Stargate SG1 Fan Fiction ❯ The Secret Life of a Major General ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16

Tower Premier Suite, Luxor Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
May 27, 2005
Afternoon

Oceanus studied the screen of Nirrti’s device set on the table he was seated at. Three data tablets were plugged into the pyramidal shaped device as its program finished running the last of its analysis. The twins of course had been the reason for acquiring Nirrti’s technology but on a whim, he had scanned the Carter woman when she had been manhandled into his presence four days ago.

The children’s genetics had been more than he had hoped for, as either of the children would be exceedingly genetically suitable as hosts. In fact, he and Athena had never seen such suitable genetic profile before, nor heard of such a profile being boasted of by any other lord.

But that was not what had him staring at the display with a puzzled frown wrinkling his brow.

According to the data provided from the twins and the Carter woman, when automatically compared against by Nirrti’s program, they were genetically related. More than being genetically related actually the program stated a 99.99% probability of the offspring being birthed by the woman.

And that could not be right. Not with the same data stating the woman had never bore a child to term.

“Line-daughter,” Oceanus asked solicitously of the blonde woman currently indulging in a glass of fine red wine imported from Bacchus’s vineyards on Persia. “Would you please tell me if you interpret this data the same as I am?”

Athena rose leisurely from her seated position and approached the table. Setting the finely crafted goblet on the table, she leaned over Oceanus and let her body brush teasingly against his back.

“This is curious line-father.” Athena finally stated after reading the information. “Nirrti’s machines seem to indicate that the twins are of the former Tok’ra host. And yet that same machine states the woman has not had children.”

“You always had such a def touch with the seneb’kesh, perhaps you would be able to confirm or refute what Nirrti’s device states?”

“I would be more than happy to.” Athena said as she straightened. Departing the open sitting room, she entered the bedroom to claim her healing device. Exiting the bedroom and then the suit, she made her way through the hotel to the standard room where the former Tok’ra host was held captive.

Knocking on the door and stating the perquisite password in Goa’uld she was permitted entrance to the room by one of the Trust operatives that were always present. Even with the Carter woman being kept hog-tied and blindfolded at all times, they were taken no chances that she would manage a successful escape. Even when eating and relieving herself, Carter was kept under the watchful eyes of two operatives and a hovering zat’nik’tel. Otherwise, she remained bound on a cot that had been rolled into the room.

Approaching the cot where the tied up woman laid, Athena held the healing device over the woman’s lower abdomen and began to examine the internal organs in minute detail.

Carter stiffened at the sudden hot touch of the device, tensed for pain but gradually relaxed when none was fore coming.

Athena’s proficiency with the healing device to search out the slightest flaw or quirk in a human’s body was legendary. She utilised that ability as she performed a detailed scan of Carter’s reproductive organs, searching for any hint that the uterus had nurtured a foetus. It took two thorough passes with the device before she was convinced the data from Nirrti’s device was correct. The former Tok’ra host had never bore a child.

Athena was puzzled as she stripped the device from her hand and turning sharply on her heel marched back to the suite she was sharing with Oceanus. Swiping the key card through the suite’s door, she entered to find Oceanus had poured himself a glass of Bacchus’s finest and was lounging on the sofa.

Returning the healing device to the master bedroom, she joined her line-father on the couch in front of the entertainment center and accepted the glass she had been drinking from earlier. “It is as Nirrti’s device states. The Carter woman has never bore a child nor are there any signs that she has ever carried a child.”

“That is most peculiar,” Oceanus observed.

Athena nodded her agreement as she sipped from her glass. “Are you certain of the genetic relation?”

“In that matter Nirrti’s technology has never been mistaken,” Oceanus stated flatly. An acknowledged fact amongst the Goa’uld cartel. There were few, if any, that could rival the deceased lord’s knowledge of human genetics.

“So if the twins are the woman’s children and yet the seneb’kesh reveals that she has never bore children… then how did they come to be?” Athena mused.

“That line-daughter is a question that I am sure we can have O’Neill answer for us,” Oceanus said with a cruel smile.

Jack returned home from what he felt was a fruitless day at the office having been permitted to return for a few hours of light duties by Dr Hill. His tension over Tyler and Emily’s kidnapping and the unanimous suspicion of Carter’s kidnapping on the 23rd or shortly afterwards was wearing him thin and totally wreaking his ability to concentrate on other Homeworld Security issues.

Still nothing about his children and Shanahan had reported he had not talked with his fiancé since the previous Friday—had in fact been expecting a phone call from her about finally ordering the wedding invitations. Searching Carter’s residence had revealed her bike lying carelessly in the driveway. Triangulating the signal of her still powered up cell phone had revealed its location; tossed carelessly aside in a nearby hedge along with her wallet and other ID. Investigation by local officials had reported rumours on the streets of a snatch job that had put two or three in the hospital for treatment.

Jack took grim satisfaction from the rumours for if they were true it meant that Carter had put up a hell of fight. The rumoured use of local thugs had Cruise and other analysts convinced that these situations were entirely homegrown and separate. He on the other hand felt in his gut that the situation was alien and most likely linked because of the twins’ heritage.

He just did not know who or what demands they would make of him. If any. That was his biggest fear. That there would be no demands and the group responsible for the kidnappings had simply been after the three and skipped the planet after getting their prize.

Ignoring the now smaller group of agents—only one from each civilian department—camping in his living room he made a beeline for his refrigerator and the left over Italian pasta for dinner that was sitting next to the case of Heineken. Stress had him craving the obviation found in the bottom of a dozen bottles of beer but it was a solace he denied himself. He knew what alcohol did to the brain and testosterone and he’d been damned if he would be the slightest bit impaired when the situation called for action.

Setting the carton into the microwave, he heated his meal and eyed the amount of coffee mugs cluttering his sink. It was a good thing the agents mostly subsisted on takeout otherwise he would hate to witness the arguments over who did dishes.

The ring of his phone had him poking his head into the living room with an inquiring look.

“It’s an unknown number,” Burke reported.

Moving into the living room, he waited for the necessary second ring before answering. “O’Neill.”

“Ah, O’Neill,” the distinctive tone of a goa’uld voice issued through the line. Clearly heard through the room on the tracking electronics recording device.

Jack’s facial features tightened. “Who’s speaking?”

“You will learn your god’s name in due time,” the goa’uld taunted.

“You’re no god,” Jack snarled.

“Tsk, tsk. Such harsh words from a man who seems to have misplaced some people that are very, very close to him,” the voice chided. “One could call them… family.”

Jack stiffened at the innuendo. How it knew… Did the goa’uld really know? Or was he just making assumptions himself?

“If you’ve harmed one hair—”

“Enough threats,” the goa’uld cut him off before he could complete his sentence. “You will receive a package. In it will be my requirements. I will give you twelve hours after receiving the package to fulfill those requirements.”

Jack opened his mouth to respond and swore viciously as the dial tone sounded in his ear. Looking at Burke who had been monitoring the tracking electronics, the CIA agent shook his head. The goa’uld had not been on the line for the necessary two minutes to get an exact location for the caller.

Jack slammed the receiver into its cradle, cracking the plastic, before storming from the room up to his bedroom; a steady stream of cursing following his retreating form.