Nesert

3.10

Episode 9.14 "Stronghold"

Nes knew deep down that this was never going to last, but still she had built up enough hopes to have them crushed when Dr. Weir asked her to come to her office and informed her that Teal'c had disappeared.

"Members of the Jaffa High Council have been brainwashed. It's likely Teal'c has been taken for that reason as well."

"And they're not sure who it is yet?"

"No. They're still investigating."

There must be a way to control the Jaffa again...

"It's Ba'al. It has to be him."

"How can you be so sure?" Dr. Weir looked skeptical.

"It sounds like him..." Nes' chest tightened. "I'd like to be on board the Daedalus when it leaves, Dr. Weir."

"Ba'al thinks you're dead. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Nes dropped her head and rubbed her eyes. "I know, but I can use my connections to try to find Teal'c. And if I need to go back to Ba'al, I'll be able to blame everything on a couple clones. He'll take me back...hopefully without much punishment."

"Nes...are you sure? You've been doing so well here."

Nes nodded. "I'm sure. I won't just leave Teal'c to suffer."

"Mary Wilkins is technically dead so we can't send you back under that name...we may be able to just leave you off any reports at all and Colonel Caldwell can help explain once you're back to Earth." Dr. Weir looked at Nes with sympathy. "If they find him, you'll be welcome to return here."

"Thank you...I better go pack."

"And tell Captain Elliot."

Nes' shoulders slumped. "Yeah...that, too."

She wandered back to her room, taking the long way that included several detours, but finally took a deep breath and pulled out her bag to start packing, mentally going over the conversation she planned for Kevin.

"What are you doing?" Elliot asked with confusion as he walked into Nes' quarters, seeing her belongings strewn about the room.

Nes turned back to the bag on her bed. Helping or caring. This was for his own good. "Packing." She kept her voice light and casual.

"Packing? Why?" He tried to keep the panic out of his voice, but he needn't have bothered with Nes.

"Because the Daedalus leaves in a few hours."

"Nes!" He grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards him, but she kept her eyes down. "You said you were going to stay."

Nes didn't have to dig very deep to find Sekhmet ready for her and she lifted her face with a smirk. "Well, I say a lot of things. You really should learn not to believe me." She leaned forward with a playful peck. "You were so much fun, though. We should do it again sometime."

"What's going on? What are you doing?"

"I told you. I'm leaving on the Daedalus. Now that Ba'al thinks I'm dead, I can take some revenge on him and the clones. It'll be so much easier now." She patted his cheek. "Thanks for the help."

His eyes were darting across her face as he tried to sort out the truth. "Don't, Nes."

"Don't what?" She pulled out of his arms and grabbed a few more items to shove into her bag.

"What's really going on?"

Her voice caught with the pain she heard.

"Nes, stop it!" He grabbed her wrists to stop her from picking up more of her things. "What are you doing?"