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hathor_girl~ is internal speech
bold is symbiote speaking in symbiote voice
Warning: after-effects of torture
Sam POV
We have been given 'first row' seats for this torture. It is heart-breaking to see how Martouf/Lantash is forced down under water and held there until they pass out. Much longer than it would take for a human, and that damn Nittik seems to take that as proof they are demons.
The distance to Martouf and Lantash are low enough that I can see them clearly, even crammed together in that small cage. They look exhausted, pale, only barely clinging to consciousness and life. From what I can see, they have been whipped badly, and there are still bloody wounds on their back. A testament to how exhausted they must be, as Lantash would long since have staunched the blood normally.
I can feel the energy signature from Lantash, but it is so weak.
I hope they see me and think that it means help is on the way, but their glassy look does not seem to focus on anything, but something far away - or deep inside.
It worries me, terribly.
It is a good half hour later, and that time has been horrible. Nittik has not only been working on drowning Martouf and Lantash, but he takes time to hit them and stab them as well.
Finally, the first of the bombs explode. By then, Martouf and Lantash have just been lowered into the water again.
People react with surprise, but when the next explosion is heard moments later, they seem unnerved, and the next explosion have them screaming and panicking - as I had hoped.
Another bomb, and everyone scatter, running as fast as they can and screaming something about the demons from hell coming for them, to save their minion.
Fortunately, the inquisitor is too afraid to stay and see if me and my dad make it away safely.
We wait another few moments, but there is no one but us around.
"We must hurry and get them out of the water before they drown!" I exclaim and run for the crane.
"I'm coming!" My dad follows close behind, and together we get the crane to work, and raise the cage and swing it to the beach. Inside Martouf and Lantash are not moving. Unconscious, or worse.
Together we get Martouf out of the cage, and I start giving him mouth-to-mouth, headless of what happened the last time I did that on someone who was a host. "Dammit, Martouf! Lantash! You can't die!"
Seconds later, he starts coughing, and lots of water comes up. He takes a rattling breath, and coughs up more water. I am relieved beyond anything I have ever felt. He is alive!
"All right, we need to get him out of here before anyone returns and sees us!" my dad reminds me.
Martouf is too weak to stand, and he is only barely conscious. I am not even sure he is aware of what is going on around him.
Together, my dad and I carry him into the nearby forest, and put him down in the soft grass behind some thick bushes where we will not be seen.
"He is so cold! We need to get him somewhere warm - and I need to bandage some of all those wounds." I look at his naked upper body. He is only wearing a loin cloth.
Martouf has a bloody back, at least one broken rib, several burn and stab marks, no nails on fingers or toes, and I think one of his arms are broken as well.
"It doesn't look good. The worst is that Lantash is weakened - otherwise he could easily take care of even this much damage." My dad says, frowning.
"Maybe we can get him into our rooms at the inn?" I mean, we have a small side building with out own door. The alley it opens to is not that trafficked, and the inn is not too far away." I insist, looking fearfully at Martouf as he breathes shallowly and keeps being unconscious.
My dad slowly nods. "Yes, but it has to wait until sunset - or else we will be seen. We cannot risk that, since we cannot get to the Stargate unseen."
I wrap my robe around Martouf, trying to keep him warm at least. "Sunset is several hours away - we need to help him now!"
"What we need to do is getting back to our rooms. We risk Nittik or his men coming to check on us." My dad insists. "We'll wrap Martouf up in as much of our clothing as possible. Then we will come back for him when it gets dark."
We had only just returned to our rooms when a messenger had arrived from Nittik. He had wanted to convey Nittik's apologies, for the bad experience and danger, and to assure us all was well in hand.
Nittik also wanted to ensure I was unharmed, the messenger insisted. I talked to him only for a short time, then let my dad take care of it. I heard him say I was terrified after the bad scare, and that I would probably not want to go anywhere for days, needing the time to settle. My poor nerves. Or something.
The messenger understood. Apparently that was normal behaviour for women there. He assured my dad, from Nittik, that the warlock would be captured and killed, and that we were in no danger.
Meanwhile, I had changed to some clothes that we had bought earlier, which looked more like what poor people wore. No one would pay much attention to me in that. I grabbed some of the men's clothing we had bought too, and slipped outside through the back door while dad still talked to the messenger.
I am not going to wait until darkness falls. By then Martouf could be caught. Or dead from his wounds and exposure.
That must not happen! Terrified that I will find him dead - or not at all, that he has been captured again, I run as fast as possible through the forest to where we left them.