hathor_girl

Chapter 29: Conspiracies and Discoveries

Summary: It turns out the conspirators may be a more serious threat than expected.

Sam POV

I hurry away from the terrace and to the dining room. The others are all waiting there now, and smile as they see me.

"Hello, Samantha!" Martouf greets me.

I smile at him, suppressing the sudden revulsion at the sight and smell of food. What is wrong with me? Could I get a stomach bug, as a host? I suppose Jolinar is in a deep unconscious state, but still?

"Hello, Martouf, Lantash." I nod to everyone else. "Guys!" I frown. "Listen, on the way here I noticed something...something that may be really bad. We need to talk about it."

"Relax, Carter!" Jack tells me, grinning. "Always with the drama! Sit down, have something to eat! We're stranded here for a year, so why not just enjoy it? Think of it as a vacation! With delicious food and awesome accommodation - all that's missing is Simpsons!"

I take a deep breath. "Yes, sir, and I'd love to do just that, but there may be some people who doesn't want us to - who doesn't want us here."

My dad nods. "Then we'd better hear what you have to say. Ria - is this room safe?"

"Yes, if we close the doors."

Rohk/Ihlkat is closest to the door and rises to go and do that.

Feeling somewhat better, now when they will listen to me, I sit down and take a cup of herbal tea. It soothes my stomach. I decide to eat some toasted bread and a little fruit, and as I do so, I start to explain what I had experienced.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

"Jio'a! You were right!" the young priestess says, slightly out of breath from running.

"What is it, Siola?" Jio'a asks.

"I hid behind the curtains near the terrace when the rest of you returned here, and someone was out on the terrace with us!"

Jio'a looks concerned. "Who was it? He or she may have heard us! Particularly since they remained quiet and did not reveal themselves!"

"It was the young female visitor!"

"Samantha Carter." Jio'a looks stern. "That is indeed a severe problem. She is suspecting us, I know that already. I am sure she heard what we said, and she can now recognize us also."

"What do we do about it?" Siola asks.

"I am meeting with Hapi's servant Jolki very soon. I will talk to him, though I suspect he will want us to get rid of her."

Sam POV

"So there really is a conspiracy - a group of priestesses who wish Hapi back." Jacob muses.

"Isn't that happy-fellow dead?" Jack asks.

"Yes, he is." Martouf says. "However, the priestesses doesn't believe that. They don't want to believe it - and it would seem someone is feeding their belief. I wonder who this Jolki is."

"I can answer that. He is the first prime of Naunet." Rohk says.

Martouf's eyes flash as Lantash takes over. "Naunet! She is allied with Heru'ur!"

"Right - so it's more than likely that she - and her first prime - now knows that we crashed here and are alive. Also, Heru'ur probably knows as well." Jacob says. "If she has decided to tell him - she may feel she can gain something by waiting. After all, she seems to be scheming for this world, and that may be what is on her minds primarily."

"We're screwed!" Jack exclaims. "Of course she will come for us."

"Not necessarily. They cannot come through the chaapa'ai currently." Rohk reminds them.

"What about ships?" Daniel wonders.

"Depends. Naunet is a minor Goa'uld, and probably only has a couple teltacs, and maybe an alkesh. She needs that for protecting her sole world. If she is planning to take over this world, she will move slowly and carefully. Shewill however do what she can do rise in power, and if she thinks she can use us for that, she may send a few more Jaffa." Jacob says. "But I really doubt she will tell Heru'ur until she has carried out her plan - she doesn't want him to take this world instead."

"I agree. Besides, this world is quite a distance out of the way, and seems to have been more or less forgotten. It is just too bad Naunet has heard about it and decided to make it hers." Ria sighs. "As long as the chaapa'ai remains closed, she cannot send more than the number of Jaffa that can fit on a couple teltacs. We are safe until then."

"Unless she manages to rally the population against us - or the priestesses manages to do so. How likely is that?" Lantash asks.

Ria considers it. "Most people would not join their movement. I do not believe it will be a severe problem, but we must be careful and be on guard for small groups of attackers."

"You can trust all the servants?" Teal'c asks.

"I believe so. However, I believe I will need to limit the access for the priestesses. Which will be difficult, and may lead to problems. It is and always have been part of their rights to access the palace, and many of them have chambers here." Ria says. "I will look into it, and talk to my advisers on how best to do this."

"Do that." Jack says.

I sigh, and drink some more tea. My stomach still feels queasy, but it is a little better. It's probably just a stomach bug.

The priestess Jio'a's chamber.

"I have talked to Jolki, and he was very angry with us for failing our true god Hapi like this." Jio'a looks sad and fearful. "We must immediately remedy the problem - we should have done so immediately, but that cannot be changed now."

"Do we kill the female stranger? Samantha Carter?" Siola asks.

"That is the safest way, is it not?" asks another priestess.

"No, Siola and Tonna. Jolki believes his Lord will wish to interrogate her himself. We must capture her and bring her to him." Jio'a looks determined. "I am certain she will suffer greatly for her heretic ways!"

"Good." Siola smiles.

"She has seen us all!" Tonna says. "How will we get her captured? She will be suspicious!"

"One of the servants trust me. She will bring Samantha Carter to a place where we can capture her. Perhaps...by luring her with promises of information about us. Yes, that is what we will do!"

Sam POV, next day

I am feeling a little sick today also. The tea helps, but breakfast was difficult. I think I will ask Ria to check on me with her healing device.

I give Martouf/Lantash a kiss. They will be going with my dad and Jack and Teal'c to see if anyone has been to the crash site for our teltac. This Jolki may have gone there for information about us.

I smile to Ria. "Hi, could you give me a check-up with the healing device?" I ask.

"Do you have any problems due to Jolinar's unconsciousness? Have the head aches returned?" Ria asks, worried.

I shake my head. "No, not at all. I've just been feeling a little sick. Nothing too bad, but I threw up a couple times yesterday, and once today." I smile wryly. "Probably a stomach bug."

Ria frowns. "While Jolinar is completely dormant, and in many ways detached from you, she should still be able to make your immune system stronger. Enough so that minor ailments should not affect you. Follow me - we need to check that all is well with Jolinar."

After scanning me, Ria took a number of tests. She is analyzing them now. I do not like how she was frowning. I am more than a little worried for Jolinar.

While I am waiting, one of the servants enter. "Miss Samantha Carter?" she asks.

"Yes?"

She looks around, nervously. "I need to talk to you - in private. I have information about a conspiracy..."

I frown. "I think you can talk here."

"No, it needs to be where no one else can just step by and hear it. I am in danger just by telling you." She looks around nervously again. "Please, follow me?" She begs.

I hesitate, but decide that she looks harmless. Who would dare harm any of us anyway? We are Ria's friends and guests! I decide that whatever information this servant has is more than worth any small risk. "Okay - I'll come with you. I just need to hear what Ria has to say about something first."

"Please, it has to be now! Time is of the utmost importance!"

I sigh, then nod. "Okay. I'll go with you."

I'll have to talk to Ria later, and hear what she has found out.