The Lioness' Challenge

by Danny SGC

Another of Ra's daughters puts SG-1's future at risk.

The Lioness' Challenge

by Danny (SGC)

Author's Note: My thanks go to PHO for letting me 'borrow' her great character, Tobolo, a 'kick-butt' girl from her excellent story 'In the Name of Science'. (You can find the story on Heliopolis. Go on, download it! Its a great story!)

Ra stood in front of his daughter, Sekhmet, his anger evident in his glowing eyes. She was as beautiful as her sister Hathor, yet she had demonstrated a taste for slaughter that shocked even a Goa'uld as ruthless as Ra.

He had sent her to squash an uprising among his Tau'ri priests. She was supposed to have punished them for their subversive behaviour, but instead she had cold-bloodedly wiped out every last one of the rebels.

Sekhmet bowed her head in front of her father, the smell of death in her nostrils, stirring her blood. She could not understand why her father could be so cross with her actions. He was too soft on these slaves. Death was too good for those infidels!

"You disobeyed me, daughter." Ra's voiced vibrated throughout the Goa'uld ship positioned on the Tau'ri planet. "I will not tolerate such behaviour. You have dishonoured your king!"

Sekhmet looked at her father, open disdain on her features. "You are not my king. You may rule these weak humans but you are too weak to rule me!"

Her defiant words angered her father more. "If you are to stay, you will do as you are told!"

It was Sekhmet's turn to be angry. "You are no warrior, father and I am no child. Soon the Tau'ri will rise against you and you will be too weak to defend yourself." Her voice was full of loathing for the Goa'uld that stood before her. "I did you a favour today and you dare to say I have dishonoured you!"

Ra could sense his Jaffa watching this heated exchange. He would not be shown up like this in front of his trusted soldiers. Daughter or not, she would be punished for her insolence.

+++++++++++

Daniel tried to focus on the folder in his hands, but all he could think was that he only needed to wait for another 3 hours. Noon and then Caitlin would be out.

Three long weeks he'd had to wait. The first two had been an eternity, but then the MALP images showing on the wall behind him had been received through the gate from P5X-485. At last, something he could get his teeth into to take his mind off Sergeant Mitchell. And boy had it turned out to be something worth focusing on!

Daniel's eyes flicked from the papers in the folder to the people sat around the conference table in front of him - Sam, Teal'c, Jack and General Hammond - suddenly conscious that they were waiting for him to speak.

He put the papers down on the table and turned to the MALP images on the screen behind him. "These images were transmitted back from P5X-485 and clearly show the inside of a temple." As the MALP's camera moved around the temple walls, Daniel touched the control device in his hand, freezing the images. He indicated the figure carved in the wall in the centre of the image. "As you can see this carving shows a female body with the head of a lioness. She has been seen before in Egyptian temples and was known as Sekhmet, the Lioness Goddess."

"A gould?" Jack voiced the question on everyone's mind.

" Well, yes, I believe so." Danny sat down at the table and shuffled his papers.

"So she was on Earth and now she's on P5, whatever. Why?" Jack asked.

Daniel looked at Jack, who was always impatient to get to the bottom line. "I did some research into this goddess and it seems she seriously angered her father, Ra."

"Oh, no, not another daughter of Ra!" Jack exclaimed.

Daniel shuddered at the memory of Hathor. "Er, yes." Daniel tried to focus back on the matter in hand. "Sekhmet was said to have been banished by Ra after killing a large number of her father's priests. Legend says that Sekhmet and her followers were sent far away to a place from which she could never return.'"

"You think this is the planet she was sent to?" Sam asked.

"Well, this is definitely a temple dedicated to Sekhmet so it would logically follow that this is where she was banished."

"But if there's a gate there, why couldn't she return to Earth?"

"Ah, yes!" Daniel had that excited schoolboy look about him. He touched the control device again allowing the MALP images to swing around to an archway leading out of the temple's gate room. Daniel pointed at the writing above the archway. "This translates, literally, to Barrier to Return or to Join'. I'm guessing a force field of some kind prohibiting Sekhmet from returning through the Gate."

Jack was starting to fidget. "So what's the plan then?" he said, addressing the general.

Hammond gave the colonel an exasperated look and waved Daniel to continue on.

Daniel turned back to the MALP images, flicking the picture to an enhanced image of the view through the archway. "Here you can clearly see the sides of a sarcophagus marked with the Lioness images, indicating that Sekhmet was at the very least located here at some point." Daniel could see that Jack was getting impatient and was practically willing him to get to the point of the briefing. "The significance of this being Sekhmet's planet is that the Lioness Goddess was also known as the Goddess of War and the Goddess of Healing. So it would follow that this would be a good place to locate either weapons or healing devices or indeed both."

Daniel sat down at the table, clearly showing he had finished and waited for comments.

Jack frowned and looked at the general. "Let me get this straight, you've found a planet that is probably run by a gould who's been trapped there for years and you're considering strolling in there and saying hi'?"

Sam interrupted, "But, sir, think of the possibilities if she is the Goa'uld Goddess of War."

Daniel added, "All the MALP images gathered over a three day period have been analysed and at no time has anyone come near the gate or the sarcophagus."

Jack looked exasperated. "Teal'c?"

Teal'c raised his eyebrow, "I have not heard much of this Sekhmet. Her banishment is known and her name was not to be spoken. She was called the Blood Thirsty One." He paused for a moment, then continued. "I believe DanielJackson could be correct. Her reputation would indicate it is likely that she would know of many Goa'uld weapons of destruction."

"Yeah, that she could use on us," Jack muttered to himself.

"Colonel, your call," Hammond addressed O'Neill.

Jack glanced around the room, everyone waiting for his decision. Oh, boy, here we go again, he thought. "OK, but we take SG-2, we're in and out and," looking pointedly at Daniel, "we don't stop to read anything!"

"OK, SG-1 you have a go. Ten hundred tomorrow, with Ferretti and his men. Dismissed."

+++++++++++++

Noon and it was pouring with rain.

Daniel stood a few feet from the entrance to the Cheyenne Mountain Secure Barracks, the rain dripping off his clothes. He was soaked but he didn't notice, he just stood watching the doorway, waiting.

The door open and there she stood, clutching to her chest the bag of books Jack had somehow sneaked to her. The MP on duty was talking to her but her eyes were scanning the area in front of the barracks. They stopped, locking on Daniel's. Her face lit up with a smile that made Daniel's knees feel like they were made of jelly.

The MP finished his lecture, Caitlin nodded, acknowledging him but not taking her eyes from Danny. Then she was free to go. She hesitated for a fraction of a second and then strode across the yard towards the man of her dreams.

She stopped barely inches from him, the rain drenching her clothes. They stood for a moment, unsure of what to say, both overwhelmed by the emotions flowing through their bodies like the rain running uncontrollably over their skin.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Er, I'm not on duty til eight tomorrow and Jack made sure with your CO that you weren't either." Again that smile, Daniel thought he would collapse there and then. He held up Caitlin's car keys, "Shall we?" His voice breaking with the force of the emotions boiling inside him.

Caitlin nodded, unable to speak, clutching the bag to her chest to stop her whole body shaking.

They walked through the rain to Caitlin's Landrover.

Caitlin found her voice, "Ben?"

"Jack said not to worry, he'd look after him tonight."

They drove in silence to Daniel's apartment, the electricity in the atmosphere around them almost tangible. Daniel opened the door and followed Caitlin into his home. He watched as Caitlin put her bag down on the couch and turned back to face him. They stared at each other, their senses drinking in the moment and then Caitlin stepped forward and reached out to take the lapels of Daniel's dripping jacket. "I think we'd better get out of these wet clothes."

Daniel could clearly see the wicked twinkle in her eyes and he reached for her jacket, too.

+++++++++++++++

Caitlin woke early, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

All afternoon, they had made up for the three weeks apart. Sealing their relationship beyond doubt. Then they had spent a leisurely evening munching supper whilst Daniel had filled her in on the highlights of the missing days of her confinement.

Caitlin had listened, happy just to wallow in his voice and innocent enthusiasm, but as Daniel began to talk of Sekhmet and P5X-485, the unease had started to settle.

She had pushed her feelings to one side at the time but now, in the cold, morning light, it had resurfaced, a nagging sense of some darker purpose filling her mind.

She shook her head and reminded herself harshly that she was an air force officer (well, almost) and that Daniel was an integral part of SG-1. They would have bad days, hell they'd already had plenty of them, and they'd have good days. They knew the risks and still they chose to be part of the front line protection of Earth.

Caitlin checked the time, nearly six am. She might as well get up now, the alarm would go off soon anyway. She gently kissed Daniel's forehead, his chest moving up and down with the gentle rhythm of a deep, satisfying slumber. Well, I guess you're not worried about the mission,' she thought, smiling to herself.

Showered and dressed, Caitlin sat on the couch clutching a mug of coffee, trying to focus on anything other than P5X-485.

"Caitlin? Are you OK?" Daniel's voice made her jump.

She turned, smiling at the sight of his dishevelled just-woken-up appearance. Trying to sound nonchalant, she said, "Mornin'. Coffee?"

"Mm, yes please." He yawned and stretched, "I'd better go get dressed." And he disappeared from sight.

Caitlin rose and walked to the kitchen. Dismissing the strange feeling in her stomach as hunger, she made some toast and poured Daniel a mug of coffee. She heard his footsteps behind her and turned towards him as he entered the room.

Wow! She thought. Could he look more delicious? Drips from his wet hair ran slowly down his sideburns, his face gleaming with the freshness of the cool shower. She must have been gawking at him, because Daniel frowned. Oh, no don't do that as well, Caitlin groaned to herself, or we must just be undressed again any minute! He smiled, a small, slightly embarrassed kind of smile. "Are you ok?"

Caitlin moved close to him, gently wiping away the drips from his face. "Oh, yes, I'm very OK." Her voice was sensual and had a longing to it that touched Daniel's heart. And then they kissed, a deep, meaningful kiss that promised so much for their long term future.

+++++++++

Jack stood at the base of the ramp leading up to the shimmering event horizon of the Stargate. Behind him, ready to embark were the rest of his team and SG-2, armed to the teeth! And, although Daniel had said it would not be necessary in Sekhmet's case, each susceptible member of the two teams had been injected to protect them against hormonal breaths. Jack had no intention of leaving anything to chance.

"You have a go, SG-1 and 2." Hammond called over the intercom.

With a real sense of walking into a lion's, or should he say lioness' den, Jack was in no mood to joke and simply said, "Move out," stepping through the shimmering circle, Teal'c close behind.

Daniel glanced across at Sam, both of them appreciating the significance of Jack's lack of flippant comment and then they too followed him through the gate. Ferretti called to his men and strode after SG-1.

The Gateroom of the temple was bigger than Daniel had first thought from the MALP images. It was about a hundred feet square with the gate mounted on a small raised platform in the centre of the room. The walls were covered in writing and pictures and directly opposite the gate was the archway Daniel had shown them in the briefing.

Jack's face was grim, focused on the task at hand. Signalling to SG-2 to back him and Teal'c up, he moved towards the archway. Peering though, he could see another room, slightly smaller than the one they were in, but also empty except for the Goa'uld sarcophagus.

Content that there was no immediate danger, Jack moved through the archway. As he stepped through, Teal'c close behind, he heard a strange whirring sound and then a grunt followed by a loud thud. He turned around in time to see a startled expression on Ferretti's face as the major looked at the big Jaffa sitting in a crumpled heap on the floor about 20 feet from the archway entrance.

"What the hell happened!" Jack stepped back toward the archway.

Ferretti pointed at the opening, "Some kind of force field in the archway bounced him off."

Daniel's face lit up. "The force field that stops Sekhmet from leaving. It must react to the Goa'uld larva."

Jack stepped back through the archway and, as Sam and Daniel studied the opening, he and Ferretti helped an uninjured but slightly stunned Teal'c to his feet.

Sam could see no obvious mechanisms around the arch, "They must be embedded in the rock."

"Stand back," Jack commanded, raising Teal'c's staff weapon and aiming it at the stonework. Sam and Daniel moved out of the way, as the weapon opened up. But nothing happened. No energy bolt, nothing.

"Must be a deactivation device, like the Asgard used on Cimmeria," Sam stated, looking around the room.

Jack was getting more and more agitated. "Teal'c, you'll have to wait here. Ferretti, Carter, with me."

The three moved through the archway again, Daniel close behind.

Daniel moved to the sarcophagus, his pulse starting to race as he ran his hands over the glyphs on the side of the machine.

"Daniel, careful!" Jack warned.

Daniel continued to follow the lines of the box, reaching the opening device. He hesitated, looking up at Jack. Jack stepped forward, indicated that SG-2 should follow his lead and surround the sarcophagus. When everyone was in position, he nodded at Daniel.

Daniel's heart was pounding, he could feel the blood racing through his body as he reached out to activate the mechanism. The sarcophagus started to whine and began to open up. Daniel stepped back, staring in to Pandora's Box'.

Sam watched in awe as the sarcophagus opened up, slowly revealing the body of a very beautiful women. She lay with her arms folded across her body, her jet black hair outlining her well-defined features. As the whining stopped, Sam tensed, fully expecting the woman to leap out at them. But she lay still, very still.

"Carter?" Jack queried.

Sam stepped forward and carefully reached down to lay her finger tips on the throat of the recumbent woman. No pulse. She moved her hands down to the woman's belly. She could sense the Goa'uld but the feeling was, Sam struggled to find the words, it felt cold. "She's dead, sir, and, yes, she is, or rather was a Goa'uld."

Everyone in the room visibly relaxed at Sam's words. Daniel moved next to Sam. "It's Sekhmet", he said, indicating the lioness head-dress surrounding the woman's face.

"OK, kids, let's check out this place and see if we can't find something to take home with us." Jack was obviously feeling less tense. "Ferretti, get your boys to move the corpse and get it back through the gate."

Daniel shot a puzzled look at Jack. "Jack?"

Jack returned the look with his usual I don't want to discuss this now' glares. "Yes, Daniel?"

" This corpse' is probably an important part of this planet's culture, you can't just disappear off with it."

"Daniel, I seemed to remember it was your idea to come here and you were the one to mention the strategic advantages of doing so!" Jack turned back to Major Ferretti. "Get your boys moving, major."

Daniel glowered at Jack but knew better than to enter in to a pointless argument, he turned away and his attention was caught by the carvings on the room's walls.

Sam began a more thorough check of the recumbent Goa'uld as Jack moved to her shoulder peering into the coffin. "Are you sure she's dead?"

Sam nodded, "Yep, but what I don't understand is why the sarcophagus has not, er, repaired her."

"I think I have the answer to that question."

Sam turned to Daniel's voice and, seeing that he was running his hands over the wall as he did when reading carvings like these, she walked over to join him.

Jack followed, "What'ya got Danny-boy?"

"It seems the sarcophagus is broken." He continued to run his hands over the writings, he lips moving soundlessly as he translated the alien text. "It seems Sekhmet over stepped the mark with her First Prime and he and his followers killed her and the symbiote and then destroyed the mechanism that heals."

Jack smirked, "Like the guy already."

"Hmm, except Sekhmet's loyal followers appeared to out number the First Prime's and there was a pitched battle. Kinda symbolic given Sekhmet's chequered past."

"What happened?" Sam asked, looking at the walls, trying vainly to make sense of the scrapings.

"Its not really clear. It appears that the Prime and most of his men were killed by the..." Daniel hesitated, frowning. "This bit doesn't quite make sense. It talks of the triumphant warriors but uses the female tense only. Then it goes on to talk about the birth of the Rules of Sekhmet."

Ferretti came up behind them, breaking Daniel's train of thought, "Teal'c's found something you might be interested in, sir."

Jack followed Ferretti back through the archway to find Teal'c and SG-2's Lieutenant Crick removing staff weapons, zat guns and what looked like rough gold coins from a chamber under the Stargate. His eyes lit up, "Now that's more like it! Teal'c?"

"Whilst awaiting your return, I checked the area for hidden storage. I have seen similar devices before. It appears that this Goa'uld was as mistrusting as the others I have met."

"Ferretti, you and Teal'c get this lot and our lady gould back to the SGC."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the colonel. "Don't worry, Teal'c, we'll be right along, I'm just giving Danny-boy a few minutes with his walls."

Teal'c nodded and then, together with SG-2, gathered their haul and returned through the gate. Jack watched them go then walked back though the arch to find Carter and Daniel peering though the now partially open main entrance to the Stargate building.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

Sam whirled around, "You've got to see this, sir."

Jack hesitated, they were supposed to be getting out of here. They had an albeit dead gould and a decent collection of weapons, what else did they need here? His gut told him to grab the two errant scientists by the scruff of their collective necks and get the hell out of there. But then

"Yeah, Jack, come and look, its incredible!"

Somehow he knew he'd regret this but he moved next to Daniel and looked out through the gap in the doors.

"Whoa!" It really was quite something. They were looking across a beautifully kept garden that led down to a street. The street in turn lead to the edge of a small town which, even Jack could see, was very similar to how a Roman town would have looked back on Earth. The streets were immaculate, as were the buildings. Everything was made from a bright, white stone that positively shone in the sunlight and provided a perfect backdrop to the array of colour created by the flowers and gay awnings. The streets were buzzing with people going about their daily routines, unaware of the strangers watching them.

"Jack?" Daniel's eyes were pleading.

Jack pulled his gaze from the sight before him and stepped back into the temple room. "No!"

"Jack, please, just a quick look."

Jack wavered, it did look peaceful down there and the gould was dead, maybe.

Sam noted his hesitation and added tentatively, "Sir, did you see the temple at the other end of the town? It might house more weapons or may be some healing devices of some kind."

Jack sighed, as he looked from Sam to Daniel. Sometimes they could be so exasperating!

"OK, but". He raised his hand, making it clear that he would not tolerate any further argument. "We stay no more than 2 hours!"

Daniel looked like the cat that had got the cream!

"Carter, let Hammond know we'll be another couple of hours. OK, Daniel, let's get ready to move out."

++++++++++++++

The site of the three members of SG-1 walking down the main street of their small town was certainly attracting a lot of attention from the locals. But then the locals were also causing SG-1 some concern.

Sam eventually voiced what was on all of their minds. "Sir, have you noticed"

"I certainly have, Carter!" Jack definitely had noticed that the locals were predominately women. Actually, they were almost exclusively very attractive women. "Daniel?"

"Well, I guess a planet occupied by a female Goa'uld could possibly have been run by women, but this many?" He considered the situation as they continued towards the temple they had seen from the Stargate building. Then he remembered the warrior text from the walls. "That text on the death of Sekhmet referred to female warriors being victorious over the First Prime and his men. Perhaps, this is the result."

"Oh, sweet, a planet of women!" This was not Jack's idea of paradise, he'd had his fair share of power hungry women in Hathor.

"But there must be some men, otherwise, well, there'd be no kids." Sam pointed out, and they had already seen youngsters around.

They'd reached the bottom of the steps to the temple and as they started up, the main doors were pushed open by two well-muscled women dressed like gladiators. Jack couldn't help admiring the Carter dug him in the ribs.

The warriors stepped to one side, inviting the strangers to enter. Daniel walked on through the entrance, Jack following closely behind and Sam bringing up the rear. The entrance hall was about thirty foot square with numerous corridors leading off it. It was exquisitely decorated, particularly the floor which was a highly colourful and beautifully designed mosaic of a lioness standing triumphantly over the dead body of a wolf.

"Welcome to the temple of Sekhmet, I am Yorona, High Priestess of Sekhmet." She stepped from the corridor opposite the entrance, flanked by two female attendants. She was stunning, with fine-boned, aristocratic features and long, straight black hair that shimmered in contrast to the white stone walls. She was dressed every inch a Roman queen and the two SG men were speechless.

Sam moved between the men, "Hello, I'm Major Samantha Carter, this is Colonel Jack O'Neill and Doctor Daniel Jackson."

The priestess nodded, acknowledging the words but patently appraising the two men.

Feeling uncomfortable at the woman's gaze, Daniel licked his lips nervously then spoke, "Er, we are peaceful explorers from another planet."

"Of course, you are." Yorona's voice was patronising and she didn't stop her visual examination. When she had finished her assessment, she turned to Sam. "You came through the Orbis Aquo." It was more a statement than a question, but she seemed to require an answer.

Daniel could see the puzzled expression on Sam's face, so he answered for her, "Yes, we came through the Stargate, the circle of water."

Yorona shot Daniel a hard glare and then returned her attention to Sam, "And you were able to pass through the archway?"

This time Sam nodded in reply.

"Good." She clapped her hands together, sharply twice and suddenly they were surrounded by around twenty warriors all armed with staff weapons, as the doors behind them were closed.

"Oh, crap." Jack swung round to face the warriors nearest him raising his gun, sensing Sam and Daniel do the same.

Yorona's laugh was both chilling and dismissive. "Put down your weapons, any attempt to escape will only end in someone getting hurt and we don't want that to happen, do we."

Jack whirled round, targeting the priestess, but as he did so her attendants moved protectively in front of their leader. Yorona smiled menacingly.

Jack scanned the room. They were seriously out numbered and he was all too painfully aware of the damage a staff weapon could do at close range. He turned back to face Yorona, lowering his weapon to the floor as he did so, indicating that the others should follow suit. "What do you want?" His voice hard.

"You," she replied simply, as one of the warriors collected the SG teams discarded armoury. "And your friend here, " she added, looking at Daniel. "You," she said, nodding her head dismissively at Sam, "are free to leave."

Sam protested loudly, "You can't do that!"

"Oh, but I can! I claim them under the Rules of Sekhmet. They are not designated, are they?"

Sam looked puzzled.

Yorona signalled a pair of her warriors forward. "Check them!" Two warriors roughly grabbed the top of the left sleeves of Jack and Daniel's jackets, ripping them downwards exposing the tops of their arms. Both warriors said that there were no marks of designation and then backed off from the two men. Yorona's smarmy smiled broadened at the news. "Just as I thought." Then addressing one of her attendants, "Furnish this woman with a set of scrolls and then escort her back to the Orbis Aquo."

Some rolled up papers were thrust into Sam's hands and then she was roughly pushed towards the door, escorted by four armed warriors. She looked over her shoulder at Jack, "No! I'm not leaving." She struggled against the rough, strong grip of two of her escort, but they easily man-handled her towards the temple doors. Jack shook his head at her, mouthing the words, go, report back, there's nothing more you can do right now, go.' His eyes were the eyes of her commanding officer, she turned from his gaze hiding the anguish in her own eyes, betraying her true feelings. He was right of course, there was nothing more she could do here, but that didn't make her feel any less desperate as they dragged her out of the temple and down the steps back towards the Stargate. She stole one last glance back as they closed the temple doors behind her and then Jack's face was gone.

Yorona moved close to Jack, reaching up and running her fingertips down the side of his face, tracing his jaw line. "Hmm, a fine specimen."

Jack grabbed her wrist, stopping the caress, his own voice menacing. "Don't!"

She simply smiled, "And strong, too. But we will have to teach you some manners."

Jack heard the crack just a fraction before he felt something cut across his back, from his left shoulder, down to his right hip. For a moment, he felt nothing except a strange numbness and then, oh, god! Red, hot pain flashed down his back, spreading outwards. Shit, what the hell was that!' He thought, then he heard the crack again and the same slicing feeling across his back. But this time there was no numbness just the overwhelming pain, searing through his body. He gasped, releasing the priestess' wrist and dropping to his knees.

Daniel watched in horror as the warrior standing a few feet behind Jack, recoiled her whip to take a third shot at the colonel as he collapsed to his knees. "No!" Daniel shouted as he stepped between Jack and the warrior. The whip leapt across the void between its master and Daniel, snaking out and striking the young man just as he raised his arms to protect his face. The end of the whip cut down across Daniel's forearm and down across his exposed chest. He cried out, the pain intensely sharp and penetrating. As he turned his back to his assailant, he heard the crack again and felt the cutting edge strike down across his back, the pain forcing the air from his lungs.

Yorona's voiced commanded the warrior to stop. Jack struggled to his feet, turning to help his friend. Daniel's eyes were wide with pain as he tried to remember how to breathe, the pain from the whiplash overpowering normal, unconscious body functions. He felt Jack's reassuring hand on his arm, "Easy, Danny."

Yorona's voice again, "Next time you will remember to speak only when you are spoken to and not to touch! Take them to the wall."

Jack and Daniel found themselves being dragged unceremoniously down one of the corridors off the entrance hall and out into another room of a similar size. At one end of the room was a small raised platform with a recessed fireplace and at the other a door to another room. The two men were dragged to the wall opposite the entrance, on which there were two rows of rings, one row at a height of about seven feet, the other at ground level. They were then turned around, their backs pushed against the wall. Daniel watched as one of their escort manacled Jack's wrists to the rings above the colonel's head and his ankles to the ground level ones. Panic began to rise through Daniel's body, temporarily blocking out the pain from the whipping, and he struggled against the restraining grip of his captors. His struggles increased as the warrior with the manacles moved towards the archaeologist. "No, please, don't." He kicked out more in desperation than any real attempt to thwart the approaching soldier. His kick contacted with the warrior, anger flashing across the woman's face.

"Why, you little." She punched him hard across the face, snapping his head back against the wall. Dazed, Daniel was easily pushed against the wall and manacled to the rings. The warriors stepped back to admire their handy work and then turned and left the wall.

Daniel closed his eyes against the pain in his head, across his jaw, down his front and across his back. In fact, it was easier to list where it didn't hurt. He could feel the warm sticky feeling of blood running slowly down the back of his neck from a cut where he'd banged his head on the wall. When the hell are you going to learn to walk away, Jackson?' he asked himself, angry at the danger he had put himself and Jack in, again!

"Daniel?" Jack was concerned, he could see the blood on the back of Daniel's neck, "Daniel, you still with me?"

Daniel raised his head slowly, opened his eyes and turned towards Jack. "I'm sorry, Jack."

Jack glared at his friend, "Don't!"

++++++++++

"Unscheduled off world activation."

General Hammond appeared in the control room. "It's SG-1's code, sir"

"Open the iris."

As the general stepped in to the gate room, Carter appeared through the wormhole. Hammond looked instinctively behind her but no one followed and then the hole dissipated. "Major?"

Sam simply shook her head.

"What the hell? Conference room, now." Then turning to one of the sergeants on duty, Hammond added, "Get Teal'c."

++++++++++

Jack didn't know how long they'd stood there against the wall, but his wrists were starting to bleed from the manacles cutting into them and he was damn tired. He was also hungry and thirsty. Daniel had been drifting in and out of consciousness, probably caused by concussion, and Jack was concerned about his young friend.

At last, footsteps. But his relief was short lived as Yorona and four of her warriors entered the room. She frowned at the sight of Daniel's drooping head and the deep bruising on the left side of his jaw. Then she turned her attention to Jack. "Well, I hope your manners have improved." Not waiting for an answer, she turned to her warriors, "Remove their clothing and bring them!" And she walked over and up on to the platform by the fire.

Jack and Daniel were released from their manacles and, a warrior on each side of them, were dragged over to the platform and stripped to their waists.

"This one first," Yorona said, indicating Daniel. Daniel looked up not really focusing on his surroundings. He was pushed forward and on to his knees in front of the raised stage. One of the warriors leant down on his head and back, forcing his face down on to the platform. The other warrior then pulled his left arm out and twisted it slightly to expose the top of his arm. Yorona watched with undisguised relish and then turned from her victim and fetched a rod from the fire.

Jack watched, bile rising in his throat, as Yorona walked back towards Daniel, the red, hot poker in her hand.

"It is time to designate you as Primes." Yorona's voice was cold, yet, it also held an evil sense of excited anticipation. Jack strangled cry of no, was lost as Yorona plunged the hot end of the rod into the top of Daniel's arm, branding him.

Daniel could no longer see Yorona and wondered vaguely what was happening. His head still hurt like hell, especially with a goon pushing down hard on it. He was suddenly aware of Jack shouting no and then. Oh, shit, oh, no, oh, god, no, please. The pain was incredible, similar to a staff weapon fire but much deeper, more lingering. The smell of burning flesh filled Daniel's nostrils and he almost choked on his own vomit. Then he screamed, a blood chilling, anguish filled scream that sliced clean through Jack. He couldn't help it, he hadn't meant to, it had just been ripped out of his body by the pain spreading from his shoulder.

Yorona removed the branding iron from the young man and looked triumphantly at her next victim. Her sense of control melted like snow on a fire as she locked eyes with the one they called O'Neill. The pure undiluted hatred than pulsed from those deep brown eyes sent shivers down her spine. She pulled her eyes from his and indicated that he should be bought forward. Daniel was dragged away from the platform and Jack shoved in his place. Jack allowed them to push his head down on to the platform but he made sure he was facing to the left so he could watch the priestess.

Yorona retrieved a new iron from the fire and approached O'Neill, his eyes watching her every move, unnerving in their focussed attention. She hesitated for a second and then plunged the branding iron into the top of his left arm. Jack winced, biting down hard to keep the screams within and focusing his energy on imagining different ways he would kill the woman before him, all of them slow and painful.

Yorona watched with awe the defiance in this man's face and the strength of character which showed such compassion for his friend and such hatred for their assailant. She removed the iron, satisfied with her work but unnerved by this man.

"Shall we return them to the wall, your highness?"

Yorona hesitated and then said, "No, lock them in the scroll room and get them something to eat and drink."

One of the warriors was clearly thrown by this change of tactic, "But, your highness,.."

Yorona whirled on him, anger now in her eyes, "Do not question my orders!"

"My humblest apologies, your highness." And then to her fellows she added, "You heard, quickly!"

Jack and Daniel were dragged through the doorway at the other end of the room and locked inside.

++++++++++++++

Caitlin was standing in a field, mist swirling about her feet. She could clearly see Daniel walking towards her about thirty yards way. She smiled at him and started to walk towards him. As they got closer to each other, a dark shadow loomed up behind Daniel, causing him to stop and turn around. Caitlin called to him, urging him to turn back and start walking towards her again. But Daniel stayed, transfixed, the shadow growing bigger as it started to engulf him. As Caitlin was about to call out to him again, Daniel screamed. The sound was the most terrifying thing she'd ever heard. It reached in grabbing her heart, squeezing it so hard that it stopped being able to beat.

Caitlin sat up, sweat dripping down her face. She gulped air in to her lungs, her body shaking with fear. She tried to calm herself, focusing on her surroundings. She was in bed, in her on site quarters. Just a dream, Caitlin, just a dream. But boy, what a dream. She could still hear Daniel's scream ringing inside her head.

Her breathing steadied, she swung her legs out from under the covers and sat on the edge of her bed trying to control the shudders racking through her body. She looked up, Ben was lying on the floor across from her, his head on his paws watching her intently. She rubbed her eyes and then looked at her watch. Four am. OK, a bit early but she sure as hell wasn't going back to sleep. She rose, showered and dressed.

She paced around her room, Ben watching her. Four twenty am. Now what? That cold empty feeling in her stomach was back again. Daniel's scream still crystal clear in her head. She grabbed her jacket, called Ben and headed out of her room and across to the Cheyenne Mountain complex.

She found herself in the lift heading down into the depths of the mountain. As she watched the numbers count up steadily, the resolve that had bought her this far started to dissolve. "What are you doing, Mitchell?" She said aloud to herself. "He's probably tucked up in his SGC quarters having got back late last night." Her hand wavered over the stop button of the elevator, but the cold feeling in her stomach reached out to her again. She dropped her hand, "OK, I'm prepared to make a fool of myself. I'll just wonder down there and find him in the commissary hunched over a mug of coffee." And as the elevated slowed to stop on the 26th floor, she hoped to god she was right.

The lieutenant on security detail, saluted Caitlin and checked her ID. "Thank you, ma'am." He said, handing her ID back.

As Caitlin walked down the corridor away from the lieutenant, she afforded herself a small smile at the fact that the lads on this floor always treated her as if she still wore the marks of a captain. I guess an earned rank stays with you longer than any sewn on emblems, she thought.

Caitlin soon found herself outside Daniel's office. Empty. Ok, you love sick puppy, what now? She rubbed her eyes again, all the seemed like a good idea at the time' thoughts gone as she stood in the empty corridor. Ben sat patiently watching her, deep in his own doggy thoughts. Her stomach growled at her. Pull yourself together, sergeant, and get yourself some breakfast!

Caitlin turned and headed back down the corridor towards the commissary.

As she walked past the end of the corridor that led to the conference room above the gate room, she could hear voices drifting towards her. She stopped, it was General Hammond. Ok, so it wasn't unusual for him to be in so early, especially if he had teams off world. She was about to turn to go when she heard another distinct voice, raised in argument. Sam!

Caitlin's heart leapt to her mouth, they're back. Without thinking, she headed towards the conference room. She hesitated at the door, unsure if military protocol permitted her entry. She could hear Sam arguing heatedly with the general, unable to quite make out the words through the half closed door to the room. Ben had no sense of military etiquette, but he could smell familiar humans and pushed past his master, entering the conference room. Caitlin shrugged and followed her canine friend.

The long conference table was covered in large sheets of paper and these, in turn, were surrounded by about eight people, trying it would appear to decipher them. At the far end of the room, Teal'c stood impassively watching Major Carter and General Hammond.

Sam was standing only a few feet from her CO, her face flushed with anger and an exasperated look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Major, I cannot authorise a military assault on the planet."

The general's words chilled Caitlin, something was wrong. She scanned the room frantically, no Daniel and no Jack. She felt sick, turning back to the major, she simply said, her voice betraying her concern, "Sam?"

Sam turned at the sound of her name. Caitlin! Taken by surprise at seeing the woman who had quickly become a good friend, she was too slow to hide the anguish in her face, only to see it instantly reflected in the fear in Caitlin's eyes.

Caitlin gasped, managing a strangled, "Danny?"

Sam turned away unable to look at the young sergeant, hating herself for leaving the two men behind. She felt Teal'cs reassuring hand on her shoulder, as he spoke softly to her. "It is not your fault, Major Carter. Sergeant Mitchell will not blame you."

The big Jaffa was, of course, right, but she still felt terrible.

General Hammond took control of the situation, as always. Using his best military voice, he said, "Sergeant Mitchell, we have a situation."

The commanding voice snapped Caitlin back to reality. Saluting, she replied, "Er, sorry, sir. Can I be of any help?"

The general's features softened imperceptibly and he motioned the young woman to join them at the table. There he explained the situation so far, finishing with, "And these are the scrolls the major brought back. We just need to get them translated and find out how to get our boys back home." He spoke with the reassuring confidence of a commanding officer, hiding the concern he felt inside.

+++++++++++++++

Jack sat on the floor of the small room they'd been locked in. He'd watched as Daniel had slept fitfully but now the sun had risen and the young archaeologist needed to eat. He stood and walked over, crouching down beside is friend. Shaking him gently by the shoulder, his right one, Jack called his name.

"Daniel." The young man stirred but did not wake. "Come on, Danny-boy, rise and shine!"

Daniel groaned and slowly opened his eyes. His headache was gone. Good start. The pain in his shoulder was still very much there, as were the sharp stabbing pains across his back, right forearm and lower chest. Well, I guess one's better than none, he thought wryly. Focusing on Jack, he smiled a good morning and then frowned, trying to remember what had happened. His eyes shot wide as the images came flooding back. He reached up, frantically grabbing Jack's arm. "Oh, god." He gasped, "That woman branded you!" Then remembering the pain in his shoulder, "Oh, shit. She branded me, too!" Instinctively, Daniel reached to touch the wound on his arm, but Jack stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

Jack's voice was resigned as he simply said, "Leave it." Then he stood and helped Daniel to his feet. "Come and get some breakfast and I've got something to show you."

He led his friend across to a table and bench in the corner of the room. On the table were several large pieces of paper with writing on and next to the papers were some chunks of bread, slices of meat and a jug of water.

Noticing that Daniel's eyes were focused on the papers not the food, Jack poured Daniel some water and pushed the mug into his friend's hands, along with a chunk of bread. "Drink, eat, then read!"

Daniel took the offered food, remembering how hungry and thirsty he was. He thanked Jack and then allowed his eyes to wonder back to the papers in front of him. They were scrolls, written using the same text as used on the walls of the Stargate temple. Daniel scanned the first three sheets, "These first ones pretty much repeat what was on the walls, about the battle between Sekhmet and her First Prime." He moved them out of the way and started to read the next scroll. It was headed The Rules of Sekhmet' and was a list of instructions.

Daniel read each one out loud for Jack as he translated. His face paling as he worked his way down the list. "Er, one, it is forbidden for one to own more than one Prime. Two, each Prime shall be designated and marked with the owner's seal." That one sent a shiver down both the men's backs.

"Three, a Prime may be lent to another at a fee not to exceed the current Sekhmet rate for said services."

"Whoa." Jack shuddered at the thought.

"Four, ownership of a Prime can only be through the successful completion of the Lioness' Challenge. If more than one candidate contests the ownership, then the winner of the challenge will be declared the new owner. Five, transfer of ownership is not permitted except in the event of the non-suspicious death of the current owner."

Daniel stopped reading.

"That it?" Jack asked. Daniel nodded. "Sweet. What's the other page say?"

Daniel moved the list to one side and started reading the final page. "It's about the Lioness' Challenge." He continued to read, this time not aloud.

Jack huffed, "Well?"

Daniel continued to read and then turned to Jack. "It basically talks about who is eligible to compete in the challenge and how to register. In then goes on to talk about the challenge but there's not much detail. It simply says that the challenges are designed to test the Lioness' skills, stamina, stealth and strength."

Jack acknowledged the words but sensed Daniel wasn't telling him everything. He looked sideways at the young man, "Spill it!"

Daniel fidgeted with the bread in his hand, unwilling to meet Jack's gaze. Then, realising Jack would find out for himself sooner or later, he said, "It also explains that the Prime or Primes will be placed on.." He hesitated. "On display the day before the challenge begins, during registration."

Jack could see he was clearly perturbed by the idea. Hell, he could hardly blame him, the thought didn't exactly thrill Jack.

++++++++++++

Sam paced the conference room, "OK, so we win the challenge and get to return with the colonel and Daniel."

General Hammond pondered the idea, "What makes you think she'll hand them over then?"

"Well, she was distinctly hung up on the teachings of their false goddess, sir. Maybe I'm just being hopeful, but right now that's all we've got to go on."

" I concur with the major. Civilisations of this kind are built on their strong beliefs. It would seem likely that they would follow their own rules." Teal'c's calm voice hid his inner anger at the situation O'Neill and DanielJackson had found themselves in, especially as he was powerless to do anything about it.

The general considered the options. He couldn't send in troops and although this was one hell of a long shot they didn't seem to have too many other options. Actually, they didn't have any other options. He sighed, "OK, but we need to carefully consider who should go."

Caitlin immediately stepped forward, "I'll go, sir."

Hammond nodded, "I know, sergeant but you may not necessarily be the best choice."

Sam spoke up, "May I have a word, sir, outside."

The general nodded and followed the major out into the corridor, leaving a very worried sergeant staring after them.

Out in the corridor, Sam spoke up. "Permission to speak freely, sir." Hammond nodded and Sam continued. "Sergeant Mitchell is in excellent physical shape, all that mountain rescuing I guess. She also very bright, as demonstrated by her degree in Veterinary Medicine." The general was obviously unaware of this piece of information. Sam smiled, "She doesn't tend to mention it."

Sam hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor, unsure how to continue. "I know Caitlin has strong feelings for Daniel, but I really think that could help in this particular circumstance. Help her to go that extra mile, and she's clearly demonstrated that it doesn't adversely affect her ability to decide what's best for the SGC."

Hammond had to agree, the young sergeant had already shown a coolness in difficult situations and an ingenuity that could prove very useful tackling these challenges, especially as they didn't even know what these challenges were! The general nodded, "OK, but you take Lieutenant Tucker, SG-12's linguist, and Lieutenant Tobola, the marine from SG-8, as your attendants."

Sam smiled, "Thank you, sir. We'll move out immediately."

Within the hour, the four SGC women were standing at the base of the Stargate ramp. Caitlin stood next to Sam, sporting the insignia, albeit temporarily, of a captain, thanks to the general. For the duration of the mission', he had said. Behind them stood Lieutenant Caroline Tucker, linguist and anthropologist, and Lieutenant Carin Tobolo, a marine with a reputation for toughness that had quickly earned her the respect of her SG-8 team mates.

Sam looked around at her team, "Ready?"

She was rewarded with three determined yes, sir's.

"Ok, let's go." And Sam walked up the ramp and stepped in to the event horizon followed by the others.

Teal'c watched them as the makeshift team disappeared from view, frustrated that he could be no more use to them. His hand rested gently on the head of the German Shepherd dog sat at his side. Ben wagged his tail, reassured by the Jaffa's presence, yet, anxious about his master's return.

++++++++++++++++

Sam and her team, despite being dressed in full combat gear, did not seem to be attracting too much attention. Everyone appeared to be gathered around the priestess' temple and a large, colourful tent that had been erected at the foot of the temple steps. As they approached the tent, Sam signalled for her team to stop. "Registration, I think." She said, indicating the temporary building. "Tobolo, you and Tucker take our gear and find somewhere for us to bunk tonight. Use those coins we found by the gate. Mitchell and I will check out what's got everyone's attention. We'll meet back here."

The two lieutenants disappeared in to the crowd, heading back towards town, leaving Sam and Caitlin to wonder what next.

"Tent?"

Sam nodded, "Tent it is."

Inside the canvas structure was a long table behind which sat two very officious looking women, surrounding by copious amounts of paperwork. Without looking up, one of the women indicated a pile of forms, "Fill those out if you are here to challenge for the Primes. Viewing will be at noon."

Sam looked at Caitlin and shrugged, picking up a form and passing another to the sergeant. Using the quill pens positioned on the table, the two SGC members completed the applications forms as if they were entering some prize draw not fighting for the lives of their friends. It was all too surreal.

Handing the forms back to the officials, Sam and Caitlin waited while the paperwork was checked. As the official scanned down the page, she stopped about half way down the page, about where the two women had written Earth', and looked up at the strangers, seeing them for the first time. She turned to her colleague, whispering something. The other official also scanned the strangers and then got up and left the tent. "You will wait."

Ok, we'll wait', Sam thought to herself, stepping to one side to allow others to register. After what seemed like ages, the second official returned, nodding to her colleague and muttering something about there being no rule to say off worlders could not compete.

Sam and Caitlin were ushered forward and the first official painted, using a vegetable die of some sort, a number of each of their left hands. Number 38 for Sam and 39 for Caitlin. "You will leave now."

Back outside in the sun shine, Sam noticed that the crowd was getting bigger and its attention was most definitely focused on the temple doors. Caitlin wandered over to the sundial in the centre of the square by the temple steps. Sam followed and, as she approached the stone structure, she could clearly see that local midday would be any time soon.

+++++++++++++

Daniel sat at the table going back over the scrolls, checking to see if he had missed something. He was no nearer understanding the nature of the Lioness' challenge and Jack's incessant pacing was beginning to be very irritating.

"Jack!"

"What?"

"You'll wear out the floor in a minute!"

Jack was about to let fly with a suitable reposte when he heard the sound of footsteps marching across the room out side. "Heads up, Danny-boy."

Daniel swung his legs over the bench and rose to stand next to Jack, facing the door.

There was the scrabbling sound of a key in a lock and the door swung open. Immediately two warriors entered, their staff weapons aimed at the prisoners, and, as they stepped to either side of the doorway, they signalled that the two men were expected to leave.

Daniel followed Jack out into the room they'd been in earlier, their none too pleasant experiences fresh in their minds. Standing before them were four more warriors flanking the priestess. Yorona's smirk clearly showed her arrogant confidence was back and she was ready for the next round of games. "Hello, boys." Her voice oozed a sickening sweetness that sent shivers down the SG-1 members' spines. "I hope you're feeling better, ready to face your admirers." She laughed to herself, then waved one of her warriors forward. "Chain them!"

Yorona watched with sinister pleasure as first Jack and then Daniel had their wrists manacled together in front of them and a four foot long chain attached to the manacles. "Good." That irritating smirk again. Jack was going to take great pleasure in wiping that of her royal face if, no when they got out of here.

The priestess turned on her heals and headed out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "Come, your audience awaits!"

Taking a chain each, two of the warriors led Jack and Daniel out of the room, after the royal pain in the arse. They were led down the corridor, out in to the temple's main entrance room and then up to the main doors. Yorona hesitated for a moment, ensuring that she was looking her best and then nodded for the doors to be opened. The doors swung wide and she stepped outside to stand at the top of the temple steps.

Jack could here a loud cheer go up from what was obviously a large number of people gathered to greet their leader. Yorona was undoubtedly revelling in the reception because she simply stood absorbing the crowds reaction. Then, as the cheering began to die down, she announced, "Once again your great goddess has sent you a gift through the Orbis Aquo in return for your loyalty. She has blessed us with fine specimens who will in turn bless this planet." Then she stepped to one side and with a sweeping gesture reminiscent of a magician's assistant, she said, "Behold, Sekhmet's Primes."

Sam and Caitlin watched from deep in the crowd as Jack and Daniel were dragged out in to the bright, midday sun. Caitlin could feel her heart start to pound faster, the sight of Daniel chained causing her pulse to race. As the two men was pushed forward to allow the crowd a good view, Caitlin gasped as she clearly saw a long gash across Daniel's chest and deep bruising along his jaw line. And then watched in horror as the two specimens' were slowly turned around as the crowd cheered like a band of old women at a cheap strip joint.

As Sam watched the guards turn the reluctant colonel, she too gasped as she saw the long wealds running down his back, a sure sign of him being on the wrong end of a whip. But worse was to come, as the two men were turned almost full circle, revealing their left sides.

"Oh, my god!" Caitlin hissed. The red, raw, weeping wounds so indicative of first degree burns clearly visible on the SG-1 team's upper arms. "They've been branded!"

Sam could barely contain her rage. Reaching for her handgun, she could think of nothing better than pushing through the crowd, shooting anything that got in her way until she'd got to her boys and ripped that priestess' goddamn heart out. Caitlin pulled her eyes for her beloved Daniel, in time to catch Sam's change in tactic. She put a restraining hand on Sam's arm and, unable to speak for fear that she would no longer be able to hold her tears at bay, she simply shook her head.

Sam slowly replaced the gun, knowing Caitlin was right and telling herself to channel the anger she felt so intensely in to the challenges that she was to face tomorrow.

Together, Caitlin and Sam watched as the two men were led back inside the temple and the gates closed behind them.

++++++++++

Sam woke and, for a moment, was disorientated by her dark surroundings. But she quickly remembered that she was resting in a room in a small Inn that Tobolo had booked them into, sharing with the rest of her team. She checked her watch, 2:30 am local' time.

Unsure of what had woken her, she climbed out of bed and looked across at the other sleeping forms. Caitlin was missing. Sam swore quietly to herself, suspecting where she would find the captain. She quickly dressed and shaking Tobolo awake, told the lieutenant to stay put while she fetched Mitchell back.

The streets were deserted, not surprising given the time, but as Sam neared the temple, she could clearly see four warriors on guard outside the temple doors. She hung back in the shadows, making sure the guards would not see her as she scanned the area. Nothing. She moved through the shadows around to the side of the temple. There. She saw movement ahead of her. Moving swiftly and quietly towards the movement, she could see it was the errant captain. As she approached within a few feet, Caitlin swung around, her sidearm pointing at Sam.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, captain!" Sam hissed, the anger clear in her voice, as she emphasised the lower rank.

Caitlin looked down as she fumbled to replace her gun in its holster, "I'm sorry, sir. I just thought we should try and let them know we were here." Unable to meet Sam's glare, she kept her eyes down, aware that what she had said had sounded so lame.

"Think!" Sam fumed. "Thinking seems to be the last thing you were doing, captain! How much use do you think you'll be to us if you get thrown off the planet for sneaking about in the dead of night!"

Caitlin dragged her eyes back to Sam's. "I'm really sorry, I just wanted."

Sam sighed, the initial anger ebbing away, and she reached out a reassuring hand to touch Caitlin's shoulder. "I know."

"Carter?"

Sam spun round, "What?"

"Carter, is that you?" The hushed, yet unmistakable voice of her CO wafted across to them.

"Colonel?"

"Over here!"

The voice was coming from a narrow opening high up on the wall beside where the girls were standing. The opening was barely six inches high but ran almost the entire length of the wall, about twelve feet off the ground, just below the roof line.

Checking the coast was still clear, the two women moved quickly over to the wall.

"Are you alright, sir?" It seemed a stupid question given the condition they'd seen the colonel in earlier, but it was all that Sam could think to say under the circumstances.

"Oh, just peachy." Came the sarcastic reply. Well, at least his sense of humour, if you could call it that, was still functioning. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"We're here to do the challenge. General Hammond wouldn't send troops, but then you'd probably guessed that much. So here we are." She tried to sound more positive than she felt.

Caitlin piped up, "Sir, is Daniel there?"

"Sergeant Mitchell? You here to rescue our butts, too? Yeah, he's here, hang on I'll wake him."

They could hear some scuffling sounds and then a bleary, slightly distant voice, "Who's here?"

Jack's voice again, "Over here, Danny, by the window."

"Caitlin? Sam?"

Caitlin's heart skipped a beat at the sound of Daniel's voice. "Hi", was all she could manage.

"What are you doing here?"

"Already asked that one, Danny-boy. Apparently they're here for the challenge."

"Oh. Have you worked out what the challenge is?"

"We're not really sure", Sam replied. "Just that it has something to do with stamina, stealth and strength."

"Another well thought out plan, then." Jack's voice oozed sarcasm.

"Got any better ideas!" Sam hadn't meant to say that out loud, must be spending too much time around the colonel, she thought.

"Good point, major."

"We'd better get out of here before anyone see us, sir." Sam said, checking around her as she spoke. She looked at Caitlin as she added, "We just wanted you to know we were here."

Caitlin smiled, blushing slightly at the comment.

Jack's voice again, this time deadly serious. "Watch yourselves."

"Yes, sir." Sam turned to go but Caitlin hesitated for a moment. She looked back up at the opening. "Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"I.." Caitlin's voice shook with emotion and she couldn't finish her sentence. Then Daniel's voice drifted to her through the night air, full of the same sentiment that hers had held. "Me, too."

And then Sam was pulling her away.

+++++++++++++

Mid-morning and Sam's team were gathered, along with a whole host of other hopefuls, in the square in front of the temple. One of the officials from the day before was standing on the temple steps explaining to the waiting crowd the details of the first of what would be three challenges.

It appeared that the contestants were expected to complete a ten mile (well, that's was the closest approximation Tucker could translate the local measurements into) hike around the town a few times. They were also expected, at this point, to select which Prime they were competing for. The first eight candidates to complete the race for each Prime would go through to the next challenge which would take place at nightfall.

"Well, I guess this would be stamina," Lieutenant Tucker said.

Both Sam and Caitlin felt quite comfortable with this first test. A ten mile hike done at the double was pretty routine stuff for them and it shouldn't prove too difficult to stay with the lead pack, especially as this forced quick march was without heavy backpacks.

"Make sure you carry plenty of fluids and wear your caps." Lieutenant Tobolo coached. "They're expecting you to run in the mid-day sun, so the fluids will be essential." And she started making up isotonic drinks for them to carry.

"We'd better go and select our Primes." Sam said and Sam and Caitlin headed over to the official's tent to register their entry numbers against O'Neill for Sam and Jackson for Caitlin.

The start line was a make shift affair and Sam and Caitlin positioned themselves as close to the front as they could. The official from earlier called the race to order and then started them off. Sam and Caitlin set off near the front of the pack, running along easily together, keeping their pace even and relaxed. The course was clearly laid out and there were more officials placed all along the route ensuring that all competitors stayed on the right track.

The race was effectively five laps of the town and by the end of the fourth lap, many had dropped out through heat exhaustion or dehydration, but Sam and Caitlin were comfortably running along in around sixth place. The fifth lap was uneventful as they moved easily along, taking on fluids as they needed, so the two women took the opportunity to assess the remaining competitors.

Two of their opponents literally stood out from the rest as they strode out easily ahead of the main group. One was slightly built, wirey individual who seemed to not even be breathing hard let alone out of breathe. The other was built like the warriors that guarded the temple, heavy, well-muscled, yet agile with it. Definitely two to watch out for.

The two SGC women completed the race in fifth and sixth place, ensuring their qualification to the next round, but at the same time not drawing unnecessary attention to themselves.

"Well, done, sirs." Tucker enthused. Tobolo just nodded, as if this was exactly what she had expected. "Let's get you both out of the sun and rested. Task two is at nightfall."

The group headed back to the Inn to prepare for round two.

++++++++++

Jack was pacing again. "Why the hell won't they tell us what's going on!"

"Oh, yeah, like they give a toss about how we feel!" Daniel threw back angrily, just as irritated as Jack at not knowing.

Jack stopped, looking up at the opening, almost willing Sam's voice to come floating through. Silence. He sighed and wandered over to sit next to Daniel. "Well, I suppose it can't be bad news otherwise ol'dragon features would be down here gloating her little cotton socks off."

They sat, heads in hands, staring at the blank wall opposite, wishing they knew what was transpiring outside.

++++++++++++

The sun was slowly disappearing from the sky as, once again, Sam's team gathered at the temple steps.

Flames from burning lanterns lit the square, where crowds of locals were gathering to listen to the official's next announcement. He spoke, introducing the second test, which was a kind of game of tag. Each set of eight contestants would be given a coloured flag, blue for O'Neill and red for Jackson. They would then be escorted to a fenced off area of woodland, about 20 acres (again Tucker's quick estimate of the local measures), and released at three minute intervals into the woods. The object was to take an opponent by surprise, steal their flag and return triumphant to the original let off point. Obviously, each contestant was to steal the same colour flag as they were sporting themselves. This would then leave two sets of four challengers for the following day's final test.

"OK. This would be stealth," said Tucker.

Tobolo nodded, smiling, "And a game we marines practise all the time!"

Tobolo went on to explain that the tactic they were taught in a situation where their enemy was coming to them was to simply lie in wait like a predator. This way you didn't put yourself at risk as you lay hidden in the brush, the enemy does all the running around and you get to pick the best moment to pounce. Simple, energy conserving and effective.

Sam and Caitlin agreed with the tactic since there was no time limit on the challenge and were grateful that Hammond had insisted they take the young lieutenant along with them.

It wasn't long before the two SGC women were being lead, with fourteen other women, along a path and through a gate in a fence into some thick woodland. At suitable intervals, one of the women was allowed to disappear into the trees in search of one of their opponents. As Sam and Caitlin were each let go, they went to ground as soon as practical and settled down to wait.

Neither knew where the other was but they both waited patiently, convinced that Tobolo's strategy would prove successful.

After what seemed an eternity, Caitlin caught sight of someone moving towards her hiding place. A carefully as possible, she shifted her position, flexing her rested muscles and allowing her adrenaline to heighten her senses. Checking that the woman's flag was indeed blue, she poised ready to attack.

Caitlin waited, knowing that a move too soon would allow her prey to escape. As the woman stalked to within a few feet of Caitlin's spot and turned her back to Caitlin, Caitlin jumped up and out, leaping onto the unsuspecting target. It was all over in a flash. Caitlin's body weight pushing the other woman to the ground and knocking the wind out of her. Quickly, Caitlin retrieved her opponent's flag and high-tailed it back to the wood's entrance.

Breathing hard from her sprint to the exit, Caitlin arrived safely at the gate, waving her flag triumphantly and almost immediately saw Sam. She was safely the other side of the woodland fence, a satisfied smirk on her face. As Caitlin was let through the gate, one of the officials retrieved her flag with a nod of approval, noting her number down on his list. Caitlin ran over to Sam, hugging her. Two down one to go!

++++++++++++++

Yorona was pacing up and down her quarters, clearly very angry. These earth women were proving very difficult to remove from the competition. She had tried to have their applications refused but her advisors had pointed out that there were no rules to prohibit off worlders from competing for a Prime. Yorona had ranted at them about there being no rules to say they could, but the advisors and the challenge officials had been adamant. The spirit of the competition would be upheld, the off worlders would be permitted to compete.

Yorona picked up an ornament from her bedside table and threw it across the room. On hearing the crash, one of her attendants appeared in her room. "Is your highness OK?" She asked, bowing low.

"No, I'm not." She fumed, petulantly. Then calming slightly she ordered, "Fetch Warrior Cashmira to me, now!"

The attendant disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.

Yorona continued to pace her room, a thoughtful expression on her face.

The door to her room opened again and the attendant returned, announcing, "Warrior Cashmira, your highness."

The large, well-muscled woman Sam had noticed in the first test, entered the room, bowing in reference to her leader.

Yorona turned to face the warrior, "Tomorrow is the final challenge, which you will win."

"Yes, your highness."

Yorona glared at the woman before her. "Do not underestimate that Carter woman. She is stronger and more clever than she looks." The priestess stepped close to the bigger woman. "I will not leave this to chance, O'Neill will be mine!" And she offered the warrior a ring with a small blue disk mounted on it at right angles. "You will use this, if necessary, to ensure your victory."

The warrior nervously looked at the ring, "But your highness, no weapons are allowed."

Yorona face flushed with anger. She placed the ring on her middle finger, the disk on the inside, resting on her palm. She reached out and touched the larger woman's arm, causing her to squeal out, pulling her arm away as a small bolt of energy pulsed from the blue disk, into the unsuspecting warrior.

Yorona looked smug, "You see, no mark and no one will see the ring hidden in your hand." She could see that the woman was still hesitant to take the ring. Yorona leaned close to the warrior, hissing menacingly in her ear. "Fail me and you will not live to regret it."

The warrior visibly paled, taking the ring and leaving the priestess' quarters as quickly as etiquette would allow.

Yorona couldn't help but smile to herself, "O'Neill will be mine soon and I will take great pleasure in teaching him good, Prime manners. And then, when I have broken his spirit, I will have the rest of him."

+++++++++++

For the last time, Sam and her team gathered at the foot of the temple steps, awaiting the official's final challenge. The crowd hushed as the official climbed the steps and turned to address them. "Fellow Sekhesians, today sees the final challenge which shall take place in this very square at mid-day." With a flourished he detailed the final test, which, it would seem, was to be a straight forward one-on-one, no weapons fight, with the loser the first to be unable to continue to fight, one way or another. With each set of four challengers, there would be two fights and the victors in each of those would then fight each other for the prize. The draw would be made just prior to the first fight.

Tucker didn't bother to point out the obvious this time.

The group of four woman dispersed with the rest of the crowd and retreated to the edge of the town to decide their next course of action.

Sam sat down on the grass, "Ok, suggestions."

Tucker sat down next to Sam, "I'm not sure if there's anything I can add. We've all done basic unarmed combat."

Caitlin nodded, "But we can't afford to lose, not with what's at stake."

Sam knew she was very handy in a fight but they could sure do with an edge.

Tobolo stepped forward standing in front of Sam. "Sir, the rules simply state that the loser is the fighter who can no longer continue. Therefore, I suggest you disable your opponent as quickly and as effectively as you can."

Sam looked at the young lieutenant, "What did you have in mind?"

Tobolo spent the next few hours teaching Sam and Caitlin a few, very dirty, yet effective fighting tricks she had learned from her fellow SG-8 team mates.

++++++++++++

"It's time, sir."

Sam nodded her understanding at Tucker. "OK, let's get this over with."

The group returned to the square to find a crowd already gathering. At the foot of the temple steps was a low wooden fence surrounding a sanded area about fifteen foot square. As Sam and Caitlin walked towards the fight area, they were approached by one of the officials and given their fighting orders. It appeared that the fights would alternate between fights for Jackson and then those for O'Neill, giving the victors a chance to rest between fights.

Caitlin would be up first and Sam would be in the fourth fight. Sam noticed she was not up against the big warrior, although there was of course a good chance she would meet her in the final. Caitlin's first round was against the small, wirey, extremely fit looking woman who had easily won the first challenge.

The four SGC members sat in the nearby shade waiting for the fight to start.

As the sun reached its highest point in the sky, the doors of the temple opened and Yorona stepped out into the sunshine. The crowd cheered and she waved regally to them as she took her seat at the top of the steps, over looking the sand square. Behind her, two warriors dragged out the colonel and Daniel, once again manacled on the end of four foot chains.

Sam and her team stood as they saw their fellow SGC men. Sam watched Jack's eyes scan the area, finally locking on hers. He must have muttered something to Daniel because Daniel's gaze swung quickly around to see the SGC women. Jack's eyes were questioning but there was no time for explanations as Caitlin was called forward to take her place in the square.

Trying to remember everything Tobolo had shown her, Caitlin squared up to her opponent, her stance wide and steady. The other woman seemed to be bouncing around with nervous energy. The official called the fight to commence. Caitlin circled her bouncing opponent, waiting for an opening. When the opportunity presented itself, Caitlin swung a perfectly timed punch, only to discover that the hyperactive woman had a glass jaw and she dropped to the ground, out cold. Caitlin stepped back in surprise and the crowd booed its disapproval.

Yorona scowled as she heard O'Neill hiss yes' under his breath. She quickly waved the official to move on.

Two more fights then it was Sam's turn. With a quiet confidence, she walked in to the square and took up an easy, balance position, waiting for the signal to fight. The signal came and Sam moved lightly around the arena, weighing up her opponent. Making a few dummy moves, Sam soon had the other woman slightly off-balance and quickly moved in with several well placed punches that bought the other woman to her knees. As the woman collapsed to the ground, Sam stepped past her and using her elbow, swung down hard hitting the woman at the base of her skull, knocking her out.

Yorona shot Cashmira a hard stare that spoke volumes. The warrior nodded her understanding, she would not fail her leader.

"Way to go, Sam," Jack muttered to himself, grinning like a kid at Daniel.

The official was up on his feet again announcing the deciding fight for Jackson.

Caitlin stepped in to the square again, looking up at Daniel as she did so. This is for you' she whispered to herself and then turned to face her opponent, allowing all the pent up emotions of the past few days to channel in to the task ahead. Her opponent was slightly taller than her, but built similarly. The official motioned for the fight to start and Caitlin was taken by surprise as the other woman leapt at her with the ferocity of a tiger. Caitlin was knocked to the ground, the air rushing from her lungs. Instinct took over, as she kicked furiously at the writhing body in an attempt to cast it from her. She pushed her palm up under the woman's chin forcing her head back and then shoved hard to one side, rolling the other way as she did so. Still on the ground, Caitlin rolled back to face her opponent as the other woman sprang to her feet. This is your chance, Caitlin, she thought to herself and, remembering the move that Tobolo had shown them earlier, she kicked out with both legs in a scissor actions, turning as she did so. With her foot trapped between the legs of her opponent and her own momentum continuing to carry her forward, Cailtlin's attacker could do nothing to stop the inevitable. There was a sickening snapping sound and the attacker collapsed to the ground, a scream of pain escaping her lips. Caitlin jumped to her feet, standing ready over the woman, but it was clear from the unnatural twist in her lower leg that this woman would not be continuing.

The woman was writhing around in agony and Caitlin's mountain rescue skills kicked in. Dropping to the woman's side, she started to try to calm the woman, whilst calling to Tobolo to bring the first aid kit. At first the officials were unsure about letting Tobolo enter the arena, but relented as the stricken woman let out another cry of pain. "I'm sorry," Caitlin muttered as, with Tobolo's help she administered pain-killers and splinted the broken leg. With a final dose of antibiotics, Caitlin and Tobolo helped the woman to her feet, as her family crowded around to help their wounded kinswoman.

As her opponent was helped from the arena, Caitlin turned to face the none too happy high priestess. "I claim my prize under the Rules of Sekhmet!"

Yorona scowled, but aware that the crowd was watching closely, she said, through gritted teeth, "Collect your prize, you are a worthy and compassionate winner."

The crowd cheered, as Caitlin exited the arena and climbed the steps towards Daniel. As she approached, the warrior restraining the young man offered Caitlin the chain. Caitlin shook her head and said, her voice shaking with emotion, "Remove the manacles." The crowd gasped, clearly thrown by the display of careless abandon, an unrestrained Prime obviously an uncommon sight to the locals. The warrior hesitated and then, not knowing what else to do, stepped forward and unlocked the cuffs around Daniel's wrists.

As the manacles dropped to the floor, Caitlin was in his arms, hugging him as if his life depended on it. The tears she had held for three long days, flowed down her cheeks as she buried her face in Daniel's shoulder. She couldn't bear to let him go, not now, not after so much. She held him, raw emotion flowing from her eyes. She wanted to tell how much she loved him, how scared she had been, how much he meant to her, but all she could do was hold him and cry. Slowly the tears stopped flowing and Daniel gently turned her around and led her down the steps. Sam greeted them, hugging Daniel, words seeming to be unnecessary.

Yorona watched, fire in her eyes. Then she turned to O'Neill, an evil glint flashed across her face as she leered at him. "You will not be so lucky." Then as suddenly, she turned back, ordering the official to start the final fight.

Daniel squeezed Sam's arm, unsure what to say, concern in his eyes, both for Sam and Jack. Sam smiled reassuringly, "I'll be fine, Daniel." And then she headed for the arena.

"Are you OK, Doctor Jackson?" Tucker said, holding out an SGC jacket to her idol.

Daniel turned to the source of the question, "Er, yes. I'm sorry, who are you?"

Caitlin quickly introduced the two lieutenants, as Daniel gratefully took the offered clothing, and then they all moved nearer the arena to get a better view, Caitlin unconsciously not letting go of Daniel's hand.

Sam stood in the middle of the arena, facing the woman built like the warriors of the temple. Close up, she looked even bigger and more menacing. Sam suddenly felt very small and not nearly so confident as she had tried to sound to Daniel. She looked up, her blue eyes locking with brown. The colonel smiled, attempting to reassure his major, hiding the fear he felt for his team mate. Anger flushed his body at his inability to help in anyway. Whatever happened next, he would make sure that Yorona paid dearly and slowly.

Sam turned her gaze back to the woman in front of her. Remember what Tobolo showed you, she said to herself, you can do this, Sam. You are better trained, more disciplined than this hunk of muscle standing before you. She settled her stance, ready for the fight to start.

The official signalled the start of the fight and the warrior launched her attack. Sam easily slipped to one side, lighter on her feet than the bigger woman, and threw a punch that caught the other woman's side. It should have hurt, but it didn't even slow the warrior down. Instead, she spun round and rushed again, but this time anticipating Sam's side step, swinging her own punch that knocked the SGC woman to the floor. Sam rolled quickly to her feet, time to be on the offensive, Sam, she thought to herself. Remembering one of Tobolo's tactics, Sam let out a primal Moari tribal scream that stopped the other woman in her tracks momentarily. Taking advantage of the lapse in concentration, Sam launched herself at the other woman. As she slammed into the bigger woman's stomach, she heard the satisfying whoosh of air being forced from the warrior's lungs. The big woman dropped to the ground like a stone. Sam swung a well aimed punch, connecting with the warrior's jaw. Again the punch should have finished the fight but it seemed simply to bring the other woman back to the land of the living. She forced Sam off her and rolled on to her front to get to her feet. Sam leapt again, this time onto the warrior's back, throwing her right arm around the woman's throat and, using her left arm as leverage, started to close her grip around her opponent's windpipe. She could hear the woman start to gurgle as she desperately tried to draw air into her lungs.

At first the warrior tried to pull Sam's arms away but the SGC woman had a good solid grip (another Tobolo trick) and she was not prepared to let go. Suddenly the woman was no longer clutching at Sam's arms but seemed to be struggling with something in her tunic. Then the warrior reached up and placed her hand firmly on Sam's arm.

Sam's body jerked backwards as the energy bolt pulsed through her body, rendering her body temporarily paralysed and, losing her grip on her opponent, she dropped to her knees.

Caitlin couldn't believe what she was seeing. One minute Sam had the woman right where she wanted her and the next, Sam was on her knees apparently unable to move. Almost in slow motion, Caitlin watched in horror as Sam's opponent swung round knocking Sam to the ground and then reached out, her big hands closing around Sam's throat. Sam's eyes shot wide as she struggle for air, the roles ironically reversed. Caitlin heard O'Neill scream no and, letting go of Daniel's hand, she started to push through the crowd to the arena entrance.

Sam was staring helplessly in to the eyes of her killer, her body unresponsive. She knew what asphyxiation was, what it meant and how her death would come, her scientific mind trying to make sense of the mess she was in. As the blackness started to take over her mind, she could only think of how she had failed her colonel and then she slipped in to oblivion.

Caitlin shoved the crowd to one side, reaching the arena entrance just as she saw Sam's body go limp and the warrior release her grip. With Daniel close on her heals, Caitlin rushed in to the square, pushing past Sam's opponent. She was vaguely aware of Jack shouting Sam's name, as she dropped to the woman's side. Daniel skidded to his knees, on the other side of the limp SG-1 woman's body. Caitlin tried not to panic, she'd done this stuff hundreds of times before, but not on a close friend. Pull yourself together, sergeant, she admonished herself, Sam's life depends on you now. She checked for a pulse. Faint, but there. Good. Next, breathing. Nothing! Taking a deep breath herself, Caitlin moved in to auto pilot. Lifting Sam's head back, she checked her airway was clear and breathed a lung full of air into the inert form before her. Tilting her head sideways, she watched as Sam's chest raised and lowered. Nothing. Another breath. Watch. Nothing. Again a precious breath. Come on, Sam, breathe. Watch the chest. Nothing. Caitlin checked Sam's airway again, hot tears of frustration flowing down her cheeks. "Come on, Sam, breathe damn you!" Again she blew desperately needed air in to Sam's lungs and turned to watch her chest raise and slowly lower. "Come on, Sam." Daniel's voice was low and coaxing, willing his friend to breathe. There! Caitlin was sure she had seen Sam's chest move on its own. She waited. YES! There it was again. Way to go, Sam!

She laid Sam's head down gently, checking her pulse. Stronger, good. Caitlin sat back on her heals, waiting for a more conclusive reaction. She felt Daniel's reassuring grip on her shoulder. Then she saw Sam's eyes flicker and open. Relief flooded through her as she roughly wiped the tears from her own eyes. Daniel's voice, "Welcome back, Sam. You gave us quite a fright there."

Sam returned Daniel's smile, not really sure what was going on.

Daniel turned his gaze from Sam's and looked up at Jack, mouthing that Sam was ok.

Jack closed his eyes for a moment, thanking the gods for bringing Sam back, his own predicament forgotten through his concern for his major.

Caitlin and Daniel helped Sam to her feet. She was a little dazed and her throat hurt, but she was otherwise unhurt. Then everything came flooding back. "Oh, god, Jack!" Panic filled her blue eyes. "I lost!" She struggled to release herself from her friends' grip, searching the temple steps for Jack. "I got to stop them, it's not right, something's not right."

"Easy, Sam." Daniel tried to keep his voice calm.

Sam continued to struggle, trying to remember something, something that had happened out of the blue. That was it! Blue energy! She whirled around to face Daniel, pulling from his and Caitlin's support, "She cheated! The woman cheated!"

Daniel gapped at Sam, "What? How?"

The words tumbled out of Sam's mouth, as she tried to push through the crowd to the temple steps. "She cheated. I had her and she used some kind of energy device on me. An electric charge. She cheated."

Caitlin looked at Daniel as they struggled after Sam. Well, it made sense given what they'd witnessed. Sam had reached the bottom of the steps and was taking them two at a time as she raced after the retreating Yorona and Jack. "Stop!"

Yorona turned at the sound of the earth woman. Her warriors moved to stand between their leader and the advancing Carter.

Sam halted in front of the warriors, stealing a quick look at Jack before turning her attention back to Yorona. "The other woman, she cheated."

Sam wasn't sure how she expected the priestess to react but she definitely didn't expect her to laugh. It was a cold, chilling laugh. "Cheat? Hah, I don't think so." She waved an expansive hand across the crowd, which was now hushed, watching the drama unfold on their temple steps. "We all watched the fight and you lost!" She turned a triumphant face to the official standing next to her, inviting him to comment. He looked at Sam and simply shook his head.

Yorona laughed again and swung around on her heals, tucking her arm around Jack's, proud of her new possession. Then she ushered her entourage towards the temple entrance.

Sam rushed forward, "Nooooo!" But her way was blocked by the priestess' warriors.

Daniel and Caitlin stood behind Sam as she struggled to push past the guards, unsure how to help. Then the two lieutenants were behind them, Tucker pulling at Daniel's sleeve. "Doctor Jackson, I think I have something that might help." And she pushed a scrap of paper into his hand.

Daniel looked at the paper. It was a piece torn from the Sekhmet scrolls, the last page. He read, quickly translating the words. It wasn't very clear but it just might help. At the very least it might buy them sometime. "Sam, the lieutenant here might just have something."

Sam and Caitlin turned eagerly to Daniel. "What?"

"No time to explain, now. Sam, you need to call for the Judgement of Sekhmet."

Sam frowned but trusting her friend explicitly, she turned and called after the disappearing Yorona. "I demand the Judgement of Sekhmet!"

Well that certainly got a reaction! Yorona stopped.

Sam repeated her demand. A murmur arose from the crowd. Yorona cast a sidelong glance at one of the officials. He shrugged and turned to face Sam. "It is your right as the loser to request the Judgement of Sekhmet. Please, allow her to enter the temple."

The warriors hesitated, looking to their leader. Yorona was getting very frustrated with these people, but her people were watching her and the rules did say Oh, what the hell, no one had ever been successful using the Judgement of Sekhmet. She nodded at her guards to allow the earth woman entry.

As the warriors stepped to one side, Sam turned to Daniel. "What now?"

Daniel shrugged, the scroll was not specific. Ok, Sam, once more in to the lioness' den. She turned and followed the priestess and Jack in to the temple, her friends close on her heals.

In side the temple, Yorona took her place on the throne at the top of the entrance hall, motioning for the warrior leading the colonel to stand to one side of her. She smirked at O'Neill, still confident that the insolent, yet attractive man would soon be hers.

Jack watched as Sam was positioned in the centre of the room facing the opponent from her fight, who was standing about ten feet from her. Sam wondered what the hell she was supposed to do now, but was prepared to face what ever she needed to so as not to let her colonel down.

One of the fight officials appeared from a corridor to the side of the hall, carrying a box. He stepped forward, placing the box on the floor between the two women. Slowly he opened the box and lifted out it contents. Sam gasped. A Goa'uld ribbon device. She looked nervously at Daniel, seeking reassurance, only to see his face pale at the sight of the all too familiar object.

Sam turned back to look once again at the Goa'uld bringer of pain, sweat beads appearing on her forehead. The official turned towards Sam and offered her the device. Gingerly picking it up, Sam listened as the official spoke. "If Sekhmet judges the victor to be a false champion then she will unleash her anger and banish the impostor."

Sam knew what she had to do. If she could just get the device to work, then the judgement of Sekhmet would be hers and so would Jack. She slowly eased her right hand in to the device, feeling the cold of the metal against her skin.

Come on, Sam, you've managed to make this thing work before. You just need to concentrate. She cleared her mind, focusing her attention on the jewel at the centre of her palm. Slowly she raised her arm, stretching her hand out to point, palm outwards, at the warrior who had so nearly killed her. She concentrated hard on the jewel.

Caitlin reached for Daniel's hand, feeling his reassuring squeeze as, for the first time ever, they actually willed the device to burst forth its deadly energy beam.

Nothing.

Sam felt the sweat drip down the side of her face. Why wasn't the damn thing working? She glance across at Yorona. The priestess had a smug little grin plastered all over her face. Anger flared inside Sam, that little bitch was gloating! Not only had she badly treated her two SG-1 team mates but now the little so and so was gloating! As the angered flooded through Sam's body, she felt a tingling sensation in the palm of her hand. The strange feeling made her jump and as her anger dissipated, so the tingling disappeared.

Anger, that's what triggered it! Raw, negative emotions.

Ok, I can get angry. Sam raised her hand again and thought about that woman! Thought about what she had done to Jack. Thought about what she had done to Daniel. She felt the anger rise inside her and she focused that anger on the woman standing in front of her. The tingling sensation returned, fed by the negative emotions pulsing though her body, channelling down to the jewel in the palm of Sam's hand. Sam felt a sudden and overwhelming sense of power rush through her body and an orange bolt of energy shot from her hand, lifting the unsuspecting warrior off her feet and hurling her in to the wall behind.

Everyone gasped. Yorona's face was an absolute picture of shock and dismay.

Sam shuddered, collapsing to her knees. She felt suddenly very weak, as if the energy bolt had ripped the strength from her body. Daniel and Caitlin were quickly at her side, once again helping her to her feet. "You did it, Sam, you did it!"

Yes, you did, Sam, she thought. She shrugged off Daniel and Caitlin's help and stepped forward to face Yorona. Sam afforded herself a smug little smile and said, "Sekhmet has spoken. I claim the Prime under the goddess' rules."

Yorona looked like she was about to explode. She jumped to her feet, "No! This can't be right! There was no cheating! They would have seen it!" She waved her hand at the official standing next to Sam. Sam sensed him flinching under her menacing glare. The official wavered, not sure what to say, then a small, shaky voice spoke behind them.

Sam turned, it was Cashmira, picking herself carefully up off the floor. "I..I did cheat. Her highness gave me this." She held out her hand, the blue disk ring lying in her palm. She looked nervously at Yorona, "She told me she would kill me if I did not win the challenge." Cashmira turned back to the official, "She wanted the Prime for herself."

The official frowned, then, with more resolve than he'd shown earlier, he faced the priestess. "Is this true, your Highness? But you already have a Prime."

Anger flared in Yorona's face, "That sniffling excuse for a male! I am High Priestess to the greatest warrior who ever lived, Sekhmet. I deserve far better. Look at him." She waved her hand at Jack, an unnerving smile on her lips. "Think of the sons he will bring us!" She whirled back to face the official, "We cannot let him leave! I will not let him leave." Her voice was low and menacing. "Guards, escort these people from our planet!"

Her warriors didn't move, looking to the official for guidance. Yorona roared with pure rage, "Do it! Do it, now!"

The official turned to Sam, "I am sorry for the wrong that has been done to you and your people. Please take all your friends and leave."

"Noooo!" Yorona flew at Sam, taking her completely unawares, but Jack was faster. Pulling his chain from the hands of the warrior restraining him, he jumped across the void between himself and the attacking priestess. He flew straight into her knocking her off her feet and away from Sam. She collapse on the floor, shock and indignity written across her beautiful features.

The official nodded at one of the warriors, "Take her to her quarters and make sure she stays there." He turned to the rest of the assembled. "I will speak with the advisors." Those gathered nodded at each, appearing to accept this as the best way forward. Turning back to Sam, he added, "You'd better leave now."

"Er. Excuse me!" Jack waved his manacled hands at the official, clanking the chain noisily on the stone floor. The official bowed and waved the warrior forward to unlock the offending articles. Relieved, Jack rubbed his sore wrists, then he turned to Sam, a tenderness in his eyes that warmed her heart. "Are you ok, major?"

She smiled back at him, the fact that he'd used her rank so incongruous to that look. The way it should be, Sam, she reminded herself. "I'm fine, sir."

"OK, kids, let's blow this popsicle stand!"

As the SGC group walked back down the main street towards the Stargate temple, Jack turned to Sam, "When we get back, I want the details, all the gory details! Like what the hell was that scream. And." He glanced over his shoulder at Caitlin, walking behind them once more holding on tightly to Daniel's hand. "How the hell you learned how to break people's legs in Search and Rescue."

Caitlin laughed, as Tobolo piped up, "As usual, sir, the Marines have to save your butt!"

++++++++++++

Epilogue.

Jack poured over the mission report, it made for very interesting reading. He smiled to himself, once again proud to be part of the SGC and its members. For a while there, things had looked pretty bad. He unconsciously rubbed the dressing on his arm. It was still sore but a little nifty needle work from the Doc and the burn marks had been hidden under a new layer of skin. Still, the mental scars would not be so easily repaired, but he knew they would in time, especially with his friends to support him and Daniel. Which reminds me, he thought to himself, I must have that don't blame yourself, Danny' conversation with him. After all we retrieved twenty staff weapons and fifteen zat guns, all fully functional. And we're still here, just, thanks to Sam and her team.

He rubbed his tired eyes and reached for the pen on his desk. Without hesitation he signed the commendation recommendations for Lieutenants Tucker and Tobolo. He laughed to himself, SG-8 will be unbearable for a few weeks, damn Marines!

As for Sergeant Mitchell, he'd speak to General Hammond in the morning. Sergeant, indeed! What a load of.. His thoughts were interrupted as Sam burst in to his office, "Come on, sir, SG-8 are buying!" Then she disappeared.

"I'll bet they are!" He said to himself. "Still a free drink's a free drink." He put his pen back down, gathered the papers together, placing them in the out tray, stood up and left his office.

The End

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Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended.