so good..."

"Yeah, yeah." Mitchell rolled his eyes.

"This likely means we cannot trust anyone," Teal'c observed. "We must move quickly."

"What about the people you have looking after Sam and Martouf? Can you trust them?" Daniel wanted to know.

Theros opened his mouth, then closed it again. He looked thoughtful for some time. "I believe so. I checked on them this morning, and all seemed to be in order. However..." He shook his head. "I am no longer certain Ihnak - or his sons - can be trusted. One of his friends were there, and he seemed...suspicious. As if he was watching me."

"Great!" Mitchell scowled. "If they're hurt because of you..."

"Relax. I am certain Ihnak would not dare! He knows Eris would punish him severely for harming her property!" Theros looked to one of his men who had just entered the room they were in. He made a sign, and Theros nodded, looking satisfied. "The Prior has been spotted on his way to meet with Eris. Come, Towak here will take you to him, and then I shall meet you near the chaapa'ai later. I will bring your people, and if you have the Prior, you will get your people back, unharmed."

"For your sake, I hope that's true."

-----
"You embrace evil. It makes no difference what you do to me. But know this, the Ori are all-seeing. They are already aware of this affront to their eminence, and shall strike down those who dare to defy them," the Prior said.

"Really? I think I've heard that before," Mitchell scoffed. He looked at Towak and the other locals who were there with him. They looked decidedly nervous. What was keeping Theros? If he did not show up soon, the Prior would break free.

"Your arrival here was foreseen," the Prior told him. "It has all been taken into consideration. Your fate will serve as a warning to others."

"They're coming." Vala pointed down the road, towards a group of people - including Theros, Sam, and Martouf/Lantash.

Mitchell let out a sigh of relief. "And not a moment too soon!"

"More people are coming!" Teal'c warned, indicating another, larger group that was approaching as well.

"Damn! Dial us up, Jackson!" Mitchell exclaimed.

"Hallowed are the children of the Ori," the Prior said, looking smug.

"Hallowed are we. Hallowed are the Ori." The group of people answered.

Theros and his group had reached Mitchell and the others, and Daniel had dialled Earth, and was sending the iris code. Suddenly, Ihnak and two others in the group with Theros, raised their weapons and turned them on Theros.

"Hallowed are the Ori! You will turn the unbelievers over to us!" Ihnak said.

"Traitor! Eris will kill you for this! How dare you betray your god?"

"What has Eris ever done for us? She is a weak god compared to the Ori. The Prior has healed my eldest daughter, who has been lame in her left leg since childhood!" Ihnak exclaimed.

"Great holy armies shall fight all who embrace evil. The wicked shall be vanquished!" the Prior said, somewhat gleefully.

"You will let go of the Prior!" One of the men demanded, raising his weapon.

-----
SG-2, Daniel, Vala, Teal'c, and Mitchell were trying to hide behind the several large rocks scattered near the Stargate. Many of the people that were attacking them had only spears and knives, but there were also several with zat'nik'tels. It would not have been much of a problem for the SG-teams, though, had not Jaffa started arriving as well, bringing staff weapons.

In the ensuing chaos, the Prior got loose from them, but the anti-Prior device apparently still worked and his powers had not returned - or he just chose not to use them. He stood, seemingly unafraid, not far from the now de-activated Stargate. He looked at the battle for a few moments, then walked to the DHD and started dialling out, apparently unconcerned by the battle raging not far from him.

Mitchell fired at the group of Jaffa who was blocking the way to those who were keeping Sam and Martouf/Lantash captured. The Jaffa moved just a little too quickly, and were again out of his line of fire. "Damn!"

"We shall succeed, Mitchell. I do not doubt it," Teal'c told him, firing at one of the Jaffa and getting him just as he shot a blast from his staff weapon at the leader of SG-2, Major Michael Griff. The shot was still fired, but the aim was off, and Griff was only hit by a glancing shot.

"More Jaffa!" Daniel shouted, pointing at a large group approaching at a fast run. He threw a glance in the direction of the sound of an activating Stargate.

"The Prior's getting away!" Vala yelled, calling their attention back to their escaped prisoner.

Mitchell swore, then noticed the group that was holding Sam and Martouf/Lantash - and Theros - prisoner. They had been keeping to the back during the fighting, but were now running towards the open wormhole, pushing their captives along with them. Several of the Jaffa, who were obviously on the Ori's side, were protecting them.

He judged their chances of cutting them off, but as soon as he took a step out behind the large rock he was huddling behind, he was met with a volley of staff blasts. He quickly dived for safety, feeling a shot zing the hair beside his ear.

"Surrender at once!" The leader of the newly arrived Jaffa group shouted. "Traitors! Your Lord Eris will punish you for acting on your own, abducting her prisoners and her lo'tar!"

"Eris?" Daniel wondered, looking at Teal'c who was crouching beside him.

"Clearly, these Jaffa are loyal to the Goa'uld, not the Prior."

The Prior looked back towards them, seemingly hesitating for a moment. Then he got a smug expression. "The Children of the Ori are protected against the unbelievers. The unbelievers will be vanquished. Hallowed are the Ori."

The leader of the Jaffa fired at the Prior, but he obviously had his powers back, as the shots were deflected harmlessly by an energy shield around him. He turned back towards the Stargate and walked into the open wormhole. The Ori-supporters - a mix of Jaffa and humans - followed, firing at the two SG-teams as well as at the Eris-loyal Jaffa.

"Careful, you don't want to hit Sam or Martouf!" Daniel exclaimed, when Teal'c took down one of the men pushing their people forward.

"I will not hit them, Daniel Jackson. Do you doubt my proficiency?" Teal'c had a slightly hurt expression on his face.

"No, no. Of course not - just those people there."

Several members of the group of pro-Ori people had reached the Stargate and now pushed Sam and Martouf/Lantash through, following them quickly. The next group - which held Theros - were maybe 20 feet behind them, and that turned out to be too much. Eris's loyal Jaffa now kept firing shot after shot just in front of them, blocking their access to the Stargate. They had no choice but to head back and run for cover.

The wormhole shut down. Out-gunned and out-manned, it did not take long before the surviving Ori-followers had to surrender to the loyal Jaffa. Theros was shocked, but alive, and he turned to the members of SG-1 and SG-2.

"Your plan failed! Spectacularly! The Prior got away, and I could have been killed!"

"Well you weren't!" Daniel said, angrily. "They took our people - and the only reason the Prior got away, was that your people couldn't be trusted!"

"How dare you blame me!" Theros said, indignantly.

"Shut up, both of you!" Mitchell told them. "Did anyone get the gate address?"

"Yes, I did," Vala said.

"Good, then we're going after Sam and Martouf." Mitchell glared at Theros. "Any problems with that?"

"No...the Prior will be in the same place, so as I see it, you will either be able to kill the Prior, or he will kill you. In any case, we will be rid of an enemy, without bothering Eris."

"And without her learning anything about your little secret plans." Mitchell shrugged. "Okay." He turned to Major Griff. "You're wounded, and so is Captain Pierce." He nodded at one of SG-2's other members. "Go back to the SGC and report. We'll go after Sam and Martouf, and bring them home."

"Sure that's safe? If the Prior went directly to his final destination, then that's probably an Ori world. At least let's head back for reinforcements first."

Mitchell shook his head. "No, we don't know what they'll do to our people. We're leaving now. Vala - give him the address. Michael - we're counting on you to get us those reinforcements."

"Don't worry about it," Griff said. "We're not going to let you down!"

-----
Mitchell stepped out on the planet, followed by Teal'c, Daniel, and Vala. The area just around the Stargate was deserted, so at least it was not guarded.

"Someone did indeed pass here a short time ago," Teal'c said, examining the prints on the ground. "A rather large group of people."

"At least I don't see any blood anywhere," Mitchell noted. "Sam and Martouf are probably not injured."

"That's something - but we have no idea if they're even still on this planet!" Daniel exclaimed, frustrated.

"I find no new footprints leading towards the Stargate - and a great many leading away from it, in that direction." Teal'c inclined his head to indicate where he believed they had gone.

"That way it is, then," Mitchell said.



Chapter 8: Escape Plans