The Temple of She who assailed thee [✱24]
Posted on Thu Jul 24th, 2025 @ 8:44am by Lieutenant Commander Atna & Doctor Intharia T'Zor & Lieutenant JG Nalt Iyel
1,097 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
The Serpent's Tooth [3]
Location: Aquatic Lab 2, DS13
Timeline: 1930 - MD12
Atna was working late, as was the often the case at this hour the aquatic labs were empty, there were very few staff who worked outside alpha shift. She had spent the day in command of the Excalibur, they were well ahead of schedule in setting up the Jaffa communities on Dreizhen III. All of the prefabricated accommodations were deployed, and the foundations for the pyramids in both colonies were settled. She had told Intharia she was going to be late for dinner, and while she expressed some mild irritation at the changing of their plans, Atna could hear in her voice that Thari was relieved to have found the time to finish what she was reading.
Atna had finally locked in the settings for the electrolysis tests on the Varuundi Coral samples they'd received, but before she activated the procedure, her attention was drawn elsewhere by the sound of a drop of water. She looked around, confused. Everything should be sealed. She leaned in a few directions in her seat, but could not see anything. She stood up, and began to scan the room. Many of its walls were transparent alloy, leading into various aquatic enclosures, one of which granted access to aquatic crew to review and interact with the room and its systems.
When she concluded that the sound must have come from elsewhere, perhaps within one of the tanks, she returned across the room and began the test. The low hum of the electrolytic process filled the room, but it was not enough for her sharp Vulcan hearing to miss another drop of water. Energised by the unexplained sound, Atna began to search the room again. Every seam, every surface, every perspective that might reflect water.
Finally, behind one of the mobile terminals, she found the culprit. A smaller transfer port about a hand-span in diameter for adding or removing small supplies of matter to one of the larger empty tanks. Someone had failed to seal it properly, and the small amount of moisture within was leaking. Atna attempted to close it from the outside, but it would not seal.
She pulled open the door and looked inside, but before she could focus on what was within, something leaped out at her. She could not stop it from forcing its way past her lips, and uncharacteristic shock overcame her as it continued within. Soon it had made its way completely within, burrowed through her soft palate and hooked itself around her brainstem and interfaced with her central nervous system.
Her eyes flashed.
Intharia followed to where the computer told her Atna was after she had missed their revised deadline, and found her unconscious next to an equally unconscious seeming Goa'uld symbiote. Within a few seconds of making an emergency call to sickbay, both had been beamed there, along with the symbiote, kept locked in an isolation tank.
When Atna awoke in her biobed a few hours later, Thari was holding her hand, looking deeply concerned.
"Atna? Atna! Thank the Goddess." She did not want to crowd her, and so put a second hand around the hand she held. "I'll get the Doctor." Intharia said, hesitant to leave the Vulcan alone, but fortunately the Doctor had received the message from her vitals.
"Commander, how do you feel?" Dr Iyel asked as she entered, moving to read the biobed's display.
"Unusual." Atna said, her voice was hoarse. "My throat hurts."
"A Goa'uld symbiote attacked you. We're not sure where it came from, but obviously it managed to find its way into the lab, possibly through another aquatic route. It penetrated your soft palate and also exited that way, fortunately its healing enhancing qualities took effect almost immediately, there's almost no damage remaining, just discomfort." Dr Iyel explained.
"It does not feel that way." Atna said weakly.
"You won't feel better right away. But from what we understand, you should enjoy the benefits of blending for several months." Iyel said.
"Will there be any side effects?" Intharia asked.
"As for negatives, I can't say for sure, but the Tok'ra Polyphron doesn't seem to think so. Apparently once a symbiote leaves the host there is nothing further it can do. But you'll have trace naquadah in your bloodstream for an indefinite period, and the ability to use Goa'uld technology, as well as a temporary healing boost."
"What is the symbiotes condition?" Atna asked.
"It seems to be braindead. Symbiotes apparently need to be acclimated to host species or they risk rejection. It would appear that has happened here. Obviously it couldn't survive with the ecosystem of your body and let itself out again, but the damage was already done. The Vulcan immune system wins again." Iyel said with a cheery intonation, knowing full well it would be lost on her patient.
"How did it manage to move around undetected?" Intharia asked.
"It's quite unlike the others we've studied, it's as though its outer dermis was engineered for stealth, sensors wouldn't have caught it. Of course now that we know what we're looking for, it shouldn't be an issue to find any others. Security are already looking, but as far as we can tell the only other symbiotes aboard are in hosts or incubating in Jaffa, other than Polyphron." Iyel said.
"Thank you Doctor." Atna said, hoping that would get the woman to leave.
"You're welcome, Commander. Your vitals are looking good, so I'll check in again in an hour." Iyel said with a nod, leaving the women alone.
Once she was gone, Atna put her other hand to Thari's two that clasped her own. "Thari-kam. Did you find me?"
"Yes." Intharia said, nodding. "When you didn't wake up, I..." She seemed to choke at the thought, and sniffled slightly. "You gave me a fright, is all."
"My apologies." Atna said. "It was not my intention." Thari smiled at that. "I think I would like to sleep. Please, do not wait around. I will call you when I am ready."
"Alright. If you're sure."
"I am. Thank you." Atna put her hand to Thari's face, holding her cheek gently in her palm for a moment before guiding her in for a quick kiss.
Intharia smiled, and left the room.
Once she was gone, Atna looked ahead expressionlessly. She held out her arm and looked at her hand. One side, then the other. Then the other hand. She moved both arms around, stretching them and testing their reach and tolerances. She felt her face, her eyebrows, the points of her ears. Her eyes flashed once more, and she smiled.
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